Chapter 8

WARNING: This story is for mature audiences only. It contains representations of sexual acts and situations.

Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter.

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Chapter 8:

The next morning, Harry descended into the Gryffindor common room with a sigh of satisfaction. He knew he would never forget the events of the previous evening. Even thinking about them brought a goofy smile to his face.

Hermione was waiting for him on a couch, a massive arithmancy tome in her lap.

She raised an eyebrow as she took in his appearance. "Looks like someone had a good time last night."

Harry grinned. "I might have. I had a very restful sleep for certain."

"Your partners in crime thanked me again on their way out earlier. I hope I don't have desperate witches pounding on my door every time they want your attention, Harry."

"Well. You could always tell them to go away."

"Do you want me to?"

He could only give an embarrassed smile in response.

She rolled her eyes. "There might be duels in the hallway if I said no. I think you might have a few witches under your thumb now, or maybe it's vice versa."

"That's, er, not a problem, is it? If this is uncomfortable for you…"

She blushed a little but shook her head. "I already said it was fine. That doesn't mean I won't tease you about it."

He smiled fondly at her. "I think I could get used to teasing instead of chiding about homework."

"Well, if you had actually done your homework, I wouldn't have chided you, now would I?"

And just like that Harry felt comfortable again, their familiar routine reestablishing itself.

"Enough about homework," he sniffed. "I'll never have to do it again. Let's go get breakfast. I'm starving."

He grabbed her hand affectionately as they made their way out of the portrait hole.

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They held hands as they walked leisurely toward the Great Hall. Portraits gossiped about them as they passed. Harry didn't think he'd ever live down his nude foray through the corridors. It might actually be an issue if he ever decided to teach at Hogwarts. Still, their attention made him feel as if he and Hermione were the King and Queen of Hogwarts.

Each knew that this was a momentous day. It was Harry's final ritual as well as their first time together. Anticipation had been growing deep within him since he awoke this morning. He could tell without looking at her that Hermione was feeling the same.

Tonight would be a sort of culmination for them, if not an actual coronation.

They had grown up together, suffered together, fought together, and finally won a war together. Now they would complete an intimate ritual together. It would be a rite of passage for both of them.

Harry glanced over at her warmly and squeezed her hand.

She squeezed back, curious. "What?"

"Nothing. I'm just in a good mood. I'm glad you decided to be my last ritual, really. It makes the whole thing more special."

She reddened a little at his words. "It was hard to wait, but I understand what you mean. The anticipation is making me nervous though. I don't want you to be disappointed."

He pulled her to a stop in the corridor and cupped her cheeks in his hands, leaning his face toward hers.

"Hermione," he said tenderly. "Tonight is going to be a celebration, just for the two of us. You are not allowed to be stressed out. This isn't an exam you can study for…"

"...although I promise you'll still get lots of O's," he added with a grin.

She couldn't decide whether to hug him or smack him for his terrible sense of humor. She settled on a gentle admonishment.

"You have been thoroughly corrupted, Harry Potter."

"Look who's talking, Miss I-Placed-A-Bet-On-Harry's-Penis."

She huffed and smacked his chest as their walk resumed.

"I'll promise not to work myself into a state about tonight if you'll promise to stop teasing me about that."

"No deal. I'm going to have the incident engraved on your tombstone. Here Lies Hermione Jean Granger, First Muggleborn Minister of Magic, better known as She-Who-Guessed-Wrong. Your great-great grandchildren will know the story."

She groaned. "I think I miss the Harry Potter who was afraid of a date with Cho Chang."

He laughed. "No, you don't. That Harry Potter would have had a heart attack the first time he saw you naked. Besides, if I remember right you deliberately interrupted my date with the lovely Miss Chang."

She stuck her nose in the air imperiously. "Cho wasn't right for you. You needed to be focused on other things."

"All of which involved you in some way."

"A mere coincidence, I'm sure."

He squeezed her hand again. "Right."

Harry was beyond pleased at their playful banter. His relationship with Hermione had changed fundamentally in the past ten days, but it was in every way better. He was more relaxed as the rituals eased his painful condition. She was more relaxed as she connected with Parvati and the other girls who were helping Harry. The conditions required by the ritual had forced both of them to open up to each other, and not just physically.

With a war no longer looming over them, they were free to discover themselves anew, and he decided to enjoy every second of it.

He sighed happily and she examined him again.

"You really are in a good mood. You're not nervous about tonight?"

"Nope. I'm feeling free, maybe for the first time in my life. And tonight I'm going to celebrate by showing you everything I've learned. I've had quite an education in the past week."

He smiled at the look on her face.

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Harry and Hermione separated after breakfast.

She had an appointment with Professor Vector to discuss a possible apprenticeship. He had seen her list of ambitions, and he thought she would need another time-turner to accomplish them. First an arithmancy mastery for the theory, then a charms mastery for the application, followed by a serious stint with the Unspeakables, all while securing new rights for magical creatures and exploring other cultures. It was enough to make his head spin.

He, meanwhile, was heading to the Room of Requirement to release some magic. The rituals had made his magic unstable, but Pomfrey had given him the green light to cast powerful spells again. He wanted to see if the rituals had done their work. There was no longer an ache in his chest, and his erections were now merely frequent instead of constant. He hoped it was again possible to push himself towards magical exhaustion. It was a feeling he longed for.

