Chapter 64 – A Sighting and the Next Chamber

(Hermione's POV)

I was having the most interesting dream. Harry had bought me a lot of new sets of underwear and I was modeling them for him in my bedroom at home. Every time I changed to a new pair of knickers, Harry rewarded me by removing one article of his clothing. We were just getting to his very interesting bits when I looked up and saw that Myrtle was sitting on my almost naked boyfriend's lap. In my own bed!

"Hermione" came from Harry's lips.

"Please Hermione" Myrtle echoed. "Shortcake cup."

"Hermione. Tup and atzem."

"Hermione." I saw Myrtle speaking again from Harry's lap. "You should order a cornflake."

'Huh? That didn't make sense.'

'Nonnie!'

"Hermione, Harry wants you to wake."

I finally struggled out of my dream and opened my eyes as the last two sentences were extremely insistent. I saw that Myrtle was actually hovering over my bed and 'heard' Harry repeating his wake up request.

'I'm awake, I'm awake. What's going on?' I sat up in bed and motioned toMyrtle that I really was awake. Myrtle moved sideways so that I could reach for my robe and go meet Harry.

'Vika saw the monster or part of the monster before it disappeared again. She and Myrtle came to wake us up about it.'

'I'll meet you down in the common room Harry.'

'No, we both need to get dressed. We're going visiting.'

I didn't argue with my boyfriend very much when he took that tone of voice. Myrtle watched as I dressed hurriedly and just floated down through the floor as I left my room to meet Harry downstairs. Myrtle was telling Harry I was coming when I almost ran down the stairs to greet him with a brief hug.

"Where's Vika?"

"She's gone on ahead to watch out for Filch and will warn us if he's getting close."

The portal opened silently before us and we crept (and floated) silently past the sleeping Lady Nelson. We were half a corridor away before we dared start whispering to each other. "We're going to see Dumbledore?"

"No, Vika told me that he and Hagrid are in the Forbidden Forest meeting with some of the centaurs."

"Oh, where are we going then?"

Harry turned with a grin. "To see Godric of course. He's visiting Lady Ravenclaw at the moment and Vika says she will ask that they both wait for us."

I stopped in surprise. "We're going to see Rowena Ravenclaw's chamber?"

"Yes, the Repository of Knowledge itself and perhaps Merlin's Library also."

I grabbed Harry's hand and practically started dragging him down the first staircase we came to. He allowed it for a few seconds and then stopped with a grin. "Well, hurry up then" I told him. "This is important."

Harry held up one finger and I grew a little annoyed. "Yes?" I asked.

"Do you know where we're going Hermione?" I thought about it for about a half-second and felt my face get red. "No."

"Then let's not run and make too much noise." Harry didn't actually smirk at me but he had that little half-grin on his face that either drove me crazy or made me all gushy inside. I took a deep breath and tried calming down. "Let's go Harry. I'm trying to hold down my enthusiasm. Where are we heading then?"

"The library of course." I had no response to that answer so I just held onto Harry's hand and we made the very familiar trip to the doors of the Hogwarts library. I knew the doors were always locked after closing but Harry let me use the 'Alohomora' spell on it when we got there. He assured me that the alarm in Madame Pince's or Filch's offices wouldn't sound tonight. I trusted that Vika, wherever she was, would keep us out of trouble if she was the one to lead us here. Harry and I lit our wands and, with Myrtle following us, made our way through the stacks of books. I stopped in confusion when Harry stepped up to the Restricted Section and walked over the ropes.

"Harry, we're not supposed to be in here."

"Hermione, we're not going to be looking at any of the books in here and I'm pretty sure as Lord Gryffindor and Lord Potter that I qualify as an adult. If anyone comes I'll tell them that it was my idea and I talked you into it."

Harry made a lot of sense and I did want to see where the entrance to Rowena Ravenclaw's chamber was. I stepped over the ropes like he had done and was glad for once that I was wearing jeans. Myrtle looked at the rope barrier and then chuckled as she just walked through it. Harry was looking at the bookcases that held all the dangerous texts that you needed special permission to even get to. There were two massive pine and walnut racks that were about fifteen feet long and seven foot tall each. Harry was feeling around for the lock and finally found something at the corner of one of the shelves where the two bookcases met. I didn't see anything but Harry just asked me to feel around where the woods came together. I was a little nervous but when I ran my fingers over the joint I felt a slight protuberance and a touch of magic that had nothing to do with the volumes of ancient and dark magic that were present.

