WARNING - Cliffhanger ahead! If you do not care for cliffhangers, don't read - give it some time and come back when more chapters are posted. If you are particularly anxious and sensitive, wait until chapter 28 is posted. Just saying...
Disclaimer - I don't own Harry Potter. Really.
Now - Fun fun smut! And then ritual number two. And, as mentioned, maybe (definitely) a cliffhanger.
Chapter Twenty-Five
Adrian took Hermione by the hand and led her upstairs to the bedroom. Draco had an arm wrapped around her waist, while Marcus and Theo followed behind them.
"So, you're a task master in the bedroom, huh?" Hermione heard Marcus comment to Theo.
"I like what I like, the way I like it," Theo replied. Hermione could picture the grin on his face. Marcus' laughter rang out in the hallway and Hermione turned to see Marcus slap Theo on the back.
Adrian stopped in front of her door at the end of the hall and turned to Hermione.
"We know a bedroom is a personal space, but we hope you like it," Theo prefaced.
Hermione pushed the door open and stepped inside. What she saw took her breath away. It was the most luxuriously comfortable looking bedroom she'd ever seen. The walls were covered in a floral wallpaper of climbing cream and golden rose bushes on an ice blue background. The blue satin bed she'd found the other day coordinated perfectly. The bed was enormous, which she assumed was her wizards' doing. The thickest white rug Hermione had ever seen warmed up the walnut floors. The fireplace across the room from the bed was painted a bright white. Seating was grouped around the fireplace. She could easily imagine herself sinking into one of the blue wingback chairs to read.
"This is gorgeous," Hermione breathed. "I can't believe you all did this."
"Well, Susan helped a little," Adrian admitted.
"Open some doors, princess," Marcus instructed, gesturing to the three doors in the room.
Hermione went to the glass-fronted door near her fireplace and sitting area. The light coming in already told her that it lead outside. Opening the door, she saw that the strange, dirty narrow terrace that had looked entirely unsound was now a small oasis. Somehow, they'd managed to construct a new, larger terrace area. An area close to the door was covered with a canopy so she could sit there if it were raining or if she just wanted shade. A table and chairs were set under half of the canopied space while a very large hammock took up the rest. In front of the canopy was new space that housed a few lounge chairs for lying in the sun. Large planters were placed around the terrace, though they appeared mostly empty.
"There are things planted in those," Marcus explained as she peered into the dirt. "They just haven't grown yet."
"This is perfect," Hermione grinned. "I can absolutely see myself spending time out here as often as possible."
"Not a bad place for morning tea," Marcus said, smiling and draping his arm over her shoulder.
Hermione and her wizards went back into her room and she opened another door. It was a huge dressing room lined with cupboards and chests. There was plenty of space for all her clothes. There was a whole shelving unit for her shoes, another for bags, and small compartments for jewelry and other accessories. All of her things had been unpacked and they filled about half of the space.
"I have loads of things!" Hermione exclaimed. "I mean, I knew I had accumulated a lot of clothes and shoes, but I've never seen it all out in one place before. I never had this much storage, so I kept nearly half my things shrunken in small boxes."
"Now you can see it all," Draco said. "These drawers here; they're just for knickers and only half of them are being used. You know what that means don't you?"
"More room for socks?" Hermione said innocently, teasing Draco.
"If by socks you mean nylons with garters, then go ahead and fill them with those," Draco said, leering.
Leaving her dressing room, Hermione knew what would be behind the third door, but had no idea what it would look like. She opened the door to a large, window-filled bathroom. It had the same walnut floors that went through the bedroom and dressing room. An enormous bath sat near the windows, surrounded by marble steps. It wasn't quite as large as the prefects' bath at Hogwarts, but it was close. There was a large glass walled shower in a corner, two sinks, and all the other things you'd expect to find in a bathroom.
"I could swim in that tub," she said, still amazed by the space.
"If you want it, you'll have plenty of volunteers for company," Adrian said chuckling. "I myself love a nice soak in the bath. It's relaxing and a good place to think."
