Do not make money..on this at least! Please don't sue. Thanks to my beta writer for helping me. Love to all my reviewers!
Hermione thought that Draco's idea about the maps was the best thing she had heard in a long time and launched herself at Draco as soon as the two boys had finished explaining what they were doing in 'detention'.
The idea about the maps is brilliant! It is such a relief of having someone else thinking of good ideas as well as myself. Not that Harry doesn't come up with ideas it's just he is better at putting plans into action than making a working plan, Harry thought to himself, wait a minute that isn't my thought! Harry's startled expression was matched by Draco's alerting him that he wasn't the only one who had heard Hermione's thought.
They stared at Hermione as she turned a bright shade of pink in embarrassment. The three of them were still getting used to sharing their thoughts when they were in their wolf forms and to have a thought slip in when they were human was a new development.
I am glad I can come to your rescue and also supply useable plans. I really did think that I was just the pretty one in this group. Harry heard Draco's response to Hermione's thought loud and clear.
Ha ha, Draco. Make fun while it lasts. Harry thought at Draco, scrunching his face up in concentration. Are our thoughts always going to be broadcasted to each other? Because I don't want them to hear my every thought! This is a disaster! Harry started having a panic attack and couldn't keep eye contact with Hermione and Draco as his worries started to flow over all three of them.
"Block you thoughts, Harry!" Hermione finally shouted sharply. The harshness of her voice cut through the litany of worry that Harry was projecting allowing him to speak.
"I don't know how!" Harry whined. Harry felt like two giant doors had been slammed shut in his head and suddenly he was alone once again which made him considerably calmer.
"Don't you know how to protect your thoughts, Harry?" Draco asked too calmly.
"Umm, no?" Harry replied still trying to regulate his breathing from his panic attack, looking to Hermione for an explanation.
"Draco is talking about Occlumency, Harry, and before you ask I learned about it and how to do it from a book in the library," Hermione said, wearily.
"Neither of you have been taught Occlumency? That isn't right. All Slytherins have a basic knowledge and most have the basics down by the time they graduate. We are going to have to work on this, especially if we are starting to be able to share our thoughts when in human form," Draco said with authority.
"Ok, we will add that to our list of things that we are going to have to work on in the coming months," Hermione said taking control of the situation as she continued, "but first I have to tell you the status of the potion for the others to complete the ritual. The potion is coming along fine and will be ready for the next full moon. However the next full moon is the Thursday before Holiday Break."
"So what is the problem?" Harry asked, he was still able to feel Hermione's emotions even though he could no longer hear her thoughts.
"The problem is if there are any side effects, like there was last time, some of us will be gone for the few weeks over break and the pain of being separated will be sufficient," Draco guessed accurately.
Hermione nodded gravely and the three of them contemplated whether to do the ritual before the break or afterwards. Harry thought about the pressure and the need to have contact that the three of them had felt during the first few weeks after they completed the ritual and the dangers associated with letting the others go home to families that could sway them.
"I really don't like the idea of the others having all that time with their families to rethink their commitment to us," Draco stated.
"I don't either, but if we do the ritual and then the side effects happen, we will all be separated for such a long time, who knows what will happen?" Hermione argued, after seeing Draco open his mouth to reply she continued, "We can do the ritual immediately after they return."
"Immediately, Hermione?" Draco asked acerbically.
Hermione shot Draco a dirty look before replying in the same tone, "No Draco, not immediately because we would still have to wait for the full moon but as soon as that happened we would be good to go."
"How long after the break ends is the full moon, Hermione," Harry quietly asked obviously thinking hard.
"Umm…well it would be about three weeks considering they would get back just after the full moon," Hermione answered.
"Are either of you going home for the holidays?" Harry asked next.
Hermione and Draco shared a look of confusion as they couldn't follow Harry's train of thought but answered that neither of them were planning on going home for the holidays.
