Disclaimer: see prologue
Guide: "Speech", Thoughts, ~letters and other written things, "Parseltongue"
Warning: sexual themes and kinks, swearing
Beta: The wonderful Platinum
AN: The promised interlude. The title says it all. And as the last interlude with Professor Essentjelly was well liked, I added a little bonus scene between him and Severus. So enjoy!
-~-~- Altair -~-~-
-~-~-by Still waters are deep-~-~-
-~-~- Chapter 29 – Neville - the Golden Trio's love therapist-~-~-
Neville couldn't deny that he had had a very interesting and unusual week. Not because Professor Sprout had offered him an apprenticeship with her, with the option to take over her position when she planned to retire in about five years. No, Neville's week had been made interesting and surreal due to the Golden Trio.
A day after Halloween, Ron came to his room two hours after dinner asking him if he had some time to talk.
While Neville already suspected from the look on Ron's face that the red-head wanted to talk about Hermione, Neville wouldn't be Neville if he didn't say "Yes" even though he wasn't really in the mood to listen to Ron talking about Hermione. Ron surprised him though. Instead of complaining how much he wished the school year to be over so that he and Hermione could get back together, the red-head confined in him that he feared that he and Hermione may only see each other as siblings.
"How come?" Neville couldn't help but ask out of curiosity.
Letting himself fall down on Neville's bed, his legs hanging down the edge of the bed, eyes staring looking at the red canopy, Ron said, "I've been thinking about Harry and Ginny's failed relationship, and when I followed your advice and talked to her about it, she told me how she'd realised that what she felt for Harry was only a brotherly love and not romantic in nature. So, this made me wonder about myself and Hermione," he told Neville.
"But opposed to what Ginny described, kissing her doesn't feel wrong or awkward," the youngest Weasley son described. "So, I dismissed the thought again. But when I saw her together with Zabini this afternoon, I couldn't help but wonder if she's the one who only sees me as a brother," Ron admitted to Neville.
"And why do you think so?" the brunet probed. He couldn't imagine that Hermione would be so cruel as to kiss Zabini in front of Ron, especially since she didn't even hold hands with him in public or any of the other things couples do.
"We were all sitting with Malfoy and Harry in their living room, talking. Of course, somewhere along the lines we talked about school and Hermione got into one of her rants about how important this year is with the NEWTs and all.
"So, imagine my surprise when all Zabini had to do to stop her rant was to put his hand on her left shoulder, and she stopped. When Harry or I would do this, she'd just accuse us of not taking her seriously," Ron informed the other boy about what happened in Room Zero.
"Really?" Neville asked, astonished. He had witnessed enough of the Head Girl's speeches to know that it was near to impossible to stop her once she started.
"Yeah," Ron confirmed. "And as I know that she regards Harry as a brother, I can't help but to assume that for Zabini to be able to interrupt her, she must have romantic feelings for him, while I'm nothing more than a brother in her eyes," Ron said sighing, covering his eyes with his right forearm.
It was obvious to Neville that while Ron seemed to have accepted that Hermione had broken up with him and most likely wouldn't get together with him again, the thought that he'd been together with someone who only saw him as a brother bothered him.
Hermione and Blaise don't create the impression that they're in love, Neville thought, thinking back about all the times he'd spend in the company of the two. To me, they look more like two adults who are good friends and are mature enough and so academically inclined that they would regard their Altair work as nothing more than an assignment. And maybe have some fun in-between, he thought, easily remembering all the times Blaise made one of his innuendos.
So, Neville advised Ron that he should just talk to Hermione and ask her about his suspicion. Assuring him that he believed that Ron was wrong and they had just didn't work out like any other couple and are nothing like Ginny and Harry.
To cheer up Ron, Neville rhetorically asked, "When does Harry do anything normal?"
As Neville's latest advice regarding Harry and Ginny's break up had worked out, Ron was secure that this one would work out too. So, with a smile on his face, in a general good mood and a bit hungry, Ron left the room. He needed to find a way to bring up the topic with Hermione.
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Neville was surprised and also a bit overwhelmed when not even a day later the next one of the Golden Trio seeked out his advice with their love problems.
The brunet boy was just coming back from a late lunch, having spent the morning working in one of the greenhouses, when Hermione approached him in the Gryffindor common room wondering if they could talk.
At first Neville had assumed that Hermione wanted to have a word with him because of the advice he gave Ron the previous night, and assumed that Hermione was angry with him for telling Ron to ask her if she saw him as a brother. Or maybe Ron had overreacted and she blamed him? So, a bit anxious, Neville led her through the boys' dorm towards the Altair common room, and then up the stairs.
