Cherreads

Chapter 2599 - Habits 4

Saturday morning, you woke up bright and early. Griphook had told you that the bank actually ran 24/7, but the time they actually wanted you there by was simply "as early as possible."

Thus, when you awoke that morning, bright and early at five AM, you immediately climbed out of bed, stretching, before getting ready for the day.

Had Harry still been certain to come on the trip with you, you might have woken up the other girl as well, but, as she told you yesterday, apparently Flitwick had spoken to her about possibly trying out for the Quidditch team that same day. Something to do with an incident in Flying class.

Harry had been conflicted, and it took much assurance from you, and from Professor Flitwick, that you would be fine on your own.

None of your assurances stopped the girl from extracting a promise from Flitwick to "keep an eye on you" and "keep the predators away."

Flitwick had seemed amused, thankfully, and you gave the other a small smile in response to her worry.

Still, as it was, you were careful to sneak out of the room so as not to wake her. You had packed a small bag of essentials. A change of clothing if needed, some water, three books in case you have free time, two more notebooks to take notes, and a few other bits and bobs.

Professor Flitwick met you in the common room, which was empty and dark aside from the petite professor. She didn't look much different than normal, still dressed in her standard suit jacket and blue blouse, although, looking at her, it seemed her hair was brushed in such a way that it fell naturally around her eyes, and she too had a small bag with her.

When you entered the common room, her eyes snapped to yours, and you couldn't help but notice the way they seemed to glow in the dim light of the morning.

"Ah, Herman, you're awake." She sounded quite happy, although her voice was quiet.

You nodded, unable to keep the large smile off your face. This was exciting to you. It almost felt like the first time your mother and father brought you to the office. They even let you watch a few of the cleanings they were doing that day.

It was one of the brightest memories of your childhood.

"Then let's be off," Flitwick said, before turning and strutting out of the Common Room, you following behind.

The two of you made a quick pitstop near the Great Hall, where a small table sat placed oddly near the front.

It wasn't there last night, and you looked at Flitwick in askance. She gestured for you to wait just a moment.

Seconds later, two steaming lumps of tinfoil appeared in front of you. The exact sort that'd be used to store sandwiches and other items. Flitwick took one before handing the other to you.

"I asked the kitchen to prepare something for our early morning." She explained. You opened the wrap to find an egg, alongside some bacon, between a plain bagel. Not exactly the breakfast of kings, but you bit into it eagerly, the food filling the spot in your stomach well.

As you two walked, talked, and ate, you approached the front of the school, leaving out of the side, where a carriage was waiting for the two of you. It seemed to be horseless, but as you approached, something caught your attention.

Indentation, in the earth. Eight of them, to be exact. The same amount as there would be hooves, had this carriage been pulled by horses.

Flitwick caught your questioning eye, and her gaze turned sorrowful for a moment.

"Herman, can you-" She cut herself off at your confused gaze.

You nodded towards the dirt.

"I saw the hoofprints, Professor. Are they invisible?"

Looking relieved, Flitwick nodded. As the two of you climbed into the carriage, she explained.

"They're Thestrals, a form of Pegasi, although slightly less known, they…"

You would end up discussing the various types of equine magical creatures for the entire ride to Diagon Alley.

Near the end of the ride, you had asked Flitwick if it would be right for you to take a brief stop in Diagon Alley. The Charms professor had hummed about it, casting a quick Tempus before finally giving a nod.

You both were, apparently, a tad bit ahead of schedule, and there were some errands that Flitwick herself could do in the meantime, before the two of you spent the rest of the morning at Gringotts.

So, when you finally reached your destination, a small side road in a village. Flitwick led the way as the two of you entered a small general store, called the Cut Corner Corner Shop. Your charms professor bowed her head at the rather pale, wide-eyed woman at the counter.

You didn't mean startled, but rather, the tall, willowy figure manning the register of the strange store seemed to lack eyelids altogether. She was tall, so tall that she seemed to nearly scrape the ceiling.

Stopping, you intended to question the other, but Flitwick pulled you along.

At your questioning look, she shook her head.

"Some things you'll learned about in Defense, Mr. Granger, is that there are certain beings in this world that are best interacted with as little as possible." She refused to elaborate more, instead bringing you to the back of the store, where a wall made of old wood resided, the natural lines and knots in the wood still visible.

Withdrawing her wand, Flitwick tapped out a quick rhythm, one that reminded you just a bit of Happy Birthday, before the planks folded away.

Stepping through, you found yourself in Diagon Alley, but evidently, the two of you had entered through a different entrance.

The goblin professor smirked at your look before answering the unspoken question.

"Diagon Alley had entrances all across Britain. Tom's great and all, but the Leaky Cauldron doesn't hold a monopoly on who enters and who doesn't." She said.

That made sense, still, it was a fascinating concept.

Somehow, in the course of a single step, you and Flitwick had travelled hundreds of miles, and you hadn't even felt a breeze.

You hoped that you got to learn that spell at one point.

The two of you proceeded further into the Alley, at which point, Flitwick gave you a time and place to meet at, before speeding off for her own errands.

This left you with your own goal.

Namely, the Apothecary and potions shop.

You didn't blush, but it was a near thing.

You wanted to get some sort of gift for Professor Snape, and while normally, you would have just been able to make it yourself, potions weren't exactly your wheelhouse just yet.

So, the shop instead was your solution.

Walking with a purpose, you marched straight through the door of the just-opened shop, banging it open and marching up to the front desk with a serious look on your face.

"Give me your best!" You demanded. The mousy man at the counter shrank, confused, stuttering out a question.

Slamming your hand on the table, you asked your question again.

"Your best?"

That seemed to get your point across, and he stopped stuttering, instead looking around nervously.

"Are you from, you know, where?" He asked hesitantly.

Did he mean Hogwarts?

You nodded, at which point the man relaxed, but only a bit.

"I thought you were arriving tomorrow, but it is ready. Do you have payment?"

"I do."

The shopkeeper stood from the desk, approached the front of the shop, locking the door, before coming back. Reaching under the desk, he withdrew a small, purplish colored bottle.

"This is it, the best I could brew."

"Is it?" you asked curiously.

The man gulped for some reason before nodding.

"It is, I swear, they'll be happy with it this time."

Taking the bottle, you examined it before looking back.

"How much?"

He stuttered a bit before finally.

"Consider the rest a discount, for my dearest customers." Sweating, the man raised his hands, as if to ward off any money.

Kinda of odd, but what did you know about wizarding customs?

You took the bottle, nodding at the man once, before leaving. As you left, you could have sworn you heard him muttering about this being the last time he took a loan out or something.

Once you were out of the shop, you bumped shoulders with an older man, wearing a scowl and carrying a bat with him. Immediately at contact, you apologized, but the other just spat on the ground, glaring, before entering the shop behind you.

As you left, you swore you heard the sound of screams and glass breaking.

-x-X-x-

After you had gotten the potion, you went to wait at the place you and Flitwick had agreed on, that being a small bench just outside of the Gringotts main entrance. Taking a seat, you settled in to wait.

You didn't realize that Flitwick's errands had her in the shop directly behind you until she had stepped out, putting a hand on your shoulder. Looking over, you beheld the professor looking down at you. Something about her seemed… different, but you couldn't quite put your finger on it.

It wasn't until you glanced back at the store behind you, spotting the telltale chair and mirrors inside.

Looking back, you realized what she had been doing.

