Warnings for this chapter: Sexy times ahead :). (With clear verbal consent, this time, but still some possible issues due to the overall situation and the age difference.)

33. HEAD FIRST AND UPSIDE DOWN

The day for the first Quidditch match, between Gryffindor and Slytherin, dawned bright and summerly, not a cloud in the sky and a barely-there soft breeze in the air. Holly could feel the thrum of excitement in the Great Hall at breakfast and all the way down to the Quidditch pitch. It was almost too much, with her empathy shields still not as a tight and impenetrable as they had been before, but for once the emotions all around her were perfectly in tune with her own, buoying her and wiping away even the few last traces of nervousness. She felt weightless, giddy, and she couldn't wait to get on her broom.

And Sirius and Remus had come, Remus with his old Gryffindor scarf tucked neatly into his new coat and Sirius decked out fully in red and gold in an ensemble that would have looked garish and over-the-top on anyone else but which Sirius somehow pulled off as fashionable. He looked young and carefree, grinning wildly as he pulled her into his arms.

"I can't wait to see you play, pup!" he exclaimed exuberantly. "This is going to be great! You're not nervous, are you? Because I know how good you are – you'll wipe the pitch with them!"

Holly laughed, tucking her head under Sirius' chin for a moment. "I'm not nervous. We have a great team and I think we have a very good chance of winning."

"I'll say!" Sirius agreed, kissing her temple before releasing her. "You'll be amazing!"

"And still careful, I should hope," Tom interjected. He was in his usual black robes after Dumbledore had apparently informed him that teachers, other than the Heads of Houses, were expected to remain suitably neutral in the Inter-House rivalry. He had added a small lightning bolt pin to his lapel, though, and had surprised Holly with a bouquet of red and gold roses for breakfast.

Holly rolled her eyes good-naturedly. Madam Pomfrey had already cast the protective shield around her, under Tom's watchful gaze. It didn't fit quite as snuggly as the one Tom usually did for her for practise. She would have to adjust for that, take a slightly wider swerve to avoid Bludgers and other players, but she had trained for that as well.

"You should go and find seats," she told them, smiling when Remus also wished her good luck before she was swept away by her team mates for some last minute strategy discussion and motivational fist bumps.

And then the whistle blew and she was up in the air, pushing up high, higher than the other players to get out of the way of her team mates and the trajectories of the Bludgers. Which proved to be a little more difficult than she had anticipated as the Slytherins' strategy became apparent quickly. The two Slytherin Beaters were focusing all of their energy on driving the Bludgers in her directions, clearly intent on incapacitating her and probably keeping her incapacitated to give their own Seeker a better shot at victory. It kept her busy dodging and evading Bludgers for a while, but she didn't mind too much since the Snitch was nowhere in sight and she actually enjoyed the fast swivels and turns, the belly rolls and loops. And with her providing ample distraction for the two Slytherin Beaters, Katie, Ginny and Demelza had a clear path to the Slytherin goals, something which they took full advantage of.

But when Gryffindor had a good lead of 50 points, Holly decided that as fun as this was, she had a job to do and her team mates would rightfully be pissed at her if she played into the Slytherins' strategy and lost them the game. So when the next Bludger shot towards her, she flew a little to the left, noticing with satisfaction how the Bludger adjusted its course and waited until the very last second before she ducked low over her broom handle and rolled sideways. The Bludger cannonballed past her and she grinned when she heard a startled yelp which told her that her plan had worked and that her fellow Seeker had suddenly found himself in the line of fire. She levelled out her broom and rightened herself, not even glancing back at her rattled opponent before she dove for her next manoeuvre.

Their lead had grown to a comfortable 70 points and Holly was very proud of how well the three Chasers, but also Noira and their two Beaters were working together and she was confident that they would adjust quickly to what she had planned. And as for the Slytherins… She smirked and darted right into the fray, weaving through and around Draco and his fellow Chasers. The Slytherin Seeker – a pale, long-limbed Seventh Year that she thought might be called Gaston – dogged her tail, maybe thinking that she was chasing the Snitch or just deciding that he needed to be close by in case she did, and when the Slytherin Beaters kept to their previous strategy, the chaos was complete.

