Author's Note:
I wanted this first scene to happen a certain way in my mind because I think it's something that needed to happen. Thank you to Bex for all of her help in making it come out the way I wanted it to.
Reviews and Comments: To iKingAnomalyII: It's true, she really doesn't have much of a chance with Harry, but they are going to date for a while and have fun. It's true, Corner won't last much longer. Thank you! To scrappy8: Thank you! To Guest: Ginny is a year younger than Harry so she will not date as many people, but yes, there will be more than just Michael. Thank you. To notthatchhavi: Thank you! I think Mandy is very humble as well. Ginny is very caring and helpful to her brothers. Thank you! To DaphThePuff: I'm sorry you've lost all enthusiasm for Harry and Ginny because of the slow-burn, they will be happening. To Wolf's scream: Ron is very perceptive and I think people don't give him enough credit for it. Thanks for liking the timeline. To coloredwords: Thank you. As to the list of the Horcrux order, that is the order they are ASSUMING it is made in based on what they know. No, I made the Horcrux stuff up. I love Zee and Thea teaming up again Sirius, girls have to stick together. Sorry you're upset over Sirius supporting Fred and George, but I think it fits here. Thank you.
To PolarWriter95: Thank you. To Denisa: Thanks for rereading the Beginning Series (I don't think it's worth it lol). No, Ginny will not have any secret powers here. I have no plans on making her an empath like I did in the Beginning Series. Thank you! To alix33: Thank you and yes, I preordered the new Gabaldon book and cannot wait for it to arrive! To supersandman86: Thank you, I think the different rooms makes sense. Zee is right, Harry will want to do it no matter what the risks are. He just wants those he loves to be safe. Thank you! To Steelcode: Mandy is sweet and kind, thank you. As to how Harry will react, you'll find out soon. Thank you! To LifeonEarth: Thank you. Ron definitely wants to say I told you so which is ironic considering him and Hermione lol. As to Hinny… not yet. Thank you! To nesciamema: Thank you. You'll have to wait and see. To xXMizz Alec VolturiXx: Thank you! To geekymom: Thank you! To x-shadow-x-kisses-x: Thank you!
To smallwjl: I suppose I do like to leave you dangling a bit. And no, I will not have this whole story written in a couple of days lol. Thank you! To Leaf Ranger: Yes, Harry has himself a new girlfriend and Ron even knows about Harry and Ginny. Ron was always supportive of them in canon from the beginning. Xander does understand what he's dealing with. We'll have to see what happens next. Thank you! To Inhaled Atoms: Thank you very much, I'm glad you're enjoying ASC. To DepthSlicer: Thank you very much for reading and I'm glad you're enjoying ASC. To speedsONEandONLY: Thanks for reading even while on vacation! Harry is keeping the pool a secret for now and Thea is good people. Thank you! To Jmcglynn522: You're back! I was getting worried. Thanks for loving the newspaper article, I thought it was important. Zee is the best and was a bit jealous as well as worried about Harry. Ha, I love that you think Michael is still a douche and that you don't trust Mandy. She's so nice, LOL! I loved having Ginny comfort Ron for nightmares this time around. Thank you!
To Soveliss: LOL, you think turning Ludo Bagman into a cheesecake will interfere with everyone's plans? We shall see. The pool does seem fitting and yes, it will appear on the map eventually. Thanks for the recommendations! I love the Bridgerton books! I will have to add the others to my list! To Lady Phoenix: Thanks for liking my real-world issues, I think it's important. Mandy is so sweet and I think she's exactly what Harry needs. I agree, Sirius getting involved with the twins is both great and disastrous. Thea is a busy woman! Zee is a tiny bit jealous which is cute. As to Xander, he definitely has his work cut out for him. You think on some level Harry knows? We'll see. Thank you!
Thanks to Steel for help with the prank.
Thank you to my Beta — SilverStarwolfe!
My posting schedule: Once a week and sometimes on weekends.
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 ONE HUNDRED AND SEVENTY-FIVE:
The One With the Bats from the Crotch
Ginny watched Harry walk with his girlfriend. They were holding hands and something she had told him was making him laugh. It was that great Harry laugh too, the one that made you know he had let his guard down. She hadn't heard him laugh like that since the Quidditch World Cup, she thought. It was about time someone could make him happy. He had been acting strangely lately, at least around her. She knew that he didn't like her boyfriend, but there was something else there. After the Second Task, he had backed off of her and Michael substantially and was now only talking to her when Michael wasn't around. It bothered her because she didn't want him to think that he couldn't be around her when she was with Michael.
Boys were so frustrating, she thought. Maybe now that he was with Mandy he would be around more. It was honestly just nice to see him happy. She knew how much being in the tournament had stressed him out on top of the added stress of worrying about Voldemort returning. As far as she knew they still didn't know anything else except that he was trying to make a potion to restore his body, which was terrifying enough, and had kept her awake more times than she wanted to admit. If anyone deserved to take a minute and be happy, it was Harry. He was going home that night for Easter holiday and he seemed excited about it. She thought that he needed the little break from school just as much as he deserved to be happy.
He had been dating Mandy for almost a month now and she seemed to make him really happy. He had even told her that she was going over that night to watch a movie with him at Black Cottage and he was going to introduce her to Sirius and Zee. His face had lit up when he told her. It was nice to see him so happy.
She was all right with staying at school for the break as her parents were visiting Bill in Egypt to help him pack up his things. He was being officially transferred to London and she was looking forward to him being around more.
The sound of something hitting the table next to her made her jump and her eyes moved to her boyfriend. "Michael!"
He merely raised an eyebrow. "Watching Potter?"
"No," Ginny said, annoyed at his tone. "It's nice to hear him laugh, though. I think that Mandy is good for him."
Michael scoffed. "She's a bore. I tried to kiss her last year and she hexed me."
Ginny merely raised an eyebrow. "Sounds like you might have deserved it."
He rolled his eyes. "I saw the article in the Daily Prophet today on that shop closing down in Diagon Alley. I guess the Vane Sisters have been formally charged and the shop is being closed for good. It was a repeat article as some of the people who were given the love potion have come forward."
"I know that they had a lot of nice things in there so that is a little disappointing, but I think it's for the best overall. If they were giving people love potions without their knowledge, who knows what else they were secretly putting into their products."
Michael nodded. "It's been almost four weeks and we're still arguing over this stupid love potion thing."
"Maybe if you would just admit that it was wrong, I wouldn't have to argue with you."
Michael only gave her a pointed look. "Look, I thought about it and Terry gave me this whole spiel about how if a bloke had used the potion on me and made me kiss and do stuff with him and well, I kind of saw the problem. I wouldn't have enjoyed that, and well, I guess, maybe… it was wrong for Vane to dose Potter."
Ginny stared at him in surprise. "Do you actually think that?"
He nodded. "Yeah, I do. I realized that it could come across as date rape and that doesn't sit with me. I can see why you were concerned and well, I'm sorry."
