A/N: All previous warnings still, and will continue, to apply. Not for children or the faint of heart, or anyone sexually conservative. You've been warned.
Thanks as always to my amazing Beta, Hrymeigh, for going back and editing everything I've already posted before digging into new content.

And thank you to all those who review, it really does encourage me to post the chapters sooner. :)
Enjoy!

Chap. 13: Paying Forward

A much more relaxed, though still resigned, Harry eventually caught up with Neville, Ron, Hermione, Dean, Parvati and Lavender, while they sat in a loose circle on the lawn between the Quidditch Pitch and Hagrid's hut.

Hermione shot him a gimlet eye as he approached, the intervening hour or two seemingly just enough to take the edge off her anger but not remove it entirely, but said nothing as he set down his bag at the largest empty spot between Neville and Lavender, greeting everyone while he sat.

The witch in question, predictably, had taken charge of the Potions review session, as she picked the book in her lap up and read off another question, "Alright, Ron, how are Aconite and Wolfsbane alike, and how are they different?"

Harry smiled, remembering his- their- first ever Potions Class. Ron seemed to be at a loss for the answer for a minute, until he noticed Harry's growing smirk. As if using legilimency against him, Ron suddenly shouted, "Same! They're the same plant, so the only difference is the name!"

"Very good, Ron," Hermione beamed, then asked, "Neville, why does a Bezoar have the effect that it does, and for what category of things does it have that effect?"

Neville swallowed, "Um... it- it works on poisons. I don't know why, though."

"That's alright," Hermione said, "We didn't cover it in class very well. Because it has absorbed so many stomach acids from the goat, which can be very powerful, the acidic nature counters many Base toxins, and overpowers milder acids, while the essence of clover, a major part of most goats' diet, acts to neutralize harmful magic. That, among other things, gave rise to the muggle superstition about a four-leafed clover."

"Oh, Okay," Nevill nodded, jotting the information down. Harry was glad to see that he wasn't the only one, as Parvati, Lavender, and Ron were all doing the same.

He was still a bit surprised to see Neville, who was top of their year in Herbology, not make the connection with clover, however.

Then Hermione turned to Harry, face carefully neutral, and asked, "Why does the Draught of Living Death require precisely thirty-seven clockwise stirs with a nine-inch crystal rod?"

Harry swallowed. No wonder she was suddenly so calm. Hermione had clearly decided to work out her anger in other ways than shouting or hexing. "Er... magically strong numbers? And, um... doesn't crystal- any clear crystal- signify a purifying agent or action?"

The others clapped, but Hermione frowned, muttering, "Lucky guess."

So the review continued through the morning, the mood on Hermione's end gradually lightening as it became more and more clear that, while Harry certainly had been neglecting his review and studies, he did sort of know what he was doing in Potions... maybe.

His own mood, though, darkened.

He was enjoying the company, and not really minding the review. Hermione's anger, while he thought it might have been misplaced, was at least understandable.

No, the problem was that a part of him simply could not let go of what Lilith had been trying to teach him. He understood the lesson, deep in his bones. Felt, in fact, like he'd always understood it on some level.

But, looking around the group, he was having a truly hard time thinking in terms of 'inner circle' and 'army'. Sure, Ron and Hermione topped the list, and if he had an inner circle of followers, they would be in it it, maybe all of them. Even Lavender, Parvati and Seamus, Harry could, with a stretch, call friends. He didn't want to use or manipulate them.

Neville was even closer, nearly as close a friend as his oldest two.

It's just a really cynical view, Harry's inner Hermione argued, while at the same time, a new voice that instead sounded like Lilith pointed out, That doesn't mean it's wrong.

On their way back up to the castle for dinner, having spent a couple more hours reviewing and then an hour 'hanging out' like the teenagers they were, speaking of nothing in particular or anything at all of import, Harry fell back, pulling Neville along with him.

Hermione, already half-way up the stairs and dozens of feet ahead, glanced back with a faint scowl, then carried on, leaving the rest, aside from Ron who had hurried to keep up with her, behind. Lavender, too, paused when she reached the stairs, "You two coming?"

"We'll be right there," Harry answered quickly, hoping to forestall any further questions.