It took only three passes before one of the Slytherin Beaters misjudged their aim, the Bludger missing Holly completely and instead barrelling towards the Slytherin Keeper, who just managed to avoid a full-on collision, but still was knocked into an uncontrolled downward spiral when the Bludger crashed past the bristles of his broom.

"Watch out!" he shouted, but not quite in time as he corkscrewed into one of his team mates, taking them both down a couple of meters before they managed to stabilise and separate.

Ginny, Katie and Demelza took advantage of the confusion in the Slytherin team to pass the Quaffle through the goals a few times and Denis drove the second Bludger towards the two remaining Slytherin Chasers with a very neat move.

Draco crossed into her path to avoid the Bludger, his pale face flushed in anger and his grey eyes slitted dangerously. Holly flew a quick, playful loop around him, a wild grin on her face and the foretaste of victory in her mouth. She heard Draco's hissed call of her name even through the rush of wind as she shot up, but she already knew that she had proven her point. Besides, it was time to focus back on her actual job of catching the Snitch.

§*§*§*§*§

There was 'daring', there was 'death-defying' and then there was Holly, Tom decided when his little wife finally landed back on the ground, safe and sound, the Snitch still clutched in her fist, a triumphant grin on her sweet lips and her team mates swarming around her in a shower of red and gold. He slowly released his hold on his wand, taking what felt like the first breath in a long time.

He had always considered Quidditch, at most, a useful social pastime, a good networking opportunity and he made sure to keep up to date on the national leagues and international games to talk shop, if need be, but he didn't think he had ever been as invested in a game.

"I didn't know she could fly like that," Rudolphus murmured next to him.

"I didn't know anyone could fly like that," Rabastan corrected in the same awed tone.

Severus grimaced unhappily, clearly less impressed than the rest of them with Gryffindor's decisive victory, but Tom couldn't help but agree. He had seen Holly fly before, of course, on the Quidditch pitch at Malfoy Manor, around the towers and turrets of Slytherin Castle, during practise with her team, but those all seemed like warm-up exercises when compared to her performance today. It wasn't that she was fast or agile or that she looked out for her team mates or that she seemed to have a sixth sense for detecting the Snitch. It was that she had all of that and more besides. She was magnificent, fearless, in a class of her own.

Objectively speaking, the Slytherin Seeker had been quite a bit closer to the Snitch, but by the time he and the crowd had caught on, Holly was already swerving past him at break-neck speed, easily gaining on the fleeing ball and almost seeming to intuit its last, ultimately futile, zigzagging dart for freedom. Her team had played well, steadily building on the lead they had scored in the first half an hour when the Slytherin Beaters had focused all their attempts on Holly, but the Slytherin Chasers had managed to hold their own. It was Holly who had assured Gryffindor's victory and from the celebration happening down on the field the entire House knew it.

He also made his way down there, at least wanting to congratulate her before releasing her to what was sure to be an exuberant House party. She was still smiling widely when he reached her, her cheeks flushed with excitement, her eyes sparkling happily and her clothes and hair windblown. She had seldom looked more beautiful.

"Congratulations, Holly," he said, brushing his fingertips lightly across her slight shoulder to get her attention. "A well-deserved victory."

"Thanks!" She turned to beam up at him. "We were a great team!"

He wanted to kiss her, ravish her and have her enjoy it as much as he undoubtedly would, but her words were met with a loud cheer from the crowd and soon after she was carried away by her class mates, Hufflepuffs and Ravenclaws mixed into the thick throng of Gryffindor students. The Slytherin team had already retreated to the changing rooms and the rest of his old House had dispersed quickly, not part of the celebration. Holly's godfathers had disappeared as well, maybe to join the Gryffindor party, and Rabastan and Rudolphus had invited Severus for a consolatory drink in their rooms.

