Author's Note:

Reviews and Comments: To alix33: Thank you! It was nice to take a trip down memory lane and I rather like the idea of them becoming friends. To Shrek: When they are ready. To scrappy8: Thank you! I love Theo being included in the banter! To Wolf's scream: Haha to saying giants are nifflers on steroids LOL. And yes, Harry is right about how much Hermione lets Ron think he knows his way around her, but Ron also knows his way around her pretty well. To Nuno Neves: Thank you! To Diane: The war is coming closer, but it's not quite here yet either, though the end of sixth year will bring about some big steps in that direction as we will see. Thank you for claiming the shower scene was some of the best smut I've written. To xXMizz Alec VolturiXx: Thank you! To Chintan: Hmm, you think Harry and Dumbledore will go to Fingal's Cave? Interesting. Of course, the diadem is already destroyed and Voldemort hid the fake one, remember. To GreatWheeler: Thank you and congrats for catching up! To Just William: With magic just like the lifts in the Ministry of Magic, though this one doesn't have a helpful witch to run it. To Jaqen H'ghar: That would be a twist, but no, Ginny will not be sharing Harry's broomstick with Theo or anyone.

To katie2001: Thank you! It was fun to remember Harry being younger. To ANewRanger: Thank you, Theo is pretty great in my opinion. To Nightwing2013: Yes, the wolves were eating the organs. Volk is interesting. We will see a bit more of him, but mostly just in passing. Theo's banter with Harry was priceless, I agree, haha. To WinkingSkeever: Thank you. To Steelcode: Lots of trouble obviously. And yes, Granny McG is the best! To pix25: Thank you. To Rusty-malla Hayek: Welcome back and no promises on who will and will not survive. Teddy will be coming. To Tiegdalewills15: Haha, Theo won't be opening his own fruit basket store. To Saz J: Happy to keep you company on the tube and I know you enjoyed the filthy Hinny moment the best. To speedsONEandONLY: Soon-ish. And yes, it was the most Albus has talked about himself, wasn't it? To Wren: Happy to tell you there is a lot more to come. To Shouldna: Me too. I think McGonagall telling Zee was just exactly what she needed without realizing she needed it. The twins are too young for the memories just yet, but they will one day.

To Seriously Sam: You're right, Slughorn would so like the prestige of it. And yes, Theo knows what his Hinny is getting up to, lol. To nothatchhavi: Thank you! I liked the hair washing as well. To AQuickRead91: Thank you and of course Ron's knowledge of things doesn't come from class! LOL To Dinovictor: I love Ron and I think he's an underrated character that needs to be appreciated so much more! To Prewishjay13: Thank you! And ha an avengers level army assembly, well, that would be pretty epic! To Pottermum: Thank you, I do love my sexy Hinny times. To Dannnn11: Thank you! It's nice to know you're enjoying it. And wow, "10x better than any Harry Potter fan fic you've read," much appreciated! To PadfootSimp: Enjoy the re-read! To Leapyearbaby29: Thank you! To PurpleLotus: Granny Minerva is definitely adorable! Thank you!

My posting schedule: Weekly.

Thanks to Dusk for her amazing editing skills.

As always, thank you very much for reading and please, please review!

Your reviews give me life! They give me inspiration! And they make me want to keep writing for more than just myself! Thank you for all of your continued support!

CHAPTER TWO-HUNDRED AND SEVENTY:

Harry bit back a yawn as he sat in International Magical Relations. He had stayed up late working on his History of Magic paper because Ginny had distracted him. Well, that was a lie — they had rather distracted each other. She'd sat in his lap where he'd been doing his homework in the common room to tell him something about Colin and the Herald and he'd ended up snogging her senseless for almost an hour.

It had taken Ron and Hermione to come back from patrol to interrupt them. Ron's gagging sounds in the background tended to make snogging a little less pleasurable. Ginny had nibbled on his earlobe, asking him if he'd wanted to go to the tower room and Ron had glared at them.

"Can't you two stop snogging for two seconds?"

"We can," Ginny said, sweetly. "But we really don't want to."

"I really do need to finish this history paper," Harry admitted.

"Harry!" Hermione exclaimed. "You still haven't finished that paper! It's due tomorrow afternoon!"

"Er… I've been busy."

"Snogging Ginny does not count as busy!" Hermione lectured. "Whatever happened to that homework planner I got you? Honestly, you need to sort our your priorities!"

"It's around here somewhere," Harry admitted.

"Yeah, at the bottom of the Black Lake," Ginny mumbled, her eyes sparkling with mischief.

"What?" Hermione snapped.

"I said, he does have his priorities sorted, I'm just the most important one," Ginny replied.

Hermione gave her a look. "And you with your OWL year!"

Ginny winced. "Okay, okay, we're homework bound."

Ginny kissed his cheek and unfortunately left him alone to complete his homework. He'd reluctantly watched her go and lost himself in his research as he tried to remember what his thesis was about. But it had been almost two by the time he'd gotten to bed. He yawned again as Professor Carthaginian lectured.

"If you remember, back at the beginning of the term we spoke about the Phoenix Initiative that was put into motion by the Wizengamot. This new bill speaks about the importance of allies. Over the course of our history, the Ministry of Magic has not always been good with keeping the peace when it comes to magical creatures nor with Muggles. As you know, Muggles once hunted witches and wizards, fearing us. The sad part was that most of the men and women executed for witchcraft were in fact not magical beings at all, yet many witches and wizards retaliated. Muggles were killed in a similar fashion and many witches and wizards were accused of Muggle-baiting. This was a large problem at one time, particularly in Eastern Europe. My sister and I saw a lot of it in Italy when were children as well."

"Professor, what about the giants?" Hermione asked.

Harry caught himself before his elbow fell off the desk, his eyes on his friend.

"What about the giants, Miss Granger?"

"Did the Ministry always treat them with such contempt?"

Carthaginian studied Hermione a moment, sitting up on her desk and crossing her legs in her skirt revealing her shapely calves. "Unfortunately, yes. It's a sad but true side effect of our culture. We tend to be hostile and ill-tempered with people or beings who we don't understand. The giants once lived peacefully all over the world. They had booming villages and communities. The human population was growing and in the need for space, the giants were pushed further and further away from their homes. As Muggles started to notice things, to discover more scientific knowledge, magic became a thing of the past. Witches and wizards had to be more cautious and with that, it meant many magical creatures had to go into hiding. Giants included. As the giants were pushed off into mountainous regions, high up and out of sight, their own space was limited. It caused in-fighting and the Wizard's Council was forced to step in."

"And they didn't help them?" Hermione asked.

Carthaginian shook her head. "The Ministry of Magic at the time saw it as an opportunity. They took more land, pushing the giants more off the grid and forcing them to fight each other just to survive. They lost their homes and their livelihood."

"Is that why they won't ally themselves with the Ministry now?" Mandy asked. "Because they still see the Ministry as a threat?"

