Chapter 15
Chapter XV
That Friday everyone important to the spell gathered in the headmaster's study at Hogwarts. Severus Snape
was there to administer the potion, Harry and Hermione were there as donors (Hermione finally having won her
argument with Harry about donating her abilities), of course Helen and Doug were there, and Albus Dumbledore was
there with Minerva McGonagall and Filius Flitwick to actually perform the spell.
"All that is left for the potions is three drops of blood from the donor," Snape said. "If you would, Potter?"
"By all means, Snape," he answered calmly, and stepped forward to the goblets.
"Wait," asked Hermione. "What happens if more than three drops of blood go into the potion, Professor?" she
asked, stressing his title slightly.
"The effects are unknown, Miss Granger," came the response, stressing the Miss. "I do not have access to the
originator's design notes, but it can be assumed that three was arrived at after some trial and error. I would not wish to
experiment at this point in time," he said with some condescending asperity.
"Thank you," she said brightly, and picked up the silver knife. "Harry, since we've agreed to donate together,
you put one drop in one goblet and two in the other, and I'll do the same." Before Snape could say anything, she
pricked her finger and carefully placed her blood in the goblets precisely as she had suggested, and then moved her
finger to her mouth. Harry repeated the action, ensuring that neither goblet received more than three drops of blood in
total. Both potions flared momentarily, and settled into a pleasant periwinkle blue colour.
"Huh," Harry mused. "The same colour as your Yule Ball dress in fourth year."
"Yes, quite," the headmaster replied. "Quite an attractive colour, I must say."
"And quite unexpected that it worked," the Potions professor sneered. "Even now, when lives could be at
stake, you both flout the rules. By rights, it should have been three drops of blood from one person. I take no
responsibility for the results of this … this …"
"Bite me, Snape," Harry said. "I see why my father called you Snivellus now. Is that all you ever do – whine
about things?"
Once again, the Potions master proved that puce is not a good colour for anyone, especially not someone as
pale as himself. Before a full blown fight could happen, Dumbledore looked to the combatants and said, "Perhaps this
can be continued after the spell has been completed?"
Harry, at least, managed to look abashed. He stepped back from the goblets, and Dumbledore stepped forward
to pick them up. Handing the goblets to the Grangers, he looked to Snape. "Drink it in one draught, correct, Severus?
"
At the Potions master's nod, the two brought the goblets to their lips. Doug made a face as he swallowed, but
Helen's reaction made Harry curious about her career as a college student. She simply poured the goblet into her
mouth and set it down quickly, only then making a face.
As her husband finished his and set the goblet down, she murmured, "Blech. Feels like a ferret exploded in my
mouth." Doug snorted and fought to not burst out laughing.
"How did you drink that so fast?" Hermione asked, astounded.
"Chug-a-lug champion at my school. Secret is to open your throat and simply pour." She smiled. "Shall we
start the spell, then?" she asked brightly. She hid it well, but her fear was evident.
As Flitwick and McGonagall began the spell, speaking its original Latin, Harry reached out and took
Hermione's hand in nervousness. As the High Latin they spoke finally died out, they pointed their wands at the ceiling
and began a complex series of swishes, flicks and swoops before finally dropping their wands and sheathing them.
Harry opened his mouth to say something, and suddenly he felt something shoot down his arm to Hermione's
hand, and watched as a cloud of silver flowed from them and settled over her parents. As soon as it was finished, all
four quickly settled into chairs Dumbledore created for them. Almost immediately, they fell asleep.
---
Harry awoke a short time later to see the others stirring as well. "Interesting," Albus said. "You all awoke at
the same time. I wonder if that is a side effect of the spell."
"We can explore that later," Minerva said. "First, we need to see if these to are still capable of performing
spells."
Flitwick smiled and place a feather on the table. "Miss Granger? I think you know the spell I would like to
see you perform."
Harry laughed. "Remember, Hermione. It's Win-GAR-dium Levi-OH-sa. Stress the GAR."
"Prat," she laughed, realizing that he'd both a perfect impression of her first year instructions to Ron. She
pulled her wand and cast the spell. The feather vanished. The only sound in the room was Fawkes, and if Harry didn't
know better, he'd think the phoenix was chuckling. As they looked around the room, Harry followed Fawkes' eyes,
which appeared to be focused on the ceiling. He followed, and his jaw dropped. There in the stone ceiling was the
feather, imbedded point first.
"Um," was all he was able to say. He pulled his own wand and pointed it at the feather. "Accio feather."
There was an audible crack, and the wind was knocked from Harry as intense pain hit his stomach. He looked down
to see red spots forming in his shirt.
Minerva McGonagall rushed to him to examine him. "Oh my goodness!" she exclaimed. "He's bleeding! The
remnants of the feather …" She waved her wand a few times, and then looked to Flitwick. "You're better with
charms, quite obviously, Filius. Care to do the healing? I've converted the feather pieces into mere water, which
should not be a problem within his system." Flitwick murmured a few words and the pain went away.
"What happened?" Harry asked.
"It appears that your spellcasting is far more powerful now than we would expect, Harry," Albus Dumbledore
said. "It appears to have increased, rather than decreased, as would be expected."
"Yes," Flitwick agreed. "This will require further study. In the meantime …." He turned to face Hermione's
parents. "Which of you would care to go first? Same spell as your daughter cast, only with a new feather," he
finished with a smile.
Doug looked at the assembled group. "Um, we don't have wands."
Albus smiled. "We have general purpose wands for those whose wands have been damaged beyond repair."
He looked to Harry. "Mr. Weasley should have inquired, but I understand pride." Harry nodded, knowing the
reference to his second year. He reached into his desk, pulled out two plain wands and handed them to the Grangers.
Doug took the initiative. "Wingardium Leviosa," he said clearly, performing the precise swish-and-flick he'd seen his
daughter perform. The feather quivered on the table before gently lifting for just a moment.
"Excellent!" Flitwick exclaimed. "For a very first attempt, that's one of the best I've ever seen! The best was
your daughter's, of course."
"Of course," Doug said. "My daughter excels at anything she puts her mind to. If she wants to do it well, she
will."
Harry's face went flat, but he knew his eyes were twinkling madly. "Harry!" squeaked Hermione, playfully
slapping his arm.
"What? I didn't say anything!" he laughed.
"You didn't have to, Harry," replied Helen with her own laugh. She repeated her husband's attempt with
similar results.
"Excellent!" Dumbledore said, echoing Flitwick's comment. "Now we only need to get you to Ollivander's for
your own wands, and then we shall begin the process of tutoring you." He looked at the ceiling for a moment. "Yes,
the empty teacher's quarters we were originally going to give Harry and Hermione will serve quite well, I'd say."
"Headmaster, why are we even contemplating this? Once again we coddle this child," Severus Snape said,
motioning to Harry. "He is an irresponsible brat that flouts every rule. Despite my better judgement, I must take him
into my N.E.W.T. level Potions classes because he somehow managed to pass the test with the required grade. But
now he and his … lover get their own room, against all rules of the school, not to mention common decency. And her
parents move in after we effect the transference of magical ability upon them. Am I even permitted to ask the
reasoning behind this, or are you going to be inscrutable again?"
