A Different Sort of Bond

DISCLAIMER: I don't own the Potterverse!

Author's Note: My thanks to my Betas. Edited on 05/28/2016.

Chapter 29

The next day their clothes arrived from their homes and were able to dress for the heat. The ladies all wore bathing suits. Ginny and Hannah had to borrow them from Hermione in order to do it, but fortunately she was close to their size. Everyone found something they could be comfortable in. Harry wore swim trunks and so did Neville. Daphne, Tracy, and Susan wore bikinis and the rest wore one piece suits.

The house elves managed to provide a large and tasty breakfast from the magically stored food. It included eggs, bacon, sausage, toast, fresh fruit, coffee, tea, milk, and various fruit juices.

"Well," Harry said after breakfast. "I've spent a semester doing self study and I'm not going to stop just because we have tutors coming next week." He stood up, "I plan to grab a textbook and get a jump on my classes, who's with me?"

Daphne looked at him and he said, "Just because you have to be in the room with me doesn't mean you have to study too."

Daphne snorted, "Fine. I have a free choice of my own. I'll use it to support your idea. Let's all go study."

"We'll agree," Neville said. "Right, Trace?"

Tracy nodded, "Yes."

Hermione said, "Well I suppose no one will be surprised if I agree as well."

Susan looked at Hannah who nodded then said, "We agree too."

Luna smiled, "Well I'm a Ravenclaw, we never turn down an opportunity to get ahead in class."

Ginny said, "I'm in."

Daphne smiled, "I think we should all go to my suite to study. More room and it's very comfortable."

Susan giggled, "And you'll be able to take off your bikini away while you study?"

Daphne took her top off, "Yes, I just got Harry used to skin. I don't want him backsliding. The rest of you can wear whatever you like." She stood, "Also in my suite I can brush my teeth before I study. Mouth cleaning charms are fine but I prefer doing it manually."

Harry and Daphne lead the rest back to their suite and once everyone was comfortable Harry had a house elf bring a bunch of different textbooks for everyone to choose from. Daphne, Hermione, and Tracey pulled three chairs into a corner to study the Runes book.

Harry had a thought and said, "Neville can you help me tutor Luna and Ginny on the stuff from the second half of Fifth Year? That way they will hit the ground running when the teachers arrive and catch up to the rest of us faster."

Neville said, "I doubt they will be teaching much Herbology so I'll just study on my own."

"You got an O in Herbology sure but you got E's in everything else except potions so you can help as much as I can in most subjects," Harry said.

Neville said, "Okay, I'll agree for everything but Defense. You pretty much taught the class last year so I will be paying as much attention as they are when you go over it."

Harry nodded, "Let's start with that then. You were both in the Defense association and did well. Anything from then you want to go over?"

"Not so much Defense as Charms and Transfiguration," Ginny said and Luna nodded. "Can we start with Charms instead?" Ginny asked.

Harry nodded, "Sure." He lead them over to the far corner from the other three and started answering questions with some help from Neville. As they broke for lunch Harry said, "Maybe tomorrow you can ask the others about Fifth Year Runes and Arithmancy."

Luna nodded, "Thanks Harry."

Ginny added, "Yeah, I think that helped."

Lunch was buffet style, with several different types of bread, a selection of sliced cold cuts, tuna salad, potato salad, and macaroni salad. To drink there was tea, coffee, lemonade, and pomegranate juice.

Daphne looked around after breakfast and smiled, "I was thinking of exploring this afternoon rather than studying. Anyone want to come along? I'm sure there are a lot of interesting things to see as we make ourselves familiar with this castle."

Hermione grinned and nodded, "Sure! I'd love to explore with all of you." Everyone else agreed as well.

They found all sorts of rooms, everything from standard seeming classrooms with chairs facing a desk to changing rooms with a row of lockers. They found a ballroom and a dueling room, a room full of mundane exercise equipment and a magical workshop. They found a library, sitting rooms, and just as they were getting hungry a formal dining room.

Daphne gestured for Harry to take the seat at the head of the long table then called a house elf to order dinner. The table had a dozen seats along each side as well as a larger chair at the head. The tablecloth was white satin damask with the pattern in silver. The china was bone white and painted with abstract silver patterns.

Hermione said, "These are Louis XIV chairs. See the carvings of lions and snakes in the wood and the general style. In white of course, although I think the all white and silver decor is a bit much. They even used some very pale wood, a type of oak I think, to make the chairs."