"Partly," Carthaginian agreed. "But I think that a big part of that is the fact that there's one wizard who is promising them the freedoms that the Ministry can't grant. Freedom to roam the Muggle world, to choose to live where they like, to do what they like, and most importantly, to live as they like. That's a power in its own and the giants have always chosen the side that has the most power. It's how the Gurg is chosen. The giant who is the biggest and the strongest leads them."

Harry tapped his fingers on his desk before he shot his wand into the air. "Is that why no giants live on the Isle of Staffa anymore?"

Carthaginian's eyes twinkled. "Staffa? Well, it is an important place in their history. They once had thriving villages there, but it's too out in the open now. The giants chose to move on from that place themselves centuries ago. The Ministry didn't make that choice for them."

She hopped off the desk, pointing her wand at the chalkboard.

"Homework. I want you to write an essay explaining one way that you think the Phoenix Initiative benefits the world from the perspective of one of the new Ministry allies. Not just from the British point of view, but look at what we've been discussing with the International Confederation of Wizards and the cooperation among ministries in terms of hunting Death Eaters around the world. I want to know your thoughts. We'll talk more about it next week."

Harry grabbed his notebook and quill, thinking about Carthaginian's words. If the Ministry had never forced the giants to leave Staffa, then why was the cave still so significant to them? They had left of their own accord, but the cave was still vital and therefore it was important to Voldemort.

Harry wasn't sure why that thought bothered him, but he knew he was missing something. He just didn't know what.

~ ASC ~

Ron was staring at his notebook, not taking in a single word that he was reading. He hadn't been able to stop thinking about Carthaginian's words concerning the giants. He had grown up on the stories of Fingal's Cave. His brothers had made up stories of giants eating children and growing beanstalks high enough to touch the clouds, but no one ever talked about how the Ministry had helped decimate their population.

The cave had always been a mystery for both the magical and non-magical worlds alike. The shape of the rocks, the beauty of it, the causeway in Ireland that supposedly had once led to it… it was a mystery. If Voldemort had really figured out how to break that mystery, it was disconcerting to say the least.

He tugged the mirror out of his pocket and said his brother's name into it. It only took a moment for the mirror to come clear and for Percy's face to show up.

"Hey, Perce."

"Ron," Percy said, frowning. "What kind of trouble are you in now?"

Ron rolled his eyes. "How come I have to be in trouble to call?" At Percy's look, he spoke quickly. "Look, I just had a question or two. Do you have time to chat?"

Percy still looked suspicious, but he nodded. "Yes. I just got home. What's going on?"

"What do you know about the giants?"

"The giants?"

"Yes. With the alliance?"

Percy frowned. "We're working on gaining their trust. Agent Mitchell Hoffman of the newly coined Department for the Reconstruction and Cooperation with Magical Creatures is one of the only agents we have who speaks Jötunn. He's managed to recruit three giants to our side, but he's trying to make peace talks with the Gurg happen. As you know, the Gurg makes all final decisions for his tribe and right now he is remaining distinctly not interested in what we have to say."

"Is your department part of that?"

"Partly," Percy said. "I'm helping Jameson organize a party of agents from different ministries around the world to set up a conference and discuss their giant communities. There's only a handful of them left around the world and within those communities not much more than that. Jameson thinks if we can make peace with some of the giant communities around the world it might help sway us to the ones here at home."

Ron nodded. "I had a thought. Professor Carthaginian was talking in class the other day about their communities and villages and how they were pushed out of them. They live in the mountains now."

"Yes. They can hardly wander around London with the technology Muggles have nowadays," Percy exclaimed.

"No," Ron said. "But, they should still be able to have their own villages again. You always told me that the giants like to hoard riches. They have to have done more than that. Stone circles, ancient ruins… all over the world show what they did at one time, the things they built."

"It's part of the agenda," Percy told him. "We're hoping to convince them that we're willing to help them build villages again. The problem is to do so they would need a great deal of magic and because of our shared history, giants don't trust magic. But without it, they won't survive. The Muggles are taking over the planet from their flying aeroplanes to communication devices and without magic, they won't stay hidden for long."

"No," Ron admitted.

"Ron, while I admire your sudden interest in international magical cooperation with the giants, why are you asking all of these questions?"

"Fingal's Cave."

Percy sighed. "Ron, let the Ministry handle it. Study. Worry about school. Let the Ministry do its job."

"I am studying," Ron replied. "I just think that the Ministry should think about the history that the giants left behind. It might help them in their quest to change their allegiance."

Percy stared at him through the mirror for a moment. "You're right. It might. I'll mention it to Jameson."

"Okay, keep me posted, yeah?"

"Worry about school, Ronald. Let me worry about my job."

Ron heard a door open and close on Percy's end. A female voice rang, "Has Mr. Weasley been a bad boy at work again?"

Ron groaned. "Ugh, not you, too!"

"Got to go! Just study and don't do anything stupid!" Percy said in a rush.

When he was only staring down at his own face again, he sighed. Thankfully, Percy had shut the mirror off before he'd been subjected to that. He looked up at the movement on his left and his lips curved. Neville had Hannah pressed against a bookshelf, one hand on her hip, the other discreetly cupping her breast.

He was happy for his friend. It was nice to see that he was finally with someone who seemed to really like and appreciate him. Not to mention someone who baked the most incredible desserts ever. He smiled at the bushy brown hair that walked into his vision.

"Hi."

"Hi," she said, tossing her books on the table in the library. "I only found six books on life of Aldridge Cooly. How can this library not have a bigger selection on the wizard who created the Drought Charm?"

"Probably because he created it by accident," Ron said, taking her hand in his. "Flitwick is looking for a paper on how the charm works, Hermione, not a biography on the man who invented it."

Hermione blew her hair out of her eyes. "I like to be thorough."

"Too thorough," Ron said, tugging her down into his lap. "Take a breath."

"We're in the library," she hissed.

Ron pressed his lips to her neck. "Exactly. It's your favourite place in the castle."

"No, it's not," she whispered.

Ron kissed her neck again. "Second favourite then."

Hermione huffed. "If you're so smart, what's my favourite?"

Ron's lips brushed over the pulse in her throat. "Trick question. It depends on your mood. Most days, it's the library, but when you're feeling happy, you like to sit in the courtyard near the front of the castle overlooking the lake because it has the best view of the hills and the lake. You especially like to be there to watch the sun set. If you're feeling sad or lonely, you like to curl up in the alcove at the end of the hall by Gryffindor tower because it's just in the corner enough so that people don't see you and big enough for you to stretch out with a blanket and hide with your book. And lastly, if you're feeling angry and need to blow off some steam, you like to go to the clock tower where for some reason it calms you to watch the giant clock tick. Am I close?"

Hermione nuzzled her face into his shoulder. "Sometimes you see too much."

Ron's arms came around her. "Not when it comes to you." He pressed his lips to her hair. "I just talked to Percy, he said that Carthaginian is helping the DRCMC and the Department of International Magical Cooperation try to bolster peace talks with the giants."

Hermione lifted her head off of Ron's shoulder as her eyebrow rose. "That's great news! What else did he say?"