Harry looked at him. "The Dursleys broke the protections around me, sir," he said, his voice dripping sarcasm
on the 'sir.' "Hermione and I are getting married on September nineteenth in order to grant me protections. It is easier
and less disruptive on the students to permit us to begin the school year living in the same suite, rather than move us
eighteen days after we get back to the castle." He paused for breath, but spoke again before the Potions master could.
"Also, since your lord and master wants me dead or worse, I used what you consider my pitiful mental skills to deduce
that it was highly likely, once word got back to him, that he would choose to use Hermione's parents against me. So,
we give them some ability to protect themselves, and move them here. Harder for Moldieshorts to do something to
them."
"Harry," Albus said.
"I'm sorry, Professor, but if he insists on treating me as if I were my father, despite knowing that the man has
been dead since I was fifteen months old, then let him reap the benefits. When we are in school, I will treat him with
the minimal respect due a professor at this school – his title, answering questions when asked, and such. I fully expect
that Gryffindor will be docked house points for my insolence. Then again, he'll dock Gryffindor points for breathing,
while allowing Slytherin to get away with murder." He paused. "However, when we are not in school, meaning
during the summer hols, I have every intention of giving him the respect he has earned from me, not the respect that he
thinks his title demands."
"You and your pampered upbringing," Snape started to say, but was stopped as Helen's open hand impacted
with his cheek hard enough to stagger him.
"Do not speak of things you know nothing of, you loathsome creature!" she snarled at him. "You have no idea
what he was like just this summer alone! He …."
"Please, Mum," Harry said. "I didn't give the headmaster permission for the same reason that I don't give you
permission. Herr Professor here would likely assume that I set up the situation myself in order to get sympathy for my
supposed plight. There is not a thing I can do that isn't a side effect of the marvellously pampered life I lived, growing
up in a Muggle household as The Boy Who Lived."
"The spell is done, and my presence is no longer required, correct?" asked Snape. At the headmaster's nod, he
swirled his cloak and left.
"Off he runs to tell Moldie about the wedding," Harry murmured. "I hate this. He brings out the worst in me.
I don't like the person I am when I'm near him."
"Might I ask what situation you refer to?" Professor Flitwick asked. "The one that you don't wish him to know
about? I will perfectly understand if you choose not to tell me."
"May I request of you that you not tell Professor Snape? I can't stop you from doing so, but I'd simply prefer
he not ever find out." Professor Flitwick nodded, and Harry launched into the years at the Dursleys that he could
recall. He finally reached the summer they were currently experiencing, and Flitwick's face went red as Harry's voice
went flat as he described the treatment he had received from Vernon, and running away, and finding the Grangers.
Harry looked down to see that somewhere in his talking, Hermione had taken his hand, and was wincing at the strength
with which Harry was gripping it. "Oh, I'm sorry, Hermione," he said sadly, bringing her hand to his lips as he
loosened his grip. "Why didn't you say something?"
"You needed it, Harry. Besides, when we have children, I'll be doing the same to you, so I'll get mine back."
She looked to Flitwick. "We're getting married on my birthday to give him some level of protection. It doesn't hurt
that I happen to be madly in love with him." She pulled him closer and kissed his cheek.
"Hermione," he said, his heart in his eyes, "There isn't a word that describes how I feel about you. Without
you, I'm not. You create me, you build me, you complete me." He paused. "And you make me spout really cheesy
romance novel lines," he finished with a grin.
"I've watched you these past years, Harry," Flitwick said, "and I can tell you that being with her is apparently
excellent for you. This is the happiest I remember seeing you."
"Well, when a woman like this gifts you with her love, only an idiot turns it down, and despite a certain
professor's opinion of me, I'm no idiot." He kissed her gently on the lips, getting lost in the feelings pouring off her.
Oh my god, I love this woman! I just wish I could prove it to her.
He felt startlement, and the kiss broke. Harry? Can you hear what I'm thinking?
His eyebrows rose. "Yes."
Let's prove it. The rain in Spain falls …
"… mostly on the Spaniards," he chuckled. Her eyes went so wide that they looked about ready to drop out of
her head. He grinned. It appears to work both ways. Did you note that we have our own bathroom and water closet
in that suite? Nice shower, too. He quickly sent an image of her on the night of their handfasting, and she bit her
lower lip. Looking up at the assembled teachers, he said, "We appear to be telepathic with each other at the moment."
"Interesting," said Flitwick and McGonagall in unison. Flitwick looked at them and said, "While this effect is
in existence, may I study it?"
"You helped my parents understand my world better," Hermione said. "I have no problems with it, although I
can't speak for Harry."
"You did in this matter, beloved," he said. "By the way, you have my word as a Gryffindor that I will not give
in to Ron's thoughts that I should get Hermione to give me all the answers. Wouldn't make a very good teacher if I
cheated to get good grades now, would I?" He grinned at Minerva McGonagall. "At least I didn't give my word as a
Junior Marauder."
The three teachers laughed, and Hermione's parents looked a little confused. He looked to Hermione, and she
looked about to burst with pride. He looked at her, puzzled. What? What did I do right?
I'll help when I can, but you promised not to use this to your advantage.
I didn't say that, he chuckled, and sent her a quick burst of his favourite view of her, her face lost in passion
beneath him.
"Harry!" she gasped.
"Sorry, just earning my membership in the Junior Marauders. So, should we make a trip to Diagon Alley to
buy your parents their new wands?"
"Harry," Hermione purred at him, "you're going to die tonight. It'll be with a grin on your face, but it's going to
happen."
The look of feigned innocence brought laughter to everyone's faces.
---
The trip to Diagon Alley was unusual for the Grangers, because for the first time, it was for themselves that
things were being purchased. Harry enjoyed nuzzling Hermione's neck in public, causing more than one person to
look a little surprised. Good. The Daily Prophet's going to have a field day with this.
A short time later, as they were exiting the bookstore, they were met by Rita Skeeter. "Daily Prophet. Looks
like I was right, Mister Potter, back during the Tri-Wizard competition, concerning you and Miss Granger. Any
comments about that?" A small crowd had grown around her, since it was fairly obvious that she made no secret of
her life as a reporter.
"Well, Miss Skeeter, I guess it has to happen to everyone at some time or another," Harry replied with a smile.
"What's that?" she asked, a saccharine smile plastered on her own face.
"Being right. It had to happen to you eventually." He turned to leave, but turned back around to face her.
"You might as well write what you want. The only time you've ever written a truthful story was the one you wrote for
the Quibbler – the one that the Prophet then tried to claim as their exclusive a few months later. That acid green quill
of yours writes what you want it to, and you never tell the truth if you can help it. I could be utterly truthful to you
about what's going on, and you'd twist it to your own best interests. I'll find it interesting to see what you make of
this conversation." He turned back to Hermione and offered his arm. "Shall we?"
When they were a distance away, Hermione said, "You know she's going to twist that horribly."
He grinned at her and turned into the Daily Prophet's main doorway. "I know. That's why I'm going to talk to
someone here. Make it interesting when she turns in her story."
They left a short time later, Harry having given the cover story. He'd been protected by the Dursleys until
they'd broken the protections this summer, and he was marrying the girl he loved much earlier than either of them
intended, if only to allow some level of protection. The writer asked the obvious question, stating that people were
going to think it anyway. "True. I'd say that the baby will be born probably thirty-six to sixty months from now.
