A/N: Hello people and thank you so much for your support! A special little alternate Power of Love Post-Hogwarts turn. With still more parts to come! Thanks to Noob Salad for the prompts and commission!
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With Harry gone, seeing to the next batch of potions whilst Elaine was sick and giving Corene a break from doing so herself, that left the latter witch to do the job that he oft did; taking care of Elaine. As one could imagine, it wasn't an easy task, nor one that went unrewarded. No, Elaine was absolutely certain that whosoever was taking care of her actively, was handsomely rewarded for their effort and attention.
Harry never minded, but this time, it wasn't him that'd be smothered under Elaine's affection. This time, it was Corene's chance to experience it, and it started only seconds after Harry had left the room.
Elaine's head was in Corene's lap, the two sprawled out along an absolutely massive and wooden-made couch. She'd been resting whilst Corene read, her voice soft and lulling enough that Harry had nearly fallen asleep as Elaine was meant to. Aside from the reading, the crackling of fire to keep Elaine warm even whilst she was cuddled up to Corene was heard and finally, the drizzling of rain as the English weather made its appearance.
Content and snug as a bug in a rug, Elaine reached out a hand and twirled a long length of Corene's hair in it. As she'd suspected whilst staring up at the other witch for hours unending, her hair was incredibly soft — as soft as it'd been yesterday and the days before — and it made for no small amount of joy when playing with it. Thus, Elaine incessantly began to grab, twirl and otherwise pet Corene's hair, much to the latter girl's fluster.
That fluster, if anything, seemed only to egg Elaine further on in her actions. That was made immediately clear when she, upon noticing Corene's blush grow brighter and brighter, adjusted her spot in the aforementioned girl's lap so as to get more of her hand around Corene's hair.
"Your hair's softer than puppy ears."
Corene blinked down at Elaine, her head slightly cocking to one side, captive as a good portion of her hair was in Elaine's grasp. If one looked closer still, they'd be able to see that Corene was blushing something fierce and that alone sealed her fate.
Elaine raised up, her head catching Corene by surprise as she caught her lips in a gentle, incessant kiss… until the latter pulled back as far as she could, her hair still in Elaine's grasp.
"Remind me to more oft look into your eyes," Elaine said, her head back in Corene's lap and her hands back to their petting and playing with Corene's hair. "I've not done so as often as I'd like, and it's so easy a thing to lose one's self to when you taste so sweet."
Corene made to speak after a small clearing of her throat, but in that pause, Elaine had jolted forward again and pressed a kiss to Corene's face. From there, seizing advantage of Corene's flustered attitude — a rare thing in and of itself — on account of Elaine's attention being so focused on her, meant Elaine was free to do as she'd like.
Her hands wound around the other girl's hair, her fingers twirling or massaging Corene's scalp in a way that made the girl so very pliable into their kiss. That wasn't all, not nearly. Frequently and for the sake of their breathing, Elaine would pull back betwixt kisses to speak various sweet words to Corene… or mostly sweet words. One or two of the compliments might have been weird, whereas the majority were endearing.
"You flush so prettily," was one that worked so very well, and on the other hand, "Harry oft says you're like a doll in your beauty. Why don't we dress you over and over and see how pretty you can get?"
It was at that point Harry returned, his steps slowing as he heard those words. Undoubtedly, it made him pause. Corene was a doll, that much was true, but dressing her over and over to see how pretty she'd get? It was a stretch, he reckoned.
"We should have a marble statue of your likeness made," Elaine gushed again, Harry only just hearing the girl's delirious ramblings regarding Corene's beauty as she went on and on. "It'd be a reminder for centuries of your beauty."
That's not a bad idea though, he thought to himself, noting it down on one of the millions of mental parchments he kept and frequently lost. Busts of Corene and Elaine, and hopefully their busts as well.
He snickered to himself as he shoved off from the wall and made his approach, entering the little parlour room with a blazing hot fire in the fireplace. Upon his doing so, Elaine extended a hand in his direction, her meaning clear as she beckoned him forth from her spot in Elaine's lap and splayed out across the aforementioned girl's body.
When he looked between them, he could see how each breathed more animatedly than was usual and in the case of Corene, how flushed she looked. Evidently, he'd missed quite the happening… it was horrible. He could only imagine how great a sight it'd been, and to think he'd missed it.
"Harry," Corene said, catching his attention with her… not monotonous… voice. "Join us."
It sounded like an earnestly-given invitation, and as he approached with a brow raised in query, she did nothing save for look expectantly at him. When Harry made to sit beside her, it was only then that she reacted, and that was by leaning up against him as Elaine repositioned herself in the lap of both, a contented sigh escaping her.
"Unfortunate."
"What is?" Harry asked Corene upon hearing the word come from her, his hands finding Elaine's hair in much the same fashion as hers had sought — and even now still did seek — Corene's hair.
"That you missed what you so oft say you like to see. Guilt," Corene's final word was punctuated with her wrapping an arm around his torso as she leaned more heavily into him.
