Chapter Twelve
Harry sauntered out of his last class of the day with a sigh of relief. It had been a strangely busy day. Then, it HAD been a busy day all said and done. A member of Hufflepuff walked past him in the hall and he tensed slightly. The things he had been forced to say to Susan to get her mad could potentially make him very unpopular with the 'Puffs if they got out. Rather than attack, Harry in any way the guy just smiled at Harry in a friendly way. "Thanks Mate" he said with a nod.
Harry smiled back, bemused but carried on walking. News spread fast, good or bad in Hogwarts by all accounts. Especially since the same scene was repeated all the way from, his last class all the way through to Gryffindor Tower.
He slipped in through the portrait with a slight smile on his face. Which dropped when he realized the scene within, Lavender was nose to nose with a very angry Hermione, actually, they were both very angry now he came to look. This... was not good at all. Not good at all. Lav, he knew from personal experience was NASTY when she got going and someone with Hermione's brains was not going to be a slouch in the screaming insults department either.
Oddly enough, everyone seemed to be watching the two as if they expected a show to start. Harry did not much like that; Ron was looking a little pained. Which was slightly better, but still he had not tried to get between the two.
Harry hesitated. It would be, dangerous, if he were the one to step in to that particular hornets nest. Then, no one else looked like they were about to do it. He walked closer to find they were not screaming. Worse, they were both being very quiet and- dangerous to each other. That was not a good sign even he knew that. It would not be long before either violence, though he doubted that given Hermione was involved, or an all out screaming match.
"You're just using him," Hermione purred dangerously. "Though what he see's in such a harlot I'll never understand."
Harry winced slightly. Then winced again at Lav's retort.
"Seems both your 'friends' see something you don't" Lav replied.
Hermione waved that off, "I heard you and Pav talking Lav, I know about you and the other."
"The other?" Lav said, "Afraid to say his name?"
"I don't think he needs to have his name associated with a low born little tramp like you Lav," Hermione said with a nasty smile.
Lav's eyes flashed, "Prissy little bookworm like you appears to think she knows anything about men? That's a joke."
"I know enough."
"You know nothing. I suspect you'll be a virgin when you're 40 still."
Hermione shrugged, "Better than being pregnant before I leave school."
"Why you little..."
"Whoa" Harry said, physically stepping between the two.
"Need your protector already" Lav spat.
"Go away Harry" Hermione said.
"No, to that. Look. You two well you are not close but you are friends. The argument you are having can and will change that. You live together. Do you really want to make the rest of your time here that uncomfortable?"
They both glared at him and then at each other. "What's this all about... really?" Harry said after a moment during which they both calmed down a bit.
"Ron" Hermione said.
"Pfft, I think it's really about you" Lav said pointing at Harry.
Hermione's eyes flashed again. However, Lav was not finished. "It's not my fault that she can't hang onto either of you is it."
Harry glared. Hermione snarled slightly, "I don't hold onto anyone. That is the point. They are their own people. I certainly do not like their choices with ... girls, lately, but at the end of the day, it is their choice. That does not mean I cannot try to protect them from themselves. Or from you- I know what you are like with boys. I have heard you talking; I have seen what you have done. I won't have that happen here." her voice dipped lower, it had grown slightly in volume, "either of them. I just know that eventually you are going to try to play them off each other. I will not have it. You hear?"
Lav smiled nastily, again. "I have no interest in this male tart," she said pointing at Harry. "Not anymore, not when I found out what he's really like."
"Oh, that would explain the come on's and hot looks then would it?"
"OK, this isn't the place for this" Harry said, cutting in before they got going again. "So far, the volume is low enough that no one would've overheard you. Not for much longer, do you really want to splash this all out in the open. Not to mention Lav, that you'd become a squib" he said in a hard tone.
"I'm far from done" Lav said, "Besides if I don't tell anyone, and they guess on their own. I'm free and clear aren't I?"
Hermione's eyes flashed again.
Harry growled and grabbed them both by the hands. "Right, that is IT," he said and pulling them both along, complaining he walked up to portrait. Then dragged them both down the corridor. They got a slight following, but he headed for the nearest empty room. Virtually throwing them both in. A wave of his hand later and the door slammed shut hard and a dozen or more spells plastered themselves on it. He then spent a couple of seconds protecting other possible sources of listening from well being listened at.
"Right" he said to the two mutinous and glaring girls. "Have at it." he said. "Just fucking go for it. Because obviously you two are not going to quit until you have totally ruined the friendship you did have. So go for it. But I am not letting you upset Ron, or frankly put me in a pile of shit up to my ears. So just fucking rip each other to shreds."
Lav drew in a breath her eyes angry.
"Sorry Harry" Hermione said looking contrite.
"Please" Lav drawled in a nasty voice. "You're so pathetic, one word from him and you're jelly."
Hermione glared at her. "Why you little bitch."
Harry blinked, 'ok she's swearing that isn't a good sign at all' he decided. He took a sharp step back.
"You wiggle that arse of yours and think the whole world is impressed with a pair of legs and a moderately well shaped bust. You're in for a nasty wake up call. The world isn't like Hogwarts. You won't be able to get by with a bat of your eyelids and a come hither look"
'Moderately?' Harry thought to himself but wisely kept quiet.
"And you think the world revolves around books and boring information." Lav retorted. "I may be better looking than you that doesn't mean I'm stupid. I do well enough on my exams thank you so very much."
'Better looking is she kidding' Harry thought.
"Looks fade, intelligence does not." Hermione said. "But that's a whole different kettle of fish. I want to know why you're playing with Ron's heart like this."
"Oh, so it's Ron you want?" Lav asked with a lifted brow, "You're just angry because I got there first then? All this noble stuff is a smoke screen. You're just laying into me because I've got what you want."
