Author's Note:
Well, as I mentioned in the last chapter, I have been getting over a very bad flu bug and am still dealing with an annoying bad cough, but am back to work and doing okay, I guess. As some of you may have noticed, I haven't had a beta since chapter 191 (so I did my best to post beta-free with only myself editing). I hope everything is all right with SilverStarWolfe, but I haven't heard from her in weeks and am a bit worried. In the meantime, I have also been lucky enough to find a new beta in TheDistantDusk so thank you to her for her work on this chapter and for all of the work she will be doing for me in the future! I think we're going to make a great team!
Reviews and Comments: To xXMizz Alec VolturiXx: Thank you! To yanksrock615: Thank you! I do think Hinny are pretty adorable. Yes, I love the idea of the smell of Ginny's hair being a very distinct smell for him. Harry and Ginny will get there, full confiding in each other of everything (thought a lot they already know), but yes, definitely not anytime soon. I am anxious for Harry and Ginny to share everything as well and since they are such good friends already, they already trust each other to a great extent and I hope that I am able to show that in their relationship. But even though they've known each other a long time, it is still new. So, not yet. Thank you! To supersandman86: Thank you! I love Ron and I think he was never given enough credit in the books (and definitely not the films). As to Ron, I have tried to make him more mature and I think seeing Crouch definitely made him grow up faster. I've always loved Ron's character and I look forward to writing more of him. Thank you! To Katie2001: Thank you! To alix33: Thank you! To BioHazard82: Thank you! To Ermengarde de Neustrie: I am sorry that you feel my story is no longer worth reading due to the fact I am an author who "condones bullying and harassment of reviewers who critique" my "work or leave any form of criticism." I completely disagree with this statement. I am not opposed to criticism at all, I am opposed to rudeness and negativity for no reason. I applaud the people who stood up for me and if you truly think it should be dealt with in the matter of PMs than you shouldn't have left it in a review for me either. I'm sorry that you think my writing is good, but not good enough because you have lost faith in me because of my reaction to negative reviews. I don't even know what to say to this statement except that I write for free and people can criticize all they like, but there's a big difference between criticism and rude negativity and downright hate for an author that is unwarranted. Thank you for your thoughts.
To purplevictory: Thank you! The useful criticism I always appreciate and I do take the bad ones to heart, I try not to, but it does hurt and as you saw, I have contemplated abandoning this story due to bad reviews before I talked myself out of it. Instead, I am going to say thanks for boosting my review count and try to keep smiling. But I have cried over a lot of the reviews as well. People can be very hurtful. Thank you very much for your kind words and constant support! To Guest: I certainly never intended it to be this long, but thank you! To samjordon08: Thank you! To JustJean2234: Thank you for your thoughts. I don't think rape takes away from the story. I think it shows a realism in life and life sucks. It's awful and terrible things happen. It's not meant to be nice. It's not meant to be a good thing. I have trigger warnings in the very first chapter and I think that should tell people from the beginning what kind of story this is. As to Seamus and Dean, I very much like them and do think they add to this story and I'm sorry that you don't see that. There will be more of them to come. Thank you for your kind words — you weren't rude at all and of course you didn't offend me. Thank you! To scrappy8: I am so excited that you enjoyed Harry and Ginny's talk! To Wolf's scream: Thank you! Yes, I think just because someone is blond and handsome doesn't make them bad lol, but nice Lockhart reference. Thank you! To smallwjl: Thank you! We will see the Room of Requirement eventually, but not yet. No one has found it yet. Thank you! To christyannb94: Thank you — I do prefer whiskey so maybe it's a hold my whiskey moment? LOL, "Don't make excuses for nasty people, you can't put a flower in an asshole and call it vase" had me snorting in laughter. Thank you.
To speedsONEandONLY: No, Ron doesn't want to be the rebound from Viktor. Yes, lots of Hinny moments to come! You think Uncle Finn should be a character reference for Theo? We will see. Thank you! To Guest: Thank you! To x-shadow-x-kisses-x: Thank you! Yes, karma does need to come after Macmillan! To LicensedGnat: Thank you for saying that everything I have introduced (including OCs) "has been well balanced and a joy to read." I love you for loving Zee. Thank you! To J. Jamie Dupane: Thank you as always for such a long and beautifully written review! Yes, I wanted that moment where Harry asks her to be his girlfriend, I felt it was important. Them being with their families after the match was also equally as important. Romione is still a ways off, but the feelings are there. I love Ron and Ginny's bond so thank you for noticing it and pointing it out. I really love Theo and I love his friendship with Ginny and the way he is trying to hide this big thing that's happening to him out of fear. I wanted Harry to show Ginny the room first because it makes sense — she's important to him. Thank you so much! To coloredwords: Thank you for your support over the extreme negativity I have been getting. Thanks for thinking Hinny is so cute! They really are! Theo and Ernie will be resolved… soon. Thank you! To KittenWithAnAx: Thank you! As to Arthur dying because of the Horcrux being removed, you will have to wait and see. Thank you!
To wheezing-reader: Thank you so much! You think Finley is going to turn out to be a hunky fae for Theo to fall in love with? Interesting. Dean needs to get his head out of ass? Also true. Thank you! To Menna Taha: You think something is going to happen between Theo and the fae prince? Hmm. Thanks for loving my Hinny (lots and lots more to come). As to my plan with Voldemort, I only know half of it so we can be curious together lol. You think it's about time for Mrs Zahira Black? LOL. I don't think Zee or Sirius is ready for that yet lol. As to seeing your name in my notes, keep saying hi and I will keep saying hi back! Thank you! To Leaf Ranger: Yes, Theo is making some powerful friends. Thanks for loving my Hinny. To Saz J: I love swooning! Thank you! To bobstur: Only 3? Please, you should know me better than that 😉! Hinny sex scenes are still far into the future, but I can promise, there will be a lot more than three! To Retesz: Thank you. I'm glad you decided to keep reading. To Blue Luver5000: Thank you! To JanieOhio: Thanks for catching up! I know, Theo has suffered a lot and there's still a lot more to his story (good and bad) to come. As to Voldemort and the Slytherin students, we will see. Thank you very much! To Kirands: Thank you! You want the fae prince to be a hot guy who comes in and swoops Theo off of his feet? Interesting. Obviously since I am so many chapters ahead, I already have this planned lol. Thank you! Thanks for loving Zee, she is perfect for him, I agree!
To hinathita: Thank you so much for saying my "narrative is great, involving, rich in detail, and really well thinking." I appreciate that. I'm glad you're loving my music recommendations as well. I'm sorry the slow burn killed you a bit lol. I do plan on making Neville and Hannah an end goal, but it's still very far in the future. Thank you! To Ginnyweasleylover2004: Thank you! To Carys924: Thank you very much! I hope you continue to enjoy it! To Matt9917: Thank you! To Steelcode: I love Sirius teasing Harry. Still a bit for the diadem yet, but I do have a plan. Thank you! To Guest: Thank you! To Guest: I already update once to twice a week, that's more frequent than most authors. Thank you. To notthatchhavi: I think Molly is of course okay with Ginny loving Quidditch, it just surprised her. Hinny has started and yes, Romione is still a while off though. I love how Andromeda and Molly have roles in the Order. Ron is jealous and as to Cormac and Hermione, you will see. Thank you! Thanks for loving my picture I put up as the cover for my story! To Dr8gn: Thank you! To midnitewanderer: Thank you! I did make a cover for this story, using a photo of Dan Radcliffe as a kid and my version of Sirius. I'm hoping for someone who wants to draw some fan art for me, but no one has been interested. Thank you! To Veronica Rose: Thank you so much! I'm honoured you've come back to re-read it so many times! Thanks for loving my Slytherin boys as well!
