"Okay, hear me out, but I think this is not the first time we've had sex with each other."
The majority red and gold based friend group didn't drink often. In truth, they were light-weights. Essentially children in adult bodies that won a catastrophic war but couldn't handle a bottle of gigglewater between them.
Multiple endeavours into the club scene accumulated to half a dozen statue animations, a discoloured double decker bus, side-long apparitions to the top of Big Ben, London Eye or Tower Bridge and if they're lucky only one lost wand per night.
So it was logically sound they would limit their outings for special occasions.
A double birthday weekend was such an occasion.
Harry and Nevile never really celebrated their birthdays; for two vastly different reasons but over time they came to accept the history it carried and the joy each new year brought. When the close of July came on a well-placed weekend, the gang took off from work early and decided to make a night of it.
That was how Hermione ended up in the otter enclosure of the London Zoo.
In honour of his father, Harry pursued the Animagus transformation ritual and to join in the accomplishment, Hermione, Ginny and Luna managed to endure too. The younger witches thought it was fun, but Hermione was insistent in their registry with the Ministry Department; a factor they eventually completed.
It was how, scattered among the walkways, picnic areas and caged animals; a stag, palomino horse and a mountain cottontail rabbit searched far and wide for a missing otter.
In her inebriated state, Hermione was having the time of her life. No problems to weigh on her mind and with over a dozen fellow snuggly bodies to drown herself in; life was good.
Their pile was situated on the edge of the pool. She was securely fastened to the side of an older female and a young pup nuzzled her stomach in a deep sleep. It was warm, safe and despite the tiniest echo-like voice in the back of her brain; something about not being an animal…all was good.
So why was she so keenly aware when something scampered along the high wall of their enclosure.
Dark glossy eyes took in the elongated, lithe body type, short but sharp clawed limbs and plush tail. If Hermione wasn't so drunk, she'd wonder why such a weird creature would wander through a muggle zoo…
But who cared? It was another playmate!
After she extracted from the pile and somehow crawled out of the caged area, the otter shaped witch rolled with gravity and ended up on the concrete pathway. It was fun to flop around; feel the grass and stones brush against her fur. The high-pitched squeaks attracted the rogue rodent like creature too.
Soon they were nose to nose; large black eyes gazed back at her, an intelligence surely not in any normal animal and only then did her brain finally click into what it was.
A Jarvey!
She hadn't seen one up close before! It was exhilarating! Hermione rolled about again in her excitement and let out a happy squeal of delight. The Jarvey found her behaviour amusing and joined in her escapades.
Heads snapped and bodies stilled as raised voices came from down the way. Brain still clouded with alcohol but Hermione knew those voices. It was the girls she arrived with. But Hermione didn't want to go yet! She had just found a Jarvey! They had so much fun to have together.
Instead, Hermione squeaked and made for a small space below a bush. If they were fast enough, they could hide.
Their frantic means of escape became a playful venture of tag and tackle; over lawns, pathways and through the foliage, two bodies collided and tiny paws ran harmless claws through fur lined coats and tails.
Hermione lost track of time. She found herself happy to return the physical affection the creature bestowed upon her and as the night wore on, somewhere in the darkness she succumbed to the inner wild of her Animagus form.
Morning arrived with the heavy splitting headaches, muscle soreness and light sensitivity. The gang weren't exactly sure how they returned home, nor how they managed to make it into work the following week, seemingly without incident.
No matter what she did, the witch wouldn't remember the later parts of her nightly adventure. Only it was fast paced, gleeful and freeing. Maybe she should let her inner animal out more often. Without the alcohol.
Later that week, the trio, plus Ginny, encountered a familiar face they hadn't seen in months. Fleur Delacour had recently claimed an open position in Gringotts bank as a curse breaker. What started out as an awkward first interaction in Diagon Alley soon became a biweekly lunch outing between Harry, Hermione, Ginny and the Veela woman.
The redhead teased her best friend about the 'looks' the blonde sent when she thought no one was paying attention. But Ginny never missed anything.
"Somebody likes you."
"Knock it off Ginny." Hermione grumbled. She tried to focus. Attempted to read through her latest proposal before the submission cut off in five hours.
"Tell me I'm wrong." She continued with a smug smirk. Hermione rolled her eyes but said little else. Even if she wished a woman so gracious and breath-taking as Fleur would like someone like her…it was statistically improbable to happen.
Not two weeks later, the redhead, in all her scheming glory, dragged Harry off to a sporting goods store for an extended period of time, and thus left Hermione and Fleur alone. While the brunette silently cursed the witch, she was distracted enough for the Veela to slink in and plant a kiss to her cheek. She said something about needing to return to work early, but it went unheard.
Hermione's brain froze. She caught a scent so familiar…like something from a warped dream she had.
It filled her mind for weeks; an endless cycle of uncertainty, confusion and sanguine.
Eventually Ginny had had enough; under the assumption her best friend had been locked up in the Ministry depths for too long, the redhead organised a girl's night out. A night to enjoy good food, strong alcohol and even better company. Just Hermione, Ginny and Luna.
Hermione was reluctant to indulge, again, in limitless beverages that would put her in an inebriated state. Blackouts had taken enough of her memories already.
"Just one drink?" A famous line, an innocent look and the witch fell for it. Within the hour, all three girls were sloshed, dancing about in the crowded club and without a care in the world. Hermione almost forgot her worries. Almost.
The brunette didn't notice their newest party member until she literally fell into Fleur's arms and saw that familiar grin. Bright blue eyes, smooth and flushed complexion and strong hands that happily made themselves comfortable on her waist.
"Bonjour mon ange."
"Merlin…You're beautiful…" Hermione's voice was lagging on the vowels and her eyes glazed over by the amount of alcohol diluting her system. Arms slid up to encircle the blonde's neck and she fell against the taller woman's frame. "Can I have a kiss if I say please?"
"I don't know. You can try." Again, that smile. It made Hermione's knees weak.
"Ok." She nodded drunkenly. "S'il vous plaît?" That caused Fleur to chuckle aloud but she nodded to consent. Lips, tongue and teeth met in a fiery, passionate kiss in the middle of the dancefloor with Hermione's best friends not ten feet away. It was heated, desperate and spine tingling.
They pulled apart with reluctance, light headed but energised. Hermione leaned further onto Fleur's body, the mixture of an inebriated brain and weak body began to overtake her willfulness. She felt herself herded to the side and placed in a booth seat but she refused to let Fleur go. A mix of Gryffindor bravery and natural stubbornness at hand.
"You're fuzzy…" She drawled slowly as the blonde slid in beside her, arm firmly round Hermione's waist to keep her upright. "And such big black eyes…" Her expression became concentrated and Fleur tried to keep her amusement under check. "Are you a ferret?"
"Not zis time ma belle. But I can steal your 'eart if you insist I'm a little zief." She placed a kiss on the brunette's forehead. An action Hermione leaned into. "I can become any animal you desire; a bird, a lion like yourself…or a jarvey again if you enjoyed our first time."
It was so warm. So comfortable, Hermione could fall asleep in such comfort. Like the heated body that draped itself over her that night at the…
"Wait…what?"
Midmoon Kitsune out!