"You're right. There's something there. But you don't have your key anymore Harry. Dumbledore took it away so you wouldn't go looking for the Chamber of Secrets. Guess we'll have to wait until the headmaster gets back before we open this. That's too bad."

Harry shook his head and then snapped his fingers. The plain key appeared in his hands. "This was Godric's key and is mine now. There's no place in this castle that I couldn't have summoned it from. I promised I wouldn't go looking for the Chamber of Secrets and I haven't. But this is kind of an emergency and I don't think Dumbledore would mind me taking it. I'll give it back to him the next time I see him."

As long as Harry promised he wouldn't use his key to look for the last and most dangerous Chamber, I guess this would be okay. "This is your specialty." I gave Harry a kiss on the cheek for luck before he stepped up to the bookcases.

As Harry held up the key it started to transform into the shiny key with Godric's initials on the fob. The glow from the key revealed the keyhole from its concealing spell. I noticed that Harry's hand shook just the littlest bit as he brought the key up and inserted into the lock. There was a faint vibration that I felt through my shoes and the huge bookcases slid apart about four feet. A simple stairway led downwards and seemed to curve back on itself as it disappeared into the darkness.

Harry held out his hand to me and I stepped close to him so that we could walk down the stairway together. Myrtle followed behind us but she seemed nervous at going into a place she hadn't been before. At our first step on the stairway the passageway were illuminated by a number of torches that were placed at regular intervals along the way. We cancelled the light spells from our wands and Harry found a lever that closed the doorway behind us. There were three flights of stairs that descended into the cliff that Hogwarts rested upon. The first two flights were cut roughly through solid rock but the walls changed into tile and wood for the last flight. I didn't know if Harry could actually hear it but my heart seemed to be beating loudly in my chest. I was very nervous about finding out what Vika had seen and actually talking with Rowena Ravenclaw. She was reputed to be the very smartest of all the Hogwarts Founders and I felt like I might make a fool of myself somehow. Harry must have felt my nervousness through our connection because he stopped walking and just folded me into a tight embrace. We both took a deep breath and then continued on. Myrtle followed very close behind.

A short walk brought us to a white wall that had a huge Ravenclaw crest inlaid in it. Harry was reaching for the lever to open the last barrier but the wall moved aside just as he reached it. We were both surprised to see a grinning Vika standing just inside the doorway and she greeted the three of us by name before we entered the founder's chamber.

The area that we initially walked in seemed to be a large office more than anything else. There were a number of desks set up with chairs and a small cabinet of books sat on top of or beside each one of them. Comfortable easy chairs were spread around randomly. There was a wall of books to one side and Harry tightened his grip on my elbow as I involuntarily took a step in that direction. A little embarrassed, I offered Harry a mental apology at being distracted but he assured me quietly that he had fought off the temptation to go take a look at some of the titles of the books.

If Vika 'heard' any of our mental conversation, she gave no indication as she led us to a corner of the room and the large portrait that was hung there.

I thought I might have recognized the setting that Rowena's portrait had been taken in. It seemed to be one of the central areas in the Hogwarts library many yards above us but it could have been have been any number of similar sized libraries anywhere in the country. A sturdy desk held a number of thick volumes but there were a large number of bookcases that faded into the distance behind the pair of Founders actually in the portrait. At the forefront of the picture were a set of three overstuffed chairs that had small tables set between them that could hold a book or two. Tonight there was a small pitcher and two glasses set on the table between the two Founders that were present.

Godric stood easily from his chair and nodded to us. Harry did a deep bow at the other figure and Myrtle and I curtseyed to the beautiful lady whose office we were currently in. Harry spoke up for us and tried to sound as respectful as possible.

"Good morning Lady Ravenclaw. We wish to apologize for entering your chambers without seeking a proper invitation but dire matters have threatened the students and other occupants of Hogwarts and Vika told us that she had an important clue as to the perpetrator of the crimes. As Dumbledore is not present in the school at the present moment, I hoped to consult with Godric and you as a means of deciding the best recourse in these matters. Your experience and knowledge could help stop further disasters from occurring."

That was quite a proper speech from my boyfriend and I waited to see what the lady's reaction might be. Rowena stood from her seat and came forward a step and curtseyed back at the four of us. She took one step forward and started speaking.

"You are all welcome to my chambers and I recognize your need to help solve the difficulties above. So we will talk and try to make sense of all the facts and conjectures. Please find a seat and make yourself comfortable. This may take a while."

