Warning: If contraceptives and sexual references bother you just skip to Chapter 7
Chapter 6: The Potion
A month later, it was nearing the end of October, Fred and Hallie had recently completed their month-long detention. She made her way up to the Hospital Wing in silence and avoided any eye contact with the others around her as she made her way there. The large oak doors opened before her, and she noticed the main wing with all the beds was empty. She proceeded down the aisle between the beds toward Madame Pomfrey's office, he wanted to ask for the potion that Fred had mentioned to her.
They had multiple close calls the past month, but she stopped them every time. He claimed to be fine with waiting till she was ready, but she wanted to be with him although was unsure when she would be fully ready. Soon perhaps not yet but soon. She wanted to be safe, just in case, she became unwilling to stop herself. The real reason besides pregnancy that prevented her from pursuing any further was her age. She knew of few who had lost their virginity at fourteen, but it was uncommon. She was well aware that Fred was not a virgin himself, she accepted this but it did not remove her own fear of losing her own at such a young age. All she did know is that she loved him and could not pick anyone else.
As she reached the door to give the door a knock, it opened as she lifted her hand. There stood before her was Peri. Her face went from feeling anxious to fear, "Peri…what are…" her eyes caught glimpse of the vial in her hand, "Are you ill?"
Peri glanced down at the vial enclosed in her hand before stuffing it into her robe pockets, "I am not ill…just a potion. I promise I am fine," the two stood in silence for a moment, "Are you alright? You look like you just saw a ghost…well it is possible you did but not to scare you."
"I need a potion myself…Fred mentioned it to me."
Peri's hand gripped the vial within her pocket, she was aware of what this potion was now. It was the very same potion she had just received, "Hallie…"
She was stopped when Madame Pomfrey approached from behind her after putting Peri's file away, "Ms. King, you may return to your studies," she looked over her shoulder giving a slight nod, stepping around her sister and walking out of the Hospital Wing. "Ms. Porter," Hallie stepped into the office while she grabbed her file from the cabinet, "Have a seat," she took a seat herself, "Tea?"
Hallie gave a slight nod sitting in the wooden chair across from Madam Pomfrey as she gave a flick of her wand letting the teapot fill their cups, "Sugar? Cream?"
"Just sugar…"
Madame Pomfrey observed her anxious behavior watching her fidget in the chair, she gave a nod placing two sugars into the cup then allowing the two cups to move swiftly across the room to them, "How can I help you?"
"I need a potion…"
"I have plenty of options. Could you be more specific about the need?"
She fidgeted with the cup, "A contraceptive potion," she rushed her words.
Madame Pomfrey understood her clearly, she was used to this behavior regarding this particular potion. She opened Hallie's file, it was small despite her playing Quidditch, "You are a fourth-year, correct?"
"Yes, ma'am."
Madame Pomfrey sighed softly, "I am assuming you know what this potion prevents then."
"I do, ma'am…My boyfriend is two years above me. I want to be ready to be…" she sucked in a breath, "I want to be ready to be with him in that way."
"Sexually?"
Hallie gave a small nod, "Yes…sexually. I am not ready yet, I believe I will be soon. He is very respectful of waiting, but I wanted to be prepared just in case."
"You are very young, Hallie. I want you to be sure this is what you want."
"I am sure…I want to be with him just not yet."
Madame Pomfrey nodded slightly, "I will give you the potion, but the responsibility is your own to remember to come back each month." She gave a flick of her wand and a small dark bottle flew over to them, "Take this once a month, most take it the day following their monthlies. I will not make anyone else aware of this. The only people who are aware of this are me and you and anyone who you may share this with."
Hallie took the bottle from her slipping it into her pocket, "I appreciate you not judging me."
"I would not recommend someone your age to, but I rather you be safe," she reached into her desk drawer handing her a few condoms, "Do you know what these are?"
"Condoms? Why will I need these? Won't the potion prevent pregnancy?"
"This is to protect you from any diseases and pregnancy."
She stuffed those into her pocket as well, "Aren't these no-maj contraceptive objects?"
"Typically, but I found it useful to be used here."
She nodded, "I appreciate this," she stood up.