"I couldn't agree more," Hermione said, smiling.
"Come on, princess," Marcus said. "Let's get comfortable. You, Draco, and Theo have a bedtime story to tell us and I have a feeling it's a good one."
Hermione blushed slightly, but chuckled. Back in the bedroom, she excused herself and retreated to the dressing room. She had slept with all four of them in the bed after the first ritual, but she was so exhausted then that it was difficult to sexualize it. Of course, waking up with all those hands on her and Theo under the covers between her legs had been absolutely amazing. She hadn't had time to think about it, the feeling of it all was overwhelming. After that, she wasn't allowed to do anything with any of her wizards. By the time she was medically cleared, Hermione wasn't sharing the big bed with all four wizards. It made her nervous to do so now; nervous but excited. Of course, she wouldn't change a thing. Who would she ever send away? No one.
Instead, Hermione focused on changing her clothes. She stepped out of the sky-high heels Theo chose and set them on the shoe shelves with the others. Hermione spied a hamper and dropped her clothes in there. Standing in her knickers, Hermione searched out the drawer that contained her nightclothes. She found a thin silk nightgown that went down to mid-thigh. It was pewter grey and matched the knickers she still wore. Taking a deep breath, Hermione went out to face her wizards.
Draco and Marcus were both lounging in the bed, Draco lying down fully and Marcus sitting up against the headboard. Theo was standing near Marcus, putting his clothes down on a chair. Adrian walked over to her and took her hand. None of them were clothed any longer, but Adrian and Theo wore pants. She couldn't tell what Draco and Marcus had on, since both were under the covers.
"You look nervous, kitten," Adrian said, his brow furrowed. "It's just us. We aren't expecting anything from you. We just want to be near you tonight."
"We aren't going to jump you, shag you, and toss you back and forth between us, Granger," Draco said, patting the space on the bed between him and Marcus.
"Right," Marcus affirmed. "Not yet anyway."
Hermione laughed as Adrian led her to the bed.
"Just get comfortable, Mi," Theo advised, sliding into bed next to Marcus.
"I was thinking earlier," Hermione began as she crawled up the middle of the bed.
"You? Thinking? That's shocking!" Draco teased.
"Prat," Hermione scolded, swatting his thigh as she made her way up to the pillows. "As I was saying, I was thinking earlier about next week."
All four looked at her expectantly. She slid under the sheets between Draco and Marcus before she continued.
"I know the issue of Ancillaries is the big elephant in the room. I want you all to know that I don't like it anymore than you do. You four are the only wizards I want. Unfortunately, we don't know what's going to happen. Therefore, in the next week, I want to spend time with each of you individually. Not that I don't love being together, but I think one-on-one time is important, especially since we don't know how long we'll have."
"I think that's a wonderful idea," Adrian said, smiling. He got into bed on the other side of Draco and leaned against the headboard. Draco adjusted himself so he his head was resting on Adrian's chest. Adrian draped his arm over Draco's bare chest. They looked so comfortable with each other. Hermione sometimes forgot how long these wizards had known each other.
"Me too," Draco chimed in. "We could all use alone time with you."
"How about alphabetical order?" Hermione suggested.
"Flint, Malfoy, Nott, Pucey?" Marcus asked, grinning.
"I was thinking Adrian, Draco, Marcus, Theo," Hermione responded laughing. "But your way is good too. Why don't you four work it out amongst yourselves."
"Either way, I'm second, so I don't care," Draco smirked.
"We'll talk about it and get back to you," Adrian said.
"In the meantime, tell me my bedtime story, princess," Marcus directed, pulling her to him so she was leaning against his chest. "What happened last night?"
"Well, I had dinner at Malfoy Manor with the Malfoys and Theo," Hermione started, blushing. Marcus snorted and Draco chuckled. "When Lucius and Narcissa went to sleep, I had Draco and Theo to myself. I tend to get… carried away with Draco, but Theo stepped in and reminded me that Draco hadn't been punished for hexing Sasha at the pub last week. Of course, I don't condone that kind of behavior."
