The evening of their first full day back at Hogwarts Hermione and Harry told Seamus and Dean that she was Veela. "That's why you're so knowledgable about them," Dean said.
"Yes," she nodded. "I've been reading everything I can find about them to try and understand what will happen to me. It's quite nerve-wracking. I found out about it shortly after Harry got bit."
"Man you two have just been hit hard," Seamus said.
"We're stronger for it though," Harry said, smiling at his mate. "The worst is when people inevitably find out."
Hermione nodded, "My biggest concern is the allure. Harry's immune to it when I cast it, I know that much, so I'll need you two to be aware and tell me if I release it accidentally. I don't know how I'll control it and that worries me."
"I can see Ron saying something stupid if he got hit with it," Dean said. "And a few other idiots in our class. Ernie Macmillian for one." Harry rolled his eyes. Ernie was annoying. So pompous about himself and his appearance. The Malfoys were far better off than the Macmillians but even Draco's air of arrogance wasn't as obnoxious.
"We'll help you Hermione," Seamus promised.
"Thanks," she smiled at them.
"What the wife said," Harry nodded, grinning when Hermione whacked him on the back of the head playfully.
"Harry you better hope she controls that Veela or you're going to be eating a fireball," Dean grinned.
"Oooh can you blast Ernie and Ron? That'd be entertaining," Seamus said, looking at her hopefully.
"I'm surrounded by idiots," Hermione said, shaking her head.
"Why not include Malfoy?" Dean asked Seamus.
"Malfoy's been quiet so far this year," Seamus shrugged, "doesn't seem like he's as big an arse as usual."
"Maybe his parents getting arrested hit him harder than we might have expected," Hermione suggested.
"Yeah but I'm not so sure," Harry said. "I think it has more to do with the Weasleys."
Dean frowned, "What do you mean Harry?"
"I'm not sure but there's something about Malfoy and how he acted today that has me thinking something is up. I could just be imagining it but I don't think I am."
"So long as the slurs and the constant attempts at baiting you stop I'm happy," Hermione said. Harry nodded. He'd like that too.
The first week back at school wasn't too bad as far as Harry was concerned. Winky arrived happy to help and delighted she'd be of a benefit to them both especially regarding their conditions. Seamus and Dean were privy to why they'd hired Winky and Dobby (and found it hilarious Dobby thought he was a spy for them) and Harry felt it bonded them closer with the two boys. Snape had been as difficult as ever but thanks to Occlumency and Hermione's presence Harry was able to mostly ignore the potions master.
Arithmancy was an interesting class, and though difficult at times Harry felt far better taking it than Divination. Not only did Professor Vector not foresee his death every class, she also had stories pertaining to why the course was so useful from her work at Gringotts. History of Magic had everyone excited as Binns talked about the Tri-Wizard Tournament. Harry didn't think Binns was more interesting than usual but the topic was free of goblin wars and rebellions so that was a pleasant change for everyone.
Harry wasn't sure what the twins said to Ron but his former friend had taken to ignoring them and no longer attempted to target Hermione. The day the basilisk was to be taken out of the school Ron could be heard loudly going on about how it was such a shame he couldn't compete and how unlike some people in Gryffindor he wasn't a coward. Harry really had no idea what Ron was even talking about. According to the twins, at home Ron often retold the stories of Harry's adventures to feature himself most prominently and always sought to make himself the hero in the stories with Harry and Hermione being bit players or not even in the stories. Somehow that didn't surprise Harry.
Harry, with Hermione at his side, led Amelia, Rufus, a large number of goblins, and Professor Dumbledore to the Chamber of Secrets. The initial path wasn't too hard. The smell when they arrived near the collapsed tunnel was though. Hermione wrinkled her nose, "Is that the basilisk?"
"It's all the way in the chamber but I don't remember if I closed the door or not. I'd guess not from the smell," Harry said. Dumbledore cast a few air freshening charms as they moved on.
They got to the collapsed portion of the tunnel pretty quickly. The goblins moved to the rock pile. Removing it magically might cause damage to the tunnel itself so it would have to be removed by hand. "If there's anything left of Gilderoy's fortune I will have it to repair the school," Dumbledore said, his face stern.
A goblin looked at him, "We can provide an estimate for damages. And take it out of his account if the DMLE files a report."
The headmaster looked at Amelia, "Madame Bones would you care to file a report on behalf of Hogwarts?"
"Certainly, Headmaster," she said, pulling out her notepad and taking notes. "I will need a damage assessment from Gringotts as well."
"Of course," the goblin nodded.
Clearing the debris took some time, but the goblins definitely did a good job. Harry led the group onward and they passed through the giant snake-covered doors. "Amazing," Dumbledore said, "to think the castle held this secret for so long."
Hermione frowned, "Isn't the castle sentient?"
"To a degree. It isn't as sentient as a human being or even an animal," Dumbledore answered. "It cannot talk to me or express concern. If it could I would have known about Pettigrew living as a rat, the basilisk roaming the halls, and the chamber itself."
