AN: Sorry for the delay, but RL tends to shuffle one's priorities at times. I hope to continue updating regularly.
Chapter 13 - Swimming
The next DADA lesson was held at the pool, as promised. Professor Jones, wearing only skimpy bathing shorts, explained the importance of body fitness even when using magic. "Now, if you are disarmed or just lose your wand, you are as good as dead if you are not able to dodge your opponent curses. Once you exercise some kinds of muggle fighting, you may even turn your disadvantage to an advantage, but only if you are really fit. Now, take off your robes and jump into the water!"
"We don't have swimsuits!" – it was Lavender who complained now.
The professor was about to answer when the door opened and the Evans twins came in, each wearing only a bathrobe. "Oh, we didn't know there was a lesson here. We shall leave if it isn't convenient…"
"On the contrary, ladies. I was really hoping you could help me persuade these up-tight girls to go into the water."
"Oh! What seems to be the problem?"
Daphne Greengrass stepped forward. "He wants us to undress but we have no swimsuits!"
"So? We have none either," both twins said, shedding their robes and exposing perfect naked bodies. "Is your body built in a different way, making you ashamed of it?"
The Slytherin girl seemed reluctant only for a second. "I'm not ashamed of my body and I really have nothing to hide," she said, not sounding as convinced as her words, yet she undid her robes and started unbuttoning her blouse.
"I'm not ashamed either. I'm not even ashamed of my war-scars!" Lavender declared and started undressing as well.
Hermione smiled at Harry as they both removed their clothes by magic, not even bothering with undressing. Soon everybody was naked except for Professor Smith, who urged them all into the water. "Why won't you undress as well?" asked Ron, getting some supporting glances from most of the girls.
The veteran auror seemed to contemplate for a moment and then removed his shorts and threw them near the corner of the hall, drawing some hushed comments from the students. "Now, all of you line along this side of the pool and we shall start the warming exercises," he ordered.
Draco seemed to stay at the far left of the group and to keep his left hand out of sight as much as he could. Hermione noticed him. She nodded to Harry as they both moved towards Draco. "Do you need any help with a glamour or a concealing charm?" she asked.
"Nothing I tried can hide this mark!" Draco spitted with despair.
"Mind if I try?" she asked again.
Draco nodded his approval. Hermione grabbed her wand, which was stuck in her hair like a hair-pin, and waved it over his arm, murmuring a spell which could not be heard over the din. His arm seemed to lose the mark and looked like he had never been marked.
"Thanks, Lady Potter. I owe you one," he said.
"That's nothing, really, and I rather you call me Hermione."
Draco smiled his thanks as the lesson began in earnest.
After a through session of warming exercises, accompanied by multiple groans from almost every student present, the teacher let them swim leisurely for a few minutes before continuing the training. By now, most of the girls were feeling quite comfortable and the glances they were getting from the boys were causing many smiles and some giggles. The boys, who had been just as frightened at the beginning, were also more relaxed, even if their excitement at seeing all these naked girls was more visible.
The Evans twins, who had swum several lengths of the pool by then, got out of the water and walked around to talk with Hermione and Harry who were still in the water. Crouching down, not caring about exposing their most intimate parts, they talked a bit with the Potters and then dried themselves, put on their robes and left.
Harry noticed some of the boys commenting about the two young teachers. Neville was even approaching him, seeming intent on talking, but the Professor called them to order and continued the lesson.
Almost two hours later, when the group of exhausted youngsters stumbled out of the water, nobody seemed to care about the nudity. Everybody was only trying to catch their breath. Even Harry, who was believed to be quite fit, found out that he still had a long way to go to become really fit. Neville also proved to be in quite a good position, probably due to working a lot in the greenhouse and the garden at his family's home.
Tracy Davis, who plopped down near Harry looked at him and smiled. "Well done, Potter! I never thought you were so fit. Those loose clothes you used to wear were really hiding your assets."
"You also look very nice," he returned the compliment, making the girl blush slightly.
Nobody seemed to care about dressing in mixed company anymore. Some boys even helped the girls clasp their bras. Harry helped Hermione, of course, only to be surprised by Daphne Greengrass: "I can see you are already experienced. Will you help me with my bra?" She was just sliding the bra over her breasts. Seeing him turn towards her, she turned her back, letting him handle the clasp. Once done, she turned back, still arranging her damp breasts inside the bra, and said: "Thank you, Potter," before moving away again.
"Nudity seems to have broken some barriers," commented Hermione. Harry only smiled.
Dinner was quite welcome after the exhausting physical exercise. They were somewhat surprised when the headmistress rose at the end of the meal and addressed the hall: "The new indoor pool is open for you all to enjoy when no classes are using it. You may freely enjoy the pool each evening from dinner time till curfew. There will always be a staff member present to assure safety and appropriate behavior." She was already moving back to her seat when she remembered another point. "Oh – you don't need swimsuits for the pool. You are encouraged to swim nude, without any restricting clothes." She thought for a moment and then added: "No need to write home about this aspect of the pool. Some of your parents may not appreciate it." A thin smile appeared on her lips for just a second as many students looked quite overwhelmed.