To Adrien Zviaguine: Thanks for checking in on me. As I'm sure you saw, I've had a bad flu and was going over the process of finding a new beta. Thank you! To Cf: Thank you! To HinnyMe: Thank you! To Guest: Thank you! To RedheadLover: Thanks for loving the Hinny lover! Thanks for the ideas, but I'm not into Fem-Harry stories. Just not something that interests me. Thank you! To PurpleLotus: Thank you! It will become a special place for them. I don't think they are going to share it with anyone else LOL. I'm glad you see a blossoming friendship happening between Theo and Finley. Macmillan is a disgusting pif indeed! Thank you! To LordSmidgeon: You think Theo should blackmail Macmillan once he earns his lordship? That would be interesting. Thank you! MacDickHead! LMAO! I love that! To Kmi: Thank you! To patchwork: Thank you! I'm honoured that I've sucked you into my world! You're getting nervous about Sirius? Good to know. Thank you! To doggie52191: Thank you! You want to stab Macmillan in the face? Accepted. You think Colin or Neville can help Theo? We will see. Thank you! To HpF2: Thank you! That's kind of cool! Good luck! To Kate: Thank you! To Matt71478: Thank you!
Thank you for all of your reviews, thoughts, opinions, and feedback. It is ALWAYS appreciated. I have the best readers in the world!
My posting schedule: Once a week (may change depending on my new beta — but I will try my best for once a week). I will not be posting this upcoming weekend to a busy work weekend and it being Canadian Thanksgiving.
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 NINETY-NINE:
The One Where Sirius Cuddles and Zee Buys A Motorbike
Sirius was exhausted.
Scrimgeour had run them through a heavy obstacle course that night for almost four hours. He had been firm on it and proclaimed that no one was going home unless they completed the course. Sirius was pleased to say it that he had been the third person to finish, only coming in behind two Aurors. One of them had been Tonks.
He felt like the unit was coming along fairly well. Another fifteen new recruits had shown up within the last week, not including the twenty Aurors who were joining from the Special Elite Task Forces sent out by the French, Russian, and Bulgarian Ministries. The Russian Ministry had gotten involved due to Misha's insistence, and as Head Auror, he had spoken to the Russian minister personally.
They were getting stronger and geared up towards working in a cohesive unit to defend if necessary, though Sirius knew that the minister was hoping it wouldn't be the case. Sirius couldn't imagine how the magical world was going to explain a full on battle if it happened. They'd done it before, sure, during Grindelwald's terror. But with the growth of Muggle technology, it was getting harder to keep those secrets from the Muggles.
The Muggle Intelligence Units were getting stronger and more powerful every day. In the early twenties, the Auror Department had even infiltrated M16. Aurors were trained as M16 agents and worked in tandem with the British Secret Intelligence Service and the Department of Magical Law Enforcement. The Aurors had a special unit called MIS (Muggle Intelligence Service) designed to hire these agents to work undercover. Sirius knew that it was through these witches and wizards that most of the intelligence was gathered. It was even rumoured to still be a secret organization in the Magical Intelligence Agency.
Amelia Bones had spoken in the Wizengamot about the possibility of getting the Queen and the Muggle Prime Minister more involved in what was coming. Something that they immensely did not want to do. It had been bad enough that Bones had to inform them about the mass breakout from Azkaban prison at the end of August, which had obviously (and with good reason) alarmed both of them. Frankly, he was happy to not be in her place.
He adjusted the chain around the heap of the destroyed motorbike, lugging it behind him with the use of his wand to help lighten the load. Despite the adjustments, the bike still weighed almost two hundred kilograms and charms could only do so much. He was sweating by the time he pulled it into the work shed.
A glance at the clock told him that it was already after ten, so he headed around the front to head inside the house. Since the living room only had a low light on for him, he assumed Zee must have gone up to bed. As much as she kept claiming that she was fine, he knew that she was still recuperating. She was still on ordered medical leave for another two weeks and she got tired easily these days. He found her sleeping more often than not.
Sure enough, when he made his way upstairs, he found Lady Godiva curled up on the floor at the end of their bed. Zee was lying half on the blankets, half off of them in her favourite silk shorts and vest pyjamas. Her curly hair was in a messy bun on the top of her head and she was sleeping soundly.
He bent down to kiss her cheek and she curled into the pillow, but didn't wake. Sirius changed into a pair of old jeans and a beat up jumper before he went back downstairs and out into the work area. He used his wand to get the lights on, turning the music on low, and then he lugged the heap of metal into the middle of the work station. The bike's red paint was scratched and chipped something awful, and the back wheel was rolled sideways, cracking the frame. The handlebars and the whole front end were smashed in, reminding him that the whole thing had flipped, driving across the pavement at a hundred kilometres an hour.
It was crushed.
Sirius knelt next to it and began to tear it apart, trying to figure out what he could salvage and what he couldn't. He was feeling a bit more positive about it when he saw that almost fifty percent of the bike was in the salvageable department. He cleaned up what he could, charming the area to stay hidden to all but him. He didn't want Zee to see the bike like this. As far as she needed to know, the bike was destroyed. He was going to spend the next few months restoring it for her and if he was lucky, he would be done by January.
He wiped grease on his shirt, realizing that the clock said it was well after one, so he headed inside. Zee was still lying in the same position, making him smile. He stripped down, tossing his engine grease clothes in the hamper as he padded into the bathroom to shower. When he came out ten minutes later, she still hadn't even moved. He hung his towel on the back of the bathroom door and slid naked into the bed behind her, curling his arms around her tightly and spooning her. His cock pressed against the swell of her warm bottom and he buried his face in the crook of her neck, inhaling her scent. He tossed one of his legs between hers, snuggling close, and slid one hand up her vest to lightly grip her left breast.
He was asleep in moments.
Zee woke up a few hours later, the feel of Sirius' hand on her breast, his leg entwined with hers, and his warm naked body snuggled into her back. She stretched a little, sighing as his fingers brushed her nipple from where he held her breast. He was such a cuddler, she thought. She carefully began to extricate herself from his grasp, but he made a groaning sound and pulled her back making her laugh.
"Sirius," she whispered. "I need to use the loo."
He ignored this and snuggled closer into her neck.
Zee pried his arms off of her and carefully crawled away from him and out of the bed. He only grunted, rolling over onto his back. She shook her head in amusement before she hurried off to use the bathroom. She finished up before she drank a glass of water and then moved back into the bedroom. Sirius had rolled onto her side of the bed now, and he was thrashing a little.
She moved quickly, sitting on the side of the bed and rolling towards him, spooning him in her arms, her lips on his hair.
"Shh, shh, Siri, honey, I'm here, I'm right here, baby."
He calmed when she touched him as she ran her hands over his abdomen and he slowly woke. He rolled over to face her, his eyes haunted, and he leaned in to kiss her softly.
"I didn't mean to wake you. You need to rest."
She kissed his cheek. "You didn't. I had to use the loo. Want to talk about it?"
He shrugged and snuggled her into his embrace, his face nuzzled into her neck. "Just a nightmare. My mother was alive and she used that Blood Boil Curse on you right in front of me, but we couldn't find a cure and you... I watched you turn to ash before my eyes, and you were screaming in pain and... I-I couldn't save you."
Zee hugged him tightly. "You did save me."
He shook his head. "No, I didn't. Your dad did."
Zee gently brushed his hair out of his eyes. "I love you, and you being there for me saved me just as much. It was just a bad dream. I'm here with you and I'm okay, I promise."
Sirius stared into her eyes for a long moment in the dark. "You were in bed early again tonight."
"I was tired," she told him. "I spent the entire afternoon cooking and baking. I filled the ice box with enough meals to last us past Christmas, and I even brought some over to Remus and Tonks. Then I cleaned up half of the kitchen before Kreacher showed up and... he and Dobby ordered me out of the kitchen — can you believe that?"
Sirius grinned. "I asked them to keep an eye on you; to make sure that you didn't overexert yourself."
Zee raised an eyebrow. "They wouldn't take no for an answer and well, I guess that I'm glad they did, because I sat on the sofa and was out like a light. I had a one hour nap. Then I took a long bath and took my potions and read for a little and then I was tired."
He kissed her forehead. "Did the potion make you sick again?"
Zee shook her head. The newest batch of strength-replenishing potion that the healer had prescribed had made her rather nauseous, and she was having trouble keeping it down. "No, I chased it with the protein potion. It worked better. Stop worrying about me. I only have three more days left of potions and then I'm going back to St Mungo's for a check up."