Rowena turned back to her chair as we found some seating of our own. She did however cast a suspicious look at Godric when he sat down. "Ricky, you never told me young Harry had inherited another of your many talents."

"And which talent would that be Rowena?"

"The art of a very glib tongue. That was quite a nice speech Harry and I'm sure you meant every word you said. Vika and Godric have explained your interest and the petrification of some of the residents. I'm sorry I have appeared to have been standoffish and I apologize for my attitude. It is time to become involved and I cannot ignore the perils in the school I help found any longer."

Harry nodded at her statement and I felt the relief he had at being welcomed.

"Hermione Granger?"

I was surprised to be called by name. "Yes Lady Ravenclaw?"

"I'll take a page from the 'new' Lord Gryffindor and grant you permission to call me by my given first name. I just wondered if Harry has ever used his charming disposition to talk you into doing something you didn't ever want to do?" Rowena had a smile on her face as she said this but Harry looked aghast at the idea that he would try to connive me that way. I took hold of Harry's hand to let him know that I trusted him and responded to the question. "Harry has always been a gentleman in his dealings with me and would never force his opinion on anyone unless it was a matter of life or death."

"I thought so. Harry I didn't mean to cast any aspersions on you but I didn't expect the elegance of your speech as coming from one so young. You should be just as proud of your intelligence as you are of your bond mate's."

I wasn't sure if Harry or I blushed the most at that statement but Godric, Vika and Myrtle all broke out in laughter at our discomfort. Harry finally leaned over to kiss my cheek and said he would leave the speech making to me from then on.

Everyone settled in although having Myrtle settling down is kind of a misnomer. She hovered over a chair so she that appeared to be setting on it but one could see she had to concentrate on keeping her position stable. Vika waited until all the rest of us had made ourselves comfortable before she began to speak. "We, Myrtle and I, were walking the corridors about an hour ago and we were in the corridor a short ways away from Myrtle's bathroom. Myrtle and I have talked once or twice in the last month or so and she was telling me about her life in Guernsey before she came to Hogwarts. We turned a corner and then we saw it – or at least half of it. A giant snake moving away from us!"

"I screamed I'm afraid" Myrtle said. "Vika and I retreated back around the corner in case the snake saw or heard us. When we looked back a minute later, we couldn't see it."

"And I couldn't detect it anywhere" Vika exclaimed. "It just seemed to vanish and I have no idea where it went."

I spoke up with my first question. "Was it just long like an oversize snake? Some pythons and boa constrictors can get up to fifty or sixty feet long if they are old enough."

"This wasn't like any sort of snake I've ever heard of before. And it just wasn't the length than made it scary. It had height and breadth."

Godric stood swearing and Harry suddenly ducked his head and studied the floor. I had no idea what was going on but the two males seemed to at least suspect what it was.

Harry's voice was very quiet when he asked the next question. "Did either of you get enough of a good look at the reptile to see what color it was?"

Myrtle shook her head but Vika thought for a second. "I only caught a glimpse by torch light but it seemed to be a different type of green."

Harry moaned once again and I felt the wave of apprehension flow off of him. "Was it a bright shiny, translucent type of green?" Vika nodded silently. "Sort of like these?" Harry pulled his pant legs up to display his boots. His BASILISK hide boots!

Harry wasn't studying the ground just now – he was hoping the monster wasn't actually one of those beasts that his boots were made from. A basilisk? Here at school?

"I think the creature is a basilisk" Harry declared sorrowfully. He lowered his head to his hands but it was Myrtle that started screaming suddenly. "I remember now! I remember. The last thing I saw was this huge green snake with big slanty yellow eyes. The last thing I saw was those horrid eyes!"

Myrtle broke down sobbing and crying uncontrollably. I went over and tried to hug her but my arms went right through her. Vika stood with a frown but did come over to comfort the ghost; it seemed she could actually touch the ghost in the state she was in. I moved back to hold Harry's hand as we all stared at the distraught phantom for a couple of minutes. Harry turned me a little so that I could give him a hug; both of us were shaken to witness the suffering our friend was going through.

Rowena stood and came to the edge of the picture. "I am so sorry dear. Vika, my old bedroom is the first room to your right. Perhaps you could take Myrtle there and help settle her down."

Vika nodded in understanding and finally got Myrtle to stand and follow her into the other room. Harry moved away from me to go to the ghost. "I am so sorry Myrtle; we never meant to distress you. Can you forgive us this pain we've caused you?"