"What about the portraits? Wouldn't they have seen the basilisk?"
"Most of the portraits are less than helpful," Dumbledore said.
"Like Sir Cadogan?" Harry asked. "He was always changing the password just because he was bored."
"Quite," Dumbledore nodded. "They also sleep mostly in the evenings and taking orders from faculty is mostly met with argument. It does not help that they remember us from our own youth," he added. Harry could imagine that might be hard. Although he couldn't imagine a young Dumbledore or McGonagall he definitely could understand that they'd have a difficult time being authoritative with portraits that remembered them at age eleven.
The sight of the basilisk caught everyone by surprise. Hermione stared at it, wide-eyed, and then looked at her boyfriend, "You killed that thing with a bloody sword?"
Harry just nodded, a little embarrassed at all of the attention on him as everyone, human and goblin alike, stared at him. "I think alot of it was adrenaline though. And survival. And I was pretty mad that this thing had taken you from me."
She would have rolled her eyes but the sight of the massive basilisk and the knowledge that a twelve year old scrawny Harry had defeated this beast with a sword was too much. She hugged him. Harry wrapped his arms around her and she took several deep breaths to control herself. "Sorry it's just…that thing is so huge and deadly and you were so…"
"I know," he said. "If it'd been the other way around and you'd taken out the basilisk I think I'd be horrified right now. I understand it."
Hermione nodded and squeezed him. The goblins measured the basilisk before a few huddled together. They emerged with an estimate for the value of the basilisk. "Mr. Potter a basilisk of this size has never before been seen. Our initial estimates are irrelevant but based on just what we've seen and some guesswork we'd wager the value is around 500,000 galleons."
"That's 1.5 million pounds Harry," Hermione said.
Harry stared in wonder at the basilisk, then back at the goblins. "Really?"
"Yes sir," one of the goblins nodded. "Do you have any ideas for the money or should we place it inside of your vault?"
"No I have plans for it," Harry said. "I want some to go to each of the victims of the most recent basilisk attacks."
The goblin looked at the headmaster, "How many students is that?"
Dumbledore counted them off, "Mr. Justin Finch-Fletchley, Mr. Colin Creevey, Miss Hermione Granger, and Miss Penelope Clearwater. So four."
"Five," Hermione said. Everyone looked at her, "Mrs. Norris isn't human but I know that if it had been Crookshanks I'd have been devastated. And if it was Hedwig so would Harry. I'm sure Mr. Filch suffered losing his companion for so long."
Harry smiled at his mate, "That's definitely true. Add Mr. Filch to the list please."
The goblin nodded, "Are all of these people still at Hogwarts?"
"Miss Clearwater graduated last year," the headmaster answered. "Everyone else is here."
"Good."
Some goblins who'd been looking at the basilisk and taking measurements came over, "Headmaster can you arrange a portkey to Gringotts? Our tunnels are not of adequate size to take this beast through them."
"If you can get it out of the school and onto the front lawn I certainly can," Dumbledore nodded. "Hogwarts does not permit portkeys within the castle proper."
The goblins went to work. Dumbledore looked around the chamber, "Well I think it appropriate that we look around this chamber. I'm sure there is more to it than a mere statue with a basilisk emerging out of the mouth."
"That must be where his inspiration for the Dark Mark came from," Rufus said.
"I would imagine so," Dumbledore nodded in agreement.
The Chamber was massive but Dumbledore stuck to the walls while Harry and Hermione looked around. "The statue is a bit much don't you think?" Hermione asked.
"Slytherin must have had a huge ego to leave this behind," Harry mused.
"I think all of the founders did, in a way," Hermione reasoned, "Think about the Sorting Hat. Students are chosen based on the values of the Founders which they themselves put into the hat. Only they could place students in the proper house. They had no faith or trust in the subsequent headmasters and professors to make good decisions on where each student would do the best. They just wanted to stockpile specific students in their houses." Harry nodded. Hermione made good points, as usual. They looked around the chamber with the others.
Dumbledore found something a few minutes later and they walked over. "Mr. Potter I believe this door will open only if spoken to in Parsel."
Harry gazed at the wall, "This is a door?"
"If my detection spell is right, it most certainly is," the headmaster answered.
Harry closed his eyes to imagine the boa constrictor at the zoo and spoke, "Open!" He heard a hiss rather than words and opened his eyes to see the wall begin to move. He peered in. It was dark in the room. Pitch black.
The headmaster cast Lumos and he and Rufus entered the room. They exited not long after they entered, "Nothing. Just some old bones. Might be where Slytherin stored the food for the basilisk," Rufus said.
"I daresay anything of value in this chamber is probably long gone courtesy of Riddle," Dumbledore sighed. "He would have thoroughly scoured the chamber on his own when he discovered it."
As they exited the Chamber Harry looked at Hermione, "So what are you going to do with your 300,000 pounds?"