Who knows – we might end up having one nine months after the wedding, but I don't think either of us is quite
prepared for dealing with a baby and school at the same time. Married life and school is going to be bad enough. But
for this woman?" he said, smiling at Hermione. "She's worth the effort."
Hermione grinned for a moment. "Remember that when I'm pestering you about studying for your N.E.W.T.s,
Harry."
"Well, you could quiz me, and give me a kiss for every right answer, to be given when the quiz is over.
Subtract one for every wrong answer. If that won't drive me to succeed, then nothing will." And maybe some mind-
blowing sex if I get a perfect score. No – wait – you already give me mind-blowing sex. Need something else. She
blushed prettily at him.
"Thank you for coming to us, Mister Potter. Given some of the treatment that the Prophet has given you in the
past …."
"Well, to be honest, I was accosted by Rita Skeeter in Diagon Alley, so I thought I'd try to get a truthful report
about what's happening out there. And since she was representing herself as your reporter …."
---
Author's notes: Sorry for the delay in posting. I haven't abandoned the story – I got sucked into Real Life,
darn it. Rabid Plot bunnies have been at me as well, although almost all of the stories I've come up with can't show up
here. (Odd pairings, or multiple relationships, such as Harry/Hermione/Tonks.)
I've also started a website for those sort of fics, if you're of a mind to read them. Right now I'm the only
author there (hoping that will change). If you go over to and register (it's a
Closed site, which means you need to be eighteen to register, and as soon as I have a chance, you'll be authorized to
log in), you can see the very beginnings of what I hope will become a very active site. This is one of the main things
that ate my time on posting – getting that site ready.
I'm working on Chapter Sixteen as we speak, and things are going to very … um … interesting for Professor
Snape by Chapter Eighteen at the very latest. (Read 'interesting' as 'very ugly' and you'll have a good idea.)
Back to index
Chapter 16 by Kinsfire
Chapter XVI
Chapter XVI
The trip to King's Cross was an interesting one that September first. The Grangers had worked very hard to
close their house up for a year, taking leaves of absence from their jobs for a period of time, all in the span of about a
week. They'd been successful in it, and were taking the train to Hogwarts with Harry and Hermione.
Ron and Ginny showed up first, and were quickly reminded that as far as anyone else in the school was
concerned, the article in the Prophet was correct – Harry and Hermione were marrying on the nineteenth. "Got it,"
Ron said. "Bit surprised to see you two here," he admitted, speaking to Helen and Doug.
"Well, where better to learn magic than at our daughter's school?" Doug said with a smile as Luna and Neville
entered the compartment. Seats were at a premium in the small space, until Ginny simply sat on Neville's lap. A few
moments later, Harry started to chuckle as her eyes widened slightly, and she turned to look at a furiously blushing
Neville.
"Thank you," she said to him, and nestled closer to him. Neville's eyes widened, and the smile that appeared
threatened to split his face completely.
"May I, Ronald?" Luna asked, pointing at his sister. "I don't expect that you'll react the way I think he did,
but it will make it easier for everyone to fit in here."
Before he could say anything, Harry chuckled. "Ron, you have a chance to have a pretty girl sit on your lap,
and it's even her choice. I'd take it, if I were you."
Ron looked up at Luna for a moment, staring. It must have suddenly struck him about her appearance, because
he suddenly blushed as red as Neville, and tapped his leg to motion to her.
She sat pleasantly on his lap, and within a few moments, Harry was biting back the laugh that wanted to
explode out of him as he watched Ron mouthing the words, "Don't say it, Luna. Please don't say it." The laugh
changed to a pleased smile, though, when he saw the beatific smile on her face and the gentle glistening of tears down
her cheeks. Wisely, no one said anything. They sat and talked for a while, and Harry smiled again when he saw
Ron's arms come around Luna's waist, as naturally as if he'd always intended it. Eventually, of course, the boys' legs
started to give out, requiring that the girls find seats of their own. Both Ginny and Luna had both been made fifth-year
prefects, so Ron and Hermione herded them out to the head car for the prefects' meeting, which left Harry, Neville,
and the Grangers in much more comfort for the remainder of the trip.
Surprisingly, they had a Malfoy free train ride to Hogwarts. He was on the train, that much they knew, but
apparently word had gotten around that his favourite targets were sitting with adults, who were probably assumed to be
teachers. Even Crabbe and Goyle were smart enough to know that starting your school year with detentions, even
before the Welcoming Feast, was not the smartest way to deal with things.
As they climbed from the train, Harry pulled Ron aside. "Not to be embarrassing, Ron, but did you …um …
react to having a pretty girl with a shapely rear sitting on your lap?"
Ron's face rivalled his hair. "Embarrassing as all hell, Harry. I'm glad she didn't say anything."
"Do you like her, Ron? As more than someone who can make you hard?"
"I won't deny that I liked the way she felt, Harry, but … you know, I think I would like to know her better.
She can act a bit barmy, but I like her, actually."
"You couldn't see her face, but she was crying tears of happiness when you … reacted to her. I don't think
she's ever had that before."
Ron bit his lower lip for a second, and then looked into the crowd, surprisingly finding Luna very quickly. "Oi,
Luna!" he called.
"Oh, Ronald, I apologize for … well, you understand," she began to say.
Ron blushed. "Um, I know how this sounds, given that, but … um, I was wondering if …"
"If you'd like to find a broom closet somewhere, just ask," she said somewhat sadly.
"No!" he said, somewhat angrily. "I'd like to know you better before we get that far." He scowled.
"Are you … are you asking me for a relationship?" she asked in shock.
"Yeah, I guess I am. I was going to ask you to the first Hogsmeade weekend, to get the jump on anyone else
who might ask you." They had walked in the general direction of the coaches, and Ron held the door for her as she
climbed in. "Oh my, what a nice arse," he murmured, obviously unaware that he could be overheard.
"Please don't make fun of me, Ronald. You know that no one would ask me out. I'm Loony Luna Lovegood."
"Just 'cause they're too stupid to notice the beautiful girl in front of them …" He trailed off as he realized that
he had just admitted that in the coach in front of Luna, Ginny, Neville, Harry, and Hermione.
She scowled. "I asked you not to make fun of me," she said tersely. "I know I'm not beautiful, no matter what
Harry might have said on the train." She sat, arms crossed tightly.
His eyebrows furrowed in some annoyance, and he walked over to her, looming unintentionally purely based
upon his greater height. "What is it going to take to convince you that I happen to think you're dead sexy, and that I
was too stupid to see that before?" He spun and put his hands in the air. "Oi!" he growled. "Women!" He sat down
heavily just before the coach started to move, unconsciously mimicking Luna's body language. He muttered all the
way up to the castle.
---
Harry and the rest walked into the Great Hall, and he and Hermione were motioned to the head table by
Dumbledore. "Harry; Hermione. I wish for your permission concerning something. I wish to announce the wedding
as at least a party, but if you desire, we can tell the school about the upcoming nuptials."
They looked at each other for a moment, and Hermione finally said, "We weren't exactly hiding our cover story
for the Daily Prophet's purposes, so if you want to, we can even announce it for you."
"Expect a snide comment from Malfoy," Harry said with a small grin. "Shall we start book on how fast the
rumours will begin that you're pregnant?" Dumbledore chuckled along with Hermione, and the two students walked
back to the Gryffindor table.
