Chapter 19
Harry wasted no time with the portrait of the Fat Lady, despite the protest that it was after curfew. He rushed through the corridor back to the DADA office and started pounding on the door.
"Nym! Open up!" he yelled.
The door to the DADA classroom opened. "Harry, what did I tell you about calling me that in public? What are you doing back here anyway?" Tonks frowned at him as he pushed past her and ran towards her personal quarters at the other end.
"Harry, hold on! Sheesh, mister, I know you want to spend the night with me, but this is not the way!" she rushed after him as he entered her quarters.
"What are you doing?" she asked, confused, as she saw him grab the jar of floo powder and throw it in her fireplace.
"Sorry, Nym, I'll explain in a moment," Harry said over his shoulder, then exclaimed clearly: "The Ossuary!"
Madam Bones had given him her personal floo address in the letter – just in case – and to his relief, Harry saw her face appear in the flames only a little later.
"Yes? Mr. Potter, what is it?"
"I apologize Madam Bones, but I need Aurors at Hogwarts straight away, oh, and a Mind Healer!"
"And why didn't you go through official means, Mr. Potter?" Madam Bones looked annoyed and looked past Harry. "Where are you, anyway?"
"Errr... hi, boss," Tonks waved awkwardly, as she bent down next to Harry.
"Madam Bones, I can't trust the Ministry. That awful toad they sent here has been torturing Hermione!"
"Torture?" Tonks sounded more confused than shocked.
"Mr. Potter, that's a serious accusation," Madam Bones said.
"She has words carved in her hand and is bleeding," Harry clarified. "And on top of that, she was trying to hide it from me – that's just not normal behaviour! Please, Madam Bones, can't you help?"
Madam Bones was silent for a moment, then sighed. "Very well, Mr. Potter, I will contact a few Aurors I trust and bring them to Hogwarts myself. What floo can we use?"
"You can use mine boss," Tonks said. "Call for the DADA Teacher's Office, Hogwarts – I'll open the connection on my end."
"This had better not be some kind of prank," Madam Bones grumbled and cut the connection.
"What about the Mind Healer?" Harry asked, but the fire died before she could reply.
"My mum is one," Tonks said. "But first, tell me what the hell is going on, Harry?"
A rushed explanation later, Tonks was on the floo with her parents and shortly after Andromeda Tonks was in her office.
"Mum, Harry will fill you in – Harry, if Bonesy calls, tap that brick on the top right and the connection will open. I'll get Hermione here," Tonks told them and left.
–-
Tonks rushed through the corridors, passing Filch and his cat, but she paid him no mind as she hurried to the Gryffindor Common Room. Filch and the other patrols was the whole reason she was the one to collect Hermione in the first place. Nobody would care about a teacher in the hallways, but Harry would have had to explain himself. He was unwilling to get Dumbledore involved any sooner than absolutely necessary and Tonks had to agree with him. Professor McGonagall was widely said to not even blink without the Headmaster's permission, so if she had allowed Hermione's unjust detentions with Professor Umbridge, there was a real possibility Dumbledore was at least aware.
"Let me enter please," she asked the Fat Lady portrait. The portrait nodded, all teachers had access without passwords, and allowed Tonks to step through.
"Harry?" Ginny asked as soon as the door opened. Tonks suppressed a grin at the sight before her: Hermione was trussed up like a price calf, and gagged, lying on the couch. Ginny was sitting on her legs and her twin brothers stood next to the couch keeping any others away.
"Oh! Professor Tonks! I can explain!" Ginny scrambled to her feet, babbling: "We were playing around and –"
"Harry explained things to me," Tonks said. "I take it Miss Granger didn't take being restrained so well?"
The girl in question was glaring murder at her red-haired fellow Gryffindor.
"I'll take things from here," Tonks continued. "Can you release her?" she asked Ginny.
Ginny nodded and cast a 'Relashio' on Hermione.
"Professor! Harry took my wand!" Hermione complained. "And she –"
"Miss Granger, come with me," Tonks said. "We'll talk things through in my office."