She rolled her eyes, "Harry that's so much money to give away."
"I have loads of money Hermione. And besides, all of you had months of your life stolen from you. The money is compensation from the beast, not from me."
"Very sage of you Mr. Potter," Hermione said.
"I think it's all those dinners we had with Dumbledore. Or being your boyfriend just makes me smarter."
"Probably that last one," she teased, kissing his cheek.
He smiled and squeezed her hand, "What are you going to do with your money?"
"Have my own vault," she answered. "Maybe get some books I've been wanting. The rest I think I'll store for the future."
They got back up to the bathroom with help from the goblins. They waited as the basilisk emerged from the chute, "Gross," Hermione said.
"Yeah it doesn't look so good does it?" Harry grimaced. It was eerie how the snake seemed to move as it was shoved up the pipe. They stood back with the adults in the room as the basilisk emerged before Dumbledore ushered them out of the room. There was a crowd in the hall and Harry and Hermione moved out of the way. Then they heard a scream. They looked to see the basilisk's head sticking out of the bathroom and several people white in fear.
"The basilisk is quite dead I assure all of you," Dumbledore said. "This is the creature responsible for what happened two years ago. Mr. Potter killed it to make those events cease."
The basilisk moved through the halls slowly, drawing a big crowd. When it came to the entryway to the Great Hall Ron Weasley was exiting. Upon seeing the giant snake moving toward him he fainted. Fred and George stared at the snake, "That thing was controlled by our sister?"
"Yes indeed," the headmaster answered.
They then looked at Hermione, "It could have killed you!"
Dumbledore nodded, "Indeed it could have killed any of the victims. That it didn't is sheer luck on all of our parts." The twins swallowed.
People talked about the basilisk for several days before conversation turned to quidditch. Tryouts were posted as the Gryffindor team needed a new keeper, with Oliver Wood graduating the previous year. A few people were trying out for the role. Cormac McLaggen, Ron Weasley, Lee Jordan, and Fay Dunbar, Hermione's dormmate, all tried out. Harry secretly hoped Ron didn't get it. Ron had an inability to control his emotions. And when he couldn't control his emotions he got sloppy. There was also the issue of criticism. Keepers, whether in footy or quidditch, had a ridiculous amount of pressure on them and every great save was forgotten the minute they conceded a goal. Harry didn't think Ron would last long as keeper for Gryffindor. The Slytherin team would destroy him.
In the end Lee Jordan made the team, with Fay and Cormac as reserve keepers. Ron was heard mumbling about unfairness for several days after the announcements. Harry found it easy to ignore Ron, especially with Hermione's birthday to focus on. Winky was quite useful with planning something for just the two of them as she and Dobby had learned a great deal about the castle since their arrivals at Hogwarts. Dobby had shown her the 'Come and Go' room which Harry thought would be perfect. Hermione's birthday was on a Friday, so they could have the evening to themselves there. The more effort Harry put into his girlfriend's birthday the more he was actually eager for it to arrive. He was going to give her the best birthday ever.
Hermione, meanwhile, was dreading her upcoming birthday. She'd never liked being so far from her parents on her birthday but this year with the Veela looming over her special day she felt downright nauseous about the approaching day. The thought of the Veela perhaps forcing their relationship to move a bit further than they might be ready for was terrifying. Perhaps what was more terrifying was how excited and eager Harry obviously was for her birthday. She had to hope he was just planning something because the alternative was that Harry was excited because he thought once the Veela bloomed he'd be getting laid.
Not that Hermione was a prude; she could probably talk about sex easier than any of her classmates. Her parents had been quite frank about it with her. And Hermione had certainly never understood those people who felt compelled to 'wait' until marriage. Physical compatibility did matter in a relationship and waiting until after you were married to work that out made no logical sense to her.
And she certainly had fantasies about being with Harry, some more explicit than others. But at the end of the day, Hermione was a control freak. The Veela took away that control and it scared her. It scared her far more than she felt comfortable admitting to anyone, including Harry. Praying to Apollo did make her calmer but it didn't make her less scared; she knew she just had to face that fear and not back down but it felt quite daunting. Especially as her birthday drew ever closer. The book was no help because other than a few basic commonalities (more symmetrical faces being an example) Veela had little in common other than the powers bestowed on them by being Veela. They all could cast the allure. They all could transform into a harpy-like bird-woman. In that form they all could throw fireballs. But aside from all of that and a few other little things, they could be incredibly different. She wasn't sure how much of it was different personalities and how much it was the Veela and that was a major concern.
The day before her birthday Harry insisted they go for a walk. "Harry where are we going?"
"Just walk with me," he said, taking her hand in his. They walked out of the castle so that they had total privacy before he spoke, "I know you've been nervous lately but I know tomorrow is going to be okay. Because you're the strongest woman I know. And you won't let anything control you. Not a person and not some creature."
