Chapter 62: Through the Storms and the Light
"I think we should start to see what our connection can do for us," Harry said as Brogan and Ginny stopped their reading to look at him.
"Mind-blowing orgasms not enough for you, love?" Ginny said, her lips quirking upwards into a smile. Harry pulled a face at her to indicate he was serious.
"I've been reading about these bracelets, and…I think not only do they connect us, but they're also some sort of…" he paused, frowning as he tried to think of a word Ginny would understand. "Gin, you know how your dad loves plugs? Do you have any understanding of how they work?"
She nodded. "The um, the electricity, travels from the object the muggles want to use and er, it goes out the two little metal parts to where the uh, current is?"
Harry was impressed she had a pretty good grasp of it; more so than Ron seemed to, even. Brogan nodded encouragingly at her.
"That's fairly close. The power is fed into the object for use. To compare it to something closer to home, think of how we have magical power inside us. And our wands focus it, and then magic just…happens. Muggles discovered a way, well, I say discovered, but they were sort of helped by us, originally. Tesla was a wizard, after all, and Edison was rumored to have been a squib. Anyway, as we all know, they discovered a way to make things work without magic, but in theory it's a similar concept. What else do you think the bracelets do, Harry?"
"I think, from what I've read in here…" Harry paused and held up the book on the bracelets, "that they are also an amplifier."
Brogan looked interested in that, but Ginny only gave Harry a blank look and he knew he'd lost her. He wasn't sure how to explain it, himself.
Brogan glanced at Ginny as though feeling her confusion. "It's something that is used to make things stronger or louder, with electricity. Think of the Sonorous Charm we use. Muggles can use amplifiers in a similar way." Brogan turned back to Harry. "What do you think they amplify?"
"Us, our strengths. Our unique powers, whatever those happen to be. Here, listen to this," Harry paused and flipped to the part in the book he had just read. "The Ophidian Armilla will choose each ability that is freely given and will then grant each wearer its power multiplied threefold."
"So…the bracelets take what each of us has. Say, for instance, my protection abilities, your defensive abilities, and Brogan's…er…" Ginny paused and then blushed as Brogan laughed.
"It's okay, I don't really have any special talents," he said, his cheeks turning bright pink.
"No! You do. You are quick with your wand work, and you know it. I was merely floundering for how to categorize it," Ginny said, frowning at him. "You always sell yourself short. You're the transfiguration expert, remember? Neither Harry or I can change into an animal! You're a bloody swan!"
"Not sure that's a great use to us, Ginny-"
"Maybe it's his ability as an Empath," Harry said, interrupting. They both turned to him with mirrored, rather sheepish looks on their faces. Harry studied Brogan for a moment.
"I have always thought your greatest gift, Brogan, was your ability to calm us down when needed. Or the way you help us stay grounded. I can't speak for Ginny, but you've helped me that way especially. And I've seen you offer comfort in a million different ways to other people and not even have them realize it. You're like…a physical embodiment of a touchstone. Specifically for us, maybe." Harry saw Ginny nod her head in agreement.
Brogan blushed again, but for a different reason. He reached out with his hand and squeezed Harry's.
"So what do you want us to do, Harry? Put the bracelets on and see what happens?" Ginny asked after a moment.
Harry shrugged. "I think so. We train together with our wands, maybe we should start using the bracelets, too. See what happens."
"Has the book said it's okay to wear them? Well, obviously, you're supposed to wear them, but you know what I mean. Is it okay to just go around with them on?" Brogan asked, sounding suspicious of the idea. "Dylan always taught us to be wary of old magical items, especially ones as old as these are."
Harry paused before answering, choosing his words. "There are no real side effects that the book has mentioned so far. There's some rubbish about a true joining versus regular use and whatnot, but I don't think we need to really worry about that yet."
"That doesn't exactly fill me confidence," Brogan muttered as he took the book from Harry, starting to flip through it. He frowned as the text slowly turned back from English to Ancient Greek. They had discovered that Harry was the only one allowed to read the book.
"Where should we practice?" Ginny asked, and Harry could tell she was on board with the idea. Harry knew that his Ginny had, among other things, enough bravery and nerve for all of them combined.
"We could shrink the dining room table down and do it there. It's a nice, large, and open room," Harry said, thinking about it.
"Should we contact our next of kin first?" Brogan smirked, running his hand through his hair in a nervous gesture that Harry recognized.
"It'll be okay," Harry said. "I can't explain why I feel that way, but…if you can trust me…"
Brogan sobered and gave him a steady look. "Of course I trust you, Harry. And you too, Ginny."
They all looked at each other, and Harry felt as though something important had just occurred. He shook his head to clear it and stood up. "Should we do it now? See what happens? We've been reading for hours."
"All right, but if later we're all maimed and blown up, you'll forgive me if I said told you so," Brogan said as he stood as well.
"You only get one 'I told you so' in this relationship. Better use yours wisely, Brogan," Ginny said, wrapping her hand around his waist as she got up. "You might not want to waste it on it just being maimed and bleeding. Save it for something significant, like telling Harry off for not doing the laundry or something equally dire."
"Hah," Harry said as he joined them. "You guys fix up the space; I'll go to the bedroom and get the bracelets."
They met back in the now large, empty room, and Harry was impressed. Brogan had bracketed the sides of the area with large, padded "walls" in case anyone went flying across the area. Harry glanced at the outside view of the churning water, noticing the breakers were getting choppy.
He handed Brogan his bracelet and then Ginny hers. She looked at it, frowning. "Does it matter where I wear it?"
"Er, it doesn't say, but where else would you?" Harry asked, curious.
"It's rather small. I just thought it could fit around my ankle if need be."
"Let's just try the wrists," Brogan said. "Although, hopefully, my bracelet actually fits over mine."