Harry found himself unusually interested in the answer.
"That ship has sailed. However, that does not mean I do not care about him. He, Harry and I, have been through things together that would have you running screaming for the hills you pathetic excuse for a human. We have a bond you cannot understand let alone will not allow yourself to. So yes, I care about him, more than a simple friendship too I suspect. I do not know, I have not had too many friends, but I know we would die for each other. So I cannot allow you to screw with his head. Especially now."
Lav looked a little taken aback by that speech.
Hermione had not finished, "The same goes for Harry. Doubly so in fact because Harry is... well Harry. I know too well that you are more than slightly interested in getting back with him. You know what that would do to Ron. To their friendship?"
Lav waved her hand airily, "I have no idea what you're talking about." she said. "I'm with Ron."
"Just Ron?" Hermione said nastily, "Really?"
Lav looked a little worried. The air suddenly got thick with dangerous potential. Or at least the potential for danger.
"Calm yourself Harry. I have this." Hermione said.
Lav's eyes flicked to Harry to see he was furious.
"You know Ron is a big boy..."
"... Very..." Lav put in nastily.
"...Oh dear, I hope he doesn't catch something nasty..." Hermione said without skipping a beat.
Harry's eyes twinkled with mirth at Lav's gob-smacked expression.
"...So he can make his own mistakes. But any extra curricular ... affairs stop now, or else you'll find out why Draco still flinches when I get mad." Hermione continued without pause.
Harry blinked at her.
Lav trembled in impotent anger, "Fine" she spat after a long moment. She turned to Harry "Let me out" she said angry but gradually gaining more control of herself.
Harry waved a hand at the door, his eyes on Hermione. Lav walked out, head held high, but obviously troubled by Hermione's words. Once she was gone, Harry waved a hand at the door again.
Hermione looked at him curiously.
-oOo-
Lavender stalked through the small crowd outside of the door, anger leaking from every pore. Ron caught up with her and gently pulled her off into yet another classroom.
"What's going on Luv?" he asked.
She shook her head, "Just your 'Friend' being stupid." she said, then decided it was well past time to put a knife in that relationship. "I think she's a little possessive."
"I'm with you luv" Ron said
She put a hand on his face, "I know Ron, I know. But I don't think she does. I think maybe she was holding a bit of a torch for you."
Ron shook his head, "Yeah Harry thought I was for her.," he said. "I don't though, she was just a friend."
"I'm happy to hear that." Lav said with a beaming smile. She pulled him closer, "Let me show you just how happy I am." she purred.
Ron smiled.
-oOo-
"What?" Hermione asked.
Harry smiled at her, "You are wonderful you know that right?" he said.
She blushed slightly, "He's my friend. She is not very nice to her boyfriends. I didn't want that to happen to Ron."
"You've made an enemy there you know." he told her seriously. "She's- got some serious kink to her emotional stability that girl."
"Yes I can see that. What did you ever see in her?" Hermione asked with a shake of her head.
"She was fun, for a while. Then she went weird on me. Very weird."
"Fun?" Hermione asked with a pointed glare.
Harry smiled slightly. "I'm merely male, I don't always think enough with the big head," he admitted.
She sighed, "Wally" she said, a hint of a smile on her face.
Harry became serious. "There are a few things to clear up here though."
"Oh?"
"One, who is this guy?"
Hermione shrugged with a smirk, "No clue." then her smirk grew, "Total shot in the dark." she quoted back at him.
Harry smiled slightly, "Fair enough." he said with a chuckle. "Secondly. You did not blink when she made out as if you are less attractive, or not attractive. That is utter bullshit. In my opinion, you are far better looking than Lav. Don't get me wrong, she's gorgeous but you are more so."
She blushed at him again. "Harry..." she began.
"Thirdly. Just so you know." he said cutting her off. "Ron is my friend; his family are like my own in some ways. However, Ron has issues with me. He has also let me down quite a bit over the years. So if I lost him as a friend I would be upset, depressed even. However, if I lost YOU, I would be broken. You've always stuck by me, always believed in me and I love you for that more than you know."
She took a step towards him. "Harry..." she began again.
He held up his hand. "You're special to me Hermione, just deal with it." he sighed. "I don't want to think of a world in which we don't have our friendship."
"I don't see that ever changing Harry."
"That doesn't mean that I wouldn't like to kiss your brains out right now though. Just so you know." Harry said with a sexy little smile.
Hermione blushed brightly, "I... I..."
"Its ok" he said with a slight smile. "I understand."
"No, you don't. Because I would quite like to kiss you right now too," she told him closing the distance between them and kissing him hard.
Harry's arms curled around her and pulled her in tight. Then he pushed back slightly.
She broke the kiss, "What's wrong?" she asked.
"I've ..." he paused searching for the words. "I've undergone some changes, and there's something about me you don't know."
"Is it something to do with what happened at the breakfast table" she asked him with a sexy smile. "Because I LIKE that change."
"It does actually. I've become somewhat less than monogamous." he said, looking at her closely.
"Oh" she said, backing away slightly.
"I don't want to... play around with your emotions Hermione, so I thought I'd better tell you that. I can see it's as well I did," he said rubbing a hand down his face.
"Urm... I am not sure what to say to that. What's changed in you to make you... well that way?"
Harry leaned back on the table, trying not to think of how close she was. "Not 100% percent sure of it all myself, but it's the way I am now."
Hermione pursed her lips in thought, bringing Harry attention back to her mouth. "I'm not sure what to make of this," she said honestly.
"I didn't think you would be." Harry said, "But I knew I had to tell you. Yes, I am interested in you, VERY interested and you have... well been putting some moves on me lately so I realized you are interested in me too. However, I am strictly a casual relationship guy now. Apparently it's in my nature to be that way now."