He turned the corner to approach the Room, only to stop and stare at the sight that greeted him.

Standing in the seventh-floor corridor, balancing on one leg with the other akimbo, was Luna Lovegood. This was not necessarily odd behavior for her. But the fact that she was totally nude in public, and wearing her military officer's hat from their ritual—well, that was odd even for Luna.

Harry cleared his throat as he approached. Luna twirled herself around and fell into a sudden curtsy. Loud applause came from the wall in front of her, and he finally understood. Merlin, that tapestry needed to be burned, not silenced for most of the year.

Luna greeted him with a smile. "Hello, Harry. I started my ballet lessons with Barnabas this morning. He's quite a thorough teacher."

"I have no doubt he is," he snorted, giving the tapestry a sidelong glance. The old man was leering at Luna with a comically obscene expression. Even his trolls were standing still and watching her. They had probably been instructed to follow her example.

He shook his head. "So you're training to be a dancer now?"

"Oh, not professionally, of course," she said dreamily. "I thought it might be useful in my travels. Ritual nude dancing might be able to attract all sorts of interesting creatures."

Harry smiled. "You never know." He suspected most species had an interest in naked dancing.

"Are you still feeling well since the ritual?" he asked curiously.

"Oh, simply wonderful!" she enthused. "I've never had so much energy! It's even scaring all the nargles away."

"Well, that's good, right?"

"It's lovely!" she beamed, and threw himself against him in a crushing nude embrace. He couldn't resist the urge to pat her ass in affection.

"Thank you so much, Harry," she sighed as she pulled away. "I'm so happy I got to participate in your rituals."

"You're welcome, Luna. It was you who were helping me, though. Thank you again for that."

"Oh, you're quite welcome. I get to share your magic, and I get free dancing lessons. It's a great deal!"

He glanced sideways at Barnabas. The old pervert had been watching their entire interaction with a smile.

"Just don't let your, er, dance professor talk you into doing things that make you uncomfortable. I don't think many magical creatures are aware of the finer points of ballet."

"Of course not. I know he likes staring at me naked, but I don't mind. He's just a tapestry, and clothes are very inhibiting when you have to bend over backwards."

Harry doubted that ballet required such a maneuver, but he didn't voice his opinion.

"So are you here to dance with us?" she inquired. "I'm sure Barnabas won't mind if you're naked too."

"Er, no…I'm actually going to use the Room. Madam Pomfrey gave me permission to cast some spells, and I wanted to see how much has changed since we started the rituals."

Luna nodded sagely. "That's a good idea. Do you suppose I could watch?"

He felt an odd sense of déjà vu. "Sure. As long as you let me put you under a barrier. I don't want a stray spell to hit you."

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Two hours later, a sweaty and pleased Harry accompanied Luna out of the Room. She too was relaxed and glassy-eyed, not just at witnessing Harry's amazing power but because of her vigorous cheerleading from the sidelines. She had clapped and performed nude cartwheels every time he cast an impressive spell. Of course this had inspired him to show off. Honestly, what was he supposed to do when a nude cheerleader was performing lewd ballet on the sidelines? There's only so much a wizard can handle.

He was also pleased at the way his magic responded to him. It flowed through him like a wide river instead of a raging torrent. He might still be unnaturally strong, but he could live with that if it didn't give him a heart attack or a constant erection.

They went to their separate dormitories to shower, agreeing to meet again for lunch. He knew at least Hermione would be joining them.

Thirty minutes later they met each other outside the Great Hall, Harry feeling casual and dressed only in jeans and a t-shirt, while Luna wore her black school robes and her military hat. He suspected it was going to become part of her regular ensemble.

They entered the hall together. Hermione and Parvati were already there and awaiting them, while ten or so other students sat at the Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw tables. Sinistra and Babbling were the only professors in the room.

Parvati smirked at their approach, eyeing Harry from head to toe.

"Well, well, well…if it isn't Harriet Potter."

He blushed but tilted his head at her. "I have no idea what you mean, Tonks. Or are you Parvati?"

She narrowed her eyes. "I'm sure I don't know what you mean either."

"I'm quite certain you do."

Luna looked at them all in confusion as she and Harry sat down opposite Parvati and Hermione.

"Don't worry about it, Luna," interjected Hermione. "I'm confused too, but all you need to know is that Tonks, Harry, and Parvati are perverts."

Luna nodded. "That goes without saying for Tonks, I suppose. If I were a metamorph I would probably play with your naked bodies all the time."

Conversation nearby ground to a halt. Luna looked around curiously at the sudden silence. Hermione sighed.

Luna continued musing to no one in particular. "Although if all three of them are perverts, I suspect that could result in some confusion. Did you share a bed with two Parvatis last night, Harry?"

He gaped at her, wondering how she could be so innocent and yet have the same sort of sexual imagination as Tonks.

Hermione coughed, blushing. "Luna, perhaps now is not the time."

She blinked slowly. "Well, of course not, Hermione. That sounds like something that should happen in private, not in the middle of the Great Hall. These tables look uncomfortable."

Parvati burst out laughing at the look on Hermione's face.

"Nice hat, Luna," she said through her laughter.

She smiled and touched her new hat. "Thank you! The portraits seem to like it too. Some of them stand and salute me. One old man made a rude gesture and called me a fascist. He may have an irrational hatred for eagles and crosses."