The pretty blonde shrugged, turning back and heading in. He heard, in the distance, her greeting Padma, Parvati's twin sister in Ravenclaw, before the group followed most of the rest of the students into the Great Hall.

When Harry turned his attention back to Neville, the other boy was pink in the face. "I know what you're going to ask, Harry. I don't want to talk about it."

Harry only grinned, leading his friend away from the door to a secluded alcove near the base of the stairs, but beyond the tower on the east side, out of sight of the door, where the hill looked down over the Pitch and the Forbidden Forest. He waited until they were both out of sight before he turned to face his fellow Gryffindor again, "It's nothing you have to be embarrassed about. I wasn't asking for details, anyway. Just answer me this: Are you still interested in getting to know Hannah better?"

Neville gulped, then swallowed. "Y- Yes, but... I'm... not sure I'm... r-r-ready."

The sudden return of his friend's stutter told Harry all he needed to know. Neville, for his part, had not felt the meet-up with Alicia Spinnet had gone well the previous night. He gave a little sigh, "Alright. Um... so when I talked to her and Susan, they did express some interest. Hannah is very interested in you. She... well, she made it clear she wouldn't mind a romp with me, if you didn't care."

"I do," Neville said, clearly having to force himself to say it, "But... I... I'm just not sure. I mean, I- with Alicia- we... did it. It was nice, but... messy. And she knew what she was doing, I could tell that much."

"Yeah," Harry nodded, "I recently learned that Alicia's been with several blokes before. Not a whole bunch, but enough to get some experience in."

"You?"

Harry blushed, nodding, "Er... just that day, in fact. Earlier. Sorry."

Neville didn't look particularly bothered, though. He only put his hands in the pockets of his trousers and looked out over the forest and slope at Hogsmeade Village, in the distance. "'S'alright. I don't care. It's not like I... am gonna be with her. Right?"

"Exactly," Harry said, relieved at how Neville was taking it. He suspected, somehow, that most people wouldn't take things like that very well, "But listen, about Hannah? I want her, I won't lie, but for me it'd be just for sex. And I know that would bother you, so I won't unless you expressly tell me otherwise."

Neville nodded, then whispered, "Thanks for that."

"It's really not a problem," Harry assured him, "Remember, I'm not in this just for me. I can get girls elsewhere, and I'm not out to knock up half the school or anything. Susan, though... she wanted... well, when I explained the situation, with you and Hannah, me being the go-between, and what I wanted- not what I expected, I made that clear- she, um... volunteered. Does that bother you?"

Neville frowned, then shook his head. "No... I mean, if we're being really honest, I wouldn't mind a roll with Susan Bones either, but I think her aunt would kill me, if she didn't, and Hannah... Hannah's the one I really want. Like, forever. At least, I think she is."

Harry clapped a hand to Neville's shoulder, "Alright, then. I don't have a time or place, then, but let me make a suggestion. First, go talk to her. Hannah. It's not as hard talking to them as we used to think, you know? And hey, talk to Susan, too. If there's one thing I've learned about girls lately, it's that a good way to get them to like you is to get their friends to like you, too. Not that you have an issue with that, since Hannah all-but told me if you asked her out she'd definitely say yes."

Neville blushed, nodding.

"And," Harry said a little quieter, "just putting this out there, I wouldn't be jealous if you shagged Susan. Not saying you have to, but if you get in a twist, or change your mind or something... Oh, another piece of advice."

"Hmm?"

"Maybe meet up with Alicia again. I know she's not who you want," Harry clarified, "but if she's willing to show you the ropes... make it better for Hannah, in the meantime, isn't it worth it?"

The other boy swallowed, but nodded, "I'll- I'll think about it. She... said she'd charge, though."

Harry frowned, "Huh. She's more up-front with you than she was with me. If you want me to cover it..."

"No, I can pay," Neville said, blushing again, "It's just... isn't that wrong?"

"I don't know if it is," Harry replied, "I have my own issues with the idea, but it's not like she's forced to do it- she does it for more spending money. There's no drugs, or magic, or manipulation, making her do it, so it's her choice. That's my take, anyway."

Again, Neville nodded, then started walking back toward the entrance of the castle, "I'll... think about it."

