"Mine just comes out as a cloud." Cedric said.
"Ja, mine too." Krum said, his friend nodded.
Cedric suddenly brightened up, he looked at Harry. "Hey, maybe you could teach us."
Harry got a thoughtful look on his face…teaching to cast the Patronus, that might be doable.
"Maybe. There's a room on the 7th floor, near Gryffindor Tower, opposite the tapestry of the dancing Trolls, it's called the Room of Requirement, it can create anything you want it to, as long as it doesn't break the laws of physics or magic."
"What's physics?" Cedric asked, Harry continued.
"That's not important right now, basically, you open the room by walking back and forth in front of the tapestry three times, thinking about what you really want, then the door will open, and the room will be whatever you want. A bathroom, a swimming pool, a dueling arena, anything really. Hermione and I have been using it off and on for a week now for…various things."
"Thanks for this Harry, does Fleur know yet?" Cedric asked.
Harry shook his head. "Haven't found her to talk to her yet."
"Could help us practice for Second or Zird tasks, once we know vhat zey are." Krum said, nodding. Harry and Cedric also nodded. Then Krum looked at Harry.
"You und Herm-io-ne?" he asked, once again struggling with her name.
Harry winced, then nodded. 'Guess she hasn't had the chance to tell him yet…oh well.'
"Uh…yeah, me and Hermione…um…Sorry Viktor." He said, trying to offer a smile.
Viktor looked crestfallen, his friend patting him on the back and saying something in Bulgarian and smiling, trying to cheer him up. Viktor bowed his head, then then raised it, his eyes closed, he sucked in a deep breath, then let it out in a sigh, then he opened his eyes and looked at Harry.
"Zen I vill pursue her no-longer. You know her better." He said, giving Harry a small salute.
Cedric grinned at him, "You and Granger?" Harry nodded, smiling, then Cedric turned to his team-mate and raised a hand.
"Pay up Smith." He said with a grin.
His team-mate muttered a curse, before reaching into his pocket and pulling out a Galleon. He looked at Harry and rolled his eyes as Cedric took the coin.
"Seriously Potter? You couldn't have gone for someone like Lavender? Or one of your fangirls? Or one of the Patil twins? Or both of them?"
Harry raised an eyebrow. Why in Merlin's name would he go after both the Patil twins? "The prospect of dating one of my 'fangirls' as you put it, not that I expect to have any left after this last month, is exactly why I didn't go for one of them."
Krum nodded, giving Harry a sympathetic look. Cedric and Zacharias both snorted.
"You sure about that Potter? After that stunt you pulled with the Dragon, your female-only-fan-club has probably doubled in size." Cedric said, grinning.
"You guys were betting one me and Hermione hooking up?" he asked. Cedric smiled as he pocketed the coin.
"Sort of. We had a bet going on among the Puffs how long it would take for you two to hook up considering you've been dancing around each other for years. My bet was you'd hook up before fifth year. Figured out your Egg clue yet?" Cedric asked, Harry and Krum shook their heads. Cedric sighed.
"Yeah, me neither. Tried opening the thing by prying the panels up. My ears are still hurting from all that shrieking."
"Well, if one of us figures it out, let the others know." Harry said, the other two nodded.
-=-=-=-
Luna smiled as she walked back inside the castle after her brief talk with Harry. She had honestly been surprised, pleasantly so, about what had happened. She hadn't expected him to formally offer a House Alliance so readily, and she was certain that he didn't fully understand what that meant. Or what he had meant when he had said 'Friends help each other.'
Well, she was just going to have to make sure she made good on that promise this coming week.
As she walked past the other students, who paid her no mind, many of them talking about this and that, she paused as a thought struck her.
Her housemates had left her alone most of the year so far.
The routine 'misplacing' of her wand and clothes when she went to take a shower, and locking her out of the dorm to wander the halls naked in a towel, which happened every other night since a few months after she first started at Hogwarts, hadn't really happened this year. She figured her housemates were too busy focusing on the Tournament. Which was fine by her.
When it had first started, she'd suspected the House Elves were responsible; being the diligent cleaning staff that they were. Now however, she knew that her roommates were taking her possessions, she just never bothered calling them out on it as it would be her word against theirs. Without them getting caught admitting to or doing it, Professor Flitwick wouldn't do anything, as he was the kind of man who worked on evidence. Besides, if she reported them without clear evidence of their guilt, the possible repercussions that they could and most likely would bring on her would be…unpleasant.
The Prefects had always been useless too.
Still, she had new friends now, she didn't need her housemates. She blinked slowly as she thought of someone who had once been a very good friend…many years ago. Ginny Weasley. The two of them had been close until the start of their education at Hogwarts, then Ginny had been distant their whole first year, and never really reconnected the second year or after that. Worse, Ginny had taken to calling her "Loony Lovegood" just like everyone else, which caused Luna to distance herself from Ginny even more.
A flicker of movement out of the corner of her eye caught her attention, and she turned, to see a swarm of Wrackspurts, and she smiled. They'd been unusually absent lately, as had the other menagerie of creatures she usually saw, though Wrackspurts were the most common.
She followed them, idly she noted that they were leading her to the library. While Wrackspurts usually caused confusion in people, they also tended to guide her daily activities, and usually warned her when something was wrong. Though she hadn't started to see any of the creatures until after her mother had passed.
It was the Wrackspurts that had guided her to the library when she'd first met Daphne and Susan, after all, the impression she got from them, was that it was very important that she meet the two girls when she did.
Eventually she found her way to the library, and found Hermione sitting at 'her' table, the one she usually sat at when working, or talking with her friends.
She noted that Hermione was reading a familiar looking red leather book, 'The Magic of Making Love' along with several sheets of parchment covered in text and hand-written notes.
She also noticed that Hermione's left arm was slightly blurred, and that her left hand was in her lap. A disillusionment charm. Easy to spot if you knew what to look for. She also took note of Hermione's flushed face and slightly labored breathing, and it was easy for her to figure out what her brunette friend was doing.
'Oooh! That looks like fun.' Luna thought with a slight smile.