Most of the other teachers had left as well, though Madam Hooch was still putting the pitch back to rights, wrangling the Bludgers back into their cases and repairing one of the Gryffindor goalposts that had taken a hit. But Lucius and Brutus were coming back from checking in on their sons, joining him on the side of the field.

"How's the moral?" Tom asked, turning his steps not towards the castle but towards the lake.

"I don't believe anyone has ever accused Slytherins of being gracious losers," Lucius replied with wry humour.

"They did well enough, but your wife could play for England, my Lord," Brutus added.

Tom grimaced, shaking his head. "Salazar, I hope not. Holly has too much potential to waste it flying around on a broom – even if she does that remarkably well."

"Of course, of course, I didn't mean…" Brutus stumbled to correct his perceived faux-pas and Tom rolled his eyes, changing the subject to the next few events on his agenda and the latest polls for the various political campaigns in which they had a vested interest.

They circled the lake, finalising several plans and setting the agenda for the next few weeks. It was a productive afternoon, made all the sweeter by the thought that he was making his plans right under Dumbledore's nose.

"I thought I might say goodbye to Holly and my son before I leave," Lucius explained after Tom had dismissed them both and Brutus started heading towards Hogsmeade.

"As long as you don't accost her with another emotional outburst," Tom replied firmly.

"I still maintain that there was no emotional outburst on my part, my Lord," Lucius gave back with a delicate wrinkle of his aristocratic nose.

"She likened it to Bludgers coming at her, Lucius, and we had enough of those today," Tom said, but didn't protest when the blond wizard fell in step with him.

"Narcissa asked me to deliver the invitation to our Christmas Ball," Lucius offered. "To her and Miss Granger."

"She'll like that," Tom admitted, thinking that the inclusion of Holly's Muggleborn best-friend would go a long way in soothing any remaining hurt. "Rudolphus told me that Black is proving very reasonable and that he expects the annulment to be finalised within the next fortnight."

Lucius scoffed softly. "'Reasonable' implies a modicum of common sense and if Black had any of that he would exact a much higher price for acceding to Rudolphus' request. Because despite Holly's charming naïveté, the Lestrange family should have done their due diligence – before agreeing to the marriage. Not almost two decades later."

"I think the only price for Black is Holly's happiness," Tom replied. "Which is something that makes him rise considerably in my estimation."

Lucius inclined his head in agreement and they continued on to his quarters to go over some paperwork before dinner in the Great Hall. To Tom's surprise, however, there was a werewolf sleeping on his couch and Holly and Black were sitting cross-legged on the floor, heads bent together as they looked through a handful of photographs.

"Hey, kitten, back so soon?" Tom said in greeting. "Don't tell me the famous Gryffindor party spirit petered out after less than an hour."

"No, the party's still very much ongoing," Holly replied with a wry smile. "But Remus was tired and all the excitement was getting a little much for me, too. I don't think I'd have been able to sleep tonight if I soaked in any more of it."

Her eyes flitted a little warily to Lucius as she said it and Black casually slung an arm around her shoulders as if reacting to her need for reassurance. Tom sent Lucius a very pointed look.

"Ah, yes, pardon the intrusion, Holly, but I wanted to deliver this in person," Lucius said, sketching a slight bow as he offered her a large, snowy white envelope with sparkling silver script. "The Christmas Ball is one of Narcissa's most beloved traditions and your godfathers and Miss Granger are of course also invited."

He pulled two more envelopes from his robe pocket, handing one to Black and extending the other to Holly, who accepted it but still seemed a little cautious, studying Lucius with wide green eyes as if she could see past his façade of well-bred nonchalance. Which of course she could.

Finally, she relaxed, puffing out a slow breath and smiling shyly at the Malfoy patriarch. "I bet Malfoy Manor is beautiful in winter, especially with all of Narcissa's decorations for the ball. I'd love to see that."

"It is quite spectacular," Lucius replied with something that might have passed for modesty if he hadn't looked so very pleased; Black snorted loudly.

"You'll come, too, right? You and Remus?" Holly demanded, turning her pleading eyes onto the Animagus. "I don't want to spend another Christmas without my family."