Harry, to his surprise, found a note in his bag when he joined his friends, yet again, for a much shorter review session after dinner. The lot of them, even Hermione, agreed that they had spent enough time on Potions for the weekend. Instead, they would devote two hours, and only two hours, with alarms set, one hour each to Care of Magical Creatures and Astronomy.

By the time each of the students made it up to bed, Lavender and Parvati chivvying Hermione along to 'get her beauty sleep', Harry was quite exhausted and had completely forgotten about the note. Until, that is, he started re-sorting his books for the next day's study: four more hours on Potions, two on History, and one on 'electives', which Hermione had scoffed at, saying she needed at least six dedicated hours before her Arithmancy examination.

Harry closed his fist around the small note, withdrawing it from his bag as he set it down at the foot of his bed by his trunk, then climbed into bed, boxer-clad, and pulled the curtains shut.

Only as he unfolded it did he find out the note had apparently been written by two different people, in two very different styles.

Mr. Potter,

I am the acquaintance you met briefly about three weeks previously. I happen to be skilled with the voice-changing charm, if that helps jog your memory, though I hope the memory of the events of when we met were memorable enough for you.

I am writing with a simple request: a repeat, with perhaps a little extra, if you are willing. I will perform the same favor for you, in return for the same favor for me, and to the same hopefully satisfying result.

If you are amenable to this, merely be in the same location at the same time Sunday evening at seven. Please bathe in your usual manner between then and dinner, and I will do you the courtesy of the same.

Of course, it behooves you to tell no one of the encounter, as it behooves me.

-An Acquaintance of hopefully mutual benefit

Below that half-page of parchment, in an entirely different, even neater, though less elegant scrawl, were these words, written in deepest red:

Master,

This is, indeed, the same girl from the broom closet. I watched her deliver it, though I'm not sure how she got in here, since she doesn't know the password, in theory. Her offer seems sincere, for what it's worth: she was very aroused when I saw her. No, she didn't see me, or have any idea I was there. I want her, too. Tasty... she reeks of lust. After you of course, Master.

I might just join you, though I do have a different meeting at the same time with a friend of yours... Hermione asked me to talk, and set that time aside. I don't know what about, and I don't think it'd be polite for you to ask.

-Your Favorite

Harry grinned. The girl in the broom-closet hadn't been his best blow-job by far, but she was pretty good, and he had the idea that this was still the prelude to more. Not to mention, the mystery of finding out who the 'not Gryffindor girl relatively close to his age' was. It leant a certain thrill to the thing...

Dreaming of mysterious women, dozens of them, touching, caressing, kissing, sucking, licking, or riding his body filled Harry's head as he drifted to sleep.

Sunday was spent much as Hermione had planned it for the majority of the Gryffindor fifth-years, all of them, from the 'trio' to Neville, Lavender, Parvati and Seamus, to Dean Thomas, Faye Dunbar, and Luca Caruso, a girl he'd seen and known was in their year, but never actually spoken to.

Breakfast, the only light spot being a quietly giggling Lilith giving simultaneous hand-jobs to both Harry and Ron under the table. Watching Hermione's nose- and others'- wrinkle at the smell of their leavings wafting up from beneath the table was humorous to Harry, too, though he found it hard to keep a straight face.

Potions, for another four hours. Four hours more of Potions study and intense review.

Lunch, nothing special... Harry ate woodenly, already exhausted, despite the Stamina Rune he sported. He was only just now learning, in earnest, that there were multiple kinds of exhaustion in the world.

Then, just because things had been going swimmingly, two hours of review on Astronomy, and... an hour of electives.

Which would have been rather blasé, overall, if Harry and Ron had not been invited to study by Parvati and Lavender.

Almost reluctantly, Harry agreed, Ron following his lead, though Harry had made it clear he needed to shower immediately after dinner, so joined them a bit later.

The time spent in the pretty girls' presence in one corner table of the Gryffindor common room wasn't unpleasant, exactly. More... frustrating, than anything.

Totally aside from the majority of the fifth-years studying as hard as they could along with the even more-stressed looking seventh years, most of the rest of the House seemed to be either out enjoying the castle or grounds in the warm evening air, or in various stages of flirting, though thankfully most of that was in the upper years.