Sirius slid his hand down to her leg, cupping the calf that was now scarred in a large burn scar covered most of her calf. He knew that the burn had been necessary to remove the dark magic from her blood, but seeing it still infuriated him. She didn't deserve to have anything blemish her beautiful golden skin.
"I hate that you're going to have this scar."
Zee smiled at him. "Guess I can't wear short dresses anymore."
Sirius' eyes met hers. "Bollocks! You can walk around buck-arsed naked and still be the sexiest woman in the world, scars and all. Don't you dare let this stop you from wearing what you want!"
Zee's eyes softened. "I love you."
Sirius framed her face in his hands and kissed her softly. "I love you, too." He snuggled her into his arms again, tugging the blankets up around them. "Let's go back to sleep."
Zee wiggled her hips a little, pushing him onto his back and straddling him. "Don't wanna. I'm awake now."
Sirius grinned, holding her hips above him and sighing when she took him in her hand. "You are a vixen who is supposed to be resting. The healer said that you have to take it easy, no sex."
Zee fondled him in her hand. "Doesn't mean that I can't please you."
Sirius' eyes softened. "As much as I love sex — and babe, trust me, I fucking love the sex, I love all of you — but you don't need to take care of me. I'm waiting for you to be healed, and then I am going to make love with you for days."
Zee bent her head to kiss him deeply. "Days, huh?"
Sirius tucked her back into his arms, snuggling her at his side. "Days," he promised, kissing her forehead. "I am going to use my mouth on you until you're a puddle beneath me. But you have to heal first."
"Promises, promises," she said, making him smile.
He kissed her quickly. "Until you're feeling up to it, I'm not taking any chances. How about we sneak downstairs and eat some of that apple pie that Andy baked us the other night?"
Zee kissed him again. "Sirius?"
"Hmm?"
"I like it when you take care of me."
His smile was slow as he nuzzled her neck. "I love taking care of you when you let me."
She smirked and crawled out of the bed. "Let's go get some pie."
Sirius accepted the hand she offered and climbed out of bed. "Let me just find some pyjamas."
Zee snuck a look over her shoulder at him. "Why?"
She was laughing as he chased her out of the room naked and the sound made his heart soar.
~ ASC ~
It had only been two days, but knowing Ginny was his girlfriend had given Harry a real spring in his step. He waited for her in the morning to go down to breakfast, kissing her before her first class and again both before and after lunch. He daydreamed about her in class, and when he saw her at dinner, he beamed.
Neville elbowed him lightly. "You're like a flaming torch that lights the way towards her. It's kind of nice, in a poetic sort of way."
Harry grinned at him. "I can't believe that she's my girlfriend."
Neville rolled his eyes. "I can't believe that you finally told her you fancied her. It's only been eons."
"Not eons," Harry said defensively.
Neville only gave him a pointed look. "I first noticed the jealous stares when I was dancing with her at Yule Ball; how long you stayed in denial after that is just bloody ridiculous."
"What about the Yule Ball?" Ginny asked, sliding onto the bench next to Harry in the Great Hall.
Harry slipped his arm around her waist. "Nothing. Ignore Neville. He's mad."
Ginny smiled at him. "Neville, you're not mad; don't listen to Harry."
Neville leaned around Harry to meet her eyes. "I know. He's just thick."
Harry ignored both of them and leaned in to kiss the corner of Ginny's mouth. "Hi."
Ginny's eyes were smiling as he pulled away. "Hi."
Hermione sat down on the other side of Ginny and nodded in their direction. "Good, you're all here," she said as Ron sat across from her. "I finally finished it."
"Finished what?" Ron asked, reaching forward to help himself some of the chicken.
"My house elf legislation."
Harry's eyebrow rose in surprise. He had been beginning to wonder if she had forgotten about it, but he should've known better. Hermione was nothing if not thorough. "Really?"
She nodded. "I think so. Viktor helped me a lot with it last year and I only had a little to fix up. Dobby and Kreacher were both very helpful, Harry. I spoke to Daisy and Daffodil in the Hogwarts kitchens as well."
"And?" Ron asked as he swallowed some potatoes. "Have you come to the conclusion that house elves love working?"
Hermione glared at him. "I don't want to stop them from doing what they love, Ron. I just want to make sure that they're treated fairly for it."
"So, what did you conclude?" Neville asked, drinking from his glass of milk.
"I concluded that house elves still need their own representation within the Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures. They're very powerful, and like with what Dobby did with Harry, they have the ability to bind themselves to witches and wizards and to essentially keep themselves from being abused — to some extent. I think that any house elf who takes on a job should have to sign a magical contract with their employers discussing safety within the job. The contract can include making a magical oath through a bond if that's what they prefer," Hermione explained. "But I want them to have choices, including the whole being passed down into families through estates like property. I also have a section on clothing and proper uniforms for them to wear with a directive of how giving them clothes outside of the uniform can be discussed as a termination standard."
Harry nodded. "It sounds well thought-out. Have you spoken to Zee about it?"
Hermione shook her head as she began to fill her own plate with food. "No, I didn't want to bother her while she's been resting. But I would like for her to take a look at it first. She's been helping me write it to some degree."
"She's feeling much better," Harry told her. "In fact, I'd bet that she'd love it if you sent it to her. I rather got the impression that she's going a bit stir crazy all cooped up and unable to do much."
Ginny's hand slid over his thigh as she helped herself to some of the fresh vegetable platter. Harry's breath hitched a little.
"I think that it sounds rather interesting. With all of the changes the Ministry is currently implementing, bringing forth a change for house elves will fit in just right."
Hermione nodded. "I hope so. I want it to be just right, you know?"
"It sounds like you have the right intentions, Hermione," Ron told her. "Sometimes that's the right step."
Hermione smiled warmly at him. "I think so. I'll send it to Zee after dinner. Harry, is Hedwig back yet?"
Harry shook his head. "No, not yet."
"That's all right, I'll use one of the school owls."
Ginny's hand was still resting comfortably on Harry's thigh, and it was sending all sorts of thrills through his system that he tried not to show. He leaned into her a bit, stealing a kiss on her cheek, and she turned to give him a slow smile.
"After practice tonight, we should go for a run," Ron said as he poured more milk into his glass. "We haven't done that in a while."
Neville nodded. "I agree. I haven't been spending as much time as a badger as I'd like to."
"Have you thought about registering your form?" Harry asked, adding a second helping of the scalloped potatoes to his plate.
"I already did," Neville told him with a grin. "Gran made me at the beginning of the summer. McGonagall wrote that she had trained me as well."
"You never said," Harry said in surprise.
Neville shrugged. "Figured it wasn't a big deal. You registered — well, you had to after what happened, and Gran thought that it was a wise choice for me to be as well. I agreed with her."
"Professor McGonagall spoke to me about registering myself in September," Hermione explained. "I filled out the proper paperwork and am also registered. Did she ask you yet about assisting with her third years?"
Harry shook his head. "No. What's going on?"
"She's getting ready to talk about human transfiguration and wants to discuss the Animagus transformation. I think that she wants to use the six of us as an example. She told me that she would tell me more about it when it came close."
Ginny nodded. "Ron, Luna, and I are all registered as well. Mum and Dad insisted on it, and Mr X was very strict on it as well, which surprised me. But McGonagall helped us take care of it in July. She was our personal instructor according to the registration forms."
Harry stared at them in surprise. "How come none of you told me?"
Ginny shrugged. "I kind of forgot about it if I'm honest. I was more worried about you and about you going to Greece. It seemed like a simple little thing, especially since you already know what all of our animals are anyway."
He nodded. He knew that she was right, but he still would have liked to know that they were all formally registered with the Ministry of Magic as Animagi. He wondered if McGonagall was going to ask all of them to help her or not.
"But I'm up for a run later, for sure," Harry told them, diving back into his food with gumption.
"Hermione, Luna, and I will meet you guys out on the pitch then. What time do you think practice will be done?" Neville asked him.