"Hello Hermione. Found anything interesting?"
Hermione looked up, smiling when she saw Luna, a rush of embarrassment running through her when she realized she'd nearly been caught masturbating, which she'd been doing since she sat down. It hadn't relieved her pent up tension, but she'd thought to at least try. But what surprised her more, was the fact she didn't stop when Luna sat down.
"Hello Luna, yes actually. I'm just going over some copied pages from the book Draco found. I'm also wondering what I'm going to tell my parents, since I don't intend to let Harry stay with his relatives, because that would not be good for his health, or mine. I just don't know what to say to them."
Luna nodded, that was a problem. "The truth is often a good place to start."
Hermione snorted. "Yeah, sure, 'Dear mum and dad, sorry I haven't been in touch lately, but I've had my hands kind of full dealing with the daily effects of a curse me and a close friend of mine were afflicted with. We basically have to give each other head 2 times a day at the very least or eventually die, and if he goes back to his magic-hating relatives, he will die, so I'm going to have to bring him home with me. Yes we're lovers. Yes he's my boyfriend. Yes we've moved faster than what many could consider normal, but we had no choice. I need him alive, so please do not murder him for getting his hands and tongue all over your daughter. Love, Hermione.' Yeah, that'll go over SO well…"
"Well, maybe if you don't word it quite like that. What have you learned?" the blonde asked as she sat down.
"Honestly? Not much I didn't already read I think…I remember reading that there is a chance that our bodies might 'adjust', and the number of feedings we have to do could decrease from once every 12 hours to once every 72, which would certainly help us in certain situations. Meaning, once we complete the Bond, there is a chance Harry and I will only need to feed at least once every three days, instead of at least twice a day, which while not a perfect solution, will make things easier for us in later years. The only real potential issues I see are what will we do if one of us ends up in St Mungo's for an extended period, and what will we do when I eventually hit Menopause."
She paused, looking over the copied pages from Draco's book.
"The other issue is my lactation."
"What do you mean?" Luna asked, leaning in, so they could keep their voices down. Discretely Luna allowed a hand to slip into her lap and down the front of her skirt, into her knickers, where she idly started to stroke. This wasn't something she usually did in public, but if Hermione was doing it, then surely it was ok? After all, wasn't this just a form of female bonding?
"McGonagall said that the curse may affect how much I produce, and how often." Hermione said, also leaning in.
"Would Harry be able to get what he needs from your milk while you're on your cycle?" Luna asked.
Hermione paused, thinking. "I…don't know, I guess it's possible? We'll just have to wait and see. And if it is, once I start producing, which could happen at any time, then he won't need to feed from anyone else."
Luna nodded. Then she tilted her head slightly, idly slipping her middle finger between her labia, feeling her lips starting to get wet. "So still no trace of a permanent cure?"
Hermione shook her head as she slightly shuddered, biting her lips to hold back a moan as a small climax shot through her, then let out a frustrated sigh, both from the lack of new information she'd be able to find in the copied pages, which constituted several chapters from Draco's book, and also from the fact she was still rubbing her almost painfully sensitive clitoris, and although she'd just climaxed, she still felt like she hadn't.
Although, the copied pages did contain information on several other curses, some of which she hoped to use on Malfoy at some point, assuming the idiot was stupid enough to provoke her.
'I'm going to hate this week…I really hope my parents will understand why I'll have to bring Harry home.'
"No." she huffed. "Don't get me wrong, part of me, an admittedly big part of me, really enjoys it. I find it…dare I say…fun. It's ironic. I think back to almost this time last week, and I was almost in tears worrying how I'll be able to cope with this, if I could actually do it. And now?"
She snorted and shrugged, before continuing, gesticulating with her free hand as she talked.
"Now…I wonder what I was so worried about! I've gotten quite good at it, though I know I'm not perfect by any means, I'm sure there's still a lot of technique I need to learn. Though Harry hasn't complained yet."
Hermione paused as she thought some more, then she smiled wistfully and chuckled as she continued, hoping her face wasn't flushed too much, and hoping the other girl didn't notice how horny she was. Though, she silently acknowledged, talking about giving her boyfriend blowjobs, and how much she enjoyed it, wasn't helping either. "I think I might be addicted to him, I mean, I do love him, I have for years, I only just recently admitted it to him, but honestly? I think I also love sucking him."
She then giggled as a blush darkened her cheeks, and Luna smiled, blushing as well, though in Luna's case, the blush was also from her index and middle finger gently pinching her clitoris, before she started stroking them back and forth along it, as she imagined what it would be like to suck Harry. She hoped she'd get the chance one day.
This was not the kind of conversation she'd expected to have, she never would have pictured Hermione as being so sexually frank in conversations, at least from what she'd heard around the school. But she was certainly enjoying it, and the mutual, if discrete, masturbation was also rather nice.
"And what I mean by 'addicted', we were eating sausages last night at dinner, and I wasn't even thinking about him, or the Bond, or the curse in general or anything really, and yet, as soon as one of those sausage pieces touched my tongue, my fanny got so wet that I soaked my knickers straight through. Morgana, my nipples and clit could have cut diamonds!"
Luna blinked as she regarded her friend, her blush darkening even more. "That would be an interesting trick."
Hermione snorted again, letting out a light laugh.
"Another thing I've realized I was worried about a week ago, that is pretty much a moot point now, was my worry that he would fight it. After our talk last Sunday, he's actually quite into it. I think he enjoys it as much as I do. I don't think he sees himself as a parasite, since with me, it's a mutual thing, though I am a little concerned that he might if he's feeding from others. Do you know what he tastes like?"
"No, I haven't had the opportunity to suck his willy yet." Luna said rather bluntly. Hermione smirked, as she tried not to laugh harder, though she did feel a little spark of jealously at the thought of Luna giving Harry a blowjob.
"No, I meant his semen. Chocolate Cauldron Cake. That's what I taste every time he comes in my mouth. Every. Time. No trace of salty after-taste either. It was a little salty first time I did it, but that didn't last."
Luna nodded, "That is what the curse does, it changes your perception of taste." Hermione nodded.