Harry noticed, on the walk back, that there were a few girls giving Hermione the Evil Eye. He was surprised to
find Susan Bones was one of them. He nudged Hermione and pointed that out. "What do you expect, sexy?" she
whispered to him. "I've got the catch of the century, if not the millennium." She leaned over and kissed his cheek.
Draco Malfoy entered the hall, and upon seeing Harry and Hermione together, smiled his nasty smile and
walked over. "So, making an honest woman of her, Potter? How are you going to deal with a child during classes,
Mudblood?"
"Hah!" Harry laughed loud enough to draw everyone's attention to them. "I knew it! I knew Malfoy was
unimaginative enough to fall back on that as an insult! Thank you, Draco! You just won me five Galleons!"
Draco stared at him in slack-jawed silence for a moment before assuming his normal icy demeanour again and
stalking off to the Slytherin table.
"Who bet with you?" Parvati asked, puzzled.
"No one," Harry responded quietly. "But he was expecting to get a rise out of me for calling Hermione that
vile name, so I decided to take a different tack. It'll be a while before he realizes that, and by then, the meal will have
started. We're free of him for at least a little while, if only because his pride won't let him turn around to insult us
again so soon."
"My fiancé is so smart," Hermione said in a voice that sounded as though she hadn't a thought in her head.
Harry laughed. "You sounded like your IQ dropped a hundred points, beautiful. Of course, that drops you into
the merely genius range." He leaned over and kissed her on the cheek.
The doors opened, and a parade of children entered the Great Hall, and stood waiting to be sorted by the
Sorting Hat. It sang another song exhorting unity between the houses, once again drawing a snort from Ron. A short
time later, the first years had been sorted into the four houses, about as evenly amongst them as was possible.
Dumbledore stood to make the usual school announcements.
"Welcome to Hogwarts! For those returning, I fear you shall have to listen to my speeches yet again." There
was a sprinkling of laughter. "As always, there are certain areas off limits – for example, there is a reason that the
Forbidden Forest has that name. The seventh floor southern wing is off limits until certain renovations have been
completed. The forbidden items list can be found in Mister Filch's office, although it might be simplest to peruse the
order form for Weasleys Wizarding Wheezes, since every item on that form is considered banned." He paused for
student laughter as Ron and Ginny slapped their hands together with a cry of "Yes!"
As the laughter died, he continued. "It is my very great pleasure to announce that there will be a party held on
the nineteenth of September to celebrate the wedding of Mister Harry Potter and Miss Hermione Granger. While
weddings between students are excessively unusual and usually forbidden, there are certain protections against
Voldemort that this wedding will cement, both for them, and for those here at the school. The couple has graciously
permitted the entire student body to attend the reception to be held immediately following the ceremony."
He paused and stared into the student body, and down the head table. "There are those who will cry that this is
favouritism on my part, and that I once again have bent the rules for the sake of Harry Potter. To this I say the
following: Guilty as charged. I believe that the previous five years have shown that the greatest menace that the
wizarding world faces wishes a Hogwarts student harm, and even death. In my position as headmaster, it is my duty,
and my pleasure to do what I can to prevent this harm from happening. If permitting a wedding between two students
will somehow defeat Voldemort, and I believe that it will, then it is my intention to permit this wedding." He smiled.
Hermione stood. "By the way, folks – those who bet that the reason for the wedding is that I'm pregnant –
well, you'll be paying out. I give Madame Pomfrey permission to tell the results of my most recent physical. Not
pregnant; haven't ever been pregnant; and I have no intention of getting pregnant until after leaving Hogwarts." She
sat down with a grin, looking at the shocked look on everyone's faces that she had been so terribly forward – so
terribly unlike herself, as far as they knew.
Parvati leaned over to Lavender and said, not terribly quietly, "Last virgin I heard of being pregnant was two
thousand years ago."
Harry and Hermione locked eyes for a moment, and with a grin and a twinkle in her eyes she nodded to him.
He looked at Parvati and said, "Doesn't apply in Hermione's case, Parvati," in a conversational tone. He was
rewarded with a look of utter disbelief from both Parvati and Lavender.
"Do you mean what I think you do?" Lavender squeaked.
"I won't be crude about it, but I have personal knowledge of her status. And that's all I'm saying on the
subject." He turned back to Hermione, intentionally ignoring the murmur that ran immediately around the table. They
won't believe it, you know, he thought with a laugh.
That's their problem, she responded. I think that I'm going to be the girl I always wanted to be, Harry. I have
a husband who knows that I'm a naturist and has no problems with it …
… having become one himself …
Right. I'm going to be comfortable in our quarters, if you don't mind, and I'm going to answer the door in
whatever I'm wearing at the time, and to hell with anyone else's attitudes.
Harry snorted. You know that the girls are going to try to get me to answer the door, once it's discovered that
our quarters are clothing optional.
And the torture when they discover that you're a one woman man? Harry laughed out loud at that thought.
"Y'know mate, you used to unnerve people with that before; now you act as if you're actually carrying on
conversations," Ron said with a grin.
"We are, Ron," Harry replied.
Up at the head table, Dumbledore allowed the murmurs to die down before continuing. "I would like to
introduce our new Defense Against the Dark Arts professor, Professor Demetrius Augustus." A tall, yet stocky man
stood, and Harry was struck by the thought that he would not look out of place in a uniform, commanding a fleet of
ships. He was given a smattering of applause, and sat again. "Also, we have two new students at the school, who are
also in the unusual position of being teachers. Our previous Muggle Studies teacher, Professor Max Schnell, has
moved on to a career in Quidditch as a coach for the Chudley Cannons." He paused for a fleeting "Yeah!" from Ron.
"In his place, Professors Helen and Douglas Granger will be sharing the position."
Helen and Doug stood, and Helen spoke. "We're also available as counsellors for those who feel they need
one. Believe me, we understand both sides of the equation – what it's like to have a child come off to this school, and
then to be thrust into this world ourselves. If you need to talk, we're here." They sat back down.
"I have but a few more words to say before the meal may begin – wankel rotary engine." With that, he sat
while food appeared on the tables.
They dug into the food, but Ron surprised them by not immediately shovelling a large amount of food into his
mouth. Instead, he turned around to look over at the Ravenclaw table. Seeing Luna sitting there with no one willing
to talk to her, he stood and walked over to her. "Hey, Luna?" he asked conversationally, but loud enough for
everyone to hear, his face bright red.
"Yes, Ronald?" she asked, surprised.
"When we have our first Hogsmeade weekend, will you go with me? Heck, for that matter, when Harry and
Hermione get married, will you dance with me at the reception?"
Tears sprung to her eyes. "Why are you doing this, Ronald?"
He leaned down, trying hard not to loom this time. "Because it took me all this time to realize that there was a
very pretty girl sitting right over here at the Ravenclaw table, and that I wanted to know her better. I'm sure Malfoy
can make a number of dumb jokes about my being slow on the uptake, but … well, I'm stating, in front of the school,
that I'm attracted to you, and I'd like to get to know you better. Wait, I already said that."