Harry agreed. The bracelets did appear small. But he didn't want the wrong body parts involved. They stood in a triangle, equal-distance to each other, with Harry at the head of the triangle. He waited until they were both looking at him and nodded at them.
"Let me put mine on first to, er, well, the book implies that it will activate it. But if something dodgy does happen, then I'm trusting the two of you to get over here and save my sorry arse, is that clear?"
Ginny smiled at him. "Your arse is far from sorry, Harry. Just ask Brogan."
Brogan snorted but sobered when he saw Harry's look. The other man swallowed roughly and then nodded at Harry.
"Wait!" Brogan said as Harry was about to slip his bracelet on. "Is there an incantation or anything like that in the book that we should do first?"
Harry shook his head. "No, that was already done when their eye color was chosen by me. Once that was taken care of, we were good to go. Er, well, I think it also said all of us need to wear them together, the first time."
"And how did you chose the eye color again?" Ginny asked, raising her eyebrow.
Harry felt his skin heat. "My heart did, apparently. Without my knowledge."
"I think that's the most romantic thing anyone has ever done for me, Harry," Brogan chuckled. "Picking me to wear some possibly lethal jewelry that's shaped like a snake. Who needs an engagement ring?"
Ginny snorted and bit back a laugh. "I apparently do!" she said, giggling as she held up her hand.
Harry rolled his eyes. "Are you two quite finished?"
Ginny and Brogan laughed again and then sobered, nodding their heads. Harry sighed.
"All right, here goes." Harry slipped the green-eyed snake over his wrist and then waited.
Nothing happened.
He looked at Brogan to put his on, and the other man took a deep breath and did so. He flicked his wrist back and forth and then looked at them. "I think it resizes itself to fit, by the way. Neat little spell work, that."
Ginny waited for Harry to nod at her before she slipped hers on. The minute she did so, Harry felt his bracelet start to grow warm.
"Woah," Ginny said, sounding breathless. Harry looked at her, and he frowned as she seemed to grow blurry around the edges. His head and eyes gave a low-throb of pain, and he took off his glasses by instinct. He gasped as he realized he could see clearer without them on.
He looked at Brogan, who was frowning, looking at his wrist.
"Harry," Ginny said, reaching for him. Harry held out his hand and grasped her, still trying to maintain the triangle. A flare of power shuddered through them both, and Ginny shook her head as though to clear it. They both looked at Brogan and reached for him together.
Uncharacteristically, he squinted at them, and they both paused, not used to seeing that expression on Brogan's face. Harry wondered what was wrong, and then a thought occurred to him.
"You can't see as well, can you?" he asked the other man.
"Aye, it's the strangest thing."
"Here, try these," Harry handed the other man his glasses, who frowned at them. He shrugged and then slipped them on.
"Any better?" Harry asked.
"Somewhat." Brogan blinked rapidly and then gazed at them. "Actually, yeah, I can see better now. Does this mean Ginny gets your messy hair because, I have to say, she got the better deal."
Harry held out his hand again and noticed Ginny did the same. "Come here, Mr Hilarious-All-of-A-Sudden."
Brogan joined them, taking Harry's hand into his left and Ginny's into his right, and they all inhaled as the connection truly hit them.
It was the oddest sensation to Harry. He felt like he was outside of himself, looking in. He blinked as he gazed at himself and realized he was seeing himself as one of them. Feeling utterly mystified, he saw a reasonably good-looking bloke with messy, dark black hair, bright green eyes, and a crooked smile that made his heart beat faster. He gazed at Brogan, knowing that this was how the other man saw him.
Ginny was staring at Brogan too, her mouth hanging open slightly as though in awe. Harry was curious as to what she had received as her "gift". She turned towards him, the flash of a smile gracing her face. "I got his…oh, Brogan, do you feel like this all the time? Oh, my word. How do you even handle being around other people?"
"You have to sort of push it to the background," Brogan said softly. "Try to imagine pushing the feelings behind a wall or try stuffing them into a trunk or something. It helps if you visualize it first."
"What are you talking about?" Harry asked, looking between them. "What are you feeling, Ginny?"
"Absolutely everything," she breathed out, her eyes going wide. "Oh, Harry, you…have so much goodness inside you. So much power. It's all around you. Now I understand…I understand how you couldn't help but fall in love with him, Brogan. It's…" She paused suddenly and blushed a deep red color, her eyes turning toward Brogan again. "Oh, oh…goodness, that's me, isn't it?"
Brogan looked as embarrassed as Harry had ever seen him, but the other man slowly nodded his head. Harry felt confused and then Ginny squeezed his hand.
"It's alright, I'm just feeling what he feels. I've sort of been turned into an Empath, I think."
"You practically were one already," Brogan murmured. "But Gin, don't let it overwhelm you. Try to rein it back in."
Ginny nodded, closing her eyes briefly. She gave Brogan a small smile. "Merlin, you never told us you could see feelings, Brogan."
"Only powerful ones," the other man admitted. "Positive emotions are the best, of course. The more negative ones are…not quite so pleasing, let me assure you."
"So, I get his excellent eyesight, and you got his Empathic ability…what did you get from us?" Harry asked the other man.
"Your bad eyesight, apparently and…well…" Brogan paused, a smirk returning to his face. He then started looking down around his body. Ginny giggled when Brogan looked in his jeans. "Nope, I didn't get that. Damn."
"Oh, for Merlin's sake, you apparently got Ginny's…sense of humor," Harry said, staring at him, feeling nonplussed.
"Oh, please," Ginny said, snorting. "That joke was hardly worth one of my efforts."
"No, he may have something there," Brogan said, frowning. "It's more like a sense of…like I can do or say anything. There's no self-doubt…there's just a cheeky sense of nerve and determination. Also, I sort of feel an urge to fly on a broom, for some reason. And I never like to do that."