"It's an incentive. An incentive to keep doing it. Since your diet affects how you taste, meat, dairy, that sort of thing, can make semen taste awful for example."
Luna blinked, "I did not know that. I guess that would explain the taste change."
Hermione nodded. "That only applies to the Curse though. For anyone undergoing a normal Bonding, they'd still have that issue."
Then Luna perked up.
"Have you tried skipping meals?" Luna asked with a slight pant.
"What do you mean?" Hermione asked.
"Well, think about it, you eat and eat and eat, but you don't feel the benefits of that, not until you swallow his sperm. Have you tried skipping any meals to see if that has any effect? To see if you can survive purely on what you get from each other?"
Hermione shook her head, also starting to pant as she continued to work her hand, silently wishing that her arousal would go down, and at the same time, wondering idly why she hadn't stopped yet. "How would that work? Our bodies process the food we eat and store all the nutrients, which are then absorbed when we feed."
"OR, you pass those same nutrients to each other when you feed." Luna proposed. Hermione thought for a moment, then shook her head again.
"N—No, that doesn't make sense. If it worked like that, we'd never get what we need feeding from anyone other than each other. Any single victim would die of starvation, no matter how much oral they tried giving. So no, we wouldn't be able to survive just on bodily fluids alone." Hermione said, looking over some of the notes she'd made, or at least tried to as she started to wiggle her hips in discomfort.
She then started chewing on her quill. "While there aren't any accounts of this being used in the last few hundred years at least, I was able to copy the details from the first book we found, the one Draco used, and that described how most of the victims of this curse were women, witches, and it was used in the formation of the first harems, which fits what Parvati told us on Thursday, when she said she'd heard of it being used in ancient India. Obviously, the spell became widespread enough to become known before the side-effects were fully documented and realized. Although how that could have happened is beyond me."
"It's an unfortunate thing, but most Pure-Bloods, especially back then, lacked any form of common sense. Someone probably heard about the spell and thought 'Oh! A new spell that encourages performing oral sex! I'd love to try that with the missus!' or 'A spell to accelerate the Bonding process? Great! That means we don't have to wait a year!' but never considered, or worse, ignored any negative effects. Or the ones casting the spells to form those harems just didn't care about the wellbeing of the women they trapped." She paused and considered.
"That also raises a theory as to why it fell out of favor and became considered a curse."
"What do you mean?" Hermione asked.
"Think about it. You have a daughter and she's cursed with this by a rival or spiteful ex lover, you hunt down and kill the one responsible when you find out, only to realize too late what that would mean, and you're unable or unwilling to give her what she needs, and she dies. I imagine it would quickly fall out of favor once word got around what it could be used for, and what families could lose." Luna said.
Then she added "And the 'Kiss of The Succubus' name?"
"Emerged several decades after the spell was created, and came about because of the women who were subjected to it, were said to have been kissed by a Succubus, and so took on some of their traits, surviving purely on sex, becoming experts and performing oral, for example."
Luna tilted her head and blinked again, then she smiled a little in a sort of serene way, as she watched a small cluster of Wrackspurts flitter about Hermione's head. She then closed her eyes and, deciding to up the ante a little, placed her middle finger at her entrance and pushed in, sucking in a breath. She then began to move her finger in and out rapidly. She opened her eyes again and looked at Hermione as she felt her body start to tense up and her skin started to tingle. Her free hand discretely moved up to cup a small breast, feeling how sensitive it was, and how her nipple was already hardening.
"Do you consider yourself an expert?" she said with slightly labored breaths, she wondered if she looked as horny as she felt, Hermione sure did. She also wondered if the older girl had realized what she was doing yet.
"Hardly. I've only been doing it a week, as I said before, my technique is probably far from perfect, but Harry hasn't complained yet." Hermione said.
"I doubt he will. A boy is hardly going to complain when a girl is sucking on his sausage like her life depends on it." Luna replied, smiling slightly as she noticed Hermione stiffen and suck in a breath, her cheeks flushing red.
"Luna! You did that on purpose!" Hermione scolded, as she felt her clit throb again, and a surge of moisture between her tightly clamped thighs. 'I knew I shouldn't have mentioned that sausage thing!' she thought.
Luna shrugged, looking innocent, then tilted her head, a slightly mischievous glint in her eyes. "Are you ok Hermione?"
"No! I'm not ok! I'm horny! And you're not making it any easier for me!" Hermione growled.
"Oh. Sorry." She said, completely unapologetic. "Has your cycle started yet?" she asked. Hermione shook her head.
"No, probably tomorrow or Monday, I'll let you and anyone who wants to help him know, probably by memo or something. Though you wouldn't know it considering what happened yesterday. I usually don't get super horny until the peak of my cycle, about half way through it, but yesterday, I got so worked up while with him, I almost decided to throw caution to the winds, sit down on his dick and ride him until I was pregnant!"
"Would that be so bad?"
Hermione gave her a look. "Luna, I'm 15. I'm too young to be a mum! My mum and dad would MURDER me if I came home pregnant! And they'd definitely kill Harry. Even if part of my mind didn't care about that yesterday, or the other day when I thought about having his kids. Yes I know that's a bit sudden and weird, but I know the one thing Harry wants above all is a family, since he doesn't really have one anymore. And one day, I'd love to be the mother of that family. But NOT now."
"You know you're not supposed to have actual sex until the Bond is ready to be finalized, right? And you know what is required for the Bond to fully take effect?" Luna asked, her panting becoming more clear as she felt her face flush as her busy hand was now getting very wet. Hermione rolled her eyes and nodded.
"Yes I know what is required. Yes I know that we can't have intercourse until we both feel the Bond is strong enough that it'll take and stay strong, which, with this curse, could be anywhere between several months to several weeks away! And yes, I know that in order for the Bond to actually finalize, Harry's sperm needs to enter my womb, so I can't use a contraceptive charm. And he can't use a condom. Hopefully, I'll be able to use a contraceptive potion. I mean, I might get lucky and we do it on a day when I'm not on my cycle, but sperm can live for several days in the womb, so there's still a risk there." Hermione said, the last bit added as an afterthought.