Luna was silent as she looked at him, and finally Cho Chang said, "Luna, I'd accept if I were you. If you've
got a guy interested enough in you to ask you out on two dates in front of the whole school, then he's interested." As
Luna remained speechless, Ron realized that he'd actually stunned her. Cho laughed. "She can correct this impression
later, Ron, but I think I wouldn't be out of line to accept on her behalf. She'll do those with you. Right, Luna?" They
looked to Luna, who was nodding with a smile on her face, tears flowing freely from her eyes as she bit her lower lip.
For the first time in a long time, she looked like a normal girl – one who was terribly happy.
---
Harry nestled into the bed next to Hermione. "I love you. Have I told you that recently?"
"It's been forever since you said it to me last, Harry. At least ten minutes." She smiled and pulled him into an
embrace. "How did I ever manage to get so lucky?"
He kissed her. "I'm the lucky one. You have to look at me in the morning. I get the joy of waking up next to
the most beautiful woman in existence."
"Who is she?" Hermione asked with a laugh. "I want to know the name of this cunning stunt you're waking
up with, when you should be waking up with me."
Harry's jaw dropped at the Spoonerized profanity from his wife. Even though he had already learned about her
different speech patterns when she was comfortable, she still shocked him at times. I hope she always will. He
quickly replaced it with a look of anger, keeping his laughter inside. "I'll not have you insult my wife that way, thank
you very much."
She laughed louder at his reaction. "The anger might have been believable if I hadn't been able to read your
thoughts, Harry." She looked at him for a moment. "It still surprises me, though, to discover that you feel that way
about me. You really would have gotten angry if someone else insulted me."
"Oh yes," he replied as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. "I wanted to put Draco through a wall at
dinner, but I knew it would bother him more to get no reaction from me, or to get an unexpected reaction."
"Thank you for not hurting him, Harry. Not because I don't want him hurt, but because I don't want you
getting in trouble because of him."
"With luck, having you in my head for real, instead of simply as my voice of conscience, should help that quite
a bit."
"I've been your conscience?" she asked with surprise.
"Hadn't I mentioned that to you before?" When she shook her head no, he laughed quietly. "Somewhere last
year I realized that I was always hearing your voice when I was arguing with myself about something. My conscience
was telling me just what you would, and in your voice."
She rolled over and nestled again him spoon-fashion. "I love you, Harry," she murmured, blushing. She
couldn't find the words to explain how flattered she was. As he kissed her neck, she said, "Keep doing that, and we
won't get to sleep." She felt his reaction press against her buttocks, and his teeth grazed her neck. She moaned
quietly, and let his imagination take charge of the remainder of their night.
Chapter 17
Chapter XXVII
Harry's Monday morning found him watching Hermione get dressed, if it could be called that, in knickers, a
skirt that didn't even reach her rather cute knees, and a very soft short sleeved sweater. "No bra?" he asked her.
"You may adore them, but I'm really only a B-cup, Harry. I can often get away without a bra without
worrying about having them reach my knees someday. Besides, I like dressing this way at home, and now I'm going
to do it here." She smiled at him. "Don't worry, though. I like to wear one most of the time, if only to watch you
drool as I take it off."
"Isn't that funny?" he smiled at her. "I know exactly what's under that cloth, and just how delectable the
hidden skin is, but just watching you get undressed can make me so hard I feel I'm going to explode, even though I
can be around you for hours with neither of us wearing anything more than a smile."
"Psychology, dear Harry. You may know, but it's hidden, and you want to see it. If I'm teasing you with the
possibility, that makes it all the more tempting."
He snorted. "Can you imagine the reactions in the tower later when you remove the robes? The boys are going
to be picking their jaws up off the floor and moving their books into their laps, and the girls will probably be gnashing
their teeth."
"Harry, you're biased. I'm not that pretty. I know you think I am, but be honest." She huffed at him, putting
her hands on her hips.
Harry watched her breasts bounce slightly before answering, with a slightly glazed look on his face. "I'll bet
you that they will. If I win, I get one of those marvellous back-rubs of yours."
"And if I'm right?" she asked.
"What do you want?" he asked simply.
She thought for a moment. "How about you answer the door nude one day when we know it's Parvati or
Lavender? They've ogled you forever, and now that you're mine …."
"… you see no reason not to torture them with the knowledge," he laughed. She nodded with a wide grin on
her face. "You are an evil, evil woman. Okay. Let's head on down to breakfast."
Breakfast was a raucous affair, as the first one of the school year always seemed to be. The Gryffindor table
seemed to be staring at Ron Weasley as Harry and Hermione arrived. As they reached their seats near him, they
understood why. He had his normal heaping plate full of breakfast in front of him, but was not bent over it shovelling
food into his mouth in his usual style. Instead he was sitting upright and taking smaller bites, although the food
seemed to be disappearing just as rapidly. When he saw them coming, he finished chewing and then swallowed.
"Morning, you two. Sleep well?"
"Yes, Ron, thank you," Hermione replied. She paused for a time as she put food on her own plate, and then
turned to him.
He grinned and answered the unspoken question. "Luna. I realized last night – all on my own, mind you – that
the way I eat is unattractive. And that might drive the pretty girl I noticed last night away from me." He frowned.
"I'm sorry, Hermione. As usual, that came out wrong."
"How?" she asked, puzzled. "You called Luna pretty. What's wrong with that?"
"I implied that you aren't, and I'll pound whatever's left after Harry's done with anyone else who tries to say
you're not," he said firmly. He blinked. "Did that last even make any sense?"
She answered him by hugging him suddenly. "That's the nicest thing you've ever said to me, Ron.
Congratulations, you have graduated to the emotional range of at least a tea cup. There is hope for you yet!" she
laughed.
"Well, Potter," sneered a familiar voice, "it appears that you're simply not man enough for her. She's already
branching out into bestiality."
Harry didn't even bother to turn and look to see who was behind him; he knew. He reached out and grabbed
Ron by the shoulder to keep him from jumping to his feet in response. "Actually, you're reading it wrong, but that
really doesn't surprise me."
"Oh, and I suppose you'll enlighten me as to why your girlfriend has her arms around Weasel?"
Harry grinned internally. Moron. "I don't see any reason why I should. I could tell you, I suppose, but I don't
think you'd understand friendship any better than you'd understand all the uses for honey butter, fudge, and a really
nice spreadable cheese. Now if you don't mind, I have a breakfast to eat." He kept his back casually turned on Draco,
and started to dish up his breakfast, knowing that most of the table was looking at him.
"What the hell are you on about, Potter?" Draco asked, the confusion managing to outweigh the derision in his
voice.
"If you have to ask, Draco, then you're still too young to know. Sorry." Harry said this without once turning
to face Malfoy.
"He's bugfuck," muttered the Slytherin as he walked away from the table. "The fame has gone to his head,
and he's utterly bugfuck." Breakfast continued amidst chuckles.
Given a total of twelve courses to be taught, and all N.E.W.T. level courses being double length, each course
that Harry and Hermione had to take was given only once per week, which made him rather happy when he walked
into his first Arithmancy class. Professor Amanda Vector was a severe looking woman, but he quickly discovered one
of the reasons that Hermione loved the class. Professor Vector had a sense of humour that was rather dry, and she
used it quite a lot in class. He actually found himself crying at one point, he was laughing so hard.