"I bet if you could right now, you'd see that your flying skills had improved by quite a bit," Harry murmured.
"That could be equal parts you and me though, Harry," Ginny pointed out. "You an excellent flyer, too."
"Let's try magical things. Brogan, using your new audacious and defiant Weasley attitude," Harry smirked at Ginny as she scoffed at him. "Try doing some defensive spells. Then try some protection spells."
"He was already pretty good at those, though," Ginny said, frowning.
"Okay, we'll do protection first then. I'll cast some spells without warning, and we'll see how he does."
"Hey, I didn't agree-"
Before the other man could finish or grab his wand, Harry hit him with a hair-growing jinx and was pleasantly surprised when Brogan not only blocked it but didn't use his wand to do so. Brogan stared at his hand and then raised his eyes to Harry's.
"That's what that feels like when you do that? That's…wow, what a rush that is."
"It didn't always feel like that, trust me," Harry said. "Originally, it was like pulling a heavy object out of water. Or trudging through treacle."
Brogan tried to cast something at Harry with just his hand and couldn't seem to do it. Harry had an idea he would only be able to use it protect and shield and not to cast. He looked at Ginny.
"Can you do anything wandless? Try to cast something fairly difficult," Harry said.
Ginny used her wand hand after a moment of thinking about it, and Harry and Brogan both were impressed with the size of her Patronus as it erupted into the space. The silver mare seemed to dance around them and then galloped off, shaking its head. Ginny looked at them, her eyes as wide as saucers.
"So, I got Brogan's empathic abilities and your wandless magic to help cast. He got the ability to shield wandless, and apparently, he got a dash of Weasley confidence as well, and you got the ability to see without your glasses, which is a weird thing, really, Harry. But what else did you get?"
"When we first all touched after the bracelets were on, I had the sense I was looking outside myself. Through Brogan's eyes. It was a weird sensation."
"Maybe that was connected to the eyesight thing, though," Brogan said. "As an Empath, I have always known there are two ways to see – with one's eyes, obviously, and with…"
"One's heart," Harry finished. He held out his hand again and pulled them both to him. He looked at Ginny, realizing that she looked slightly different to him. It wasn't anything he could put his finger on though, and it made Harry frown.
"What? Does Brogan secretly think I look hideous or something?" Ginny asked, seeing his expression.
"I do not!" Brogan interjected before Harry could speak.
"No, it's not that. But you do look different to me. I just can't seem to figure out why."
"Sexier?" Ginny asked, blinking her eyes rapidly at him, a devilish look on her face. "He hasn't known me since I was 11 and flat-chested, you know, maybe that enhances my sex-appeal in some way."
Harry laughed despite himself and shook his head at her. "You are on form today, Gin." He glanced at Brogan. "And don't you start, I don't know if I could take both of you being so dead funny."
Harry looked at Ginny again, trying to figure it out. She looked like his love, of course, her brown eyes bright and now, full of mischief. As he tried to figure it out, she laughed at something Brogan had just said, and Harry felt a bit moved at the sight. Ginny was brilliant. Harry blinked at them both, coming back to himself, and he looked at Brogan, understanding finally dawning on him.
"Ginny, you really don't have to worry ever again about how much Brogan fancies you. Trust me, he does. More so than he ever lets on. Because of me."
"Okay, this is just strange," Brogan said, looking a bit unnerved, finally. "I feel like you're both feeling things you shouldn't. I reckon we've all become used to sensing each other, but this is something completely different. Like my innermost…thoughts have been laid bare."
But Harry continued as though the other man hadn't spoken. "You hold yourself back from truly letting yourself feel for her. Because you don't want to make me jealous or overstep your bounds. I don't even think you know you're doing it anymore. You hold back from loving her as much as you want to. Brogan, there's so much…here." Harry touched his chest, feeling overwhelmed. Brogan's face had drained of its color, and he looked ill for a moment.
"Okay, let's take these off," Ginny said, and as soon as she did so, it was as though a part of Harry felt switched off. He watched as Brogan removed his, and the world shifted back into place.
"How the bloody hell is all of that supposed to help you defeat bloody Voldemort?" Brogan asked, sounding peeved. But Harry was still feeling an echo of the other man's emotions, and he realized something startling.
"You were never going to let Ginny go, in the end," Harry muttered. "You promised you would, but deep down…"
Brogan glared at him, a flicker of anger in his eyes.
"Shut it, Harry."
Ginny held up her hands in between them. "Harry! Snap out of it. Take your bracelet off. Brogan, relax. Take some deep breaths. Let's all just remember we love each other. We have each other. There is not a contest for who loves who the most."
Harry took his bracelet off and released a deep breath. He shook his head to clear it and gave Brogan a sympathetic look. "I'm sorry. That was…not good of me. But it was overwhelming."
Brogan thrust his glasses at him and turned around, walking over to the window. Ginny looked pointedly at Harry and tilted her head towards the other man. She looked in between them. "I'm going to go find something for us to eat tonight. If one of you wants to help me, I'll be in the kitchen."
Harry watched her walk away and then turned towards Brogan, frowning. He walked over to the other man, and hesitantly put his hand on his arm. He didn't push him away, so Harry figured that was a good sign.
"I really am sorry."
Brogan's blue eyes flashed at his, and then he grimaced. "Yeah, I know. Makes it hard to be mad at you, though."
They were both silent as they watched the waves out of the window. Harry noticed it was probably late afternoon, judging by the darkening light on the cliffs. The sight filled him with melancholy for some reason. He glanced at Brogan, remembering what else he'd felt.
"I…I like the way you see me, too, if that helps."
Brogan frowned at him. "What do you mean?"
"You see me as…a normal bloke, it's…it was nice. I mean, I didn't feel like Harry Potter, Chosen One, or The Boy Who Lived or anything. I just felt like Harry. And…I like that you think I'm quite fit and that you like my smile."