"I don't know if Ron's here to let you in," Neville said to Hermione when they stood in front of the door to his and Ron's rooms.
Entering the hallway, he called out, "Ron, are you here?"
"Yes," came the red-head's reply.
"Could you please let me in?" Hermione called from the doorway.
"Of, course. Come on in, Hermione," Ron called back, giving his permission for his friend to enter.
While it was well and good that the Altair room were protected against trespassing, and therefore protected the inhabitants' privacy regarding the Altair electives, after a while it got really annoying that you had to invite your friends into your rooms every time and also needed your room mate to do the same.
"Thank you, Ron" Hermione said as she passed him and entered Neville's room.
Ron was surprised by this. He'd assumed that she wanted to talk with him and not with Neville. Thinking that they probably wanted to talk about Herbology, he dismissed Hermione's behaviour with a shrug and closed the door to his room. He still had to work out a way to bring up the sisterly feelings dilemma.
"So, what's the matter?" Neville asked gingerly, after he sat down on his bed and Hermione made herself comfortable on his chair.
"I'm unsure if I'm in love with someone," Hermione said, fiddling with her hands and taking Neville by surprised.
"Not that I mind or anything, but why aren't you talking with Harry or Ginny about it?" Neville asked. He couldn't understand that she wouldn't talk with any of her two close friends about it instead of going to him.
"Because Ginny doesn't know about the Altair electives, which are part of the problem, and Harry has other things on his mind right now, so I don't want to trouble him with my own problems."
"Am I right to assume that it is Blaise you may be in love with?" Neville asked after neither of them said a word for a while.
"Yes," Hermione answered in a low voice. "The Altair electives made it obvious, didn't they?" she added rhetorically.
"Yes, they did," was the last thing Neville said before Hermione started a little rant.
"You have to know that over the last two months a got to know Blaise very well, with living together and sharing a room and all that. And so, we of course spend a lot of time together, talking about different things: starting with school work and our plans for the future, to things like our childhood and wizarding politics. And I now feel like I can talk with him about anything.
"We also found out that we have a lot in common. For example we both are interested in travelling and love to read Andrew Lang," she listed. "Oh, and he makes me laugh and doesn't mind to have an academic talk once in a while; although, I really do hate all of his innuendos.
"I won't deny though that he's good in the sack," Hermione said, finished her rant as if Blaise being a good lover gave him the freedom to make all of his Head Girl jokes.
And Neville couldn't help it; he had to interrupt before she went into the details. So, he said to her "Too much information, Hermione."
This made the witch blush, saying a sheepishly, "Sorry, I got lost in my thoughts."
"Yes, you did," Neville answered calmly.
"Anyway," Hermione began, "when I signed up for the Altair electives I expected to become friends with my partner not to end up falling in love with him. I mean, the main reason why I had ended the previous relationship with Ron was that I did not want to betray him by sleeping with someone else."
At least I seem to have guessed correctly that she didn't break up with Ron because she saw him as only a brother, he thought when he heard the last part. Though, out loud he only said "Hmm."
"On the first night, Blaise and I had a talk and he agreed with me that what we're doing was only academic in nature, and maybe we could have some fun in between as friends-with-benefits, so we were on the same page then.
"And now I fear that I may feel something more with him, but on the same time I don't feel the butterflies in my stomach I had when I got together with Ron, so I don't know if I'm really in love or only thinking that I'm in love because of all the intimate things we do together," Hermione informed him of her fears and doubts.
"Hmm, that's really complicated, Hermione," Neville said calmly. "I don't know Blaise well, and don't even want to pretend that I know what having an Altair partner means, but from what you said about the missing butterflies, I get the feeling that you only love him as a good friend and nothing more."
"Are you sure?" Hermione asked, forcing Neville to elaborate his thoughts.
"I'm not you, so I can't tell you what you feel, but what I saw makes me believe that you're not in love with him. I mean when you two are together in the common room, you don't make doe eyes at him, you just talk and look with him like it was Harry. Also, with you two needing to be intimate," here Neville blushed as he said the words, "I would assume that you would want to touch him more, like touching his arm, moving his hair out of his eyes. But you don't do any of it."
"That's true," Hermione said. "I haven't thought about all the small gestures two people in love would share." And thinking about it, I don't feel the need to kiss Blaise or hold hands with him like I did with Ron or Viktor, Hermione mused.
"I only though about all the sexual things," she admitted.
"Knowing you, I wouldn't be surprised if you told yourself that you must like what you do with him behind close doors because you really want to learn Sexual Magic and for this you can't be shy or afraid," Neville told her.