Hermione felt Marcus' chest rumble with laughter.
"So you punished him then, kitten?" Adrian asked, running his fingers idly along Draco's chest. "Or did Theo do it?"
"I punished him," Hermione answered, "but Theo helped me figure out what needed to be done."
"And what was that, princess?" Marcus asked, his voice low and rumbling. Marcus also began running a hand along her torso, his fingers splayed across her rib cage.
"Deprivation," Hermione sighed, pressing herself back into Marcus. "Draco was restrained. He could watch, but not participate and not touch himself."
"Mmmm," Marcus hummed and palmed one of her breasts. "I do love watching. What did Draco get to watch, princess?"
"Me with Theo," Hermione replied. Her voice was becoming breathy and she arched into Marcus' hand. She was so easily distracted by her wizards and Marcus had wonderfully talented hands. She looked over to Adrian and Draco; both were watching her with lust in her eyes.
"She was magnificent," Theo reported, sliding over closer to Marcus, so he could reach her as well. Theo's hand covered her other breast and Hermione moaned.
Marcus gripped her face and turned it to his. His lips crashed against hers. Hermione groaned and pushed against him harder. She wanted to devour Marcus. Theo caressed her and Hermione lost herself in the sensation of the two wizards. Marcus and Theo together was a dangerous combination. They were both so strong and forceful, but careful with her. They could both push her comfort zone, but she had faith they wouldn't push her too far.
Marcus pulled back and Hermione took a moment to catch her breath. Theo pushed her nightgown up and over her head, tossing it aside. He slid over so that he was positioned between her legs. Marcus was still behind her. Theo closed his lips over one of her nipples and licked. Marcus' hand found its way down between her legs to her center.
"Look, princess," Marcus said, his eyes focused on the other side of her.
Hermione turned to see Adrian and Draco kissing each other just as passionately as she had been kissing Marcus a moment ago.
"Merlin, that's hot," Hermione moaned, not taking her eyes off the two beautiful wizards. Theo was licking and nibbling at her nipples, going back and forth. Marcus' hand delved underneath her nothing knickers and was leisurely exploring her folds. She was getting wetter and wetter by the second.
"They like it when you watch them," Marcus rumbled in her ear, grasping her earlobe gently in his teeth.
"They are so lovely," Hermione groaned. Marcus pushed two fingers inside her.
"Last night, when you punished Draco by deprivation, did you ever touch him?" Marcus asked. "Did you stroke his cock?"
"No," Hermione whispered. "He came when I came. My magic made him come."
Theo bit down a little harder and Hermione gasped. She threw her head back and arched, pressing her breasts into his mouth even more. The pain laced into her pleasure was intoxicating.
"Poor Draco," Marcus commented, his fingers still plunging in and out of her at a steady, but slow, pace. He began licking and sucking on her neck. "That was a punishment. All I think about is how wonderful it is when you touch me, your hands, and mouth on me and on my cock. I wouldn't be able to bear the deprivation of having you so close and not touching me. Look how much he wants you, how much they both want you."
Hermione returned her gaze to the other two in the bed. Adrian and Draco weren't kissing anymore, but they were watching her. Draco's eyes were locked on her. Adrian was behind him trailing kisses along Draco's shoulder, but his eyes were also fixed on her.
"You are so beautiful," Draco sighed.
"Gorgeous," Adrian agreed. Adrian pushed the sheets down, exposing Draco. "Look at what you do to him, to all of us."
Hermione's hand immediately extended out to wrap around Draco's cock. Her fingers gently caressed him and he bucked upwards into her hand, groaning. She began to work her hand up and down his shaft, slowly at first. Then Hermione noticed that Marcus was mirroring her speed with his own hand. The faster she went with Draco, the faster he would go with her. Therefore, Hermione picked up the speed.
Theo grabbed her hand and Draco whined. Theo licked her palm and left a pool of saliva on her hand, and then he put it back on Draco where it had been. Draco whimpered at the new slick sensation and rocked his hips into her.
