Disclaimer: Any characters you recognize from the books in the Harry Potter series by J. K. Rowling belong to the aforementioned J. K. Rowling. I am simply playing with them for my amusement, and to see what kind of reaction I can get.
Not Another Author's Note: Many thanks to the_scribbler for his kind assistance with this chapter.
Chapter 46 - School Wards
"Sis, you'd better kiss him," said Hermione through the smirk on her face, "And put him out of his misery." Jeannette scowled at Hermione for pushing her into something she didn't think Edouard was ready for. She got up, and, using her wand, she moved Ed's chair away from the table and sat on his lap; she hadn't done that before. She found the height to be near perfect if she stretched up a tiny bit, and taking his face in both her hands, aimed his lips at hers and gave him a passionate kiss that she hoped he wouldn't forget too quickly. He came back to life about a minute later, gasping for breath, his arms wrapping around her, holding her snugly to him, his smile beaming back at hers.
"Close enough", said Jeannette. "At least he's smiling and not scared to death." The six older students laughed at the comment as well as the sight of Ed holding onto Jeannette and smiling at her. Edouard's head leaned over a little as his lips attempted to close in on Jeannette's ... their noses bumped first and Jeannette giggled ... softly ... until Ed's lips captured hers in a gentle kiss.
Soon enough Jeannette got off her new boyfriends' lap and they all got down to business, questioning Rowena and learning how to strengthen and add wards to the Castle. When the others took a break Rowena started showing Harry and Hermione how to control the Castle. They couldn't actually practice any of the spells they were learning here within the portrait. Hermione made detailed notes of all the wards and the Castle control spells, they could be practiced outside or in one of the empty dungeons later.
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The eight students spent the afternoon in the unused Dungeon where Slughorn held one of his Parties last year. Hermione initially hadn't recognized the dungeon as the one she had come to with Cormack McLaggen. They first practiced each spell until they got them all right then practiced casting each spell simultaneously to increase the overall power of the ward. Suppertime came and they made their way to the Great Hall. Before the desserts were brought forth the Headmistress made the announcements about the Halloween Costume Ball and Dumbledore's Army that would start up next Friday evening. She also announced that a Christmas dance would be held before the students returned home for the break, details would be posted later.
Her last announcement informed the student body and the balance of the staff that weren't in her office at the time that Misters Harper, Pritchard and Baddock were eating their last meal in this school due to multiple infractions of the schools' rules. She didn't get into the details of which rules they broke to avoid giving others similar ideas. Stealing and use of restricted potions like the Polyjuice potion, and using Polyjuice to change into members of the opposite sex for reasons unknown were at the beginning of the list. Since the boys didn't divulge any further information on their own and the use of Veritaserum was not permitted on them by school policy, only the information that Minerva found when she was using Legilimency to verify that they were in fact not the little girls they appeared to be was known for sure. Slughorn had verified that a large quantity, several litres, of Polyjuice Potion was missing from his secure storeroom as well as potion ingredients and some small quantities of other potions. The Slytherin Dormitories had been searched, but nothing was found. The three young girls had been questioned as well and since they were in the Hospital Wing at the time, there was no proof that they even knew about the incident.
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Saturday Sept 6th (evening)
Hermione didn't really like the idea of having to leave their rooms and go to somewhere desolate to enjoy Harry's attention. On the other hand, they couldn't very well continue on the way they were or they would soon be in trouble. Not for making love specifically, but for disrupting the Castle and other students. There was already some wild speculation going around because of that incident and linking it to the one in the Defence corridor earlier. Fortunately, because of the Pureblood propagated stories, most of the students were trying to pin it on one of several Pureblood couples. The students never gave the half-blood Harry Potter or the Muggleborn Hermione Granger a second thought as being the culprits causing the disturbance. Ron and Luna were very near the top of the list of suspects, both being Purebloods and seldom was one seen without the other any more, except in classes, since they weren't in the same year.
Hermione finally was able to talk Harry into seeing Rowena Ravenclaw again today. Hermione was certain Rowena would know something that would simplify their situation. After making their way to the Library, into the Restricted Section and through the portrait, they finally sat down with Rowena and explained the situation. It took them a while to explain it all to Rowena and she didn't make it easy for them by embarrassing them to no end. Rowena was sure that the embarrassment would serve its purpose in that they would never in their lifetimes ever forget the simple solution to their problem.