"Professor Flitwick, did you get a haircut?" You asked, before you remembered the piece of advice your mom had rendered to you regarding the female species. "You look amazing!" You added on with genuine sincerity.

Flitwick smiled, a faint blush coming to her cheeks, before she shook her head, urging you to your feet.

"I did, thank you for noticing, but no time for that, we ought to get inside, lest we be late." She said, quickly taking hold of your sleeve, before leading the way.

You both marched up the steps of the Gringotts bank, your professor nodding to the plate-armed figures flanking the doors. You both stopped, ever so briefly, at a small plaque that she urged you to read.

Enter, stranger, but take heed

Of what awaits the sin of greed,

For those who take, but do not earn,

Must pay most dearly in their turn,

So if you seek beneath our floors

A treasure that was never yours,

Thief, you have been warned, beware

Of finding more than treasure there.

"So… don't steal from them?" You offered, turning towards Flitwick.

The light tone in your voice did nothing to stop the serious nod the Charm's professor gave you.

"I believe you are responsible, Herman, but this is of dire importance. You asked about Goblin culture. Well, first lesson." Flitwick stared you down as she spoke. "Never take what isn't yours and never give what is someone else's."

Sensing the seriousness of her words, you froze before nodding solemnly back.

Flitwick held your eyes a bit longer before letting out a sigh and nodding.

"Alright then, let's go."

You both pushed open the doors and entered the bank.

Immediately, you were struck by just how… small it was.

The Lobby itself was large, undoubtedly, but for some reason struck you as almost…

Lacking.

For a fantasy bank, you were expecting some massive, gymnasium-sized building, teeming with life.

What you got instead was something that looked like… a pretty normal bank lobby. Lots of fancy décor, desks, and so on.

The only thing that set it apart was the people who were running the desks.

More precisely, the fact that the room was filled with small, green women, rather than humans.

Goblins flitted back and forth in the lobby. Speaking with one another, writing things down, reading, and more. Everywhere you looked, there seemed to be something happening.

Immediately, you also noticed some common traits that you noted to ask about later.

All of the Goblins had their hair covering their eyes, they all wore what could best be described as business casual dresswear, which was honestly a bit out of place in the wizarding world, and most apparent to you was that, well.

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They all were, generously, proportioned.

You did your best not to blush as the sight of their jiggling, soft green bodies, on various levels of display, began affecting your teenage body.

The moment you and Flitwick entered, the entire room froze, turning to look, and suddenly, you felt like the odd one out.

In the silence, you sent a panicked look towards Flitwick, who just grinned at you.

"I told you, we're showing up early. The means before the bank is officially opened. Which means…" She said, trailing off, before her words were picked up by another.

"Which means, Herman, that you belong to Goblins, for at least the course of this morning."

You turned, finding Griphook, dressed almost the same as the last time you saw her, strutting up to the two of you, arms outstretched as if welcoming you.

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"Welcome, Herman Granger, to Gringott's bank." She seemed to have raised her voice, and the entire lobby was quite obviously listening in, a sea of twitching ears following along. "You will be the first Human Male to enter and see the inner workings of a goblin tribe since the third rebellion." She continued.

Reaching up, the black haired woman took your hand, shaking it, with a wide smile.

"We hope you stay awhile."

Her words seemed to signal the rest of the room to get back to work. Although, as you followed Griphook through the lobby, there seemed to be an uptick in whispering, and you felt eyes follow you through the room.

You and Flitwick followed the black hair goblin further into the bank, quickly passing through another door and leaving behind the lobby, as well as the watching eyes.

Leading the two of you through a series of somewhat dizzying hallways, you eventually found yourself at what looked like some sort of terminal, a small cart on rails sitting ready off to the side.

"I'll take him from here then, Freya?" Griphook asked, a smile on her face.

Your professor nodded, prompting you to turn to her with slightly wide eyes. You were under the impression that she would be staying with you for the duration of the internship. The minute charms professor waved off your concerns with one hand, even as Griphook climbed into the cart, gesturing for you to do the same a moment later.

"It wouldn't be much of a cultural immersion if I were with you every step of the way; besides, Griphook has my utmost confidence." Flitwick turned towards the Goblin in question, who remained seated as she did. "You will do everything in your power to keep Mr. Granger from harm, won't you, Griphook?" The question was surprisingly intense, but Griphook just let out an exasperated sigh in response to the pressure.

"Freya, the contract is already done and signed; you don't need to threaten me to affirm it."

Your professor just gave a sharp-toothed smile, and Griphook finally relented.

"He will be safe, Freya of Flitwick. I swear it."

Finally, Flitwick relaxed before smiling at you.

"I'll see you for lunch, Herman. In the meantime, do enjoy your time shadowing Griphook, and have fun."

With that confirmation in your mind, you climbed into the cart beside Griphook, who patted your thigh with a smile.

"Do hold on, Mr. Granger." She said simply.

"Hold on for what-" You were cut off when the cart gave a sharp lurch, and suddenly, the two of you were flying down what seemed to be some sort of rail, and the wind carried your voice away with it as the light quickly faded.

The two of you briefly passed through some sort of cavern, but the light was too little to actually see anything, and the tunnel was entered swiftly once more.

After what felt like ten minutes, the cart began slowing down, before stopping in another station, this one filled with a few Goblins, sitting and waiting. They looked up at your arrival, before many did a double-take at the sight of you.

Griphook climbed out first, before offering you a hand, which you took. Your legs were slightly wobbly from the trip, but you recovered quickly.

"How'd the rail feel, Herman?" Griphook asked with a grin as you regained your bearings.

You smiled, a bit embarrassed, before answering the question.

"A bit fast for me, but I'll get used to it."

Griphook nodded with a knowing smile.

"You will."

You were then led through another few hallways, these ones just as dimly lit. You had to strain your eyes at times to see even just in front of you.

Thankfully, Griphook seemed insistent on guiding you by hand, her smaller hand holding quite firmly to your own. Passing by numerous doors, you eventually came to a larger one, and a squint allowed you to read the text written on the frosted glass.

GRIPHOOK

ROYAL LIASON

You blinked, even as the sound of keys rang out, then the door opened, allowing you in. A hand against your back pushed you in. Stumbling forward, the sound of keys rang out once again, before the door closed behind you.

The room was bathed in darkness, before a clicking noise rang out, and a lamp shed a dim light over the room.

You blinked a few times, eyes adjusting to the new light level.

You were in some sort of office. Décor similar to that of the Lobby surrounding the room, the lamp that was lit was ornate, covered in gold lining and delicate filigree. It cast the golden wallpaper and shining decorations in a soft light.

But there was also some personal touches. Items that would only be present had someone been in this office for a very long time.

Paperweights, photos, and even a small, strange-looking glowing plant were scattered across the room.

Griphook stood next to the lamp, giving you time to adjust.

You blinked before shifting from leg to leg.

"So… what first?"

The goblin grinned before taking a seat at the large desk. A wave of her hand had another chair sliding across the room to rest next to her.

"Take a seat, I'll show you what it is I do, and you can ask your questions." She said simply, straightening out the large stack of papers you just noticed on her desk.

Walking over, you gingerly sat down, and Griphook pulled out her pen at the same time that you retrieved your notebook.

-x-X-x-

What followed was, if anything, a surprisingly tame experience. Griphook, with startling efficiency, began scanning and filling out forms. Rapidly swapping between signing and stamping with a confidence that could only be formed from practice, Griphook got to work.