"Yes ma'am," Hermione said in a small tone, her fury already gone.
Once outside she started to complain again: "Professor, Harry and Ginny ambushed me and took my wand and then –"
"Later, Miss Granger," Tonks simply said. As they walked, she noticed Hermione had slipped her right hand inside her robe, hiding it from sight.
Finally they reached the DADA classroom, without encountering anyone on the way, and Tonks led her inside.
Hermione gasped as the door to Tonks's quarters at the side of the room opened and a red-robed Auror stepped through.
"This the girl?" he asked.
"This is Miss Granger yes," Tonks answered.
Madam Bones also stepped out, followed by two more Aurors, Harry, and a woman Hermione didn't recognise at all.
"Harry! What is going on?" Hermione cried out. "Why did you take my wand? Why are there Aurors here? Who is that woman? Why are we in the DADA classroom at this time of night? Why –"
"Silencio," an Auror cast. "What? She is loud," he justified himself to Madam Bones.
Madam Bones glared at him, then the Auror cast a 'Finite Incantatem', looking a little sheepish. "Pardon, miss," he said.
"Hermione, show the Auror your right hand," Harry said.
"Harry? What? No!" Hermione protested, taking a step backwards. Her escape route was blocked by Tonks though.
"Hermione, no time for your stubborn behaviour now. Show the Auror your hand," Harry repeated.
"I'm sorry," Hermione whimpered. She stretched out her hand. Clearly visible still were the fresh wounds and the words carved in it.
"Blood quill, no doubts about it," the Auror said softly. 'Documentum,' he cast next and a yellow glow briefly appeared over Hermione's hand. She didn't feel a thing as it passed over her.
"Miss Granger, tell me how you got those wounds," Madam Bones said.
Hermione hesitated, then saw Harry nod. She sniffled a little, then cradled her hand again. "It... It was in detention with Professor Umbridge. She made me do lines. But not with a normal quill," she said softly.
"That would be Dolores Umbridge, your Care for Magical Creatures teacher?" Madam Bones asked. Hermione nodded. "And this quill, what did it do?"
"I... I asked why there was no ink... and she said I just had to write. It wrote... in my blood... and the next moment the words appeared on the back of my hand," Hermione said, looking at the floor.
"Thank you, Miss Granger," Madam Bones said softly. "Please follow Mrs. Tonks to the other room, she will ask you a few more questions while she treats your hand. I promise you, you will never have to write with that disgusting torture implement again."
"Miss Granger? Come here please," Andromeda Tonks said. Hermione hesitated a little, but at Harry's nod, she rushed over to the other room.
"Robards, with me," Madam Bones said. "We've got a toad to arrest." The two left the DADA classroom, leaving Harry and Nym alone for a moment.
"You did a good thing in coming to me," Nym said, hugging Harry to her.
"I hope so," Harry said. "I hope Hermione will be fine?"
"Mum is annoyingly good at finding out your secrets," Nym said with a grin. "Come on, hero, you might as well help me grade a few essays while we wait for mum or Bonesy to return."
–-
Inside Nym's personal quarters, Andromeda Tonks was applying some essence of murtlap to Hermione's wound. "Your friend Harry cares a lot about you," she commented.
"He does," Hermione smiled softly. "He's great."
"You two are best friends, right?" she asked. Hermione nodded, smiling. Andromeda looked her in the eyes, her eyes twinkling slightly, as she asked Hermione more questions.
–-
In another wing of the office, Auror Gawain Robards opened the door to the Care teacher's office without warning. Professor Umbridge was enjoying a cup of tea as the Aurors and their superior stepped inside her personal quarters and dropped the cup with sudden surprise.
"What's the meaning of this?!" she shrieked.
"Dolores Umbridge, you are under arrest for the suspected use of restricted blood ritual materials on a minor without parental consent," Robards said, stepping closer to her, followed by a colleague.
"Stay back! I am the Senior Undersecretary to Minister Fudge, you cannot just try to arrest me!" Professor Umbridge scrambled to her feet and began pawing for her wand.