Certain of the wards that they had learned today, if applied from inside their rooms would keep spells and accidental magic from breaching their walls. Rowena had either forgotten to mention or they had misunderstood the reason that the Castle's wards were mostly cast from outside the walls of the Castle. If they were cast from the outside, the wards would keep out the spells or penetrations they were supposed to stop. If they were applied to the inside of the walls, they would keep magic trapped inside. All they had to do was to cast the wards from inside Harry's bedroom and their Common Room. If they cast the appropriate wards on all four walls, floor and ceiling as well as the doors and window, the magic would be trapped inside. Rowena also suggested a dampening charm that they should cast on a significant piece of furniture inside the room that would help absorb the magic they released so it wouldn't build up enough to blow the warded walls out. One little piece of information can make all the difference.
Another trick Rowena suggested was to reduce the power of the ward on an outside wall or window, that way if there was a breach in the wards, the magical energy would escape the Castle and, hopefully, the worst they would get would be a light show outside as the magic dissipated.
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Later that evening after all the wards were cast, homework done and the cuddling on the sofa in their Common Room ended, Harry entered his bedroom and pulled up the covers to slip in beside her, he could see that she was wearing his old third year Quidditch Jersey that she had found, cast away, in the corner of his closet on Privet Drive. It had no hope of fitting him anymore, but the fabric was soft from being sufficiently worn and washed. It was a fairly loose fit on her; it came down just over her bum. So far she had only worn it when she was feeling off and he knew that couldn't be the case tonight. He could tell that she did have something on her mind, undoubtedly he would find out soon enough.
As he slid in she moved over to make room, leaving him the spot she had just warmed up. It was obvious she wasn't mad at him; she snuggled right into her normal position as he settled in place. The message seemed clear, everything was alright, tonight just wasn't going to be another hot and steamy romp in the sack ... at least that appeared to be Hermione's intention.
"Don't pout Harry, I know you're disappointed, but I am hoping we can prove something." Harry's eyebrows lifted as his expression changed to curious. Hermione continued, "If we refrain from the more energetic bedtime sports and Voldemort recovers ... then maybe it is as you were thinking, killing him with our love. If Voldemort doesn't recover ... or takes a very long time to recover, then it points to the Horcruxes as being the cause ..." she explained. Harry grudgingly agreed, though he would have preferred to prove it the other way, by escalating their pleasure in bed and trying to kill old Mouldyshorts with their love. He would have argued if she had decided to sleep in her own room, though he hoped she wouldn't go that far to prove the point. For better or worse, they had grown quite accustomed to sleeping together.
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Sunday Sept 7th AM
When Hermione awoke the next morning she was feeling very warm and toasty. She quickly realized she wasn't in the same position she went to sleep in last night. Without moving ... though she knew she would have to soon ... she tried to suss out what had changed. Something or hopefully a certain someone was warming her all the way from her neck, down her back, around her bum and down her thighs. She also felt like she was in a cocoon, completely wrapped up like a gift for Christmas. She knew it was Harry behind her; she could feel the rise and fall of his chest as he breathed in and out, the warmth of his exhales on her shoulder and the slight cooling as he inhaled. Hermione moaned softly as a shiver ran down the length of her body. She further tried to suss out how Harry had her wrapped up and how they had managed to change positions so radically during the night.
Harry made a whining noise and tightened his grip on her ever so slightly. That was when it became apparent that she was being held by way too many arms and hands. She knew her breasts were being cradled by his two hands because their fingers were now gently squeezing her very hard nipples. She let out another small moan as he exhaled and another shiver ran down her body. She could sense that Harry was starting to come alive, she could also feel more hands start to move on her tummy, over her navel, and further down, something with fingers found its way under the jersey and into her knickers, making its way through her short hairs. Her eyes bugged out when she realized that something very hot and round was nesting in her bum. She knew Harry was awake now, she also knew he was aware and was intentionally driving her crazy with all his caressing, tweaking hands and the searingly hot sensation of his hard cock behind her. Hermione loved the feelings and sensations he was producing in her, but she wished she could look at Harry's face; she needed to be able to look into his eyes.
Harry was now awake enough to know exactly how she was reacting to his ministrations, he also began to realize that he had more arms and hands than was normal. He had six arms and hands that were gradually working Hermione into a passion. He also knew something was off, he could sense that she wanted something more. His multitude of hands helped her roll over until she was facing him, green eyes to brown. He knew he could never tire of looking into her eyes; there was so much going on in her mind that flitted through her eyes. Harry had yet to decipher it all ... one of the looks he did know said that it was time to get up. He held her for a moment more as their lips met and greeted in the morning sun that was streaming through the window. All of Harry's arms released their hug, caressing her perfect body as the extra arms slowly retracted into him and disappeared, as though they were never there. Hermione gave him a quick squeeze of appreciation before slipping out of the warm bed to prepare herself for the new day.
Harry followed her after about five minutes and they both ended up in the shower together. This time he actually did wash her back and she washed his without their hands going too far astray and off-target.
