AN: Okay, here's the chapter you've all been waiting for, the climax of the opening of this story. Note this likely pushes the 'MA' rating boundary, but I doubt anyone'll report me... ;) It's the longest chapter to date, but breaking it down wouls just ruin it, so sit back, relax... and have a cold shower on stand by!

The poll on the expanded 'Harem' is now closed. Katie and Tracy far outstripped any of the others, with Katie just pushing past Tracy. However... the way things have evolved in the later chapters, mainly with Family back story and the like, means that the final 'Harem' will be: Hermione, Susan, Daphne, Fleur and Tracy. Katie's not going to be forgotten though. She, and one other witch, will 'join' the Potter family, but neither as a 'Harry Wife'.

UPDATE 5th June: due to the news of the crackdown by the Moderators, I've gone through this chapter and cut out all the details I could... *sigh*

Sliding the bolt home, Hermione allowed her forehead to rest against the door in relief... and trepidation. She'd managed to get Harry here without encountering anyone along the way, for which she was very grateful. The bolt though... that was to ensure that nobody would interrupt what she was going to go.

Turning about, she looked over to the far side of the room. The Room of Requirement had come through for her again, forming an antechamber for a much larger room. The main feature of the larger space was a vast bed, on which Harry lay. In this chamber were two modest sized caldrons, required for the next phase of the plan. Her plan.

With shaking hands she unclasped her robe. Shrugging it off, she laid it on a small table at her side. Then she paused, unable to make that first step. Now that the moment was upon her, Hermione felt the full weight of what she was planning to do... and it terrified her. She had tried to rationalise everything, work out every possible outcome, but there was an element that she could not fully predict. She stood on the cusp of opening a veritable Pandora's Box. She could not predict what would come out...

"Hermione Jane Granger, relax!" She scolded herself. "This is all for Harry. Whatever happens afterwards, you can deal with."

"You know, they say talking to yourself is the first sign of madness." Daphne's voice emerging from a couple of feet to her side startled Hermione. Whirling round, she was in time to see Daphne and Susan emerge from underneath Harry's cloak.

It took a few seconds for her to recover from her shock. "What are you two doing here?"

"We want to help." Susan answered as she nervously folded the cloak. "Daphne told me what you're planning to do."

Hermione turned her gaze onto her blond friend. "How... what do you mean?"

Daphne sighed. "This morning, when we found you in the library, I looked over what you had been reading up on after you left." Daphne folded her arms across her chest. "Lust and Stamina potions. You figured we couldn't cure him conventionally, but if he were to let go and allow the curse to run its course, it would burn out." When Hermione didn't respond, Daphne pressed on. "And as we can't have Harry raping the whole school, you decided to make sure he could only have you... and you'd make sure you'd be capable of keeping up with him, keeping his interests, by potioning yourself up." She paused for a moment. "Up to dangerously high levels."

Hermione stood still for a moment, then her shoulders slumped down as her head bowed.

"Why Hermione?" Susan asked gently. "Why did you try and hide all this?" She waved a hand around the chamber.

Hermione sighed. "I don't know if it'll work. If I do this alone, then only I am at risk." She looked up at her friends. "Besides, can you imagine the repercussions to Harry if this got out? Or to me? Malfoy would have a field day..."

Daphne shuddered a little at her attackers name, but forced herself to focus on what Hermione had said. "The problem is, Hermione... a single witch, no matter how much potion she had taken, would not be able to keep up with him now. And even with those potions, you'd need to pause for breath every now and again. You'll need at least one other to distract him while you recovered." Daphne shook her head gently. "And consider the amount of potion you'd have to drink to even have a chance... your body would not be able to handle it."

Hermione slumped into a chair by the caldrons. "So what now?"

Daphne stepped forwards and laid a hand on her shoulder. "Hermione... your plan will work... if all three of us take part."

"What?" Hermione's head snapped up to look at Daphne in shock. Seeing the determined set in her eyes, Hermione turned to look at Susan. The red-head was more openly worried, but she nodded in reply to her silent question.

"If there's anything I know about Harry, it's that he'd do anything to help any one of us if we were in trouble. He faced down a Basilisk to save Ginny; I can't think of anything much worse. How can we not do the same for him? But more to the point..." Susan stepped forwards to rest a hand on Hermione's other shoulder. "...We're you're friends Hermione."

Hermione looked between the two of them, her face clearly showing her shock and concern. "But... you don't... I mean..."