Robards was quicker and with an 'Incarcerous' ropes appeared to bind the odious woman.
"You have no right!" Umbridge shrieked. "I'll have your job for this!"
"Amelia? Mind explaining what you are doing in my school, arresting my teacher?" Professor Dumbledore's voice came from the doorway. Wincing, Madam Bones turned to face him.
–-
Andromeda Tonks left Nym's personal quarters. "Nymphadora dear? Can you watch over Miss Granger for a moment while Harry and I have a chat?"
"Don't call me that, mum," Nym whined. She stood up, hugged Harry briefly and disappeared in her personal quarters.
Andromeda sat down on a corner of Nym's desk near Harry. She took a deep breath before starting her explanation.
"Harry, are you aware Miss Granger owes you a Life Debt?" she asked.
Harry looked confused for a moment, then nodded. "From the troll incident I guess? Yeah, I considered she might owe me one, but I never planned to call it in."
Andromeda marked a note on her writing pad and continued, "Well, as best I can tell, someone placed a compulsion charm on her some time this summer. On top of that, she seems to have been harbouring a slight crush on you. The combination of her natural crush, the compulsion charm, and the already existing Life Debt, has resulted in a... programming error, to use a Muggle analogy." She winced a little.
Harry looked confused. "So... what does that mean, exactly?"
"I am not sure what the original intent of whoever cast the compulsion charm was beyond the basics. The caster seems to have enforced her desire to stay close to you and at the same time made her want to go to great lengths to keep you both out of trouble. This desire not to ruffle any feathers is why she was so reluctant to go against that Umbridge woman. However, the combination means she has become utterly fixated on being with you."
"Being with me? Huh?" Harry blinked.
"She wants to be... romantically involved with you, Harry," Andromeda clarified.
"But I'm already with Nym- I mean, with someone!" Harry exclaimed, looking panicked a bit as he blurted that out.
Andromeda briefly hid a smile. "Relax, Harry, I already know my silly daughter and you are interested in each other – and for the record, I approve." Her expression got serious again. "I am afraid that even though you are... involved, so to speak... Miss Granger is not exactly capable of accepting that."
"So what can we do to help her?" Harry looked anxious.
"The official answer is, we need to get her to St. Mungo's and under the care of a professional legilimencer. Over the course of several sessions, hopefully we'll be able to... deprogram her."
"How long will that take?" Harry looked to the bedroom door that hid his oldest friend.
"A few weeks, months maybe," Andromeda said carefully. Harry shot her a panicked glance and she explained, "Harry... if this was simply a compulsion charm, it would be easy, but since a life debt and her own natural feelings are involved, it has become deeply engrained in her psyche. Unravelling that mess will take a lot of time since it needs to be done very, very carefully. We don't want her to end up as a permanent resident on the Janus Thickey ward."
"Of course not! But weeks, months? That... is there no other way?" Harry pleaded.
Andromeda winced again. "There is one other way, but you won't like it," she said.
"Tell me," he demanded.
"If she gets to do what she is compelled to do, hopefully it will satisfy the compulsion charm part. At that point you can declare the Life Debt satisfied and it should resolved the issue completely, allowing Miss Granger to get her normal mindset back," Andromeda said carefully.
"What, I have to kiss her?" Harry asked.
"No, you'll have to love her," Andromeda said, carefully.
Harry looked confused. "But I do love her! I mean, she's a bit of a nag some times, but she's always there for me and -"
"Harry, you'll need to... fuck her," Andromeda interrupted him. Harry's mouth remained open, but no sound came out as stared at her.
"Pardon my language," Andromeda said. She took in a deep breath and explained, "Miss Granger is... very interested in you, sexually, that much my session with her made clear."
"Oh god. I can't be hearing this," Harry said, looking aghast at his girlfriend's mother.
"You are the one who wanted to know if there was an alternative to St. Mungo's, Harry," Andromeda chastised him. "I know it's not something you were planning – at least, for Nymphadora's sake you'd better not, mister – but if you want to break Miss Granger out of the delusion she is in without having her removed to the hospital, this is the only way. It's not as if she'd be unwilling either."
