They celebrated Harry's ninth birthday at the end of July, just the way they had celebrated Dudley's, about two months earlier. The main difference was that Dumbledore, Minerva and Remus also arrived and congratulated him, but only after the other guests left. Harry thought this was better, mainly allowing Hermione to arrive without any of the magical adults having any idea about it. Had they noticed, they would have asked many questions, and Harry was unsure how many of his secrets would have been revealed. It was much safer this way.
As a matter of fact, Hermione's parents were also present, but they used their car to arrive, much later than their daughter. Unlike Petunia, who had been aware of magic since an early age, it was still new and a bit frightening for them. They had declined Hermione's offer to take them along. Although they trusted her and her talents, they felt better not relying on them.
It was also an occasion for both families to plan a common summer vacation or, as Harry found out, to finish planning it.
–..–
They went to another Mediterranean beach, although Vernon was still uncomfortable with the amount of bare skin exposed there. While Petunia accommodated to his views, wearing a very conservative one-piece swimsuit, Mrs Granger enjoyed wearing a very small bikini that left little for the imagination. She only agreed not to take her top off, as many young women were doing there.
The children didn't mind the clothing or lack of. They were busy checking the various sizes and shapes human bodies came in and studying them to later try and change accordingly. Their control of their bodies was becoming better with each exercise, as they called the times they tried various changes, and they were looking for new challenges.
After spending the early morning on the beach, tanning, playing and also trying to swim, although the waves didn't quite cooperate, the adults thought it was safer to go to a place protected from the sun. They returned to their hotel to shower and dress, and then the children met again in Hermione's room wearing only swimsuits. They locked it with magic to not be interrupted, although Hermione felt quite sure that won't happen.
"We can already change any part of our bodies any way we like," Hermione started. "Why don't we try to change our whole body? I mean, you can try to exchange forms, or try to look like other children we've seen on the beach, as I'll try."
"I'm not sure I can turn as thin as Harry," Dudley said. "Maybe we should first try forms not too different from our own?"
The others agreed.
Hermione concentrated. Her hair grew shorter and curlier while darkening. Her skin also turned darker while her body changed subtly. Within moments, the slightly tanned Caucasian girl with long bushy brown hair turned into a seemingly African girl with dark brown skin and curly short hair. Her facial features also changed slightly, with her wider nose taking most of Harry's attention.
"Wow! You look nothing like yourself. You even look a bit older, like that girl we saw on the beach." Harry was generous with his compliments.
He tried next. His hair turned red, his face turned paler and filled with freckles. He became a bit stockier and taller. His facial features also changed, looking a bit older and rounder, just like a boy they saw on the beach.
Dudley didn't wait. He changed into what looked like the brother of the dark girl that Hermione had changed into.
They all congratulated each other on a very good exercise before changing back to their normal forms.
Hermione still insisted. "I'd like you to exchange forms. It can be a bit difficult due to the different body sizes, but the benefit will be much higher. I don't have a good example to change to, but I'll try to change into my Mum. She's quite taller than me and very differently shaped, you know."
After seeing her mother in that bikini, Harry already knew better than he ever wanted to.
The boys first scanned each other attentively, trying to memorise all the details. They then turned their backs on each other and tried to change. Hermione only closed her eyes in concentration as she tried to do the same.
Harry's first obstacle was his swim trunks. The moment he tried to gain some girth, his trunks became way too small. Without thinking much, Harry removed them, staying naked.
Dudley was spared the effort. As soon as his waist slimmed enough, his trunks fell to the floor. He didn't mind too much.
Hermione had a similar problem to Harry's. Her single-piece swimsuit was right for her size, but once she grew taller, it hurt her shoulders. She removed it with no hesitation.
It took the children much longer before they felt they had done their best.
"I'm ready," Harry said, surprised to hear himself sounding like Dudley.
They all turned to look at each other. Both boys blushed at seeing Hermione, who now looked practically like her mother, completely naked. She blushed even redder.
"I'm not sure I changed this right," Hermione said, pointing at her crotch. "The last time I saw Mum naked was about two years ago, when we went to a nudist beach."
"You even sound like her," Dudley, who looked and sounded like Harry, told her.
Hermione tried to overcome her blush. "Are you sure you did it all correctly, even with the parts normally hidden?"
Harry, now looking like Dudley, shrugged. "I don't think I ever checked how he looks there, although I've probably seen him naked a few times, I'm sure. Still, this doesn't look like mine…" He pointed at his crotch with some embarrassment.
Dudley chuckled. "I'm bigger than you, even there. It may still change when we grow up."
Both boys scanned Hermione attentively, trying to find any differences between her and her mother. They could find nothing. Harry also wondered how Hermione would look in a few years, when she changed from a small girl into an adolescent and then a woman. He felt sure he'd like her in any form.
Hermione also scanned the boys. She liked Harry's form much better, but she didn't feel like Dudley in Harry's form evoked the same feeling. She wondered why.
"I suggest we change back," she said after a short while.
They all resumed their normal forms, yet were all still naked.
"I think I like you better the way you normally look," Harry told her.
She smiled at him. "I can say the same." She still blushed some more.
That gave her an idea. "Why don't we try to exchange forms differently? I'll change into Harry, and you both try to change into me. Shall we?"
Harry blushed even redder. "Don't you think we should first check each other over? I'm not sure I can change into a girl without that, or you to a boy, for that matter."
Hermione let both boys scan her attentively and even spread her legs slightly to let them study that part. They then let her study both of them just the same. Once all three were confident enough about the change, they turned their backs on each other.