She gave him a small smile and he pulled her into a hug. Hermione tensed before confessing, "Harry I'm scared."
"I know," he nodded. "I know you don't like to admit that. I don't either to be honest."
"But you do," she mumbled into his neck.
"Only to you," he said. "I can't admit it to anyone else."
She pulled back to look at him, "Really?"
"Yeah. I guess," Harry frowned as he tried to find the right words, "I guess I feel like I can tell you anything. No matter how scared I am or how embarrassing it could be I always know I can tell you. I guess it's because I know you won't judge me or laugh at me."
That made her feel guilty. "Harry I trust you," she whispered.
"But it's hard for you to open up," he finished for her. "I know. I understand."
"You're too sweet," she mumbled.
Harry smiled and squeezed her affectionately, "It's kind of funny. We both have these issues but we never share them with one another; yet we both know about them anyway."
That set Hermione's brain in action, "Did my parents tell you about me?"
"No. Well, yes. But only about why you're so structured and a little compulsive about it; the rest I've worked out or deduced from that knowledge."
"Deduced huh?" She looked at him with a smirk on her lips.
"I can use big words," he grinned.
"And properly too," she grinned, kissing him gently. "I like that."
Harry returned the kiss before his brain worked out just what she'd said. "Hey!"
A grinning and laughing Hermione took off across the grounds and Harry ran after her with a smile on his face. She was to his mood what he was to hers and that was certainly a good thing.
Chapter 7
Hermione woke on her fifteenth birthday feeling pretty good. She rubbed her eyes and sat up. She felt pretty normal so far. On the other hand, it'd be weird if she was drastically different. Apollo wasn't stupid. He wouldn't make the differences drastic. She gathered her school uniform, underwear, and wand and headed into the bathroom. She always rose earlier than her dormmates so at least she'd be alone as she inspected her body for any obvious changes.
After a very long shower Hermione deduced that there were a few changes. The most obvious one was that her bushy hair had eased into straight hair with a few waves. That didn't surprise Hermione; neither of her parents had bushy hair. Her mum's hair was straight and fine and her dad's was thicker but straight with some waves in it. She'd always presumed her hair would straighten out as she got older. That it was happening sooner than expected was a good thing. Her hair was much longer as it seemed to have literally just straightened out. She cast a haircut spell to give it a trim, glad her dormmates had taught her how to do that. Once it was an acceptable length she entered a private shower stall. As she washed she touched every part of her body. Her breasts were a little larger than the day before, thought not noticeably so to others and her front teeth had shrunk to normal size; those were the only changes she noticed beyond her hair. That is, the hair on her head. Hermione had never had much body hair. The women in her mum's family just weren't particularly hairy. If the Veela made her less hairy, she wasn't sure she could distinguish genetics from Veela changes. That seemed like a good thing. She might be a little taller but she wasn't so sure her mind was playing tricks on her about that.
Mentally, she felt fine. Her mind felt clear and organized as ever. She tried to feel the Veela's presence in her mind as she worked the shampoo into her hair. Instead of the hostile or dominating presence she'd feared/expected, she was met with warmth and comfort. "Well this is a pleasant surprise." Feeling far more assured she went through the rest of her shower before drying off and getting ready for the day. One perk Veela had was perfect skin. No blemishes, no issues of dryness. That was a very nice perk. One that she knew her dormmates would be quite envious of.
She gathered her book bag and the bottomless bag Harry had bought her and headed out of her dormitory and downstairs. There at the bottom of the staircase was Harry, standing with a bouquet of roses. She stepped off the bottom step and he stepped toward her, "Happy birthday my love," he smiled.
"Thank you Harry," she accepted the flowers, very pleased when that was followed up with a kiss from her boyfriend. "Not a bad start."
"I'm doing my best to put every guy in the school to shame," Harry grinned. "By the way, roses are ridiculously expensive. But Dobby found perfect ones."
"They are beautiful," she smelled them, "I guess I should put them upstairs."
"I can does that Mistress," Winky squeaked as she popped into view. Hermione handed over the flowers, "I will find nice vase for them I will."
"Thank you Winky," Hermione said, smiling as the elf popped away. "Do you ever think they sometimes find ways to make work for themselves and each other?"
"Probably do," Harry nodded, offering her his arm, "may I escort my lovely girlfriend to breakfast?"
"You may," she said, taking his arm.
Harry took her bag and slung it over his shoulder as they walked toward the portal. "I like your hair," he said.
"Me too," she smiled and he knew that it was a Veela trait. Not a bad one. He knew she hated her hair before.
"I like the teeth too."
"My parents will be horrified I don't need braces," she said. Harry laughed. "Thank you for noticing Harry."
"I stare at you often enough I better notice," he said, earning a playful smack from his girlfriend even as she leaned against him. "Do you like the changes?"
"So far so good," she admitted. "But the day is young and the only boy I've been in contact with so far is you."
"Yeah," Harry nodded. "I've got plans for today."
"Oh?"