"I... I need to talk to Nym," Harry stammered.
"Of course," Andromeda agreed. "Do you want me to be there, too?"
"No... at least, not at first," Harry said. "Can you call her in?"
"Of course, Harry," Andromeda said with a smile. "She'll understand, I'm sure."
"Yeah, well it's not you who's going to have to tell an emotional Auror they're going to cheat on her," Harry grumbled.
Andromeda patted his head, then went to the other room again to relief her daughter.
Nym came out shaking her head. "Wow, Harry, she has it bad for you," she said.
Harry winced.
"Okay mister, spill," Nym deposited herself on his lap, seeing he was worried. "What did mum tell you?"
A terse explanation later, they were both silent as the seconds passed by, Nym deep in thought. Finally she spoke up: "I think you should do it."
"What? But I... but we'll have to..." Harry was lost for words. He looked at her face and couldn't decipher the emotion there.
"She's your best friend and you can help her... what kind of girlfriend would I be if I didn't let you at least try?" Nym said softly.
"But I don't want to... make love to her," Harry exclaimed, his voice breaking. "Nym... I love you. Not her," he softly added.
"I know, hero, and I love you," Nym said equally softly. "But mum wouldn't make something like this up. I love you, I trust you... so I can let you do this."
"I don't deserve a girlfriend like you," Harry muttered.
"Yes you do, hero," Nym mumbled back, then kissed him.
Andromeda Tonks stood in the door watching them, smiling gently.
–-
Over in the Care office, things were more grim.
"I am afraid I can't let you arrest her," Dumbledore told Madam Bones.
"It's not up to you to decide," Madam Bones answered him. "Aurors Walker, Mitchell, cuff her and secure her. Auror Robards, search the office for the torture instrument."
"Yes ma'am," Robards nodded. He started searching her desk drawers while Walker and Mitchell lifted Umbridge out of her seat and slapped cuffs on her.
"My office then?" Dumbledore said with a neutral tone, but his eyes revealed he was angry.
"No, I think not, not until the item has been found," Madam Bones blocked him from entering further.
–-
Harry and Nym entered her personal quarters together and hand-in-hand. Andromeda smiled softly at the sight, Hermione stiffened. Andromeda sat in a chair, Hermione still on the couch she had been occupying the whole time.
"Hermione, I –" Harry started, but Nym interrupted him.
"You can have him this one time, but he's mine, understood?" she blurted out.
"Oh my god. You... YOU are with him?" Hermione's expression was one of shock. "Harry! How could you! She's your teacher!"
"Hermione, shut up!" Harry said loudly. Instantly, she cowered and sat back down. "Yes, Nym and I are together. I love her and she loves me."
"But Harry... you don't need her. I can do everything she can... and without the scandal," Hermione whimpered.
"Shut up," Nym said heatedly. "This is difficult enough, so just shut up. Harry, do what you must. I'll... I'll wait." She moved her head away before tears could flow, then rushed out.
"Harry? I'll look after her. Oh, and this may help..." she took a bottle from a pocket in her robe and handed it to him. "It's a short term lust potion. Take it, trust me," Andromeda said softly.
Harry nodded and swallowed the potion. Andromeda left the room.
Harry shook his head to clear it, then focused on the only other person present, Hermione.
"Merlin, you're beautiful," he said.
Hermione's heart skipped a beat as the object of her affection looked at her. "Harry? Are you really –"
She couldn't say another word, as Harry moved for her and captured her lips with his.
In the other room, Andromeda cast a silencing charm on the door, then hugged her crying daughter. Nymphadora was not usually this emotional, but under the circumstances, she thought she understood.
Harry wasted no time in shedding his clothes and was now peeling off Hermione's outer layers. The brunette witch shivered slightly as she allowed his hands access to the various buttons and clasps, cooperating fully in raising her arms – or rear – when Harry indicated so. Before she really knew it, they were both naked, standing in Nym's private quarters.