Hermione laughed. "Not that I would need to talk myself into liking Blaise bedroom skills, but your close enough. I started with the knowledge that he and I would have to become very close. And it seems like the whole situation just caught up with me," she said with another short nervous-relieved laugh. "I mean who would sleep with someone regularly if they don't love or at least like each other?" she asked.
Neville had to laugh at that question. "Seriously, Hermione. How many teenage boys do you thing would say no to a good regular shag? No strings attached and all," Neville commented.
"Okay, I see what you mean," she gave in with a laugh, getting up from the chair and walking over to him.
"Thank you, Neville" she said, giving him a hug.
"No problem," he answered. "You already knew the answer or you wouldn't have doubted that you loved him. So you'd figured it out on your own soon enough," he added. Everything she really had need was to voice her thoughts out loud, he thought.
"Maybe, maybe not," she said, opening the door.
"And Hermione, do me the favour and talk to Ron. He needs to know that you don't see him as a brother," he said, hoping that he could help out his room mate.
~-~-~-~-~-~-Altair-a life changing event-~-~-~-~-~-~-
After Ron and Hermione went to him for advise with their love troubles, Neville wasn't as surprised as he could have been when the last member of the Golden Trio also approached him with his insecurities regrading Draco a week after Hermione.
"Hey, Neville, do you have a moment?" Harry asked him in the Entrance Hall as he was on the way to Greenhouse two.
"I was just on my way to Greenhouse two, but if you want to, we can talk on the way," Neville suggested.
"Alright," Harry agreed and together they walked out of the Entrance Hall.
"So, what do want?" Neville asked.
"Ehm," Harry stammered, not knowing where to begin, even though he had thought about how he should address the problem as he'd walked down from the tower to the ground floor. "You remember yesterday's Quidditch match?" he finally asked.
"Of course," Neville answered. "The ground is still soaking wet from all the rain," he said as they walked through the mud.
"Yeah," Harry agreed sheepishly. "Anyway, sometime after you, I left the stands to watch the game from my living room as it oversees the pitch," he explained to Neville, who hadn't yet visited Room Zero. "And as Draco and I were watching the game, I suddenly wanted to kiss him," he finished, revealing his problem.
Neville didn't say anything as he opened the door of Greenhouse two. He didn't see what Harry's problem was. He and Draco were Altair partners so kissing shouldn't be a big deal for them. Therefore, Neville waited for Harry to say more and finally reveal what troubled him, but Harry stayed mute.
After another moment of silence, Neville remembered Hermione's dilemma and he suspected that Harry may have the polar opposite dilemma. Instead of falsely assuming the Draco was more than a friend, Harry may feel more than friendship for the blond but didn't want to admit it. This would explain while Harry stopped talking after mentioning the urge to kiss the other boy.
"And have you?" Neville finally asked. He didn't know how else he should approach the topic he believed was the problem without saying something that could offend Harry.
"No," Harry answered quickly. Too quickly.
"And why not?" Neville probed. Harry's reaction had just proved that his previous assumption had been right, and that Harry didn't want to admit to himself that he felt more than friendship for Malfoy.
"Because it wouldn't be right," he answered, though it sounded more like a question, as if Harry himself did doubt it. "I mean we're just Altair partners and good friends," he stated
"Well, I'm not you so I cannot tell you how you feel about him, but I have a feeling that you feel more than just friendship for him," Neville said in a calm, non-offending voice.
"I don't know," Harry muttered, the other boy barely able to hear him. "I mean, how do I even know if I see him as more than a friend?" he asked shyly, but in a clearer voice.
"Maybe you could try to compare him to Hermione and Ron?" the other boy suggested, as he started to gather the tools he would need.
At Harry's questioning look, Neville elaborated, "I mean just ask yourself some questions and compare what the answer would be for Draco and Hermione. For example you could ask..." here Neville made a short pause to come up with a good example before he continued. "You could ask yourself if you would want to give both of them a kiss on the cheek and then ask if you would also want to have a full make out session with either of them."
While Harry got excited at the thought of snogging the blond, he couldn't imagine snogging Hermione. It would be weird and just 'Eek', even though he knew that Hermione was a young and attractive woman.
But there was still the Ginny problem, so Harry asked, "How do I know that I'm not making the same mistake I made with Ginny and mix up brotherly love with romantic love?"
"You don't. But really, Harry, if you ask me, I doubt that what you feel for Malfoy is a brotherly love," Neville said, having finally gather everything he would need for his task of replanting.
As Harry didn't say anything in return, Neville saw the need to elaborate, "Oh, come on, Harry. Do you really believe that after all the fights you had since first year; he can just be a brother to you? Dean even said that now, where you're Altair partners, you'll finally be able to resolve all the sexual tension between you two without having to resolve to duelling and trading insults."