Ginny threw her arms around his neck and kissed him. "I'm sorry that I've been such a bitch about this, but the thought of someone hurting my friend like that has just been eating at me. The potion made him act like a different person and that's what was so scary."
Michael tugged her into his lap, kissing her again. "I get it, Ginny. I'm sorry it took me so long to come to that conclusion."
Ginny let herself fall into the kiss when his lips met hers again, sighing when his lips moved to her neck. "Let's get out of here."
He grinned and tugged her to her feet. She grabbed her books and her bag and let him lead her out of the library. It was only a few minutes later when she found herself pushed against a wall behind one of the tapestries and his lips were on hers again.
She really loved kissing Michael.
He was sweet and his lips always felt so wonderful on hers and on her neck or her hands. She loved the feel of him against her and she wanted him to just keep kissing her forever. He moaned against her mouth and she felt his hardness against her stomach, surprising her. It wasn't the first time that he had made his intentions known, but it still shocked her.
She made to shift, but he only ground his erection into her, the hardness pressing into her stomach and she shook her head. "Michael, don't."
He sighed and kissed her neck. "I'm sorry. You just make me feel so many things, Ginny."
"It's nice to know that I can make you feel that. I… I just don't want to feel it against my stomach, okay?"
Michael nodded and bent to kiss her again, shifting his hips away from her. The snogging soon turned passionate again and more desperate and then he was holding her hands in his and moving one of them down and before she could protest, he was pushing her hand over his groin.
Ginny shoved him away from her. "I said no!"
Michael scoffed. "I'm tired of you being such a fucking tease, Ginny! You're all over me! It's about time you give me something more. It's not like I'm asking you to have sex with me. Just give me a wank!"
Ginny glared at him. "I'm not ready to do something like that."
"It's nothing," he said, moving towards her again and pressing a gentle kiss to her forehead. "It would be nothing to you. You don't even have to touch it, just rub it, through my trousers."
"I-I-I don't want to," she said, appalled that her voice was shaking.
Michael smiled against her hair. "I'll show you, pet. I'll touch myself, and you can watch, how about that?"
"No," Ginny said, gasping when he pinned her back against the wall. "Michael, don't —please!"
But it wasn't Michael now.
Ginny knew it wasn't him.
The image hit her so quickly that she almost fell over. She could see him hovering over her, blurred outlines; his dark hair falling into his face as his hands pumped himself furiously, her blood on his hands as lubricant as he grunted, and then she watched in horror as he finished all over her, splashing into her hair, onto her face, onto her lips, and the tears fell from her eyes.
She pushed Michael away and vomited and he stared at her in surprise.
"Ginny, I'm sorry — don't cry! I won't rush you! I'm sorry! I didn't mean… I'm being a prat, I'm sorry. Are you okay? I would never force you, pet, you know that, right?"
But she wasn't thinking about Michael anymore and she felt dirty. She felt like a slag and she wanted nothing more than to scrub herself clean.
She had to get away.
She had to get away from him.
He touched her arm and she turned without thinking, grabbing her wand from her holster and used the curse that Bill had taught her.
But she didn't aim for his nose.
The sound he made as a huge bat-shaped bogey erupted through the crotch of his trousers only made her pause for a moment.
"If you EVER force yourself on me again, Michael Corner, I will make you wish this was the worst thing that I had ever done to you."
She left him lying on the floor of the hallway, his hands over his groin as bat-bogeys flapped around him. He groaned in pain while she ran.
She didn't know who she was looking for, not really, but the moment George grabbed her arm she threw herself into his and the tears fell.
George didn't ask her what was wrong. He simply scooped her up like he had when she was little and carried her into an empty classroom, rocking her in his arms as she cried. His hands ran up and down her back soothingly and he was whispering soothing words in her ear, but she couldn't make them out.
When the tears finally subsided, Ginny hiccupped and pulled away. "Thanks, Georgie."
He kissed her forehead. "What happened, Nevra? Who do you need me to go beat up for you?"
She snorted and hugged him again. "I left him on the floor in the hallway with bat bogeys coming out of his trousers."
"Coming out of his — Merlin's balls, you made them come out of his prick? That's cold, Nevra, even for you!"
Ginny nodded. "It wasn't entirely his fault. I… I had a panic attack."
George kept his arm wrapped around her. "Tell me."
Ginny put her head on his shoulder. "I was in the Chamber, George and… Tom was… it wasn't really Michael's fault."
"Was he pressuring you?"
"He… he wanted me to touch him and I said I didn't want to. I'm not ready and he was pushy and… maybe I overreacted."
"No," George said sternly. "You absolutely did not overreact. Did you say no?"
"Yes."
"And he still tried something?"
Ginny nodded.
"Git deserved bat-bogeys then," George said. "When a girl says no, you stop, end of story. You going to be okay, Nevra? Do you want to write to Na'eemah?"
She nodded, hugging him tightly. "I think I might. Maybe I'll ask McGonagall if I can Floo her?"
"Of course," he said, kissing her head. "Come on; we'll go together."
Ginny let him pull her to her feet and she hugged him fiercely. "George, thanks for listening."
George smiled against her hair. "First rule of being a big brother: No one is allowed to pick on my baby sister who's not family."
She laughed and curled into him as he hugged her tightly. "Git."
George draped an arm around her shoulders when she pulled away, tugging her back against him. "Doesn't stop it from being true. Come on; let's go see if we can get you to Na'eemah."
Ginny let him lead her out of the room, a soft smile on her face. Even if Na'eemah was busy, she felt better already. Having her brothers in her corner was something she appreciated more than she could explain.
She wondered if Michael was still on the floor in the hallway and she felt a twinge of guilt at the thought. She was going to have to explain why she had hexed him to McGonagall.
And then she was going to have to apologize to him.
She didn't particularly want to do either.
~ ASC ~
When Harry stepped into his home that Friday night for the Easter holiday, he found his thoughts seemed even more befuddled than usual. It had been just over a month since he had been dating Mandy Brocklehurst and he really liked her. Spending time with her made him smile, it made him laugh, and he enjoyed doing simple things with her like homework or sharing a meal. She liked his friends, which was definitely a plus, and he found Susan and Hannah to be relatively nice as well, Hannah more than Susan, but still, both nice.
Mandy was fun. She was smart and she listened to him and he loved listening to her. Kissing her was great and wonderful and he enjoyed just holding her and he really enjoyed snogging her. She was hesitant and sweet each time he kissed her and he felt her confidence building and he liked that. He liked helping her boost her confidence.
It was why he had asked her to come over to Black Cottage the first night of the Easter holiday, since she was also going home for the holiday as well, and to watch a movie with him. She had never seen a Muggle film before and he had been telling her about this crazy American film about a dinosaur park and she was intrigued. He had mirror-called Sirius and asked him if Mandy could come over on Friday and if they could rent Jurassic Park and watch it. Sirius had only grinned at him and wiggled his eyebrows suggestively, but had said yes.