"Have you decided yet on what you and Harry are going to do during your cycle?" Luna asked, her face flushing as she felt her climax approach, she had to be careful, she didn't want to finish too soon.
"Well, some of my housemates offered to help him out, and of course, there's Susan's, yours and Daphne's offers…" Hermione panted
"And how do you feel about that?" Luna asked, momentarily closing her eyes as a wave of pleasure washed over her as she gently ran her fingers through her wet lips. "How do you feel about Harry feeding from someone else?"
Hermione bit her lip to suppress another moan as she felt her own climax building again, she'd now started thrusting two of her fingers into herself, she was just glad she'd had the foresight to cast silencing and disillusionment charms on her lap first when she sat down, though she was starting to wish she'd also applied cooling charms to her clothes. Her body had gotten very warm, but not uncomfortably so, not yet.
Thinking carefully, she responded. "Hm…good question. I guess, I don't really have a choice but to accept it do I? Though I'm not thrilled by the idea though, as his girlfriend. But I trust you, Daphne and…Su—Susan…I know you guys won't try to make a move on him and try to Bond with him without telling him…And that's assuming he even accepts any offers of help. I'm not sure he will, even though I made him promise, there is still a chance he'll refuse out of guilt."
"What if it was done under the scope of a House Alliance?" Luna asked breathlessly, her voice almost a squeak. "And what if someone else wanted to Bond with him? He is the Boy-Who-Lived you know. I'm surprised no-one tried it before now. I'm honestly surprised he hasn't had girls lining up to suck his willy."
Hermione licked her lips as she took several deep breaths and closed her eyes, hoping desperately that Luna didn't realize what she was doing, she was so distracted by her own actions, that she hadn't yet fully noticed what was happening to the younger girl. "I suppose that would be ok, but he's not in a House Alliance with anyone. And he's Muggle-raised remember? If it hadn't been for this Curse, he wouldn't even know about Bonding until next year, nor would anyone be allowed to start with him. As for now, well, I'll make it clear he isn't allowed to accept oral from anyone willing to help him, that way, no-one can trick him into a Bonding against his will."
"He…is in…an Alliance…now." Luna said faintly panting, letting out a slight groan. She was SO close!
"What?" Hermione asked, looking at her sharply, brows creasing in a frown, the fingers in her pussy stopping as she finally took notice of the sweat drenching her back, and of the look on Luna's face. She would definitely need a shower after this. 'What's wrong with her? Is she…'
"I spoke to him outside earlier, he asked me how daddy would react if I had been cursed, I told him it would probably result in a Blood Feud between House Malfoy and Lovegood, but I also said that daddy wouldn't fare so well, since our family does not have the political influence that the Malfoys have, nor do we have the allies to support us." Then her breath hitched as her palm pressed against her hard clit and she nearly squeaked again, her body was now getting very warm.
"Then Harry said we do now, he said that my family now has the full backing and support of House Potter. He was also worried about how your parents are going to react to the news of what has happened. You really should tell them…soon…"
Hermione stared at her in disbelief. 'I don't believe this…that idiot!'
Then she sighed and rolled her eyes, face-palming.
"Of COURSE he did! UGH! That Muttonhead! Does he ever think?! Does he even realize what he agreed to? He has absolutely no idea how politics in the Magical World works. I'm not saying I'm not happy he's agreed to be your friend though Luna, but seriously, if he tries to get into a political fight with someone, it could go very badly."
Luna smiled at her, "I don't think he's realized quite what he's agreed to yet. But I'm sure he will soon."
Hermione sighed. "I guess he will." Then she smirked, turning the conversation back to its previous topic. "If he decides to use his Parseltongue on you, Daph or Susan, make sure to use silencing charms on whatever room you're in."
Luna smiled, remembering how she'd said she wanted to experience that "I'll keep that in mind. Is it really that good?"
"Oh Yes! You'll see. I might not be an expert at oral, but when he uses Parseltongue, he's a natural at it." Hermione said with a smirk, as she started to stroke herself again. 'Come on damn it! If this doesn't kill my arousal for a while, nothing will. I just hope Luna doesn't realize what I'm doing. That would be so mortifying.'
"You know, you could also feed from me if you ever need to. The offer I made at the beginning of the week is still good." Luna replied. Hermione blushed, she hadn't really given any consideration about that since Luna and the others had first mentioned it, even Susan's casual offers the previous Monday. Could she do it? Feed from one of her friends if Harry wasn't available? Or even one of her dorm-mates? She wasn't sure.
"I'll...take it under consideration, though don't be too disappointed if I say no. And it may take me some time to decide."
"That's fair." Luna breathed as she felt her climax building, only moments away, she was almost there, and judging by the look on Hermione's face, so was she.
A thought then struck Hermione, but it was momentarily lost as she felt her second climax hit her, thanks to her hyper-stimulated libido, and she screwed her eyes shut as her body shuddered and she buried her fingers inside herself and ground her hips into her hand, a wave of pleasure and warmth flowing over her body and she felt her face and neck flush hotly, her body drenched in a thin sheen of sweat.
At that exact moment, Luna felt her own climax hit her, and she thrust her finger up inside herself, hitting and breaking her barrier, just as her orgasm hit. The pleasure of her climax helping to dull the pain of what she had just done, but she still let out a sharp gasp, her eyes screwing shut to stop a few tears of pain escaping, and her body shuddered as she let out a high pitched "Mmmmph!"
Panting, she opened her silver eyes to find Hermione staring at her wide-eyed, mouth hanging open in disbelief.
"Luna! Did you just…! Were you…? Did you just MASTURBATE?! In the Library?! And in front of me?!" Hermione asked, scandalized, embarrassed, and mortified.
Luna shrugged as she panted, pulling her wet hand up, her fingers covered in blood as she grabbed her wand and started cleaning her hand.
"So…did…you…" she countered, her voice slightly tired as she started to come down and she sagged in her chair.
"That's different! I didn't really have a choice!" Hermione hissed, face burning.