"It's our choice Hermione." Daphne cut her off again gently. A sad, scared look entered her eyes. "I may not have much time to make mine." Blinking, she refocused on Hermione. "This way, not only do I get the chance to enjoy it, I also deny Draco and his ilk from being able to brag."

Hermione looked between her two friends, her mind a whirling maelstrom. She didn't know if her plan would work, hence why she'd set things up so that she'd do it alone. That way, only she would be risking everything.

But now her friends wished to help, to be involved. Both for Harry... and for her.

"Are you two sure that you know what this entails?"

Susan nodded, a flash of nervousness passing through her eyes. "Yes, we... fuck, Harry." All three of them flushed a little at the raw term. "As many times as needed to break the curse. Enjoy every second of it, while also trading him off between us to allow each other to get their breath back."

"There's something else." Hermione spoke quietly, her face flushed. "With the amount of lust potion we're going to have to take, and the... activities, it's very likely we're going to end up... with each other."

Hermione watched as Daphne's and Susan's eyes snapped wide open before they looked at each other briefly before looking away, blushes covering their cheeks.

"That's another reason why I was going to do this alone. I didn't want to put anyone in the situation of having to do something they didn't want to." A flush passed over her cheeks and she looked down. "I know, better than anyone in the school, how desirable he's become. I don't think there's a single witch in the school who would turn down a chance to... have Harry. But I've also learned how intolerant the Magical world is. Lesbianism, I suspect, is another one of those things that is frowned on."

Daphne's mouth twitched. "Very much so. The only thing lower is being a 'Muggle Lover.' Being Gay is only just above. Typical wizarding double standards."

With a long sigh, Hermione stood up. "Okay, we'll do... it, your way."

Sharing a smile, both Daphne and Susan retrieved their own potion kits and brought them to the table where Hermione had set her own. As she opened hers up, Susan couldn't help notice how Hermione's was overflowing with many more ingredients than a normal kit. Under the guise of looking more closely at the preparations for the potion they were going to be making, she examined Hermione's kit carefully. It clearly had started out as a normal student kit, but equally as clearly Hermione had been adding to it. Many of the vials were half full and had labels written in Hermione's own hand. Susan smiled to herself; she guessed that Snape's stores must have suffered at least once in the past.

Most of the ingredients went into the larger caldron for the Stamina potion. Hermione didn't expect that they would need more than a couple of doses of Lust potion each, even with this weaker, general one. One tied to Harry himself would have been more powerful, but none of them figured that would be necessary. It was the Stamina potion that they were going to need a lot of.

Once the potions were done, they measured out individual doses. Once they were done there were six vials of dark red liquid next to almost two dozen milky white ones. Another three vials were next to them, Hermione's supply of contraceptive potion, which she had maintained since the start of Third Year.

Now that the time was upon them, all three young women hesitated. With nervous movements they cleared away the debris from the preparation of the potions, even though once everyone left the room the caldrons, fires and other items would vanish.

Hermione was in the middle of wiping down the worktop – for the second time – when she paused and looked at what she was doing. "Oh honestly!" She snapped, throwing down the cloth she'd been using and stepping over to the small table where the vials were. "If we're going to do this we should just get on with it!" Recognising the source of her anger, neither Susan or Daphne said anything as they stepped over to her as Hermione snatched up three of each set of vials. Turning to face them, she held out her hand.

Tentatively, the other two reached out and plucked one of each vial from her grasp. Together they uncapped the stamina potion first.

The thick, gloppy liquid didn't go down well, but it went down none the less. As it did, each one of them felt their fatigue fade away. It was as if they hadn't already gone through most of a day already. It was easy to see how wizards in the past could get addicted to this potion.

The contraceptive was next, a faintly pink fluid. After discarding the vial, Hermione's face was grim as she opened the last vial in her hand. "Last chance to back out now. Once we take these…"

The other two just removed the tops of their vials in reply.

Hermione smiled nervously. "Cheers."

They drank together. The Lust potion went down easily, no more than water in feeling. Hermione was just lowering the vial, idly wondering when it would kick in, when a shiver ran through her. The room seemed to get hot in an instant, causing her to start sweating instantly. She gasped when it felt like she'd been kicked in the gut, causing her to drop the vial. Her heart began to race, pumping her boiling hot blood throughout her, spreading the passion. Her centre suddenly gushed, and she faintly felt her knickers soak up a fraction of the liquid that now poured forth. Finding herself panting, she looked towards Susan.