Harry turned a bright red when he heard what Dean had said about him and Draco. But at least it did help to bring Neville's point across to him.
"Besides," Neville added, "did you ever have the urge to do more than just kiss Ginny?"
"No," he admitted.
"See," Neville said, "that's where the line between brotherly and romantic love lies."
Harry nodded in acknowledgement. What Neville had just said was so simple, it had to be true.
"Thank you, Neville," Harry said, giving the other boy a pat on his shoulder in thanks and then left the greenhouse.
To tell the truth, Neville was relieved that he'd spontaneously come up with this universal boundary after he asked the question about doing more than kissing Ginny. Hoping that everything would go smoothly for Harry, Neville finally started his task of replanting.
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Sunday, 9th November 1997, Severus Snape's private quarters
"For the last time, Silas. No!" Severus yelled out, annoyed at his old Potions mastership apprentice partner, turned Sexual Potions professor.
"Oh, come on, Severus," Professor Essentjelly tried once again to persuade the Potions master to brew the Zët potion with him. "We've brewed the Lloj Potion together without a problem. So, why don't you want to help me brew the Zët Potion?" he asked.
"Maybe because, opposed to the Lloj Potion, the Zët Potion is a real pain in the ass?" Severus answered in a sarcastic voice.
"But for someone with your abilities and talent, brewing the potion should be a walk in the park," Silas countered, his patience running short.
"Oh, I wasn't talking of it figuratively being a pain in the ass. It's literally a pain in the ass. But of course, you tops wouldn't know about it," he said, clearly remembering how he felt after the one time he had sex with Sirius Black. Thank, Salazar that his brother Regulus was more sensitive to how I felt, he thought.
"Now you're being ridiculous. We both know that I very well care about my bottoms' well-being, or we wouldn't have been partners for three years," Professor Essentjelly countered.
"Really?" Snape questioned. "If you really did care about the bottom's well-being, you wouldn't be asking me to brew it with you this Friday of all times. Rolanda just caught a bad case of the Feloidea flu*. It takes between four to seven days before the person can speak again, so it's uncertain if she'll be able to referee Saturday's Quidditch match. And I'm sure as hell not in the mood to substitute for her a day after having brewed the Zët Potion," he beat his colleague with his words.
"For all I cared we could brew it now or on Sunday, but we both know that the Zët Potion can only be brewed correctly on a full moon night," Essentjelly pointed out.
"Then you should have asked me last month," was Severus sharp answer.
"Because I could have foreseen that Rolanda would get ill this month?" Silas snapped back.
Silence.
Taking a calming breath, Silas tried to let go of his pent up frustration. Quarrelling with Severus wouldn't do him any good, and yelling and snapping at each other wouldn't get them anywhere.
Sitting down on one of the armchairs in Severus' living room, Silas tried again to get Severus to be his brewing partner. "You know with you being the Head of Slytherin house, Minerva could accuse you to be partial, and demand another referee."
Severus gave only a slight nod in acknowledgement to this claim.
"Didn't Andrew play Quidditch in school? Maybe he could referee for you?" Silas asked, referring to the Enchanting teacher.
"He did," was Snape's short answer.
"See, problem solved. And if you're really afraid of being a bit sore for a day, I'll sponsor you a tube of Miplo's Soothing Balm*," Silas tried to bait Snape.
"Or you could just try your luck with Isabelle," Severus countered, wanting Silas to bother the Ritual Magic teacher instead. "Don't you have a weak spot for blonde French women, anyway?"
Seeing that he wouldn't get through to Severus this evening, Professor Essentjelly gave up for the night. He would have to try his luck again another time. If he was lucky, Rolanda would get released from the Hospital Wing on Friday morning and Severus wouldn't have an excuse any longer...
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Feloidea flu: Feloidea means catlike. I needed something better than the Muggle flu which should be easy to cure for wizards. So I came up with this magical flu in reference to the saying "Cat got your tongue".
Miplo's Soothing Balm: An expensive balm I'd made up which does wonders against soreness in certain places ;)
Isabelle Immaculé: Isabelle means untouched and immaculé means pure. So the meanings fit together and the first and last names also have the same initials like JKR prefers to name her characters.
~-~-~-~-~-~-Altair-a life changing event-~-~-~-~-~-~-
AN: So, if you've been wondering how Professor Essentjelly produced the demonstration potions for his classes, you now know how. ;)
Next: The boys brewing the Zët Potion. I hope you don't mind the delay of the lemon, but with exams, I only have the time to write short chapters. And keep in mind that it's Gryffindor who will be playing against Slytherin a day after the boys brew the potion which is "a pain in the ass" as Severus called it...