It took them longer than the previous exercise, but when Hermione decided to turn around, she found two copies of her. They weren't quite identical, though. She thought Harry's version was closer to her real form, but she doubted others would notice. Perhaps her parents, but she wasn't sure.
Just as payback for the embarrassment she'd felt while letting the boys study her form, she asked them to spread their legs and checked each very attentively. Dudley's form seemed to be only superficial. She felt sure he wouldn't be able to pee like a girl if the need arose. Harry's was perfect. She could even see the hymen there. She wondered if he'd studied her form that meticulously or if his magic had learned her form.
She then had to let the boys, who still looked like her, check her male form just the same. Dudley did that quickly. Harry paid more attention. It was understandable, mainly since she was a copy of him, allowing Harry to see himself from viewpoints one can never see oneself.
She was surprised that her (Harry's) organ responded with a slight erection when he checked it by hand. She was closer to puberty than the boys, but was that the cause? Then she recalled that checking Harry's (her) vagina, she found it quite moist, just like she started feeling occasionally. She was unsure what it could mean.
"I think we did a good enough job." Harry sounded somewhat tired. "I suggest we return to our forms and let our bodies and magic rest."
All three felt thankful to return to their own bodies.
Hermione still teased Dudley a bit. "Next time, I'll change into you."
Dudley shrugged. "You'll probably do a better job than I did when changing into you."
He then smiled mischievously. "I no longer need to wonder how girls look without clothes, now that I've been one myself."
Hermione shrugged. "Same goes for me. I also feel like I no longer mind if you see me naked or I see you naked since we can become each other as we like." She still blushed a bit.
Harry added, "I only wonder if we'll also feel like the other gender if we try it in a few years." He turned to Hermione. "Did you feel different in that aspect when you changed into your Mum?"
She looked confused. "How would I know. I only saw two young boys. No woman her age would feel anything but motherly to such children."
"So, you felt motherly?" Harry asked for clarification.
"Don't I always feel like that towards you two? I suspect it may stay that way even when we're older, although I may also feel some other feelings, as I know Mum feels for Dad."
Dudley was no longer interested in the conversation. He quickly put his swim trunks on and left the room. Harry stayed.
"What do you mean by that?" he inquired.
She smiled. "They like to be together, to touch each other and become very intimate. I saw them having sex more than once, you know."
Harry felt his face heat. "Sex? What's that?"
Her smile widened, but she also blushed some. "You surely have noticed that you have an organ that protrudes out of the rest of your body, while I have one that complements it, going deep inside only. They're used for reproduction." Noticing his bewildered expression, she explained, "Making babies."
Harry still didn't seem to quite understand.
"When a man and a woman do that, the woman lets the man's organ go into hers. They move a bit that way until something happens to allow the woman to get pregnant. I'm not sure about the details. I only know that adults like that a lot and do it even when not wanting more children."
Harry grimaced.
"Don't you like the idea?" Hermione asked.
"Oh, I suppose it's quite alright, but I was imagining Uncle Vernon with Aunt Petunia."
Hermione grimaced, too.
She still had a question. "Do you think you'd like to do it with me when we're old enough?"
Harry didn't hesitate. "Of course. I like you. I like your company. I now saw and felt your body as mine, and I like the way you look. Why should I not like us enjoying everything together?"
Hermione smiled. "I also like you a lot. I sometimes think I'd like us to become a married couple and have children together. I'm not sure if that will happen, but I like the idea."
"And I like it too."
–..–
Three days after arriving at the hotel, Hermione found a nudist beach a bit farther along the seashore. It was separated from the main beach by some rocky outcrops that formed a natural boundary. Her parents were quite eager to go there. The Dursleys weren't, as expected, but still allowed the children to go there with the Granger adults supervising them.
Petunia thought that she couldn't control where they went anyhow. She had no way to stop them from moving magically to wherever they wanted. Vernon didn't want to know most of it, but he knew enough to suspect the same.
With many samples of naked people of both genders and all ages, the three enjoyed spending time there. That beach was also better protected from the waves, allowing them to swim much better than at the other beach. They still had to refrain from too much exposure to the sun, but the rocks gave enough shade for them to stay there much longer.
Later, in "their" room, they tried to change into many of the people they had seen. Even Dudley, who had the chance to see quite a few naked female bodies, succeeded in transforming into a young woman, including all the intimate details.
After each had changed into three different male forms and three female ones, they thought it was enough for the day. They also discovered that they were no longer getting tired by transforming that way. It was becoming more and more natural and went quicker each time.
They still had time until lunch. Hermione had an idea. "I think we shouldn't limit ourselves to the human form only. Why don't we try to change into animals too? We can start small, if you like. Just try to change your nose to look like a pig's snout or your ears to look like an elephant's."
The boys saw it as a challenge, of course. Before going for lunch, each could change one's nose to look like a pig's snout and their ears to look like elephants' ears. They even tried some more forms, like dogs and cats, with good results.
–..–
They spent a large part of that afternoon watching the various pets of the hotel's visitors and staff, as well as the horses that were used for the tourist carriages and donkeys that served the same purpose for smaller children. Hermione also tried to watch for various birds, but that tourist area was too noisy for most. She could only see some pigeons, which are abundant at many tourist attractions.
They didn't spend all their time on magical stuff, of course. They enjoyed playing in the sand, swimming in the calm sea at the nudist area and tanning there without any clothes on. They also enjoyed some of the activities the hotel offered for children, allowing the parents to rest or do whatever they liked while the children were busy elsewhere.
When they returned home, all three children were well tanned and showed no tan lines. They also had stronger muscles, developed by swimming, and better control of their magic.