She froze as she looked at the red-hair beauty before her. Wide, expressive eyes above a full, ideally kissable mouth, the lips slightly parted. Her smooth cheeks were slightly flushed, providing a backdrop for her blazing hair that hung down and flowed over her shoulder, hanging down to mid back and around the swell of her large, perfected proportioned breasts. Her shirt was taut over those twin orbs of pure sensual female flesh, her nipples pushing out at the peaks. Below that riveting view her waist was a smooth, shallow concave curve before flaring out into a generous set of hips. Hermione wondered if Susan was as wet at the junction between her legs as she was...

Gasping, Hermione forcibly turned her head away, shocked at her blatantly sexual thoughts. Sadly, her eyes landed on Daphne, and once more her breath was stolen away.

The blonde's body was a slim ensemble of smooth curves that ran into each other without pause or hesitation. Her limbs were elegant and fine boned; the fingers delicate and so smooth. Her pert breasts seemingly strained to be recognised as such, while above an elegant, pale neck seduced the eye to follow it up to a fine, narrow chin that formed the lower boundary for an elfin face. There was a delicacy to her features that was stunning. A couple of loose tresses of blonde hair down her forehead, drawing the eye to her own, seemingly large and liquid in her face. To sleep with such a beauty, to caress that porcelain skin...

Hermione forced herself to look at the closed inner doorway... through which Harry awaited, her lust whispered to her. Her mind became crowded with images of Harry, lustful, sinful images. Her underwear was soaked already. "We...we'd best wake him up."

The other two barely nodded, fighting down the urge to just jump Hermione right now. Their brave, brilliant friend had become a vision of beauty. Her body was now a lithe, well proportioned form, made of sweeping curves that hinted at her femininity, forming an alluring mystery. Her hair was wild and unbridled, wanton, streaked with the lingering blond highlights left over from the previous summer. Her eyes were sparkling brown jewels set in a face that was shedding the last of her youth fat to reveal the fine boned elegant beauty that lay underneath. But it wasn't just her classic beauty that made Hermione attractive and sexy. Susan and Daphne both knew who she was as well, and it was that unbending, indomitable spirit that truly tugged at them.

Trembling slightly, from fear or anticipation she could no longer tell, Hermione pushed the inner door open. Harry was as she had left him, sprawled spark out on the bed. A lusty groan escaped her throat as she gazed on him. Harry had always been thin and lanky, but at long last he was starting to fill out, his body gaining some wiry muscles. The rounded cherubic face he wore when they first met was almost completely gone, replaced with a firm jaw line. The hair was the same as ever though, an untameable mass of black locks that she just itched to run her hands through.

Raising her wand, she had to focus her mind with some force to stop it shaking, and to recall the spell correctly.

"E... Envenerate!"

As Harry started to stir she passed her wand to Susan, who laid it down on a small table to the side, along with her own and Daphne's. Harry's already rested there. With a cloud of butterflies in her stomach – in addition to the nest of snakes already there – she stepped towards the bed, fighting down her desires for a few seconds more. "Harry?"

"Hermione! Leave, now!" Harry had managed sit up a bit, supporting himself with his arms behind him, elbows resting on the mattress. As she stepped closer, Hermione could see that his wondrous green eyes were clouded with barely restrained lust. Despite everything, seeing that look in his eyes directed at her sent a thrill of excitement through Hermione that almost destroyed her entire resolve.

"Harry... I..."

"No! You've got to leave me, now! Before I..." He faltered, voice breaking. A groan emerged from his throat as his eyes closed. "Just... go, Hermione. Before it's too late."

"Oh Harry..." Hermione half whispered as she sat down on the edge of the bed. Susan and Daphne hung back, knowing that only Hermione would be able to reach him. "It's okay... we've found a way to save you..." Tentatively she reached for his arm.

He whirled away, rolling onto his side and curling up. "I... you can't risk... it. I... Don't know... how long I can..." He shuddered with each word, as if he were struggling to speak them.

Although she understood why he did it, Harry's action hurt Hermione. Nevertheless, she pressed on. "Harry... there is no spell or potion that can cancel the curse on you. But, if you... let go..."

"Can't..." Harry was almost whispering now.

Hermione shuffled over to him, ever so gently resting a hand on his shoulder, her fingers catching a few stray locks of hair. He stiffened at her touch. "You have to let the curse run its course... It's too powerful to stop. Only if you let it burn it-self out will you be free of it."

A shiver passed through Harry's frame. "But... if I... I'd..." he swallowed audibly. "...the whole school..."

