Requital by Msscribe
Rating: R- (edited version). Full NC17 version on www.portkey.org.
Ships: H/Hr
Type: Angst\ Romance
Summary: A story of Hermione Granger coming to terms with her greatest loss, finding her own voice and strength, and coming of age in a world battered by a never-ending war.
Disclaimer: No profits are being made off the fiction on these pages. Harry Potter, associated characters and the associated Harry Potter universe is © J. K. Rowling and respective publishers. Fanfiction is fiction--it is not meant to be taken seriously in the least.
Chapter 3 - Shadow Dancing
Hermione stared at the sexy witch in the mirror. Her startling red hair and deep pink-colored lips looked like someone she barely recognized. It would be her first time out as an Auror. She couldn't seem to move her legs. She was filled with terror.
The beautiful Cho Chang opened Hermione's bedroom door and smiled approvingly at her student. Hermione wore leather pants and a pink halter top, which made her hair stand out even more. She wouldn't stand out at the club they would visit tonight. She would fit right in, along with Cho, who wore a blue mini-dress and red streaked hair. Harry, Neville and Ron would meet them there. She had mixed feelings about that. She wasn't sure how she felt about being out like this. She had to suppress that voice now. It would only interfere with her mission.
Hermione took a deep breath and focused on her goal. She was nervous. They'd be visiting Club Mistress tonight. It was suspected to be a money-making front for the Dark Army. The sad irony hit her; Muggles were funding their assassins by spending their nights dancing away in a drunken frenzy.
Cho disappeared for a moment, returning with a glass of water and handed the nervous girl a small pill.
"It will help you."
"What is it?"
Cho laughed.
"An aspirin. You'll have to have a drink or two, but try to stay focused. This is information gathering only. No confrontations tonight."
Hermione took the pill and let it slide down her throat; barely making it past the lump that had recently formed there.
Cho wrapped her arms around Hermione's tense shoulders.
"You're ready."
#
The hypnotic lure of the music flooded her ears and momentarily dulled her senses. Cho took Hermione's hand intertwining their fingers. Then she planted a soft kiss on Hermione's lips.
"Tonight you are mine, you lovely little witch." Cho hissed at her.
According to the report, their target Locust Daviz had a thing for women who were...together. Hermione smiled back nervously, accepting a second, more sensual kiss from Cho. She didn't see Harry in the corner, still recovering from the shock of her scantily clad entrance, let alone her sharing a kiss with his grade school crush. Ron and Neville were beside him, gawking at the two women.
"Did I just bloody dream that?" Ron began. "Because if so, let me keep sleeping."
Harry flashed Ron a look of warning.
"It's in the M.O., that's why we invited Cho in the first place, remember? They're trying to get noticed so they can get invited into the private area."
Neville nodded coolly, with the hardened demeanor he had picked up over the years. Ron gawked.
"I think they'll succeed." Harry said finally, not able to take his eyes off of them. Off of her. He had never seen her that way before. He forced himself to look away once or twice, and then he finally gave in.
#
They walked the club a few times, stopping to have a drink or two. There were maddening swirls of light as Cho led her to the crowded dance floor. Flashes of color burst through the room. No magic, just an expert play on lights and rhythm. A beautiful blonde woman tried to pull Hermione away, and she resisted her, clutching Cho's hand again.
"Taken darling." Cho said sweetly. "Maybe next lifetime…"
The blonde glared at Cho.
Hermione noticed the three guys sitting in the corner. They couldn't meet up with them just yet.
Hermione managed to stifle the panic rising up in her and began to relax as Cho let her hands fall to her hips and rocked her friend's body close to hers. Every man, and a few women, in the club were staring at the exotic duo. Hermione began to get into the act, letting her hands run through Cho's hair and initiating a small kiss of her own. She felt this sudden surge of electricity. She wasn't attracted to Cho in that way…but there was something wonderful about what they were doing, about the way they were dancing. Then she caught Harry's eyes. They held something she'd never seen before. She couldn't stop staring at him.
Harry finally broke their trance. What the hell was that? Why was he feeling like this? Everything was going perfectly, what was the problem? He got up to make a mock attempt at picking up a woman. To his chagrin, she accepted his offer to dance and he moved her close to the dancing women. The witch was fortunately very drunk and didn't seem to notice how distracted he was by the two women making out on the dance floor beside him.
"It's powerful, isn't it," Cho whispered to Hermione. "A hundred men in here would give anything to be locked between us."
Hermione felt Cho's lips gently graze her neck. She sucked in her breath as she also noticed a large man moving towards them. She smiled seductively at him. Cho had noticed him as well.
"You ladies are making the club more beautiful then it's ever been. Drinks are on the house compliments of Mr. Daviz, and there's a party later in the back that he'd be honored to have you attend," the man said, letting his finger trace down the curve of Hermione's neck, and his other hand fall to Cho's pretty chin.
The man signaled to the bartender and the bartender nodded.
"We'd love to…right lovely?" Hermione replied. Cho nodded in agreement, proud of her prodigy. Hermione barely recognized her own voice.
Mission accomplished. Heading for the bar, Cho signaled to Harry who was very close to them now.
#
Harry felt his hands clench up as he watched the Gorilla-like man fondle Hermione's neck. He wasn't surprised when he got the signal from Cho. They had succeeded in infiltrating the back room. He watched as Hermione and Cho walked to the bar. He looked over at Ron, who nodded and walked up to him and his dance partner.
"May I cut in?" Ron said to the pretty lady. She looked up at Harry who nodded yes. The woman was happily led away by Harry's accomplice.
Harry walked over to the bar and sat next to Hermione. His whole body was tense, and he fought not to let his eyes wander past her neck. He had to focus.
"Would you mind if I stole her for just one dance?" Harry asked Cho.
"Hmmm…" Cho said in mock jealousy. "Just remember who she belongs to."
Hermione gave Cho a small peck and smiled up at Harry. He took her hand. There were going to be no slow songs, so he pulled her close to him and stared very seriously into her eyes.
"You know what we need to find out? You're ready?" he questioned.
"Yes."
Harry looked away, carefully watching to see if the large man had returned.
"Just be sure you meet us in the morning at the pancake house. We'll exchange information there. Neville managed to get an interview to be a bouncer. That would definitely give us another in. These attacks are getting more devastating, we need to find out what these people know."
His body was tight against hers now, and she was already flushed from the drink she just had. She let her arms fall over his shoulders and moved her hips towards him. He stifled a groan. She had never seen him dressed like that before, with his hair spiked up and his tight black tank top revealing every muscle in his arms. She was thoroughly enjoying his touch. She fought the feeling. She had a killer to catch.
"Don't worry. I can handle this."
"I don't know if I can…" he mumbled, hoping perhaps she hadn't heard that last part.
She had.