Harry scrutinized Luna's appearance. With her black robes, long blond hair, and pale blue eyes, the hat did make her look like the leader of a muggle white supremacist group. That or the world's most innocent dominatrix.

An amused silence fell over the group as they dished food onto their plates and started to eat.

"So, Harry," Parvati began, "tonight is the big night. Are you ready?"

He smiled. "I can't wait. I've had good teachers, and I think Hermione will appreciate the effort I've put into my studies."

She smirked. "Are you finished with your revisions then, Hermione, or do you need a study session this afternoon?"

Hermione glared at her. "I thought I was ready until I realized what Harry was doing last night. Now I'm not so sure."

"You could borrow some of the toys left over from my ritual, if you like," Luna offered kindly. "Harry only ate a little of my underwear."

Silence overtook half the room again, and Hermione stared disbelievingly at Luna.

"Okay, now I'm certain I'm not ready for this."

Harry had to resist the urge to tease her further.

"Hermione, we're joking. It will be fantastic. The only thing that could possibly disappoint me is if you turn out to be Dobby's animagus form or something."

"Or perhaps Dobby is her elfmagus form," Luna replied, intrigued. "That makes a lot of sense."

Hermione sighed. "And what would explain how we can be in the same room together?"

She tilted her head. "Time-travel, of course. Didn't you use a time-turner in your third year?"

Parvati burst out laughing again. "Oh, Merlin, that would explain why she's always three steps ahead of everyone else. Good detective work, Luna."

Luna looked pleased.

"Stop it ladies—I don't want my kinky little bookworm stressing out over tonight. I've already promised her she'll receive full marks," said an amused Harry.

"Thank you," Hermione replied. "Not all of us are capable of inventing new forms of sexual deviancy on a whim."

"Nonsense," Parvati insisted. "You just need to put that big brain of yours to work. I could think of a dozen new things to do in this room alone. I bet you could think of more."

She looked around the Great Hall, considering various options. "In fact…"

She leaned in closely to Hermione, so the other tables couldn't overhear them. "Wouldn't you like to shag Harry on Dumbledore's golden chair? That might even make it into Hogwarts, A History if you got caught."

Hermione winced at the idea of becoming infamous for a sexual escapade, while Harry looked at Dumbledore's chair speculatively.

"That sounds delightfully romantic," Luna enthused. "I could write an article about it. Readers love human interest stories."

"Don't you dare," Hermione whispered in horror.

Parvati snickered. "You were the one worried about not living up to Harry's expectations. In fact, I've just had another thought…"

She looked around the Great Hall, studying its other occupants.

Hermione groaned. "Oh God, she's looking shifty. Harry, do something."

Parvati ignored her and grinned at him. "You have an invisibility cloak, don't you?"

"Er, what happens if I say yes?"

"Where is it?"

"In my room," he answered cautiously.

"Call your crazy house elf."

Hermione was watching the byplay in rising apprehension. "Whatever you're thinking, it's a terrible idea…terrible."

She watched Harry's face, and she could swear his eyes twinkled. She glared at him. "Harry…"

"Call Dobby," Parvati insisted.

He shrugged and softly hissed, "Dobby!"

The elf appeared with a small pop beside him, the silvery cloak already in his hands.

Harry blinked as he handed it to him.

"Dobby is always knowing," he said as he popped away.

Parvati had to cover her mouth to keep from laughing.

He looked uncomfortably between the cloak and the girls. "You don't suppose that…" he started, unable to complete the thought.

"Do you really want to know?" she asked. "Give me the cloak."

Hermione tried to intervene. "Don't give her the cloak, Harry. Wherever this is going, it's a bad idea."

Parvati smiled widely at her. "Relax. This will just be another adventure for you and Harry to add to your biographies."

"Adventures are nice," Luna agreed, examining an oblong roasted potato with interest. "Perhaps I'll write a book about Harry and Hermione's adventures one day. It could be a series, one book for each year at Hogwarts."

He shrugged and passed the cloak to Parvati. Whatever she had planned, he trusted her not to do anything more than mildly embarrassing with it. That was perhaps a mistake on his part.

She glanced behind her again. "Tell me when they're not looking in this direction," she whispered.

He rolled his eyes and made a motion with his finger. A moment later there was a loud bang at the far end of the hall. The whole room turned to see what the commotion was.

"You're clear."

Parvati threw the cloak over Hermione before she could protest. She disappeared from view with a surprised squeak.

"Why am I under the cloak?" she hissed.

"Because I want you to imagine everything you can do under an invisibility cloak," Parvati whispered, "starting with what you might do to Harry in front of an audience who can't see you. Wouldn't that be thrilling?"

"Oh Merlin," Harry said in sudden dread.

He glanced nervously at the other occupants of the room. Sitting at the table opposite their group were three young Hufflepuffs and first-year Gryffindor Mandy Monroe, who was shooting him a suspicious look. Four more students resided at Ravenclaw table, plus Professors Babbling and Sinistra at the Head table. So far no one seemed to notice Hermione's absence.

"This is such a bad idea," he heard her disembodied voice whisper.

"You mean it's such a naughty idea," Parvati whispered in glee. "You can't get expelled anymore, Hermione. Don't pretend you're not interested. I've seen those novels you read."

"Those are novels!" she hissed. "They're not real." Harry knew that Hermione was blushing even if he couldn't see her face.