Harry nodded to himself coming to some conclusion before speaking. "We will do the ritual before the holidays. It's just too dangerous to have them go home and have time to accidentally let something slip. I believe I can deal with the side effects of the ritual for that amount of time if there are any."
"But, Harry…"Hermione interjected.
"No, buts Hermione, I have the responsibility of protecting us and I can't accept it if the others accidentally tell their families something that will harm us," Harry stated firmly.
"What about the side effects? I don't think either Hermione or I really want to see you messed up again," Draco added dryly.
"Well, I'm counting on you two to keep me occupied so I don't go crazy," Harry said with a flirty smirk to which Draco replied, "Oh I think I can think of a few things to keep your concentration on me."
At Harry's and Draco's blatant flirting, Hermione threw her hands in the air in a huff and said, "I guess that you want me to leave you two alone then and go let the others know of the time and place."
"Oh no, Hermione, you don't get to leave us alone. We did promise to never leave you out again and I intend to keep my promises," Harry said seductively before wrapping himself around her.
"The others can wait to be told of the time and place of the ritual, this can't," Draco whispered in Hermione's ear as he came around to her back to place feather light kisses on her neck.
"What can't?" Hermione asked breathlessly.
Instead of answering her verbally, both Draco and Harry thrust their pelvises against her so that she could feel their lengths through their robes.
Harry enjoyed feeling Hermione arching her body in reaction to Draco and his hip thrust. Harry caught Draco's eyes above Hermione's head and with an arched eyebrow challenged him to see which one of them could make her react and moan more. Draco smirked back and gave a little nod of his head in acceptance of the challenge set out.
Harry immediately claimed Hermione's mouth and kissed her with a soft passion. He peppered her lips with soft bites and kisses before using his tongue to delve into every corner of her mouth, like he couldn't get enough of it. He was rewarded for his efforts by Hermione leaning into him, sucking on his lower lip and softly growling when he tried to break the kiss for a breath of air.
Draco, not being one to turn down a challenge, lightly ran his hands up and down Hermione's sides while peppering her neck with soft bites and wet kisses. Draco quickly undid the buttons on Hermione's robe and slid it off her shoulders onto the floor. He let his hands skim over her breasts and down her stomach to the top of her pants. Draco's fingers dipped below the line of the pants and deftly traced her hips. Draco was rewarded for his efforts by Hermione breaking the kiss with Harry to gasp at the sensation of Draco's hands against her skin.
Harry chuckled internally at Draco's and his antics but after one look at Hermione decided that was enough of playing around. Harry really wanted to show Hermione how much she meant to him, how gorgeous she was and how much he wanted to worship to her. He met Draco's eyes again to convey this sentiment and as their eyes met he realized that Draco was thinking the same thing.
Harry once again claimed Hermione's mouth for a strong kiss but also moved his hands to the top button on her shirt. He slowly unbuttoned the shirt and with the help of Draco who was still kissing her collarbone slid her shirt off of her shoulders and onto the ground where her robe fell earlier.
Harry paused, stepped back slightly and took a moment to observe Hermione without a shirt on. What he saw had him gaping and completely entranced. She was wearing a practical white bra and to Harry, she was the most beautiful woman he had ever seen. He did notice that Draco had also paused to observe her and had a look of utter adoration on his face.
"Umm, guys, could you please stop looking at me like that? You are making me really uncomfortable," Hermione said while using her arms to cover herself before she started babbling, "I mean, I know you both were hoping for something more and I'm not wearing anything fancy…"
Harry covered her mouth with one of his hands and was about to speak when Draco beat him to it.
"Hermione, you are the epitome of beauty. Please don't cover yourself. Harry and I will try to not stare at you but trust me when I say wow," Draco said after forcing his eyes upward to meet her gaze.
Hermione looked shocked that anyone could think of her as the 'epitome of beauty' and looked to Harry to deny what Draco had elegantly stated.
Harry gave her a small smile before replying to her questioning gaze, "I feel the same way Hermione, you are gorgeous and I never want you to doubt your physical or intellectual beauty."