He had spent the whole morning with her, kissing and talking and then they had all gone their separate ways to head home for the holidays. Only sixty students were returning home for Easter this year so McGonagall was allowing parents to pick them up. The two students who came from Muggle homes were taking the Knight Bus.
Sirius picked him up in Hogsmeade and he hugged his father tightly as he side Apparated him home. Sirius had spent the last two days setting up the VCR and surround-sound speakers in the treehouse so that they could watch the movie projected on the wall. It sounded brilliant to Harry and he said as much as Sirius said that he had to run off to finish something at the Ministry and would be back in a few hours.
Harry headed upstairs to throw his bag on his bed, feeling a little guilty. He had spent the last two nights having intense wet-dreams and to his horror — they had not been about Mandy. The sight of her red hair at breakfast had made guilt swim through him. He didn't dare mention his thoughts to anyone and he knew that Sirius had noticed something from the moment that he had picked him up in Hogsmeade. But he hadn't known what to say.
Not to mention that he had a girlfriend.
A really beautiful girlfriend who was kind and overall a really great girl and when he compared her to… he buried his face in his hands. He was a terrible friend. If she found out… he groaned into his hands, grateful for Marauder who jumped up on the bed to comfort him. He pet the dog for a few minutes before he went outside to stand on his balcony, looking out at the garden; at the magnificent treehouse that stood across the back.
Mandy was sweet and coming here tonight for a movie date and he was thinking about another girl. He was the worst boyfriend in the world. He took a seat on the egg shaped swing chair in the corner and rocked gently, trying to work out his thoughts.
Mandy was great. She made him happy. She made him smile. Ginny was… his friend and the thought of losing or possibly ruining that friendship wasn't something that he wanted to even attempt. He just wished that he could stop thinking about her.
He turned at the knock on his bedroom door, running his fingers through his hair nervously. "Come in."
Zee poked her head in and gave him a small smile. "Hey, Sirius already took off. Are you going to come down and hang out with me until Mandy gets here?"
Harry shrugged. "Er, I guess, yeah."
Zee leaned against the doorjamb of his bedroom door, her eyes on him. "You okay, sweetie?"
His gut clenched and he shrugged, leaning back in the egg swing chair. "Yeah, yeah, fine."
Zee moved into his room and came to stand out on the balcony with him. "You have the best view in the house. I still look out at that treehouse and think that it's the most brilliant thing that I've ever seen."
"Yeah, it's pretty great," he told her.
She was quiet for a moment before she turned those dark eyes on him. "You've been quiet since you came home. You just came straight upstairs, didn't say much. Sirius said that you were quiet in Hogsmeade, too. You know that you can talk to me, right? I know that I'm not Sirius or Remus or even Tonks, but I can lend an ear or two. Unless, of course it's me, and you don't want me living here anymore?"
"What? No!" he exclaimed, turning to look at her. "Definitely not! I'm glad that you're living here, Zee. I just…" he sighed, shoving his hands into his pockets. "Uncle Sirius is gone?"
She nodded. "Yeah."
He let out a slow breath. "I… you can't tell him, okay? He'd just tease me and… promise?"
Zee smiled kindly at him. "Unless it's a life or death situation, Harry, I would never betray a confidence. You can trust me."
Harry smiled at her. "There's this girl…"
Zee smiled, moving to sit in the swing chair with him and he shifted to make room for her. "Mandy?"
"Not Mandy," he said slowly. "Mandy's great. She's nice and sweet and so pretty. She makes me happy and I like spending time with her it's just… this other girl, she… she makes me feel things that… when I see her, I feel like my heart just races and when she smiles or laughs, it's like my world has shifted and everything is right where it's supposed to be. She's beautiful and funny and smart and powerful and completely… not available."
Zee smiled sympathetically, reaching out to touch his arm. "Not available?"
"She has a boyfriend."
"Have they been dating long?"
"A few months," he admitted. "And he's a nice bloke and she likes him. Well, I think he's a git actually, but she likes him for some reason. If she found out that I had feelings for her, she would hate me. She'd think that I was just trying to break them up."
She nodded. "Why would she think that?"
"I saw her snogging him once and I… overreacted… she threatened to hex me."
Zee grinned. "She has spirit, I like her already."
He snorted at that. "More than just spirit. She's incredible and…"
"And one of your best friends," Zee finished with a smile.
He nodded, swallowing. "How did you know?"
She shifted back into the chair and put her arm around his shoulders, smiling when he lowered his head to rest against her as the egg chair swung back and forth. "I first suspected in the summer when the sight of her broke your concentration on the Veela, then at Christmas when you spent almost an hour telling me about her boyfriend Michael Corner, and when she was the person you would miss most in the Second Task, I wondered. Sirius scoffed at me; said that she was your first friend, but I had a feeling it was something a little bit more."
"Zee… she fancied me last year and I… I told her that there was no chance of it happening, that we were friends and nothing more, and that our friendship meant the world to me…"
"And you're now reciprocating those feelings," she finished. "Harry, if Ginny wasn't dating Michael, if she was single… would you still want her?"
"What? You think that I'm just… jealous because Michael has her and I don't?"
"It's not unheard of," she said, kindly. "To want what you can't have."
He shook his head. "No… I… before Christmas, I started to notice that she… and at the Yule Ball, she was so beautiful. I mean, she's always gorgeous, but… she outshone everyone there, and I didn't even know that she was with him then. But then everything happened with Romilda and by the time everything came to a head, she was still dating Michael and well… I lost my chance."
"You did not lose your chance. You just postponed it a bit."
Harry looked at her quizzically.
"Harry, you two are young and I'm sure that she's not going to be marrying Michael Corner any time soon." That made him smile. "Just remember to keep being her friend and your chance will come."
"So, I probably shouldn't just kiss her then?"
"Sirius' advice I assume?"
Harry blushed. "He said that if I like a girl, I should show her how I feel, but to never do something that she wouldn't want. He told me that the girl always gets the last word and… I want to kiss her, Zee. I… I almost did at the Yule Ball before I knew about Michael and… I've tried not to think about her like that. She's my friend and I don't want to lose her, but sometimes…"
"Do you like Mandy, Harry?"
He nodded. "Yeah, she's so great! She makes me smile and she's fun and I really like spending time with her, but then I feel really guilty when I think about Ginny."
Zee stared at him for a moment. "It's up to you, to give Mandy a chance or not. But I think you should. She makes you happy and right now you need someone like that in your life. If you're worried about your friendship with Ginny then now isn't the time to act on anything and I think that you know that. Not to mention, most of us girls do not find it attractive when our men start kissing other girls," she added making him smirk at her. "Pining after someone you can't have is only going to hurt you. If you like Mandy, give her a chance. You can't give up your own chance at happiness on something that may never be."
Harry wrapped his arms around her in a warm hug. "Thanks, Zee. You really are the best mum."
Tears welled up in her eyes and she held him tighter. "Oh, Harry, I love you so much. I'm honoured that you think of me as a mum." She kissed his cheek tenderly. "Now, why don't we head downstairs and make some snacks for you and Mandy. The movie is all set up in the treehouse for you. Did Sirius tell you that he installed surround-sound out there?"