"A private dinner tonight," he smiled. "Winky told me about this really cool room in the castle that I want to show you."
"A cool room in the castle?"
"Yeah I've checked it out. I think you'll love it." That was all that Hermione needed to know. Harry could plan her birthday if he wanted. Hermione paused. Harry stopped walking, "What is it?"
"I just…I don't know what you're planning but I'm fine with it."
Knowing how Hermione was about control Harry tilted his head in thought, "Do you think that might be a change?"
Hermione's eyes moved back and forth as she tried to recall some of the book's remarks about Veela. Veela were manifestations of the Muses in a fashion. The Muses were all about arts and leisure. As much as Hermione loved Harry she doubted she'd all of a sudden be okay with a surprise from him. Her need for control was nearly compulsive in nature. She knew how to deal with the anxiety from not being in control but she had never felt okay about it. "I think it has to be," she finally answered.
Harry could see she was a bit freaked out about it and tried to offer comfort, "Maybe it's because I'm your mate." That certainly made sense. Veela were fiercely loyal to their mate. Harry being able to take control at times was probably something the Veela was okay with because he was special.
Hermione smiled and kissed him, "I love you Harry Potter."
"Hey you're able to ease my fears and anxieties. I think it's only fair I do the same."
They were nearly to the Great Hall when Draco Malfoy hurried toward them, "Potter! I need to talk to you."
Harry looked at Hermione, "What is it Malfoy?"
The blonde didn't even say anything about Hermione obviously not giving them any privacy. "I need your help," he said, wincing at the word 'help'.
"With what?" Harry asked.
"I know Sirius Black is your godfather. I need you to convince him to take me in."
"Why?"
"Molly Weasley is the most obnoxious person I've ever met," he answered. "She makes me call her 'Aunt Molly' and goes on and on about how evil my parents were and how grateful I should be that she took me in. I can't stand it. Please Potter."
Hermione looked at Harry. He was, at his core, a nice guy who would help people if he could. Draco Malfoy, though, was a bit of a nemesis and she wasn't sure his kindness extended to people who regularly called her various slurs. Harry frowned, "You do realize Sirius is alive because of Hermione, right? If he hears you use the m-word he's going to destroy you."
"I won't use it anymore," Draco said. "I saw what those spells did. It horrified me. My aunt is the reason Neville doesn't have parents that recognize him. She held that curse so long they went insane."
Hermione looked at Harry who seemed to be deep in thought. Finally he spoke, "Okay I'll ask Sirius but he says that he needs to get healthy after Azkaban before taking on an active role in guardianship. So even if he accepts that role with you I'm not sure you'll be able to live with him."
Draco's face fell. Hermione spoke, "But if you stay at the castle up until summer maybe Sirius will feel alright to take you in. I'm told the goblins are really good at healing regimens and Sirius did survive in Azkaban for over ten years without losing his mind."
Draco smiled at that news and thanked Harry repeatedly before walking away. "Well that solves his weirdness so far this year," Harry said.
"I'm beginning to think there's something deranged about Mrs. Weasley," Hermione said.
"Well she dosed her husband to get him to love her, tried to claim the Potter fortune but not the child that came with it, and lied about getting her daughter mental health help after she'd been cozying up to Voldemort for a year," Harry said. After Mona had talked about families coming forward Harry had asked Gringotts for all the information they had on that, hoping maybe it wasn't all gold-diggers. The Weasley letter had gone on about blood connections to the Potters as well as a few remarks about Harry being a half-blood and not being a proper heir as a result. Molly had signed it. If blood purity didn't matter (and feeding her daughter's head with tales of marrying Harry Potter seemed to indicate it didn't) she was still happy to use it to get rich. "On second thought, deranged seems the most apt description," Harry concluded.
He opened the Great Hall door for her, "Sorry for that interruption. Today's supposed to be all about you."
"Harry it's okay. I wouldn't wish Molly Weasley on…well I don't know how to finish that sentence. Usually I'd say Draco Malfoy," she said. Harry laughed as they entered the Great Hall.
At breakfast Hedwig flew down along with an owl she recognized as Athena, Sirius' owl. She was surprised the eagle owl dropped a package with a letter. Harry just smiled. "Harry Potter just how deep does your planning go?"
"Pretty deep," he grinned. "But I've no clue what he sent you. Just told him when your birthday was."
She opened the letter Hedwig had delivered first. It was from her parents:
Hermione,
Happy Birthday! It's so hard to believe my little princess is fifteen years old. Okay, maybe not as hard to believe as you being a witch or you having a boyfriend before you turned fifteen or that boyfriend destroying a dark wizard when he was in nappies but it's still right up there on the unbelievability scale. Is that a word? Well it is now. I just wrote it.
I know that today is a school day, but fortunately it's a weekend soon so I hope you enjoy yourself and don't just study all day. On second thought, you probably would enjoy that. And as an over-protective father I think I'm supposed to prefer studying to snogging the boyfriend…so tell Harry to keep his hands where I can see them. But I can't see them. Oh bollocks just enjoy your birthday, be safe, and have a good weekend.