Hermione blushed and didn't look either of the boys in the eyes but let Draco and Harry slowly bring her arms down from hiding her chest. Harry kissed her very softly on the mouth for reassurance of his dedication to her. He felt Draco come around enough to kiss her on the mouth as well and moved accordingly to allow him to reassure her as well.
It was then that Harry noticed that Hermione's skin held goose bumps. He didn't know if they were from the sensation of the shirt falling or because they were still in a bathroom but either way he felt like they should be getting back to the Common Room.
Draco once again escorted them to their Common Room for their protection from Umbridge. Harry walked in the middle of them as they leisurely strolled towards the Gryffindor Common Room.
"Isn't it funny, how I am protecting you, Harry, when I am the one who came to you for protection?" Draco observed.
"Well, did anyone expect that the Ministry would be trying to take over Hogwarts just because they don't want to admit that Voldemort is back? I thought that we were just going to have to plan for the fight with Tommy Jr. here and not the Ministry as well," Harry replied.
"Umbridge and the Ministry might be our hardest opponents. I mean at least with Tommy Jr. everyone understands that he is evil and needs to be taken out. With the Ministry, it is public opinion and half the Wizarding World against you," Hermione stated.
"We have so many problems to deal with. We have to tie the others to us, learn how to best utilize the tie and the side effects that keep popping up, learn how to keep our thoughts to ourselves, train an army of students, take out Umbridge, not to mention stop Voldemort and the Death Eaters. Now to top it all off I seem to be at war with the Ministry and need to stop them as well all the while keeping the public opinion of me positive," Harry groaned, hanging his head overwhelmed with the many tasks he had to deal with this year.
"I do find it interesting being with you at this point. I had thought going to you for protection would be easier on me than going to the adults but you sure do complicate plans," Draco said with a wide smile before continuing, "And to think with all that shit that is coming at you I still wouldn't want to be anywhere else but with you two."
Harry half smiled and snorted as Draco's tone made it seem as if they didn't have a care in the world. Hermione laced her fingers in his hands and swung their entwined hands as they continued to walk before replying to Draco blithely, "I know what you mean, Draco. Every year I hang around Harry things go to hell in a hand basket so quickly but I still never wanted to be anywhere else with anyone else. The fact that we are tied in a romantic relationship with you is just the added bonus this year."
Harry shook his head but couldn't keep a smile from creeping across his face as his two mates sounded so happy even though the world as they knew it was crumbling around them. Hermione and Draco continued to merrily tease Harry about his bad luck all the way to the entrance to the Common Room.
"Can you two be serious for a moment? Things are overwhelmingly bad right now and I don't know what to do," Harry said in a serious tone.
Hermione and Draco shared a look before Hermione replied, "Harry, I know things are bad but we have to take each day at a time, one foot in front of the other, and we can do anything and everything we need to."
"Trust us as we trust you, Harry, and you will understand why we can laugh," Draco said as he continued, "Tomorrow we will spread the word about the time for the ritual, during the week we will continue to train, both our bodies and our minds, and we will start planning your revolution over the Holidays."
Harry looked at his mates and saw the trust and sincerity shining through their eyes. Harry took a deep breath, let it out and allowed a small smile on his face before saying, "Thanks, I really don't think I could do this without you."
"Oh, we know you couldn't," Draco said teasingly before kissing him hard on the mouth.
Draco let Harry go as suddenly as he had grabbed him and swooped in to kiss Hermione as well. Before Harry really could gather his wits again, Draco started to walk back the way they had come as Harry and Hermione were safe from the patrols.
Draco continued talking as he sauntered away as if he didn't just kiss both of them senseless, "I am also going to get you both out of your clothing over the Holidays as well."
Harry and Hermione both blushed bright red, and as Draco turned the corner, they looked at each other and started laughing before turning in for the night.
Let me know what you think, please! (To tell the truth I don't really like this chapter myself but it gets me one step closer to the other ritual so it must be done)