He watched the bizarre sight of Parvati pressing down on the air beside her. Their bench rattled as a muffled 'ow!' resounded from beneath the table.

She glanced below her and smiled. "Harry's crotch is right there, Hermione! Imagine the look on his face when you molest him invisibly in front of an audience in the Great Hall! I want to watch him squirm."

He stared at Parvati in shock. The girl was shameless, and now she had Tonks as an influence. He looked warily at the Head table. Babbling and Sinistra were paying them no attention. Still, if they got caught doing this…

There was dead silence underneath the table. He had no idea what Hermione might be thinking. He knew she had loosened up considerably under Parvati's influence. She had even surprised him with her boldness a few times. But this seemed like a bridge too far.

"I am not doing this," Hermione's muffled voice came from beneath the table. "You'll know what I'm doing, and there are people right behind me! We might get caught!"

She squeaked when Parvati kicked her under the table.

"That's the point!" she whispered in excitement. "Please, Hermione. I want to watch Harry's face. You could torture him, and he wouldn't be able to make a sound!"

He could tell she was thinking that over, her mortification warring with the desire to embarrass him. He was apprehensive about the idea too, but the thought of doing something in front of unknowing witnesses…it turned him on more than he would admit. He grew hard in his jeans and shifted to adjust himself.

When she didn't respond, Parvati continued begging. "Please? You can't see his face right now. A galleon says he's hard as a rock."

There was a charged silence. Harry had no idea what might happen next. Parvati was grinning at him, and Luna seemed content to watch everything unfold. He considered making a run for it, which would save him and Hermione both some embarrassment, but he was also excited by Parvati's little game. Apparently he really was a pervert.

He almost flinched when he felt Hermione put her hands on his knees.

"Harry?" she whispered, asking for his opinion on Parvati's not-so-subtle demands.

He cleared his throat. "I, er, don't know what to say. You don't have to do anything you don't want to."

"Do you…want this?" she asked hesitantly.

"Only if, er, you do too."

Parvati smiled at him and nudged Hermione with her knee. "Are you two Gryffindors or aren't you?"

There was a brief pause and then a sigh. "Fine. But if we get caught, I'm going to use a depilatory charm on your head, Parvati."

Harry flinched as he felt her hands grip both of his knees and push them apart. Clearly she had decided she was a Gryffindor. He couldn't believe this was happening. Parvati must have been rubbing off on her more than he realized.

She snickered at the look on his face. "Don't even think about running away."

Luna was staring interestedly between his legs. "Either Harry is much hairier than I remember or I can still see Hermione's head."

He heard a whimper, then the cloak engulfed the lower half of his body completely. Luna looked both pleased and disappointed.

He tensed as Hermione tentatively squeezed his erection through his jeans. She fumbled with his zipper for a moment, then slowly wrestled out his cock.

"Oh Merlin," he gasped.

Luna continued to stare between his legs. His entire crotch and legs had disappeared, covered by the cloak. Luckily for Harry, the bench opposite him mostly blocked that fact from everyone's view.

"I can't see anything," she mused disappointedly.

"You're not supposed to," Parvati whispered. "Just watch Harry's face."

He breathed out roughly as he felt Hermione grip his cock. Then he felt her tongue caress him. He grabbed both edges of the table, trying to keep a casual look on his face while Parvati and Luna observed him. Luna looked merely curious, while Parvati was grinning like a Cheshire cat.

"What's she doing to you, Harry?"

He swallowed. "I think you know."

He felt her tongue bathe his entire length before gently taking his head in her mouth and suctioning. Her tongue was so warm and wet, he almost whimpered.

"We need details," Parvati insisted, unable to contain her glee. "We can't see what's happening."

"I can," Luna responded casually. She had reached between Harry's legs and lifted the edge of the cloak, peering down at Hermione's efforts. To an outside observer, her hand would have appeared suspended above his crotch.

"Luna!" Hermione hissed. "What are you doing?!"

"Watching, of course."

She had no answer to that, and Harry groaned. "Let her watch, for Merlin's sake. Just hurry before McGonagall walks in here and castrates me."

Hermione sighed. "This is so depraved."

Parvati nudged her under the table. "It's bloody hot is what it is. Get on with it!"

He felt her muttering against his cock, then her mouth engulfed him once again. Harry fought to keep his eyes open and his breathing normal while she worked on him. It was all Parvati could do to hold in her laughter.

A moment later she teased the underside of his head with her tongue and then swallowed most of his length in one smooth motion. She began humming in the back of her throat, gently tickling him.

He nearly yelped in surprise. The silverware rattled on the table as he gripped it harder. It was too loud to be inconspicuous.

Parvati slapped a hand over her mouth as Harry attracted the attention of the kids at the nearby Hufflepuff table. They looked at him curiously and he gave them a strained smile. It was hard to look casual when one friend was giving you a blowjob and another was staring at your invisible crotch.

Mandy Monroe whispered something in disgust to the Hufflepuffs sitting with her, and they mercifully returned to their meal. But the little Gryffindor girl kept shooting him suspicious glances.

He vowed silent revenge against all the girls for this. He already had McGonagall, Mandy Monroe, and the school's portraits thinking him a depraved lunatic. He didn't want to add anyone else to that list.

"Go faster, Hermione. That big vein is starting to throb," Luna observed matter-of-factly, and he resisted the urge to groan in embarrassment.