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Monday Sept 8th Afternoon
Vincent Crabbe returned to the school, quietly, and with as little fanfare as possible. He didn't want the circumstances of his leaving known, nor did he want there to be any possibility of attracting negative attention from Harry. The only thing that had changed was that he was now required to turn over his wand to Professor Slughorn at the end of classes each day just as Malfoy would continue to do when he returns a week tomorrow. Harry would have preferred that Crabbe become a Purina™ Dragon-snack or the prime ingredient in the fertilizer for the School's flower-beds, but realized that no one could expect to always receive their hearts' desire in life. It was good enough, he supposed, that Crabbe was effectively wandless outside of class. One less enemy's wand to have to face was a start.
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Monday Sept 15th after curfew
Hermione and Harry, as they sometimes did, had swapped their night of patrols with another pair of prefects to get Friday evening off. They had permission from the Headmistress to leave the Castle for the weekend starting Friday afternoon, after classes. At almost ten o'clock, as they were passing the Library they heard a voice. "Psssssstt, Potter ... Granger," Draco whispered from behind the almost closed door of a broom closet on the third floor. They had been told that Draco had returned late Sunday evening, he had gone to classes all day today and now he was apparently out after curfew. Did he not learn anything?
Hermione didn't even turn around until later, her wand was already out behind her back and her 'Accio' charm nearly yanked the door off its hinges, surprising Draco. Harry quickly spun around and had Draco bound with burning ropes so fast that if a person had blinked, he or she would have missed it. He did however include a flame freezing charm in the binding spell this time. It wasn't like they even needed to use their wands; they were however getting more used to pulling their wands again in the two weeks since school started. Harry had seen Draco on his map while they were still on the second floor and kept an eye on the map until they had the closet door in sight.
"Give me one good reason Malfoy, why I shouldn't end your miserable life here and now?" asked Harry in a very sarcastic tone, his wand pointed straight at Malfoy's heart.
"What's with you and the burning ropes?" asked Draco in response "Is that the new spell Granger taught you over the summer?"
"Malfoy ... why are you out here at this time of night, without a wand and trying to get us to notice you?" asked Hermione.
"I need to talk to Potter, little Miss Nosey. So leave us alone." Hermione looked at Harry for a moment; then shook her head.
"Never going to happen Malfoy," said Hermione, "Not while Voldemort wants to kill Harry." Draco cringed at the sound of Dark Lord's name; then Hermione continued, "We'll take you to the Headmistress and she can figure out what to do with you."
"What, you two idiots need help killing me?" Snarked Draco. Harry had enough and with a tweak of his wand Malfoy was dangling in the air by his right heel. "Okay, okay ... I don't want McGonagall involved ... give me a chance to explain. I would appreciate if you put me down carefully and remove these damn ropes ... I have no wand so what can I do to you?"
"What indeed!" Said Hermione as Harry lowered him onto his hands and then let the rest of Malfoy down in an, if not careful, at least civilized manner. Draco was quickly back on his feet making a show of dusting himself off and preening his clothes.
"Get on with it Malfoy ... what is it you want to tell us?" demanded Harry.
"Alright, alright ... this is not easy for me; I'm not exactly used to being in this position." Said Draco, "These last eleven days in Azkaban ... were not particularly pleasant ..."
"Not the luxury resort that your Father made it out to be, eh!" interrupted Hermione in a very sarcastic tone of voice.
"Shut it Mud ..." Fortunately Draco caught himself before he finished that word, but Hermione now had him hanging by his left heel anyway.
"Alright, alright ... I apologize ... now would you please let me down ... I have some information for you and maybe I can be of some help."
Furious, Hermione let him down and then tore into him with a five minute tirade about not putting up with his egotistical, pureblood prejudices and attitudes, all the while holding her glowing and sparking wand in his face. The light and sparks from her wand dimmed down as her monologue came to an end and her raging temper eased.
"M ... M ... Merlin P ... P ... Potter, how do you put up with her?" Draco was still standing, but shaking nervously.
Harry had to smile; he was laughing inside, but knew better than to do it openly at this time. "One simple rule Malfoy, don't make her mad, the consequences could be deadly. She isn't called the smartest Witch of her age without a valid reason."
"Okay ... calm down and let me speak ..." Draco waited a few quick seconds before continuing. "A select group of Slytherins have been keeping tabs on you and your little group of friends, and reporting back to the Dark Lord. They know that Weasley and Lovegood are an item; also they know the other Weasley and that wimp Longbottom are together. They aren't too big a deal to the Dark Lord, but ... they are almost certain that you two are also a big item." Draco let it hang there, awaiting a response.
"Why, because we have been doing patrols together and go to most of the same classes," queried Harry, "We've been best friends for six years now, there's no big deal." Hermione didn't even bat an eyelash at Harry's pronouncement.