Lavender and Parvati, for their part, seemed split between the two goals, heedless of Hermione just two tables away.

Not that either girl could possibly know that, at least in a way, they were actually 'together' now...

Either way, it did not stop Lavender from flirting shamelessly with Ron, and even laying it on a little thick for Harry, or Parvati resting with her left hand on Harry's thigh while she leaned into him to explain some concept or other about tea leaves, pressing her firm chest against his arm, and lingering there a bit longer than was strictly necessary.

In fact, Harry found the whole thing pleasant enough that he had to whisper into Parvati's ear, "Look, you, me, Lavender, and Ron need to... talk. But not this evening. Maybe over the summer, if not before. Okay?"

"Sure, Harry," Parvati had whispered right back, nibbling a bit on his earlobe as she withdrew, then blowing him a not-entirely-subtle kiss, while, across the table, Lavender clasped Ron's hand as she laughed at something he had said- something he doubted was all that funny- and brought it up to her chest, again, holding it for longer than was seemly.

Not that Ron was complaining, if the small grin on his face showed anything.

Not that either boy expected the 'studying' to really help their grades in the subject.

At quarter-to-seven, Harry begged off, closing up his books, "Sorry, Parvati, Lavender, I've got a meeting with, uh, Professor- or Healer Tonks. She wanted to discuss N.E.W.T. Level Potions... since Snape might not be here. I don't know."

Parvati sent him another tempting wink, one that tightened Harry's trousers as he threw his books into his bag and hiked it onto his shoulder, but he wasn't about to hold off on this 'date'.

He arrived at the closet near the Ravenclaw Tower entrance at five minutes to seven, knocked once on the door after glancing about- there was no one he could see in the hall- and slipped inside.

"Lumos," he incanted, then immediately set to work on the small, cluttered space. The bucket for mopping, an ancient, pitted piece of wood and rusted iron cooping, he transfigured to a sturdy, short stool similar to the bar stools at the Leaky Cauldron. The two brooms, and five crates of Mrs. Skower's All-Purpose Magical Mess Remover were Vanished, with the last item that wasn't hanging up on higher shelves, the dirty old mop, transfigured into a fluffy, clean, white towel.

A towel he had use for, later, if things went well.

Then again...

He grinned, transfiguring it again into a fluffy pillow instead, just as there was a tentative knock on the door.

He stepped into the shadows behind it as the door swung open and a vaguely familiar silhouette stepped inside, quickly shutting the door before he could really make out who it was in the darkness. Definitely a feminine form, but beyond that...

"You a boy?"

The same words, the same modulated voice.

"Same as last time," he said hoarsely, wishing he'd learned a spell to do what she had done.

"Good. Like what you've done. I'm randy. You first, or me?"

"Erm," Harry said, a bit surprised by her brusqueness, "I... I suppose you. I'm randy too, but I can wait."

Without another word, the girl took his hand, putting it at her waist, then held it there while she sat on the stool and spread her legs, putting her feet on either side of the small rail he'd crafted.

Smiling in the darkness, Harry used a foot to nudge the pillow into place for his knees, then sank down, using his hand to judge the space.

His first couple kisses he pressed against the girl's thigh, but after that, the altered voice growled, "No foreplay, get your mouth in there. I'm not here to kill time, I'm here to get off."

"Suit yourself," he murmured, then leaned further in, accidentally bumping his nose into her stomach in the dark, then using that to find her core- further assisted by the heat and smell of... ginger, he thought, coming off her. She was, indeed, randy.

"That's it," she murmured as he started licking.

He continued, using all he'd learned from Lilith, starting on the outside and working his way in, keeping one hand on her thigh, while the other freed his own member and began to leisurely stroke it, not enough to induce climax any time soon, just enough to feel nice.

Eventually, probably three minutes in, the girl started to breathe rapidly and one of her hands suddenly clenched into his messy hair, the juicy lips of her twat pushing into his face and holding there, but still quivering, until she took in one deep breath and held it, body not moving in the slightest, for about ten seconds.

Then she gasped and relaxed backward, panting resuming, "F-fuck, that was good," she murmured, then ordered, "Stand up."