"Let's go to the bed," Harry said. Hermione nodded and allowed him to guide her there. She ended up on her back and watched as Harry crouched between her legs, then moved in to kiss her again. He moved down a little and kissed her stomach. Hermione let out a moan.
"Oh, that feels really pleasant... kiss me again, Harry," she ordered.
"As the lady wishes," Harry said cheekily. He placed another kiss on her stomach area, a little lower, just below her belly button.
"Oh my..." Hermione looked down her own body at Harry and shivered in anticipation.
"Harry, I am sufficiently wet. Don't waste any time, just get on with it," she said in a slightly trembling voice.
Harry moved over her, pausing only to kiss her left nipple briefly, and guided the head of his dick against her opening with his hand.
"Oh! I can feel you press against my labia minora!" Hermione exclaimed. "Now Harry, my vaginal orifice is the lower opening, make sure you enter it gently."
"I know what I'm doing," Harry grumbled a little. With a slight push of his hips, his cock head started to move inside.
"Oh! Oh! You're... oh wow. It's stretching me," Hermione commented. She looked down between their bodies, trying to see what was happening.
Harry pushed in further.
"Nnnnh..." Hermione moaned a little. "Okay. Okay. That's further than my fingers have ever gone... or my wand."
"Your wand?" Harry couldn't help but asking, pausing his slow push inside her.
"Shut up, Harry. That is private," Hermione chastised him. "Now continue, you haven't fully entered me yet... oh!" Her mouth opened wide as Harry gave a harder push, and slid in more than halfway.
"That was... slightly faster than I was expecting..."
"Should I stop?" Harry asked, concerned.
"No, no, it's fine. I lost my hymen long before Hogwarts, my parents insisted I take horse riding lessons," Hermione commented. "Besides, you've passed that point long ago with that... utterly massive organ of yours."
"I'm not that big," Harry said, smiling. As if to belie that, he managed to slide in deeper.
"Nnnh..." Hermione bit her lip, and closed her eyes briefly. "You're damn well big enough for me, more than big enough... I am feeling you in places I didn't even know I could feel."
"Can I go on, then?"
"Oh get on with it. I'll tell you when I need you to STOP!" Her voice turned into a slight scream as Harry pushed in all the way, bottoming out in her.
"Oh... oh wow," Hermione said in a strange voice. "This feels... rather nice."
"'Rather nice'?" Harry suppressed a laugh. "Wait until you feel this, then." He pulled out as Hermione whimpered, and when he was halfway out of her, pushed back in.
"Ooh... so that's what intercourse is like..." Hermione had her eyes closed, and a strange smile on her face.
"No, this is what it is like," Harry corrected her, repeating the motion, but faster.
"Oh! Oh! Oh my..." Hermione's running commentary stopped as she tried to get used to the new feelings. Harry increased the pace, starting to screw her for real now.
"Can... can you feel my vaginal muscles clench around you? Oh yes! Harder! Does... does it feel nice... if I clench like this?" Hermione tried to ask.
"Hermione?" Harry paused moving briefly, his face incredibly close to hers.
"Yes... Yes Harry?" She gasped as she felt him pulse inside her, then focused back on his face.
"Shut the fuck up," Harry leant in to kiss her, then started moving again.
–-
"It's none of your business how I came here, Headmaster. I am here in an official capacity, investigating torture of a minor," Madam Bones repeated stubbornly. She had taken a seat in the room. Professor Umbridge was in another chair, magical cuffs locking her hands and an Auror at either side of her.
Professor Dumbledore still stood near the door, glaring at her over the top of his glasses. Their staring contest was interrupted when he suddenly looked up and waved his hand. The door opened and Professors McGonagall and Snape stepped through.
"Thank you for coming," Professor Dumbledore said to them. "We have unexpected guests this evening," he indicated the seated Madam Bones.
"What is she doing here?" Snape sneered.
"Don't worry, Snape, I'm not here for Death Eaters, cleared or not," Madam Bones glared at him. "Professor Dumbledore, you're wasting my time. Why did you call your colleagues here?"
