A/N:
Written for Round 2 of the 2017 Death By Quill Writing Competition hosted by The Slytherin Cabal (18+).
The theme for Round 2 was TEMPTATION.
You can find the complete collection on AO3, there are some seriously awesome stories by very talented authors!
Thanks to my beta bentnotbroken1 for the invaluable help
DISCLAIMER: No copyright infringement is intended. It is all property of the awesome J.K. Rowling
"There is a charm about the forbidden that makes it unspeakably desirable" – Mark Twain
He could have avoided her. He desperately tried, too. But somehow, deep inside, he knew she was a collision worth having. For there's nothing we desire more than to be desired. Or maybe it's not desire itself that attracts us to the forbidden. Maybe we can't help but succumb to the unknown; be fascinated by whatever breaks our lovely routines. Maybe Twain was right, and there truly is a charm about the forbidden that makes it so tempting.
It was his stag night, and the boys had insisted on taking him to The Lost Paradise, which apparently was a brand new wizarding club in Diagon Alley that, quoting Ron, "You really must visit at least once, before tying the knot". So he did, a bit reluctantly to be fair. He had never been one of those boys with dirty magazines under his bed. He had been a little too busy trying to survive past his adolescence, so he missed that phase and he never developed curiosity towards strip clubs and the likes. His relationship with Ginny came as naturally as drinking a glass of pumpkin juice under August's blazing sun. They had their moments, mind, but after the war, they had almost instantly fallen into a comfortable routine.
Ron bumped on Harry's shoulder, shaking him out of his reverie. "We're here, mate."
The façade of the establishment was anonymous: red bricks and a black glass door. Harry stood there, in the middle of the street, staring at the building without making a move. Seamus and Ron, sensing his hesitancy, pushed him towards the entrance, where a tall and broad wizard cast a registration spell on the whole group and let them in without saying a word.
Once inside his jaw literally dropped. The club setting was a luxurious tropical paradise, with exotic flowers and plants that covered the walls and the occasional stream of water cascading into a clear and inviting pool. The bar was carved into what looked like an old and massive trunk, and there were lianas descending from the ceiling giving the place an ever more realistic vibe.
He threw a side glance at his friends, Seamus and Ron, who were nodding in satisfaction. Having already been there, they knew what to expect and were pleased to see the others' reactions. Neville and Dean were transfixed, their mouths as agape as Harry's.
"Come on, Harry!" cried Seamus, a little over enthusiastically, "We've reserved you a table at the front."
Harry followed his comrades, wondering what would expect him once seated. He didn't have to wonder for too long, and he most certainly wasn't prepared for the sight in front of him.
There was a very attractive and very naked blonde on the stage, dancing provocatively and flirting with a group of men seated not far away. Harry tore his eyes away, blushing profusely. He was soon to be a married man, after all.
Sensing his discomfort Ron leaned in and whispered: "A bit of staring never killed anyone, mate. My sister won't know, just relax and enjoy your last night as a free man. What happens here stays here, it's a rule."
Harry nodded to his best friend, then turned his attention to their table, on which rested a plethora of brightly coloured vials. "What are those?"
Seamus chimed in "Those, mate, are amazing cocktails. Each gives you a different effect…which only lasts 10 minutes or so," he added hastily when he noticed Harry had stiffened at the word "effects."
"Come on, try one! It won't kill you Harry!" eagerly prompted Ron, passing him a bright green vial. Dean grabbed a ruby one, while Neville settled for one containing a pale yellow liquid. Ron and Seamus smirked and both grabbed a deep purple one.
Ron stood up and toasted "To my best friend, who might have been able to defeat Old Voldie, but is still scared of pissing one Ginny Weasley off. Which is why no one will tell her where we've been, nor what has happened tonight. Deal?" he glanced around and everyone agreed. "Cheers, then! To Harry!"
"To Harry!" they all chanted before downing the contents of their vials.
Ron and Seamus' features changed almost instantly and they both became insanely attractive. Harry wasn't an expert when it came to male beauty, but he could tell that their cocktails must have contained a beauty enhancer or something like that since they were both better looking than usual. Neville was starry eyed and kept staring into space. Dean started singing aloud, with a deep and pleasant voice.
And Harry…well he felt…free. Invincible. Exhilarated.
The club was bloody amazing. Why had he even been scared of going there? The place truly was a paradise.
"This place is great," he shouted over the music "Who's the owner?" He asked in the general direction of Ron and Seamus.
"Oh, didn't I tell you?" replied Ron arching an eyebrow "Well, it's none other than dear old Draco Malfoy. He's making a fortune out of these clubs. There's at least one in each European capital!"