Luna smiled as she opened her eyes and looked at her. "It was nice…though…"
Hermione stared at her for a few moments, blinking in shock. Her face glowing with embarrassment and arousal. She couldn't believe what the younger girl had just done. At least she had an excuse! Sure, it was a poor one, but still. Had anyone else noticed? She thought she'd cast a strong enough disillusionment charm, but apparently not. A thought then occurred to her, and she tried to cool herself down, taking a moment to dry her hand.
"Is it even possible for same-sex couples to fully Bond? Given what it takes to complete it?"
Luna looked thoughtful, wincing slightly as a twinge of pain shot through her hips, though it didn't last. "I'm…erm…I'm not sure, that will require some more research."
"Uh…right…" Hermione said taking a deep breath to steady her nerves as the reality of what she and Luna had just done together, even unknowingly on her part. 'God, I can't believe she did that!' she thought as she pushed herself up out of her chair, her legs a little shaky, and started packing away her things.
"I'll…I'll see you later, Luna. I need to go…take a shower." Hermione said a little uncomfortably as she bade the other girl goodbye. 'A cold one.'
"Ok, see you later Hermione. This was fun, we should do it again some time." The blonde said smiling serenely, the thought that what she'd just done with Hermione was generally not something that normal friends did together.
Hermione didn't respond as she felt a blush heat her face again as she made her way to the library's exit. She'd have to sit down with the girl later at some point and explain what they'd done was not what normal friends did together. Though given what she knew of the girl from others around the school, the things she'd heard, she wasn't surprised Luna was so…socially awkward.
The poor girl had only one real friend when she first came to Hogwarts, and that had been Ginny, and that friendship had suffered greatly during their first year, thanks to that damn Diary, and from what she could tell, Ginny and Luna hadn't really reconnected. And the only other interaction Luna had with the student body was, was being the subject of their collective scorn and ridicule.
She hadn't gotten all the details, but Hermione was starting to get the impression that Luna had been very naïve during her first years at the school and had paid for it.
'With so little positive social interaction with the other students, even in her own house, it's no surprise she thought masturbating in public was perfectly fine.' Hermione thought.
-=-=-=-
Deputy Head's office, that same time.
McGonagall paced in her office, thinking. She wanted answers, answers regarding Harry's treatment by his relatives, especially after everything she'd learned. And she knew the one place to get them.
With all the excitement of the First Task, she'd forgotten to question Albus about Harry's summer living arrangements, as she'd said she would do the previous weekend in the Hospital Wing. But, she'd finally asked him how he knew if Harry was being looked after, after confronting the Headmaster about his stunt in the medical tent. And he'd mentioned an old Order member had been watching the Dursley home for the last 13 or so years. He'd also gestured to a shelf which bore several simple looking devices that he claimed monitored the protections around Privet Drive, and Harry's wellbeing.
She turned, walked to the fireplace in her office, and grabbed the pot of Floo Powder. Idly, she wondered just how good those monitoring charms were, she doubted the Wards would survive the summer if Harry didn't return to charge them, which would naturally alert Dumbledore the moment they failed, and would tip him off that Harry wasn't where he should be.
While it was true that the fireplaces in the four House Comon Rooms, including the private Quarters, could receive Floo calls, but not make them, they also could not provide transit either. What was not known, was that the Floos in the Headmaster's office and the Hospital Wing were not the only ones that could send and receive transit. The one in her office could as well, though it was something she used sparingly.
Turning, she threw the powder into the fireplace and it flared up, turning green.
"Number Twelve Privet Drive!" she called into the fireplace, she then stuck her head into the flames, closing her eyes so she wouldn't be overcome by the vertigo. After a few seconds, she opened her eyes and found herself looking into a well-kept living room, a few cats were dotted around the room.
"Arabella? Are you home?" she called.
"Minerva?" came the voice of the Squib she wanted to talk to, and in from the kitchen, Arabella walked, wiping flour off her hands.
McGonagall smiled as she saw the woman. "May I come through Arabella?"
"Oh, of course Minie! I've just put some bread in the oven not too long ago."
Minerva smiled and stepped through, brushing off her robes as she stepped clear of the fireplace.
Several of Arabella's cats came up to her, obviously sensing the cat within her and started rubbing against her legs, purring loudly. She leaned over and stroked them gently in greeting, knowing just where they liked it best.
"Some tea Minerva dear?" Arabella asked.
"Please, thank you. That bread smells wonderful."
Arabella smiled and headed into the kitchen to set the kettle to boil as Minerva sat down.
"So, to what do I owe the honor of this visit?"
Minerva closed her eyes sighing, this was going to be a long talk.
"I'm afraid it's about young Harry. I'm not sure if you've read the Prophet, but he got entered into a magical tournament against his will. We're still trying to figure out who, but it's going slowly, but that's not why I'm here. I'm here, because almost two weeks ago, he and one of his closest friends were cursed by another student."
And with that, McGonagall told Arabella everything. When she was finished, the other woman had her hand over her heart and looked on the verge of either a fit of rage or tears.
"Oh! Those poor dears." Figg said, before she got up to go check on the baking bread, Minerva following, offering to help her.
"I'm sorry Minerva, I wish I could help, but I honestly don't know what I could do."
"Couldn't you give him and Miss Granger the time and privacy they'd need?" McGonagall asked. "Perhaps you could approach the Dursleys and propose that he stay with you, and then Miss Granger could come and stay."
Arabella shook her head as she took the baking tray out of the oven, taking a deep breath of the freshly baked bread.
"No. Petunia and Vernon would never allow him to come here if they thought he actually enjoyed it. It's one of the reasons I always made sure his visits here were so boring he'd grow to hate them. When what I actually wanted to do was shower him with all the love, affection and care that I knew he deserved and desperately needed but clearly never got from them. But I couldn't. I also couldn't tell him anything, Dumbledore's orders. And you say this Hermione is a Muggle-born?"
Minerva nodded, Arabella sighed. "Then without a Floo connection, how would she even get here? And I'm sure her family wouldn't let her stay here, unless they live locally, and I'm pretty sure they don't."
Minerva paused, that made sense. "No, they don't. Didn't you try telling Albus how they were treating him?