"Not much," Ron admitted. "I was hoping that he would have more information but he was all Percy about it."

Hermione chuckled. "I don't think that you can use your brother as a noun. The correct phrase would be he's Percying about it, which means you could use him as a verb."

Ron rolled his eyes. "Of course you tell me I'm wrong and then correct me. He was Percying about it then. Better?"

"Yes," Hermione said. "Though you still shouldn't use your brother as a verb either."

"Sure, I can," Ron said. "A great annoyance would be Percy whereas a great danger would be Ginny."

Hermione shook her head before she leaned in and kissed him. "Don't let your sister hear you say that."

"I just said that she's scary and dangerous, I know better than to let her overhear me. Anyway, Percy didn't say much."

Hermione stood up, moving to her own chair and opening her books. "Okay, well, I really need to work on this essay for Flitwick."

Ron moved his chair closer, resting his chin on her shoulder. "You need a break."

"I can't take a break when I haven't even started yet," Hermione said in exasperation.

"What do you call spending an hour in the stacks doing research if not work?"

Hermione chose to ignore this and focused on her books.

Ron sighed and leaned back in his seat, eyes on her. The more he stared, the more pink her cheeks became which told him she was well aware of the fact that he was staring at her. He glanced around. They were in a corner of the library, hidden behind the Charms stacks. Seeing that they were very much alone, he made himself more comfortable in his chair before he reached his hand over to rest on her thigh.

Hermione made no comment on this, so he gently stroked his thumb over her skin. She continued to ignore him, so he slowly moved his hand over her thigh, dipping down and under her skirt.

"Ron!" she scolded.

Ron kept his eyes on her as his hand moved under the material until his fingers brushed her knickers. He brushed his fingers over them again and again, noticing that each time he did, she grew wetter.

"Ron," she hissed. "We're in the library!"

"We are," he whispered. "So you better be quiet."

Hermione made to comment before he slipped under the table. She bit her lip when he hit his head and muttered 'ow!' but then she was looking around nervously as his big hands slid up her thighs, cupping her behind and pulling her closer to the edge of the chair.

"Ron," she whispered. "If Madame Pince catches us…"

The thought of being caught pleasuring her made him hard. He ignored her and instead slowly inched her knickers down. He moved his fingers over her in a teasing fashion and when he began to play with her clit, he heard her breath hitch.

"Quiet up there, don't want to get caught," he warned.

He let his finger slip into her wet folds as his thumb brushed her clit and she panted above him. He watched in fascination as her sex took his fingers without mercy and without even thinking about it, he leaned in and added his tongue.

The squeal she let loose made him rock hard. He pinched her thigh to tell her to be quiet and he gave her a sensuous lick. Merlin, he thought, this was definitely heaven. He continued to use his fingers, rocking them in and out of her while his tongue focused on her clit, unaware of how Hermione was dealing with this new sensation.

Hermione was doing her best not to scream.

Holy Godric did it feel good! His tongue was lapping at her in ways that she had only ever imagined and he was doing it right here in the middle of the library! She bit her fist to stop herself from crying out. His mouth was kissing her between licks and she shuddered at the sensation. She wanted to tell him to stop, to tell him that they had to do this somewhere else but instead she said something else entirely.

"More," she demanded.

Ron's lips tucked her clit into his mouth and she bit her fist as his fingers picked up speed in and out of her. Her thighs clamped around him and she grabbed her wand, placing a silencing charm on herself as the scream tore through her. She tossed her head back in ecstasy as she came, rubbing herself against her boyfriend, unable to stop as the climax rocked her. He pushed her knickers back up when he finished and slid back up into his seat, a satisfied smirk on his face.

"You know, I think the library is growing on me."

Hermione placed a hand over her racing heart as she watched her boyfriend open his notebook and start making notes and thought maybe the library might be her favourite place after all.

~ ASC ~

There was no sun in sight, and despite the air being pleasantly warm, it looked like rain. But Neville was determined to make this Saturday afternoon special. He set up the picnic he'd planned in his new greenhouse, carefully spreading out the large Gryffindor blanket he'd taken from his bed and setting up the food. He'd mentioned his plan to Harry who asked Dobby to help him. The elf had relished in the task and now he had thick ham sandwiches with melted cheddar cheese on warm bread under a warming charm. Sliced cucumbers, tomatoes, and pickles were on the side. He had two glasses of chilled riesling poured and some ginger biscuits.

His forest greenhouse was coming along wonderfully. With a little help of his wand, the saplings had blossomed into tiny trees over the last few months, some even reaching his waist. They still had a long way to go until they were tall enough to be considered trees, but they were doing great and the greenhouse looked wonderful. His hard work had paid off and even Professor Sprout had complimented him on his work.

Neville continued to work in the other greenhouses as well, working on flowers and plants. He was still working on crossbreeding for his paper and Sprout was very pleased with his success so far. The flowers hadn't quite reached the shade of blue he was hoping for, so he scooped up a handful of brightly coloured dahlias and poppies to make a bouquet instead. He had just finished setting everything up when he heard his name.

"I'm back here!" Neville called out.

Hannah came around the little trees and her eyes widened. "Neville, what's this?"

He grinned and handed her the flowers. "Hi. I thought we could have a picnic. These are for you."

Hannah buried her nose in the flowers. "They're so beautiful. This is so sweet of you and unnecessary."

Neville urged her to sit down as he stretched out next to her, his long legs crossed at the ankle. "I thought we could both use the break from homework. Exams start in two weeks and I know I could use the break."

Hannah smelt the flowers again, a soft smile on her face. Neville took a moment to admire her as she stretched her legs out next to his. She was wearing a spring short-sleeve button-down dress that was pink with flowers all over it. It went just past her knees and had a v-neck cut just enough to give him a glimpse of a swell of breast. Her blonde hair waved over her shoulders, partially pulled back with a silver barrette.

"You look beautiful."

She blushed, placing the flowers on the blanket next to her. "This is so sweet of you, Neville."

"I just wanted to spend some more time with you," he said, passing her the plate. "Lunch is served."

Hannah accepted the plate with a smile and dug in. "Were you thinking of doing the picnic outside?"

"Until I saw the rain," he replied. "I thought in here would work. Professor Sprout never comes in here."

Hannah nibbled on her sandwich, her eyes on him. He passed her the glass of riesling with a smile. She took it from him, leaning in and kissing his lips.

Neville's hand cupped her cheek, gently tangling in her hair as they kissed. When she pulled away, her blue eyes were twinkling at him. "So, you like my idea then?"

"Yes," she said. "It's perfect."

He grinned and pecked her lips once more. "How did your test go?"

"My Apparition test? It went good. I passed. Are you upset that you have to wait?"

"Nah, Harry and I are going to go together this summer."

"It's a queer feeling, to Apparate, isn't it?"

"Definitely," he agreed. "But I think you get used to it."

She made a sound of agreement. "You won't be the only ones, you know. Ron and Justin both failed."

"Ron failed?"

Hannah nodded. "It's kind of funny, actually. He did it perfectly, except for his left eyebrow." She snickered. "It was entertaining. Justin just failed. He couldn't do more than flash in and out. He never actually moved."