Harry nodded. "Yeah. He said that he worked on it over the last two days, but he was busy with other things which is why it took him so long. How long did it really take him?"
Zee rolled her eyes. "Six and a half hours. Come on; I'll tell you all about it."
Harry grinned and followed her out of the bedroom. She was right. Ginny was his friend; one of his best friends. He wasn't going to let his feelings get in the way of that. He had Mandy and she had Michael and right now that was okay too. Zee was right, he was happy with Mandy and the last thing he needed to do was stress about something that was never going to be.
He was looking forward to showing Mandy the intricacies of Jurassic Park. Not to mention his treehouse. He would just focus on that and enjoy the evening with his girlfriend who he was very excited to spend time with.
The more he thought about it, the more he knew that it was going to be a great night. Zee was right. It was time he let himself be happy and enjoy spending time with the girl who made him happy.
Not the girl who he was never going to have.
~ ASC ~
The movie was a success.
He and Mandy were lying in the hammock, snacking on nachos and drinking fizzy drinks. He kept his arm around her, grinning when she jumped every time something scary happened. She actually shrieked when the velociraptors showed up in the kitchen.
When the movie ended, it had seemed a natural move to start kissing her. They were interrupted by Sirius thirty minutes later, who only grinned at them.
"Ah, young love," he said, boisterously.
Harry groaned and buried his face in Mandy's hair, tossing one of the pillows at Sirius' head. "Uncle Siri!"
He grinned widely at them. "Sorry to interrupt, but it's time for Mandy to head on home. I promised her mother she would home by eleven."
"We'll be right in."
Sirius nodded and slid down the fire pole leaving the two of them alone.
"He's nice and funny," Mandy said as she carefully climbed out of the hammock.
Harry shrugged. "He's a pain in the arse, but he's the best." He tugged her close and kissed her softly. "Thanks for coming over."
"It was fun. The movie was really good, too. Are they all scary like that?"
"Nah, some are funny and some make you cry and some are full of action. We'll have to watch another one some time this summer."
Mandy nodded and smiled. "I'd really like that. Thanks for inviting me."
Harry tugged her close and kissed her, deepening the kiss, letting his hands slide up her back. When he pulled away, her eyes fluttered open, looking a little dazed and he grinned. "Goodnight, Mandy."
"Goodnight, Harry," she said, laughing when he slid down the fireman's pole and urged her to do the same.
They walked back to the house hand in hand and Mandy smiled at him before she stepped into the Floo and disappeared.
Sirius shoved his hands into his pockets and grinned at his son. "Getting some nice snogging time in, I see."
Harry rolled his eyes. "She is my girlfriend."
"That she is," Sirius said with a smirk. "How was the movie?"
"Great. She loved it. The surround-sound was brilliant by the way."
"Piece of cake to hook up, too," Sirius said.
Zee snickered from behind him. "Oh yes, piece of cake."
"Zee told me that it took you over six hours."
Sirius turned to glare at his girlfriend. "Traitor."
Harry laughed. "I'm heading up to bed. What time is everyone coming over tomorrow?"
"After lunch," Zee said with a smile. "I'd really love some help making dinner."
Harry grinned at her. "I'd love to help. Goodnight."
"Goodnight," they both said as he headed up the stairs.
Zee grinned when Sirius put his arm around her and kissed her cheek. "He told me that he thinks I make a great mum today."
"And you cried?"
She elbowed him. "Shut it! It was sweet."
Sirius kissed her cheek again. "You're the first he's ever really had and I can tell you, babe, next to Lily Potter, no one on this earth could do a better job than you."
Zee didn't have words for that so she just kissed him.
This was her family and there was no where else she would rather be.
~ ASC ~
Ginny found Michael outside by the Black Lake the next afternoon and she bit her lip as she approached him. She had avoided him most of the evening the night before and had taken the coward's way out in hiding from him for most of the morning. But she knew that she couldn't just hide from him. She had to talk to him.
"Michael?" she asked, tentatively.
The sound of her voice made him jump and he turned to look at her in surprise. "Ginny? Here to hex me again? I earned two weeks worth of detentions because of you, and I was the one who was hexed!"
She shook her head. McGonagall had told her she was going to give him detention when she had explained why she had hexed him and why she had needed to speak with Na'eemah, but she hadn't heard if her Head of House had gone through with it.
"I'm sorry about that. You deserved to be hexed, but I suppose that was a bit extreme."
When he only stared at her she sighed.
"Michael, I'm not ready to do what you were asking me to do. The fact that I said no and you kept pressuring me was wrong. I overreacted and I realize that, but you wouldn't stop and… I panicked."
He nodded and stood up, wiping his hands on the side of his jeans. "I was caught up in the moment, Ginny. You're gorgeous and vibrant and I wanted you because I'm attracted to you and aroused by you. I would never have forced myself on you. I just want you to know that and you… you had no reason to be that bloody terrified of me."
She nodded, her face pale. She did know that. She knew that he wasn't the type to force himself on her, but in the moment, her panic had set in. "That's wasn't all you… it… it triggered something else in me and I'm sorry that I took it out on you."
He only stared at her. "You don't trust me."
"No, I —"
Michael only let out a slow breath. "There's been something off about us for a while, Ginny. We both know that your heart isn't in this. You fancy Potter."
"No, I don't!" she insisted, her brown eyes on his. "We're just friends. It…" She let out a slow breath. "I… I was raped okay?"
Michael's eyes widened. "You — well, fuck. Ginny, I'm sorry."
"I don't want your pity," she said, her eyes flashing angrily. "It was a long time ago and… I'm telling you because in that moment, I didn't see you, I saw… him… and that's what scared me. That's why I hexed you."
He nodded, his eyes on her. "I see. I was caught up in the moment, Ginny. Maybe I did push a little too hard, but I'm not the bloke who doesn't take no for an answer. I don't want you to think that. I would never… rape you."
"I don't think that," she told him, honestly. "You've been nothing but sweet to me. I know that you would never have… I'm sorry."
He shuffled his feet before he spoke. "But you know… if you've already done it, I don't see what the big deal is… I mean — fuck, no… that came out wrong."
Ginny's eyes were glaring daggers at him. "How dare you!"
"Don't hex me!" he exclaimed, his hands up in surrender. "I didn't mean it like that, I just… no, I'm an arse, I'm sorry! I didn't mean that."
Ginny's fingers were clutched tightly around her wand as she stared at him. "More than an arse."
He nodded and took a tentative step closer to her. "I like you, Ginny. I mean, I really like you. You're sweet and funny and like I said on our first date, a bad-arse. You can take care of yourself and I admire that. I also like that you're not clingy, you give me my space and I give you yours and that's great. But I want more from you and you clearly want Potter. Go ahead and deny it if you want, but you do. You go to him at every opportunity and you talk about him more than any of your other friends."