"Neither do I, pup," Black assured her, squeezing her shoulders. "And Cissy always knew how to throw a party so…"

He grinned and Holly grinned back, snuggling into his side before turning her attention back onto the photographs spread out in front of them.

"What are those?" Tom asked a bit apprehensively.

"Sirius took some photos during the game," Holly replied brightly. "We're choosing the best ones."

"To sell to the Daily Prophet?" Tom demanded a little too sharply, immediately earning himself a warning glare from his protective little wife.

"I quit," Black announced, shuffling through the photos and picking one to show to Holly. "I didn't agree with how they handled the whole Creevey thing. I even heard a rumour that Creevey had tried to sell the photos to them before shit hit the fan."

Lucius furrowed his brow, obviously unfamiliar with the Muggle expression, but then seemed to decide not to ask for a clarification. Tom also bit back on any comment about Black's short-lived career as a photo journalist, knowing very well that disparaging Holly's friends or family was a sure-fire way of getting on her bad side. And he rather enjoyed being in her good graces.

"You'll find something new. Something better," Holly promised. "And I still really like these. Can I show them to the rest of the team? I think they'll get a kick out of them."

"Sure, let me know if you want extra copies," Black agreed easily, gathering the pictures and handing the whole stack to her. "And I'm not anxious to start job hunting again – I thought I'd work on my motorcycle and fix up the house a bit."

"Good," Holly declared, buzzing his cheek with a soft kiss. "You do what makes you happy. You deserve that."

"Thanks, pup," Black replied with another one of his wide grins before grasping Holly around the waist and lifting both of them to their feet. "I think I'd best get Remus home, though. He's still pretty exhausted after the full moon and we want to give you the full Marauders' tour to Hogsmeade tomorrow. Wakey, wakey, sleepyhead."

"I'm awake," Lupin replied without pause and sat up with a small groan, rolling back his shoulders a few times as if to ease some tension in his back. He smiled a vague greeting at Tom and Lucius, his expression softening when Holly moved to give him a hug.

"Sorry, if we were too loud," she murmured apologetically.

"You weren't. My wolf just doesn't like to sleep with anyone not pack in the same room," he answered, snuffling his nose into her wild hair. "I'm sorry I'm not better company, pup."

Holly rolled her expressive eyes. "You're allowed to be tired, Uncle Moony. And you can show me the secrets to Hogsmeade another time if you still need rest tomorrow. I really don't mind."

Black made a sound of protest and Lupin also shook his head. "I'm not going to let my lycanthropy keep me from being your godfather, Holly. Not again."

"No feeling guilty," Holly told him sternly. "It's damp and cloying and I don't like it."

"I'll do my best," the werewolf promised, taking the reference to her empathy in stride and hugging Holly a little tighter before releasing her. "Might we use your Floo?"

The last was addressed to Tom, who nodded and lifted the magical block on the fireplace with an easy flick of his wand. He had cancelled Dumbledore's Anti-Floo-Wards on their quarters as soon as they had moved in, but he still preferred not to leave the hearth completely unguarded.

"The Floo powder is on the mantle," he indicated, but Holly had already offered the ornate gold box to her godfathers.

"Thanks, pup," Black said, taking a handful of the green powder. "I told Lestrange we could meet at the Three Broomsticks at around ten to finalise his annulment so how about we meet up after that?"

Holly agreed easily, smiling and accepting another hug from them before saying her goodbyes to the two Gryffindors. Tom approached her carefully, lightly wrapping his hand around hers and giving her slim fingers a gentle squeeze.

"You'll see them again tomorrow," he reminded her, not sure how else to interpret her thoughtful expression.

"I know," she said and smiled up at him. "Stop worrying."

"If guilt feels damp and cloying what does worry feel like?" Lucius asked curiously.

"Like cotton wool," Holly replied after a short hesitation, then shrugged her shoulders helplessly. "And the fragile things wrapped in it."