"Oh?" she said, obviously thinking hard.
"All dragons are like that apparently," he said finally.
"Well that explains that," she said surprising him slightly.
"Hmm?"
"They build Harems. I take it you have two forms. A dragon being one." Hermione said.
Harry nodded, smiling slightly. Of course, she knew about that, there was not much she had not read about he supposed. Perhaps he should have talked to her about this sooner really. "Yeah, that's just one of the little oddities that have come up from that form. However, the Jaguar is not exactly helping much either. That's not even mentioning some of the other weirdness that's been happening to me since the summer."
"I'll just bet." Hermione asked. "You would have the sexual morality of a tom cat I suspect."
Harry chuffed a laugh. "Thanks" he said.
"I'm glad you told me though. It tells me a lot about the way you see me, believe it or not and I'm flattered you care that much," she said with a soft smile.
Harry nodded sadly.
"I need time to think about this Harry," she said finally.
He waved his hand at the door. "All the time in the world." he said. Hiding his disappointment with the practice, he had picked up over the years.
"Thank you Harry. I'll see you at Dinner?" she said with a half smile.
"More than likely." he said with a nod.
"More than likely?" she asked.
"My schedule is pretty insane lately. I don't always have time for dinner," he admitted.
"I have noticed you missing a few meals," she said. "I thought it was because..." she trailed off with a slight devil in her eye.
"No, that was a shock for sure, but not why I wasn't around. The last meal I missed was because I was marking DADA homework," he told her.
"Oh, well it's good to see you doing something like that Harry." she told him. "Well, I most go, before people start to wonder what we're doing in here." she added with a smirk.
Harry laughed slightly and nodded.
-oOo-
Harry meandered along the hallways with no particular destination in mind. He was in fact bored out of his skull. Contrary to what he had told Hermione he had nothing to do that night. All marking had been done. Paperwork filed and homework was a joke. He was not due for any meetings and frankly, it was slightly unusual to say the least.
He was suddenly slammed against the wall by a blur of red. Realizing what was happening this time he did not blast her through a wall. Instead, he sort of resigned himself to what was happening. It had been something that had happened off and on for a while now. He suspected he knew WHY she was doing it. It was working too, their was no way he could think of Ginny as being a sister now, not since he knew what she tasted like to kiss and had on many occasions had her body pressed into him hard enough he knew her curves by heart.
Still, if Ron found out he was a dead man, and any hope of their friendship lasting through Lavender was lost.
So, with his luck holding true. He was not actually surprised to hear. "What the FUCK!" from a very loud and angry Weasley voice.
With a mental sigh, he looked over at Ron, at about the same time Ginny did. He was pissed, seriously pissed. That was easy to see. There was a palpable air of violence in the air and Harry knew he was pretty much fucked. He probably should have stopped Ginny faster, or at all. Honestly, she had done it so many times now; he knew it did not put her off. She usually snogged him for a moment and then ran off, usually giggling slightly. He had rather gotten used to it actually.
He supposed he should have perhaps talked to Ron about it, but then he would be angry at Ginny. He did not want that either. No, he was going to have to put up and take the hit.
WHAM
Down he went. He was quite impressed; he had not even seen Ron move. Then anger has a way of doing that. "Damn you Harry. Lav said you were a dog, I just didn't believe it." Ron said trembling with rage.
Harry did not say anything. There was nothing he could say. Especially since Lav had apparently been poisoning Ron. He was not that surprised to find that out actually, but this was not the best way for it to come out. He was just glad that no one was around.
"I kissed him Ron!" Ginny said, checking on Harry. Somewhat surprised to see that Harry was not fighting back.
Ron snorted, "He wasn't exactly pushing you off was he."
Harry shrugged slightly, "I've found there is no point." he said, but already knew Ron wouldn't care why he had said that, let alone put the clues together.
Ginny pouted slightly at that.
Ron looked down at him is disgust, "Get up Harry" he said in a dangerous voice. "Take it like a man."
Harry got up, looking resigned. WHAM, he did not go down this time. He was ready for it. Still hurt like a bitch though.
"Ron!" Ginny shouted putting herself in front of Harry, "Stop that." she said angrily.
"Ginny, move" Harry said, pushing her behind himself. Much to her annoyance.
"I'd not touch her again if I were you Harry," Ron said, slamming Harry one again. Harry's head whipped around, his glasses flying off. He turned back, spitting out some blood.
"Fight damn you" Ron said slamming a meaty fist into Harry's stomach.
Harry went to his knees, and then got back up, strangely silent.
"Damn you Harry." Ron spat angrily. Then grabbed Ginny and dragged her away, with her spitting anger at him all the way.
Harry leaned back against the wall, wiping his bloodied face with a handkerchief.
"My my" a familiar voice said. "He's got quite a punch doesn't he?" Tracey said walking around the corner.
Harry actually sighed slightly in relief.
"Come with me quickly" Tracey said, taking him by the hand. "Draco is not far behind," she said off his look.
Harry allowed himself to be dragged off; once they were sure they were far enough away from possible onlookers, Tracey activated her Rune stone. Taking them both to the Den. She then pulled him into the bathroom, grabbing his handkerchief and running it under a tap.
"For Merlin's sake Harry why didn't you defend yourself?"
"I don't want to hurt Ron," he said, wincing as he did so. He had quite a nasty split lip.
"But what in Morgana's name were you doing fooling around with Ginny, of all people?" she asked.
"I wasn't. She's been attacking me like that in various locations all across school since the start of term," he said as she gently cleaned the blood from his face.