He was half-way there when she grabbed him by the head and kissed him again, her tongue immediately laving around his lips and into his mouth. But, the moment he started to kiss back, she pulled away, whispering, "Your payment, same as last time. Trade me spots."

Harry, still grinning- he truly did enjoy eating pussy, even from relative strangers- spun around the girl in close quarters to sit on the stool himself, erection already out.

Something that made her giggle when she wrapped cool fingers around it. "You seem bigger than last time," she murmured, but didn't hesitate to sink down onto it with her mouth.

She only dropped about a third of the way down before starting to bob, using both of her small hands to stroke the rest of him.

Again, Harry had to note that she was, indeed, skilled... but nowhere near as good as Lilith, and even Hermione was able to deep-throat him. This girl, though, did seem significantly curvier than his best friend, more along the size of Lilith's form as Ron preferred her.

She continued to suck and bob on his knob for several minutes, Harry's climax slowly building, until at last she popped off, "Damn... you got some stamina, whoever you are. Mouth's getting tired."

"We could shag," Harry offered at once, grinning in the dark again, "But no pressure."

"That's not how I work," the voice-modulated girl replied, "I'm... saving myself for someone. Practicing."

"Alright," he conceded, "That's fair. If you can't do it, don't worry about it. There are other-"

"No," she said, throwing a hand over his mouth with surprising accuracy, "I... the deal was, I suck you off, you eat me. Doesn't matter if my mouth's tired."

So she leaned in again, continuing to slurp and lick at his cock.

The problem, Harry thought, was that while she was good, the girl just couldn't get enough of his apparently larger size into her mouth to really stimulate him fully. And while her hand-job helped, it just wasn't enough to do the job quickly.

Not that he wasn't enjoying it.

"Question," he asked after several minutes, and feeling the girl wince around him once or twice, "this guy you're saving yourself for- does he know you exist?"

She didn't answer at first, but after a few seconds, pulled off him and audibly worked her tired jaw for a minute, still stroking him, "I... probably not."

"Then fuck 'em," he repeated Lilith's words to Hermione from the day she'd found out about the Succubus (had he really let her find out just a day after the initial Summoning?). "I mean..."

"That's kind of the point," the girl said, amusement clearly detectable in her voice despite the somewhat gravelly nature of the charm she was using, "giving this guy my virginity."

"Not what I meant," he clarified as she continued stroking him, "Look... I'm not an expert in people, or girls in particular, but if there's one thing I do know, it's that if he doesn't know you exist- you may as well not, to him. Find someone who does know you exist. They're out there."

"Like who?" she muttered darkly, "If you knew who I was, you wouldn't care, either, Potter."

Harry froze, then shook his head, "You obviously know who I am."

She shrugged, barely visible in the light, something he could register more through just the feeling of motion in the air, "So? I saw you through the crack when I came in. Knew where to look."

"Only fair I know who you are, that's all. But I don't really care."

She shook her head, "No. Not happening. This isn't about my love-life or lack thereof, either. It's about getting your rocks off."

Without another word, she dove down again, this time fighting to get him deeper in, though she couldn't take much.

He sighed, enjoying the sensation, but...

It might take a while.

Still, as he'd learned before, there wasn't really such a thing as a bad blow-job.

Some fifteen minutes later, when, feeling guilty for thinking of Lilith and what she'd done with her mouth just that morning to accelerate the process, Harry climaxed in her mouth, the girl again swapped semen-laden spit with him, then murmured, "Mm.. Nice, more fruity. Good. Now, unless you've got some other pressing concern, I should be-"

Harry held an arm across the door, which she walked into. "I do, actually," he said quietly, "I feel like we didn't get a fair trade. You had a good climax, yeah?"

"Yes," the girl replied guardedly, "It was pretty nice."

"Mine was kind of... meh," he admitted, "I thought the first was better."

"You're bigger," she complained, "I don't know what you did, but it's harder to do well. Barely fits in my mouth."

"Okay," he conceded, "Fair point, but still. I want to offer something to make it fair."

"What?" she asked again, just as carefully, and he thought he might have heard a wand whisper out of a pocket of the girl's clothes as she reached down to adjust her skirt. Her knickers, not present, didn't need any adjusting.