Harry smiled, "Next time I hire goblins to build a hideout slash school I'll hire you to do the decorating. That way we'll avoid faux pas like this." She flipped him an inappropriate hand signal and he laughed.

After dinner the others went back to the Potter's suite and talked.

"I'm going to go bathe," Hermione said. "Anyone want to come with me? It was nice yesterday."

"You all bathed together yesterday?" Daphne asked.

Luna nodded happily, "It was fun! They have a huge Roman bath in two sections. One room temperature where you get clean and a hot pool to soak in. All of us girls but you and Tracey went."

Daphne smiled, 'Sounds fun, but unless you make an exception for Harry I can't join you."

Ginny giggled, "Well I have no objections to seeing Harry naked but I think at least some of the others might." When Daphne gave her a look she grinned, "No need to glare, I know I have no chance with him. And probably never did but I can look right? You don't mind other women looking."

Daphne smiled, "True, I don't mind if you look." She looked at the other women, "I know Tracey won't mind, how about you Hermione? Or you Susan?"

"I might be willing to make an exception for Neville," Hermione said. "As he currently is, but not Harry. Sorry Harry, but that's not something I'm comfortable sharing with a male friend." Susan nodded at that and so did Hannah.

Hannah said, "I agree that I don't mind Neville although the hot pool might be too much for people that far along in pregnancy."

Neville blushed, "Thank you for wanting to include me but I don't think I'd be comfortable joining you. Mixed gender nudity doesn't bother me but if this is specifically a girl's night then I shouldn't go regardless of what I look like at the moment."

Hermione said, "I understand Neville. I just wanted to be sure you knew you'd be welcome." She frowned at Harry, "Unlike some people, I can be sure you won't be teasing us the whole time."

Harry grinned, "I didn't tease you the whole time, Hermione. Just most of it."

Hermione snorted at that and Tracey grinned. Then Tracey said, "If Neville isn't going I suppose I should stay with him."

"Nonsense," said Ginny. "You aren't joined at the hip. I'm sure he won't mind you having a night out or as close as we can get while we're here. We can float and gossip and ask you about what pregnancy is like. I want to get to know you better and I'm sure the other ladies do too." The other girls nodded.

Tracey looked at Neville who smiled and said, "Go ahead! I hope you enjoy yourself immensely."

She kissed him, "Thanks dear." Then she turned to Ginny and the girls, "Thanks, I'd love to come along."

Harry said to Daphne, "Sorry dear."

She hugged him, "It's alright Harry. Stop apologizing for things that aren't your fault."

Hermione broke the mood, "Well we have to go right now. How about Harry shows how to do a Patronus? He showed those of us in the Defense Association but we have a few new faces here and not everyone got it last time. How about it Harry?"

Harry shrugged and took out his wand, "Sure." He went over the things Lupin had told him back then and then said, "I'm not sure it has to be a memory. I think it's the emotion that counts. Anything that gets you feeling happy should work. But not just a little happy, so happy you feel like you're floating." He winked at them, "I've found fantasies of Daphne work best but you might need something different."

Luna grinned, "I don't know. That might work for some of us as well." She looked at Daphne, "Do you mind if I try that first?"

Daphne shrugged, "I don't mind. As long as you know I'm taken you can fantasize all you like." She smirked, "After all why limit it to just the boys?"

Tracey giggled, "If that doesn't work you can try me. I've been finding my own looks rather sexy lately." She leaned in and kissed Neville on the lips. He was stuck looking exactly like her until the baby was born.

Several girls giggled at that but Luna just said, "Thanks but redheads never did it for me. Blondes and brunettes only." She closed her large eyes for a moment or two then opened them and cast a bunny rabbit patronus.

Daphne looked surprised until Harry grinned and said, "Of course she could do that before. She learned in the DA."

Luna giggled, "Yes Harry but how do you know I wasn't thinking of Daphne then too? She is quite lovely you know."

Harry smiled, "She certainly is." He said nothing else as he watched Hermione and Neville produce an otter and a bear respectively. Hannah and Susan produced only mist in the DA but now the mist seemed to form halfway into an animal. "You're getting it!" Harry told them. "Just a little more practice and you'll have it." To Daphne and Tracey he said, "It takes practice to even get mist on the first try so don't worry if you don't get anything."

He and they were pleasantly surprised when they both produced strong jets of silvery mist. "That will protect you from Dementors and Lethifolds. Once you get it to take shape you can use it to drive them off you or others and take messages for you."

They all practiced it for a while then the girls, except for Daphne headed off to the Natatorium.

Harry smiled, "Okay, have fun you guys!"