Tracey snorted softly, "Yes, I think I see why" she said after a moments thought. "She's always had a huge crush on you. The entire school knows that. Interesting strategy," she said after a moment. "I suspect you have at one point said something stupid like I think of you as ... I dunno... a sister or something."
Harry nodded, as far as the pain would let him.
Tracey shook her head, "You should still have protected yourself. You have a lot of muscle Harry. I'm sure you can fight."
"Of course I can, better than most would think. But there's no way I'm hurting Ron." Harry said.
Then he suddenly looked alarmed. "My glasses, if their found people will think I've been abducted or something." he said with worry.
"I'll get them, but Madam Pomphrey should take a look at this lip," she told him.
Harry was already shaking his head, just as she knew he would.
"Stubborn git" she said with some affection.
He smiled with his eyes; doing so with his lip would be tricky at this point. Then he chuckled slightly making her look at him askance. A burst of power later and he was looking his normal handsome self.
She smiled, "Something tells me you've not been entirely open with me as of yet" she told him. Then put a finger on his lip as he began to reply, "And you don't need to be." she added. "It's obvious that you are amazingly powerful though," she continued. Then smiled softly before kissing him gently. "Now, I will go and grab your glasses. I suggest you lay low tonight."
"Yeah" Harry said, testing his jaw slightly as he did so. "I'm rather glad the magic works." he said after a moment, during which Tracey had slipped away to grab his glasses.
He walked back into the main room and slumped down on the couch there. So far, this had not been his best day ever. He could only imagine what Ron was going to tell his brothers. He suspected that the twins would have none of it though. They out of them all seemed to have gotten his measure. They were strangely down to earth despite their prankster ways.
This reminded him. With everything that had been going on, of late he still had not gotten around to doing his pranks. Which he just could not allow to continue. This meant he would have to set up another prank for the morning. Obviously, he could not use the entrance to the great hall, not so soon afterwards anyway.
A smirk crawled up on to his face and took residence on his lips. Tracey found this expression on his face when she arrived back with his glasses. "What you cooking up?" she asked, a hint of a smile on her face as well.
"You know... I could do with a hand."
Tracey knelt down.
"No" Harry said with a laugh, "At least not yet. I actually meant a hand doing something."
"Oh?" she asked with a sexy smirk on her face.
"You've got a one track mine, my darling. I mean with a prank."
"Oh... I had thought you had decided not to do any more. I suppose my house will bare the brunt?" she asked, a hint of frost in her tone.
Harry frowned slightly, "I do have ONE, just one, prank for the men in your house. But I like to think bigger than one house." he said with a lazy smile.
Her frosty tone disappeared now she realized he was not out to ridicule her entire house. She should have known better really. Not that she could really blame him if he did target her house. They were not the nicest of people to him in the past. Still, it rankled her to think of how badly her house overall was thought of. This was mostly down to people like Draco Malfoy and his ilk. Which she hated. It was just another one of those the many being punished, or judged, on the actions of the few. Instead, she smiled slightly, "You know even Fred and George at least tended to concentrate on one person at a time."
"Oh" Harry said with a nasty smile, "I'm sorely tempted to prank the shit out of Ron for earlier. However, at the end of the day he is being- programmed to believe the worst of me at the moment. It is my fervent hope that he will come to realize he is being manipulated. I could quite go for Pranking the ever-lasting hell out of Draco too. It would just be extremely obvious who was doing it." He smirked, "Besides I know something that makes pranking him seem largely irrelevant," he said with relish. Then shook it off. "No, what I need you to do for me beautiful is really simple. You'll need your invisibility cloak though."
"Go on..."
-oOo-
Ron raged around the Gryffindor common room, with no real outlet to his anger it was largely frustration that fuelled his temper now. Why had Harry not fought back? Harry always fought. Always to the bitter end he would fight, he was bloody famous for it. He assumed it was because he knew he was in the wrong. Kissing Ginny, especially given what he had said at the station was just... well it did not settle with Ron at all.
"Ahh" he yelled throwing up his hands and scaring the hell out of some of the lower years half to death. He was big, he was a red head, a Weasley and he was PISSED. Which were more than enough reasons for them to be worried? The red haired family was quite famous.
Ginny glared at him, "Have you finished being a giant prat yet?" she demanded, her own temper flaring.
"You do NOT want to mess with me right now." Ron growled. "Wait till I tell the lads about this." he threatened.
"Oh, I am so fucking scared." she spat. "Can't you stop for one second and think, or at least listen to me?"
"Well" a female voice said, "You're bound to stick up for him now aren't you." Lavender said dryly. "He's quite good at wrapping women around his little finger is Potter."
Ginny glared at her, "You. Nose. Out. This is family business."
"Hey" Ron thundered, "Don't be talking to her that way. She is my girlfriend. That makes her as good as family."
Lavender just sort of blinked at that. That was not to her liking at all, but with how well Ron was responding to her other wiles she was sure she could correct that thinking.
"No she bloody isn't" Ginny said in a low, dangerous, voice. "I don't know what you're thinking going out with her." she continued in much the same tone.
"Cut that out, I've had Hermione and Potter 'warning' me about Lav and its all rubbish. 'Mione was jealous and Potter just wanted her for himself." Ron spat.
Ginny narrowed her eyes at Ron, and then let out a sigh, "Look. Ron. Harry wasn't kissing ME. I was kissing HIM; can you at least get that through your head?"
"What difference does that make? He wasn't exactly pushing you off was he?"
"He did for quite a while actually." Ginny said, so angry she did not realize they had drawn an audience. "I've been trying all term so far to deprogram him from your way of thinking. Hell, I don't think it was working actually. I was fairly hopeful until earlier," she said, drooping slightly. Then railed again, "So for gods' sake Ron, HE hasn't done anything wrong. If anyone is in the wrong here, I suppose... I suppose it's me really." she said looking a little defeated again. Then a nasty smile appeared on her face, "I suppose, you've done me a favour really."