"Not necessarily now," he replied carefully, "you and me shag. Next year, before Christmas Hols. Or... you tell me your name."

His own wand was already up in the darkness, ready for a spell. Probably a stunner, or a shield to counter whatever she did.

"Better lose the virginity to you than the name. Bye, Potter."

Then she did something with her wand- he couldn't tell what- without saying anything.

Something that made his eyes water.

Just when he reached up to clear them, she slipped by and out the door.

The only feature he caught was a pair of goggles being pulled from over the girl's eyes up onto light hair.

Goggles for seeing in the dark, he thought, Handy. Might need to get me some of those.

Definitely tastes like ginger, fresh ginger. I'll remember her...

"You're kind of hard to figure out, you know?" Lilith asked softly as she stepped into the small alcove toward the back of the library.

"How so?" Hermione replied just as quietly though with obvious distraction as she kept her gaze on one of the three books open on the small table before her, "Because I've always felt I was rather simple to understand."

"Well," the succubus answered casually, glancing about, "before we delve into my understanding of you as a person, you asked for a private talk. Can I assume you've put up whatever protections you can against eavesdropping?"

Hermione nodded just once before turning a page in the middle book.

Lilith shrugged, not particularly in the mood to care if some of Hermione's secrets got out if the girl in question didn't care. Not seeing another seat- no doubt Hermione had moved the other one to let some other student use it while encouraging the same student or students to leave her in peace- Lilith stood a few feet away and kept out an eye, instead. "I suppose the largest conundrum is exactly why a girl like you is so easily encouraged to do more. I know you love them both, and that's a powerful motivator, but most women your age are more reluctant to be so... daring."

The witch frowned, "How? What've I done that's daring? Aside from being in love with two people, of course, which frankly I don't understand, either. I just know that I am."

"And you will do anything, so far as I can tell, to please them, including eat me out, let me eat you out, and so on, despite being straight as an arrow."

Hermione blushed, and for the first time in the conversation, her eyes stopped moving across one of the hand-written pages. "I... I love them. That's most of my motivation, I think. And because I can't choose, I... have to be ready to... do whatever it takes, I suppose."

"Mm. That makes sense, I suppose. Abused as a child?"

"What?" Hermione asked sharply, looking up at Lilith, who wore Ron's older form but dressed in a facsimile of Ravenclaw's uniform, sans the robes, "No, I wasn't abused."

"Bullied, then," Lilith decided, and smirked when Hermione drew in another breath to protest, then let it exhale slowly without saying anything. "Don't be offended, it was an obvious guess, and I thought it more likely than the abuse anyway. Anyone would be able to tell that a pretty, smart girl like you who spent more time with their books than people would be picked on. It also explains the eagerness to please- you want to keep your friends desperately."

"I thought you said I was hard to figure out," Hermione said with a frown, "but it seems like you know a lot."

"Guesswork, mostly, just a little actual deduction. Still doesn't explain a few things, though. Why so far? By all accounts, Lavender Brown is one of the easiest girls in your year, yet she has had just one cock in her mouth, and is also straight. Yet you, the bookworm, were eager for three."

"How do you- how do you know that?" Hermione whispered quietly, turning pale.

"My Bond," Lilith answered with another shrug, "we've just started being able to speak mentally- and you should keep that quiet, because the strategic value is considerable- but I've been able to view his memories for a couple weeks. What Master knows, you should consider me knowing, unless I say otherwise."

For a moment, the succubus was worried Hermione would protest, but after a few seconds the brunette shrugged, "Useful."

"Very."