"Ah well, at least Ron knows what he's doing. He'll have to come with us on Harry's birthday then."

"Guess so," Hannah said.

Neville smiled. "So, your fairy cakes were a huge success. In fact, I'd say they were the talk of the party."

"That's an exaggeration, but people did seem to like them."

"Ron had six."

"Ron eats everything," Hannah said. "He hardly counts."

Neville chuckled. "True, but they really were a hit."

Hannah took a sip of her riesling. "A few people asked me if I take commissions."

"See!"

She smiled. "I said yes and I have a few things lined up. A few cakes and biscuit orders for dates and such. I might even have some to do during the summer. Nothing special."

"But it's a start," he said. "It gives you a reason to bake more."

"Yes," she agreed. "Thank you for encouraging me."

"I'm happy too, especially if I get to eat the result."

Hannah's lips curved. "That I can promise."

Neville watched her as she ate. "So, what are your plans for the summer?"

She shrugged. "Nothing really, I suppose. I'm hoping to work again. Last summer I was a waitress at The Leaky Cauldron. Tom said that if I wanted to come back he would let me. You?"

"Nothing really," he repeated. "I was hoping to spend some time with you."

"I'd like that," Hannah said. "Would you let me meet your gran?"

"You'd want to?"

"Yes," she told him. "You're always talking about her and I think I'd like to see this formidable woman whom you admire."

"Whom I'm mostly scared of," he corrected.

Hannah's lips curved. "Liar."

Neville's fingers twined with hers. "I'm not lying. She's a scary woman sometimes, especially when she's angry. But yes, I do admire her and I'd love for you to meet her. You'll have to come stay with me for a bit."

"I don't know if my mum would like that," Hannah told him. "Staying with my boyfriend? Very scandalous."

Neville kissed her fingers. "I'll convince her of my good intentions."

"No! Really, Neville, that won't be necessary," Hannah, said in a rushed tone. "I do want to spend time with you this summer. I'll be there!"

She leaned towards him to kiss him and all other thoughts left his mind.

It was only a few moments before they were lying side by side on the blanket, kissing softly. Neville's hands ran up and down her arms, over her ribs, stopping just under her breasts every time. The last thing he wanted to do was push her or rush her into something that she wasn't ready for her. He spent a lot of time making sure his hands were in appropriate places. The last few weeks, his hands had made it to her breasts and her bum more often than not. She didn't seem to mind. So when Hannah grabbed his hands and placed them over her breasts this time, he nipped at her mouth.

Hannah's blue eyes were twinkling at him. "You spend far too much time thinking about how to touch me. I don't want you to think about it. Just touch me."

Neville's lips brushed over hers as he fondled her breasts through her dress. "I don't want to push you."

Hannah's fingers moved to the buttons on her dress and she slowly and deliberately opened six buttons to her waist, giving him a tantalizing peak of her incredible tits in a periwinkle blue bra.

He swallowed before he reached forward to open the dress, spreading it to give himself a better view.

"I'm not breakable," she whispered.

Neville's eyes met hers. "I'm glad you realized that."

Hannah captured his lips in hers again. "If I say stop, will you stop?"

"Yes," he whispered. "We won't do anything you don't want to do, I promise… I, I care about you a lot."

She nodded and kissed him again. "I like it when you kiss me; when you touch me."

"I really like kissing you," he said against her lips. "And I really love touching you."

When her lips found his, he let his hands wander around the lace, kneading and touching. He danced his fingers along the edge of her bra, teasing the swell of her breasts. He moved his mouth to her throat, planting open-mouthed kisses over her skin and she trembled in his arms. It spurred him on, soft kisses along her collarbone, over her shoulders and chest. His fingers continued to dance along the edge of her bra and then Hannah let out a small gasp when his fingers pushed the material down revealing her nipple.

Neville's eyes met hers before he leaned in and placed a kiss to the peak. Hannah's head fell back and he kissed it again, dancing his tongue along it. Her breath came out in soft pants as he did so and he made no effort to stop. It was the third time she'd let him see her in her bra and each time he relished in how beautiful she was. He let his hand slip over her stomach, brushing the soft skin with his calloused hand and feeling bold, slid it down under her dress, dancing along the edge of her knickers.

Neville sucked her nipple into his mouth, suckling, teasing. Hannah's fingers went into his hair and he decided to be bolder, slipping his hand into her knickers as his mouth worked her breast.

Hannah let out a small gasp.

Neville kissed her breast before his eyes met hers. "Do you trust me?"

Hannah nodded and bit her bottom lip when his hand slid lower.

The warmth of her made him smile and when his finger brushed along her folds, he found her wet. Neville let his fingers tease her, his eyes on her blue ones. They were wide in surprise as he danced his fingers in and out. When he brushed her clit, she made a small squeal that made his grin widen. The more he teased her, the more she began to squirm beneath him. Her pink dress unbuttoned to the waist and falling off her shoulders, the periwinkle blue bra with a nipple peaking out, one leg up alongside of him… Neville thought he'd never seen a more beautiful sight.

"Neville…" she panted. "Neville, I… I can't… I'm… it's too much, I feel too much!"

Neville circled her clit faster with his thumb as his fingers slid over her folds. "Do you want me to stop?"

Hannah's head fell back against the blanket, her hips rising up to meet him. "It… mmm!"

Neville watched her bite her bottom lip and her eyes widen just as she fell apart beneath him. She cried out incoherently, tightening around his fingers as she did. When she finally caught her breath, he kissed her throat, wiping his fingers on the inside of her knickers before he slid his hand out. He stroked his thumb over her ribs.

"You're so beautiful, Hannah."

Hannah's face was flushed from pleasure. "Mmm, that was… what did you do to me? My whole body feels like a melted marshmallow."

Neville's grin widened, brushing his lips against hers. "I'll take that as a compliment."

Hannah's hands gripped his hair, tugging him towards her to kiss his lips for a long, deep kiss. "Thank you."

Neville kissed her back, lingering on her mouth longer than necessary. "Come on. You never finished your lunch."

When she sat up, adjusting her bra and attempting to button her dress, he smiled. He'd definitely never seen anyone as beautiful as her.

~ ASC ~

Crouch stepped into the cell, his wand tapping against his thigh. It had been five days since Yaxley, Selwyn, and Carrow had brought the prisoner in. They had left him to his own devices to sit here and to contemplate what they might do to him. Crouch found it amusing when he was forced to make the prisoners wait.

The man had a salt and pepper goatee, his hair receded back giving him a high forehead and his eyes were a surprising piercing blue. He tapped his wand against his thigh again before he licked his lips.

"Have you been enjoying yourself in your dungeon, old man?"

The man only stared at him before he spat at his feet.

"Tut, tut, tut," Crouch said, vanishing the spit with his wand. "Is that anyway to talk to a friend?"

"Ve are not friends."

"Mr Dragomir, we're going to be great friends! The Dark Lord wishes to speak with you."

"I have nothing to say to him."