That didn't sound so bad in Tom's mind, but he was also well aware of Holly's rare talent for understatement and he knew just how prickly she could become if anyone dared to suggest that she might warrant help or protection.

"Why don't you tell Lucius what his anger felt like?" he asked, ignoring Holly's glare that told him just what she thought of his suggestion.

"I would appreciate the information, Holly," Lucius added and Holly sighed.

"Like fists and dragon breath," she whispered, flinching at the same time as Lucius took a subtle step in retreat.

"Holly… I hope you know, I would never raise my hand or my wand against you," Lucius said very softly, very gently, keeping a respectful distance.

"I know." Holly nodded jerkily, then offered him a slightly crooked smile. "But I'm still glad you're not angry at me anymore."

"I wasn't angry at you, per se, and just to be clear, I'm not at all opposed to Rudolphus' bid for an annulment; I just abhor being blindsided," Lucius still clarified and Holly grinned a little more freely.

"I noticed that," she said, allowing Tom to sling his arm around her waist. "Is it okay if I hang out here for a while?"

"Of course, Holly, you don't have to ask," he told her. "Would you like some tea and biscuits?"

Holly laughed brightly when a tea tray with a steaming pot of tea and a large platter of assorted biscuits popped up on their coffee table not a moment later but shook her head. "I think I'm going to take a shower first – and change out of my uniform."

"Pity – you do look so lovely in it," Tom shot back with a smirk. §And out of it.§

"Yes, well, maybe you should work on your pick-up lines while I'm in the shower because that one was just lame," Holly told him with a haughty toss of her head, disappearing into the bathroom before he had the chance for a reply.

"I take it the amended contract is working out in your favour, my Lord," Lucius commented with a knowing smirk.

"In both of our favour, I hope," Tom clarified, turning fully around towards him. "She's so incredibly strong, Lucius, and she's handling all of this with so much grace. And I messed up before. I wasn't as patient or as understanding or as careful as I should have been. I'm not going to repeat that mistake. She deserves better than that."

"I understand, my Lord." Lucius inclined his head. "And I'm happy for you."

"Thank you," Tom replied a little stiffly.

"Also, in case you were wondering, the invitation I gave Holly includes a plus one," Lucius added innocently. "She might be persuaded to let you take her."

Tom snorted softly, pulling a stack of papers from his desk drawer and handing them to Lucius, determined to put the blond to work if he insisted on making a nuisance of himself. "I need you to file these with the appropriate departments – have Brutus check over the wording on the motion and ask Marcus to proofread the press release beforehand."

"Of course, my Lord," Lucius agreed dutifully.

"Good, and just for the record: I will be Holly's plus one and it shall be my great honour," Tom replied with as much confidence as he could muster.

Lucius – finally remembering his place – just inclined his head and after accepting a few more rolls of parchment, excused himself to find his son and say his goodbyes.

Tom half-heartedly started to correct the homework his Third Years had handed in, mostly satisfied with what he was reading, though also slightly appalled at the number of spelling mistakes. The education of Wizarding children pre-Hogwarts was mostly a matter of home-schooling, the quality of which was largely dependent on the financial means the family had at their disposal. Lucius had of course hired the finest tutors for his son, but few could afford such luxury and as a result, he often found that Muggleborn children had a firmer grasp of such things as spelling, basic mathematics and general knowledge. Something else to think about and correct once he had the chance.

He was pulled out of his thoughts by a sharp clatter from the bathroom, followed by a loud curse. He got up immediately, knocking lightly on the separating door.

"Holly? Is everything okay?"

"I'm going to cut it off!" Holly answered, fairly jerking the door open and glaring up at him in defiance.

He had to bite back a smile. Holly had wrapped herself in a fluffy bathrobe, her slim feet bare on the white tiles and a few strands of her dark hair already brushed out. Most of it, though, was a wild, tangled mess, the red and gold ribbon that had been woven into her braid earlier trailing sadly over her shoulder, brushes and combs and bottles of hair-care potions scattered all around the bathroom and one of the brushes twisted hopeless into her black tresses.