"Still, I suppose it wouldn't hurt to tell you," Hermione said quietly, turning back to the books though she did not start reading again. "I... when I had Ron in my mouth, that first time, I... Well, I came. Twice, in fact. And with Harry later, too. Just... The idea of it, I suppose. Having their penises in my mouth, knowing I was making them feel really, really good..." The girl trailed off, and Lilith watched, amused, as she got a sort of far-away, misty cast to her expression, along with a faint smile as she continued to describe how she felt, "Knowing that, with Ron, if I had my way I'd soon be doing it to Harry, and knowing with him that I had already done it to Ron. That I'd be more than happy to do it again, and again... It made me feel... naughty is a good word I think, but in... in a good way? Mostly, though, it was knowing it was me making them feel so good. Like... like I was of use, you know? I... I know it should make me feel cheap, or something, but it didn't, not at all, even now. When we were younger, Ron would just sort of... use me for my brain and my help with homework. That made me feel cheap. But sucking his cock? That wasn't his choice, it was mine, and it wasn't him using me. It was me rewarding him for growing up, and- and doing what I wanted to do, too. Harry... I was just too turned on by then not to want to, but as I've said, when I did it to Ron I already knew I would to Harry. And..."

She went quiet again, prompting Lilith to ask, "So, does it matter if it's them?"

Hermione jumped, clearly lost enough in her thoughts to have forgotten Lilith was there. "Er... what do you mean?"

The succubus grinned widely, "I mean, you clearly enjoyed blowing Ron and Harry, and I know from Master that you had Dean in your mouth briefly, so you've thought about him, too. So imagine yourself with that big, black cock in your throat. Do you like that?"

The witch didn't answer verbally, but the rosette was pleased to see her swallow and pink deeply.

"Mm... I can tell you do like the idea. Maybe you just enjoy blow-jobs? Some women do, you know. Sex is great, but for some oral is better. You might just be one of the types who truly enjoys it. I know I do."

"I..." Hermione frowned, looking away, "I wouldn't say it's better. But starting with one and ending with the other is... well, amazing. I can't believe Harry made me climax taking my- well... my f-first time. A couple of times, really."

"Ah," Lilith replied matter of factly, "that's my influence on Master. Some of it's learned skill, some his own natural talent, but most is Master gaining access to some of my power. We aren't just amazing lovers ourselves, there is a magical component that heightens the arousal and sensitivity of our lovers. Because Master is Bonded with me, he has some aspect of that. It's unlikely he'll ever not satisfy someone sexually if he sets out to. Even an inexperienced virgin."

"That's... interesting," Hermione pronounced, "and I have been wondering about that. I quite enjoyed being with Ron, too, though. I couldn't even say one was better, not really."

"That's because our powers don't work that way. We aren't out to ruin our Masters for everyone else. We can get plenty of sex from them without hoarding it all, so to speak. We help ease the pain and increase the pleasure, but it isn't a significant amount of the latter- just enough to make sure you enjoy it. If Ronald gave you the same amount of pleasure, then he's learned his lessons well, much like Master has."

"Lessons," Hermione snorted, "I suppose that's one word for it."

"I mean lessons, though," Lilith said with an easy laugh, "anatomy, techniques, everything a young man- any man- needs to know to please his partner or partners. Both were... very attentive."

"I'll bet," Hermione snickered, "Look, I should get back to studying. Thanks for... talking to me. It eased some of my concerns over... well, Harry summoning you in the first place. But... can I ask you something else before you go?"

"Of course. Any friend of Master's is a friend of mine, and they don't come much closer."

"Will you... look after him? I mean, I was just... so, so worried something had happened the other night when we couldn't find him... promise me that, even if I don't know where he's at and he doesn't want me to know, you'll keep an eye on him?"

"That's easy," Lilith replied solemnly, "I've been doing just that, and I have no intentions of stopping. I can't fulfill my end of the Contract if he dies, and... well, I don't want him to die. Some of that is selfish, absolutely, because his fluids are great tasting and very powerful, but I do genuinely like him as a person, too. You have my word- nothing will happen to him that I can prevent. And I pretty much always know where he's at in relation to me. How far, and his emotional state, too."

"Good, that actually makes me feel a lot better. Thank you, Lilith."

"Thank you, Hermione. If anyone in this world had summoned me besides Master, I think I'd want it to be you. I'll see you later."

Hermione had absolutely no idea what to think or feel about the Succubus' last statement, so she pushed all thoughts of it aside after spinning her wheels uselessly for a few minutes, and dove back into her work. Priorities mattered, and not much was more important than the exams, at least to her.

A/N2: Review, folks! New chapters posted monthly, but I will post early when I hit 10 reviews per chapter!