Ron frowned, "Huh?"
"Well, he's certainly not going to think of me as family now is he? Not after the man he thinks of as a brother just punched... the... shit... out of him?"
Ron paled slightly. "I guess what I should do now is to go and find him," she purred. "Kiss him better."
"No, hell no" Ron said standing up to his full, quite impressive size, "You go near him Ginny Weasley and I'll... I'll lock a chastity charm on you!"
Ginny's eyes flashed, "You wouldn't dare. Besides, only the head of a family can do that Ron. Perhaps you should listen to Hermione more when she tells you to study. You may have known that then."
"I expect the head of the family would do it. I know the bloke after all." Ron snarled.
"Pfft" Ginny said, turned on a heel and pretty much flounced out of the common room. Blushing scarlet on the way as she caught sight of how many people were listening in on that.
Ron growled, then looked around, "Parchment...Now!" he growled.
About a hundred sheets were sent his way.
His lip quirked slightly, "Dare I ask for a quill?"
-oOo-
Around the country shortly afterwards, and in one case Romania. The Weasley brothers received owls. The one received in Romania was petty much exhausted, but Ron had been in no mood to take No for an answer or distance as an excuse. As a powerful Wizard in his own right, he had actually managed to get the point across to the poor owls.
Attached to the owl was the same note. It received various and differencing responses depending on who looked at it. Charlie and Bill both thought of their sister as a baby and with that image in mind got PISSED, one begged off work the other started hatching plans, both wrote back. Fred and George took one look at their notes, looked at each other, smirked, and went back to work on their Legimancy. Of them all, they knew not to fuck with Harry. Not only was he well... Harry, he was the natural successor of the Marauders, pranksters who made THEM look like rank amateurs.
Oddly enough even Percy the Weasley traitor got one. He glared at the note, and believing this was his way back in with the family immediately wrote back.
Unsurprisingly, Ron had not contacted his father or mother about this conundrum; he figured the brothers would be able to deal with this in a more straightforward fashion than their parents would conceive.
Oddly enough, it also did not occur to Ron that what he was doing could, and likely would, irrevocably damage his relationship with his two best friends. Harry obviously, being chief among them. Nor did it occur that they were also playing with fire. Namely a very pissed off Ginny Weasley.
She had not been idle. While Ron knew, he could contact his brothers. Ginny knew the real Force Major in the house of Weasley and had contacted her mum.
-oOo-
Harry was blissfully unaware of any of this. He had decided the best thing for him was to slip out of school entirely and had done so after some fast-talking to the Headmaster. He had set Tracey on to her task, and vowed to sort out his part of the prank when he got back. It was unfortunately early evening so far and frankly, he was pretty much fed up. He was sure a visit to his favourite older woman would help. He needed her wisdom on what to do about the situation that was building with Lavender, and some advice would not hurt. He had a couple of ideas as to what was happening and frankly, he was not entirely sure how to deal with any of them.
He swirled to the front door of Grimmauld place, appearing the entire world as if he had taken one-step between Scotland and the large building. He then knocked and smiled. It was likely that Cissy would be the one to answer the door, she usually was. Which, now he came to think about it was not actually a good idea. However, the thought of a Death Eater walking up and knocking on the door did strike him as amusing.
The door was flung open and Harry smiled, and then looked up. "Oh bugger." he said.
Bill was not a small man and as angry as he obviously was, he seemed enormous. Apparently, Ron had moved quickly to establish his siblings support. At the very least, he appeared to have Bills. This did NOT bode well for Harry's health, without magic, in the next few seconds.
Bill grabbed Harry by the arm and pulled him inside the house, almost lifting the smaller man off his feet. "You" he snarled.
"Hey Bill." Harry said with a tired sounding voice. Was he cursed or what? He wondered.
"Little sneak. All these years we've supported you, shielded you and THIS is our thanks?"
'OK, that actually hurt' Harry thought, his smile abruptly disappearing.
"All this time were you planning on getting into Ginny's knickers? Is that why you saved her I wonder. Little Harry's pecker doing his thinking for him from an early age I wonder" Bill continued to rave.
Harry's mood darkened.
"I mean, why not, she would be grateful after all. The big shining knight comes to save her. What damsel would not eventually want to give him a little- Something? And if that knight was to take advantage she would think it was his due now wouldn't she."
Harry's aura began to rise up around him.
Bill grabbed Harry again and virtually threw him into the living room. Where Cissy and Fleur happened to be sat. Bill could not care less though. "I wonder; have you deflowered Hermione as well?"
"Bill" Cissy said, shock colouring her words. "What on Earth has gotten into you?"
"Be quiet Death Eater scum." Bill said, operating entirely on automatic rage now.
Cissy came to a sudden and shocked stand still, her words forgotten. Bill HAD been one of the nicer ones to her. She had thought they were starting to become almost friendly. Apparently, she was mistaken in that.
Power moved the air in the room, creating a light wind.
"'Arry" Fleur said her voice soft. "Stay calm." her words actually managing to lower the threat of violence in the room.
Bill looked at her, then from her to Harry, and then snarled. Literally an animalistic sound.
"Ahh, did the little French tart properly THANK you for saving her sister I wonder. Well I mean Gabrielle should be of age in a few years then you can extract payment from her too."
The air started to move again, in a much more... excited fashion. Crackles of lightning blew around Harry's irises. The room felt heavy and seemed to smell of copper. "Bill..." Fleur said warningly. "Why do you act so?"
"This tramp has been putting the moves on my baby sister." Bill decided to answer her.