Hermione was panting and trying to concentrate. She was so close. Marcus was pushing in and out of her, his thumb brushing over her swollen clit each time. Marcus was also rubbing his substantial erection against her backside. Theo was sucking hard on one nipple while he pinched and pulled the other. Draco more than filled her hand and he was grunting encouraging words to her as he leaned back against Adrian. Adrian's hands were around Draco's torso, caressing him and rubbing his nipples, all while he watched Hermione.
"Come, kitten," Adrian purred. "I love watching you come. You look perfect in that moment, uninhibited and beautiful."
Finally all the pressure that had been building and building up inside her snapped. Hermione's muscles when taut and she clenched down hard around Marcus' fingers. She inadvertently squeezed Draco tighter.
"Yes!" she screamed. "Oh, Merlin yes!"
Hermione's magic shot out from her and disappeared into the walls. Her wizards each had his own release. Adrian squeezed Draco's torso harder and Draco roared. Marcus' hand on her hip gripped tightly and he swore. Theo threw his head back and shouted her name.
Hermione collapsed back against Marcus' heaving chest. Theo did the same against her chest. Draco and Adrian were panting and leaning heavily against each other.
"I'm sticky," Hermione finally observed when her breathing got back to normal. She was covered with come from Marcus, Theo, and Draco.
Marcus laughed loudly while Theo chuckled. Draco rolled his eyes and Adrian grinned at her, shaking his head.
"You're not the only one," Draco reported. "That magic of yours really wrings a bloke dry, and I have Ades' come all over me to prove it."
Hermione laughed.
"Don't pretend like you don't love it," Adrian teased, giving Draco's nipple a sharp pinch.
"He'd have loved it more if you were actually buggering him while Hermione played with his cock," Marcus told Adrian. Adrian laughed aloud and Theo chuckled. Hermione took a moment to imagine the two wizards actually having sex. She loved watching them kiss and touch. Her image of Draco inside her while Adrian was inside him was just as good, if not better.
"I do like attention," Draco smiled happily and lazily. "What's wrong with that?"
"Nothing at all," Hermione replied staunchly. She reached over and petted his face.
"No one here is surprised that you are a high maintenance wizard, who likes attention," Theo added, turning to face Draco, his head still resting on her chest between her breasts.
"I know we're all joking and teasing about buggering Draco," Adrian said, looking at Hermione seriously, "but, how do you feel about that sort of thing, kitten? Given what happened with the Weasel all those years ago, I want you to be comfortable. I hate to think my snogging Draco would make you uncomfortable or have you doubting my commitment to you in any way. I've already told you that you're the only witch I want."
"I know, Adrian," she replied seriously. "As I said before, we don't know what's going to happen next week. I don't feel entirely comfortable saying any of you must be faithful to me."
"We don't want anyone else," Theo said sternly. "All four of us are ready for, would welcome, a lifelong commitment to you."
"I'm just nervous," Hermione sighed. "I don't want to lose any of you."
"That doesn't answer Adrian's question about fidelity," Draco pointed out. "If it helps, just think about the next week. We can revisit the subject next weekend if we're lucky enough to be here with you."
"I would be honored to accept your fidelity for the next week and will promise mine as well," Hermione told them. She really wanted to keep all four of them to herself forever, but that wasn't entirely within her control. If she was bound to another wizard, she couldn't expect them to be alone forever.
"I've thought about my relationship with each of you, and I realized you all have long standing relationships with each other," Hermione continued. "I don't want to disrupt the relationships you all have. I feel like the relationship we all have together is... I don't know- it's hard to describe. You've all told me that none of you mind that I'm with the others when we've talked about it individually. Some of you even enjoy watching."
"I think we all enjoy watching," Theo smirked, rubbing his cheek against her chest.