Hermione did exactly that, gripping him harder and bobbing her head, taking in most of his length. Harry fought to keep his breathing under control, his knuckles turning white as he pressed his hands into the table. He had a feeling he was failing at looking relaxed.

Her efforts were making quick work of him. He could feel his abs contracting as orgasm approached. Parvati leaned in closer to look at his face, grinning devilishly.

"I can tell you're close, Harry. Try not to be too loud. Imagine what everyone would think if they knew Hermione was sucking your cock in public."

Unfortunately for him, Professor Babbling chose that exact moment to finish her meal. She walked toward the main exit, her path taking her between the Hufflepuff and Gryffindor tables.

She glanced sideways at him as she passed, then paused in her stride. He breathed in sharply when he noticed her attention. She frowned as she took in his pale, panicked expression. From her perspective, he was straining against the table as if trying to push it over while Luna looked at the floor beneath him and Parvati held her stomach and shook.

"My word, Mr. Potter. Are you quite alright?"

"Qu-quite!" he nodded. Hermione had bitten the head of his cock in horror when she heard Babbling speak. Unfortunately he had been on the very edge of orgasm.

The Professor took a step closer and looked between the three. "You are looking quite peaky. Perhaps you should see Madam Pomfrey after breakfast. It wouldn't do for you to make a mess in the Great Hall, now would it?"

"N-no, ma'am," he agreed, now sitting bolt upright as Hermione held his cock in a death grip. He had been so close to orgasm that not even a Professor's intervention could stop it. Any second now he was going to explode.

"Very well. Carry on then," Babbling acknowledged, finally walking away from the trio.

The rest of the hall had watched the interaction. Any gossip related to The-Boy-Who-Won was interesting.

Harry noticed their attention but it was too late to deflect it. His cock still held tightly in Hermione's hand, his orgasm overtook him and he began spurting wildly in release. His body tensed and there was a loud gasp beneath the table.

He desperately tried to keep his eye from twitching as the entire hall watched him climax. He held up a shaky hand in greeting, doing his best not to whimper. The smile he plastered on his face was creeping even himself out.

Parvati heaved with silent laughter, barely able to breathe.

The three Hufflepuffs glanced uneasily at each other and returned to their meals. Mandy Monroe stared at him as if he might start flinging killing curses at any second. The Ravenclaw kids frowned at him. He never did find out if he had attracted the attention of Professor Sinistra.

He was finally able to close his eyes as his body relaxed and the last vestiges of his release slowly dribbled out of him and onto the floor. Luna stared placidly between his legs while Parvati gave him a shit-eating grin.

"Wasn't that exciting?"

Harry couldn't think of a decent response to that question and ignored her. He glanced hesitantly between his legs.

"Hermione?"

There was an ominous silence beneath the table.

"You hit me in the face!" she suddenly hissed. "Oh, Merlin, my hair."

Parvati nearly choked trying to restrain her laughter.

"I swear to Merlin, I'm going to get you for this," Hermione threatened, not specifying who she meant.

There were several whispered 'scourgifys' beneath the table.

Harry winced. He could practically feel her mortification. She would no doubt blame him for this disaster, even if she had participated willingly.

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It had taken several apologies and a conjunctivitis curse aimed at Parvati for Hermione to calm down. She blamed Harry only for not warning her when he was about to cum, but there was little he could have done with everyone watching him. Luna's apology consisted of an offer to let Hermione watch her and Harry together, but she politely declined that invitation.

In the end she was too relieved that they hadn't been caught to let her anger linger. She did vow that she would never use his cloak for illicit behavior again.

When they had finally recovered from their rather remarkable lunch, the group scattered. Luna returned to Barnabas for more instruction, while Hermione went to the library to soothe her nerves for the coming ritual. Parvati walked to Hogsmeade to meet Lavender. Harry could tell she was up to something, but he couldn't guess what.

He had the afternoon to himself, and he intended to make the most of it. It had been months since he rode his broom for fun, and that was exactly what he would be doing.

Harry walked out of the entrance hall doors and bolted into the air. His heart soared with joy as he flew over Hogwarts' grounds, simply enjoying the freedom of flying. He traversed the edges of the Forbidden Forest, buzzed the towers of the castle, and flew at breakneck speed across the surface of the lake. He knew he might never do so again.

He darted toward the quidditch pitch and flew through the hoops, imagining cheers from the empty stands. He plunged toward the ground and then soared back into the sky, reliving days from his first years at Hogwarts when magic was new and he hadn't yet grasped how dangerous it could be.

He let out a deep sigh and hovered high above the pitch, taking in the entirety of Hogwarts' grounds. The afternoon sun was slowly descending, its light reflecting against the windows of the castle. It looked majestic and unsullied, belying the struggle that had occurred within its walls for the last seven years.

It was his only true home, and soon he would be leaving it.

But he wouldn't be leaving it by himself. He would be leaving it with friends, friends who loved him and had fought by his side. One friend in particular he knew would be by his side forever.

Hermione.

The past week had thrown his postwar life into disarray. There had been a few embarrassing mishaps, including the one at lunch, but his recent experiences had also provided him with some much-needed clarity. About himself. About his relationship with Hermione. About everything. And of course she had been there to help him through it.

At first he had been confused by her willingness to allow him to be with other girls. He was astonished and delighted, of course, but also confused.

Now he was starting to understand her reasons.