The ghost had tears running down her cheeks and dripping off her chin but she raised her head enough to see Harry. She stared at him for a number of seconds but then gave him a very small nod. Myrtle continued on to where Vika was standing in the doorway of Rowena's private bedroom. Both passed through and the door closed behind them.

A very upset Harry came back and sat down in his chair again. I stood behind him and put my hands on his shoulders; he reached up and patted one of my hands but then faced the picture and the two Founders. "How do we fight or get rid of a monster like that? It's skin is nearly impervious to damage and you can't look at it without getting killed."

I couldn't hold my question in any longer. "Harry, I can understand Godric knowing about them because I'm sure he had to deal with them when he was alive. But how do you know about them? And why are the people this time around being petrified instead of killed? If a basilisk.."

Harry grabbed my hand and squeezed it. I lowered my panicked voice to a whisper. "If a basilisk killed Myrtle fifty years ago, why hasn't it killed anyone this time around?"

Harry shuffled sideways so he could see me and answer my first question. "Bill Weasley was the one to identify my boots. When he was home, we had a nice long talk about basilisks since he had some experience dealing with them in Egypt. The fact that it had size instead of just length gave me the important clue."

Godric picked up the conversation then. "I've hunted them and they are very difficult to kill. The older they get the more resistance to magic they become. It was the practice to hunt them in cold weather if a single one or a nest of them was discovered. Their blood doesn't respond to well to cold weather; soporific smokes were used to lull them to sleep or help make them less responsive. Archers would try to take their eyes out from a distance before they could kill anyone or get close enough to bite you with their poisonous fangs. Sharp steel seemed to be the only recourse most of the time; tridents and swords if one could get close enough."

"So the danger is not just restricted to its deadly vision?" Harry asked.

Rowena was the one to answer Harry this time. "Yes, basilisks have long venomous fangs that can kill almost instantly if one is bitten. They have been reputed to be able to crush their prey with their muscular bodies and can use their tails as bludgeons or whips to knock you off your feet."

I addressed Godric. "You hunted these. Why?"

"It was never for sport Hermione. We hunted them to keep them away from livestock or villages and people. They are vile, rampaging thoughtless creatures whose only desire is to feed, kill, and cause chaos."

"Yet, they can be killed." Harry's voice had a slightly hopeful tone to it. Godric nodded but he told the rest of us that it usually took a number of people working together to do it.

We heard the small click of a door closing and turned to watch Vika return from Rowena's bed chamber. "She's cried herself to sleep poor girl. I thought it best to leave her to her rest. The memory of her death must have been an awful blow."

Vika settled back in her chair and we were all silent for a while as we thought about Myrtle's past fate. The only consolation I could possibly think of was that it had been a quick painless death for Myrtle. It was a very small comfort for me. I could sense an anger building in Harry at the injustice of the whole thing; Myrtle had never deserved anything so radical to happen to her.

It was a couple minutes later when Godric broke the silence. "I remember one incident that resulted in a petrification by a Basilisk rather than a death."

We all turned to listen to Harry's ancestor. "We had found a sleeping basilisk in a cave in northern Wales. It was about 25 feet long; a good size for the reptile. We threw a cloak over its head and cinched it to keep the snake's eyes from killing anyone in our party. That action however woke it up and it thrashed around in the cave knocking us all off our feet. Somehow it made its way to the cave mouth and tumbled down the hill to a frozen lake; while it could not travel freely the basilisk made some progress across the ice as we tried to catch up to it. It was halfway across the lake when somehow the cloak became unfastened and its head became free. It hissed loudly as it turned on us in anger and we all dived to escape the fatal look. However, one of our party was frozen in fear. He neither covered his face nor turned his back on the monster. He told us later that he had seen the monsters eyes reflected in the mirror finish of the ice. He toppled over petrified just as the ice broke beneath the basilisk and the monster sunk to the bottom of the lake. We were lucky to retrieve Petrucci's body without losing our own lives on the cracked surface of that bloody lake. We took him back to our holdings but it wasn't until spring until we could find enough mandrake potion to restore our friend. He considered himself a lucky man but never went hunting those monsters again."

We all were thinking about the tale Godric told but Harry and I were thinking about the three petrified people still stuck in the Hogwarts infirmary. Rowena was the one to speak first in response to the tale. "An indirect look resulted in that petrification. Were not a ghost and a student found together first?"

Harry and Vika nodded and I saw Harry wince at the memory of his discovery and the later accusation of his wrongdoing.