"My point is that it's the same for me imagining any of you together," Hermione explained, running her fingers through Theo's hair. "I guess I don't think of you as mine, but that we all belong to each other - at least for the coming week. You all should spend time together without me, as you always have. If you want your relationship to have a physical component, anything from snogging to shagging, then I'm happy if you're happy. It's also incredibly hot to watch, not that I need to be there to watch for it to happen. But I don't want any of you to feel compelled to be together or do things together for my sake."
"We don't," Marcus confirmed. Theo nodded as well.
"Draco is a good looking bloke," Adrian said, grinning at his friend. "So are Marcus and Theo. Having them as well as you, kitten, is the icing on the cake."
"Don't get ahead of yourself, Ades. I haven't invited you to ice my cake, just yet," Theo teased. The other wizards laughed.
"I've got a hundred Galleons that says Theo gets curious about being with a wizard and goes beyond snogging within the month," Marcus said.
"You've got a bet," Draco responded, grinning devilishly. "It'll be much sooner than a month."
"We really are getting ahead of ourselves, but I read something to consider even though it may only apply to Hermione in the end," Theo interjected. Hermione looked at him curiously. "When a Sorcerer or Sorceress has had more than one Ancillary, the two Ancillaries were always described as very close. The literature theorized that the best way to support the Sorceress was to make a solid trio. There was never any indication of jealousy or preferential treatment among them. The magic picked the right people to bring balance and everyone was happy."
"That is nice to think about," Hermione nodded. She really hoped that her magic would pick well. "In this moment, though, I am still sticky and it's only getting worse."
"I think that shower in there is big enough to let everyone have a turn," Adrian smiled.
"Granger and I get to go first," Draco announced, dragging himself upward. "We're the worst off."
Hermione was so relaxed with Marcus under her and Theo on top, but eventually she pulled herself out from between them. She and Draco went into the shower first, but they weren't alone long. At one point, all four wizards were in there with her, jostling around, getting soaped up, and rinsed off. It was chaotic, but happy.
All cleaned up, Hermione returned to her dressing room and found a new pair of knickers – a real, practical pair. She put on an old comfortable t-shirt and climbed back into the middle of her bed, between four wizards. She kissed them each goodnight and settled down into the pillows. She was thinking that there was nowhere else in the world she'd rather be as she fell asleep.
OoOoO
Hermione woke up early Saturday morning. She had a little while before she had to get to Hogwarts, but not much time. She dressed in a loose top and cotton trousers. She wanted easy clothing in case she was injured again and it was hard to move around.
It was a beautiful morning and Nipsy brought her some breakfast out on her terrace. Hermione had tea and tried to eat, but her nerves banished most of her appetite. All of the stone planters on the terrace were brimming with plants and flowers that hadn't been there the night before. She made a point to apologize to Bobo and Poppy, or at least give them a nice gift since elves didn't take apologies well. The grounds were already a chaotic, neglected mess and her magic probably made it worse by encouraging everything to multiply and grow, even the weeds.
Hermione's new eagle, Emilia, alit on the arm of her chair and gave her a happy trill. Hermione stroked her head and gave her food from her breakfast plate. She decided to test Emilia out and Nipsy brought her a parchment and quill. Hermione penned a quick note to Molly and Arthur Weasley asking if they would like to have lunch or dinner sometime in the next few days.
"Ready, princess?" Marcus asked from the doorway. She turned to him, nodded, and tried to smile.
Marcus took her hand and led her back inside. All the wizards were awake and casually dressed. They walked out of the house mostly in silence and Apparated to Hogsmeade.
The little town next to Hogwarts was packed. The streets were crowded, but people made way for them. The crowds parted and everyone stared as Hermione made her way from the Hogsmeade Apparition point toward the castle. Marcus walked a pace ahead of her, glaring and looking menacing. Adrian and Draco were at her sides, while Theo brought up the rear. A few people shouted words of encouragement as she passed and more than a few took pictures. No one could follow them on the path to Hogwarts though.
Hermione noticed that the set up for the second ritual looked almost identical to the first. The ritual circle was in the middle and there was a tent on each side, as before. This time though, there was arena seating arranged off to the side for the students.