Crouch licked his lips again. "He's a great admirer of your work. Someone of your talents should be honoured that he wants to talk about your accomplishments."

"I have nothing to say," he repeated.

Crouch nodded, closing the cell door behind him. Voldemort was standing at the end of the hall, his red eyes gleaming.

"Well?"

"He still refuses to talk. May I please make him talk, my Lord?"

"Not yet," Voldemort said, frowning. "A few more days of no food and water will weaken him. He'll slip up. We still need to find all of the ingredients for the potions yet. We have time."

"Snape will be able to brew it?"

Voldemort's lips twisted. "Slughorn. This will be too delicate for Severus to work on."

Crouch's brow furrowed. "It will?"

"I need Severus watching Dumbledore, not focusing on an ancient potion. No, Slughorn will brew it for me."

"Has Snape cursed him yet?"

"You ask too many questions, Bart," Voldemort warned.

Crouch kept his eyes on the ground as he spoke. "I just wish to know when we will move to the next stage of the plan, my Lord. If we need Slughorn to be there it could take longer."

Voldemort placed his hand on Crouch's cheek. "Give Dragomir a few more days and then we'll talk to him. While he's waiting, string him up in chains upside down for a few hours. Let me worry about Severus. When you're done, get Yaxley and Selwyn. I have a new mission for the three of you. I want you take along Belby, Crabbe, and Goyle as well."

Crouch watched him walk away before he turned back to the prisoner. He didn't understand why the Dark Lord wanted Slughorn over Snape, but the insistence on getting his old professor under the Imperius Curse made him curious. He whistled as he headed back into the cell where Dragomir was being held.

He loved when he got to pull out the chains.

~ ASC ~

Pansy spent her days putting together her shop. She wasn't even upset that she'd broken her nails getting it together. She was too excited to watch it unfold before her. The floors were polished, the marble gleamed, and the windows were shining. In the last month and a half, she'd turned the abandoned bank into a shop. Greg helped her build shelves, making the abandoned bank look like a walk-in-closet full of drawers, cupboards, and racks. He even helped her set up her mannequins. She wanted the space to feel comfortable with little cushioned stools and seats situated around.

When it came to stock, she was spending a lot of time designing and creating the lingerie, going over her notes and designs that she'd been planning for the last two years. With Daphne's help, she was hoping to have enough stock to open by the middle of July.

Greg was a complete miracle worker. He helped her build the shelves, paint the walls, and create the atmosphere that she wanted. He was like a gentle giant making sure that she wasn't lifting anything too heavy, helping her lug things around, and helping her set up the shop to her exact specifications. He didn't even complain once. When the sign was complete, hand carved on wood, she shrieked in joy: Sophistication by Pansy.

It was perfect.

Greg hung the sign and they officially put an opening for July on the window. It was why she was now sitting in the parlour, silk and lace all around her, her wand in the air as she measured, sewed, and cut the material. The sound of movement in the doorway made her look up at her husband.

"How was the meeting?"

"Okay," he said. "Did you remember to eat?"

"Yes. Mitzy brought me a sandwich and a salad."

Greg nodded, clearing his throat. "Good. Um… I think I found a door for the shop."

Pansy's eyes widened. "You did? Where?"

"An antique place in Muggle London."

Pansy wrinkled her nose. "Why were you in Muggle London?"

"I was doing something for the Dark Lord," he said. "But I found the door. It's wood and painted a deep turquoise green with gold inlets carved into it. I thought it looked… sophisticated."

Pansy's smile widened. "Can I see it?"

Greg offered his hand to help her up and led her into the entrance hall where he had the set of double doors propped up against the wall.

"Greg! It's perfect!" she shrieked.

It was sophisticated looking and it would make her shop stand out among the vast assortment of places in Apricity Lane.

"Good. I'll get it installed in a few days. I have to go to Croatia tomorrow."

"Why?"

"Woodrow needs my help with something."

"Greg, what are you doing for them?"

He pursed his lips. "I can't tell you."

"I took the Dark Mark too! I deserve to know what it is you're doing."

Greg took her arm and led her back into the living room. "You did take the Mark and now you're pregnant with our child. The only thing the Dark Lord expects from you, Pansy, is to give birth to a new pureblood. Nothing else matters to him."

She frowned. "So, we've just become broodmares then? What about Ophelia or Millie or Hestia? What are they doing to occupy their time? Where are they hidden away?"

He squeezed her hand, gently. "Focus on your shop, Pansy. Right now, you being pregnant is all the Dark Lord cares about. You can do whatever you wish as long as you deliver a healthy child. You're more free than the rest of us."

Pansy's eyes met his. "What is he making you do, Greg?"

"I'm being a Death Eater."

"Greg, you won't…"

He stood up and pressed a kiss to the top of her head. "I'll only be in Croatia a few days. When I return, I'll put up your door. Is Daphne still helping you make all of this?"

"Yes," Pansy said, ignoring the anxiety in her stomach that his non answer gave her. "Plus, my aunt is sending over some stock to help me get started."

"That's your mum's sister, right?"

"Yes. She runs a shop in Paris, but I always imagined something much grander for mine. I always wanted to design my own and make it, Auntie Marguerite just sells other designers."

He nodded, scratching his nose. "About that, your father told the Dark Lord about your shop."

Pansy looked startled at this news. "He did?"

"Yes. The Dark Lord said that he supports the ambition of wanting to own your own business. He thinks it shows initiative."

"Really?" Pansy asked, skepticism written all over her face.

Greg nodded. "The Dark Lord said that he understands that drive to prove yourself. He said the first six months of any new business is critical. He will see how we do and then after those six months, he um, he wants sixty percent of the profits."

"WHAT?" Pansy shrieked. "No fucking way!"

"Pansy!" Greg said, sharply. "This isn't up for negotiation. The shop won't open for a few more weeks and then we have six months after that to deal with it. We can attempt to negotiate then."

"I'm not giving him sixty percent, Greg! What is he claiming it for?"

"Protection," Greg told her. "He'll make sure that your shop is kept safe from threats."

She stood up and nudged herself into his arms. Greg gave her a surprised look before he wrapped his arms around her. Her face pressed over his heart as she spoke.

"Aren't you protection enough with all of your muscles?"

He chuckled. "I try to be." He tilted her head up to look at him. "I promise that I will help you find a way out of this, but we have to take it one step at a time. We have to do what the Dark Lord wants, trust that he knows what's best."

"And if we don't?"

Greg's eyes stayed on hers. "Your safety is what matters. Get your stock organized. Coordinate with Daphne. You always figure out what to do. You'll think of something. I have to go meet Woodrow. Do you want me to call someone to stay with you?"

Pansy shook her head. "No. I'll be fine."

He pecked the top of her head before he turned and grabbed his cloak off the chair. "I'll be back in a few days."

Pansy watched him head out to Apparate and thought about what he had said. She did always figure things out and there was one thing that she knew, there was no way in hell she was giving sixty percent of her profits to the Dark Lord for some bogus protection that she didn't need. She turned back to the lingerie she was making and buried herself in work, too afraid to think about the consequences of her refusing to give him what he wanted.