"You're welcome," Madame Pomfrey stood with her, "Have a nice day, Hallie." She went to the door as she opened it Madame Pomfrey added, "Be careful, Ms. Porter."
"Yes, ma'am," she left.
She exited the Hospital Wing, but an arm grabbed her stopping her from continuing her walk, "Hallie Ann!" Peri scolded
"Peri…" she avoided eye contact with her.
"You are fourteen years old!"
"Am I? I was not aware must have missed a few birthdays," she spoke in a sarcastic tone.
Peri rolled her eyes, "What are you doing getting a potion like that?"
"I could ask you the same question…but you have been sleeping around too."
She eyed her sister, "This is not about me."
"And this is my personal business. I have a sixteen-year-old boyfriend, I love him, and he…I believe he loves me we have not said it yet."
Peri shook her head, "You have known him what two months? You do not get to be intimate with someone you barely know."
"Excuse me. This is not a hook-up situation like you do. I am actually dating him."
She scowled at her, "You will watch her tongue."
"I do not have to be respectful to you. You are not superior to me. You are my sister nothing more. You are not even related to me by blood. You do not get to control me. This is my life, not yours," she stormed off.
That evening she stood at the bank of the Black Lake, it was drizzling outside when Fred approached her from behind, she heard the footsteps but ignored the person. He wrapped his arms around her from behind, "What are you doing?" he whispered into her ear.
She leaned into him, "Thinking."
"That is dangerous," he teased.
She giggled, "Maybe for you."
He kissed her cheek, "What are you thinking about?"
"Us."
He tightened his grip slightly on her, "Us? Why?"
"Nothing bad…I just thinking about something Peri mentioned," she pulled herself from his grip turning around to face him, "Are we moving too fast?"
"No…I don't think so. Do you think so?"
She was silent, biting her lip thinking how to word her response, "No…but we have had a few close calls especially when we go to the Quidditch field to fly…the locker rooms. The library. Here."
He smiled softly at her, "Perhaps we are there, but we also get caught in the moment. We always stop though and it is alright. I have told you before there is no pressure. I want you ready when you are ready."
She nodded, he wrapped his arms around her again, "Hallie…"
"Hmm?"
He looked deep into her emerald eyes, brushing her hair out of her face, "I love you," he spoke in a hushed tone.
The rain was picking up around them, becoming less of a drizzle but hard rainfall.
She stared up at him, "I love you, too."
He smiled down at her before picking her up and pulling her into a deep kiss. Her soft lips moved slowly against his. She wrapped her arms around his neck with her legs hooking around his hips pulling their bodies closer together. They could feel the others' heartbeats picking up speed. The rain moved to a downpour around them, soaking them as it did during their first kiss. They released their kiss locking eyes, as he slowly placed her on the ground, "We should go inside for dinner."
She nodded removing her hands still around his neck to take one of his hands following him inside. The two shared a kiss when they entered the Great Hall before parting ways. Hermione scowled at him getting their table wet again, "Really? Caught in the rain again."
"I do not control the weather, Hermione," he told her as Dumbledore announced dinner.
Fred turned his conversation to George and Lee, "Anything else get wet?" George teased.
"George!" Hermione and Holly scolded him overhearing him.
The three sixteen-year-olds looked at the two girls, "This is a conversation with the three of us, ladies."
Fred looked at his brother, "I would not know. We did not go that far and even if we did I would not share those details…, especially with the ears of young students around and her own sister."
"He did," he laughed whispering across the table to Lee.
"George!" Fred raised his voice to his brother, "Drop it! I will not be sharing any details of that nature with you. I might have in the past, but I will not anymore. Before those were just hookups. Hallie means much more to me than that, I am her boyfriend it is my job to protect her. Even if that means from you."
George was in shock but gave a nod. He looked past Lee to Peri laughing with the other Slytherins, "Perhaps I should go for Peri."
"Can you two leave my sisters alone?" Holly asked.
The three young men looked at her, "Well I am dating one, but George I agree with Holly. Just drop it."
"Who can I date then?"
"You do not want a date. You want something else." George nodded agreeing knowing he was right.