Love,
Dad
P.S. No grandchildren for me until you're at least 40. I'm too young and immature to be a grandfather. Love you!
Hermione shook her head. Her father was so weird. Her mother's letter was sweet though not as amusing as her dad's, and enclosed with the letters was a gift certificate to a book store. She smiled. She'd make good use of that.
The package from Sirius surprised her. She opened up the letter first:
Hermione,
Happy Birthday to my favorite witch! Just don't tell Harry, wouldn't want him getting jealous. Have plenty of fun and hopefully I'll see you both this summer. My treatments are going very well and I look forward to getting to know both of you properly.
Enclosed is a present from me. The goblins were clearing out my house of all the dark arts objects and stumbled upon something I created with Harry's dad James when we were in school. I know you have other friends who you can't always be near and I thought you'd all like these.
Take care of Harry and have a good time!
Sirius
Aka The-Mutt-You-Saved
P.S. I have my own you can use to talk to me! Just say Snuffles into it and mine will vibrate.
Hermione smiled at the letter and folded it back up. She opened the package carefully to reveal four mirrors. "What are those?" Harry asked.
"Sirius says he made them with your dad." Attached were instructions on their use, "They're communication mirrors. We can talk to each other even when we're apart."
"When are we ever apart?" Harry asked, smiling and wrapping his arm around her. "I'm pretty much always attached to your side and you to my side."
She smiled. That was true. "Well it won't be that way forever Harry. It just is right now," she pointed out. "Not that I'm complaining," she added, leaning into him.
"Noted," he smirked. "These mirrors seem pretty cool."
"I think I'll keep them in the bag you bought me this summer." Harry nodded. That was a safe place.
They settled into eating breakfast, Hermione feeling rather pleased that Malfoy approaching them hadn't triggered the allure. Maybe she had more control over it than she had thought she would. That gave her some confidence. Breakfast was a very easy event, mostly because few people were up. Seamus and Dean came in and sat down just as Harry and Hermione were finishing their meals. "Hey Harry. Happy Birthday Hermione."
"Thanks guys," she smiled.
"Having a good day so far?"
"Interesting might be a better term," she said.
Harry filled them in about Malfoy. When he finished both boys looked surprised. "Whoa," Dean said. "Are you going to help him?"
"Yeah," Harry nodded.
"You're too good of a guy Harry," Seamus said. "After all he and his family have done to you and Hermione…"
"Sirius more than anyone knows about breaking free of your dark family; he can at least give Draco advice and support," Harry said. "I'm not writing off everything he's done to me. I'm helping him not become his father."
Hermione nodded her agreement with Harry's words. She thought Harry had the right of it; they weren't going to be friends with Draco, just give him the opportunity to not be a bigoted arse like Lucius Malfoy. She stood, "Come on Harry we can send an owl to Sirius before class."
Harry nodded and stood up, "I think she means they can snog before class," Dean said.
"Probably," Seamus nodded, the two boys smiling innocently at the witch when she looked back at them.
"Don't worry love I can hex them without anyone seeing," Harry smiled evilly, making the boys raise their hands in surrender. He laughed as they exited the Great Hall.
"Let's try out those mirrors," she said, pulling him up toward an empty corridor. They found a broomcloset and entered, warding it thoroughly before Hermione removed a mirror from her bag, "Snuffles."
A few moments later Sirius came into view. "Hey you two! Happy birthday Hermione."
"Thank you Sirius," she said. "These mirrors are very interesting."
"Yeah I thought you two could use them. Just had Kreacher get me a few more mirrors to enchant to make sure I had enough. So what's up?"
Harry explained the Draco Malfoy situation and Sirius stroked his chin. "If I take him in you're not going to want to live here Harry."
Harry blushed, "Sirius, I honestly don't really like magical houses. They're…I don't know how to describe it but they're too busy for me. And no offense but I don't really want to be apart from Hermione. Her parents are my guardians and that's what they're going to stay. They accepted me into their home and rescued me from the Dursleys."
It was obvious that Sirius was upset by this but he just nodded. "Okay. I'll accept guardianship of him. He can move in this summer. I'll be much improved by then."
"It's not that I don't want to see you Sirius," Harry said. "I just…"
"I understand Harry. I abandoned my responsibilities once already and I need to work that trust up. You two have a good weekend and enjoy your day Hermione."
"No Sirius it's…" Sirius had already signed off. Harry sighed. "Well that didn't go well."
"I'm sorry Harry," Hermione said, hugging him.
"Does he think I don't trust him?"
Hermione wasn't sure about that. She settled for giving her own opinion, "I think he thought as soon as he could take you you'd be living with him. That you wanted that."
"I just…I want to tell him in person about me being…a bit fuzzy. Face to face."