~ ASC ~

Seamus stepped out of the shower that morning and headed into his dorm in just a towel. Ron and Harry were talking Quidditch practice and Neville was already up and gone for the day. Dean was staring out the window, his brow furrowed.

Seamus moved over to him. "I'm here to give you a show and you're not even paying attention."

"Please don't," Ron said. "Let Harry and I leave first."

Seamus made a rude hand gesture behind his back and Dean chuckled. "Ha! I made you smile. What's going on?"

Dean hesitated a moment before he passed Seamus the letter. "I got another letter."

Seamus frowned as he heard Ron and Harry leave the room. "What's his excuse for being a twat?"

"He said that he had to go away on business," Dean explained. "He said that it was important and required his personal attention. He's been travelling ever since and said that he'll be back in London by the first of July. He still wants to meet with me."

"Tell him to piss off."

"Seam…"

"Dean, this bloke is toying with you! He sends you a letter out of the blue seventeen years later and then doesn't even have a pair of bollocks to go through with meeting you! He bloody well takes off with no explanation and then five months later sends a letter with a bloody pitiful apology and plans to meet up again? I don't fecking trust him!"

Dean took the letter back and shoved it into his back pocket. "I didn't say that I trusted him."

Seamus sighed and placed an arm around Dean's waist, resting his head against his shoulder. "I don't want you to get hurt. I don't like how this bloke is playing with your emotions like this."

Dean wrapped his arms around him. "I want to meet him, Seam. I don't know if I will want it to go any further than that, but I want to meet him. I want to know why now, why after all this time? I want to know why he took off again after making contact with me. I have so many questions."

"I know," Seamus murmured. "I know you do."

Dean sighed. "I'm going to write him back and let him know that I want to meet up with him. Will you come with me?"

"Hey, is that even a question?"

Relief flickered through Dean's eyes. "I didn't want to ask my mum. I don't even know if she wants to see him. I have to talk to her and tell her that I want to meet him."

"If he shows up," Seamus muttered.

"Seamus, I have to give him a chance."

Seamus sighed. "No, you don't, but being you, of course you do."

"What does that mean?"

"It means, you're too good for your own good, that's what! Write him back and tell him that you want to meet up. Set up a time maybe for the fourth or fifth so you know he'll be back in the country and he can't make up an excuse. I'll be there as long as you want me," Seamus promised.

Dean nodded. "Thank you. I know you don't agree with me on this, but I just… I have to know."

Seamus understood that. He knew that as much as his boyfriend didn't want to bother with the man who had abandoned him, twice, he knew that he needed to. Dean needed answers and without them, Seamus knew there would always be that little cloud hanging over his head.

"You better put some pants on or we're going to miss breakfast."

"Who says I need pants for breakfast?"

Dean grinned. "I don't think the student body would approve of you coming down in just your towel."

"Shame about that."

By the time they headed down to breakfast, Dean was laughing at Seamus' teasing about showing up to class once in his towel. They had just sat down when Ron tossed an envelope at him.

"Mail came. You two okay?"

Seamus took the letter. "Yeah, we're fine. Didn't even have a proper snog or anything." At Ron's eye roll he grinned. "This is probably my sister. She has four thousand and seventeen new things to tell me about the wedding every week. Bridezilla, thy name is Kathleen."

Ron snickered. "Thankfully I don't have to deal with that. Bill just told me I needed robes."

"That's because I get the brunt of the wedding issues," Ginny said, helping herself to a slice of bacon off of her boyfriend's plate. "Being a bridesmaid means I get to be asked a million questions."

"You know there's an entire platter of bacon right there," Harry said.

Ginny smiled sweetly at him. "Yes, but the bacon off of your plate tastes better."

Seamus used his knife to open the letter as Dean put jam on some toast for him. His eyes widened as he read the letter.

"What is it, Seam?" Dean asked. "Is it from Katie?"

"Yeah… bloody hell, Dean, she wants me to wear a top hat and give a speech!"

Dean chuckled. "Your family likes top hats."

"Tails included?" Ron asked.

"The whole shebang! She's mental!"

"She's a bride planning an important day in her life, Seamus," Ginny piped in. "It doesn't make her mental. Be a good brother and do as she asks."

"Like I have a choice," Seamus muttered. "Harry, do you have another practice lined up? I suddenly feel the need to do something physically draining."

Harry grinned. "Usual time, Seam. We have to get ready for the next match. If we win this one, we go on against Ravenclaw for the Cup."

"Which we will win," Ginny added, taking another piece of bacon from her boyfriend's plate.

Harry nipped at her fingers, taking the bacon back and making her laugh. "Yes, we will definitely win."

Hermione put the paper down. "Does everything with you two have to turn back around on Quidditch?"

"Yes," Harry and Ginny said at the same time.

"Well, maybe you should actually take a look at the paper this morning," she said, tossing them the Daily Prophet.

Seamus looked over Harry's shoulder to see the headline.

DANTE DRAGOMIR MISSING? KIDNAPPED BY YOU KNOW WHO!

"Who's Dante Dragomir?" Seamus asked.

"He's a professor at Durmstrang," Hermione replied.

"Why is it in our paper?" Dean asked. "Do you think that he was really kidnapped by You Know Who?"

"Yes," Harry answered. "He taught the Dark Arts and I heard that he knows stuff about ancient magic that could be of interest."

Seamus frowned. "The poor sod."

He looked over at Dean who's brow was furrowed again and wondered why it was that every day seemed to only bring forth more bad news. He thought again about the letter from Dean's father and tried not to grimace. If Kellan Morgan did anything to hurt Dean, Seamus was going to make him regret it. He reached under the table to place his hand on Dean's thigh.

"Want to skive and go snog on the balcony of the Astronomy Tower?"

Dean squeezed Seamus' leg. "Absolutely."

~ ASC ~

With the weather being so lovely, the last thing that Harry felt like doing was staying inside. He had contemplated skiving but Hermione was giving him the stink eye as if she suspected that he was thinking about it. But attending Professor Rhiannon's Wandless Magic Class was always rather entertaining.

Harry felt like he had truly mastered the basics in wandless magic and had even managed to do some bigger spells, though he found he always performed things better when his wand was near him if not on him. She taught the elements and the discussion of how and why one needed to focus on their inner magic and how it made them feel. It wasn't easy and Harry was surprised to see how many people actually struggled with it. But for the most part, Rhiannon's teachings had helped a lot of people.

Harry figured next year he wouldn't continue with the class as he didn't think the fae could teach him anything else. It was a skill that he needed to practice with himself as it made all the difference. When he went to lunch, he found Ginny talking to Colin about their Transfiguration assignment. He pecked her cheek as she talked and stole a cucumber from her plate.

He had only just taken a bite of his sandwich when his girlfriend's hand danced along his thigh under the table. He linked his fingers with hers as Ron talked about the newest Canons statistics. Harry and Ginny both piped in about how badly they were playing and Ron ignored them.