"Iz this true 'Arry?" Fleur asked.
"No" Harry said, the single word seemed leaden as it fell into the sound of the room like a coffin slamming.
"Pfft" Bill said, throwing up his arms.
Harry flinched slightly. Causing Cissy to start worrying. Because despite the serious haranguing that Bill was throwing at Harry, nothing more than a build of power had happened so far. However, she knew that Harry would not take kindly to any perceived physical attack. This could be dangerous for all of them. Ignoring her own hurt, she stepped forward slightly, "Bill, you need to back away," she said carefully, no hint of censure or anger in her voice. She had no wish to inflame this already incendiary situation further.
"Like hell will I. I'm half tempted to just wring his bloody neck." Bill growled. His hands flexing like he truly wanted just to do as he said.
"Seriously Bill, you need to step back." Cissy said in the same tone she had used before.
"Oui, it is not good to antagonize 'Arry. If he is threatened he may kill you." Fleur said in the tone of voice of a professional.
Bill smirked, "I don't think so."
"You don't know what you are dealing with Bill." Fleur told him. "For the relationship we 'ad, step back."
Bill frowned at her. He did step back though, "Why is it I wonder that you are both trying to protect him?" he asked nastily. The Weasley's were not famous for their tempers for nothing after all. However, it was occasionally self-destructive. "Could it be that he's fucking you both? Ron was telling me that Lavender has described how 'good' he is with women."
A light bulb went off over Cissy's head. Fleur looked clueless.
"Well she's stepped up her game considerably." Cissy said.
Bill frowned, "What do you mean."
"You are in no fit state to hear that my dear Bill." Cissy told him, taking a seat. "Harry, calm down please. You're scaring Fleur and I.," she said, saying the one thing that would possibly reach the angry young draconian. Not that she knew his true nature, but she had Harry's number pretty well.
Harry looked down, almost shamefully. His aura dropping away and the wind that had built up in the room dying down to nothing quite quickly. "Sorry Cissy" he mumbled.
"YOU have nothing to be sorry for. Bill, I suspect, will be eating crow eventually though." Cissy said sitting back more comfortably and then, using all the training she had picked up, relaxed. Sitting down and having Dinner with the most evil man on the face of the planet taught you to be calm in just about any situation.
"I don't think so. Potter, just stay the hell away from my family." Bill said, and turned to leave.
"Bill" Harry said.
Bill turned back glaring a hole into Harry.
"Talk to Ginny." was all Harry had to say.
Bill frowned, paused, and then nodded.
Once Bill was gone, Harry pretty much slumped.
Fleur was slightly the faster of the two women and had cast several locking charms and a host of others on the door before Cissy managed too. They looked at each other for a moment, and an unspoken discussion passed between them. The upshot of which was, you too?
Once that was sorted, they went over to the thoroughly miserable looking young wizard.
-oOo-
Bill Appareted as soon as he had cleared the wards. Not caring if some Muggle saw him and arrived at the gates of Hogwarts in no time at all. Contrary to popular belief, Apparition was NOT instant. To a sensitive, enough wizard there was actually a period of travel. Mostly of a blank sort of view, but it was there none the less. Bill was a very sensitive wizard when not as angry as a Kneazle in a trunk. So he hardly noticed the travel time on this occasion. Instead, he just kept walking with long ground eating strides. He paused for a moment, and put his wand to his forehead and flicked outwards. The Adfero went flying off. Then he paused outside the main entrance. He could not go in without permission. He could however drag his siblings out to him!
Because he was starting to get a horrible feeling, and it would not be- good if this feeling was true. Because for the first time in years his temper had run away with him. Through it all however, and though he was angry, Harry had NOT acted like the guilty party. Which was really... bugging Bill.
-oOo-
Harry smiled at his two companions who were looking at him a little warily. "Some day" he said after a long moment.
Cissy laughed, "What's been going on with Lavender. She seems to have markedly stepped up her game all of a sudden."
"Actually I don't think it is that sudden," Harry said, getting off the floor and walking over to the couch. Whereupon he sat down heavily. He shook his head, "No I think she's been working on Ron ever since they started to go out. I'm just not sure what the point is."
Cissy sat down on one side of him, while Fleur sat the other. They were thankfully in a secure room, so Harry could talk normally. These two women, the oldest in his fledgling Harem were also very restful to be around. Fleur in particular, because she knew some detail of what he was. "Nor am I" Cissy admitted. "If the aim is to get you back, she seems to be going about things in a very odd way. If the aim is to punish you then she's doing well."
Fleur frowned, "You have 'ad relations with this 'Lavender'?" she asked. No hint of censure, just a curious tone.
Harry nodded, "Not actual sex but near..." he frowned, a thought occurring to him.
"What is it?" Cissy asked.
"Just a random thought. She is acting a bit like a junkie cut off from the source. Lashing out at the 'supplier' that has cut her off."
"A what?" Cissy asked, though it was obvious that Fleur was wondering the same thing.
"Hard to explain... It is just, she was the first... encounter I had since I gained the various abilities I have. Makes me wonder if I... urh... Gave her too much or something. In someway I have perhaps unbalanced her." Harry said. His power leapt up around him, causing both women to look at him in surprise and a little worry. "It's ok, I'm not angry I want to see something. This is how I do it." Harry said to calm them. Then he looked at Fleur and Cissy in turn, specifically looking for traces of his own magic. Fleur had the most, Cissy a fair bit too. Despite not having sex with Cissy yet, he had spent some time... pleasing her. He would have to check Cho, Parv and Tracey when he got back. Then Lav herself. He could see traces of his magic easily enough. This was making him wonder if he had indeed upset Lav's balance somehow. Could that be why she was acting so... weird? However, what motivated her? That was the question. Sure, she may be acting out because of the imbalance but there had to be some sort of motivation there somewhere. If he had unbalanced her, how was he to set her- back in balance?