"Well, good for him! After all his efforts as a double agent during the war, it's good to see he's living it up."
Neville nodded in agreement, apparently, the effect of his cocktail had started wearing off. "Well, the developers of these cocktails sure know what they're doing."
"You mean the developer. Didn't we tell you?" Ron asked, again.
Harry shook his head "No, Ronald. You didn't tell us a bloody thing, apparently."
"Oh, well" he waved his hand dismissing Harry's scolding "No biggie. Anyway, the brilliant mind behind these vials is none other than our Hermione. You know, her potion company is doing really well, and Malfoy commissioned her the creation of his cocktail menu. And he paid her extremely well too!"
Neville and Ron then started talking about their friend and her achievements, and Harry tuned them out. He dared to throw another glance at the stage, and that's when he saw her.
She was Venus.
A wonderful Venus with long black hair. Black as a starless night and wavy as the cascades that surrounded them. Her skin was pale, even under the coloured lights, and her body was almost inhumanly perfect.
She had full red lips, and the most mesmerizing green eyes he'd ever seen.
When had Pansy Parkinson become so freaking attractive?
Harry was mesmerised by her body. She was beautiful in an unconventional way, her days as Slytherin's Pugface long gone; she had grown to be a sexy and fascinating witch. He was about to turn his gaze, feeling a little uncomfortable at his own staring, when she looked up and they locked eyes.
He could never have predicted what happened next, though. She gave him a sultry smile and started sashaying her hips in an extremely provocative way, then proceeded towards him. She was completely naked and her skin was covered with a shiny oil that, with the help of the lights, made her skin nearly translucent. The green and orange lights cast a tantalising glow on her thighs and he couldn't seem to look away.
Harry heard his friends whistling in the background, but was too caught up in her spell to really notice what else they were saying.
He could kick himself for acting like a hormonal teenager. As if he'd never seen a naked woman! Ginny wasn't one to beat around the bush, and they had discovered the joys of sex well before the wedding.
The Wedding. His wedding...which would happen in two days.
He had to stop looking at the naked witch dancing right in front of him, but he just couldn't. His body reacted to her in a way that deeply embarrassed him, and that betrayed his attraction.
She never stopped smiling. A knowing smile, for she knew she had him under her thumb. She knew how to tempt a man, and she was doing it well. It was just a game for her, and a part of Harry realised that. It was just business, and seducing The Chosen One was just like playing with a new toy. She was pushing him out of him comfort zone, ready to strike like the snake that she was.
Pansy put her hands on his chest, leaning in and whispering "A little bird told me you'll be off the market soon..."
Harry tried to back away, to put some distance between them. Her scent was even more intoxicating than her husky voice. He only had time to look around and notice, with a weird mix of horror and relief, that his friends had disappeared, probably roaming around the club, when she grabbed him and sat on his lap "Come on, Potter, I don't bite….unless you ask me to."
Harry gulped at the mental image she planted in his already confused head. He had to get away. He couldn't give in to her advances. He was to be married soon. He loved Ginny. He wanted Ginny. They had such a perfect, normal, quiet….boring life.
The realisation hit him like a bludger in the face. He would soon be tied to the same woman for his entire life. They'll probably have loads of children, and they will be together for the rest of their lives changing nappies and visiting the family.
Holy crap.
"Harry, Harry...you deserve a last night of freedom. No one would judge you...come with me" she whispered, grinding her body against his and causing his dick to get harder if that was even possible.
The wretched temptress!
But, after all, even the greatest men had given into temptation at least once in their lives. Even Dumbledore had when he finally got hold of the resurrection stone.
"And that cost him his life", a little voice told him.
Was it so wrong? To be weak for once? He had to grow up too quickly and too soon, what with being the Saviour of the Wizarding World...and he was tired. Tired of being Harry Reliable Potter. Everyone knew he would end up with Ginny. Everyone knew they would eventually get married and start a family.
Everyone expected it.
Then, why was he so torn? Did that make him a monster? Or merely human?
While he was debating with his conscience, Pansy took advantage of his internal conflict and grabbed his hand, helping him up.
"Come with me, Harry. I know you want to. What happens here, stays here...it's the rule" she said winking provocatively.
Harry let her guide him through the crowd of people, his gaze on her perfect ass, not really knowing what he was doing.
He wanted her. Merlin, he probably had never wanted anything as much as he wanted Pansy.
And she knew. She'd been teasing him the whole night.
There was just one word for what he was feeling: tempted.
"And when it comes to it, what shall we do...resist, or give in?"
The end.