At the same time, you scanned through the notebook you had filled the other day, with questions that you intended to ask Goblins, mainly Flitwick, but they were all mostly applicable to Griphook as well.

Most of the questions were mature, well-thought-out queries that dug into the socio-political relations between Goblin and Wizard society, and about how they handled being both a bank and a sovereign nation at the same time.

But…

Your mind kept flying back to that book that Snape had given you.

Specifically, your cheeks burned as you thought about the foldout diagram the chapter that Luna had recommended to you had had.

The chapter about Goblins.

There was… a lot there. Something about ears being erogenous, as well as their bodies being tuned to feel pain in certain areas as pleasure instead. "Biological Masochism," it called it.

It also had a whole three pages on the various courting rituals of goblins. Most of them seemed… barbaric.

One such example listed was how Goblins would often single out a male from a group, luring him in using seemingly innocuous methods. Job offers, dinners, celebrations.

The goblins would use these things to bind the male to the group, and slowly fill his life with nothing but their Tribe.

The narrative descriptions it had were vivid, to say the least. And something about the way they described it sounded familiar.

Surely it couldn't be truthful, though. From those you had met, that being Griphook and Flitwick, neither of them seemed to be the ravenous creatures described in the Kama Sutra.

You chewed your lip, trying to figure out the best way to ask that question without offending the other.

Griphook gave you what you assumed was an encouraging look, given that you couldn't see the other's eyes behind the ever-present curtain of hair that fell ever present over her eyes.

Huh.

That was another thing to ask about.

"Well, Ms. Griphook, I figured the first thing I should know, if I'm going to be interning here at Gringotts, is…" You trailed off, unsure of how to properly word the question, before finally, gulping, you decided to just get it out.

"How, exactly, should I be greeting people? I, uh, I'm worried about accidentally insulting someone, if I say the wrong thing or look in the wrong place." You finished abruptly, before deciding to add one more bit on. "I figured that out of everyone, the royal liaison might be the person to ask for this."

Griphook, who had been listening with a single raised ear, paused briefly in her writing.

"Expand, if you would, Herman." Her voice was soft, anticipatory, and she went back to working as she waited for an answer.

Your voice was small as you spoke, and your face burned with embarrassment.

"I mean things like. You see." You paused, trying to put the words together. "I want to know if I'm liable to accidentally threaten or flirt with someone or something. Like, why do all Goblins have hair in front of their eyes? Is that ok to ask?" Unable to help yourself, you leaned forward slightly, natural curiosity overcoming your nerves. "Do full goblins even have eyes?" And why are you all so unreasonably attractive, you added under your breath.

Griphook stiffened before smiling, ears twitching as she did.

"Well, to start, Herman," as she spoke, she turned, hand slowly coming up to her head. With a gentle move, she parted her hair briefly, revealing a slitted, golden eye, nearly luminescent in the dim light, staring back at you, "We do certainly have eyes."

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You nodded, happily jotting it down.

"Very beautiful ones too." You complimented as she lowered the hair back down. Griphook smiled at the compliment, although the smile showed more teeth than you expected.

"As for your other questions…" Griphook then went on a surprisingly detailed lecture on what she called "The art of acting the way others expect" and how to not offend others.

Near the end, she punctuated her lecture with a brief discussion of Goblin social norms.

"-and finally, besides our eyesight being somewhat less developed in comparison to other races, culturally, to show another individual your eyes is a sign of great trust, and more often of more carnal intentions. In other words, you could, theoretically, refer to it as a mating ritual."

You nodded happily, writing it down, before you paused momentarily.

Didn't Griphook show you her eyes…

You looked back at the black-haired goblin, who was still working. There was a knowing smile on her face, and your own heated up as you tried to figure out how to respond.

Response

You needed to figure out a response.

As you blushed furiously, staring down the very relaxed and nonchalant Griphook, who was idly going about her work, even as you tried to come to terms with the fact that you were just basically propositioned too.

You didn't know how to deal with this!

Taking several deep breaths, you fell back on what you knew.

That, mainly, is books. What did the book say to do in response to a proposition by a goblin?

Thankfully, you being who you were, you were able to remember almost all of what you read word for word.

Unfortunately, the book's suggested response wasn't exactly what you wanted to do at this moment.

Still, with no other choice, you stuttered out the best response you could give.

"I-I see. Well, I'm flattered by your interest, Griphook, but we've just met, and I…" You trailed off, Griphook having frozen, and slowly turned to stare you down as you spoke.

Something about the way she looked at you felt vaguely threatening, so you stumbled through the rest of your mental script.

"I would like to offer an ear massage, so we may better know each other." That was what the book suggested to you in response to such a proposal, and from the way a wide smile appeared on Griphook's face, you figured you had chosen the right option.

You just wished you could remember what this response was supposed to communicate to the other.

"Well then…" Griphook's voice was deep, throaty, and she seemed the purr a bit before responding properly.

"Someone did do their research, didn't you. Which history book did you read about that in, I wonder?" Before you could ask what she meant, she continued. "I could use a nice ear massage. It's been too long since my sisters have been willing to play with me…"

Finally, she seemed to shrug.

"Go ahead, Herman, and don't be afraid to get rough." The inflection on the word rough was deep, and you gulped as you stood, making your way behind the other.

You hadn't ever given a Goblin a massage before, but you had babysat plenty of pets; massaging a Goblin's ears couldn't be any different from massaging a dog's, right?

Right!?

Bring your hands up You noted they were shaking, so, with a few deep breaths, you steadied yourself. Slowly, you brought your hands forward. They brushed against her ears, and you froze as Griphook gave a sharp intake of breath, before relaxing again.

The ears were… soft, with a light feeling of fuzz over them. Carefully, gently, you felt them over, and as you did, Griphook very occasionally shivered.

You tried to remember, from the book, if it mentioned where to start. Your memory told you that the tips of the ears were particularly sensitive, so, deciding to start there, you brought your hands up, and, at the same time, gently pinched the tips of both of the goblin woman's large, floppy ears.

Griphook froze, and a noise echoed through the office. A gentle mewl, not unlike a cat.

It only took her a moment to recover, and she got back to work, even as you continued massaging her ears, gently applying pressure and rubbing. Occasionally, a noise would escape from her throat, an odd mix between a purr and a moan, but otherwise she kept her composure.

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After a minute of this, Griphook hummed before speaking up.

"You may ask your next question while we work like this."

You gulped before considering.

Feeling decidedly more self-conscious, given that you were quite literally laying hands on a bank executive, as far as you were aware, you took a bit to think up your next question.

Still, you found one, and, hoping to bring back some sense of normalcy to the conversation, and hoping that you could pretend that this wasn't happening, you asked your next question.

"Well… I was wondering. Gringotts serves more than just wizards, right?"

Griphook shivered when you dug into a particular thick part of her ear, near the base, before answering.

"Mmmph, yes, we service thirty-seven different races here at Gringotts."

You nodded, trying to hide just how the idea of thirty-seven different races, all intelligent enough to use banking and all entirely separate from humanity, blew your mind.

"Well, in that case, how do you handle the difference in values between races. For instance, if one race attempts to trade something to you that they find valuable, but you don't?"

Griphook smiled, considering your answer as she worked.

"Well, that's quite simple, actually." She began, stamping another document before placing it into the appropriate tray. "Plenty of species have plenty of different value systems; here at Gringotts, however, there's only one value system that matters." She paused before turning back to look at you. "Ours."

Looking back, she began working faster.