"No Harry, you won't." Hermione leaned over him a little, her hand tightening slightly. "That's part of my... our plan. As long as I... we, can keep your... interest, the others are safe." She reached down and cupped his cheek, applying gentle pressure to turn his head so that she could look into his eyes. A single tear was trailing down from his eye, and she unconsciously wiped it away with her thumb, heedless of the tears that had started to run down her own cheeks. Within that brilliant green gaze she saw every emotion he had churning about, his principles and integrity fighting valiantly to hold back the curse induced lust. Clearest of all was his concern about her, his fear of driving her away, or hurting her.

"You could never hurt me Harry." She whispered, almost in a lovers tone. "I know you never could. I trust you Harry..." And with that she lowered her head down to his, and ever so gently pressed her lips to his.

For a long second he was as still as stone, unresponsive. Hermione knew that he was trying to maintain control, but it was a losing battle. Slowly she lifted her head again, backing off enough so that she could look into his eyes once more. The conflict in his eyes was clear. She didn't say anything; words would just ruin things now. Instead she allowed all her feelings to surface, all her dreams and desires. She looked at him with all that she had. With all the love she had for him in her heart.

A sharp intake of breath was her only warning before he seemed to almost lunge upwards at her, his mouth almost covering hers. His hand came up from underneath him to wrap around the back of her head, the fingers weaving into her hair.

With Harry's submission to his passion and lust Hermione followed suit, unleashing her own desire. Her entire existence shrank down to the feel of his mouth on her own, the tough, wiry body beneath her. A gentle pressure from him caused her to roll slowly onto her back, Harry rolling with her, ending up on top. Now both sets of hands began to roam, Hermione taking the opportunity to slide her hands up his back and over his shoulders, relishing the muscles she felt underneath. She was only vaguely aware of Susan and Daphne sliding onto the bed with her and Harry, one each side.

As the night wore on, everything seemed to blur together as time went on. Hermione felt like she was in a daze, riding waves of passion and love through a storm of lust. Images came and went, while the order of things began to break down. After she and Harry had reached climax together, Susan had had a turn herself. Then, after reaching their peak together, he'd been distracted by Daphne, while Hermione had been unable to resist having a little fun with her Hufflepuff friend.

After that point things began to blur too much to fully understand. Susan had gone for Harry once he'd brought Daphne to her first climax. Then Hermione had a third round with him, loving every second of it. Then Daphne had come back for seconds, a big saucy grin on her face. Hermione had reclaimed him after her, riding him like Susan had.

Time lost meaning as the three witches traded Harry back and forth between them, pausing to gulp down the Stamina Potion every so often so they could keep up with him. A line of pain began to grow in Hermione's chest, but she ignored it. Her entire concern was for Harry, and him beating the curse on him, not on her own barely recovered figure.

Despite the toll they were inflicting on themselves, they could sense that they were breaking the curses hold on Harry. He'd become very aggressive early on, but then he'd started backing down, becoming more gentle and caring. From their planning, they knew they could not let him be kept waiting; he had to be going constantly.

All too soon it seemed the potion supplies ran out, and the three of them began to feel the ache in their bones. Their love for Harry, and each other now, made them push on regardless of their weariness.

Harry was himself beginning to flag when Daphne crashed out, after two climaxes in a row.

Hermione and Susan had continued to stay with him for almost half an hour longer, Susan drawing on her natural stamina, Hermione on her love for Harry. But they could not maintain such a pace for long. Susan, after the most powerful orgasm she'd had all night, only just managed to stop herself collapsing on top of him. Instead she managed to roll off him to lie at his side, gasping for breath. Harry too was trying to draw in breath. The curse was weakened, but not completely gone. It was still there, in his eyes.

Hermione knew, right then, that she had to ride it out of him. Climbing astride him once more, they slid together again, a perfect fit. Susan watched from the side, barely holding onto consciousness, as Hermione worked her body to bring Harry off. The faint mark that had run across her body was now a livid, angry red, a testament to the strain she was putting herself under. Hermione felt that a red hot bar was laid across her body, burning her. She used that pain to keep herself from reaching her climax, instead focusing on Harry.

When he peaked, she continued to ride him, not breaking her pace. The signs of the curse flickered a little, but remained. Seeing that they were close, Hermione ground herself against him even harder, restoring his attention. Susan watched in amazement as they both worked themselves up. Tears were running freely from their eyes. Red marks, inflicted unintentionally, marred all their skins. All the sheets were soaked through, as was their two of them cried out as they reached the heights once more, Hermione's hair flying about her head as she slumped forwards.

"God... Hermione..." Harry whispered hoarsely. Weariness coloured his voice.

She looked up at his face. His eyes were his... but there was a flicker in the corner, much like when he'd been first cursed.