"You're looking thoughtful 'Arry" Fleur said, leaning in close and totally scattering his thoughts.
He smiled at her, "I was. You have quite the effect when you are close. Did you know that?" he asked tongue in cheek.
"You wish me to back away?" she asked with a sexy smile.
Harry shook his head, "Never."
Cissy smirked, "So you two have obviously... spent time together."
"'Arry gave me much orgasm's," Fleur said.
"Me too" Cissy said with a slight smile.
"He 'as a wonderful cock no?" Fleur said to Cissy.
Harry rolled his eyes, how did he end up in these bizarre situations so often? Not that he really minded of course.
"I wouldn't know... Yet." Cissy said. "He is too noble for his own good."
"Oui, the way around zat is to appeal to his baser nature." Fleur sat laying a hand in his lap.
"Fleur!" Harry said in shock. She shot him a heated look.
Cissy laughed, "I'll remember that."
Harry cocked his eyebrow at her, "It doesn't bother you that I'm... seeing other women?" he asked the older woman.
Cissy shook her head, "Not overly. I'll take what I can get at this point," she told him honestly.
Harry shook his head, and then smirked at Fleur's wandering hands. "You know... I know you are trying to take my mind off what is happening... And it's working, but I need to think on this." he said to the beautiful Frenchwoman.
She pouted prettily at him.
Cissy shook her head, "No you don't. Not right away. You need to calm down first," she said seriously. Then her smile got wicked. She met Fleur's eyes and the two appeared to have a conversation silently. Harry noticed, but was woefully unable to notice the gist of it. Until he felt his zip, being pulled down.
"Urh" he began. Only to be cut off by Fleur kissing him passionately.
By time the kiss broke, his cock was in her cool hand. "Urm-" he tried again. Another steamy kiss and his thoughts scattered to the wind. Then his eyes shot open and a sigh left his throat as he felt warm dampness attach around his shaft.
-oOo-
Bill was pacing back and forth by time his siblings finally arrived. He stopped dead and looked at them seriously. Only to frown when a third person appeared from the entrance. She was blond, and very attractive. Attaching herself to Ron like a limpet. Frankly, he had no idea who she was, but she was not a member of his family. This was strictly for family as far as he was concerned.
"Bill" Ron said with a smile, "Got my message then" he said.
Bill nodded, "I'm sorry miss. This is for family only," he said to the interloper.
"She's with me" Ron answered, "This is Lavender; my girlfriend. She is a part of this too. If not for her I wouldn't have known about Harry."
Bill frowned deeper, "That may be Ron. But this is for family."
Ron held his girlfriend a little tighter, "She's as good as," he said, drawing a shocked look from Lav. She was starting to worry about him saying things like that. It showed a level of commitment she was not interested in at all.
Bill also was a little taken aback by that. However, he saw no way around it just then. So he nodded, shortly and looked at Ginny. "I've been told to talk to you. I just ... talked with Harry."
Ginny looked concerned, "You didn't... hurt him did you?"
"Not yet" Bill said in a foreboding voice.
"Well don't" Ginny said, some fire appearing in her eyes. "None of this is Harry's fault."
"Oh please" Lavender said in a drawl.
Bill cut her a look, "You may be here with Ron. Nevertheless, I am talking to my family. Please don't interrupt." he said firmly.
"Hey, no need for that" Ron said cutting in before anyone else could say a word.
"Ron" Bill said warningly. "I've just laid into someone I consider almost family. He did not act like a villain. I laid into him because of what you wrote to me. You had better back up what you said, or I will be a fool. No one makes a fool out of me. So your girl can stay, but she stays quiet. I need to sort this out. Now; What the Hell Happened?"
Ginny and Ron both started to talk at the same time. Bill held up a hand cutting them off, "Ron first. Then you Ginny" he ordered.
Ginny simmered, but since she knew she would get a turn, she remained calm.
"I was looking for Harry. To have it out with him." Ron began. "Then I walk down a corridor and find him snogging Ginny." he said.
Bill growled.
"I obviously took exception to that. The start of term he told me he thought of Ginny like a sister. Then I find him necking with her! That doesn't sit right with me, so I hit him."
"More than once!" Ginny spat.
Bill looked at Ron, "You had a fight with Harry?" he asked, looking his brother over. He did not have a mark on him. For which he found himself a little proud. Everyone of late was talking about how powerful Harry was, about how much of a fighter he was.
Ron shook his head, "No; actually I didn't really. I just hit him a few times. He didn't fight back at all."
Bill frowned at that. That did not go with what he knew of Harry at all. "Why didn't he fight back?" he wondered aloud.
Ron shrugged, "I don't know. Not like Harry that. Mad me plenty pissed off that is for sure. Perhaps he was winding me up on purpose. I stopped hitting him and dragged my LITTLE sister back to the dorm. Then I wrote my brothers. You included Bill."
Bill nodded, and then looked to Ginny. He was mad from what he had heard so far, but he needed both sides.
Ginny got the clue and began to talk, "I heard him tell you that he thought of me as a sister. Back on Platform 9 ¾" she said. "I didn't like that. So I talked to mum. She told me I had to change the way he looked at me. I have tried a few things, but you had him so bloody programmed none of it was working. Then near the start of term, I ambushed him for the first time. I snogged the hell out of him, and it was good. He's a hell of a kisser."
"I don't need to know that" Bill said running a hand down his face.