In some ways they were a mismatched romantic pair. She could be bossy and ambitious to a fault, with a tendency to overwork her brilliant mind. He could be lazy and headstrong, preferring direct action to study. Neither was particularly good at socializing or the rituals of romance, and they didn't do the same things for fun.

If they isolated themselves together in a teenage romance, while she was working like a fiend and he was busy being the hero of the magical world, things might become strained.

He suspected she had been aware of this for much longer than he. That's why she had been so tolerant of the other witches now invading his life. She was giving them both the freedom to grow into themselves without pressure. Harry felt the urge to whisper a grateful 'thank you' to her in the direction of the library.

In the end, he realized that it almost didn't matter how things turned out for them romantically. They shared a bond that went deeper than romance. Tonight they would formalize that bond with a ritual.

Parvati was right. They were a team, come what may.

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At last the moment of truth had arrived. The anticipation had built in both of them all afternoon, the awkwardness of lunch forgotten. Harry and Hermione were standing next to each other in the Room of Requirement, with a smiling Pomfrey and an expressionless Chatterjee looking at them. He no longer felt odd at having the two women stare at his nude body, a fact that probably should have disconcerted him.

Harry smiled with amusement as Chatterjee bent to draw runes on Hermione's stomach. She was gripping his hand tightly, shivering as the cold brush moved against her body. He could tell she was nervous, not just to be performing the ritual, but because she would be giving her virginity to her best friend. Her anticipation had only grown as she heard about each preceding girl's experience, and it was finally her turn.

Chatterjee moved on to his abdomen, but he ignored her to look into Hermione's anxious eyes. The whole experience was weird and new for her, but he had done this four times already.

Finally the elderly witch was done. They drank their smoking goblets and listened to her rather explicit instructions. Pomfrey told them both to visit her in the hospital wing afterwards, but they barely heard her.

When they were finally alone, the silence was almost profound. They stood and stared at each other for a long while. Harry wasn't fully erect for the first time in months, though that was a reflection of the rituals rather than a lack of desire for Hermione. His eyes examined her body from her feet to her hair, just as her eyes examined him. They weren't just looking at each other's nude bodies, but savoring every moment of this experience.

She cleared her throat and smiled. "This feels weird. I've built everything up so much in my mind that it feels like there ought to be a symphony orchestra or a marching band."

He laughed and approached her. He tucked a lock of bushy hair behind her ear. "If I do my job right, you'll soon be making enough noise for the both of us."

She blushed. "I might hold you to that."

He placed a gentle kiss on her forehead. "I keep my promises. Even Madam Pince will be able to hear you from here."

"Oh, Merlin, she better not. She might ban me from the library, and I'm only halfway through it."

Harry's eyebrows rose in disbelief. "That…that was seriously your goal? To read the whole damn library?"

"Well, it's a library, Harry. About magic. Why wouldn't I?"

He shook his head fondly. "You're either going to change the world or have a nervous breakdown, maybe both."

He ran a finger gently across her chest, teasing a nipple. She shivered.

"That feels good."

"I want to make you feel so good you can't stand it. You have no idea how much you mean to me," he replied quietly.

"I have some idea."

They stared into each other's eyes for a long moment.

"Thank you, Hermione."

She knew he wasn't talking about helping him with the ritual, or not just that. He was thanking her for standing beside him loyally for seven years, for everything she had suffered for him, and for everything she had done for the both of them.

"You're very welcome, Harry," she replied, her eyes shining. "You know how much I owe you too."

He nodded, his throat thick with emotion.

She squeaked as he suddenly picked her up in one smooth motion and carried her bridal style to the bed. He laid her down gently and stood over her, admiring the view for a moment before he climbed on top of her.

Their faces rose to meet each other, each seeking out the other's mouth. Harry gripped the back of her hair roughly and kissed her, trying to put every emotion he possessed into a single kiss. She returned it with as much passion as she could.

They pulled away panting, and he stared into her eyes.

"Whatever happens in the future, I want you to know how much you mean to me, I wouldn't be here without you. I love you."

Her eyes filled with tears. "I love you too, Harry."

He sought out her mouth again, and their tongues wrestled gently, each trying to convey the depth of their devotion to each other. Both knew that they weren't promising happily ever after, or even a traditional relationship, at least not yet. They also knew that what they were promising had already been fulfilled, for seven consecutive years.

He broke away to trail kisses along her neck, slowly moving to her collarbone. She ran a hand through his hair, waiting in anticipation as he moved ever so slowly south. He kissed the contours of one breast with his lips and teased the nipple of the other with a finger. She gasped as he took her nipple in his mouth and suckled it gently, caressing it with his tongue and seeking its approval.

"Oh, Merlin, Harry," she whimpered, both hands now roaming through his messy hair.

He continued his descent, teasing her belly button with his tongue and tickling the tiny hairs below it. He reached the edge of her pubic hair and nuzzled it with his nose, then spread her legs with his arms.

She moaned and lay back, opening herself wide to him.

"This is how much I want you," he whispered, and nuzzled his nose gently against her clit. He licked around its edges slowly, teasing it but not touching it.

He leaned further down to taste her lips, trailing his tongue along their edges, her wetness enveloping him. She was panting above him now. He couldn't help himself. He pressed his nose into her pussy and inhaled, reveling in the scent of her arousal. She bucked her hips into him, but still he refused to touch her clit.