"Of course I did!" Arabella said defensively, "Multiple times! But he always insisted that since Petunia was Lily's sister, she was Harry's only family and so he HAD to stay."
"Tell me about them. What are the Dursleys like? I only saw them that one time back in 81." Minerva asked.
"Horrible. And that's putting it kindly. Vernon is huge, I don't know how he hasn't keeled over from a heart attack yet. Petunia is vindictive and spiteful, and a gossip monger, sticking her nose into others' business, for any bit of information she can get. And their son…he's just like his father. And he's mean. I've seen the way he treats some of the local kids. And the way he's treated poor Harry over the years, but I couldn't do anything."
"Harry said his uncle is more like an Elephant Seal than a man." Minerva said. Arabella snorted with amusement, a smile tugging her lips.
"He isn't wrong."
McGonagall sighed in resignation, the beginnings of a plan to help the two already forming in her mind, if she couldn't somehow arrange alternate accommodation, she just hoped she'd never have to use it, but if she did, she'd probably need help. She wasn't looking forward to asking for that help.
The two women then spent some time just talking and catching up, soon though, McGonagall realized she'd have to return to Hogwarts.
"Well, it was a long shot asking, but I thought it was worth a try. Thank you Arabella, I'll see what I can do. But don't be surprised if Harry does not return to Privet Drive this summer. And if Dumbledore ever asks, just tell him everything is fine." Minerva said, as she turned to head back to the living room.
"I will Minnie, and take some of this with you." Arabella said, offering a piece of the freshly baked bread. McGonagall thanked her then stepped through, back into her office.
Sitting down at her desk, McGonagall looked down and contemplated the half-written letter to Hermione's parents, then decided to try and finish it, idly eating as she did so. All the while putting more thought into her Plan B, hoping it would work, while also hoping she wouldn't have to use it, and that she could convince some of her colleagues to help her.
Had she been paying more attention to her surroundings, she might have noticed the book she'd confiscated, the one Daphne had stolen from Draco, 'The Dark Arts of Sex Magic' was not on her desk where she'd left it after retrieving it from Dumbledore earlier that morning. it was gone…
-=-=-=-
Late afternoon, Library.
Hermione was once again back in the Library, this time working on her homework, a Charms essay.
She heard several whispers the other students suddenly pick up, and she sensed someone approaching her. She looked up, and saw it was Viktor Krum, who was looking a little sheepish. Hermione blushed, remembering the last time the two of them had met here, and mentally preparing herself for the conversation she was about to have, trying to figure out how to let him down gently.
"May I sit?" he asked. She nodded, doing her best to ignore the hushed whispers of the few around them. Seriously, didn't these kids have homework to do?
Taking a deep breath, Hermione decided to break the ice.
"Listen, Viktor, about what happened last time…" she began, but he raised his hand and smiled at her kindly as he sat down.
"You need not explain. I come to tell you zat I know zat you und Harry are dating. He told me earlier. I am many zings, but I am no thief. I vill no longer try to court your affections."
"Oh. Well, urm, that's good, thank you. I was about to tell you I'd have to call off our prior arrangement." She said with a smile. Viktor smiled somewhat.
"Ja. It vas…enjoyable, however unexpected. Zough it did surprise me. I usually do not allow such things from girls I do not know."
Hermione blushed. "Yeah, sorry about that. But it won't be happening again."
Krum smiled and nodded. "Zat is fair."
"So, how are you finding Hogwarts?" she asked.
"Interesting. Is good school, though layout can be confusing. At Durmstrang, stairs do not move."
Hermione giggled, "Yeah, that can get annoying, but at least you get used to it, and they even have a pattern, so you can predict them."
As the two of them settled down to talk and get to know one another, most of Krum's 'fangirls' had dispersed, and neither of them noticed the four pairs of eyes watching them. Two pairs curious, one pair suspicious and jealous, and the last, calculating.
-=-=-=-
"What's he doing talking to Hermione?" Ron asked, scowling, Seamus and Dean were sat with him, Ron had been in the middle of trouncing Dean at Wizard's Chess, again, when they noticed Krum come in and make his way over to Hermione. Ron had been watching her since he'd come in, she'd had her homework out so he'd not bothered to go near her, even though he really wanted her to go over his homework, he knew the odds of that happening were low, especially since she spent all her time with Harry now, along with a Snake of all people, and a Puffer, and now, also, apparently Loony.
What had happened? They used to be friends, why had Harry and Hermione side-lined him? He didn't get it. To make things worse, Harry had stolen Hermione from him, the girl he'd had his eye on and flirted with for years. He'd even told his mother about his interest in Hermione, that the two of them had been flirting back and forth for years, and now…
Part of him didn't want to believe they had actually been cursed, part of him wanted to believe all of that in the Hospital Wing the previous week had all just been a ruse to allow them to get together behind his back.
Unfortunately, as much as he wanted to believe that to be true, he knew it wasn't. He'd seen how bad they looked. Plus he doubted McGonagall would lie about something like that, she wasn't Snape after all.
But what really burned him, what really ruffled his feathers and got his heckles up, was the apparent 'treatment' for their new condition. Which, if what Hermione said was true, basically amounted to them Bonding. Or at least, for Hermione to do what was necessary to start the Bond, regardless of if it happened or not.
He scowled at the thought, his ears heating up as he looked at Hermione's face, focusing on her lips, and a treacherously curious part of his mind wondered just how recently those soft pink lips had been wrapped around Harry's cock. His eyes drifted down to her hips and again, that same part of him wondered how recently Harry's face had been there. He grit his teeth in seething jealousy.
It just was not fair! Harry got everything! The fame. The money. The glory. The girl, and now, the blowjobs! And all the pussy he could ever want to eat!
He vaguely recalled Hermione asking the girls in their house to 'help' Harry out this coming week, since she would be on her cycle, though Ron had no idea why that was an issue. That just meant that Harry would be getting even more pussy! He also remembered what Ginny had said, and how he, Fred and George had cornered her afterwards and 'encouraged' her to leave Harry alone. If there was one thing he and his brothers ever agreed on this week, it was that Ginny would be the only girl in their house not getting any, well, apart from the First and Second Years of course. The look of fury and defiance she'd sent their way every chance she got since had been ignored by all three of them.