Hermione hurried off to grab her books for her next class and Ron offered to walk her there. Harry squeezed Ginny's hand under the table.

"Skive off. It's just Snape."

"Oh, just Snape is it?"

He let his other hand dance up her leg. "It's beautiful outside. It's sunny and warm. Let's go find that lovely tree on the edge of the forest by the lake."

Ginny leaned in, brushing her lips under his ear. "And?"

"And," he whispered back. "Relax. Snog. Skive off with me, Gin."

"Is it really with you when you have a free period?"

At his look, her eyes twinkled mischievously before she took his hand in hers and led him out of the Great Hall. They walked hand in hand out into the courtyard just as Theo was coming in from the other side.

"Hinny!"

Ginny rolled her eyes. "I definitely told him not to call us that."

Harry grinned, his arm snaking around her waist as Theo approached them. "Hey, Theo."

Theo's gaze fell to where Harry's arm was. "I was going to work on a paper in the library, but if you two need another lookout, I could be made available."

"Go away, Theo," Ginny said.

He grinned. "I'm just saying, my services are available if need be for you two lovebirds."

"Appreciated," Harry said. "But we're just going for a walk before I walk her to class."

Theo nodded and said goodbye.

Ginny pinched Harry's hip. "You lied to him!"

"Just a little," Harry admitted, steering her out towards the lake. "We don't need a lookout. We need to be alone."

"Why? Are you full of naughty ideas?"

"About you? Pretty much twenty-four/seven."

She grinned as they walked down the path towards the lake. Ginny made a beeline for the big oak tree. He caught her round the waist just before she reached it and lifted her up into his arms. Harry pinned her against the tree, his lips on her neck.

Ginny smiled as they settled themselves in the large roots of the trunk, Harry's back against the tree and Ginny between his legs. Harry's hand came up to fiddle with the earrings in her ear as he rested his chin on her other shoulder, eyes on the lake.

"Do you think it's warm?"

"What? The lake?" she asked.

He nodded. "Yeah."

"End of May… possibly warm-ish. But there's always that Giant Squid in there."

"Didn't stop us two years ago."

"Oh, when we were put in there without a choice for the amusement of others? Absolutely, let's go in."

Harry grinned, kissing her cheek. "I sense sarcasm there."

Ginny chuckled, her fingers running along his arms at her waist. "You know me so well."

Harry sighed into her hair. "We haven't done this in a while."

"Skive off?"

"No, sit out here in the sunshine."

Ginny turned her head to look back at him. "You okay?"

"Hmm?"

Ginny brought his hands to her lips and kissed his knuckles.

"I'm fine."

Ginny nipped at his mouth. "Why do I not believe you?"

Harry sighed, turning his head to bury his face in her hair and giving him an intoxicating floral scent that both calmed and aroused him. "Just thinking."

Ginny's fingers trailed along his arms at her waist, but she didn't speak.

He was quiet, snuggling in close with her as the warm spring breeze trailed over them. "Dragomir being taken after Thea was so worried is something to worry about. Thea came back to England just to tell Dumbledore. Zee said that she and Thea talked and I think are best friends now? I don't really know. Isn't that weird? How did that even happen?"

"Them being friends?"

"Yeah?" Harry asked.

"No, it's not weird," Ginny said. "They're both intelligent, beautiful women who were important parts of Sirius' life. Althea is happily married and a mother and the two of them can share baby stories. I think it's nice."

Harry frowned over that. "I don't know if I'd want you being best friends with Cho or Mandy. I definitely don't want to hang out with Corner."

Ginny snapped her fingers as she tried to frown but failed. "I guess I'll have to cancel our triple date next weekend! Mandy and Anthony were going to meet up with us for dinner and then Cho and Michael were going to join the four of us for a late night fly!"

"Very funny," Harry said, rolling his eyes.

Ginny smiled. "Jealous?"

"No, Corner's just an arse."

Ginny chuckled. "Well, for the record, I wouldn't want to hang out with Cho either, but Mandy's nice. I always did like her."

Harry wrinkled his nose. "It's bad enough you hang out with Theo."

"What's wrong with Theo? You love Theo."

"What isn't wrong with Theo is the better question," Harry supplied.

Ginny's elbow to his gut made him laugh.

"Ow!"

"You sending Theo fruit baskets makes me think you rather like my friendship with Theo."

Harry grinned, rubbing his gut. "Maybe. A little."

Ginny settled herself back against him, wrapping his arms around her. "That's not what's really bothering you. Are you still thinking about the coin that Dumbledore gave you?"

Harry knew that wasn't it either. He had filled Ginny in on everything the next morning and she'd listened intently with interest, but Harry felt like something big was coming, but he couldn't tell her what. It was this sinking feeling in the pit of his stomach that told him Dragomir being taken was only the start of it all.

"No, not really."

"I've been thinking about Malfoy and Zabini," she admitted.

Harry's eyebrow rose. He hadn't thought of them in a while. "They're long gone."

She nodded. "I hope so. I feel like Theo needs them more than ever and yet I'm glad they're gone. But if they hadn't vanished… they could be married now, with pregnant wives…"

Harry's arms tightened around her. "I've been thinking a lot about that, too. I couldn't imagine having a baby right now."

"It's not the child," Ginny stressed. "It's the situation. I spoke to Mum and Dad about it over the holiday… it's like they didn't know what kind of choice to make. Dumbledore says they chose it, but looking at what their options were, it was still forced. If they thought that they had no other choice, that no one would help them find a way out. And to think their parents were encouraging it… it's just awful, Harry."

"I know," he said. "And on top of that is this whole Dragomir thing… do you think he really could have something that terrible that even Voldemort doesn't know?"

Ginny didn't answer right away. "Tom was always looking for the darkest power, the next thing to make him more powerful. He said that magic was in one's blood, but that increasing the potential of that magic was what made one the strongest. Anything he could find to make even more powerful is something that he would be drawn to, especially if it was something that even hinted at him becoming more powerful than Dumbledore."

Harry frowned. He didn't think that made him feel any better.

"I just keep thinking about the students who left, Harry. I mean, Pansy was never particularly nice to me, but Daphne looks so lost without her. Pansy's doing okay, I think. I mean, Daphne talks to her."

"Oh?" Harry asked. "I didn't even consider… she still hears from her?"

Ginny nodded. "Yes. They're going to open a shop this summer. Goyle's helping her. Daphne said that Pansy already has a building and everything and she should have it open in July. She said that Goyle is good to her, but that Goyle keeps being sent off for secret missions. Pansy's left relatively alone since she's pregnant. She said she doesn't know much about the others outside of Ophelia Rowle being in Paris and a few others."

"Goyle used to stare at Pansy in class all the time," Harry remembered. "I don't think he would let anyone hurt her. But Pansy, she never seemed to like him much in return."

Ginny's eyes met his. "But she chose Goyle which gave her an advantage over the others. Daphne seems pretty insistent that Pansy is safe for the moment so, that's one good thing to come out of it."

"What kind of shop is she opening?"