Hermione moaned in complaint, and he gave her some relief. He rubbed the bottom of her clit with the tip of his tongue, and she flinched and grabbed his hair even harder. Then he massaged it for several long moments, his tongue manipulating the most sensitive spot of her body as gently as he could.

"You don't know what you're doing to me," she whimpered.

He gently pushed two fingers into her wetness, stroking her walls while still teasing her clit. She was soaked with arousal now.

"I'm…I'm about to cum, Harry."

He blinked, amazed at how soon she was ready.

"Cum then," he whispered, and blew gently on her clit.

Her whole body shivered. He kissed her pussy open-mouthed and pressed his fingers deeply inside her.

"Ohhhhh," she moaned, and he felt her contract around his fingers. She bucked her hips into his face until she was spent.

He continued nuzzling her with his face as her body recovered from its release.

"I could do this all night," he said, his tongue playing with the soft, tiny hairs on her outer lips, the ones she had shaved for him.

"You're welcome to," she panted softly, her hands still running through his hair.

He smiled up at her. "Oh? You want me to torture you with my tongue until you can't take it anymore? I still owe you for that stunt in the Great Hall, you know."

She returned his smile. "That doesn't sound like torture to me, but it's your turn to be tortured."

"I had my turn at lunch, in front of far too many Hufflepuffs. I'd rather make you cum over and over."

She moaned. "Oh Merlin. We've created a monster."

"You want me to keep going?"

"God, yes. Just…just don't touch my clit for a minute. Let it rest. Everything else is fair game."

Harry obeyed, teasing every part of her with his tongue. He massaged her breasts with his hands, savoring the feeling of her erect nipples poking into his palms. He loved feeling like he was in control of her body. It was difficult for him to resist touching her clit.

He could tell she was getting wet again when it grew pink and swollen with arousal, awaiting his best efforts.

"Harry, I had a thought," she breathed, her hands still caressing his hair.

"Mmmm?" he replied, his tongue tracing a long slow circle around her inner lips.

She cleared her throat. "Can you still speak parseltongue?"

He paused. "Er, I think so."

Hermione squirmed as he rubbed a finger slowly up and down her glistening lips, teasing her.

"I was wondering what it would feel like. It might come in…very handy…in the present situation."

Harry grinned and teased her clit with his thumb. "I could try. I'd have to imagine there was a snake between your legs, but that works. It could be a little baby cobra; complete with a hood."

She gasped as he rubbed his thumb along the length of her clit. "Or maybe some kind of flying snake with little wings," he continued, spreading her lips with his fingers and lowering his face.

"Let's find out." He spread her legs further apart. Then he pressed his mouth into her and hissed.

The effect was immediate. She twitched and stiffened, her grip on his hair becoming almost painful.

"Oh my God."

He chuckled and caressed her with his tongue, then slid a finger inside her.

"I'd say that was a success. Shall I do it again?"

"For the love of magic, please," she whimpered.

"As my lady commands." He hissed again.

Hermione grunted and arched her back, barely able to believe the signals that her brain was receiving from her body. He smiled and hissed again, this time with a definite goal in mind.

His tongue vibrated as he emitted one long continuous hiss directly into her core. An observer would have noted that the hisses had peaks and valleys and differences in tone. It sounded almost melodic.

She groaned and pushed his head further into her folds, completely undone.

"W-what are you s-saying?" she gasped, her hips writhing against his face as she turned her head back and forth, unable to process the overwhelming sensation.

He laughed, and that too came out as a hiss. Hermione wailed and gripped his head with her thighs.

"I'm singing 'God Save the Queen,' if you must know," he said with a delighted smirk. She didn't care whether it was true or not. She was too aroused to laugh.

"Merlin bless Her Majesty," she panted as he began 'singing' again.

He spread her legs again so she wouldn't crush his head, then he added two fingers to his efforts. He reached deep inside her and stroked her silky walls as he sang in parseltongue directly onto her clit, sometimes pressing it and sometimes just brushing it.

He kept his eyes on her face as much as he could. Her chest was heaving so much he couldn't always see over her breasts. She moaned and tossed her head back and forth, completely lost in what he was doing to her. It was the most erotic thing he had ever seen.

A pleasurable ache built up in his loins, rose through his stomach, and seemed to infuse his whole body. He felt a desperate desire to touch himself, but the urge to see Hermione lose herself to lust won out.

She was hyperventilating now as Harry worked his magic on her. She threw one arm over her eyes while her other hand grasped his hair, pushing his head into her. She whimpered and thrust her hips into his face every time he hissed. It looked almost like she was riding a bull.

Finally he let loose with an intense hiss of sustained power.

Hermione literally screamed.

Her hips bucked, her legs quivered uncontrollably, and her pussy gripped his fingers like a vice. He felt powerful contractions tear through her body and she grunted like an animal as the most incredible sensation in her life overpowered her.

He continued singing and stroking as she wailed and writhed her body against his face. Suddenly his face and mouth were flooded with a hot, sticky release as her orgasm reached its peak. He blinked in surprise but continued pleasuring her as she whimpered above him.

Finally she stopped trembling and collapsed against the bed, her legs spread-eagled in his face. Her arms moved shakily to her head where she covered her eyes with both hands.

"What the…fuck!?" she yelled to the room.