"It doesn't matter at Gringotts, what value system you work with, the only thing that matters is gold, silver, gems, and so on. We do not accept any other form of tender, except for the purpose of storing it for a duration. Muggles can keep their paper money. We prefer the certainty of metal and stone."

She looked back up at you, smiling. There was something vicious in her eyes when she spoke.

"Goblins no longer accept any sort of promises or alternate payment, not after the third goblin rebellion."

There it was, that event again.

You'd have to find some books on it in the library later today.

Still, the answer was informative, and you made a mental note to make a physical note of it when your hands were free.

The next ten or so minutes passed in silence, Griphook focusing on her paperwork, and you focusing on Griphook. Finally, though, the pace of her work slowed, and the pile of papers was reduced to a mere few. Griphook let out a satisfied sigh and leaned back.

Unfortunately for you, this made apparent a problem that you had either been unaware of or forgotten about.

Namely, the tightness in your pants.

Griphook, being sitting, and of a rather short stature, was at the perfect level that when she leaned back, the bulge in your pants fit perfectly into the crook of her neck, and she froze for a moment, as did you.

Before a low chuckle escaped her.

"Well, what's this…" She purred, leaning forward, pulling her ears out of your grasp gently, before swinging around.

Now, face to face, or rather, crotch to face, you could see the devilish smirk she was wearing as she crossed her legs, looking at you.

"A wizard, getting this horny from a Goblin, what a dirty boy you are, Herman. Don't think I forgot last night either." She said, humor in her tone contrasting with the husky thread that laced it.

"I-" You began, only for Griphook to interrupt. Not verbally, no.

Rather, the short Goblin woman wheeled her chair forward, just a bit. This bit was enough, however, to allow bring her in distance of your crotch.

Leaning forward, the smiling goblin placed her hands on the apparent bulge in your pants, rubbing slightly, with both her hands, as well as her prodigious rack. You had to bite back a groan at the sensation.

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"Look at this… You are quite gifted, aren't you, Herman? Makes me want to lock my office door and keep you all to myself." She giggled a bit, taking in your panicked, blushing face, before shaking her head.

"I'm just joking, don't worry." She didn't sound very trustworthy. "Besides, I have to see what I'm working with first."

Before you could stop her (or did you even try to) Griphook reached up, and with swift hands unzipped your pants and freed your cock.

The mass, which promptly fell, like a heavy piece of lumber, onto the other. You length rested not only on the mass of her soft breasts, but also pressed against her lips and cheek. The sudden movement revealed one of her golden eyes. She was staring.

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She seemed hyperfocused on it for a moment, taking deep breaths through her nose, and, in an action that had you letting out a moan yourself, her small, pink tongue shot out, taking a brief taste of your shaft, before she pressed two long kisses to your length.

The next moment, Griphook suddenly came back to herself, and, blinking, she smiled up at you, not bothering to remove the penis from her face.

Her hands in her lap, she blinked innocently, waiting for you to make the next move.

You took a moment to truly consider your experiences in the wizarding world so far. The past week had been… interesting. You had lost your virginity, seen the naked or nearly naked bodies of multiple women, and the entire adventure had been fraught with innuendo and sexual implication across the board.

Inherently, you were not a perverted person. You really weren't. For much of your life, you had been more interested in books than people, not having time for basic social activities, much less girls.

It was only when you first came across a diagram of a naked woman in your college-level anatomy textbook at the tender age of thirteen that you first started to really look at girls as anything more than an individual.

But ever since you entered into the world of magic, it felt like you were living through some sort of dirty story, like those shitty tapes your uncle gave you a while back.

Except, it was real, the people in the story were more than just two-dimensional parodies of their roles, but instead, they were just that horny.

At first, it had flabbergasted you, then it had confused you… Now though.

Looking down at Griphook, who was still practically nuzzling the side of your dick, you felt a new emotion going through you.

It wasn't quite anger. No, that was too harsh for what you felt. You didn't hate Snape, or Luna, or Susan, or anyone.

You were just…

It was frustration.

You were frustrated with them. When they teased you and distracted you. All you wanted to do was read! And all these hot, horny women were constantly chomping at the bit, trying to distract you from the one goddamn thing you came to Hogwarts to do!

You grit your teeth together, and, reaching forward with a gentle hand, you lay it on her head. Her hair was soft, and carefully, you threaded your fingers, pushing her back in her chair, away from your dick.

Griphook's smile dimmed, and she seemed worried, for a moment, that she had done something wrong. Still, she looked up at you, before

"Stunned-"

You didn't give her the chance to finish; instead, taking the opportunity of her open mouth, and a practical open invitation, you thrust your hips forward, catching her by surprise and slipping into the black-haired goblin's mouth in a single smooth action.

"Mlgh!" The muffled noise from Griphook went ignored, as you luxuriated in the feeling of the goblin's tight, warm mouth stretching across about a quarter of your length. Her lip barely stretched around the entirety, creating an effective seal. The size difference between the two of you also meant that, even with barely a quarter in, you were already filling her mouth to the brim and hitting the back of her throat.

As she tried to talk, her tongue and cheeks flexed around you, and you groaned at the feeling. Soon enough, her tongue was slowly scraping against the bottom of your dick, and you heard Griphook begin to breathe through her nose.

.

--------------->

.

You both sat there for a bit, your heart still pounding with frustration, as well as something else. Griphook's visible eye was wide, and she seemed both surprised and pleased by the turn of events. There was a note of smugness as she teasingly flicked her tongue around your length, something that ignited you once more.

Taking a deep breath, you spoke slowly, as you brought your other hand up, brushing it along the length of her inner ear, prompting moans from the shortstack currently slobbering on your knob.

"You convinced me, Ms. Griphook. I'd like to invest in your bank." Your hands tightened around her ears, and the goblin's eyes rolled up as her mouth vibrated from the long moan that escaped her. "Here is my first deposit."

Then, without pretext, you drew back slightly before thrusting in further, past her mouth, and instead invading her throat.

You watched as you penetrated deeper down the goblins throat, and her neck slowly bulged in time.

Soon enough, you had fit most of your length down her throat, and you found yourself surprised at just how stretchy the goblin was. In the course of your efforts, Griphook's eye had rolled up slightly and clouded over. She was making dull noises now and again, but from the lack of struggling, and the way she shivered every so often, you figured it was a safe bet that they were moans, rather than protests.

You stayed there for a bit, mind running over the fact that you were now hilt deep in the royal liaison of another species, before your mind gave up figuring that out, and instead ignored it.

It may also have had to do with the way her throat flexed and squeezed around you. You were mildly impressed, Goblin's, or, at least Griphook, were truly flexible, and, well, stretchy, given just how easy it was.

The feeling of her throat wrapped around you like a sex toy helped dispel some of your frustration, and you looked down at the Goblin, who, in a feat of awareness, met your eye with her visible one.

"Are you ready? I'd hate to hurt you." You teased. A spark entered her eyes, as if your word were offensive, and after a moment, you nearly double over the shortstack woman, as she began attacking your cock with her tongue, suck, lick, and flexing her throat in time.

When she tried to withdraw, though, presumably to thrust it back in to combine with her other effort, you stopped her. Something told you that if you let Griphook set the pace, you wouldn't be able to regain it, so, instead, you tightened your grip on her ears, giving her pause, before roughly pulling all the way out of her mouth. There was a lewd sound, and her lips left a trail of black as you finally removed yourself from her throat.