He'd been reminding Ginny of that fact that morning when Harry had come into the Common Room, followed shortly after by Hermione.
"Leave off Ron, Hermione can talk to whoever she wants to." Dean said, as he looked down at the chess board, contemplating his next move, only slightly irritated that his Queen was making out with one of the Bishops, while the King did nothing but just stand there and watch, bemused.
"Yeah," Seamus said, "You've been in a weird mood since Thursday, since Harry and Hermione gave their little talk. What's up with that?"
Ron clenched his jaw as he felt his ears heat up more.
"Ah, I think I see…" Seamus said, grinning as he sat back.
"What?" Dean asked. Seamus nodded towards Ron, who was still watching Hermione and Viktor talk.
"I don't think it's Krum Ron is jealous of. I think it's Harry."
"Oh?" Dean asked. Seamus nodded.
"Yeah, think about it. Ron basically was going on and on since Halloween about how Harry cheated his way into the Tournament, which was of course not true, although none of us believed that at the time. That got him even more fame and notoriety, something Ronny here is sorely lacking. Then Harry pulls that stunt with the Horntail, which is even more fame to his name. Again, None For Ron. Now we find out that he's basically been living every teenage boy's dream for almost a week and a half and has been getting head at least three times a day from a girl who is also now apparently his girlfriend. And he's been eating her out just as much. That's two more things Ron isn't getting! And let's be honest, Granger isn't exactly bad to look at. If you can ignore the whole 'Bookworm' thing. But hey, some guys, apparently Harry included, like the smart ones. And you know what they say about the brainy ones, right?"
He paused, taking a moment to look at the girl in question, then he continued.
"I mean, I never would have pegged her to be the type who would like giving head, hell, I thought she'd never want to date anyone, let along Bond with anyone, even without this Curse they're under being a factor. She always seemed to care more about books. Harry is one lucky bastard though, I bet she was a novice at first, unless there are books here on the subject. I overheard one of the girls once say they thought Hermione wouldn't know what to do with a dick unless she read an instruction manual first. But I bet she's getting really good at it now."
He grinned then gestured to Ron, "I wonder what he finds more galling: the fact she willingly sucks Harry off every day, or that Harry saw her naked first."
Ron's head finally snapped around and he glared at the other two boys, who were grinning at him knowingly. A protest already on his tongue, but he forced it down, he knew he wouldn't win an argument with these two.
"Well, neither of you are getting any either!"
"True." Seamus said, "Sad but true, but there's still hope for us."
"And not me?" Ron asked.
Seamus snorted. "You? You sound like the Express pulling out of the station when you sleep, and you have the table manners of a troll. Any girl dating you would either have to either not care about your eating habits, and wear sound-proof earmuffs to bed, or have no sense of hearing at all." He laughed.
Ron ground his teeth as he glared at his two dorm-mates.
"Hell, I bet Neville is even getting some. I saw Hannah drag him into a broom cupboard right after lunch today." Dean said, grinning at the look of jealous fury on Ron's face, which was slowly turning red. He really was just so easy to wind up.
"Who would you like to Bond with then, or at the very least date?" Seamus asked, looking at Dean.
The other boy shrugged, thinking carefully. "Brown maybe? Or Parvati? Maybe even Turpin, she is pretty cute."
"Lisa Turpin? She's Ravenclaw right?" Seamus asked.
"Yeah, our year." Dean said, nodding.
"I think she's seeing a Ravenclaw guy. Saw her last week giving a Ravenclaw boy some attention in an alcove near the Astronomy Tower, would have completely missed 'em if he hadn't moaned her name so loud. I looked over and there they were against a wall with her on her knees and his hands in her hair."
Dean frowned, looking mildly disappointed, but then he shrugged. "Oh well then, plenty of other girls in the school, plus there's also all those lovely girls that came over from France and Bulgaria." He said, wiggling his eyebrows.
Ron scoffed. "Yeah right! You've got zero chance with any of them! Especially Fleur." He said, guessing who Dean was really referring to.
"Better chance than you!" Dean shot back with a snort.
"Oh yeah?" Ron huffed. "Tell ya what, I'll ask her out to the Yule Ball, that'll show you!"
Dean snorted again then looked at Seamus, who smirked and nodded.
"Fine then. Let's make a bet. 5 Galleons says Fleur will roast you alive for the attempt." He said.
Ron was about to nodded and offer his hand when Dean spoke up. "Better idea. If you can ask Fleur out to the Yule Ball, we'll do your homework for you for the first term of the new year. And if you fail, you do ours."
Seamus looked at him wide-eyed, face pale, his expression one of utter horror. Had his friend suddenly gone insane?!
Ron grinned evilly. "Deal!" then he extended his hand and the two shook while Seamus looked on dismay.
Grinning to himself, and feeling in a much better mood, Ron started packing away the Chess board, as the pieces had abandoned their positions and had been listening to the exchange, the game forgotten. He then stood, nodded to the two boys then left.
Once he was gone, Seamus gave Dean a stern look.
"Thomas you FOOL! You've doomed us both!"
"What do you mean?" Dean asked. "This'll be easy! You KNOW he'll fail to ask her out, and that's assuming she doesn't fry him for even asking her."
"Exactly! Which means, WHEN he fails, he'll have to do OUR homework for the first term of next year! You know he doesn't even do his OWN homework! He always twisted Granger's arm until she did it for him! I'm honestly wondering how long he'll last now Granger and Potter have effectively turned their backs on him. Hell, I wouldn't be surprised if he fails his OWLS in Fifth year! So what do you think will happen to our grades?!" Seamus ask, horrified.
Dean's dark complexion lightened several shades, his eyes widened as the enormity of his blunder hit home.
"Well…bugger."
-=-=-=-
Sunday November 27, 1994
Gryffindor Tower Third Year Girls' Dorm, early morning.