Curiously, the lower end of his famous scar was weeping a dark, brackish fluid, like black blood.

Hermione fought to draw in breath past the almost crippling pain that had spread to her whole torso. "Once more Harry... you've got to... once more." She gasped out.

"I don't... Think I can..." He replied wheezing. "Just... so tired..."

"I know Harry... but you have to..." Seeing how he was barely responding to Hermione's ministrations, Susan gathered what strength she had left and shifted herself to lie at his side, trapping his arm underneath her. Her motion startled him, and he looked at her with wide green eyes. He looked so different without his glasses in the way, she thought, as she pressed her sore breasts against his side, trapping his leg between her own.

Hermione looked down at him, her sweat soaked hair draped around her head, lips swollen and battered from all the kissing she had been doing. In that look Hermione Granger, Smartest Witch of Her Age, was gone. Instead there was only an all consuming wanton lust. Harry could feel one last release building within him.

But there was also a pressure in his forehead, centred on his famous scar. It wasn't like the pain he felt when it had flared up during the previous years. This was something else, as if something in the scar felt pain.

Hermione didn't know how much longer she could keep this up. The brand across her torso was almost too much. She was having to fight it off to feel pleasure now. Every muscle in her body ached, and she was so tired... But she continued, because of her love. "... Harry... I love you..." She gasped, finally saying the words. She knew they both knew, but neither had said it all evening.

Harry gasped, then replied with the words she wished to hear above all. "I love you too Hermione."

"Then show me... Just once more... please, just once more..."

"I can't…" Harry moaned weakly.

Hermione knew that she had to get him to come once more, but she'd only get one more rise from him. She doubted that she'd remain awake much longer.

"Please Harry… once more…"

"HermioneraaaaaagggggghhhhHH!"

Hermione and Susan, both distracted by their own climaxes, didn't notice at first the change in Harry's scream, or the radiant glow that began to shine from the pair of them. Susan gasped and Daphne's eyes went wide as they stared at the two before them. There were no clouds, no swirling stars, just a faint radiance that lit the two of them up, like they were in the centre of a spotlight. Only they were the light source, the light seeming to emerge from their very skin. It played around them, before seeming to jump to Susan, and then to Daphne. It was only when his hand left her waist and gripped his own forehead that Hermione realised something was wrong. Leaning forward, she tried to see what was happening.

Harry winced, his hand gripping his forehead over the scar. The pain from within the scar had flared up sharply, tearing into him. There was a screaming in his head that had nothing to do with him, and everything to do with whatever was in that scar.

Far across the British Isles, in an old run down manor, someone else was screaming in agony, feeling as if his very soul was on fire. A couple of floors above him, a witch froze, then collapsed in pain, smoke rising from the inside of her left forearm.

All three witches looked him in concern. A horrified look was on Hermione's face, and she was on the verge of breaking down, when Daphne nudged her and pointed.

Harry's hand had fallen away from his head, revealing that his scar was livid, as if freshly made. A black flame flickered from within it, giving a dark greenish smoke. As Harry's cried faded, another thinner, shriller one took over. It was a scream of pain and pure terror, of a nightmares death. As the smoke faded and dispersed, the scream faded too until it was gone. Frowning, Hermione peered closely at the famous scar. Instead of the darkly coloured mark it had been before, now it looked like any normal cut on someone's body. A little blood welled up within it.

Slowly Harry's breathing eased. His eyes opened slowly and wearily. "Her... Hermione?" He asked, sounding as weak as a new-born lamb.

"I'm here Harry... I'm here." She answered, sounding almost as weak as he did. She gazed into his eyes letting herself drown in his emerald depths. "How do you feel?" She asked slowly.

Harry's eyes half shut. "Sore... Tired..." He whispered.

Hermione nodded slowly, a smile beginning to form on her face. "Sleep Harry. You're free now. Sleep." Reaching up, she brushed his hair back, feeling him drift off even as she did.

After a moment Susan spoke up. "Is it... over?" She asked, whispering.

Hermione smiled, a smile of joy and weariness. "It is. The curse is broken."

"Thank Merlin..." Susan breathed, laying her head down on Harry's shoulder, eyes already drifting shut as she snuggled into him. Daphne had already drifted off again, just to his right, face down, head turned to look towards him.

Hermione sighed with relief, shifting her body a little to find a more comfortable place as she lay on Harry. "They won't tear us apart again Harry..." She whispered as her head came to rest on his chest, just below the collarbone. Seconds later she was asleep.

AN: And that's it. Hope you all enjoyed that... and don't consider it too 'adult' for FF... till next time.