The goblin got a gasp of air, eyes staring down the erect member in front of her like she was staring down the barrel of a gun.

"What-"

You pulled her back, stabbing into her mouth again, and reaching even deeper than before. This time, though, you didn't wait; instead, the moment you reached the deepest point, you pulled out nearly halfway.

.

------------------->

.

Before thrusting in again.

And again.

And again, setting a rhythm in time to your own heartbeat. The woman in front of you wasn't prepared for this, and as you worked away at her fuckhole of a mouth, slobber and drool went everywhere, and her golden pupil fully disappeared as her eyes rolled back once again.

Schlrk

Schlrk

Schlrk

Schlrk

For a while, the office was filled with nothing but the sounds of your cock filling and exiting the throat of your new toy. Griphook's hands, which were once grabbing your hips tightly, had fallen to the side. Her ribbon bowtie had come undone, and her body was hanging limply from your hands, as you used her head and ears as a handle for your pleasure.

Eventually, though, you felt your end coming on, and you were struck with a decision.

Schlrk

Schlrk

Schlrk

The wet sound of her throat around your dick was nearly hypnotizing, and the feel of her mouth had you convinced that while the existence of another sentient race aside from humanity was impressive, it was obvious that Goblins were only meant to do one thing anyway, so the intelligence was unneeded.

Still, you were feeling you were coming on, and frankly, you weren't happy with just this.

After all the teasing and what she pulled last night, in front of Flitwick and Harry, in front of one of your professors, you were feeling particularly frustrated, and just using her like this wasn't going to be enough.

So, with a great force of will, you wrenched yourself back, having to fight not only your own desire, but also the Griphooks desperately sucking lips. Inch by inch, your length escaped, until only the head remained. With supreme willpower, you removed that, too, a lewd pop sound with the action.

You took a deep breath, taking in Griphook as you did. It was remarkable, truly, the way her mouth and throat stretched so far around you, only to return to it's previous shape naturally. It was like Griphook was made for this or something.

You shook your head.

That was a cruel and prejudiced thought. Griphook had proven herself an intelligent individual, and relegating her to just a cock-sucker in your mind was an injustice.

You watched as her tongue lolled in the air for a moment, as if missing your presence.

Yeah, it was not a good thing…

You were going to have to think about this.

Still, you felt yourself calming down, the high that had felt so good becoming more distant. It left you with a minor case of blue balls, but that wasn't going to be for long.

Turning back to Griphook, you took in her general appearance. Her shirt unbuttoned in the rapid movements, mouth wide open with drool running down her chin. Her lipstick was smudged slightly, and while you couldn't see her eyes at the moment, the last time you did see them, they were disappearing into the back of her head.

All in all, she looked the part of a slut who'd been face-fucked silly.

But frankly… You wanted more.

The sight of her exposed body ignited something in you, and you stepped up again, drawing the attention of the dazed Goblin.

As you approached, Griphooks stirred, and, surprisingly enough, a frown appeared on her face before it was quickly replaced by a smile.

"Still want more, eh, Herman? You dirty boy…" The way she was repeating old material, and the tone of her voice, both felt almost desperate. But desperate for what you questioned.

Still, that was something for another time, for now… You were thinking with your lower brain.

And let it never be said Herman Granger didn't do a lot of thinking.

Without responding to her words, you instead grabbed the minute humanoid by her waist and hoisted her out of her chair with a grunt.

"Whoah!" She squeaked as her unresisting body was lifted from the chair. You turned, placing her on her feet in front of the desk. With unsteady legs, she nearly crumpled, but she caught herself on the desk, her comparatively large breasts squishing flat on her desk.

You took a moment to appreciate the view, as Griphook panted, looking back at you with a confused expression.

.

--------------->

.

Seeing as she hadn't protested yet, you stepped up behind her, and, in a feat of boldness somewhat out of character for you, grabbed a hold of the Goblin's massive ass through her pants, and just had some fun.

Much to Griphook's bewilderment, as well as apparent enjoyment, if the moans that left her as she spoke were anything to go by.

"Hey, mggh, what are you doing back there?"

You ignored the question; instead, you took the moment of peace, and the convenient stressball in front of you, as an opportunity to reflect.

Maybe you were a bit of a pervert. But honestly, at this point, you were past caring.

So instead of answering, you just hooked your hand into the waistband of her too-tight dress pants, and, after testing quickly, pulled them down to her knees in a single move.

In doing so, you learned two things.

Goblins evidently became extremely aroused very quickly, if how utterly soaked she was was any indication.

And, apparently ,Griphook had decided that Underwear was passe, given the clear lack of them.

.

-------------------->

.

"That's q-quite forward, Mr. Herman." That was a new one, still, you decided to take advantage of the initiative. Placing your hands back on her ass, you enjoyed the feeling, this time with nothing between your hands and her twin green moons.

Leaning forward, you whispered in her ear, your erection coming to rest between her cheeks as you did. Griphook stiffened and gasped, and an oddly elated look came over her face.

"I think it's time for me to make my deposit." And, feeling even more bold, you decided to engage in a bit of extra roleplay. "How many children do you want?"

Griphook jolted, and she did her best to turn back and look.

"How did you know?!" She asked, looking shocked. You blinked in surprise.

"Know what?"

The short goblin seemed to read your face in a moment and decided, instead of answering, to look away.

Pushing back, she ground her ass against your crotch, and suddenly, the answer didn't seem to matter anymore.

Pulling back just enough so that you slipped from your resting place between the green peaks, your dick falling into a position, you took a deep breath, the reality of what was about to happen hitting you.

This was really happening; you were going to have sex with a goblin.

More than that, you were going to have sex with someone you had only known for less than a day?

The lunacy of the situation hit you, and your mouth was suddenly dry.

The cloud over your mind faded, as your resolve steeled.

Whether you were ready for this or not, you recognized the opportunity in front of you as something you couldn't pass up.

After all, who could say they had sex with a sentient of another species? This was a prime research opportunity.

Yeah, that was what you were doing this for.

Still, the thought brought to mind the inherent risk of cross-species intercourse. Who knew what type of STDs and diseases exist in the wizarding world? For all you knew, your dick could rot off after this, or you could end up only able to have sex with goblins or something.

The rational part of your brain was beginning to ring alarm bells, and for a second, you had second thoughts.

Then Griphook shifted backwards, slightly, and the tip of your dick brushed against her soaked entrance, and suddenly a different brain was doing the thinking.

Taking in the sight before you, you knew the only course of action you could take.

Taking hold of the Green piece of Goblin ass in front of you, your mind went back to the chapter Luna had suggested.

It had implied that "Goblins receive more pleasure when placed on great physical strain."

A smile crawled up your face.

Tightening your grip on her sides, you took a breath.

Then, without warning, you pushed forward.

Griphook's head shot up, as your cock entered her, and if your math was right, dug deep enough to be halfway up her midsection. Her insides were soaked, and unlike Snape, who felt more like a velvet vice around your shaft, Griphook felt like a machine, built specifically to suck the life out of your cock.

It felt almost like she was purposefully milking you, with the way her body pulsed rhythmically around you, massaging the entire shaft.

You took a brief moment to realize that if this was a human woman, she would have 100% been dead from such a deep intrusion, still, from the noises Griphook was making, those being elated moans and mewls, more akin to a porno than a real person, and the fact that she was still moving, you figured the other was alright.