"Ladies lingerie," Ginny said.

Harry's eyebrow rose. "Oh? Really? Interesting. We should probably go check it out this summer. You know... make sure they're okay and check out the inventory."

Ginny rolled her eyes. "Anyway, I just hope that everything works out for her. It makes you wonder what Voldemort could want with all of these newly pregnant women."

"He just wants more purebloods," Harry told her. "He wants to show that he means business and it helps his platform of supporting pureblood marriages. That's what Uncle Remus thinks."

"It makes sense, but it's still disgusting. What about Fingal's Cave? Any news from Remus?"

Harry shook his head. "Nothing good. The wolves think the fake diadem was already planted. Remus thinks Voldemort might have been there before, years ago. He said there was this story about some missing girls. He said that he was going to look into it."

"And Tonks?"

"The same. She has the final trial of Lucius Malfoy tomorrow."

"It's been months," Ginny said.

Harry nodded. "He had multiple trials for multiple crimes. This is the last of it. She said no matter what the verdict is, he will be spending a lot of years in the Azkaban Crypt."

Ginny's fingers continued to trail over his arms. "This summer, Harry, I want to make time just for us. Let's just lounge around like bums and spend time with Mina and Leo. We can go flying and swimming and just try not to think about the horrors that are going on, can we do that?"

Harry pressed his lips to her cheek. "I'd like that."

Ginny stood up, holding her hand out to him. "Come on."

Harry raised an eyebrow. "Come on, what? I thought that we were going to laze in the shade?"

Ginny unknotted her tie, dropping it on the ground before she undid her shirt, tossing it on the ground next to him. His eyes hungrily roamed over the white vest she wore beneath and when she started to unhook her skirt, his eyes widened.

"Ginny! Anyone could see!"

Ginny let it fall to the ground, kicking off her shoes and knee highs. "No one's around."

She held her hand out to him again and tugged him to his feet. His breath hitched when she unknotted his tie and tossed it to the ground with hers. It was only a moment before he stood there in nothing but his boxers and she grinned.

"Let's go for a swim."

"Ginny," Harry said, laughing when she took his hand. "It's probably freezing!"

Ginny grinned. "Race you."

Then she was off and he swore under his breath, chasing her to the shore. The waves rushed up and hit their feet and Ginny squealed.

"I changed my mind! It's freezing!"

She made to run off, but Harry grabbed her, lifting her at the waist. "Oh, no you don't, Weasley!"

Ignoring her protests and squeals, he ran straight into the lake, Ginny in his arms and dunked them both in the brisk water. They both shuddered at the cold, Harry laughing when Ginny splashed him.

"You git!"

"Hey, you started it," Harry said, laughing as he splashed her back.

They stayed a moment longer, splashing and hitting each other with water before Harry's hands gripped her hips and pulled her close for a long kiss. Ginny's hands threaded through his hair as her lips met his and he sighed against her.

"Back to the shore before my bollocks freeze off, yeah?" he murmured against her ear.

Ginny's hands slid around to the front of him and into his boxers. "Nope, still in tact."

"Glad to hear it," he told her.

The two of them swam back towards the shore, laughing. The warmth of the sun made them feel better, but the shiver from the cold didn't help. Harry grabbed his wand and transfigured his button down shirt into a big blanket. They quickly put the rest of their clothing back on, using a drying charm on themselves before they both burrowed under the blanket, snuggling up under the tree.

Harry lied on his back with Ginny snuggled into his side, her cheek resting over his heart. Harry's fingers twined through the wet hair that covered his chest and shoulders and Ginny's fingers gently danced along his abs under his tee shirt. Neither of them had put their shoes or socks back on.

"That was fun."

Harry snorted. "It was stupid of us. The water couldn't have been any warmer than fourteen!"

Ginny snickered. "You were so worried about your bollocks and here I am with nips that could chip glass."

Harry grinned, cupping a breast in his hand. "I could use my mouth to warm them up?"

She hit him and he laughed. He performed a quick warming charm on the blanket beneath them and Ginny sighed happily in his arms. Neither of them spoke, they just lay there, tangled together, eyes on the lake. Harry didn't know how long they were there, but he soon found himself blinking at his best friend's voice only a little while later.

"Harry! Merlin! Hermione, he and Ginny are out here sleeping together. What if someone saw them?"

"And what, Ron?" Hermione hissed. "Accused them of napping in public?"

Harry's eyes fluttered and he realized that his glasses were crooked as he shifted them. "Er, hey."

"Harry! You missed Defence Against the Dark Arts! Remus was asking about you."

Harry winced. "In my defence, I didn't plan on missing his class."

"It's just that Harry makes the best pillow," Ginny said, stretching out next to him. "Hi, Ron. Hi, Hermione. What time is it?"

"Supper's in ten," Ron told her.

"Good. I'm starved," Ginny said.

"Ginny," Ron groaned. "You can't be skiving class and napping out by the lake with Harry. It's unseemly!"

Ginny raised an eyebrow. "Unseemly? Really, Ron?"

"What Ron is trying to say is that as prefects, we can't be seen letting you two get away with this. Ten points from each of you," Hermione said.

Ginny rolled her eyes. "Only if you take ten points from you and Ron for every minute you spend snogging instead of patrolling."

Ron's ears flushed.

Ginny smirked. "Exactly."

Harry yawned and stretched his arms up over his head. "I'm not even sad I missed class. That was exactly what I needed."

Ginny kissed him. "Me too. Thanks for being a bad influence."

He grinned as he finished putting on his socks and trainers. "Anytime."

Ginny jumped to her feet and danced her fingers up Harry's chest. "Want to give me a ride to the Great Hall?"

Harry crouched down to let her piggyback ride him. "One of these days I'm going to stop carting you around."

Ginny kissed his cheek. "No, you love carting me around. Plus, think of all the muscles you're working for Quidditch."

Ron took Hermione's hand in his. "Want me to carry you around like that?"

"No," Hermione said, stiffly. "I'm not a child."

Ginny winced. "Hermione, I'm sorry I —"

But Hermione was already stomping off back towards the castle.

Ron shoved his hands into his pockets. "Sorry, mate. When you didn't show up for class and then we couldn't find you anywhere in the castle, she was wigging. She kept thinking the worst, you know, and to find you out here just chilling with Ginny… she's mad that she overreacted. You know that she didn't mean it about the house points, either."

"I know," Harry said.

"I'll apologize," Ginny said. "We didn't mean to make you two worry, but we also didn't plan on napping out here."

Ron nodded. "I'd appreciate it if you two could stop snogging in public so much. Sometimes I wish I wore glasses just so I could take them off and not have to see it."

Ginny's lips curved. "Then you'd just hear our lips smacking together and have to imagine it instead."

Ron scowled at her as Harry carried her back to the castle. Harry ignored the sibling banter and wondered just how much trouble he was going to be in when Remus found out why he had missed class.

End Author's Notes:

Thanks to Dusk with my sentences on using Percy as a phrase.

The Romione scene in the library has been something I've wanted to do for a long while.

Thank you for reading and please review.