"By eight," Harry said. "We played great on Saturday. I just want us to get our usual practice routine down."
"He likes to run us ragged," Ginny teased.
They chatted more about going for a run and then when dinner ended, they headed up to Gryffindor Tower to get their Quidditch things and head down to the pitch. Harry had just finished changing when Ginny came into the changing room, dressed in her sweats and long sleeved Quidditch shirt against the chilly November air. He took her arm, tugging her towards him. Her arms moved around his neck as she stood on her toes to kiss him.
"Oi! Some of us don't wish to be blinded!" Ron bellowed.
Harry and Ginny ignored him, kissing softly. They grinned at each other when they pulled apart. Harry's fingers were already playing with the end of her long ponytail. "I guess that we should get out there."
Ginny smiled, leaning in to kiss him once more. "Guess we should."
And to Harry's surprise, she pinched his bottom before she turned and hurried off out of the change room. His eyes found her round bum as he walked behind her, and all he thought was how incredibly lucky he was to have her in his life.
~ ASC ~
By the time that practice ended, Harry found himself feeling anxious for a run. The run around the pitch hadn't done enough to help him weed out his excess energy, nor had it done much for the sexual tension that he was feeling from being near Ginny. He, Ron, and Ginny met the other three behind Hagrid's hut, transforming into their animals and taking off into the woods.
Ginny's panda, despite being fully grown, was still small and round, but she ran around a tree happily before she hurried up the branches to sit on the top. Harry chased the wolverine and the fox, barking in glee. The badger and hare taunted him, trying to give the wolverine and fox a chance at escape. The wolverine broke free, making a beeline for the opposite end of the meadow in the middle of the forest when the small red panda dove from the tree, landing on top of him and causing them both to roll down the steep incline. The Tamaskan followed, his nose prodding the small panda for injuries, and when he saw that she was okay, licked her. The wolverine head-butted him in response.
It was pushing midnight before the six of them finally headed back to the castle.
Neville and Ron voted on heading in first. The plan was to give each team ten minutes to sneak back up to Gryffindor Tower before the next team made their move to lower the risk of being caught out past curfew. Hermione and Luna went after the other two, planning to split at the staircase that separated Gryffindor from Ravenclaw Tower. It was past midnight when Harry and Ginny eventually headed into the castle. They made it to the Defence Against the Dark Arts classroom before they heard Filch and Mrs Norris.
Harry grabbed Ginny's hand, tugging her into the classroom and through the password-guarded door of Remus' office. His breath hitched as he pressed Ginny against the door, the feel of her tight body against his making him swallow slowly. They waited only a moment before they heard Filch leave, and Harry's eyes met her warm brown ones.
Her eyes were twinkling at him in a combination of mischief and desire and he bent his head to kiss her.
Ginny made a soft sigh, her arms twining around his neck to kiss him back, and he thought that his world had never felt more right than when she was in his arms; when he was touching her. His hands slid over her shoulders, down her arms and around to the small of her back as his mouth met hers in a long, slow kiss. His thumbs moved in slow concentric circles at her hips, forcing her jumper to rise up just enough for him to brush skin. He thought that she had the softest lips and she tasted like sunshine: Warm and soothing.
His lips melted against hers: Deep kisses, soft kisses, open-mouthed kisses, closed-mouth kisses, neither of them coming up for air. Her fingers were playing with the short hairs at the base of his neck and her breasts were pushed up against him. He pressed against the warm weight of her, the feel of her breasts against him. He shifted, his breathing heavy, not wanting to make her uncomfortable at the feel of his growing reaction to their closeness.
Ginny's eyes fluttered open, a soft satisfied smile on her face. "It's okay, I don't want to catch my breath yet."
Harry watched the blush rise up in her cheeks. "I think Filch is gone by now. Everyone is going to wonder where we've got to."
Ginny's smile widened as she walked him back to Remus' desk chair before pushing him into it. "I don't think they will," she told him, slipping sideways into his lap.
Harry wrapped his arms around her waist, pulling her up more securely. "No?"
She shook her head, her lips brushing the side of his neck. "No."
His breath hitched. "I never want to stop kissing you."
She brushed her lips against his. "So, don't stop."
Then his mouth was on hers again, and he knew that he was where he was supposed to be.
It was almost two by the time the two of them stumbled into the common room, their lips swollen and hair mussed. Harry stole one more kiss before Ginny headed upstairs with a grin. He headed up the stairs to his own dorm, but jolted in surprise when he saw Ron sitting on his bed.
"Uh… hey, Ron."
Ron merely raised an eyebrow. "If I have to watch you every second, I will. Nev and I have been back almost two hours, mate!"
Harry shrugged. "We almost got caught by Filch and had to hide out. We came back as fast as we could."
Ron only stared at him. "Your swollen lips tell a different story, liar."
Harry bit his bottom lip. "We were… erm… trapped for a while."
Ron shook his head. "Right, 'trapped;' I'm sure."
"Ron… you know that I'm not going to hurt her, right? Ginny's the strongest girl I know. I could never make her do something that she doesn't want to do."
Ron stood up, moving over to his own bed. "I know it and I trust you. But she's my sister and you're my best mate and I want both of you to be good for each other. Don't tell her I said anything, will you? She'll hex me."
Harry snorted as he undressed. "Remember that the next time you butt your nose in."
Ron only gave him a rude hand gesture which made Harry snort in laughter before Ron shut his bed curtains.
Harry changed into his pyjama pants and headed to the bathroom to clean his teeth. He had to admit, he rater liked that Ron wanted to look out for him as much as Ginny. He climbed into bed, seeing the clock read twenty after two, and sighed. He would be tired in the morning, but as he remembered the feel of Ginny snuggled in his lap, her lips on his, he knew that it would be completely worth it.
~ ASC ~
Harry was just heading into Arithmancy class the next morning when he felt his mirror vibrate in his pocket. He moved away from the students in the hall, slipping into one of the nooks by a window to answer it. The sight of Zee's face made him grin in surprise. She still had a few small nicks on the side of her face, but the bruising was almost entirely gone. She looked much better, he thought.
"Hi, Zee," he said happily. "How are you feeling?"
"Good, very good," she told him. "The one potion isn't agreeing with me, but if I take it before the other one, it sits better. Listen, I know that you're on your way to Arithmancy, but I wanted to run an idea past you. Since Sirius insists that I keep the mirror on me at all times, I figured this was my chance while he's away at the Ministry."
"Sure," Harry said easily, wondering what she was keeping a secret.
"I want to get Sirius something special for Christmas this year. There's nothing that he really needs, but there's something that I know he wants and has been hesitant about getting it for himself."
Harry only raised an eyebrow in question.
"Well, you know how he likes to ride out to that Muggle news stand in the village and buy a copy of the MCN every week?" At his nod, she continued. "I noticed that he keeps circling a particular new bike that's just been released."
Harry's lips curved as he realized what she was implying. "You want to get him the new BMW K1100RS?"
Zee nodded, biting her bottom lip. "I know that it's a lot, but Merlin, he never buys anything for himself. The '96 is supposed to be able to go up to 220 km/h in 3.8 seconds. It has a four cylinder and four stroke inline engine and it's water cooled with an electric starter."
"Manual?"
"Yes, a five speed. Its power rated as a 99.25 HP at 7500 rpm with a torque of 107 Nm at 5500 rpm."
Harry grinned. "He's been drooling after that one for most of the summer. He said that he likes the red or the plum coloured one with the chrome."
Zee nodded enthusiastically. "The deep blood red one with the chrome is really sexy."
"So, are you going to get it?"
"It's not too much?" she asked, hesitantly.
Harry gawked at her. "You're buying him a motorbike, Zee! That's definitely a lot, but you know that he's going to love it!"
"But we did kind of agree on no gifts this year…"
Harry chuckled. "Well, buying him the bike would be the complete opposite of the whole no gifts rule, but I think that you should do it. He'd love it."
"So would I. It seats two and my bike… I assume that it's a complete write off as I haven't even gotten it back. It would be nice to have one that we can share, not that he won't let me ride any of his others."