She gave difficult homework the first day back, but Harry was surprised to discover that he had picked up far
more than he'd thought during Hermione's tutoring periods. Hmm, I guess taking off a piece of clothing for every right
answer once we got into the tough stuff was definitely the right way to go. Given that body … yow! Definitely made it
worthwhile to get the answers right! I should be able to catch up with this and Ancient Runes this year. He smiled
and looked to his wife, who was blushing furiously as they walked toward their next class. "Whoops! Forgot that you
could read that, Hermione. I was just wool-gathering, and musing about your delectable form."
"No accounting for taste," Malfoy announced as they walked by.
"Oh, she tastes just fine, Malfoy," Harry quipped as they continued past, ignoring the Slytherin provocateur.
They heard a crash as someone apparently walked into one of the cubbyholes housing a suit of armour, which came
crashing down.
Transfiguration was the next class, and Harry was once again performing far better than he previously had, not
to mention far more powerfully. As they left class, hand in hand, he leaned over and kissed Hermione on the cheek.
"Mister Potter!" came the sharp voice from within the room.
"Yes, ma'am?" he asked, puzzled.
"I must take five points for that public display of affection, I fear," she said, her mouth a thin line. Suddenly
surprising him, she added, "I give you twenty points for being smart enough to know a good thing when you see it and
courageous enough to show her your feelings."
He nodded. "Gotcha. No kissing in the halls." She smiled and nodded at him, and they headed off for lunch.
Monday was his worst day, as far as classes were concerned, because he and Hermione had three that day. The next
three days, luckily, only contained a single class each, and he was more than willing to wait until Thursday to see
Professor Snape in a teacher/student capacity for two hours solid.
They enjoyed what seemed to be a leisurely lunch, not really caring as they talked, both vocally and
telepathically, often switching in mid sentence, which was driving the rest of the people around them crazy, hearing
snippets of conversation. "Will you stop that?" Parvati finally asked. "Either talk out loud and let the rest of us listen
in, or look in each others' eyes and talk that way. These little dribbles of conversation are annoying!" She smiled as
she said it, to take some of the sting out of it. "You'd almost think you two were telepathic, the way you're carrying
on!"
"We're practicing for being married," Hermione quipped, to distract Parvati from just how close her guess was.
"Along with … other things." She turned to Harry, and with a twinkle in her eyes asked, "Did you get the trampoline
set up yet?"
"No room for it, love. The trapeze went up no problem, but I just can't make that blasted trampoline fit without
tweaking the castle a bit, and it's already been nice enough to make our new rooms available. I guess I got over-
exuberant when I bought it."
"That's all right, love. We can always shrink it." Can you believe this? They're actually buying this! she
laughed to Harry.
Well, I'm the weird one, remember. I must have infected you with it when we decided to marry, he responded
cheekily.
"What in blazes would you need a trampoline for?" Ron asked, puzzled.
Hermione's eyes twinkled as she asked, "Are you really sure you want that mental image, Ron?"
After a long pause, he laughed. "I guess not. Half of it, yeah, but I can do without Harry in the picture."
"I can't," Hermione purred, and smiled to herself as the boys in hearing range reacted.
Harry nudged her and pointed out the boys trying to not be noticeable as they adjusted their clothing. Looks
like someone's getting a back rub tonight … he thought with a slight taunt.
How about a naked one? she purred into his mind. You know I know all the right spots to make you so hard
you could drive nails. He reacted exactly as he knew she wanted, and was soon adjusting his own clothes.
Sounds good, 'cause then I'll roll over and tease you with it. You know you get just as horny as me now that
we're linked.
Why do you think I want to do that to you? she laughed. "I love you, Harry," was all she said verbally.
They headed to Charms after lunch, Harry and Hermione heading out early, since they had a question about
their link for Professor Flitwick. "Have you learned anything new about the link, sir?" Hermione asked.
"Oh my, yes!" he responded excitedly. "I'd first thought that perhaps the link was a simple telepathic one, but
the studying I've done seems to point toward it being far more. I need to run another test or two, but I have every
reason to believe that the spell that allowed your parents to become wizard and witch may well have soul bonded the
two of you."
"Soul bonding?" Harry asked.
"Yes. It's a very rare situation where two individuals … well, the poetic description is often 'halves of one
soul'. These individuals often would find each other no matter the adversity, and the bond they share is the most
powerful one known to the magical world, which explains the astonishing increase in power that you both have
experienced. In fact, that was what first put me upon the path of that thought process. You'll understand it was a
totally unexpected effect of the ritual, and we'll have to do a lot of research before we can write this up for publication,
of course." His eyes twinkled madly as he said, "Soul bonded couples, from what I understand, do everything that a
couple can do together with great relish, because they both can feel the other's experiences. I understand that the sex
is astonishing."
Hermione's eyes sparkled. "It is, sir. The bonding just made it more so." She blushed furiously as she said
that.
Flitwick responded with a loud laugh. "Ah, Miss Granger, I was waiting for you to break from your shell."
"It just took the right man, sir," she said, taking Harry's hand and squeezing it.
"And the right woman to break me from mine, sir. I'm far more … I don't know, I just feel better about the
world." He paused. "Oh, sir? I had a thought. I have a very strong telepathic connection to her, and considering that
I'm ma … engaged to the smartest witch of our generation, the temptation to look in her mind for answers is just too
great. I won't learn anything that way, sir. Is there a way of temporarily dampening the telepathic bond without
endangering the soul bond, assuming that it is one?"
"Yes, there is," the diminutive professor said with a smile. "Twenty points to Gryffindor for your honesty."
He held up his wand and said, "It's a surprisingly easy charm. Honestly, I was going to inform you that I was going to
cast it upon you in class, and suggest that you use it before each of your other classes. It lasts roughly two to four
hours, since the natural tendency to want the connection back will fight the charm. With the power that the two of you
have, expect that it will tend toward the lower end of the time span." He showed them the charm, and Harry
performed it.
As he felt the telepathic link muffle, he grinned and said, Talk to you later, beloved.
She shook. "That's disconcerting, in a way. I've gotten so used to him in my head that I feel … well, I feel
wrong."
"I understand, and I'll understand if your charm-work isn't up to its usual excellent standards, Miss Granger,"
Flitwick said with a smile. People began to filter into the room, so Harry and Hermione sat down. Hermione quickly
shook off the odd feeling she had that Harry was a mile away, even though he was right next to her, and pleased the
Charms professor by keeping to her standards of charm work.
When class was nearly over, Harry felt the link starting to return slowly, and a horrifying thought struck him.
As the class ended, he walked up to the professor and asked him, "Is it possible to break a soul bonding?" He
shuddered at the very concept.
Flitwick became very serious indeed, an expression not often seen on the diminutive Professor's face. "Very
few know the spells to break a bonding of any sort, but yes, the spells exist to break a soul bonding. Pray that they are
never cast upon either of you. The strength of the bond that increases your power is also your greatest weakness. The
worst problem with a soul bonding is that once severed by death of one partner, the other invariably follows shortly
thereafter. To sever a soul bonding while both are alive is tantamount to murder, since each person's magic will
assume that the other is dead, for lack of a better way to describe the situation. Even if the partners can see and touch
one another, magically and spiritually they cannot feel each other, and the shock can be immediately fatal to one or
both."
"Can the severing spell be deflected?" Hermione asked with worry.