Severus had already been there for a while. He and Percy let her know everything was set up and in place. Hermione retreated to her tent for the cleansing ritual as before, again accompanied by her four wizards. Luna and Selma were ready for her inside. They disrobed her and cleansed her while her wizards waited and watched. It was similar, but slightly different. The tincture they used smelled strongly of lavender with notes of peppermint. Instead of leaving her skin a metallic bronze, this made her silvery all over.
Hermione stood naked by the fire to dry and listened to the others chatter and banter. Her four wizards, Luna, and Selma talked, laughed, and teased each other. Hermione was well aware that the six of them were making an effort to keep her distracted and entertained. It made her feel warm and fuzzy inside to know they all cared so much. Once the cleansing tincture had dried into her skin, Hermione put on a simple white shift identical to the one she wore last week. Dressed, she curled up between Adrian and Theo. Adrian continuously and unobtrusively fed her small bits of fruit and glasses of water to keep her strength up.
Finally, Harry came to the tent to let her know they had five minutes. He also told Hermione what to expect. The same people were there as were present the previous week. Healer Adams and Pansy were ready for anything. Minnie and Lucius had completed their cleansing rituals as well and had gone into the ritual circle already. They were using sage to purify the area again, as the centaurs had recommended.
The two centaurs had returned and the four Veela were there as they said they would be. The male Veela, Avian, created a bit of a stir since most people there had never seen a male before. Really, the only thing different was the presence of the students sitting in the tiered seating. There were about sixty students there, all on their best behavior and being quiet as mice.
All the professors were also present and closely monitoring the students. It was supposed to be a teaching experience. Hermione knew that all the students present had learned the ritual ahead of time, so they would be able to follow what happened. Lucius had promised to owl Minnie about the sky gift the night before, so everyone at Hogwarts should know about it.
"It's time, 'Mione," Harry finally told her. She took his arm and they left the tent. At the edge of the circle, Harry hugged her and whispered good luck wishes before he went to stand by his wife. Luna and Selma kissed her cheeks and found a place next to the Veela. Hermione idly wondered if lesbians found female Veela as enthralling as wizards did.
Each of her wizards stepped forward to kiss her, but no one really spoke. Hermione knew they were as nervous as she was, maybe more. They all were hoping for less violence this time around, but completion of this ritual brought them closer to the third one. That was when they could be separated.
"We're here the whole time and afterwards, no matter what happens," Theo promised, speaking for all of them. "Remember that we are proud of you and have faith in you. You are strong and we know you can do this."
Hermione smiled and nodded at them. She was a fighter, which was important for her to remember. Hermione Granger didn't quit and didn't slack off - she won. She took a deep breath, pushed her shoulders back, stiffened her spine, and stepped inside the circle with her head held high.
Hermione felt the shiver of magic go through her as soon as she entered. Minnie and Lucius stood opposite her in their elaborate blue robes with silver stitching and moonstone. The three of them formed a triangle within the circle. They looked over to Avian.
Hermione watched the male Veela step away from his three guards. His long black hair was restrained in an intricate braid down his back. He fluidly dropped his robes to the ground, leaving him in nothing but a pair of black trousers. Hermione heard awed gasps, mostly from the students, but not entirely. Avian was an impressive figure, tall, fit, and well toned. He turned to Hermione and bowed, holding the piece of sky in his hands. While he was slightly bent, a pair of enormous black feathered wings emerged from his shoulder blades. As soon as his wings unfurled, they moved powerfully to lift him from the ground. His bare feet were much more talon-like than they had been just seconds before. Avian ascended and then swooped down above the circle. He hovered at the very center, several meters up, and gently placed the ball of sky. He whispered something and the ball hovered on its own while Avian returned to his place outside the circle. Never having actually breeched the perimeter, the circle was well intact.
Hermione could feel the impact of the sky immediately. It wasn't overwhelming, but as soon as Avian left it, she felt a sort of hum inside her. She felt energized and ready for anything.