"I can see how the student might have been petrified then. If the basilisk came upon them from the side of the ghost, then the student might have seen the serpent through its spectral body."

I jumped in with the next logical conclusion. "And with Sir Nicholas being a ghost, the basilisks' stare wouldn't affect him like it would a living being."

Harry jumped and gave me a quick hug. "That was a brilliant Hermione. But what about Colin; how was it he wasn't killed?"

I thought about Colin and came to the realization. "He had his camera Harry! He was looking through the lens instead of directly seeing the basilisk. That's why the film in the camera was ruined; the image and stare of the basilisk went directly to the film."

Rowena stood and applauded. I looked over in shock as both Godric and Harry were beaming at me. "Well done Hermione. You are truly as brilliant as Godric and Vika have told me. We shall have some discussions between the two of us in the future. But I think you Gryffindors need to get back to your beds for now. Godric, I and Vika shall talk about what we should do against the basilisk."

"But I want to hear what .." Harry started. Godric shook his head. "None of us want you involved in any discussion about the basilisk Harry. We realize you are a very capable wizard but it is extremely dangerous for you to have any sort of run in with that size of monster. Let us talk to Dumbledore and see what we can make of everything. I promise I will let you know what we decide."

Harry was naturally upset about being dismissed so handily and I felt the same disappointment about having the 'adults' making the important decisions without us. I could tell from the looks on their faces that they were very serious about their decision though. I sighed and told Harry mentally that we needed to go somewhere and talk over things by ourselves. Harry realized the soundness of that and the anger left his face. I could feel Harry calming down as I laid a hand back on his shoulder.

We made our farewells to the trio then and Vika gave us a farewell hug before we turned to leave. Rowena Ravenclaw called us by name before we left her chamber and told us that we were always welcome to come visit her. She promised the next visit would include a tour of her and Merlin's library. I guess the look of astonishment and pleasure on my face must have been good because Rowena smiled at me and Harry swept me around in a hug. We left the Repository of Knowledge and Harry and I made our way back up through the Restricted Section before we exited the Hogwarts library.

(End of Hermione's POV)

Xxxx xxx

Harry made sure the library doors were firmly locked behind the two of them and then turned to Hermione. "I just can't go back to my dorm and go to sleep. I'm too wound up to just try to relax."

Hermione just nodded in agreement. "Me also. Just think – a basilisk's been wandering these very halls! It's a very lucky thing that nobody has been killed. I don't feel comfortable talking in our common room about what we've found out either."

"The Room of Requirement it is." Harry pulled out his invisibility cloak and covered the two of them up so that nobody could see them. They held some whispered conversations along the way and Harry could tell that Hermione was very nervous still.

"Are we safe from the basilisk Harry?"

"Vika said that it disappeared so I'm going to assume it's not wandering the halls now. I hope the properties of my dad's cloak will screen the fatal gaze out. I'm not positive we're immune mind you but I hope if the King of Snakes can't see or focus on us that he can't kill us."

Hermione took a small bit of reassurance from that but realized that Harry was only speaking a hopeful theory that had no actual basis in fact. She clutched his arm tighter and hoped he wouldn't tumble on the fact that she kept her gaze firmly on the flagstones beneath her feet.

They were soon up to the seventh floor corridor and Harry removed the cloak from them after taking a very long look around. There were still a few hours left before the curfew was lifted and Harry had no real plan to go wandering around the school before that hour. He paced the three times in front of the wall and held the door open to let Hermione go into the room first. Hermione let out a sigh of relief and settle on the comfortable couch that was the only thing visible in the room. Harry sensing her feelings just came over and held her for a few minutes to the point she was calmed downed.

"You probably think I'm just being a silly girl. Panicking about a snake that I haven't even seen."

"No, I don't think you are being silly. The idea of actually running into a basilisk scares the stuffing out of me and I'm not ashamed to admit it. It will be interesting to hear what Dumbledore has to say about the whole thing though. He hasn't been able to find out where it has been hiding and if Vika can't tell where it went, it might just remain hidden. At least it hasn't attacked anyone in months."

"That's one thing in our favor. Maybe it's done all the damage it wanted. I feel so bad about Myrtle though."

"We'll go look after her later Hermione. I hope she doesn't get depressed all over again."

Harry held up Godric's key for a moment and then it was gone. "It's back in Dumbledore's desk where it belongs. I can't think of anything that would entice me into going and looking for the Chamber of Secrets now that we know what the monster is."