He grinned. "You're the only other person he trusts with them. He says that I'm still in a trial period, but that you appreciate the beauty and the mechanics of them just as much as the ride."
"Well, they are beautiful machines."
"I have to head to class, Zee. I say go for it — buy the bike."
Zee beamed at him. "Thanks, Harry. I'm going shopping tomorrow when he's out. Have a good day of classes, love you."
He smiled as her face disappeared from the mirror. He shoved it back into his pocket and made his way into Arithmancy just as the bell went off. Harry took his usual seat at the back of the class, thinking about the bike that Zee was talking about. Sirius had been drooling over it since news of the new model had come out. He thought that it was a great gift, and he knew that his father would love it.
Harry was looking forward to Christmas this year. He was going to be spending it in Moscow, which was thrilling enough. He knew that the Zacarias' celebrated Little Christmas as they were Russian Orthodox, but since Harry would have to go back to school and since Zee worked in England, they always celebrated early so that she could be with them. The plan was to celebrate Christmas at home as usual, and then to take a portkey to Moscow the morning after and remain in Moscow for the rest of the holiday. Zee had told him that they would be staying at her parents' home.
Harry couldn't wait. He hadn't seen any of her cousins or her grandparents since her birthday last April and he was anxious and nervous to see them again. The thought of staying with Papa and Grandmama was exciting though, and if he was honest, he was looking forward to some normalcy. A chance to just get away from the news of Voldemort and the growing tensions that underlined daily life.
Harry shook the thoughts from his head and turned his attention to Professor Vector, realizing that he hadn't been processing anything that the professor had said. He pulled out his parchment pad and his quill and gave Vector his attention, but he couldn't help but imagine how excited Sirius was going to be if Zee actually bought him the motorbike.
It was going to be a great holiday, he thought, even if it was still over a month away.
~ ASC ~
After speaking with Harry, Zee found herself excited at the prospect of buying Sirius a motorbike. He'd been so busy lately between the sessions of the Terra Troop training, the Wizengamot, and guard duty with the Order of the Phoenix — not to mention voting in new members of the Hogwarts Board of Governors to make up for the ones who'd been arrested (no one could make a decision on who was a good fit, and it was taking much longer than it should). Zee had a lot of time on her own, which she enjoyed, but also made her a little stir crazy.
She was back on her feet now, but she found herself getting tired easily. She knew part of it was from the potions, but most of it was the after effects of the dark curse. She spent a good deal of her time cooking, but now the ice box was full at both their home and Remus and Tonks' cottage. She'd cleaned the cottage from top to bottom, gotten rid of unwanted junk, and repainted a few of the rooms, giving everything a fresh touch up. She'd also rearranged some furniture between the living room and the sunroom, and changed their bedroom around before deciding she didn't like it and moving it all back.
It made her feel like she was doing something and it helped her balance her magic out, slowly using more of it every day. The dark magic had affected her entire system and that meant her magic had been influenced more than she wanted to admit. She hated feeling any kind of weakness and she hated asking Sirius for help.
But Sirius was amazing.
He made breakfast for her every morning and lined up her potions at the table. He made sure that she was getting the rest she needed and she loved him for it. He never questioned any changes she made (only told her it looked great and asked how he could help), but she definitely needed to get out a bit. Her parents had gone back to Russia after the first week of her being home, but her grandmother stopped by every few days to check in, and she was grateful for that. She and Gran had even gone shopping. She'd spent more than she should on a large amount of new clothes and shoes, but it made her feel good about herself.
Gran and Grandda had come over to take her to lunch a few times as well to try to help her keep her spirits up. At the time, she'd adored the time with them as they'd filled her in the family and how her cousin Ian was getting on as a healer. But now that she had spoken to Harry about getting Sirius a motorbike, Zee was itching to go out and do some shopping on her own.
So, after Sirius left the next morning, she got dressed and took the Knight Bus to London. Zee made her way to a motorbike dealership and struck up a conversation with one of the salesman. He was a bit reserved when speaking with her at first, but once he realized that she more than knew what she was talking about, he took her to the BMW K1100RS. Zee had to admit, it was beautiful. She examined every inch of the deep blood red model. When the salesman asked her if she wanted to take it for a test drive, she grinned widely.
Being on the bike, the wind in her hair, made her smile and made her feel more like herself. She hadn't ridden since she'd been thrown, and part of her had been worried that she would be too afraid to get back on. To Zee's surprise, she felt comfortable, felt like she was home. The November air was cold, but the roads were still good. Ideally, there were still a few weeks left of good riding before winter, and being on the bike again reminded her of why she loved riding. She didn't feel weak and injured when she was on the bike; she felt like who she was, Agent Zee Zacarias of the DRCMC. When she pulled it back into the lot, Zee beamed and removed her Muggle cheque book with a big smile.
She shook the salesman's hand and discreetly transfigured her woollen hat into a helmet before straddling the bike and taking off in glee. A little over three hours later she pulled up the drive to her own cottage, a wide smile on her face. She was cold, but the drive had been magnificent — the bike incredible. She carefully pulled the bike into the shed, covering it with a tarp, and locking and sealing the door before she walked back to Black Cottage.
Lady Godiva greeted her at the door as Zee stepped into the kitchen to make herself a warm cup of tea. As she took out the kettle an owl flew through the window. Zee greeted the owl affectionately, offering snacks and water as the owl hooted in appreciation. Zee opened the letter and smiled when she recognized Hermione's writing.
Zee,
I didn't want to disturb your rest, but Harry told me that you were probably going stir crazy so that I should write to you.
I finished it!
I'm very pleased with how it turned out, and I would love your thoughts. I am going to show it to Professor Carthaginian next class as well as I think that she will have some very interesting insights on the subject. Will you still present it to the Department for me?
Cheers,
Hermione
Zee's smile widened in delight as she unsealed the document that Hermione had drafted, eyes moving over the legislation. Hermione had done a marvellous job drafting it. Zee was excited to present it and see what could be done about getting it implemented. She yawned and moved into the living room, pointing her wand at the fire to warm the room as she curled up on the sofa. She'd just rest for a bit and then she would write her back.
But that was where Sirius found her two hours later, curled up on the sofa fast asleep. He bent to kiss her cheek and scooped her up into his arms. Zee snuggled into his arms, and he smiled as he carried her upstairs and into their bedroom. Sirius undressed her. He stripped her down to her knickers and then grabbed one of his shirts and pulled it over her head.
Zee didn't wake as he tucked her in, kissing her gently. When she did wake a few hours later, she felt loved and happily snuggled into the warm bed.
Yeah, she really liked that he took care of her, she thought.
~ ASC ~
Tonks leaned back in her desk chair, stretching her arms up over her head and cracking her neck. She'd been stuck in the office for almost three hours now and she felt like her body was protesting the lack of action.
She and Higgins were still logging through the escaped prisoners, but they were getting to the point now that the ones they couldn't find had presumably joined Voldemort's forces. It wasn't an overly comforting thought. She reached for her cup of coffee, but pouted when she realized that it was empty. Tonks stood up, using the opportunity to stretch her legs.
"I'm heading to the cafeteria for a coffee and a danish," she told her partner. "You want one?"
"Another coffee and danish would be great, thanks Lupin."
She grinned, the sound of her new name making her smile. She headed out to the lifts, the smile still on her face. Tonks loved that she had taken Remus' name. She'd debated with herself about it because she loved her name. She loved being Tonks more than Nymphadora. The only time she enjoyed being called by her first name was when it left her husband's lips. She loved being Tonks, and Remus knew that. He had never asked her to take his name. He had never even brought it up.
But she had.
Tonks had legally changed her name two weeks after they were married. She was now Nymphadora Andromeda Mary-Ellen Lupin, but those who knew her still called her Tonks. She enjoyed being Auror Lupin, Auror Tonks Lupin to those who knew and loved her. It made her smile every time someone called her Lupin. It made her "his" in another way and it sent an odd thrill through her body.
She made it to the cafeteria on the main level and placed her order. She'd just paid for her order and was turning to head out when she almost walked into the platinum blonde in tall heels.