"Madam Bones, I called in Professor McGonagall since she is the Deputy Headmistress. As for Professor Snape, he is my trusted confidant and has my complete trust," Professor Dumbledore said. He stepped further into the classroom and took a seat, his two teachers sitting down next to him.
"Albus? What is going on?" Professor McGonagall demanded.
Madam Bones ignored her. "Professor Dumbledore, I don't see the need for this. As soon as Auror Robards has the torture instrument, I will ask you to open the floo for us so we can leave."
"Albus? What is going on?" Professor McGonagall repeated.
"Madam Bones here claims to have received a report that Professor Umbridge was using... an unorthodox method to keep one of our students in line," Professor Dumbledore said.
"Cut to the chase Dumbledore. Umbridge here was using a blood quill on a minor," Madam Bones said heatedly.
"Albus! Tell me she didn't!" Professor McGonagall said, shocked. "Dolores, you didn't?" she turned to the cuffed woman.
"Of course not," Professor Umbridge smiled sweetly.
"I have seen your work," Madam Bones said through clipped tones. "Just wait until Auror Robards has found the evidence. Do you want to save us some time and tell us where you hid it?"
Professor Umbridge shook her head. "You have made a huge mistake, Amelia. When I tell Minister Fudge about this, you'll be sorry."
"We'll see," Madam Bones said through clipped tones. "Auror Mitchell, go help your colleague," she ordered.
The other Auror got up and started searching in the room.
"Very well then, let's wait," Professor Dumbledore said, smiling. "Tea, anyone?"
–-
Harry moved off his friend. Hermione had a wide smile resembling the proverbial cat that caught the canary, her sweaty hair matted around her head. She seemed a little dazed, still.
The euphoria of the sexual release was still present, but Harry felt the potion was wearing off and at least a little bit of his rational mind returned.
"Was I... any good?" Hermione asked in a small voice.
Harry looked back at her and gave her a soft smile. "Yes, it was good," he lied, while reaching for his pants. 'Good' was an overstatement. It had been incredibly awkward... Hermione, despite her theoretical knowledge of the act and all it entailed, simply was an inexperienced young girl rather than a mature and very sexually confident woman. Without magic guiding them both, he was sure that she wouldn't have gotten off, even though he had tried to make it nice for her.
He looked back at her and caught her attention, "Look... Hermione Jane Granger, I consider any debts between us paid. Err... I'll see you in a moment, okay?" He quickly put on his last clothes and stepped outside, leaving a slightly confused Hermione behind.
Both Tonks women were looking at him. "Nym, love, I –" Harry started saying.
He was interrupted as a Nymphadora-shaped missile crashed into him, claiming his lips.
Andromeda Tonks stepped passed them and went inside the bedroom. Hermione was busy getting dressed, a strange look on her face.
"Oh! Mrs. Tonks," she said, blushing deeply as the older woman entered.
"Hello, Hermione. Do you want to talk about Harry some more?" Andromeda sat down on the bed next to her and looked her in the eyes.
–-
In the Care office, everyone except for Professor Umbridge seemed to be getting annoyed. Finally, Auror Robards spoke up. "Madam Bones? I can't find the item," he said.
"Well, look better then!" Madam Bones glared. "Did you try a Summoning Charm?"
"Of course ma'am and a couple of other spells as well," Robards sounded as annoyed as his boss.
"Is this foolishness over, then?" Professor Umbridge smiled, sickly.
"Amelia, I think we've wasted enough time," Professor Dumbledore said. "It is time you tell us who this supposed victim is."
"You know the law, Albus. Not as long as the suspect is here," Madam Bones said. Then she sighed. "Robards, seal the office. Walker, Mitchell, take this woman. Professor Dumbledore, may we use your floo to get back to the DMLE?"
"Of course, Amelia. I think I'll join you, after all Minister Fudge will be wondering why you were here as much as I am," Professor Dumbledore smiled.
"That will not be necessary, Albus," Madam Bones glared at him.
"Oh, but I insist. Follow me, then." He stood up. "Minerva, Severus, I apologize for wasting your time. We'll speak at breakfast tomorrow?"