"Yes, luckily," Flitwick sighed. "If your reflexes are fast enough, you can deflect it with a simple Protego."
"Thank you, sir," Harry said. "Let us know when you want to perform the last of your tests. We'll be there."
The Charms professor nodded and jumped down from his pedestal to grab some things for the next class he needed to
teach, dismissing the couple with a gentle wave as they left the room.
Depositing their things in their suite, they decided on a walk around the lake. They stopped in a secluded area
Harry had found once, where he'd discovered that people could walk right by him and not see him, if they weren't
looking for him. He sat down with his back against a tree, and she sat with him, between his legs, her back against his
chest. He put his arms around her and hugged her. "How long has it been since I told you that I love you?"
"Too long. Just before Charms," she mock-pouted.
"Well then," he said. Feeling the telepathic link back to full force, he simply let flow all the feelings he had for
her, and he was rewarded with a gasp.
"Oh Harry," she sniffed. "It still surprises me how powerful your feelings for me are." She allowed him to
read her the same way she had read him, and he hugged her tighter.
She felt him get mischievous, but before she could ask, he had released her from the hug. His right hand
moved to her leg and began to stroke it, while the other found the bottom of her sweater. Lazily, both hands began to
move toward their targets, the left sliding slowly and deliciously up her stomach, which was already quivering with
anticipation of what was happening with his right hand, which had slid under the hem of her skirt.
When his hand reached her knickers, he paused. "Tell me what you want, Hermione."
"I want you to make me come," she breathed. "Tease me to an orgasm, Harry."
His finger slid to her clitoris, hard enough to be easily found through the material of her tiny silk thong. His
left hand simultaneously found her breast and began to gently roll the nipple between thumb and forefinger. She
moaned gently, and tried to push forward against his hand. It was only a short time into his teasing ministrations
before she murmured, "Harry, be inside me. You're leaving the link open, and that's going to get messy." Without
waiting, she disengaged from his hands, unconsciously letting out a moan of disappointment. A few moments later,
after moving the material of the thong to the side, she happily had him ensconced within her, and he began to tease her
again, adding gentle kisses and nibbles to her neck into the mixture. With the link open as wide as it was, they both
rather quickly reached their destination.
As he came down, he continued to rain kisses gently upon her neck. "How do you do that to me?" he finally
asked. "I look at you, and I lose all control."
"It's because I'm dressed, Harry, and you want to have access to what's underneath." He felt her blush. "I just
look forward to the day we aren't using contraception anymore."
He paused in his ministrations. "That still surprises me to hear, Hermione. I know you love me – I feel that
you love me, but knowing that you want to go through that pain and suffering just to have my child – it just … you
know I can't find the words."
"I love you," she said simply. "It's as simple as that, Harry. When we're finished with school, I intend to help
you to continue the Potter line. Of course," she finished, "I want to get the process right, so I think it's going to take a
lot of practice over the next two or three years." To punctuate her statement, she squeezed him tightly with her inner
walls. "You're still inside me, Harry. Make me happy again." His hands came up to caress her breasts, and they fell
into more gentle lovemaking.
As they eventually walked back up to the castle, Harry chuckled as he looked at his wife. "You're going to
drive the boys in the tower crazy, love. You're trying to escape from your sweater."
"They're going to have to get used to it. I'm through being a fake person while I'm at school. Doing that for
too long can make it true." She pulled him closer with the arm around his waist. "I'm in love with you, and you give
me the strength to just be myself here at school. Thank you for being you, Harry."
"How could I be anyone else, beloved?" he chuckled. His hand slid easily into hers. "I begin to think that
perhaps I was meant to survive this fight with Voldemort. Why else would such a wonderful woman and her equally
as wonderful parents enter my life when I really needed them most? You back when I was eleven and needed friends,
and your parents this year, when I needed family? Don't take this wrong, Hermione, but I love what your mother has
done for me."
Hermione eyes sparkled as she fought with herself. Finally she said, "Please don't take this wrong, Harry, but
Mum wasn't exactly complaining about what you did for her this summer."
He answered with a snort. "I still beat myself up over the situation sometimes, but I'm realizing that I'm the
only one who doesn't forgive me. It was late at night, and I came across someone who can be mistaken for your older
sister in extremely low light conditions. She looked like you, she moaned like you, and she … well, it's obvious that
certain things are genetic. It wasn't until she spoke that I realized that I had just made love to your mother."
Hermione stopped and looked at him. "Are you aware that this is the first time you've called it what it was,
Harry? Making love? You thought she was me, and so you loved her physically." She hugged him again, quickly.
"Thank you, by the way, for making her happy. She thoroughly enjoyed it, from listening to her talk to Dad about it."
He shook his head. "I expect that I'll still have trouble dealing with it later on, but for this moment, in this
place, I can accept it, because the woman who means everything to me still loves me." He pulled her close and kissed
her tenderly, and kept his arm tight around her waist as they walked up the steps of the castle and through the wide
archway.
"What some people will stoop to," drawled the familiar tones of Draco Malfoy, barely a second after they'd
entered the front courtyard.
Irritated, Harry turned to Malfoy. "Are you following us around, Malfoy? Because this is the third time today
you've gone out of your way to annoy me."
"Why would I be following you? I have better things to do with my time than follow you. I have a perfect
right to be here, same as you."
"I don't know why you've been following me. Because you like my arse, maybe?"
Hermione giggled, and the pale boy's face became, if anything, even paler, except for two red spots that might
have been a blush, or might have been rage, burning on his cheeks. "Come on love, let's just leave Malfoy like he
wants to be … alone."
Draco snarled at him, reaching for his wand. Harry's was out and aimed at him before Draco's was high
enough to do any good. "You need new material, Malfoy. Your stable of insults are to call her a mudblood, Ron and
Ginny poor, and either make fun of my choice of friends or be rather obvious that you support Voldemort. It gets old
after a while. Now, my fiancée and I are heading back inside. I would suggest that you put your wand away and go
elsewhere."
"Are you threatening me, Potter?" he asked, a little too loudly.
"Actually, no. I'm trying to keep you from hexing either myself or my bride-to-be. If, you'll simply put the
wand away, I can put mine away and we'll all be happy." He paused, aware of a presence in the courtyard in back of
him. "Right, Professor Snape?"
"Put the wand away, Potter. That will be fifty points from Gryffindor for attempted duelling on the grounds,
and a detention with me tonight during the dinner hour." Snape's smile could only be described as oily.
You'd think he was following us, too, just to get me into trouble, Harry grumbled over the link to Hermione.
As Harry put his wand away, Malfoy's snapped up and he fired off a quick Stunning spell; Harry could see him out of
the corner of his eye, but couldn't respond in time. Harry went to his knees and felt Hermione stagger slightly as it
hit him, but they both fought off the effects rapidly, since it hadn't been vocalised. By the time they'd shaken it off,
Snape was on his way back into the castle, and Malfoy was nowhere to be seen. Shaking his head, he turned and
walked back into the castle, with Hermione right beside him. "I don't believe it!" she was muttering. "He heard what
you said, and still gave you demerits and detention! And let Malfoy get away with a blatant attack! That man! That
… fucking bastard!" she finished with a hiss.