Ginny shrugged, "He went mad, and ran off. I've never seen him so scared actually." she said then smiled a very female smile, "But he didn't think of me as a sister. But I knew that would change in time. He would block the memory and go back to the programmed view. So off and on, about twice a week in fact, I have ambushed him. Kissed him and run off. I KNOW he is not looking at me like a sister now. Recently he has stopped fighting me off. I had thought that was because he was enjoying it. I still do a bit, but he said to Ron..."
"Go on" Bill said.
"That he's learned that there is no point." Ginny said, sounding very upset about that fact.
Bill saw out of the corner of his eye that Lavender was smiling at that fact. He filed that away for later. It was obvious that there was more than Ron realized, going on here though. Most of it Bill would be willing to bet revolving around that smile on Lavender's face.
"Mum knows?" Ron asked aghast.
Ginny nodded, "It's basically her idea. Not the specifics, but generally..." she shrugged.
"Why, why would she tell you that?" Ron asked stunned.
Bill almost laughed at his younger brother's shock. He didn't though. There was too much to sort out. He turned to Ron. "It seems to me that Harry is largely not to blame here..."
"Oh no, that's not true. Lav has told me all about the way he is with women. He is a dog, and seems to wind them around his little finger. The fact is that Ginny wasn't being pushed away and I think Harry was leading her on for... more lately."
"Chance would be nice" Ginny put in.
"Gin!" Bill said a smile on his face. It appeared his sister was growing up, a little fast perhaps. Then she had to start early thanks to what had happened to her in her first year. This was really just an extension of that.
"Harry is very good with women." Lavender said.
Bill rounded on her, "How do you know?" he wanted to know.
Lav took a step back, not expecting that question. "What?"
"I said- how do you know that? I did not even know your name before Ron told me. So I am thinking you've not had much to do with the golden trio before now. So- How do you know?"
"Harry has tried to..." Lavender trailed off. Hoping Bill would draw his own conclusions. However, she was not dealing with Ron; she was dealing with the much worldlier Bill.
"Tried to what?" Bill asked, pressing her for details.
"Seduce me in the past. Even when I was with Ron" Lavender said.
Bill frowned, "You're lying," he said reading it on her face as easily as reading a parchment.
"Hey!" Ron said, cutting in. "That's out of order Bill."
Bill shook his head, "Shut up Ron. I am talking to your girlfriend here. You insisted she join us, so now I want to know what she knows. So, what's your involvement with Harry then?" he asked. "The truth this time."
Lavender blushed, backing up a step. Then burst into tears.
Ron pulled her into an embrace, glaring at his elder brother.
Bill shook his head, "You have a lot to learn Ron. That is a bluff. Now Lavender was it? Quit the crocodile tears and talk... Or shall I start guessing instead?"
Lav stopped crying and glared at Bill, "You're not a nice man," she said.
Bill smiled nastily, "I can be, but not when someone is playing with my family. I have already had words with Harry. I am thinking that will be enough. Considering what I have heard so far. However, I am more interested right now, in what is going on with you. You and Harry used to go out didn't you?"
"I wouldn't go that far," Lav said before she could stop herself.
Ron did a double take and Ginny glared.
"How far would you go? You... fooled around, shagged, met up what?" Bill pressed.
"We didn't... shag" Lavender said, realizing she was in the shit up to her neck now. Seeing nothing else to do but damage control she added, "So I know how he is with women. While we were still- Close, he was already trying to get with Parv. That should tell you what sort of man he is. I ended it there and then."
Ron had already backed away from her and was frowning, "Why didn't you tell me?" he asked, "Why didn't Harry?"
Bill waved it off, "Did you ask?" he said. "No, I didn't think so. Past relationships are not important Ron don't worry about that. I am more interested in the fact that your Girlfriend is trying to poison you against your best mate... That's bad in any culture," he said with a pointed look at Lavender.
"I just didn't want to see Ron hurt" Lavender said. "Harry is... not what he appears"
Bill smiled thinly, "I know that much. According to two people, including my ex, I am lucky to be alive at this point. The fact is that I am, and he hardly said a word, only for me to talk to Ginny. He did not act like a womanizer. I should know; I am one. Best I can tell this is a misunderstanding for the most part. Ginny... You need to stop, or at least- tone it down."
Ginny glared at her brother.
He held up his hands, "I'm not saying you're doing wrong. Nevertheless, it is obviously not working. So why keep doing it?"
"He's a good snog?" Ginny said with an impish smile.
"He's also a year older." Bills aid with meaning in his words. "I know what blokes are like at that age. You're not legal Ginny remember that."
Ginny blushed.
Bill turned to Ron, "For the most part I think you are more than a little over protective. Ginny is her own woman, and a red head. But I can't fault you for doing something I would've done myself in your position."
Ron was not sure what to make of that.
"But you need to call off our brothers. Charlie is ready to split Harry in half from the note I got from him. I think he is on his way over. You need to call him off. The twins have not replied at all. That means one of two things. They either are cooking something up, or know Harry better than we do. Think about that last one Ron." Bill grimaced slightly, "Percy sent me a note too, and I don't think you're going to be able to call him off. He see's this as a way back in. I say we give him that chance, but stop him from hurting Harry in any way."
Ron nodded slightly.
"I'll call off mum," Ginny said.
Ron and Bill blanched, "You didn't?" Ron asked.
Ginny smiled, "I did."
Bill turned to Lavender, "You... You have issues with Harry. I think you should talk to him. If you are serious about Ron- Great, wish you both the best of luck. If, like I think, this is a way of getting back at Harry. You will have me to deal with."
Lav quailed under the glare she got. "I'm serious about Ron" she lied.
Bill narrowed his eyes at her. Nevertheless, knew that it was mostly up to Ron to sort that one out. He could not stop his brother from getting hurt. As much as he would like to. It did not mean he could not take his revenge afterwards though.