Brogan stared at him for a moment and then laughed. Harry grinned and pulled their heads closer together, let his lips brush against the other man's. But he knew he needed to make Brogan understand something. "It's fine if you want to…you can let her feel how much you care about her a bit more. It's okay with me. None of us should hold back what we're truly feeling. It's not…it's not good for you, in the long run, Brogan. I may have said this once or twice before."
Brogan sighed and rested his forehead against Harry's. "It's not like I care for you any less, you know, it's just…"
"She's Ginny. I get it, Brogan. Believe me. She's special."
"I think because, in the beginning, I hid how much I cared about her too much. It's almost second nature to me now. And…yeah, you were right. I didn't want you to feel like I was trying to step in between you two. Because I never want that to happen."
Harry kissed him again, the barest touch of their lips meeting, and then he opened his mouth, becoming more forceful until Brogan was moaning into his touch. When they broke apart, his blue eyes looked dark and beautiful to Harry.
"You're already in between the two of us, as it is, Brogan. That's sort of what a threesome is. And I think, as I have always said when it comes to you, that love is just…love. We each deserve to know it and feel it. Be yourself with her and with me."
"I'm trying," he murmured, pulling Harry closer to him, his hands settling around Harry's waist. "You always manage to surprise me with how much you just…understand."
"I had a good teacher, and speaking of which, she's probably going to poison our food if we don't get in there."
"Aye," Brogan agreed, and they broke apart, but Harry kept his hand in his and squeezed it. He bent to pick up the three bracelets, lying on the floor where they'd left them as Brogan started re-enlarging the table and putting the room back to rights.
One thing was certain, though. Like Brogan, Harry didn't have the faintest idea of how the bracelets were supposed to help him.
o-o-o-o-o
After they had eaten and talked more about the bracelets, they decided to not put them on again until they could do more research. They had also retired to the bedroom, and now, Brogan was quite happily enjoying the show of Ginny languorously riding Harry as he watched from beside them.
They had already taken care of him – earlier – the both of them had attacked him like two people possessed until he'd come moaning into Harry's mouth and had Ginny's sweet body above him, riding his mouth, her sex warm and wet against his tongue until she had finally screamed his name, holding onto the headboard of the bed with great force.
Ginny had then looked at Harry, a distinctly predatory look in her eye that Brogan rarely saw, and he lay back as she claimed the other man, straddling him and thrusting herself down onto his body as though she owned it. Her body moved slowly, undulating in a practiced rhythm, and Harry was merely holding on to her, watching as she let herself go. He realized there was something about Harry letting Ginny do all the work that was turning him on, and he was only half-surprised when he felt his own body start to respond to the view.
She raised her hands up to her hair, pulling it up off her neck, and Brogan let his eyes trace over the graceful lines of her, down to her breasts, which bounced with each new thrust she made with her hips. He had no idea where Harry was finding the patience not to push up into her; her body was magnificent as it fucked him, and Brogan could only murmur a silent thanks to Aine or whichever deity had made this his life now. Watching his two favorite people love each other was probably a better gift than actually being with them. But only just, Brogan thought with a wry grin.
As if reading his thoughts, Ginny turned her head and smiled at him, her brown eyes shining. She noticed he had started stroking himself and bit her lip, amusement cresting in her eyes. She looked down at Harry.
"I think he wants to join us," she murmured. Harry flicked his eyes to Brogan's and grinned.
"I want to watch Harry make your body shake, is what I want," Brogan said, getting up on his knees and moving closer to them. He kissed Ginny first, their tongues dueling, and she moaned into his mouth as he brought his hand down to her breast, teasing her nipple with the pad of his thumb.
He whispered what he really wanted to see in her ear, and she grinned at him. "Why Brogan, what a dirty, wonderful mouth you have."
"What'd he say?" Harry said from beneath them, and Brogan looked down into his bright green eyes, fully dilated and so breathtakingly beautiful that it almost pained his heart.
"He wants you to thrust so hard that my…what did you say? Oh, he wants my tits to bounce," Ginny said, sounding cheeky. Brogan kissed her again to shut her up, and she giggled against his mouth.
"That can be arranged," Harry said firmly, and Brogan sat back, giving the other man room to move.
It was as though a change came over the three of them as Harry adjusted his approach. His 'commanding' face, as Ginny liked to call it, settled handsomely over his features. Ginny made a breathless 'ooh' noise at the sight, and suddenly Harry was pushing up into her with force. She threw her head back, her hair falling down her back in a red flash of motion. Brogan gripped himself stronger and watched as they moved. Now it was Ginny's turn to just hang on as Harry took her, her body trembling. She brought her head back up and caught Brogan's eye, and arched forward. He moaned as finally, her breasts began to bounce in time to Harry's thrusts.
"Fuck," Harry muttered, holding her high on her waist. "You have brilliant ideas, Brogan. Look at her go." And indeed, watching Ginny go was, to both of them, absolutely fantastic.
Harry brought one of his hands down and started rubbing her, causing her to shake even more, and she was grunting, almost like an animal, sounding wholly gone. Brogan thrust into his own hand and met Harry's eyes, feeling as though a bolt of electricity had just shot through him. They were so amazing like this, just loving each other so well…
Ginny cried out and bucked, and Harry swore again, his movements becoming erratic. Brogan knew he was close. He lowered his head down and captured Harry's mouth in a searing kiss, and then they were both coming together. Harry's arms were attempting to wrap around him, to pull him closer. Ginny collapsed on top of them, her breasts warm hard peaks against Brogan's back. He had never felt anything sexier.
"Goodness," Ginny murmured as they all untangled. Harry sighed and reached out for both of them, and they settled into his arms. Ginny leaned across and kissed Brogan, pulling his bottom lip with her teeth. They looked at Harry as he happily sighed at them.