She rubbed his back, "Harry that's perfectly acceptable to do. Sirius is still recovering from severe psychological trauma. He's not all there quite yet."
"So maybe he's just a bit more sensitive?" Harry asked, looking at her hopefully.
"I think that's plausible," she nodded. Harry nodded to himself and let her put the mirror back in the bag. Once the mirror was away he kissed her. She returned it, her fingers tightening around his robe lapels. When they parted she asked, "What was that for?"
"I love you," he answered. "I don't need another reason."
She wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him again, "I like this."
"Me too," he whispered. "Feel any pull toward me?"
"Just the normal one when I have you alone in a broomcloset," she said, making him grin before leaning in to kiss her again. "How about you?"
"I'm always eager to kiss you," he said. "I don't feel any extra compulsion to kiss you though."
"Perfect," she smiled, kissing him again.
Hermione was delighted to find in her classes that day that the Veela didn't release the allure. Everything seemed as normal as Hogwarts could be. Her dormmates commented on her hair but other than that she went through the day easily. After their last class of the day he had Winky take their bags back to their dorm and led her up to the seventh floor. "Harry where are we going?"
"If I tell you it will ruin the surprise," he said, smiling at her. "Just trust me."
Hermione let him lead her up. She'd already been surprised when Seamus and Dean had given her birthday presents. They had given her a book on quidditch's long history at Hogwarts with the inscription, 'To Our Queen' and a box of sugar quills. She appreciated the humor.
Harry was excited. Hermione had given him the best birthday ever that summer and he'd been eager to return the favor ever since. He couldn't bring her parents to the castle given the strong muggle repelling wards Hogwarts had but he could at least give her the next best thing. They approached an ugly tapestry and Harry stopped. "Right here."
Hermione gazed around. There were no classrooms in this part of the corridor. No paintings either. Just tapestries and suits of armor. "Where is here?" She asked.
Harry walked back and forth a few times, his eyes closed. Suddenly a door appeared and Harry stopped, opened his eyes, and grinned. "Right here." He opened the door and looked in before bowing dramatically, "Ladies first."
A curious eyebrow rose but she entered the door that had suddenly appeared anyway only to gasp. "Harry," she whispered.
"It's not your house and I can't get your parents here but I do pay attention to more than your body," he smiled. "And you said that you loved the beach and would love to spend time on a private one. I think just the two of us is pretty private."
Hermione was in awe. It was the beach. There was an ocean with waves lapping at the sand and it looked amazingly real. "Harry this is…how did you do this?"
"The room does it all on its own. Dobby says the elves all call it the 'Come and Go' room but I did some research and I think it was called the Room of Requirement. Whatever you need, this room will give it to you. You just have to either really need it or imagine it. I needed a private beach to celebrate your birthday with you and the room came through. I had to practice a few times to get it right but I think I did a good job," he said, feeling rather nervous suddenly.
Hermione kissed him, "You did an amazing job Harry. This is perfect."
He smiled and kissed her cheek, "I'm glad you like it. There's more to it though," he said, pulling her along with him down the beach to a blanket, a campfire, and a little hut that was nearby. "What do you think?"
"Wow," she said, gazing at the layout. "This is really amazing magic."
"It can't create food or drink so Winky knows how to get in. She'll deliver dinner," Harry said, smiling as Hermione looked around the 'room' (it didn't really look like a room anymore) in wonder.
"It's just us?" She asked, turning toward him.
"The one thing I really wanted on my birthday and that I know you did too that I didn't get was privacy with you. This seemed like a good excuse for us to just be able to hang out together."
"Very smart Harry. I did miss that on your birthday. What is the hut for?"
"I thought we could change out of our school clothes," he shrugged, "plus what if it rains? This way we have a place to hide in."
"Can it rain here?"
"I got an ocean and beach in here so I'm not going to take chances," he responded. "You want to change first?"
"Sure," she kissed him, "Thank you for all of this Harry."
"You're welcome Hermione," he said, wrapping his arms around her waist, "Happy birthday my love." She kissed him once more before heading into the hut. Harry smiled. That she liked it was enough for him. But she seemed really impressed and excited and that was even better.
Hermione gazed around the hut. It had a bed and a bathroom and that was it. She changed out of her clothes into what was in the wardrobe, impressed with the room's capabilities and Winky's speed. Once she was finished she peeked into the bathroom. It had a shower big enough for two people and a toilet and sink. She checked her appearance in a mirror and headed out of the hut, "You did think of everything Harry," she said. "I love it."
"Glad you approve," he said, kissing her. "My turn."
Harry changed quickly and then they settled on the blanket to watch the waves and cuddle. "Today went much easier than I thought it would," she said.
"I'm glad," he ran his hand over her arm, "How do you feel? Different?"
"A little different," she admitted. "I can feel her presence in my head. It's weird."
"Yeah I can relate to that," Harry chuckled. "You'll get used to it. Is she controlling?"