Harry stopped short and looked at her. "Damn, you are angry. Don't worry, though. I'm heading to the
Headmaster's office right now. A Pensieve can be your friend, when used right." As they reached the gargoyle,
Professor McGonagall stepped out from the stairway. "Ah, Professor! Just who I need to see."
"How may I help you, Mister Potter?" his head of household asked.
"I was just given a fifty point demerit and a detention tonight, and I believe it to be unfair. What is the process
for challenging those decisions? I've never done it before, but I know there must be one."
"Professor Snape, am I right?" she asked, her brogue getting just a little thicker as her anger grew slightly.
She turned to Hermione. "Were you a witness?" Hermione nodded. "Excellent. You were right to head in this
direction. We would bring it before the Headmaster, so since we are already here …"
They headed up the stairwell to the office. "Mister Potter," said Albus Dumbledore genially. "Good heavens, I
think this is a new record. Lemon drop?" Harry shook his head. "Well now, what brings you to my office, and so
early in the year?"
"The need for adjudication, unfortunately. I just had points taken and a detention given, and I believe it to be
unfairly. This was immediately followed by an attack on me which was completely ignored. I'm willing to put my
memory of the incident into the Penseive to show you what happened."
"Teach me how, and I'll do the same," Hermione said. She was quickly led through the process and showed
what had happened from her point of view, drawing a scowl from Minerva McGonagall. She retrieved her memories
and Harry then showed his own. Both sets of memories, of course, matched in all the critical details. When the show
was done, Dumbledore looked at Harry and said, "You are aware that his treatment of you will be harsher for a time if
I reverse this ruling and give the deserved penalty to Mr. Malfoy?"
"Are you recommending that I do not pursue, sir?" Harry asked somewhat incredulously.
"No, nor will you ever hear me suggest that sort of thing. If you feel this is worth the potential response from
the Professor, then it will be reversed. I just wish to warn that, no matter how I seem to know everything at this
school, that is merely an attitude that I have cultivated. I cannot always stop what he may do, and he is likely to use
for his next detention a reason that resides within the rules, however close to the edge that reason may be."
"I have to face down Voldemort someday, sir. If I can't face down the Potions professor, then how do I have
any hope of defeating Tom?"
Dumbledore smiled broadly. "Whether or not I have the right to be, Harry, I am proud of you for that
decision." He paused and then said, "I am declaring his punishment nullified. I must work under the assumption that
he did not see the important details, although your recollections do hint otherwise. I shall summon him to the office
and inform him of the decision. Technically, Mr. Malfoy's actions are deserving of expulsion, but under the
circumstances that would probably be a mistake."
Harry thought about it for a moment. "It's best to keep Malfoy where we can see him, isn't it, sir, instead of
letting him make trouble where we can't see him?"
"Indeed. It is wise to keep your friends close, and your enemies closer, do you not agree? Therefore I shall
give Mr. Malfoy the penalty that was to have been levied upon you – fifty points from Slytherin, and a detention at the
dinner hour to be served with Professor McGonagall – I trust you can come up with something for the boy to do?"
"I do believe I need a thorough inventory of the supplies for the Transfiguration classes," mused the Scots
witch. "I might be running short on mice and matchsticks. I shall make sure Mr. Malfoy is notified immediately."
"I believe that's everything, then," said Dumbledore, leaning back in his chair and steepling his fingers. "I
need not remind you to use extra caution around both Professor Snape and Mr. Malfoy in the next week or so," he
finished.
"Thank you, sir. I promise not to abuse this sort of thing, but this went beyond the pale. I had to say
something."
"Understood. Again, I am proud of your decision." Harry nodded, but before he left, turned to Professor
McGonagall. "I'm sorry for going around the chain of command, ma'am. That was ill-considered of me, and will not
happen again."
"I appreciate that, Mister Potter," she replied with one of her rare smiles. "Now off with you. Enjoy the rest of
your day."
#####
They re-entered Gryffindor Tower to find it surprisingly empty of people. Harry sat on the couch, and without
a second thought Hermione sat on his lap and moved in for a kiss. "I love you so very much, Mrs. Potter," he
whispered to her, voice laden with emotion.
"I know, my beloved," she replied, her own voice thick. She paused before saying with a slight chuckle,
"You're making me poetic, Harry. What is it about being in love that does that to a person?"
"Hormones," he laughed. "Chemical imbalance."
"Are you saying that I'm unbalanced?" she asked, her voice rising as if annoyed.
"You married me," he replied. "That pretty well covers it, I'd say."
"You!" she said with a laugh, and set to tickling him. He laughed and tried to escape, but was pinned to the
sofa by his wife. Their squirming caused a different reaction in him, and he reached around her and pulled her close.
"I think you'd best stop, unless you want the Gryffindors to find out just how you affect me, Hermione. Your
squirming on my lap…" He left the comment unsaid, but she pressed herself a little against his erection. "Yeah. You
do that to me so easily it's not funny, love. It doesn't help that being bonded to you shows me what a horny little
thing you are."
"You're experiencing what you've done to me since I was twelve, Harry." She gave him a sultry look. "Just
be glad you got to me when you did. I'd have killed you if we waited until our twenties."
"What a way to go," he laughed, and kissed her gently.
#####
The rest of the school week went as they expected, especially in Potions. Making sure that the dampening spell
was in effect before entering the classroom, he and Hermione sat down together. The professor glided into his
classroom and stated, "I will be rearranging the classroom this year. People are far too comfortable with their partners
of the past five years, and it is time to prove that you actually earned the marks that your O.W.L.s state that you
earned." His eyes falling quite obviously on Harry, he stated, "I can think of at least one student without the wits to
have passed, yet whose O.W.L. score was Outstanding. While I understand the urge to correct a favoured student's
work, gifting them with an unearned score is reprehensible."
Harry calmly ignored the professor's needling, and Snape continued. "I have assigned partners for each of
you," he said, waving his wand at the blackboard, "as well as seating. You will rearrange yourselves accordingly.
You have five minutes, which is four minutes more than you should need." He stepped away from the desks.
Harry was a little disturbed to discover himself working with Pansy Parkinson this year, but at least she was
easily as disturbed by the situation as he was. Draco, on the other hand, had been assigned to work with Hermione.
Harry kept his temper, knowing that Snape had assigned the layout the way he had because of the rivalries and hatred
between them.
The students finally seated with their new partners, Professor Snape turned to face Harry directly. "Mister
Potter, since you seem to have scored an Outstanding on your O.W.L. for this subject, perhaps you can use that much
vaunted knowledge to tell me what happens if you put eye of newt, toe of frog, wool of bat and tongue of dog together
into a potion."
"Ah, getting Shakespearian on me, eh?" Harry chuckled. "Well, I'll ignore that the only one who seems to
brag about my Potions knowledge is you, by denigrating it, and tell you that it would lead to an explosion that would
likely require moving classes to a different classroom while this one was having the structural damage to the room
repaired."
The professor's eyebrows rose at that answer, and turned to the board again, clearing off the seating diagram
and replacing it with the potion that they would be working on that day. Two hours later, they left the room, being
stopped for a moment by Snape. "You may have whinged your way out of detention this time, Potter, but you will not
always be so lucky. I will drive your arrogance from you before you leave this school."
"I'd expect nothing less of you, sir," Harry replied simply, and left the room.