"I simply do not care; nothing that feels this great could be bad," Harry said softly. He turned his head and kissed Ginny and then did the same to Brogan. "You two are the best things that have ever happened to me. I feel as though I could power the world's largest Patronus right now, by the way, but don't let that go to your heads, at all."
Ginny snorted and buried her head into Harry's side, sighing as happily as Harry had. She reached out, and Brogan took her hand, linking his fingers with hers. They both rested against Harry, their bodies and souls together and at peace.
They must have all drifted off because it was dark in the room and a bit cold when Brogan awoke again. He shifted and pulled the blanket from the edge of the bed to wrap around them when he realized that Ginny wasn't next to Harry anymore. Frowning, he spied a light coming from under the loo door and got up. He put his ear against and knocked gently.
"Come in," she called out, and he opened the door, unsurprised to see her relaxing in the large, club-footed tub. She gave him a lazy smile.
"I got cold and wanted a bubble bath," she said by way of explanation. She held out a hand to him. "Come join me, Brogan. The water's still hot."
He nodded, and she scooted forward in the tub as he settled in behind her. The heat of the water made him hiss, but he soon got used to it, especially when she lay back against him, her breasts floating in the water in front of them. Brogan licked his lips and then kissed the top of her head. She turned and smiled at him.
"We've never bathed together," she said, gazing at him.
"No, only showered."
"Hmm," Ginny turned and then was facing him, and he realized the water was not sloshing over the sides as it should be. She saw his look and grinned. "I cast a spell to keep the water in the tub. A herd of hippogriffs could wash in here, and it wouldn't make a mess."
"And you're telling me this why, exactly?" Brogan said, raising his eyebrow at her.
"To let you know that we can do what we want?"
"Which is?"
"Have sex in the tub, of course," Ginny said playfully and nipped at him with her mouth. Brogan opened his mouth to argue with her – that is not why he had got into the tub, after all. He had been vaguely thinking of comfort, he reckoned, but her hand grazed his growing desire under the water, and he knew his words would fall on disbelieving ears.
"Hmm, feel how silky our skin is. Come on," Ginny said needlessly as though she thought she would have to convince him. Brogan reached out and touched her neck. Her red hair was wet and looked darker than normal, making her freckles stand out more than usual. He cupped her face, and her eyes fluttered shut as he let his other hand trace its way down her body. She was right; the water made everything feel like silk. They joined together almost inexplicably quick, with Ginny settling onto him with a sigh. He cupped her bum as she pushed forward, and he held back a moan, already feeling as though the hot water and her fantastic skin was going to make him come in two seconds flat.
"I know how much you love me," she murmured, resting her head against his. "I've felt it, and now, I've seen it. You can't hide it anymore, Brogan."
He had no words to tell her – he could no longer deny neither Ginny nor Harry anything. Indeed, he had an idea that he had crossed that line way before this. As he allowed himself to thrust up into her, Brogan wrapped his arms around her small body and held her close. They kissed, their mouths seemingly unable to get enough of each other, and when she cried out, coming apart in his arms, Brogan knew true happiness. He was the reason she was feeling pleasure, and he was the one holding her tightly, and there was something truly intoxicating about that as Ginny gazed at him. She allowed him to see her naked expression as she kept moving, and he was pushing up into her, and his pleasure practically steamrolled through them both. Ginny cried out again as they move, his name falling from her lips with reverence.
Brogan was unable to stop himself and simply gave himself to her, almost as surely as if he had opened up his chest and handed her his heart. To hear the woman he loved saying his name was a joy that, if he were honest with himself, he'd never thought he would experience in his life. But this girl, this woman, she not only loved him back, but she had accepted him in every way. She had invited him into their lives and shared herself and had allowed Harry and him to find each other…it was too much, sometimes, and Brogan felt powerless against it.
They finally settled, and Ginny stayed in his arms until the water started to turn cold. He lifted his head up from hers, and she smiled as she wiped at his face with her fingers.
"Why did you cry?" she asked, her voice full of concern.
"I didn't realize I had," he admitted, feeling undone. He looked away, embarrassed, and as always, Ginny understood that some things were too raw to talk about. After giving him a moment, she gleefully clucked her tongue at him.
"Tub sex isn't that amazing, Brogan. You should have seen Harry and me in the giant one at the abbey. Now that was something to write home about. Except, of course, I didn't. Because, ew, awkward. Dear Mum and Dad, Harry and I had mind-blowing orgasms in the water today. Why did you never tell me?"
Brogan snorted, feeling relief as always, that she had a particular way of making him laugh. Ginny slipped away from him, standing up and reaching for the towels. She handed him one as she stepped out of the tub, drying herself off. She turned to him when she realized he was still just standing there, watching her. He felt as though he needed to come clean about something else.
"What's wrong?"
"What Harry said earlier, about me not letting you go. He was partly right. There were parts of me that didn't think I could ever do it. There are parts of me that even think it now. I'm not strong enough, Gin."
Ginny got a tender look on her face and walked back to the tub, touching him. "I trust you to do what your heart knows is right. Besides, I think we know that none of us are going anywhere anymore. Us joining has changed things."
"How do you know that?" Brogan marveled at her.
She shrugged as she wrapped the towel around herself. "I don't know, but I just do. We've done something right, the three of us. Something Aine didn't see coming, I don't think. And I know Voldemort didn't see it." Ginny snorted at the thought. "He wouldn't know what to do with love it if it bit him on his sorry, snake-like arse."
"Hey, is bath time over?" Harry opened the door, looking disappointed. "Why didn't you wake me?"
"You were snoring. I thought it best that you stay asleep," Ginny said, going over to him. "You only snore when you're utterly exhausted. And you've been snoring a lot." She stretched on her tiptoes and kissed him. Harry responded by wrapping his arms around her.