"You want to believe that, you go ahead, what I see says different" responded Draco. "The orders I came back with are to try to capture you two ... and if we can kill you without getting caught, we are to go ahead. Otherwise we turn you over to Snape and he takes you to the Dark Lord."
"I had most of that information a week ago. How do you meet up with Snape?" asked Harry.
"Enough for now, how did you learn about this a week ago?", Draco said.
"We overheard some Slytherins talking," said Hermione. It wasn't the truth. Harry had found out by using legilimency on Pansy Parkinson, but there was no advantage to telling Draco about that. "Why is it that you're talking to us now and what do you want ... other than to stay out of Azkaban."
"My Mother is not a believer in the Dark Lord, mostly she has little say in what my Father does and she doesn't oppose him too often" stated Draco. "If I switch sides, my Father will believe it is my Mother's doing, and most likely kill her ... and then me."
"Switch sides!" exclaimed Hermione. "What makes you think we would consider taking you? You're too ... problematic ... it's too big a chance ... too big a risk."
"Hold on Hermione, there may be some that will consider this an opportunity, remember what Dumbledore asked in his letter?" said Harry.
"I know exactly what he wanted ... if I remember correctly, you were the one that totally disagreed with the idea at the time", stated Hermione.
"I'm still not ecstatic about it ... the only Malfoy I would totally trust is a dead Malfoy ... and even then ..." Harry left that thought to hang in mid air.
"Give us a few days to talk and sort out your offer. On Thursday be in an empty classroom at eight o'clock in the evening. If we don't meet you within twenty minutes it is because we can't safely do so. We'll try again on Monday."
"First of all my Mother needs to be protected, and next, to survive and be of any use to you while in Slytherin I still have to appear to be my same old self", stated Draco. "I'll do my best to give you warning when you are in danger, I just haven't figured out how to do it without getting caught."
"We'll sort something out if we decide to accommodate you", said Hermione. "There will be a lot of details to take care of - that's a small one. For now you had better get back to your Common Room ... without getting caught."
As Draco wandered away, Hermione and Harry looked at each other for several minutes; mulling over the conversation with Draco. Then they moved off to find the Headmistress, Harry pulled out his Marauder's Map and confirmed that Malfoy would soon be safely in his Common Room and there were no other students loose in the Castle. Professors Weasley and Slughorn had been patrolling on the fourth floor and were now coming down a staircase towards them on the third floor. The two groups met, greeted and passed each other with the Heads making their way to Minerva's office.
Draco wished he could at least disillusion himself wandlessly. Over the last few weeks he had tried numerous spells without his wand. Outside of classes he had little choice and other than written homework, little else to do, so attempting wandless magic became his distraction of choice. Draco had tried borrowing wands from most of the other Slytherins, attempting to find out what types of wands would work for him. Most wouldn't work for him at all, a few he could force to work with great effort, only one came close to being useful, that was Pansy's. Pansy had taken that as further proof that they were destined to be together; to be married. If he was ever to break free and get away from the Dark Lord, Pansy would definitely not be in his future. She had been brought up with the dark arts as much as he was, it was ingrained in their blood from childhood, probably a good part of the reason that their parents had arranged for them to be married right after Hogwarts. That and the Parkinson's had almost as much gold as the Malfoy's, which would make Draco and Pansy very rich snobs - if, he admitted to himself, they lived long enough. All these thoughts were going through his mind as he made his way back to the Slytherin Common Room ... that and he knew that he would find Pansy waiting in his bed for him. He had to keep reminding himself that at least she was useful for something, and after what amounted, for him, to begging with Scarhead and his mudblood bitch he could use some relief.
Finally, after arriving safely in his Common Room, Draco could see that there were only two other seventh-years up. Blaise Zabini and Daphne Greengrass were playing a card game of some sort. They acknowledged each other as Draco passed by and proceeded to his private room. The Slytherins didn't have dormitories like the other houses; they weren't nearly as sociable as a group. Each student could have a separate room if they wanted it, or share. Pansy had her own room, but since third year she normally slept with Draco, unless they were having a fight. Once in his room he started stripping his clothes off while Pansy began warming herself up for him, she knew he wouldn't, not in his obvious state of mind. She glanced over to see him watching her, she stifled a snicker, she had experienced more impressive hardware than his, and he knew it. It was going to be a short, albeit relatively painless night for her. As they settled into their customary 'routine', Pansy wondered idly if Harry Potter was even half the man that she thought he probably was. Then she thought about whether knowing for sure would make her happier or not. Being outdone by a mudblood was definitely not in her top ten things to have happen each day and already, Hermione beat her in all academic areas - so having her snag a better lover, too, would just be one thing too many.
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