If you were feeling particularly charitable, you might give her time to adjust to your size, given she was nearly constantly trembling and gasping between moans, even as you stood still, but frankly, after all the teasing she had done, and the semi-blackmail she'd used on you to get you to pick her branch first.

Well, you weren't feeling like charity.

So instead, with a grunt, you withdrew, drawing a long moan from the shortstack, as your cock left her desperate love tunnel with a lewd sound, before, just before exiting entirely, you slammed back in.

"OUGGGH." The noise that left her was frankly inhuman, which fit, come to think of it.

Still, you didn't feel like giving her time to rest, so pulling your hips back again, you repeated yourself.

PLAP

.

-------------------->

.

The sound of your thighs meeting the meaty flesh of her ass echoed throughout the office, and Griphook jolted as it did. Feeling her juices spray against your thighs, as well as the way her back arched temporarily, it was quite apparent that she had just reached orgasm from about three thrusts.

You were curious to see if you could get that timing down to one. It was an academic curiosity. And the scientific method required repetition after all.

PLAP

PLAP

PLAP

Soon enough, you were thrusting away, using your grips on her hips as an anchor point. You eventually had to lift her slightly off the ground, so as to get the best angle to reach the deepest. You were reasonably sure at this point that with each thrust, you were reaching deep enough into the moaning goblin that the tip of your dick was close to her shoulders, then her hips.

Still, it didn't feel like enough. Griphook was moaning, but…

You wanted to be smug, put together shortstack to be utterly fucked.

Leaning forward, you placed your mouth next to her ear once again, but rather than whispering to her, you had a better idea.

Brushing your lips across the back, you felt her insides clench down on you, and, with a small chuckle, you gently began nibbling along the side of it. An action that soon sent Griphook into hysterics, her tongue shooting out as ugly moans began escaping her.

From this position, you were also able, with the upwards angle, to get just that much deeper.

And it seemed, finally, that you had reached something. You were beginning to think that Goblin internals were just one long tube, but as you pounded away at your new green sex toy, you found your way stymied by a barrier. Your logical mind told you that this was probably her womb, or the goblin equivalent of one. It was dangerous to go past that point.

Your lower brain told your upper one to shut the fuck, it didn't care about its advice.

Something about the fact that it was blocking your way offended you. You wanted to get as deep as possible into this green goblin, to truly paint her deepest depths with your essence, to show her who owned her.

So, you thrust hard, wrapping your arms around her torso now, hands coming up to grope roughly at her tits as you did, mauling them all the while nibbling her ears, and roughly pounding into her sodden quim.

PLAP

PLAP

PLAP

With each punch, you felt the barrier's strength waning. Like a door being kicked, each time it gave just a little bit more.

PLAP

PLAP

A particularly hard thrust nearly pierced through, and something in Griphook's voice had changed. Rather than just moaning, she was somehow finding the brainpower to form words.

"Pluh-pwease." She slurred out, words muffled by her moans, and the copious amounts of drool escaping the once so refined goblin's mouth.

"Huh What? Please what?" You asked between thrusts. You were sure that it would only take a few more, and you'd be in.

"Iwnswide, Iwn-Inside. Inside, Please." She managed to get out.

Inside? You were about to ask her to clarify further when you felt the peak coming once more, and common sense told you what she meant.

"I can't do that." You grunted out, reluctantly. As much as the thought of cumming inside had your member throbbing, you didn't think you could risk getting her pregnant.

Your mother would literally kill you.

Griphooks shook her head.

"Wuh, won't have kids. Cwast Shpell." She managed.

You raised an eyebrow.

"You sure?" You weren't sure why you were asking; her words were all the convincing you needed at the moment.

She nodded before burying her head in the desk.

Well, alright then. If you were thinking more logically, you might have considered it, but given you were on the verge yourself, you figured no one would blame you for less-than-stellar decision-making.

PLAP

PLAP

Finally, just as you were beginning to think you wouldn't be able to hold back any longer, you managed to pierce through the barrier, a flash of light issued forth, and something in your gut told you that something just broke. Thrusting in one more time, you found yourself buried deeper than ever before, and with a grunt, you let go.

Seed poured from your cook, deep into your person-shaped fleshlight. Each burst made Griphook whimper and squirm, eyes rolled up. Her insides weren't helping the matter, rhythmic squeezing forming an organic milking machine, squeezing every last drop of your cum out and into Griphook.

.

------------------------->

.

And then, a few moments later, it was over, and the two of you panted, your body pressed against hers, pinning the other to the desk, while you were still buried deep enough into the Goblin woman that you swore you could feel her heartbeat.

You both just lay there for the next few minutes. Slowly, despite her warm cunt's constant pulsating, you grew soft inside her and eventually slipped out. Despite that, the two of you remained there, the small goblin's soft body pressed against your chest, your hands still resting on her breasts.

It was… nice, in a way. It felt peaceful.

At one point, Griphook turned around, you saw dripping around her legs, and looked at you. Both of her golden eyes were exposed, and they were clouded over by an array of emotions. Some you could name, some you couldn't. Happiness, satisfaction, calculating coolness, and more.

Still, your eyes were eventually drawn to those lips of hers, and you leaned forward.

.

---------------------->

.

Catching her lips in yours was simple, and the kiss you shared was nice, your tongue exploring her mouth while her sharp teeth grazed against it. When you eventually pulled away, you could feel the stain of dark lipstick around your own mouth.

Another moment passed, and Griphook's face slowly morphed into a smile as she studied you up and down, her eyes falling to your dick, hanging between your legs, then your mouth, stained by her kiss.

Something in her eyes seemed both victorious and conspiratorial. It made your heart beat faster, but it also made something in you want to push her down again and use her mouth to clear you off again.

Still, you held off. Something told you that pushing your luck too far wouldn't be good. Something else said that you might have done so already, but you couldn't for the life of you figure out what it was that was setting off your gut so badly.

Griphook rested a hand on her abdomen before looking back up. Finally, she seemed fit to break the silence.

"How was your first time with a goblin, then?" She asked, tongue coming out to like her lips.

You gulped, but steeled yourself.

You wouldn't let her push you around again.

"Alright, how was your first time with a human?" You challenged back.

Her grin only widened.

"Good enough, although I may need some repeat performances and outside opinions to really make a decision. I'm sure you won't mind."

Wait, what did she mean by outside opinions!?

Griphook hopped off the desk, still leaking your seed across the floor. She covered her drooling quim with a hand before walking over to a stack of drawers. Efficiently, she withdrew an identical set of clothing and began getting dressed. Specifically, she pulled out a pair of panties, ones she hadn't been wearing before, and pulled them up her legs, effectively sealing in your seed for the time being. They were followed by a fresh pair of pants, then an identical shirt.

She turned towards you with a smile.

"Would you like me to call for some clean clothing?" She offered with a concerning look on her face. You nodded anyway. You weren't exactly fond of the idea, but at the same time, you didn't want to go around in sex-soaked clothing for the rest of the day.

Griphook grinned and made a small gesture. A bell rang, and within five minutes, a small package was delivered to the door.

The freshly fucked goblin obligingly turned around as you got changed, not that it truly mattered much, given your recent activities. The clothing she chose, though…

.

----------->

.

"Is it right for me to wear this? I'm not familiar with your culture, but is there some symbolism or meaning here?" You asked, gesturing down at the gold-rose-patterned silk shirt, the thin fabric resting against your skin. You felt somewhat exposed, the delicate material conforming to every part of you.

Griphook just smiled, nodding as she drank in the sight with a far too wide grin.