"This isn't funny, Tom!" She glared harder. "I used an entire bottle of conditioner and I've been trying for the last half an hour to get this ribbon out and untangle my hair and now the brush is stuck!"

"I'm sorry, kitten. Let me help and if I can't I promise I will hand you the scissors myself," Tom replied conciliatorily.

Holly huffed, but stepped back into the bathroom and waved him in as well. "I'm telling you it's a lost cause."

Tom hummed sympathetically, steering Holly to sit down on the closed toilet seat and trying to assess the situation. The brush was relatively easy to detangle for Tom, who could see where Holly's hair was twisted around the handle and could pull the strands gently free from the bristles, but the ribbon was so knotted and twisted into her hair that he finally vanished it entirely with a careful slash of his wand. Holly suffered through his ministrations with grumbles and little winces, but always waved away his apologies and kept in her seat.

When it was finally only the wild mess of her hair before him, he summoned the family-size bottle of extra-strength Sleekeazy's Hair Potion he had owl-ordered a few weeks previously from the mirrored bathroom cabinet. He poured a more than generous amount into his hand, spreading it between his palms and over his fingers before thoroughly massaging it into Holly's thick, unruly locks. He then selected a wide tooth comb and very carefully attempted to tease out the tangles, starting at the tips of her hair and slowly working his way up.

"Witches and wizards far and wide swear by this," he explained when Holly curiously picked up the half-empty bottle. "And it was invented by your grandfather Fleamont Potter so I think we have a good chance that it will work its magic even on the infamous Potter hair."

He focused back on a particularly stubborn knot, but almost dropped the comb when he noticed Holly's slight shoulders starting to shake. "Hey, hey, hey, what's wrong? Did I pull too hard? Did I hurt you?" he asked, stepping around and kneeling down in front of his crying wife.

"I didn't know that. I didn't even know his name!" Holly choked out, crystalline tears running down her pale cheeks.

Tom felt lost for an answer and pulled her into his arms instead, cradling her close to his chest and gently rubbing her back until she calmed down.

"I don't know why I'm so emotional." Holly sniffed, giving him a watery, embarrassed smile as he gentle dabbed away her tears with a conjured up handkerchief. "'m sorry."

"You said yourself that you were exposed to a lot of intense emotions today," Tom reminded her gently. "It might just be that this was the stir that exploded the cauldron. And we're having a family, Holly; it's only natural that that would make you curious about yours."

Holly nodded jerkily, biting her lip. "So my grandfather was a Potions Master, then?"

"A potioneer – I don't think he ever bothered with a mastery," Tom explained, squeezing Holly's hand before standing up to finish detangling her hair. "He was a genius when it came to potions, though, and he had the business acumen to match. After he invented Sleekeazy's he founded a company for its distribution, more than doubled the Potter fortune."

"Did you know him?"

"Not well, but we ran into each other a few times. He didn't care much for politics, but I remember him as having a sharp mind, strong principles, a loud sense of humour," Tom answered softly, releasing a now smooth and glossy strand of hair and turning to the next tangle. "And your grandmother Euphemia was a true lady. She had a rare gift for making everyone feel welcome and I never once heard her say an unkind word."

"What happened to them?" Holly whispered.

"Dragon Pox. Your father came into their lives quite late and if I recall correctly they passed away shortly after he left Hogwarts," Tom told her, giving her shoulders an encouraging squeeze. "I don't think you ever met them."

Holly sighed, leaning back against him and closing her eyes while he continued brushing out her long, inky locks and then dried them with a blast of warm air from his wand. When he finished a few minutes later, Holly sighed again and then whispered a quiet thank you, though he wasn't sure if it was for helping her with her hair or for what little he had been able to tell her about her paternal grandparents.

He lifted her to her feet, gently cupping her face in his palms and studying her carefully. There was still a slightly pensive look in her eyes, but they were free of tears, wide and innocent and brilliantly green. Her black hair once more cascaded in glossy waves down her back, framing her delicate face with wilfully curling tendrils. He had never met a woman more beautiful than Holly and he doubted he would ever meet anyone who could match her in kindness and spirit and strength. Her pink lips lifted in a slow, sweet smile and he couldn't help but smile back, something in his chest swelling, unfurling.