"Don't throw Harry into this, Michael. He's not part of you and me."
Michael shook his head. "He is whether you see it or not. You were the one he would miss most in the Second Task, Ginny."
"For the last time, he's one of my best friends and he is very happily dating Mandy Brocklehurst right now! He's not interested in me!"
"He is dating Brocklehurst, but it doesn't deter you from fancying him and I don't see you denying that. Look, there's been something off about us for a while, since that love potion debacle, maybe sooner, but it's been there. We both know it. I want to date someone who wants me, completely. Who wants to touch me and who wants me to touch them. I… messed around with Su Li last night. I'm not proud of it, but my pride was bruised and she was there and you —"
"— Are breaking up with you right now — how'd you guess?" Ginny said dryly. "There has been something off about us for a while, and if you want to make Harry the excuse, fine, but we both know that he's not. And you going back to your ex last night only proves that."
"Right," Michael said. "Sorry for getting the impression that you wanted to break up with me when you left me cradling my balls on the floor last night as huge bat-like bogeys erupted from the head of my penis!"
Ginny shrugged. "Remember that moment the next time a girl tells you no."
He snorted and then flashed her that charming smile and she pushed down her anger. "It's been fun, Ginny. I'm sorry that it ended like this."
She nodded. "I'm sorry, too… that I chose such a manky knob head to be my boyfriend! Su Li can have you, in all of your cheating douchery, you prat!"
She turned and walked away without another word as he called after her. The fact that she didn't even feel remotely sad surprised her a little. But she wasn't sad. She knew that this was the right decision. She had bared her soul to him; admitted why she had freaked out and he had been a complete dickwad.
But he was right.
There was something off about them and maybe it was because of Harry. Michael hadn't supported her friendship with him and that had bothered her. They were friends and she had wanted to be there for him after the Romilda situation and after the Second Task and if Michael couldn't support that than she didn't want to be with someone who was going to make her choose between her friends or her boyfriend.
And she definitely didn't want to be with someone who moved onto someone else the very same night that she had told him no.
She needed to just relax and focus on herself for a little while. She saw Theo up ahead and hurried over to him.
"Theo!"
He turned and a big smile came over his face when he saw her. "Hi, chick! I heard you hexed Corner in the bollocks last night? What gives?"
Ginny shrugged and moved to hug him, tightly. "He got fresh. Listen, Mum sent me this new mud face mask for Luna and I to try out and I've been putting it off, want to come join us? It'll make you pretty."
He chuckled and kept his arms around her. "I'm already pretty, but yes, I do. You'll tell me what happened?"
She nodded, linking her arm in his. "I will, as long as you promise not to do or say anything to Michael?"
Theo made a face. "Can I reserve judgment first?" At Ginny's look, he sighed. "Fine, fine. Let's go put mud on our faces and you can fill me in."
~ ASC ~
Harry spent a good portion of his Saturday in the kitchen with Zee. They made a home-made honey glaze for the ham that they were having for dinner and together they made devilled eggs, a green bean casserole, cheesy mashed potatoes, brown-sugared carrots, and butternut squash.
Harry was pleased to see Misha and Sorcha and spent time in the garden showing Misha how much his Animagus had improved. He was now a fully grown Tamaskan and stood almost two metres tall on his hind legs and weighed almost forty-five kilograms. Marauder had barked at him before simply lying down.
"Your dog approves," Misha said with a laugh, petting Marauder.
They talked about the tournament and Harry explained how he was still waiting to find out the details of the Third Task. He was pleased that his grandparents planned on coming to see him in the end of it.
"Second place is very impressive," Misha said with a smile. "For someone just trying to make it through, you are doing very vell. You could vin, da?"
Harry shrugged. "Maybe, I guess. I just want it to be over."
Misha nodded, his arm around Harry's shoulders. "I understand. You vill do your best."
"I will," he vowed, making Misha grin widely.
Harry talked about his classes, about his friends, and all about Mandy. Misha and Sorcha talked about work and how they would be staying next door in Zee's old cottage for the next two weeks before going on a little holiday to New Zealand for a week. Misha told Harry that he wanted him to come to Russia this summer for a few weeks and Harry eagerly grinned at Sirius in anticipation, making him laugh.
Zee told them all how Sirius had found a second grey hair last week and had panicked just as strongly as he had the first time. They all teased him for being vain and Harry passed around a copy of the photo that he had taken of Sirius in the bath (which Sirius attempted to wrestle from him to no avail) and Sorcha made a comment about Sirius having excellent skin. Remus and Tonks arrived and Harry hurried to greet them, holding up the photo gleefully to Tonks as Sirius threatened to ground him. He pulled Remus aside, whispering about Sirius' freakout over the grey hair, and they grinned at each other.
Remus helped distract everyone as Harry added the colour-changing potion Remus had brought him to his father's drink. It was supposed to last twelve hours after drinking and the two of them had been planning it since Christmas after Zee had told them the story of Sirius' latest freakout over one little white hair. He sat back down on the living room floor and drank his own butterbeer as Sirius reached for his.
They watched in amazement as his hair changed slowly, the long tresses still just so perfectly casual-like near his face turned silver along with his stubbled beard and Harry snorted into his drink.
Sirius merely raised one silver eyebrow. "What's up with you?"
Harry shrugged. "Nothing."
Sorcha stepped out of the kitchen, drying her hands on a dish towel and gasped when she saw him. "Goodness, Sirius!"
"What?" he asked as Harry and Remus grinned at each other.
"Your hair!" Sorcha exclaimed in surprise.
Sirius paled. "What about my hair?" He touched the top of his head and seemed relieved to feel the hair there before he jumped to his feet and hurried to the mirror on the wall by the stairs. "BLOODY BUGGERING HELL!"
Harry busted into laughter and Sirius turned around, his eyes wide.
"YOU DID THIS?"
Harry laughed harder, clutching his sides as he did so and tears leaking from the corners of his eyes. He gasped when Sirius tugged him to his feet.
"You put it back right now, Harry James! I am too bloody young to have hair this colour!"
Harry only gasped for breath amidst his laughter. "C-c-can't," he stuttered. "Lasts t-t-twelve hours."
Sirius' eyes widened. "You little jerk. One rule, Harry, one rule to follow. You NEVER mess with this perfection! Never the hair!"
Remus and Tonks were laughing loudly as Zee smirked at them.
"Look at this! I've aged twenty years!"
Zee laughed and stood up, wrapping her arms around her boyfriend's waist. "I don't know, I think you look kind of sexy with grey hair. It suits you; very dashing."
Sirius glared at her, grabbing his sunglasses from the table and putting them on. "Don't patronize me, witch."
She bit her lip. "No, really."
Sorcha nodded. "She's not wrong. It really does look quite nice on you. At least you know he's still going to be good looking when he goes grey, dear."
Misha snorted. "It's just hair!"
"Not to Uncle Siri," Harry said with a grin, finally managing to catch his breath. "To him it's basically a life style. His hair is apparently part of what makes him a star."