"Oops, sorry," Tonks said easily, saving herself and the coffees from spilling in what she thought was an almost miracle move for her.
"Nice save, Lupin!" Atwell exclaimed from across the room, making her chuckle.
"Thanks," she called back before turning her attention to the hand that still gripped her arm and gave the woman a cool glance. "Sorry about that, I'm a little clumsy, but no harm done."
The woman only stared at her. "Lupin?"
Tonks nodded. "Yes?" She felt like the woman was vaguely familiar, but she couldn't quite place her.
The woman scoffed and dropped her hand in disgust. "You married that thing?"
Tonks' eyes narrowed. "What did you just call my husband?"
"You heard me. How could you demean yourself in that way? Merlin, when I learned what he was and how I had… I let him shag me!"
Tonks stared at her before it clicked. Veronica, she remembered, the woman that he'd slept with years ago… ten years ago? Twelve? "That makes you one of the lucky ones, doesn't it? Roni, right?"
Veronica nodded. "He should have told me what he was before we… when he was accused two years ago, I couldn't believe it. I let that disgusting thing touch me and you — you married it. What is wrong with you?"
Tonks' eyes darkened. "I married the most incredible man who loves and supports me in everything that I do. I married the sexiest and most selfless man. I took his name and you know what, one day I'm going to have his children too."
Veronica looked positively scandalized. "He's — a — werewolf!" she hissed in disgust.
Tonks only stared her down. "He's a wizard. He's a professor. He's my husband. My man. My mate. My lover. And we both know that the real reason that you're acting like a self-righteous bitch is because you loved his big, huge cock and he dumped you. You're too old for him and too pathetic for me to keep speaking to."
Veronica's face paled. "I'm disgusted that I ever let him put his hands on me!"
"Well, I'm disgusted that he put his hands on you too, you hag! Get over it, it's been a decade, at least, and he barely remembers you. You're old news."
Veronica swallowed angrily before she jerked her chin up. "I may be old news, dearie, but at least I don't participate in bestiality."
Tonks' mouth dropped open in anger. "You bitch!"
Hands grabbed her arm and yanked her back. She turned to see Atwell shaking her head at her. "No, Tonks! She's not worth it."
They both watched Veronica scurry off to the lifts with a fearful look over her shoulder.
"Did you hear what that bitch said to me?" Tonks demanded.
Atwell smiled kindly. "I heard the tail end of it. Tonks, you've been lucky so far, but you know that people are going to talk. You married a werewolf — and not just any werewolf, the very wolf who was big news at the Ministry a few years ago; the one who was almost executed. Now you're using his name. I don't know what you expected to happen."
"I expected people to have a smidgen of common human decency! You know, Remus shagged her over a decade ago?"
Atwell's eyes rose. "Really?"
Tonks nodded. "And she's trying to claim how disgusted she is by it and says that if she had known, she never would have demeaned herself like that."
"You don't believe her?"
Tonks smirked at her friend. "When Rem and I were together, she tried to throw herself at him years later because the sex was so good and she missed him. He was adorably flustered by it."
Atwell snorted. "Figures."
Tonks smiled at her. "I was jealous back then but now… that bitch better watch her back."
Atwell nodded, urging Tonks towards the lifts. "Let it go, Tonks. You're an Auror and we have more important things to worry about. Like I said, you married a werewolf, there's going to be talk no matter what. My advice is to keep your head down."
"I'm not a keep-my-head-down kind of woman," Tonks declared.
Atwell chuckled. "All right, well at least try not to punch her in the face."
Tonks scoffed at that as the lift closed behind them. "I can't make any promises if she gets in my face again. And for the record, I was thinking more along the lines of a good throat punch."
The sound of Atwell's laugh made her grin back. But she couldn't help but think about her friend's words. She had been lucky so far. No one outside of those she knew well had really approached her about her marriage. The Ministry of Magic Administrative Services lady had made a face when she had changed her name, but no one had outright said anything to her.
Remus had warned her that people wouldn't like it, and she had ignored him. She didn't care what people thought of her. Remus was the man of her dreams, and she loved him with every fibre of her being. She clutched his heartbeat in her palm as the lift opened, the tray of coffee and danishes in her other hand. If anyone said anything about her husband's wolfish tendencies she would show them the real beast — and that beast wasn't going to be Remus.
She passed the coffee and danish to Higgins and took a sip from her own before plopping her butt back behind her desk. She'd just taken a bite of her danish as Kingsley came into the bullpen. He gave her a firm look and gestured for her to follow him into his office. She nodded at Higgins who jumped to follow her, wiping danish crumbs off his uniform shirt.
Higgins closed the door behind them as Kingsley leaned back against his desk.
"I have a new mission for you two. I know that you've both been working hard on the prison breakout, but unfortunately I think that we can all agree that the bodies we haven't found have probably joined You Know Who's army." He grabbed a folder off his desk and handed it to Tonks. "New player in town. There's been four reported sightings of the Baroness of Sardinia in the last two weeks. I think Bellarosa Zabini has left Italy."
Tonks' eyebrow rose as she flipped open the folder. "She's wanted for questioning as she was outed by Harry Potter, was she not?"
Kingsley nodded. "We believe her to be a Death Eater, but she's more than that. Her fifth husband was killed by werewolves at the beginning of September in Paris where he was visiting on business."
"Fifth husband?" Higgins asked.
"She's known as the Black Widow in some circles," Kingsley said carefully. "No one has ever proven it, but it's believed that she's behind the death of all five of her husbands. She's dangerous and she's smart. She hasn't been caught for a reason. The French Aurors investigated the scene in Paris, but there was no evidence of her taking part, and she was in Italy when the attack occurred; Italian Aurors followed up. I want you to talk to the witnesses who claim that they've seen her and report back to me. I want to know if there's a chance that she's still in England."
"We're on it, Sir," Higgins said, smiling brightly.
"Tonks, control your boot. He smiles too bloody much."
Tonks snorted at Kingsley, her eyes twinkling in suppressed laughter. "Will do, Sir."
She passed the file to Higgins and smirked at her partner as the two of them left Kingsley's office. "Grab your coffee and let's book. Where's our first witness located?"
Higgins shuffled the folder open, his eyes on the file. "Hogsmeade."
"Let's go see what they have to say about the Black Widow, shall we?"
~ ASC ~
Draco knew something was going on with Theo; and he hated that he wasn't talking to him or to Blaise or to anyone else about it. He knew that the whole taking on the Nott title and responsibility was weighing on him, and he knew that Theo wasn't as okay with the whole "surviving idea" that he'd tossed out. He knew that Theo had already come face to face with the Dark Lord and was terrified. He had every right to be.
Draco, on the other hand, didn't really know what to think.
He knew that the Dark Lord was dangerous and powerful, but in all honesty, his grandfather scared him more. He knew exactly what Abraxas was capable of. He'd seen it firsthand, whereas the Dark Lord was more of an idea. At the same time, he found himself equally curious and terrified to meet him.
Draco also knew that he had more options than most. Pansy's father was hinting about her meeting the Dark Lord soon, as was Daphne's father. Greg and Vince were anxious to meet him. They claimed that he would help bring about a better world. It was the better world argument that he didn't fully understand.
The Ministry of Magic was implementing so many changes lately both for education and for the government. They were working diligently to make life better for the British Magical Citizen, and Draco could see the appeal to that. Would a world built entirely out of purebloods be a better world? He honestly couldn't say, but he did know that purebloods were superior to Muggleborns. That's what he had been taught, after all. But then after spending time with the Tonks family, with his Muggleborn uncle and half-blood cousin, he'd found himself questioning the so-called differences between them. He'd come to understand that everyone's blood was red, and those who bled red still deserved an opportunity to practice magic. He just wasn't sure on how and where it all tied together.
Thinking about it just made his head hurt.
He rubbed a hand over his forehead at the thought. He took a shortcut down from the library back to the Slytherin dorms by cutting past Professor Lupin's office. He just wanted to lie down for a bit and think. He jolted in surprise when he saw his aunt step out from Lupin's office. She was smiling and he watched as she kissed Lupin's cheek before she turned and caught sight of him.