Ginny lay in bed, one knee raised as a hand busily stroked between her legs, her fingers sliding through her wet lips, combing through the patch of dark red hair that covered them and the mound above. Her eyes closed as she breathed long and deep, licking her lips as she fantasized and imagined. Imagined the coming week, and what she would do. What she had planned since Thursday.
She tried to imagine what it would be like to have Harry in her mouth, to feel his hard cock sliding back and forth over her tongue, palette, cheeks and lips as she hungrily sucked. Tried to imagine what it would taste like, and what it would feel and taste like to have him cum in her mouth, and then how it would feel when she swallowed it, and started the Bonding.
She knew full well about that of course, had since summer. Her father hadn't really approved of their mother telling her and Ron about it, he'd said they were too young to know, but their mother had just waved him off, saying "They're old enough to know what to expect and do Arthur, better they be prepared now rather than later."
Their father had begrudgingly accepted, though he had extracted a promise from the twins and Ron to make sure she didn't try anything. Fortunately, it hadn't been binding. So what they didn't know about, wouldn't get back to her father.
"Mmm…" Ginny moaned as she imagined what it would be like to pull Harry into an alcove somewhere, or a broom cupboard, and have him feed from her. She gasped lightly as a finger brushed her aching clit, and her other hand moved up under her nightie to cup a breast. She knew they weren't much, barely there actually, but that didn't matter. For now, that was not the part of her body Harry would need to see or focus on.
A Wizard could bond with more than one Witch, after all, so there was no reason why he couldn't bond with her and Hermione. If she played her cards right, she would probably be able to push Hermione out completely, especially if she started feeding from another Wizard, like Ron, to help mitigate the Curse, if Ginny understood the workings of it, then her place as the future Lady Potter would be assured.
She just had to get Harry's attention first, but she wouldn't make her move until she knew for sure Hermione's cycle had started.
The Boy-Who-Lived would be hers.
Her mother had promised her that years ago.
All she had to do now, was get him.
-=-=-=-
Great Hall, early morning.
Hermione sat down at the Gryffindor Table and started to tuck into her cornflakes which she'd asked for.
She'd passed several pieces of parchment to several of her former dorm-mates on the way out of the Common Room, namely Parvati, Lavender and Fay, as well as to Susan and Luna when she entered the Hall, with a hushed reminder to Susan to let Daphne know when she got the chance, the girl had nodded.
Her cycle had started.
Though Harry had been able to feed from her while they took a shower, Hermione told him that the odds of him being able to do it without it getting messy were about 50/50.
She hadn't noticed a change in her levels yet, though she had no idea how long it would take. As she turned to her fellow housemates and started talking to them, she missed the looks Ron and Ginny were giving her and Harry. As she ate her breakfast, she noticed her levels start to rise, and as she looked around at her house-mates and fellow students, she felt them start to spike as she looked at several people, both boys and girls.
She'd been staring at a Ravenclaw boy, Terry Boot, for nearly a full minute until Harry nudged her.
"Hey, you ok 'Mione?" he asked quietly, a look of concern in his kind green eyes.
"Huh?" she asked, blinking and looking away from Boot, who hadn't noticed she'd been staring at him. "Oh, uh, yeah, I'm fine Harry." She said.
'What was THAT? Why was I staring at Terry like I wanted to eat him? It's got to be the Curse affecting me, I didn't think it would be this quick though…' she thought, as she looked over at Susan, just as the girl was stretching, her hands in the air and chest pushed out, and Hermione almost moaned at the vision of beauty her redhead friend had suddenly become in her eyes.
Her gaze focused on Susan's lips, lips Hermione suddenly found she wanted to kiss, to feel on her own breasts…and speaking of breasts, Susan's were beautiful, large, easily D at least, double at most. And Hermione started to envision what they would look like bared to her, what they'd look like covered in honey or syrup, or even ice cream. For a moment, she even envisioned what they'd look like pressed together around Harry's penis, and she found herself licking her lips.
She then blinked, and her mind cleared, and she shook her head. 'What the…?' she thought. Then she mentally sighed, and focused on her breakfast.
This was going to be a long week.
-=-=-=-
At the Staff Table, Dumbledore smiled slightly as he carefully watched Hermione. Taking note of how she now stared at both Terry Boot for over a minute, and Susan Bones for almost as long. The stronger potion was working, and faster than he'd thought it would. Though he'd only told the Elves to dose her food this morning, as a test, they would dose Harry's tomorrow.
He'd been disappointed with the lack of results form the previous potion dosing and had decided to ask Severus to brew a stronger formula. He had to be careful though, to limit the dosage. He didn't want to give them too much. He'd read the book Minerva had given him, and while the Curse was fascinating, he suspected that the one who created the original spell was certainly no master spell crafter. Resorting to a sterilization curse as a 'cure' was a drastic measure, and he reasoned, it would only have been listed as a cure if all other possible options had been investigated and dismissed, either right after the discovery of the negative side-effects, or later over time.
He certainly hadn't heard of the curse before, there was no mention of it in the Private Library he had access to as the Headmaster, and he had no idea where this book had originally come from, there was no author named, which was expected, given the nature of the contents. There was no publication/completion date either. But considering what information there was on the curse in the book lead him to theorize that who ever wrote about it in the book had firsthand knowledge of the curse, either as a victim or witness to someone who was, or were descended from someone who had been a victim in antiquity, and the knowledge had been passed down as a warning, if the note on its history and plausible origin were any indication.
If there was anyone within the country that had more information, it would be the Unspeakbles in the Department of Mysteries at the Ministry. It was their job to discover things like this and study them. Though the research rarely, if ever saw the light of day.
But one thing was clear: the spell's creator had been an amateur. No professional spell crafter would make that kind of mistake with a spell.
Then again, magic did behave in strange ways, it demanded balance in all things. If the spell's creator had intended to create a spell that accelerated the Bonding but with no intended caveats, then it was possible, however slim the chance, that magic itself might have created the described caveats, though he was unsure if that was the case, since the creator was long dead, and therefore, unavailable for questioning.
He continued to regard Hermione carefully.
This was going to be an interesting week.