"I am a star," Sirius said, earning a collective groan from Harry and Remus.
Misha chuckled. "Ah, he is pansy."
Sirius frowned as Harry laughed harder. "No! My hair is a godsend! You are all just jealous because my hair is perfect."
"You're a big drama queen," Remus muttered under his breath.
Sirius shot him two fingers and Remus snorted.
"You saw the photo, Papa," Harry said with a grin. "He was in the bubble bath, Zee's rainbow blue bath bubbles actually, and he had cucumber slices over his eyes!"
"So, he is a pansy!" Misha repeated, making Zee snort in laughter.
"He still owes me a damn rainbow blue bath bomb," Zee muttered.
Sirius scowled at them. "I hate all of you."
"Well," Sorcha said, grinning around at everyone. "Before we were distracted there, I was about to say that dinner is ready."
They all headed into the kitchen to eat, Sirius still touching his hair in worry.
Harry rolled his eyes. "Tomorrow it will be back to normal. I know better than to do something permanent to your hair, Uncle Siri."
Sirius merely glowered at him. "Just remember that payback's a bitch, Prongslet."
Harry only grinned at him in response.
But he found out how much Sirius meant that when he went down to breakfast the next morning and found Marauder waiting to go outside. He let his dog out and decided to go for a run with him, changing into his Tamaskan form and chasing his dog around the yard. He saw Sirius and made a beeline for him, running at full speed and putting his large paws on Sirius' shoulders before he licked his whole face.
Sirius made a face of disgust, scratching dog Harry behind the ears and then he grinned and tapped Harry with his wand. Harry felt a tingling sensation and then a click and he realized that his father had outfitted him in a collar attached to a leash. He made to change back and a little electric shock filtered through him.
Sirius grinned wickedly. "I think you'll stay as a dog for a while, Harry. Time to think about your crimes." He tugged on the leash and Harry whined.
Sirius led him into the house and eagerly served him Marauder's dog food for breakfast. Harry barked, refusing to eat it and Sirius just shrugged.
"Dogs eat dog food."
Harry growled at him. He was definitely getting him back for this. But every time he tried to change back into himself, he was awarded with a small shock. Zee came into the kitchen in pyjama shorts and a long tee shirt, yawning, and Harry barked at her, showing her the food.
"No, Zee — he's being punished for the hair."
Zee chuckled. "I thought that you looked rather dashing."
Sirius knew she wasn't lying. She had been particularly intrigued with the silver hairs that trailed down below his waistline as well and had told him as much before she had used her mouth, but that was hardly the point.
"Change back, Harry, and I'll make you some chocolate chip pancakes for breakfast."
Harry whined and pointed to the collar.
Sirius grinned triumphantly. "I am in control!"
Zee bent down to scratch his head. "I'm sorry, sweetie. I'm sure he won't keep you on the leash all day."
He kept him trapped for over four hours.
Sirius led him around outside by the leash, ordering him to sit and beg and play dead and roll over as Harry only growled at him. He did everything his father asked of him and when Sirius finally stretched out in a lounge chair in the sun, his hands behind his head, Harry had had enough.
He strolled right over and lifted his leg.
Sirius sputtered just as the hot urine hit him in the stomach. "FUCK!"
Dog Harry only smirked in response.
Sirius waved his wand and the collar and leash vanished as Harry changed back into himself. "That was uncalled for and disgusting! I can't believe that you just pissed on me!"
Harry grinned. "When you gotta go, you gotta go."
Sirius glowered at him in response. "Truce?"
Harry grinned back, extending his hand as Sirius used a cleansing charm on himself. "Truce."
Sirius shook his hand and then grimaced. "I have to shower again."
Harry laughed as he watched Sirius head back into the house to shower. It had definitely been worth it, he thought.
~ ASC ~
On Monday, before heading back to school, Sirius knocked on the doorjamb to Harry's room.
"Hey, all packed?"
He shrugged. "I think so. I didn't bring much home."
Sirius grinned. "True. Can we talk for a minute?"
Harry nodded, sitting on his bed. "Sure. What's going on?"
Sirius sighed as he moved to sit on the bed next to his son, petting Marauder who was loafing there. It was where Marauder spent most of his time actually, sleeping and loafing around the cottage. "We know where another Horcrux is."
Harry's eyes widened. "Really? The one in the castle? Where? What is it? How did you find it?"
Sirius shook his head. "No, not… this one is… it's something that Remus and I suspected, but we couldn't be sure, and until we found out, we didn't want to tell you."
Harry glanced at him quizzically. "Why?"
"It's kind of incredibly complicated," Sirius said carefully. "It was a Horcrux that Voldemort made by accident so, it's not exactly like the other ones. Anyway, we're going to need some help getting rid of this one and we're planning on taking care of it in the summer when you get home."
"I get to help?" Harry asked.
Sirius nodded. "We're a team, right?"
Harry grinned at him. "Yeah."
Sirius pulled him close, hugging him tightly. "I love you."
"I know," Harry said in surprise, letting Sirius hug him tightly. "I love you, too."
Sirius kissed the top of his head. "You're growing up so fast on me. This tournament and everything you've accomplished and learned this year, I am so proud of you."
Harry nodded, his face buried against his father's shoulder. "I know."
Sirius kissed his forehead over his scar. "We have lots more to talk about concerning the Horcruxes and this particular one, but I don't want it on your mind for the Third Task. The summer all right? I'll explain everything."
"Okay."
Sirius kissed his scar again, standing up. "And Harry?"
"Hmm?"
"I like Mandy."
Harry grinned. "So do I."
Sirius squeezed his shoulder. "Get your stuff and I'll take you back to school."
Harry watched Sirius leave, his brow furrowed. That had been rather strange he thought. He was excited that they knew where another Horcrux was, but he found it odd that Sirius hadn't told him what it was. But, he wasn't going to destroy it without him which made him grin. They were another step closer to stopping Voldemort for good.
He grabbed his bag, grinning as he gave Marauder a kiss and a rub. The dog only looked up at him in response so he kissed him again before hurrying down out of his room and down the stairs.
Thirty minutes later, he had returned to school and he felt more than a little refreshed after his holiday at home. Dean was the only other Gryffindor in their year to have gone home for the holiday and Harry thought that he too looked a bit refreshed upon arrival.
He had just finished unpacking when Ron came into the dormitory.
"Hey, how was it?"
"Great," Harry said honestly. "I needed it. Anything exciting happen here?"
Ron shrugged. "Same old, really, but Ginny did break up with the git."
Harry raised an eyebrow in surprise. "She did?"
Ron nodded. "She didn't say why, but she hexed him on Friday night."
Harry frowned. "She hexed him? You don't know what he did?"
Ron shook his head. "No, but he did something because George got up in his face yesterday afternoon."
"George?" Harry asked in surprise. Other than Percy he was the least likely Weasley brother to lash out at anyone.
Ron nodded. "I don't know what he said to him or what happened, he won't tell me, but when he finished talking to Corner, the bloke was deathly pale and he looked terrified."