"Draco! I'm so glad that I've run into you!"
Draco merely stared at her. "Hello, Auntie Andy."
She beamed at him and leaned in to kiss his cheek, standing on her toes to reach him. "My, you're growing tall!"
He nodded. "I suppose."
Andromeda smiled warmly at him, tucking her arm in his. "Will you walk me out?"
Draco nodded as they walked down the hall together. "What were you doing here?"
"I wanted to talk to Remus about some gift ideas for my Dora. Christmas is just around the corner and I thought that I should tell him my plans."
"Right," Draco said quietly.
Andromeda snuck a glance over at him. "I know that you have your own plans for the holidays, but Ted and I would love it if you wanted to join us for dinner on Christmas Day again."
"Mother wants me home."
"I figured she might," Andromeda said easily as they approached the front door entrance. "My door is always open for you, Draco. I know that times are getting dangerous for all of us. Please, don't be too proud to use it." She kissed his cheek and left through the front door.
Draco watched her go. He wasn't too proud to use it. She and her husband had been nothing but nice to him. But if he chose that route, he would be forced to leave his parents, and he wasn't sure if he could do that. His mother was vulnerable. He couldn't let her get hurt, no matter what it meant for him.
He needed to organize his thoughts and figure out exactly what it was he did think and know. And he needed to figure out what was happening with Theo. He was tired of watching the sadness in his friend's eyes, and he was determined to figure out what he was hiding from him.
Even if he had to follow him to do it.
~ ASC ~
Dean was stretched out on his bed with his sketchbook open on his lap. He held the charcoal pencil in his left hand as he sketched away his thoughts. He had finished it before he had even registered what he was sketching. He'd drawn Seamus. It was the way he looked when he was lost in thought, staring dreamily out the window.
He closed his book and sighed. He had to come to terms with this, but he wasn't sure what those terms were exactly. Nonetheless he knew that he was attracted to his best mate. It was more than just attraction; he wanted him physically and emotionally. He knew that meant on some level that he was he was most likely bi, but he wasn't sure if he was. Not really.
He'd spent the last few days looking at other blokes, sketching their likeness and thinking about their features. Harry had incredible eyes and they were always very expressive. As of late, there was this twinkle of delight in them whenever Ginny came into the room. Ron had broad shoulders on his tall frame. He had nice shoulders, and Dean could see the appeal in them. Neville was kind and his smile was honestly the sweetest thing. It made you want to smile back.
Dean had looked too, a little more than he should have, when they were showering. Harry had a great bottom; Seamus had said it, but Dean agreed. Ron had a nice bum too, and the muscles in his arms were lean and strong. Neville had the light brown chest hair coming in, and large hands. And Dean was lying to himself if he hadn't looked further. Harry was big down there. He'd caught a glance or two. Ron was a close second. Neville was average in length, but rather thick. Dean could see the attractive appeal of all of them. He appreciated the beauty of them in an artistic way.
But he wasn't physically attracted to any of them. He wasn't physically attracted to any man; not like he was to Seamus.
That soft chubby tush, those freckled spatter patterns on his back and arms. His blue eyes, his sandy brown happy trail that led to his rather chubby cock... all of it made him hard without him even trying.
So, was he attracted to blokes… or was he attracted to girls and to Seamus?
He sighed and scratched his head.
He had to tell him, he thought. He couldn't just ignore this. Seamus had to know. But not yet. He knew that his friend wanted to tell his family over the holidays, and there was still Will. He hadn't left yet. They'd been broken up for almost two months, yes, but he didn't want to impose on what they'd had. He knew how much his friend had loved him.
And who was to say that Seamus would even... Dean sighed. Just because Seamus had gone down on him before didn't mean that he wanted more from him. They were friends, and like he had told Seamus, they'd been experimenting. Seamus could want to be only friends with him.
Dean closed his eyes, remembering the feeling of Seamus waking him up, his mouth wrapped around him. Dean's hips jerked at the memory. He wanted that feeling again. And to be honest, he wanted to experience it both ways. He wanted to taste and touch Seamus in the same ways that Seamus had once touched and tasted him. Just the thought of it excited him in ways that he couldn't quite explain, and he licked his lips at the thought.
"Dean?"
He jolted at the sound of his name and smiled at Natalie, his new girlfriend. "Hey, Nat."
She stepped out of the doorway and sat on the side of his bed. "I was looking for you. Why are you hiding up here?"
He grinned when she straddled him and pressed a soft kiss to his lips. "Just sketching and thinking. It helps clear my head."
Natalie pressed her lips to his neck. "I'd like to not think at all myself."
Dean's smile widened as she picked up his hands and placed them on her chest. He kneaded her breasts gently before he kissed her. Her soft lips and firm breasts reminded him that he very much liked girls.
But as her lips trailed down his neck, he couldn't help but wish that it was Seamus' mouth instead.
~ ASC ~
Remus finished fixing himself a cup of tea in the staff room during his free period that afternoon just as Rhiannon came in. The fae was rather extraordinary, and he knew that the students had been raving about her class as much as her. She was incredibly beautiful. Black hair over ivory skin and piercing eyes so green that they were almost turquoise. He nodded politely at her.
"Rhiannon, hope your day is going well."
She smiled kindly back. "It is, thank you. I was actually looking for you."
He arched his brow in curiosity. It wasn't that he didn't speak to her, but he had made it a habit to do no more than preliminaries. The fae did not usually wish to associate with wolves, and he hadn't wanted to offend her.
"Oh? How may I help you?"
Rhiannon tossed her hair over her shoulder. What looked like real flowers shimmered in her earlobes. "You run the Defence Club?" At his nod, she continued. "Magical defence is great. I've seen the power behind my students, and most of them are already young adults. I've heard that you have some real power potential in your group."
"Yes, I suppose I do," he said, not sure where she was going with this.
"We train to fight with magic at the palace, but we train more than just our powers. We train our bodies as well."
"I do the same," Remus told her. "We work on the importance of physical activity and being able to dodge and deflect spells and hexes physically as well as magically."
"Dodging is good," Rhiannon told him. "But I was talking more physical. We have our royal guard train with not only magical defence, but with archery and broadswords."
Remus raised an eyebrow. "A friend of mine mentioned that came up during a CBC meeting. Are you suggesting that we teach the Defence Club how to physically fight?"
Rhiannon nodded. "Absolutely. Maybe just your senior section to start off, but learning how to fight, especially in times of war is very important. It's great physical activity as well and I think that they'd find it fun."
"I admit that it has appeal. I'll have to run it by Minerva. I've never done either myself so, I would need assistance."
Rhiannon's face cracked into a wide smile. "I'd be delighted. Let me know what Minerva says."
She left him alone in the staffroom and he thought that things were definitely getting more interesting.
~ ASC ~
Since Zee's attack, Sirius had been forced to cancel and reschedule his meeting with Henry Richardson. He'd organized his notes from what Harry had told him and made his way to Hogwarts. He wanted to talk directly to Hagrid and Flitwick. The more accurate information he had on the insults and unacceptable behaviour from Umbridge when he went into the meeting with Richardson, the better.
He snuck into McGonagall's seventh year Transfiguration class, standing in the back and just watching her. He had always loved her class. She always kept it interesting while still being strict. She spotted him about thirty seconds in, and he grinned widely at her.
"Class, it looks like we have a visitor from the Ministry here. Say hello to Lord Black."
Sirius made a dramatic bow and winked at Fred and George, who were sitting on the left.
"Sirius, since you've decided to rudely interrupt my class, why don't you do something useful and show them your Animagus form?"
A few of the students turned to him in interest, so he smirked and transformed into his dog. A few of the students made aww sounds at the sight of him; one gasped and proclaimed that he was the Grim. Some of them even pet him. Nyx stared at him from the front of the class, her eyes bored.
McGonagall finished up her lecture just as the bell rang. "I want ten inches on my desk next class!"
"That's what she said!" someone yelled out.
Sirius snorted as McGonagall scowled.