"I love you," he whispered, almost before realising and certainly before thinking about the advisability of springing such a confession on her at this time. Holly's eyes grew round and startled and he hastened to reassure her. "You don't have to say anything, kitten, and I have no expectations. I just wanted you to know."

"I knew. I just didn't know you did," Holly admitted and he laughed at the perfect improbability of her response, swooping down to claim those petal-soft lips with his own. "In that case, I still hope you're all right with me saying the words because I do love you, Holly."

Holly grinned shyly. "I like hearing it. Makes it more real, more tangible."

"Good," Tom said, kissing her softly again. "And as I said, there're no expectations, kitten, no pressure."

"I'm not quite there yet," Holly admitted still a bit cautiously. "And I want to be sure they're my feelings and not the echo of yours."

He should probably feel at least a little disappointed or jilted by that, but instead he found himself further endeared by her honesty and openness, by the trust she was so evidently putting in him. And after all, he had always liked a challenge and winning Holly's love and affection was a worthy cause, indeed.

Holly peered up at him, her eyes narrowing ever so slightly. She gave a soft huff, probably picking up on some of his thoughts. "And actions speak louder than words." She swayed a little closer, pushing lightly against his chest. "Take me to bed, Tom."

"As my lady commands." Tom grinned, wasting no time before swinging Holly up into his arms and cradling her securely to his chest as he stepped with her through the door and swiftly carried her to their bedroom where he laid her out on their bed. "May I take your words as permission to join you, kitten?"

"You may take them as permission to do more than that!" Holly shot back, curling her fingers around a fistful of his shirt and pulling him down with her. "It's called 'making love', isn't it? I want you to show me!"

"Gladly," Tom murmured, pressing a soft kiss to her lips and placing his hands on her slender waist.

She arched up immediately, demanding more kisses, more caresses and touches, demanding his attention, undivided and absolute, and he was more than happy to oblige.

He loved her eager and wanton like this, loved her forwardness and initiative, but he still knew that he needed to be careful not to push too far, too fast. Holly, despite her bravado and general fearlessness and all her protestations to the contrary, had a tendency of getting overwhelmed and as he now knew, she wouldn't necessarily tell him if that was the case. She'd get quiet, withdraw almost unnoticeably and that would be his only cue. And he wasn't going to risk hurting her like that again.

Thus, he felt a little torn when Holly started wiggling underneath him and impatiently nestled at the belt of her bathrobe, tugging it free and baring her pert breasts, her soft milky skin and her gorgeous body to his admittedly hungry gaze a moment later. So far, he had always made sure to take off his clothes before her, to give her one more layer of security, and he worried that she might feel overly exposed when she noticed that he was still fully dressed. He briefly entertained the thought of evening the scores and vanishing his own clothes with a quick spell, but he wasn't sure if Holly was ready for so much skin-on-skin contact and intimacy at this point.

Instead, he kissed her deeply again and then took a gentle hold of her waist to roll them around so that he could pull her into his lap. Holly moaned in happy approval, immediately leaning in for another kiss and rocking her hips into his. She threw her head back, exposing the elegant column of her throat, her pink lips open in a perfect 'o'.

He groaned, whispered her name like a benediction and dared to slide his own hands underneath the soft white terrycloth of her bathrobe, running them carefully up her sides and down again to the sweet swell of her buttocks.

"Tom…"

"Tell me what you want, kitten," he murmured, nipping a row of kisses along her neck. "Anything you want…"

"More," Holly demanded, twisting her hips again and groaning almost triumphantly when he thrust up in response. "And with less clothes!"

He chuckled at that, at how he had apparently worried over nothing, and she grinned, slipping her hands into his shirt and doing her best to strip it off while he was still fumbling for his wand. She smiled when he vanished his shirt and vest, possessively running her hands over his skin and even leaning forward to fasten her clever little mouth to his throat.