As some of you might have noticed, Ch 12 also got 10 reviews despite it being short (and me only asking for 5 minimum to post this one early too), so we are now officially a month ahead of schedule... if you don't count all the months I forgot to update. But 4 in a row on-time! :)

As a result, since we've met a few goals in a row, I'm moving the bar up a little. 15 reviews on this chapter to earn the next one two weeks early. As long as my beta can keep up, whenever we get 10 reviews or more on a given chapter I'll post the next one at least 2 weeks early. Didn't quite make the two weeks on 11-12, but it was still quite early. :)

Glossary:

Not so much a glossary entry as a clarification for those who were a bit confused by Lilith's explanation(s) of her powers and influence over others in the last few chapters.
She, as a Succubus of relatively high talent (in D&D, her 'ability scores' would be quite high, considerably above average across the board with a couple 18-20's in 5th ed), has both passive and active abilities available to her that work to a lesser extent on things of her world (that have grown a natural resistance), and a greater extent on things (especially humans and humanoids) in 'our world'.
Some of them I have explained already, like the Fog of Lust (or Lust Powder, as I think it's referred to at least once). That's an 'active ability'. There are others that become more open, even to Harry, in the next couple of chapters as Book 5 winds up. (Side note, I am not starting a new 'story' for the remaining 'years', it will all be in FwB.) Some of them are even combat-related... unless you're really kinky, then they are both.

There are also, as I mentioned, passive abilities. I don't have a name for the one most at play here, as the Succubi people never needed to name it. It just is a fact of their life and nature, one they don't even really understand because it is so pervasive in their world, and they can only really perceive it in action in our world. I've called it 'influence', because that is how it operates. That is mostly what Lilith was getting at when she gave Hermione that word in the final scene of this chapter.

"Influence" is a very subtle, magical aura that emanates from a Succubus, their Contractor, and their Domain in different ways. It is tied to the nature of the contract, but also the 'sisterhood' that all Succubi have with each other (including those who male- or other-than-female identify, which is about 40% fo their population). In practice, the aura simply encourages sexuality and sexual thought around the Succubus within a certain radius. Since Lilith's 'stats' are so good, the radius is strong, and affects around a mile and a half (or roughly 2.5 kilometers, if my math isn't terrible, which it probably is. I use miles, so consider that more accurate if I'm wrong).
The effect is subtle, and pervasive, and very hard to ignore because of it. The students making out in the common rooms and halls is the direct result of that influence: Everyone is getting more into 'it'. And as they see others not being punished for it (because teachers are not immune, and thus find themselves not minding so much), are more encouraged to go further... and the effect continues to grow stronger over time anyway, as one is exposed further. You could almost think of it as similar to the effects of radiation. A short, intense burst- while harmful- can be less damaging than a much lower exposure over a longer period of time.

The students, by the end of fifth year, will have been around her for... what was it... about a month and a half. Six weeks. By Christmas of year 6, it will be a lot stronger, even with the two- and a half-month break for summer.
No, Harry is not immune, not that he needs the extra help. His friends are definitely not immune, and proximity to Lilith on a regular basis means her aura affects them more than most others.

Harry himself, as the Contractor, has a similar but weaker version of the same arousal influence, but also, as the 'Dom' in the D/s relationship implied by the Contract (there is a reason- okay, more than one- that Lilith calls him Master most of the time), he also has a significant call to be 'superior' to others. He is a leader, and a commander, and a chief, and so on. He's in charge. Even if he doesn't like to admit it yet. His aura helps that along a bit.

Domain: I didn't clarify this much earlier, but it does become relevant later, so a bit of a hint now won't hurt. The third 'aura' is that of Domain. The short version, all I'll do now, is that it marks a Succubus' territory in case another Succubus should come along later and want to take some tasty treats. It has almost no effect on humans or most humanoid creatures and none at all on non-humanoids, for the most part. Some creatures that a Succubus might feed from, even far from humanoid ones, will note the effect but not be too bothered by it. Others, like a Veela, who are more related to Succubi in this story than they like to admit, are highly sensitive to it, and will avoid entering a Domain if at all possible without significant caution. They aren't enemies, but Veela are the other side of the coin to a Succubus, as you'll see when summer rolls around in a few chapters. More on this then. ;)