Naturally, one of his arms moved away from Elaine whilst Corene's other replaced it, allowing his to wrap around her as she'd done to him. It was weird and unorthodox, their throuple, but they made it work.
"Lover?" Elaine asked seemingly to the air, her voice tired-sounding and sluggish.
"Hmm?" he responded as he too found it difficult not to be called to sleep.
He only just noticed it too, but Corene perked up at the mention of 'lover' as well.
That'd still take a bit of getting used to.
"I was saying earlier how Corene's beauty should be saved eternally in the form of a bust. Would you agree?" Elaine extended one hand, wavering as it seemed to be, and Harry watched as it slowly slithered up Corene's neck until it gathered a large amount of hair. He continued to watch when she twirled it, playing with Corene's hair and leaning up against to press kisses to her neck.
As he'd suspected, it was a grand sight to see, and Corene's flush was immaculate. He didn't think he'd ever grow tired of seeing her or Elaine grow red as could be, for each happening was rare and had to be treasured. Truly.
When it stopped again, Elaine all but letting herself fall back into Corene's lap — and Harry's to some degree — Corene was left looking just as flushed as before. They'd not discussed it, not really, but he imagined Corene wasn't used to much affection. It'd certainly make sense why she seemed so unused to it… and why she grew so flustered.
It also made him want to do as Elaine was, that being to shower Corene in as much affection as he could and see how red she could get. When his eyes caught Elaine's, the two smiling as if they were teenagers stealing a snog back at Hogwarts, he figured she thought much the same.
"Corene?" This time it was Harry's turn to get the girl's attention, and he did.
She turned to look at him and cocked her head, the fire illuminating her and those eyes he so loved staring into his.
He leaned forward, kissed her, and withdrew; she tasted like fruit, her favourite snack. That and oats with cinnamon and nutmeg… he'd taken notes.
"A portrait," Elaine said suddenly as she rose, slowly, so as to sit on her knees before them. "I do believe a portrait would make the most sense. One of our Corene and one of us — oh I could but ima—"
He hadn't expected what happened to happen, and based on how frozen Elaine was, she hadn't expected it either. Corene had extended toward Elaine and pressed a tentative and slow kiss to the other girl's lips. It didn't seem to matter much to Elaine that she withdrew within mere seconds, no. Elaine's visage was one of surprise and joy, and as she made to speak it was Harry's turn, again, to be surprised.
Corene after having kissed Elaine, turned and brought her hands up to his cheeks before she leaned forward to meet his lips with her own. He didn't move, he didn't try to hasten the kiss, he allowed her to do as she'd liked and Merlin did he reap the benefits for doing so.
Their kiss was long, slow, and the epitome of lovely. Her lips moved slowly, exploratory, against his as her fingers each wiggled individually against his face, each stroking or rubbing him; she sighed into the kiss, and he brought his arms around her upon hearing the noise of contentment
Kissing Elaine felt as a duel might, and when they'd withdraw, the exertion felt much the same. They'd grope one another as their lips duelled and tongues clashed, the occasional growl oft coming from Elaine as she attempted to lead the kiss. Corene, on the other hand, was like being adrift in a sea of warmth and gentle love; she didn't grope, her touch was fleeting, and her lips didn't bruise his after a heavy snog, in fact, there'd barely be proof of their act, such was the softness of her actions.
Eventually, as happened to all good things, the kiss with Corene came to an end and shortly thereafter, Elaine began to take up the mantle of kissing her again. Close as he was, he heard Elaine as she whispered sweet phrases into Corene's ears and when the time came again for Elaine to pass Corene to him, the phrases continued.
Enough so that Harry really did reckon they'd go and get busts made… but Merlin, he had to say, Elaine's compliments and Corene's ever-increasing blush as she tried — and failed — to maintain composure, made for a perfect memory.
Harry sniffled exaggeratedly as Elaine was up and about not two days later, his love abuzz with activity as she ran all about. She'd recovered, Corene's efforts as well as his own had done as they'd needed to… but he wasn't totally glad even if he was happy Elaine was fine again.
He really did like how cute she'd get, and seeing her defer to him and plead with him, well, it opened up a new side to their relationship that he quite enjoyed.
"Harry, are you hearing me?"
He blinked and found Elaine standing before him. When had she gotten there?
"Huh?" came his intelligent and very smart response.
Elaine's hands fell to her hips as she arched a brow, her eyes bearing into his and a moment later, when Corene entered, into hers. When she saw that she had the attention of each, she coughed once, a stoic expression on her face as she made to speak.
"I thank you both for your efforts in helping me to recover, and I kindly request that you tell nobody of what you saw, or how I acted, whilst sick," when she finished, she dipped her head to the pair and…
Spun on her heels and headed down to the Floo. He looked over at Corene, her gaze finding his almost immediately, and when she simply glided past him with her lips barely raised upwards a second later, he did as he'd always do when it came to his two witches.
He followed after them; the view was sublime.