"I'm glad you've decided that Harry. I have been a little worried that your natural curiosity would tempt you into looking for it."

"I'm not going to go looking for that type of trouble although I do still wonder who the Heir of Slytherin is. Let's talk about something else. Have you made up your mind about the electives you want? There's only a day or two left before we have to tell Professor McGonagall about what we want to take next year."

"I was thinking about Ancient Runes and Arithmancy but Care of Magical Creatures sounds good to. I just don't want to get too overbooked with classes as the homework and studying will increase the more courses we take."

Harry smiled. "I was thinking about the same myself. Divination sounds a little suspect as I've already had enough of prophecies to last me a lifetime. Muggle Studies is designed for the wizards and witches that haven't any experience in the normal world and sounds like waste. Hermione, do you suppose the Dumbledore and McGonagall would let us sign up for a couple of classes but only have one of us attend? With our mind link I could take Ancient Runes but could share the lectures and homework with you later. And you could sit for Arithmancy."

"That's a fabulous idea Harry. We could test in both classes at the end of the year and it might remove any class time conflicts that might arise."

Hermione leaned into to give Harry a big hug and wondered why he suddenly blushed. "Is there something wrong Harry?"

"Well actually… I have an Arithmancy or number problem that you could help me with Hermione."

"Sure, I can try to help you but I thought you did well with that sort of class when you were attending regular school."

"I did but I couldn't do well in class or on tests because I got punished for doing better than Dudley."

Hermione's reaction was not good. "Those horrid people. I'm glad you are not having to do that anymore."

"Me too. Actually my question is about prime numbers and how they affect our romantic future."

"That sounds like very advanced Arithmancy or even Divination Harry. Are you sure it's a question you think I can answer?"

"I have absolute faith you can solve this query about the numbers 3 and 23."

Hermione's brow furrowed in concentration for a minute before she looked up and gasped. "Harry, are you asking me if you can…?"

"If it's too much or too soon I'll understand. But I've been thinking a lot about that weird dream that we had with Ginny when she revealed a couple of our secrets to each other."

"Like the reason I have to go change my knickers sometime." Hermione was grinning when she said this so Harry knew she didn't mind him knowing that she got all gushy some days just from being around him.

"And that I was scared of touching your fanny because I was scared of hurting you. I've thought about that a lot from time to time and realized that I was being selfish about the whole thing."

"Selfish? How so?"

"After all the times and ways you've taken care of me, I should be returning the favors and helping you reach some of those same levels of … satisfaction. I was denying you something you had been more than willing to do for me because I was scared. I'm not scared of touching you like that anymore. You would definitely tell me if I hurt you and I know you trust me to treat you carefully."

"But are you sure you want to try oral Harry?"

"I've had a lot of curiosity about how you really taste Hermione since that very vivid dream I had over Christmas break. At the risk of leaving myself open for a bad pun, I would like see you by the light of day and deal with all those new places head on."

Hermione giggled. "I think that's my line Jamie."

"But you've already seen and taken care of 'Em' a couple of times; I'd really like to reverse positions on you."

"Harry, if you keep making me laugh we'll never get to what you and I want."

"I shouldn't say that I want to see the lay of the land?" Harry couldn't stop the grin from stretching across his face.

"Only if you don't mind me saying that you're the biggest thing on my schedule this morning."

"So, you're agreeing?" Harry looked into Hermione's grinning face and waggled his eyebrows at her. She giggled but nodded enthusiastically. The daybed that was in the room a couple of weeks ago reappeared. Hermione stood up and was going to lead Harry to it but he shook his head. Hermione looked around and saw that two other doors had appeared a little ways away.

"Nonnie, as much as I'd like the snogging and extras to begin immediately, it's been a long and nervous night for both of us. I for one would like to take a shower and feel clean before we start something so important."

Hermione nodded her agreement. "Race you. First one back gets choice of positions!" She cast a flirtatious grin and winked at Harry before hurrying to the first door and shower.

Harry called out after her. "I don't think anybody loses this bet Hermione." He did rise and ran to the other door to see if he could beat her though a shower and then back to the daybed.

Technically it was a tie but neither one complained about the positions they initially tumbled into. Harry and Hermione began a very long and intense kissing session before their hands and mouths moved on to become familiar with other very sensitive areas of each other's bodies.

The moment the Great Doors unlocked for breakfast an hour and a half later, two Gryffindors with unconstrained grins walked into the Great Hall to satisfy the other appetite that they had developed.