The group dispersed.
–-
Andromeda Tonks came out of Nym's private quarters and found her daughter sitting in Harry's lap, the two of them kissing deeply. She cleared her throat but they didn't seem to hear her.
"Ahem," she said a little louder and the two moved apart, blushing. "Harry, you'll be glad to know it worked. She is still very much... infatuated... with you, but there's no longer any extra influence forcing her to act on it. I think you two... you three... should talk things through now."
"Thanks, Mrs Tonks," Harry said, smiling.
"Call me mum, Harry. After all, you and my Nymphadora are rather serious, aren't you?" Andromeda smirked at them both. "Nymphadora, you and your boyfriend will be spending the Yule holidays with your father and I, understood?"
Nym just nodded, too embarrassed to look at her mother.
"Very well. Then I'll return home before anyone finds out I was here. Nymphadora dear, I hope you and my future son-in-law have something planned to explain why these two students missed their Astronomy class."
Leaving them with that thought, she went back inside Tonks' private room and flooed out.
"Errr... shall we, then?" Harry indicated the door Nym's mother had just left through.
"You read my mind, lover," Nym wriggled on his lap.
"I meant... Hermione," Harry clarified.
"Oh! Well... that's what I meant," Nym blushed. She got off his lap and hand in hand they went in her office.
Hermione sat on the couch, her hands folded in her lap. The bed was made up and free of any evidence it had been recently used – courtesy of cleaning charms – but one look at Hermione made it clear that the girl had gone through an experience. She actually seemed to glow a little.
"Harry?" She looked up as they entered, blushing deeply. "I... thank you. I have to apologize, I was..." she trailed off.
"No need to apologize," Harry shot her a weak smile in response. "We're friends, right? I know you were not thinking straight over the summer."
"Oh Harry, thank you," Hermione rushed in to hug him, but ran into Tonks' arm which blocked her way.
"He's mine," Tonks said, glaring at the girl.
"Oh. Right." Hermione sat back down. "So... you and Harry then?"
"Nym and I, yes," Harry nodded. "Look... Hermione, I'll need your help. Please, don't tell anyone about us."
Hermione sniffled. "Okay Harry... I'll keep mum. But we'll have a long chat in private about this later, okay?"
"Just talk," Nym insisted.
"Honestly! I... oh god this is awkward..." Hermione looked down, blushing deeply, then took a deep breath and looked back up. "Mrs. Tonks explained to me why we... why we had to... have sex," the last two words were almost whispered. "It was... nice I guess... but not exactly what I was expecting..."
She took another deep breath, then found some strength. "I'm willing to put that behind us. Friends, Harry?" She held out her hand to shake it, it trembling only slightly.
Harry shook hers. "Friends," he agreed.
"Good," Nym smiled, hugging Harry from behind. "Come on, I'm taking you both back to your dorms. In case anyone asks, I kept you here while the DMLE did their investigation and we only talked, all right?"
Hermione froze momentarily. "Oh my god, I can't believe I forgot! Harry! That... horrible toad... she tortured me! Why did I not do a thing about it?"
"The compulsion charm," Harry reminded her.
"Oh! Right. We'll need to find whoever cursed me!" she stated.
"My money is on Dumbledore," Harry grumbled.
"Professor Dumbledore, Harry," Hermione chastised him. "But yes, I agree. No-one else really had the chance. Ooh, I can't believe the nerve of that man!"
"She's a little hyper, isn't she?" Nym said softly, leaning against Harry's back.
"Just a bit, but you learn to deal with that," Harry said, smiling softly.
"What are you smiling about?" Hermione demanded.
"Nothing. Come on, let's get back to our dorm for now. If all went well, the DMLE will call on us tomorrow morning so we can get rid of the toad," Harry said.
A/N: Thanks to firefly81 for quickly looking this over.
This chapter was more difficult to write than I anticipated, and I'm still not perfectly happy with it. but staring at it for a few more days probably won't help. Feel free to tell me how much it sucks and why.