"Trousers, too," she then commanded, a deep red flush appearing on her cheeks at her own daring. "Please?"

Tom reached for his wand again, but then had to pause and drink in the fantastic sight when Holly, encouraged by his ready obedience, took the chance to cast off the bathrobe completely, leaving her gloriously nude, only her long black locks providing some scarce coverage.

"Salazar, you're perfect," he murmured, reverently caressing his hands up her sides before burying his face in the promising valley between her breasts, kissing her sternum and pressing his lips against where he could feel her fluttering heartbeat.

Holly arched against him with a sigh of his name that turned into a breathless keen when he scraped his teeth lightly against her sensitive skin and swirled his tongue teasingly around her pebbled nipple. "Please…"

He had no breath and no time to ask for further details as Holly grabbed her own wand and perfectly mimicked his earlier spell, leaving them both stark naked and wrapped tightly in each other's embrace. Tom hissed in pleasure as his erection sprung free and rubbed tantalisingly against her sex, heat against heat, his precum mingling with her sweet juices. He thrust up instinctively and Holly stilled in his arms.

"Time for a break, kitten?" he asked gently, without reproach and with only a brief touch of disappointment, keeping her in the loose circle of his arms as he studied her carefully.

"No." She shook her head emphatically. "I want this, Tom. You and me. I just… I'm still not sure what to do exactly…"

Two high spots of colour appeared on her cheeks again and she gnawed on her lips in charming indecision until he stopped that with a kiss – slow and open, an invitation, not a demand.

"What do you want to do, kitten?" he said, laughing a moment later when Holly glared at him. "I know, I know, but I really am open to anything you wish to try and experimenting is part of the game. So tell me."

Holly's huff turned into a keening, breathless sigh when he returned to blandishing her rosy pink nipples with soft kisses and traced the small red marks he had left on her fair skin with his tongue and fingers.

"I want you inside me, Tom," she finally brought out, wrapping her slender fingers with Gryffindor daring around his erection to leave no doubt about her meaning.

Tom closed his eyes for a few seconds to make sure that this wouldn't all be over embarrassingly quickly and that he wouldn't forget his new resolution of absolute care and patience in the heat of the moment. He refrained from asking Holly once again if she was sure because her intentions were clear, her slim hand still closed possessively around him and her hips rocking impatiently. Besides, he doubted his own ability to refuse her.

Instead he gently grasped her by the hips and helped her to sink down slowly on his erection. The tight, enveloping heat of her body, her soft, panting breaths, her hands on his chest, on his shoulders, the sweet hesitance of her movements that gradually turned to confidence – it was all so utterly perfect that he stopped thinking and just gave into the sensation of finally having his young wife, in body and soul, without reserve or misunderstandings between them.

§*§*§*§*§

Afterwards, Holly lay snuggled in his arms, her cheek resting on his chest and her fingers tracing absent-minded circles over his skin. "That was different."

"Different how?" Tom asked softly, carding his fingers through her wild locks.

Holly thought for a moment and he knew she was picking her words carefully. "Before it was… I tried to focus on you, on your feelings, and that helped, but it also made it complicated and confusing because they didn't match my own. It felt like a war inside, an intrusion."

"But now you didn't have to rely on my feelings to make it bearable for you?" Tom questioned, smiling when Holly pressed a little kiss over his heart, probably to stave off any feelings of guilt.

"I still felt what you felt, but this time… this time we harmonised." She grinned a little, snuffling even closer. "I liked that."

Tom breathed out in wordless relief, lightly caressing her sides before allowing his hand to come to rest on her still flat belly. Holly pressed a little closer, pliant and affectionate and the absolute opposite of the fierce wildcat she had been before, her smile as bright and soft as spots of sunlight dancing on the forest floor. He marvelled at that almost as much, cherishing this rare moment of contented laziness from his active little wife and feeling humbled by the continued trust she placed in him.

He kept holding her, carefully tugging the covers up around both of them, as Holly drifted off into peaceful slumber, her weight on his chest the most satisfying burden he had ever felt.