As before, Minnie and Lucius used their wands to ignite the ceremonial fire and begin the ritual. Hermione approached the potion sitting in the bowl on the ground. She was prepared for the taste and the lumps this time, but the physical effect was different. She was again knocked off her feet, but it wasn't due to physical pain. Instead, there was an overwhelming pressure pressing into her head. It was as if everyone in the world was performing Legilimency on her at the same time. She squeezed her eyes shut, grit her teeth and focused on regaining control. She needed to block and redirect the pressure in her mind. Hermione had no idea how much time passed, seconds or minutes or longer, but she finally felt like she had a tenuous grasp on herself.
Hermione dug her fingers into the ground to steady herself and said the first part of the spell, the part that would merge the earth magic with her mind. She stood up, a little shaky, and took the large pitcher of purified water from Minnie. This time Hermione sat down before pouring the water over herself and saying the spell to bind her mind to the elemental water magic, having learned that lesson last week.
Other than being cold and making her shift dress inappropriately see-through, there was no effect. Hermione smiled with relief. She still felt the pressure pushing on her mind, trying to get in, but she was able to keep her control. Her Occlumency skills allowed her to channel the pressure where she wanted, instead of being flooded. It took enormous effort on her part. She knew that she wouldn't have had the energy to do that and say the binding spells for the elements at the same time if it weren't for the piece of sky continually renewing and recharging her.
Hermione picked up the fire Lucius brought her and said the spell, again with no real ill affect. She could feel the pressure in her head increase, but it only took her a moment to adjust and regain control. Minnie and Lucius drew the necessary runes on her with ash. They had been saying their parts all along, also appearing to benefit from the Veela gift. By the third element last week, the two ritual leaders were hunched and exhausted.
Lucius made the entire process look effortless and didn't have a hair out of place. He was immaculately groomed as usual. Minnie looked chipper and ready to full of energy, as if she were ready to take on back-to-back classes of Transfiguration with first years. Logically though, Hermione knew differently. Both were expending vast amounts of magical energy, which was being replenished by the sky.
Hermione began the spell to merge her mind with the air. She lifted off the ground about a meter, but wasn't being tossed around by hurricane force winds as before. Unfortunately, she was being battered mentally. The pressure in her mind was becoming unbearable. If felt as if her thoughts were going to be swept away; she was barely holding on. She had to concentrate on channeling the pressure rushing around in her head, so much so that it took her forever to divide her attention enough to be able to complete the spell.
Finally, though, Hermione finished her part. The chaos was still raging around in her head and she was still hovering in the air, but it all felt manageable somehow. She knew that she could get down and rein in her mind when she needed to. Hermione watched a silver glow emanate from her skin. Last week, she hadn't been conscious to see the golden glow that signified the end of the ritual, but it was described to her. This silvery light glittered and danced on her skin. It was beautiful.
This was the end of the ritual. Hermione's eyes eagerly searched out her wizards. They were all beaming proudly at her. All she had to do now was the final spell to bind all four elements together in her mind.
Out of nowhere, Hermione heard a shout.
"Sectumsempra!" a shrill voice shrieked, breaking the reverent hush of the ritual site.
Hermione looked around for the source of the disruption. In that split second, she saw figures running toward the forest, but more disturbing were the looks on the faces of the people surrounding the circle, staring at her. They looked ashen and aghast.
Hermione felt something warm and wet, followed immediately by recognition of a searing pain through her torso. She looked down to see bright red blooming across the stark white of her shift dress. The red was everywhere. It was as if everything was in slow motion. She stared for a moment before she realized it was blood, her blood, and it was coming out of her at an alarming rate.
The same time the first few drops splashed onto the ground, Hermione dropped from the air and hit the grass hard. The chaos in her mind that she had worked so hard to contain spilled out everywhere, overwhelming her. This wasn't right, it couldn't happen. She had the final part of the spell to do. It was short, but critical. It would solidify the connection between the four elements and her mind. Without it, she would go mad, be a babbling idiot, or go into a vegetative state. Her last coherent thought was one of panic.
Next - What happened? Who did it? I know! Stay tuned.