"Aw, but I love you all warm and wet and bath-like," he murmured. He glanced at Brogan. "You didn't wake me either."
"Sorry, didn't know what I was getting into, in all honesty."
"Hmm," Harry said, fixing Ginny with a look. "Something tells me she wanted you all to herself, anyway."
Ginny grinned and mussed up Harry's hair with her hand. "Let's have a midnight snack, yeah? I'm suddenly hungry again." She slipped out the door, and Brogan felt uneasy until Harry smiled at him.
"It's all right, Brogan. One of these days, I hope you might actually start to believe me."
Harry started to follow Ginny out the door, but Brogan reached for him and pushed him against the wall as he snogged him, suddenly feeling the need. A few moments later, Harry gave him a dazed look.
"Wow," the other man said, taking in deep breaths. "Maybe I do like you not believing me, after all. That was some snog."
"I couldn't have you feeling left out," Brogan insisted, cupping his face. Harry's green eyes blinked at him.
"I don't. I know you love us both. Just like I know she loves me. And you. It's quite…remarkable, actually how okay I am with it. It must be because you tame my savage beast." Harry said the last bit with a smirk, and Brogan laughed as he felt something rub against him. Harry, who was, after all, still naked from before, looked down at himself.
"Well, maybe tame was the wrong word…"
Brogan smirked and took him in hand, kissing him again as he stroked him. "Think she'll mind if I help you out?"
Harry tilted his head as though listening to something and then smiled. "Just be quick about it, yeah?"
Brogan dropped to his knees and licked his lips. "Oh, no guarantees of that, Harry. I think you definitely need some attention here."
Harry moaned as Brogan started loving him, and it was good, and it was not quick, but it was definitely almost as fantastic as bathtub sex. Because hearing Harry pant out his name was also a gift that Brogan had never thought he'd be given, but now that he had it, he wanted it. For always.
o-o-o-o-o
The next few days passed by blissfully happy, at least for Ginny. They had decided to ignore the bracelets for the time being, and Harry was in good spirits if a little more tired than usual. He also claimed he thought he might need new glasses because he kept getting headaches from reading. But a pain potion here or there would soon have him back to rights, and they spent their evenings exploring different things with each other.
Brogan was like a changed man to Ginny – much more open than before. And he smiled at her more, and he touched her more often, and she decided she quite liked it. Harry noticed as well, and he approved, she knew. They both felt very loving towards the other man and wanted him to understand that he was a part of them now, in every way.
It was funny to Ginny how mere months ago, her thoughts had been anything but, with regards to Brogan. But she couldn't help it now. All she could do was to love them both to the best of her abilities. Which thankfully, they both seemed to rather enjoy. She felt like the luckiest woman alive, most nights, and even when they didn't do anything, they would lie in bed together, telling stories and try to make her laugh. Ginny wondered if they had made some sort of silent bet between themselves who could make her laugh the most. She had never known Harry to be quite so animated, nor Brogan.
She wandered out into the dining room, looking for Harry, who had been missing from their reading session for a bit. Not wanting him to think he could skive off entirely, headache or no headache, she found him in one of the bedrooms, curled up in one of the chairs, watching the ocean waves through one of the magical windows.
She stood behind him, and he glanced up at her. Harry smiled and reached for her, pulling her down into the chair so that she was in his lap. She giggled and kissed him.
"Are you okay?" she asked when she got a good look at him. He looked absolutely knackered. So much so that she briefly wondered if the library had any Pepper-Up potion stashed somewhere.
"Yeah, just tired of reading."
"You look tired in general, Harry. All the sex keeping you up?" Ginny smirked at her own double-entendre, and Harry made a face at her, groaning.
Ginny sobered and lay her head on his shoulder as he wrapped his arms around her. She listened to his heart beating for a bit, tapping her fingers in time with it on his chest. She raised her head and looked at him.
"More headaches?"
Harry shrugged and slipped his glasses back on. "I think having good eyesight, even for a little bit, has spoiled me. I can't seem to get used to wearing these again."
"As long as that's all it is," Ginny murmured, worried about him. She reached up and touched his forehead, her fingers lingering on his scar for a moment.
"It's not him," Harry murmured, nuzzling her.
"As long as you're sure."
"I am. It feels completely different."
"But you had a nightmare the other night," she reminded him, and Harry frowned.
"I did?"
Ginny pulled her head back to look at him. "You don't remember? You were crying out, although I guess technically, you didn't wake up. Brogan and I merely held you, and you settled down eventually. Is that why you're tired? Bad dreams?"
"I don't remember any bad dreams," Harry insisted, sounding puzzled.
"Well, that's good then," Ginny said. "It's always better when you can't remember them."
Harry gazed at her, eyes bright behind his frames. He touched her face.
"I love you, Ginny Weasley," he murmured.
"Of course you do, I'm pretty great," Ginny chuckled. Harry's hand rested on the Waystone necklace she'd taken to wearing again, and then he moved it lower to rest over her heart.
"I'm so grateful for you, Gin. For everything you do and everything you have done for me."
Ginny could tell he was in a pensive mood and rested her lips against his forehead. "I know, love. And I thank Merlin every day we sorted each other out. And then got ourselves sorted by Brogan," she said teasingly. Harry finally chuckled and shook his head at her. But then his look grew pensive again, and she had the feeling she wasn't going to like what he was about to say.
"If anything happens to me-"
"Harry! I will not have this talk with you," Ginny said, pulling back from him.
"It's a good talk to have, and you know it."
"If something happens to you, then it's going to happen to me too, you git."
Harry gave her a long and somber look. He finally sighed and put her hair behind her ear for her. He gently cupped her face and made sure she was looking into his eyes.
"All I was going to say is, is if something happens to me, don't give up. If there is one ounce of life left in me, I will fight to get back to you. No. Matter. What."