"None that matters to you yet, don't worry about it. Now, we have about…" Griphook looked towards the clock. "Twenty or so minutes to spare."

The goblin leaned forward, arms crossed in front of her, and a smile curling in what she probably thought was the picture of innocence.

"What do you think about looking at a bit of paperwork with me, Herman?"

-x-X-x-

The rest of the meeting had passed exactly like Griphook had described. Paperwork.

Apparently, the two of your little trysts had set the black-haired goblin back a pretty large amount, and she had roped you into helping.

Not that you minded, given that it was, in fact, fulfilling the actual terms of your internship.

As the two of you worked through papers, you learned a great deal about goblin culture, more than you expected, to be honest. The hours flew by, and eventually, a small alarm rang, causing both you and Griphook to raise your heads from the form sent in from another branch of the bank.

Griphook frowned before turning to you.

"I believe that's time, Mr. Granger. If I'm right…" A knock came at the door. "That should be Freya here to pick you up now.

You both stood, sorting out papers, and packing up your things, before finally, she led you to the door.

The minute shortstack lifted her hand.

"It was a pleasure meeting you, Mr. Granger.. I expect you to come again?" Her smile was wide, and she seemed inordinately pleased, placing her other hand on her midsection in a way that spoke of meaning. Not one you could parse in the moment, though.

Instead, you shook the other's hand, smiling, before exiting to see Flitwick. Your professor looked exactly the exact same as when you had left her, although her hair might have been a bit mussed; you couldn't say for certain.

As you approached, she scanned you up and down, eyes lingering on the shirt.

"Nice shirt, Mr. Granger. Have fun in there?" She grinned at you.

You blushed. There was no way she could know what happened, though, so you just nodded, and on the way out of the bank, told her of the second half of your internship, to which she nodded along, nose twitching all the while. A few times, she seemed to even sniff at you.

On the way out of the bank, you could swear you felt eyes on your back, but ignored it. Before you knew it, you and Flitwick were in the cart and back to Hogwarts.

Seeing as you had the time, you figured that you would spend some of it reading. You had brought a number of books, but…

You blushed, glancing over at Flitwick, who had hopped into the front seat of the cart, where the reins would normally be, and was writing to herself, humming all the while.

You reached into your bag and slowly withdrew the Karma Sutra. Another cursory glance towards Flitwick reveals the same, so you opened the book.

Instantly, you were engrossed, and for the rest of the ride back, you were locked on.

Your face was burning when you felt the cart stop, and a hand tapped on your book. Lowering it, you were met with your professor's grinning face, much to your mortification. You quickly packed to book away, not saying anything.

"Doing some light reading, Mr. Granger?" She asked, voice leading.

You looked away, nodding. You were prepared for a detention for reading lewd materials, but nothing came; the professor only walked away.

"Boys will be boys, Mr. Granger, just don't let Minerva see it. I hope you got good use out of it during your time with Griphook today."

….

She totally knew.

Walking towards the school, you found yourself unable to even look at the other, and once inside, you quickly said goodbye and hightailed it away.

It was only once you were safely hidden in the library that you stopped.

-x-X-x-

Harry was, evidently, caught up in something Quidditch-related, was not present in any of her usual haunts, leaving you a free man for the rest of the evening.

You had originally wanted to study more, but a rather rowdy group of Gryffindor students had rolled in, making the library's regular peace and quiet rather thin.

So, instead, you decided to do a bit of exploration. The sky was clear, a rarity this time of year, and the temperature felt just right for a nice walk outdoors. Tucking away your books and stretching briefly, you set out at a leisurely pace towards the front doors of the great hall.

Once outside, you were met with the fact that you were not the only one with such an idea. The main courtyard was filled with students lying down, walking, or just otherwise existing, enjoying the nice day

Hoping, ideally, that you could avoid the crowd, you went a bit off the beaten path, moving along the side of the castle towards the Green Houses, from the side you don't normally approach from.

As you turned the final corner, the Greenhouses came into view. As medieval as much of Hogwarts' technology was, its greenhouses seemed surprisingly modern. The white, glass-paneled buildings were long, and there were a total of three of them: two connected to the main castle, and two freestanding.

What caught your eye, especially, though, was the interruption of turf, tucked behind one of the greenhouses.

Wedged in the corner between a greenhouse and the castle, and on the side students don't normally see, was a small garden. Lines of planter boxes, and upturned soil, with various forms of sprouts and leaves sat. It was in stark contrast to the rest of the landscape.

Crouched in the middle of it all was another student.

.

------------------------->

.

A girl, wearing a striped sweater and tight black pants, alongside an apron and gloves, sat kneeling next to one of the beds. She was carefully examining one of the plants, a look of clear concentration on her face. She didn't seem to notice your approach, but as you got closer, you could make out her odd, if somewhat charming, bowl cut and the mole that sat lower down her face.

Coming to a stop, just before the lines of plants and wooden boxes, you took the moment to examine her more closely. Her face rang a bell in your mind, but you couldn't quite place the name.

Stepping even closer, now within ten feet, and standing in between the rows of plants with her, you considered calling out, as she seemed entirely engrossed in her task. The black hair girl would examine one of the plants closely, short, leafy ones, and occasionally, would find a leaf that didn't stand up to her scrutiny. A careful snip from her cutter, and the lead would drop into her hand, to be tucked into a small pale next to her.

Moving on to the next plant, she leaned over it, and gave you a rather… interesting view.

.

-------------------->

.

Considering your options, you raised your hand carefully, and-The polite thing to do seemed to be to just make her aware of your presence. You didn't have a habit of sneaking up on people, and you didn't exactly feel any urge to start one now.

Stepping up, you crouched down beside her, having to catch yourself on a hand, when the position proved slightly unsteady. Once you were oriented, you leaned down.

"What type of plant is that?" You asked in a whisper.

You barely had time to blink when the girl shot upright from her bent-over position.

"AH!"

Her voice echoed through the clean air of the day, but unfortunately, it seemed that the dark-haired girl had overestimated the force with which she sat up, as, upon her arrival upright, she flailed her arms, attempting to turn and look at you, the momentum of the movement, though, was her continuing backward.

That, combined with the twist, had the other practically launching herself sideways and directly into you. A rogue elbow impacted your gut roughly, knocking the wind out of you, and her head came up to hit the bottom of your chin.

This trend continued, the two of you tumbling to the ground, with, it felt like, a number of blows 'coincidentally' landing on you.

By the time the movement had stopped, both of you were groaning, and you were sure that there were a number of bruises you would be nursing in the morning. The impact on your chin also had you bite your tongue, and you gingerly tested it, tasting a bit of blood.

Looking down, from your position, prone on your back, you saw the aggressor of the situation.

.

----------------->

.

Hands on your chest, pinning you down, and legs on either side of your waist, the girl had you well and fully pinned. Her eyes were closed, and despite that, she seemed in much better condition than you were. Her apron and gloves had evidently gone by the wayside in the confusion.

Still tasting blood, but otherwise more bewildered and suffering from hurt pride than you were injured, you chuckled, somewhat nervously, before speaking again.

"Ah, sorry for startling you? Could you please get off me, as comfortable as this is, it looks a bit…." You let it hand, confident that you had successfully gotten your points across.

The girl blinked, finally opening her eyes, before her face bloomed crimson, and she practically sprang off you, making you grunt as she pushed off your stomach.