None of the eighth year students took advantage of the pool that evening, but two days later it was Hermione's initiative to swim a bit. They found Professor Flitwick guarding the pool. He was actually sitting on several chairs piled one above the other and was reading a book. Hermione and Harry greeted him and then proceeded to the water.
They were not alone in the water. Neville was already there with Ginny and an angry looking Ron, whom Luna was trying to distract. More than ten younger students were also enjoying the pool, keeping their distance from the group of war heroes.
"Do you want me to relieve you?" they heard a familiar voice.
Professor McGonagall was approaching, wearing a bath-robe. Professor Flitwick was quick to take her offer and left immediately. Minerva took her time, tying her hair firmly before removing her robe and going into the water. All present gasped. Nobody ever expected to see the headmistress nude and then, nobody thought she would look so well without her clothes. The old lady's body was just as firm as her manners, with tight muscles, wrinkle-free skin and small breasts. She could give the young witches a run for their money when concerning their bodies.
She started swimming, heading towards the Potters. Harry was thankful for the deep water which made his headmistress' nudity less striking, allowing his eyes to stay on her face and not to roam downwards.
"Do you like the changes we made at school?" she asked them.
"Sure! The DADA professor seems to know his stuff well and seems to motivate his students. This pool is awesome and I can't be objective about my twin cousins…"
"I can, I hope," added Hermione. "They are really good. I didn't expect them to be, though I had no chance to learn about that aspect of their lives before."
"Didn't they tell you they were top of their class at Beauxbatons throughout their studies, much like you?"
Hermione blushed at the implied praise. "They didn't really tell us about their school years. We were more interested in their actions during the war and then we got into the wedding preparations."
Minerva sighed. "It's a pity they will only stay here for another month, as they really want to continue their engineering studies."
Both Potters seemed surprised. "They didn't tell us…"
"The teachers I contacted could not come on time, as they have to finish prior contracts. I was talking with them during your wedding and they were eager to help. I wasn't sure about them as they seemed to be just two nice girls with nothing to offer beyond good looks. I asked Madame Maxime about them. She praised them much more than I've ever heard her praise anybody. She told me about her frustration when she couldn't take them to the Triwizard tournament as they were a year too young and couldn't come to Britain as witches in any case."
"Who are the teachers they are temporarily replacing?" asked Harry.
"They are both American, just like your DADA teacher. They had taken research jobs last year, which are the cause for them not being available on time."
Minerva looked at the young couple. "Don't you want to swim some more? I find it invigorating. I also remember it used to make me quite horny when I was younger…"
They both blushed, but as Minerva started swimming, they joined her, swimming at her sided like a kind of honorary guard. Minerva swam at a steady pace. It wasn't fast, yet it started taxing the younger couple after a few lengths of the pool. Minerva noticed them lagging behind and slowed a bit to allow them to catch up. Once they reached the end of the pool, she stopped and sat on the pool's edge, making Harry swallow some water before sitting besides her, trying to keep his eyes at the other end of the pool.
"You seem to be in great shape," commented Hermione. "Care to tell us how you do it?"
Minerva smiled. She really hoped that her presence at the pool would inspire some of her students to get in better physical shape.
"I used to swim in the lake near my family's home when I was a child. The water there is always cold and I had to swim vigorously just to keep warm. It helped give me attractive shape during my teen years." She smiled reminiscing her youth.
"I then tried to keep in shape. I used to go to muggle swimming pool at winter and swam at the lake and the sea during summers. I even used the Prefect's bathroom for an occasional swim late at night."
"That does explain why you look so trim," Hermione commented.
"How come you are so free about… being nude?" Harry asked, blushing quite a bit.
"I was always nude when I swam at the lake as a child. There was nobody for miles around to see me, so it wasn't an issue at all. As a teen, I found it bothersome to wear anything in the water. I didn't care if anybody saw me – I was quite proud of my body. I found about the muggle Naturist organizations and joined one of their clubs. I only moved to another club a few years ago. It wasn't appropriate for muggles to find out that I was a member there for more than fifty years…"
"I believe there's an indoor swimming pool at Potter Manor. You're welcome to use it whenever you like." Harry was still feeling a bit uneasy about his Headmistress nudity, yet he was no longer averting his eyes purposefully. He noticed that Minerva was actually enjoying the admiring glances she was receiving from many of the students present, both male and female.
Harry and Hermione returned into the water a few minutes later. They both felt challenged by their teacher and were decisive to try and reach just that kind of physical fitness. Some other students seemed to get their courage up and talked with the Headmistress as well. She didn't seem to mind. She just talked with them as freely as if she was fully clothed.