Ginny felt touched but also confused. "Why are you talking about this now, Harry? Is there something going on up here I need to know about?" She touched his scar again.
Harry shrugged. "I don't…that is…it's nothing that's happened—just a…feeling. But I don't know. Perhaps you're right, and I'm just tired, and my imagination is going to dark places. Forget I mentioned it. I'm sorry."
He pulled her into his arms and hugged her tightly. Ginny frowned but didn't say anything. They held each other until the candles in the room finally flared to life, indicating the sun had gone down. She stood up and pulled him to her. She kissed him, sighing as his arms wrapped around her waist.
"We're safe here, in the library. Nothing is going to happen, love. Try to relax a bit. Let's get Brogan to skive off reading too, and we'll pile up on the bed and just hold each other. Maybe get some food involved…"
Harry laughed. "You and your nutritional needs."
"I'm really craving popcorn, isn't that odd? I wonder if Brogan knows how to make some," Ginny said, trying to think if they even had any corn they could pop. She reckoned she knew what she would look for the next time one of them went to the shops.
"I'm craving some french onion soup, of all things," Harry said, sounding wistful. "The kind the elves make at Hogwarts. With the bread extra cheesy and extra crunchy."
"Followed by two large helpings of treacle, no doubt," Ginny said as they made their way back to the library.
"Well, I mean, the soup isn't that filling," Harry said, sounding defensive. Ginny turned and smiled at him.
"I adore the fact you have such a sweet tooth, love. It's okay."
In the end, they settled for vegetable soup made for them by Brogan and a fresh loaf of crusty bread that Ginny had baked. They settled into the bed, their bodies pleasantly full and minds at ease. They talked about what they had read that day, as was their custom, and Ginny forgot Harry's earlier seriousness. Because he seemed better after dinner, and when they all finally let their minds turn to more physical things, he was just as passionate and as loving as always. And Ginny went to sleep feeling as though everything was right and good with their world. But she really should have known better.
o-o-o-o-o
They were in the library when it happened. One minute, Harry had been laughing at Ginny's impersonation of Professor Trelawney, and the next, he was thrashing about on the floor. Brogan and Ginny both dropped their books and held him down. Ginny felt her heart start to beat too fast in her chest. She knew she was still protecting Harry. She could feel Aine's power encompassing them, but he was clearly being attacked.
Harry yelped as though in pain, and then Ginny felt a touch of it herself. Anger and hatred were forming around her from all sides, pressing in on her and overwhelming her. It reminded of her something she'd felt before. As though something was trying to crawl into her very skin and overtake her completely. Like the diary in her first year. Ginny moaned, trying to fight it, and didn't know she'd fallen on the ground too until she heard Brogan's panicked voice above her.
"Fuck!" he was saying. "Harry, wake up, come on, oh, bloody hell." Ginny managed to hold out her hand, and Brogan grasped it readily. She felt the hatred start to ebb away, bit by bit. The sense that she'd been falling under seemed to stop. "Ginny! Are you okay? What's going on?"
"Harry?" Ginny managed to grind out as she began to feel more like herself the longer Brogan held her. Harry had stopped thrashing next to them, and he was suddenly deathly still. Still in a daze, Ginny let Brogan pull her up, and then she turned to Harry, moving her hands over him.
"No, no, no," she heard herself saying. She gripped Harry by the shoulders as she stared into his green yet strangely vacant eyes. Harry blinked as though he wasn't seeing her, his face twisted into an ugly grimace.
"What's happening?" Brogan asked, looking down at Harry. "I feel…so much…anger around him. So much hatred."
"It's Voldemort. Somehow, he's…he's broke through my shielding, oh, Harry! Fight him!" Ginny swore as Harry's body convulsed again, longer this time, and then he was out cold, the rise of his chest barely registering to Ginny.
Ginny whimpered and then lay her head on Harry's chest, gripping him to her. She reached out with all the power she had, trying to find a small sliver of her connection to Harry. Ginny met Brogan's eyes when she finally lifted her head. "He's…he's gone."
"What? What do you mean, he's gone? Harry, come on, mate, tell Ginny she's crazy." She could see the disbelief in Brogan's eyes but she knew he was starting to feel it too.
Harry was indeed gone. His body was alive, she could tell, but his essence, his soul, whatever it was that made him Harry…it was just gone. And Ginny knew then that she had failed in her protection, and she let loose with a horrible cry, her heart breaking into a million different pieces as it shattered within her.
o-o-o-o-o
"He's not dead, he's just…not awake. It's sort of like a coma. Remus is trying to find a Healer we can trust to look at him."
"When will he come out of it, do you think?"
"I don't know. Ginny's almost as comatose, but I can't tell if it's because of what happened to Harry or if she was part of the attack, too. She won't talk to me, damn it."
"Well, where's Brogan? Maybe he can help."
Ginny blinked, but her eyes remained unfocused. She heard Ron and Hermione arguing, but it was as though they were very far away from her. There was a sound underneath her, and it was keeping her going – it was the slow yet steady heartbeat of her Harry. Her love. And she remembered what she had said to Brogan when it had happened - that Harry was gone. His body was here, safe…but everything else was just…no longer there. Because Ginny couldn't feel him. Not even as a whisper inside her own mind. Brogan had repeatedly tried to find a sense of him as well, and he hadn't needed to tell her that he couldn't. She had seen it in his eyes.
She heard a door close somewhere and heard people leaving. She let her eyes drift closed and took in a deep breath. The bed where they'd laid Harry shifted as someone lay down next to her, and she knew who it was without looking. The scent of him – slightly sweaty due to the lack of bathing and the faint smell of citrus that he always seemed to remind her of filled her senses. When she opened her eyes next, she was staring into his two blue ones, and he slipped his hand into hers.