"OMIGOSH I'm so sorry I'm so sorry!" She squealed, grabbing your hand and pulling you up, causing you to yelp as you were yanked from the ground by the small girl and placed into a sitting position.

The shorter girl squirmed in place, as a stream of apologies left her mouth while you brushed yourself off.

"I'm so sorry, I didn't mean to push you, it was just instinct, and I hit you, and you're probably so angry Professor Sprout is going to be furious, and omigosh I'm so sorry-"

"You know it's alright, I'm not mad."

"-and professor Dumbledore is going to expel me, and Gran is going to spank me again and-"

You stood there, as the girl went on, nearly, but entirely crying at this point. Finally, after nearly a minute, she seemed to run out of breath and paused to gasp for air. You took the opportunity to take her hand in your own, smiling.

"Hey, it's really fine. Don't worry about it." You smiled, and while your words did seem to stop her from apologizing more, she seemed to have trouble speaking, eyes flicking from your hands to your face. You smiled a bit wider and threw in a head tilt.

Her face flushed even redder, and she jerked her hands away and whipped around to face the other way. You could just barely hear her whispering to herself.

"-just like Ma taught you, deep breaths, confidence, Nora, you can do this…"

Finally, after a bit more of seeming to hyper herself up, she turned around again, this time smiling widely. It looked stiff and more painful than anything.

"H-hi, I'm Nora Bottom, I mean Longbottom. Nora the Longbottom. Longbottom like a big butt. Not to say I have one of those! Well, I think I do, but my name is Longbottom. Nora."

You blinked at the butchered introduction and down at the offered hand.

Well, what an introduction.

Reaching out a hand, you took hers, shaking it, feeling as she tightly gripped your own in a white knuckled grip

At the contact, the girl seemed to nearly melt, whimpering as her face flamed completely, and she shook a bit.

You honestly felt a bit bad

"Nice to meet you as well, Ms. Longbottom. What brings you out here on such a nice day?"

Nora shivered, looking down at your linked hands, and licking her lips. She opened her mouth…

"I, plants, I like planting. Herbology! I like Herbs, and you. No! I mean, I think you seem nice, but I don't like you. I mean, I don't hate you, but I don't like you. WAIT! I-" She cut herself off, and seemed on the verge of tears. Her hands came up, and she covered her face.

The sight was frankly pitiful, and without thinking, instincts honed from years of babysitting had you stepping forward, before wrapping your arms around the shaking girl.

She stiffened, even as you rocked her back and forth slowly. Eventually, she seemed to calm, and you brought a hand up and stroked her hair. When she finally stilled, and you felt her breathing slow, you looked down at her, seeing a much less stressed expression on her face, even as she avoided your eyes.

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Smiling, you stepped back, allowed the girl some space, now that she was no longer panicking.

"Once more from the top?" You offered, to which the now blushing girl nodded. "I'll start." You said.

"I'm Herman Granger. It's nice to meet you. I was wondering about the plants you were working on?" You said.

The other didn't respond right away. Instead, she looked away first, poking her fingers together, before taking a breath.

"Nice to meet you, Herman. I'm N-Nora Longbottom. I'm just caring for the Garden Club garden, a-and…" She trailed off, seeming to work herself up a bit, before speaking again.

"-and, a-are you a library book, b-because I've been staring at you for a while now, and I-I still don't know how to approach you." She seemed to squeak a bit at the end, and hid her face after the fact. She sounded vaguely like she was reciting, rather than speaking, the words.

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You, on the other hand, felt your own cheeks redden, just a bit. Because, well…

That was bad, like, really bad. But the nervousness with which she presented it, the boldness of actually doing so, and the fact that it involves books, all formed a perfect cocktail to allow the crappy pick-up line to hit home, if weakly.

You chuckled, trying to play it off, even as your cheeks burned a bit.

"I wasn't aware that Hogwarts had a garden club?" You said the statement carrying a questioning tone.

Nora brightened, seeming to forget her nerves for a moment.

"T-there isn't, or wasn't, until last week. I got Professor Sprout to sponsor it, and I got this little plot started after classes." She gestured behind herself to the quite large garden, carrying a variety of plants, and multiple rows.

"By yourself?"

She nodded.

"It was a b-bit hard. But I'm used to doing stuff like this from home." She said, sending a weak smile towards you. Before you could ask another question, though, Nora leaned forward, blush returning as she poked her fingers together.

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"Di-did it work?" She asked. "I mean, the p-pick up line. Are you-" she paused, straightening up as if she was impersonating someone, and she spoke in a deep voice for a moment, "'utterly bewitched by my romantic wordplay'?"

You considered how to answer, even as the realization that someone had actually taught the bottom-heavy girl that horrible pick-up line. Seeing her hopeful face, though, made you realize that she most certainly did not think of it in the same vein you did.

You couldn't help but smile, utterly charmed. The blatant flirtation, in such a normal, innocent, and honestly cute way, made your heart feel warm, and you felt an instant burst of affection towards the girl.

So used to moves bordering on sexual harassment, you were, that the sexless attempt at romance, combined with the earnest way she delivered it, worked wonders more than anything else so far.

Chuckling warmly, as you smiled at the still blushing girl, you answered.

"The wordplay was actually pretty bad," she seemed to wilt, so you hurried to continue, "but you looked so cute saying it, that it more than made up for it." She brightened again, pumping her fist.

"Yesss! Gran' always told me that it was the delivery was key, but she always said I never got it right. And 'Ron's been laughing at me, when I practice as well, and… I shouldn't be saying this out loud."

The girl turned back towards you, meeting your wide grin with another blush.

"Well, regardless, it was effective, good work." You gave her a polite clap, even as the girl took the time to quietly celebrate again. After the fact, she seemed to have calmed down enough to have a relatively normal conversation, although she did blush every so often, as you were speaking.

Crouching down next to the plants, you listened as Nora, who proved to be stunningly knowledgeable on them, and quite capable of answering any questions you had.

"-and this right here," she said, pointing at the red leaves of the plants she was handling earlier, "are razor leaves, they're red because this plant's actually carnivorous. At night, they emit a smell not unlike rotting meat, and it attracts scavengers. When they get close, the leaves shoot out, cutting the animals, extracting blood and magic." She gently shook the stalk, and, using her clipper, removed the leaf in question; it fell into her hand with a heavier tap than you'd expected.

"Why are you removing them?" You asked, crouch alongside her.

Nora didn't answer for a moment, instead jumping slightly, as if she'd forgotten you were there.

"W-well, if the plants get too many red leaves, it begins to grow bigger, and can start attacking larger prey." She pulled out a measuring stick and placed it next to the plant. "These ones are only six inches; if they get any taller, they might start attacking students."

You blinked.

"Are they… dangerous?"

Nora nodded enthusiastically..

"Oh yeah, super. I had to call Hagrid to help me with a couple of dead animals this morning. Isn't it cool?"

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She looked over at you, her eyes practically sparkling. It made you want to ruffle her hair.

"Yeah," You grinned, "they're really cool."

The next ten or so minutes were filled with the black-haired girl happily hopping around the garden, pointing out various plants, and explaining them.

Eventually, she got to the last one, though, and she stood, hands on her hips, smiling proudly. You clapped politely, and Nora gave a shaky, but happy bow.

Something came to mind, though, and you idly scratched a cheek as you wondered aloud.

"Are you really the only one who takes care of this?" You asked. She nodded hesitantly, looking confused.

"Did you ask your dormmates?" At this, she looked away, smile falling into a frown as she rubbed her arm.

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