"Did you ask Ginny?"
"Of course, I did! She told me that it was none of my business and to butt out."
The knock on the doorjamb had him turning and he grinned at Hermione.
"Hey, thought maybe you were still out snogging your famous boyfriend."
She rolled her eyes and hurried to hug him. "Prat. How was your holiday?"
"Really great. It was exactly what I needed."
Hermione smiled warmly at him. "Good."
Neville joined them in the common room and Harry learned about everyone's holiday. He filled them in on the prank that he had pulled on Sirius, followed by the prank that Sirius had pulled on him and the four of them chuckled. Hermione told them that Viktor and Andrei had taken her on board the Durmstrang ship and how she was able to meet some of Viktor's professors. She gushed in excitement about the prospect of meeting the academics. Harry and Ron only grinned at each other.
Hermione had also taken the time to interview more house elves. She had been spending the last few months finally taking the time to talk to each house elf and to get their stories, recording them. She had spoken to over fifty different elves, including Kreacher and Dobby, and the fact that they all wanted to be enslaved alarmed her.
Dobby turned out to be the most helpful as he explained why he had asked Harry to allow himself to be bound to the elf. She found it all completely fascinating and was working on a formal paper to present to the Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures with a petition asking for house elf representation. Zee was helping her craft it. After months of research she had finally concluded that it wasn't something that she could change overnight and that change had to be done slowly. But she wanted to petition for house elves to wear better clothing as she loved how Dobby now dressed in dark black trousers with his brown shoes and white dress shirt with his occasional scarf and crazy hats. He looked professional and she had said as much to Harry making him grin. Her paper outlined the need for house elf representation within the DRCMC and to request that house elves wear better uniforms while they work that kept them protected and warm, without freeing them.
Viktor had helped her craft it along with help from his friend Dimo and his girlfriend Anyanka, all who had joined SPEW much to Hermione's pleasure. Zee sent ideas and edits to her work back and forth and offered to present it directly to her department head when Hermione felt it was finished. She couldn't wait to get the first draft formalized and said as much to Harry.
He was proud of her for trying to make change and he thought that she had done well in learning what she could about house elves. Harry told them about Misha and Sorcha planning a trip to New Zealand. When he explained how Mandy had come over the Friday night and how they had enjoyed the movie, Hermione grinned.
"I love that you set up a little movie theatre in the treehouse. We should have a movie night over the summer, all of us."
"That sounds great," Harry said honestly. "Something else happened," he said quickly and whispered to them about what Sirius had told him.
Ron's eyes were wide. "Another one? He found it?"
Harry nodded. "I guess so. He wasn't clear on it and he said that it won't be done until the summer. He wants me to focus on the Third Task and getting through the tournament — which I guess is fair."
Hermione smiled at him. "More than fair. You're in second place, Harry."
"Mandy told me that Cedric said we're both Hogwarts champions and that it's a Hogwarts' win no matter who comes out on top. I don't care if I win, Hermione."
Ron grinned at him. "We know you don't, but you have to agree, it would be bloody brilliant if you did."
Harry grinned back at him. "Yeah, it would. Honestly though, I just want it to be over and done with. I think that I'd rather just have exams to worry about."
His friends nodded in understanding. They chatted a bit more before Ginny came in with Colin, laughing at something and Harry waved at her. She smiled and hurried over to the four of them.
"Hi! How was your holiday, Harry?"
"Great. Ron said that you broke up with Michael?"
She shrugged. "It was time. I'm going to head up to bed. Goodnight."
Harry jumped to his feet and touched her arm. "Wait! Can we talk for a minute?"
Ginny stared at him in surprise, but nodded. She let him lead her to corner of the common room and she crossed her arms in front of her chest. "What's going on?"
"Are you okay?"
Her eyes softened and she nodded. "I'm fine."
He only raised his eyebrow in concern. "What did he do?"
"Sometimes it just doesn't work out, Harry. You know that. Look at you and Cho."
"Yeah, but I had a reason there. She didn't want me spending time with my friends and I wasn't okay with that. What happened with you and Michael?" Ginny shifted on her feet and Harry touched her arm. "Ron said that George had an altercation with him. George isn't the person to do that without a reason. Did he hurt you?"
Ginny smiled kindly at him. "Harry, I'm fine, honest. He pushed for us to get a little intimate and I wasn't ready for that and when he didn't take no for an answer, I hexed him. It's over and done with."
Harry frowned. "No, it's not. You're hiding something from me, I can tell."
Ginny sighed. The concern in his eyes had her softening slightly. "Promise me that you won't tell my brothers?"
"Promise. Tell me."
Ginny stared into his green eyes, so full of concern for her and she sighed. "It was stupid I… he touched me and I had this flashback to Riddle in the… I panicked and I hexed him, I think maybe that I thought it was back there… I panicked. It was me, not Michael."
Harry's eyes darkened. "You panicked because he tried to force himself on you?"
"No!" she hissed quickly, lowering her voice. "It wasn't like that. Look, we talked and we decided to break up. It's over. Don't go after him."
Harry made to protest and she touched his arm.
"Promise me."
"That's not fair," he said quickly.
Ginny smiled triumphantly. "I think it's more than fair. He didn't hurt me, Harry. We just ended. Promise me that you won't threaten him or say something to him or hex him or hurt him in any way or get anyone else to do anything to him on your behalf."
Harry bit his lip and then swore. "Fine, I promise. But I don't like it."
Ginny grinned and stood on her toes to kiss his cheek. "Thank you."
"Did you — er, did you talk to Na'eemah?"
She nodded. "I did and I'm fine, I promise. Now I'm heading up to bed. Thanks for being such a great friend, Harry."
He nodded and he watched her hurry off, the sway of her hips and her freckled calves making him stare after her before he caught himself. Ron and Neville were playing chess, but Hermione was staring at him with a knowing look in her eye that made him uncomfortable. She tended to be more inquisitive than he often liked. He sat down next to her and she leaned in so he put his arm around her.
"It's okay to fancy her, you know."
Harry shook his head. "I don't. I like Mandy."
Hermione nodded and kissed his cheek. "I know you like Mandy and I think she's great. I won't say anything else if you don't want me to." At his look, she cleared her throat. "On Saturday, Viktor and I are going for lunch in Hogsmeade. You and Mandy should come with us. It will be fun."
He smiled at her. "That sounds great actually, thanks Hermione."
He kept his eyes on the game of chess that his friends were playing and tried not to think about what Ginny had said. Corner had definitely done something, something that sparked a flashback to Riddle hurting her, to him raping her, and the thought made his hands clench at his sides. He knew that if anyone was capable of handling themselves more it was Ginny, but the thought of Corner trying to push her into doing something had him fuming. He was glad that the git was out of her life.
"Hermione, do you know what Ginny hexed him with?"
"She Bat Bogeyed him," Hermione said.
Ron blanched and stared at Harry in horror. "Worse. She made the bat-shaped bogeys come out of his prick instead of his nose."