"Ten points from Gryffindor, Mr Jordan!"
Sirius changed back into himself and put his hand on Fred's shoulder as he high-fived Lee Jordan for his remark. "You boys have new stuff to show me?"
Fred grinned. "Tons!"
Sirius' smile widened. "Meet me in Remus' office before dinner. I have a job for you two."
Fred's eyebrow rose in curiosity before he nodded and whispered something to George.
McGonagall finished erasing the board and turned to smile at him. "What can I do for you, Sirius?"
"I missed you, Minnie. I'm here to give you my undying love and devotion."
McGonagall rolled her eyes. "Right. How's Zahira?"
"Getting better. She still sleeps a lot. The potions make her a little sick, but she's healing. She has two days left and then they want her to have one week without them to see how she does. If everything looks good, she can go back to work two weeks before Christmas."
"Good. I'm glad to hear it."
He nodded, shoving his hands in his pockets. "She's anxious to get back to work. I think that she's going a bit stir crazy at home."
"I imagine she is. And you?"
He shrugged. "I'm taking care of her."
"And getting some rest yourself?"
Sirius smiled warmly. "Yes, Mum."
McGonagall pat his cheek affectionately. "You are such a little shit, you know that?"
"Minnie!" Sirius exclaimed, his eyes widening. "I am appalled that you would use such language!"
McGonagall rolled her eyes. "What are you really doing here, Sirius?"
He smiled. "I was hoping to commandeer the staff room. I need to talk to Hagrid and Flitwick about Umbitch."
"What did you just call her?"
He smirked. "It's the best name for her and you know it."
She chuckled. "Umbitch… and what about her?"
"Her inappropriate inspections. I heard that she asked you some ridiculous questions. You should have told her that I'm a sex god and that I seduced you when I was a teenager."
McGonagall rolled her eyes. "That would have only caused more problems."
He shrugged good-naturedly. "But it would have been fun."
"You're a little instigator and part of the problem. Why do you need to speak about the inspections?"
"I have a meeting with Richardson coming up and I would like to have all of my facts straight before the Board meets. I can only get away with so much coming from my son's school gossip report."
McGonagall's eyebrows rose. "What has Harry been telling you?"
"What I said about your inspection, and I heard that she had some incredibly rude things to say to Hagrid. She had the gall to measure Flitwick's height. None of that sounds relevant to how these professors teach. I want to find out how much is true," Sirius explained. "I'm going to keep a record of it and show it to Richardson. He only sent her here to get out of his hair in the same way that Amelia shuffled her to the Education Department to get her out of hers. She's on her last chance and yet she's pulling stunts like this? I want to know what's going on."
"Hagrid didn't mention anything to me about his review. I asked him and he said that it went okay. Filius didn't say anything either, but he wouldn't bring something like that up unless you directly asked him. He's much too polite. I, for one, would like her gone from this school as soon as possible, but I understand the protocol and the need to make sure all of the t's are crossed and the i's are dotted first. Doesn't make me like it any more, though."
Sirius smiled. "Agreed. So, can I take over the staff room?"
"No, but you can use my private rooms. The staff room is part of her office. This will give you more privacy and will guarantee you no Umbitch interruptions."
"You love the name," Sirius teased.
She rolled her eyes. "Password is 'bejewelled.' Go away."
Sirius bent to kiss her cheek. "I'm gone. Thanks, Minnie."
He made his way out of the classroom as her next class began to file in. He checked his watch; he would find Flitwick first and let him know where he'd be. If he was lucky, he'd manage to speak to both of them before dinner.
~ ASC ~
Ginny was washing her hands in the girls' bathroom near Defence Against the Dark Arts when the door opened and Mandy stepped inside with Padma Patil. Their eyes met in the mirror and Ginny offered Mandy a polite smile. She wasn't sure how to act around her now, if she was honest. Knowing that the girl had broken up with Harry because of his feelings for her made her feel both oddly elated and tad guilty.
"Ginny," Mandy said politely, moving to the mirror.
Ginny smiled warmly. "Hi, Mandy."
Mandy leaned into the mirror to apply fresh lipstick before she turned to look at her. "I'm glad that you and Harry are together."
Ginny smiled, surprised to feel a little relieved at Mandy's statement. "Thank you. He told me what you said."
"I let it go on longer than I should have. I like him and I guess I hoped that maybe if I could make him fall in love with me, he'd forget about you. But that was silly of me," Mandy said softly, tucking her hair behind her ear. She bit the side of her lip before she continued. "You're who he needs and wants, and I'm glad that he finally told you how he felt. He's a really wonderful bloke and you're lucky to have him. I hope you know that."
"I do," Ginny told her, smiling back. "I hope that there's no hard feelings, and maybe we can even be friendly still?"
Mandy smiled brightly. "I'd like that."
Ginny finished washing her hands, smiled kindly at the two girls, and made her way out of the bathroom. That hadn't been as uncomfortable as she had expected. Mandy was a nice girl, and she was glad that they could be friendly towards each other. She smiled when she saw Harry come around the corner talking to Neville. She snuck up behind him, slipped her arms around his waist, and pressed her cheek against his back. His hands immediately tugged her around to hug her close.
"Hi," he said, bending his head to kiss her softly.
"Hi," she said back, her eyes twinkling at him.
She still couldn't believe that she was dating Harry.
She couldn't believe that she had been dating Harry, for almost a month.
She couldn't believe that she was kissing Harry, but then his mouth would be on hers and she'd know it was real.
He was real and it was the most incredible feeling in the world.
"Where are you two off to?" she asked them, smiling at Neville.
Neville shrugged. "Nowhere exciting. Sprout let us go early because she has to take care of the Devil's Snare in one of the greenhouses. It's apparently getting wildly out of control. Ron decided to take a nap and Hermione went to the library."
"Nev and I weren't feeling up to either. Where are you coming from? Why aren't you in class?"
Ginny grinned mischievously. "I had to use the loo, but then I saw you here in the hall and thought: Oh, boyfriend."
Harry's grin widened, his hands splaying around her waist as he bent his head to kiss her deeply. "Hi, girlfriend. Don't go back to class."
Neville smirked at them. "I'll just find my way to the common room on my own, shall I? See you."
They both waved absentmindedly before Harry kissed her again.
"Uncle Rem won't care," he whispered, his lips trailing over hers and along her jawline.
Ginny smiled against his mouth, standing on her toes to reach him better, her arms encircling his neck. "I think that he might."
He shook his head, kissing her softly. "Nuh-uh."
She chuckled, kissing him softly and sighing into him as he kissed her over and over and over again before she tugged herself away from him. "Class… I'm supposed to be there."
Harry licked his lips, twining his fingers with hers and tugging her close again. "I'll fill you in on what you've missed."
"You don't even know what I'm studying," Ginny teased.
"I could learn," he told her as his lips brushed her earlobe, his tongue circling the small silver hoop.
Merlin, he made her bones turn to jelly. When he pushed her up against the wall, deepening the kiss, she moaned against him. Then his tongue met hers and she found herself drowning in the taste of him. When he nipped at her mouth and she finally came up for air, she shook her head.
"Harry…"
He merely grinned. "Ginny?"
She pushed against his chest, wiggling away from him.
"I have to go."
Harry sighed and nodded, taking a step towards her. He bent his head to kiss her softly. "I'll wait for you to finish, and then maybe we can go back up to that tower room and chat?" He kissed the corner of her mouth.
"Chat, right," Ginny repeated.
His lips were soft, quick kisses on the corners of her mouth, on her lips, on her chin, on her cheeks before she stepped back. "I have to go."
"Have fun in class," he told her.
Ginny only nodded mutely before she turned and hurried off down the hall, determined not to look back at him. She was almost at the door before she caved. Harry was standing there in open robes, his dress shirt untucked, his tie loose and his hair wonderfully messy. He had a cocky smirk on his lips that she desperately wanted to kiss away.
She let herself back into the Defence Against the Dark Arts classroom and sighed in disappointment as she closed the door behind her, her lips still tingling from Harry's touch.
This was going to be the longest class of her life.