Harry gaped at her in astonishment and then started laughing. He had never heard Hermione say 'fuck' in her life. He wasn't sure it was possible. She scolded him when he dared to say 'ruddy,' after all. He had never heard a 'shit' from her either. He did recall a 'damn' or 'bloody' on rare, stressful occasions, but this was something else entirely.

Apparently parseltongue and cunnilingus shattered every vestige of propriety in her. He knew in his heart he owned her now.

She spread her arms across the bed as he stood up. She was breathing in great lungfuls of air and staring at the ceiling.

"What the...what?" she whispered.

She blinked rapidly as she became aware of Harry's laughter, her rationality slowly returning. She took a deep breath and licked her lips.

"Harry?"

"Yes, Hermione?"

"Were you trying to kill me?"

Now he laughed even harder, overcome by the look of total amazement on her face. She looked like someone had just told her that the last seven years, and the entire world of magic, was one long dream; that she would soon wake up as a muggle studying for her A-levels.

Poleaxed, he thought. That's the proper word.

She groaned and sat up, staring at him in wonder.

"I can't…I just…holy shit, Harry."

"Language, Hermione! I had no idea you had such a filthy mouth!"

She narrowed her eyes at his laughter and huffed.

"If you had felt what I just did…" she began, but couldn't finish. "Merlin."

Harry had never been more pleased in his life. There was nothing quite like turning his reserved, bookish best friend into a swearing, lust-crazed wench. He wondered vaguely if she would try to keep his newfound parseltongue skills to herself. He had a feeling Tonks and Parvati would discover them on their own.

She blushed when she noticed his amusement. "I have a feeling you're going to tease me about what just happened for the rest of my life."

"Looks like you have some divination ability after all."

She stuck out her tongue at him, then looked down at his erection and sighed.

"You've been sorely neglected so far tonight."

"No, I haven't. The only thing I want is to be inside you…well, that and to make you curse like a sailor again."

She snorted. She saw the mirth in his eyes and couldn't resist smiling. She looked down at his cock again.

"So what's stopping you?"

He raised a hopeful eyebrow. "Are you ready then?"

She met his eyes and nodded. "I'm ready. Let's finish it. Show me what your magic feels like."

She lay back on the bed and beckoned him forward with her finger. Harry took a deep breath and eagerly climbed atop her. They stared into each other's eyes, and both knew that the time had finally come.

He rested on his elbows and kissed her tenderly for several moments, before rubbing his cock gently up and down her soaked folds.

"Put it in," she whispered, her eyes staring directly into his. "I want to feel you."

He pressed against her until he found the proper angle. When he found it, he pushed in gently. She gasped as his crown slipped inside her. He sighed in relief. He had waited for this moment for so long now.

He slid into her slowly, inch by inch, savoring every second of the sensation, until he was fully sheathed. Hermione was now the fifth girl he had slept with, but he knew he would never forget this moment. He grinned at her and lay still, wanting time to stop.

She sighed as she felt him fill her and wrapped her arms around his shoulders. Her grin matched his. Both could see the satisfaction dancing in the other's eyes.

"All that you were hoping for?" he whispered.

"And more. Just go slow."

By unspoken agreement they continued to look into each other's eyes as he began slowly moving within her.

He had been so thoroughly turned on by pleasuring her that he knew he wouldn't last long. But that didn't matter. This wasn't about anyone's physical pleasure.

He began thrusting into her gently, giving her time to become accustomed to his girth. She was gripping him so tightly that it was all he could do to control himself.

She slowly relaxed under his gentle thrusts. He could feel her body adjust to him. He pushed himself up with his hands and looked down at her.

"Are you ready?"

She nodded and smiled.

Harry pulled himself out then plunged back inside her in one long, slow stroke. She moaned and found it difficult to keep her eyes open. He repeated the motion, watching her face as he penetrated her.

He made love to her in earnest now, tenderly and deliberately. He leaned down to kiss her, and she returned it lustily. Their tongues danced together, and each stroke made her whimper into his mouth.

He pulled away for air, barely able to breathe as desire for her consumed him. He pushed into her with urgency, wanting to feel every inch of her silky walls as he moved within her. She wrapped her legs around him, trying to draw him in deeper.

He looked into her face and saw that her eyes were closed. She was lost in transport and savoring every moment as much as he was. He knew he couldn't last much longer, but he wanted every moment of this experience to be seared into his memory.

"Look at me," he gasped, his thrusts growing increasingly desperate, knowing he was at the very edge of losing control.

She blinked and opened her eyes, dark brown meeting emerald green.

"It's almost time."

Each of Harry's thrusts became a little deeper and more urgent as he felt that familiar ache build. Her soft little pants when he filled her were driving him wild.

Hermione's eyes welled with tears as she looked into his. Their ritual, their ceremony, was almost complete. They would owe each other nothing now, but would be free to choose each other all over again, knowing that their demons had been exorcized.

"Are you ready for my magic?" he panted.

She smiled tearfully. "Give it to me, Harry. I'll never let it go."

He pushed into her with a rough thrust. His whole body shivered as his release overcame him. He pressed his body tightly against hers and came deeply within her, moaning with each spasm.

Their runes lit up as the ritual reached its climax. Both gasped in pain, feeling as if they were being set on fire, but they held onto each other tightly. It seemed to last an eternity, but they endured it, and when it ended, they were in the same position, Harry's weight resting on hers, and hers supporting his, both connected at their cores.

They smiled, looked deep into each other's eyes, and laughed.

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