Harry visibly winced.
Yeah, Ginny didn't need his help, he thought.
But he still had a burning desire to punch Michael Corner in the nose. Damn Ginny for making him promise to keep his nose out of it. He thought that punching him would be oddly satisfying and cathartic.
Too bad he couldn't do it.
~ ASC ~
Zee walked into Black Cottage that night after a long day at work to the sound of Bon Jovi blasting through the speakers. Yaxley had been on her arse all day about getting things in order. She was behind in her paperwork again. And now she was being ordered to go to Greece to work with the Ministry there in trying to save a village of Merpeople who had been stumbled upon by Muggles. People had apparently taken photographic evidence and were now trying to get down into the village under the sea.
It was basically a nightmare.
She had worked with Princess Sapphira almost a decade ago and apparently the mermaid had requested her assistance personally.
She sighed and tugged her curls up into a messy bun as Sirius stepped out of the kitchen in his old apron, the faded words of Sirius' Grilled Perfection and Harry's faded childhood handprints making her smile.
"Beer?"
"Merlin, yes!"
He chuckled and passed her the bottle in his hand. "Rough day?"
She shrugged. "No more than usual. I have to go to Greece. I think at least a week, maybe two, but I'm not sure."
He nodded. "You haven't travelled that much in the last year or two."
Zee smiled at him. "Noticed that, have you?"
"Its caught my attention, yeah."
Zee long sip of her beer before she put it on the coffee table and moved towards him. "Open."
Sirius grinned and opened his arms and she snuggled into his chest, sighing when his arms came around her.
"You give the best hugs."
He smiled. "Why, thank you. I practiced a lot on Harry."
She chuckled against his chest, but didn't move from his embrace. "I've been turning down a lot of travel opportunities. There's just been so much going on here with you and Harry and the operation and… I haven't wanted to not be here for my boys when they need me."
Sirius smiled and tilted her face up to look at him. "We appreciate that, but part of the reason I fell in love with you is because of your passion for what you do. I don't want to stop you from doing it."
"You haven't. It was my decision. But I do have to go to Greece, specifically the island of Lefkada. Princess Sapphira of the Merpeople requested me personally. I helped her out almost ten years ago now when she fell in love with a wizard. But now a Muggle has found the village under the sea or came close enough to it and there's photographs... it sounds complex. They need helping getting protection in the village and we have to modify some memories. Who knows how long it will take."
"When do you leave?"
"Tomorrow morning. Come with me."
His eyebrow rose. "To a Greek island with you?"
She nodded. "We'll bring one of the bikes. It will be good for you. You can just hit the road while I'm working and we'll spend our nights together. You can head into the mainland and visit Apollo. You'll have the mirror if Harry needs anything. But Remus and Tonks will be here. We'll be back before we even learn what the Third Task is going to be."
He bent his head and kissed her softly. "I'm in."
Her smile lit up her face. "Really?"
"Babe, I can't say no to you even if I wanted to. And I never want to."
Zee stood on her toes and kissed him deeply. "I love you."
He kissed her back, his hands cupping her bum in her short skirt. "I love you. I'm making spaghetti and meatballs, how does that sound?"
"Wonderful. Do we have any wine to go with it?"
Sirius shrugged as she moved to check the wine rack. "Don't know. I didn't buy any lately."
Zee grinned triumphantly when she found a bottle of Italian red. "One left."
"If you weren't such a wino, we'd have more."
"Oh, really?" she said with a laugh, carefully using her wand to open the bottle. She poured them each a glass as she drank her beer. "This can breathe until dinner's ready. I'm going to go arrange our portkeys. Should we bring Marauder?"
Sirius' eyebrow rose. "Yeah. He'd love it and if Apollo is free he can see his brothers and sisters. What bike should we bring?"
Zee grinned at him. "Whichever one you want."
"That's a hard call, love, it's like choosing between a child."
Zee smirked at him. "Only one, Sirius."
He watched the sway of her hips as she moved to the fireplace to make arrangements and he grinned. He could do that.
He finished making dinner, blaring his music loudly as he set the table. He left the food on a warming charm before heading into the living room to see if Zee was ready or not. She was on her hands and knees in front of the fire, her plump little bum pointing out in her short black skirt and he grinned, licking his lips as a naughty thought crossed his mind. He fell to his knees next to her, slapping her bum lightly and he felt her twitch. He stroked her behind softly and then he let his hands slip between her thighs and stroked her through her satin knickers.
Zee was trying not to make a sound as she spoke to the Portkey Authorization Office. She could feel Sirius' fingers getting busy and bit her lip to prevent the moan from escaping her. He was so going to pay for this, she thought. Her knickers disappeared and she attempted to concentrate on her conversation.
"I will be travelling with two animals, my boyfriend, and a motorbike for transportation. All costs will be sent to the DRCMC under Agent Zahira Zacari-AS!" she gasped, when he spanked her again and his fingers soon began to pump in and out of her.
"Details of the trip are work related?" The bored attendant asked her.
Zee nodded, biting her lip harder when she felt his fingers leave her and him slide into her from behind. He was so going to pay for this she thought, her hips moving to meet him of her own accord. He was thrusting in and out of her now, his hips moving in a delicious circular motion that made her feel every inch of him.
"Yes. Oh, yes… I-I will be working with the Merpeople who live off the coast of Lefkada in the Ionian S-S-Sea."
The attendant nodded. Outlining the details of the portkey and promising the information would arrive by owl within the hour. Yaxley would provide her hotel information and where they would be staying.
Zee only nodded as Sirius moved faster behind her, thrusting furiously. A hand had moved around the front of her and his fingers were working in tandem as he thrust into her and she let out a tiny gasp as her orgasm began to flutter.
"Yes, thank you, that would b-be w-w-wonderful," Zee said. "Thank you for your time. Goodnight."
She pulled her head from the fire just as the orgasm ripped through her and she screamed, lowering her head to the living room floor as Sirius continued to pound into her. He followed her a moment later, panting as he settled on the floor next to her.
"That was fun."
Zee turned to glare at him. "I was trying to have an important business call!"
"You could have stopped me."
She merely raised an eyebrow. "Oh, could I have?"
He leaned in and kissed her softly. "You know you could have. You liked it."
Her cheeks flushed. "Maybe I did."
Sirius grinned and kissed her again. "Ready for dinner?"
"In a minute," she said, adjusting her skirt. "Where are my knickers?"
Sirius stood up, zipping up his pants. "What knickers?"
Zee laughed as she followed him into the kitchen. "Give them back to me, Sirius."
He tugged her close for a kiss and grinned. "I don't think you were wearing any."
Zee smacked him. "Prat."
Sirius simply moved to serve dinner. "Spaghetti and meatballs, my lady."
Zee just grinned at him and shook her head. He was a prat and she swore that she fell more hopelessly in love with him every day. The git, she thought.
End Author's Note:
Don't worry, the next chapter is the Third Task :D
Thanks for reading and please review!