"Ginny, can you hear me?" Brogan murmured, his eyes searching hers, for what, Ginny didn't know. Maybe he thought she was almost gone as well. She tried to focus her eyes on his. It scared Ginny how hard it was to do such a simple task.
"Brogan." She finally managed to croak out, her voice sounding scratchy. Ginny wondered how many days had passed since she'd last spoken. Or maybe it was just because of all the crying she had been doing.
"Thank Merlin," Brogan sighed, squeezing her hand. "You're scaring me a bit. I brought some soup for you to eat."
"Not hungry," she said stubbornly and tried to turn away from him, but he stopped her. He leaned forward and rested his head against hers.
"Please eat. Just a spoonful, for Harry. He'd want you to keep your strength up. Please, Gin. I can't stand to see you waste away like this."
Ginny swallowed roughly and finally relented, not because she was hungry but because he was right. Harry would not want her to give up entirely.
Ginny recognized that the soup was her Mum's recipe, but she had not seen her mother make an appearance so far. Or perhaps she had, and it had been when Ginny had finally drifted off to sleep once or twice. Not surprisingly, after starting, Ginny managed to finish the whole bowl. Brogan gave her a kind smile and took it away from her when she was done. He rubbed her back, and she scooted forward so that he fit on the bed behind her. She curled herself around Harry, and Brogan curled himself around her, and they both began another long vigil.
"Won't someone wonder why you're in bed with us?" she finally whispered. Brogan's hands tightened around her waist.
"The only people still here right now are Ron and Hermione. I think they're okay with it. I've been doing it most nights after everyone leaves."
Ginny started at that, not realizing she had missed so much. She turned and looked at him. "I'm sorry. I didn't know or even remember."
"You were always asleep because it's usually pretty late. It's okay. Your mind is someplace else right now."
"I'm scared that we can't feel him," she murmured, and he shushed her, putting his finger over her lips. He kissed her forehead.
"Just get some sleep for a few hours. I'll wake you before I leave, and maybe you could try taking a shower? But only if you want to, of course."
Ginny nodded absentmindedly. She watched him as he lifted her hair out of her face, his touch tender.
"Maybe you could shower too," she said, sniffing pointedly, and Brogan looked startled at her words for a moment, and then his lips twitched as though afraid to smile.
"Ginny Weasley, are you telling me I stink?" he finally asked, his voice low.
"Not in so many words, but I'm not the only one who hasn't been taking care of themselves. Your hair is almost as bad as…" Ginny's voice ran off, unable to say his name. They both sobered and then didn't say anything more. She stared at Brogan and felt a harshness in her throat as she swallowed. His eyes were sad, and she couldn't tell if it was sadness for her or for Harry or for all of them together. She closed her eyes, and they burned, as though they had been open for too long. She turned back around as Brogan shifted closer to her, and they finally fell into a fitful sleep. And Ginny dreamed of snakes and bracelets and a pair of almond-shaped green eyes.
o-o-o-o-o
Severus Snape was a complicated man. At least, that is what most people thought. To himself, he rarely considered it. He was as he was – his past bearing prologue on most of his harsh and brutal life. From the first time he had ever discovered right from wrong (and that delicious grey area in between where he spent most of his life), he had known he was destined for a hard life.
Perhaps it was because his father was a drunkard. Or that his mother had practically been a Squib by the time of her death. His father, entirely too Muggle for his own good, had all but squeezed the magic out of her with his rough, overbearing hands, and one could say his upbringing had been dismal at best.
It was no surprise to Severus when he turned to the Dark Lord as a young man – Voldemort was enticing in various ways to someone like Severus Snape. So what if his ideologies were racist and elitist? The most important thing to Snape at the age of 18 was power – who had it, how could he get more of it, and what could he do with it?
When he turned traitor and threw himself at the feet of Albus Dumbledore a few years later, he had disgusted even himself. But slowly and surely, he made a new life for himself – true, it was boring and rather mundane at the best of times. Teaching had never been something he'd even considered in his life – he hated children, for Merlin's sake, and yet he had steadily lived each year, forgetting his past like a bad story he'd once read that had happened to someone else. So what if the students called him the bat of dungeons and made fun of him? So what if the families of the fallen Death Eaters had treated him with disdain after Voldemort's first fall. He was used to walking the line between two worlds. He was used to being the indistinct grey shade between black and white.
Dumbledore had told him a time would come when he would have to decide between what was right and what was necessary. That it was to save the neck of the Potter brat was just one more thorn in Snape's side, but he was used to the pain by now. Severus knew what he had to do, and furthermore, a tiny part of him might even enjoy doing it.
He watched as his Dark Lord paced in front of the bubbling cauldron, the excitement on his countenance there for all of the other Death Eaters to see. Perhaps that was Malfoy sneering at him in jealousy, perhaps not. He knew Pettigrew was jealous; he could smell it radiating off the odious man from across the room. There were definite levels of resentful feelings in the rest of the room, and they were directed at him.
Because Severus Snape had done the one thing none of them could ever do. He had given his Dark Lord Harry Potter. And the Dark Lord was very grateful.
"You have done it, Severus. Where the others have failed, you have succeeded. His essence is lost; I can feel it getting weaker and weaker. And when it is gone, our connection will be severed," Voldemort paused, a glint in his eye at his word choice. "And then I will be able to finally end this."
There was a soft murmuring among the Death Eaters. Snape had to bite the inside of his cheek to keep from smiling. He merely bowed his head in reverence, knowing the Dark Lord would enjoy that.
And he did – Voldemort's laughter filled their heads, and some of the others blanched, and some of them swayed. Severus merely started counting down.
o-o-o-o-o
Author's Note: hi. Down here. *waves* Okay, I shouldn't have to do this but I'm reassuring people anyway. There is a method to this madness and no, this story is not going to continue on without Harry. Have faith.