"No she seems to be…I don't know, adjusting? Like she's been looking through my mind trying to understand who I am and what my life has been like so far. Did your wolf do that?"
"The only part of my life he's ever been really interested in is you. I think because you're my mate. He seems more concerned with my physical health and making sure you're happy. And making sure other guys stay the hell away," Harry added.
She smirked and snuggled into him. He wrapped his arms around her. "Harry where do you think our relationship is at?"
"I don't really know," he answered honestly. "I think the wolf matured me a bit. I mean, I definitely noticed you were a girl before I got bit but I definitely feel the lust now and I don't think it's just that my girlfriend is hot and I'm a hormonal teenager."
"Those two things probably don't help though," she giggled. Harry smiled. "I think our relationship has moved forward at an acceptable pace myself. I just want the decision to have sex to be our decision."
"A decision happily endorsed by a werewolf and a Veela," Harry chuckled.
"They're welcome to endorse it but not to force it," she responded.
"Agreed," Harry nodded. "So we'll just go at the pace we're at and when it happens it happens?"
"That sounds like the best idea," she answered. "I love you Harry."
"I love you too," he sighed. "What do you want to do now?"
"Snuggling with you is always enjoyable," she said. "But I think snogging my boyfriend sounds really good right now."
Harry smiled and shifted to be able to kiss her, "Well if the lady demands I must do it."
"Right because it's such a chore for you," Hermione rolled her eyes as Harry kissed her.
"You're never a chore," he responded, smiling as she returned his kiss.
After a very satisfying snog Winky arrived with dinner. The couple ate on the beach before taking a walk along the beach together. "I wonder why Hogwarts, A History doesn't talk about this room," she said.
"That is kind of weird," Harry nodded. "Does it mention the Chamber of Secrets?"
"Briefly. Just that it existed and Slytherin created it and kept his 'monster' in it. Some parts are more lore rather than fact."
He nodded in understanding. "I don't think many people know about this room. I think they stumble upon it accidentally."
"I can see that. It becomes whatever they need at the time so they couldn't come back and find it," Hermione said. "Today has been very nice. Especially this part."
Harry smiled. "I haven't given you your present yet."
"Harry all of this is enough. You don't have to give me anything."
"I think the boyfriend rulebook would disagree with you," he grinned.
"Since when do you follow the rules?" She teased. Harry laughed.
When they returned to the hut area Hermione was greeted with a cake and a present, "Winky again?"
"She's really great at helping us," Harry said. "She made the cake but the present is from me courtesy of Hedwig delivering it."
"It looks delicious," Hermione smiled, sitting down at the table.
"Winky's a great baker according to Dobby," Harry said.
She smiled and looked at the present. "Harry you've done too much."
"I don't think so," he said. "I wanted you to have a really great day even without your parents. Did I achieve that?"
"You did," she nodded.
"Then I did enough," he grinned. "Now open your present."
Hermione unwrapped the package to find a box. Inside the box she found books. Books with no titles and many that looked like notebooks. Looking at Harry quizzically, she asked, "What is this?"
"You know how everyone wanted to get access to my vaults?" Harry asked her. Hermione nodded. Harry smiled, "Well I figured they had to be after not just my money. I mean the Malfoys are loaded. Not like the Potters or Blacks but still," Harry shrugged, "so I asked Gringotts and they gave me an inventory. I'm not related to Merlin or anything but at some point in time an ancestor of mine was a patron of sorts for a young witch. She was brilliant; no one before her could compare mentally. This ancestor funded her experiments and research for over thirty years. After she died everything went to my vaults. After she died my ancestor claimed everything as being her work product under my family's gold. She was as prolific a note taker as you are and she wrote books about her life and work. I thought you'd like to read them. They've never been published so I knew you wouldn't have stumbled across them before," Harry smiled.
Curious, Hermione opened the cover of one to read the title- Blood Magic: Magic's Most Misunderstood Branch by Morgana. Her eyes widened, "Harry…"
"Do you like it?"
"This is…this is…Harry I love it," she leaned across and kissed him, "Thank you."
He smiled. "According to the goblins there's a ton of hidden treasures like this in my vaults. They said I can take you down there with me anytime and we can look through them. They've already verified their authenticity."
Part of Hermione wanted to start reading right away while the other part of her wanted to leap across the table and shag her boyfriend rotten. Hermione knew the Veela was out and eager; life was certainly about to get more interesting.
Chapter 8
A/N- Beware the rabid plot bunnies! They're dangerous. I could have been completely derailed instead of just 8 pages into a new story before jumping back to this one and working out some things. Some pretty big things, actually. Really big. Like, say, some stuff about Ginny and the diary situation; Ron gets tossed in, Neville gets his own little section because it was just so obnoxiously cute/sad I couldn't resist (isn't it weird how things can be cute and sad at the same time? I feel like that kind of sums up Neville pre-Department of Mysteries adventure), and...well it's just under 3k words so I don't want to give anything away. It's a shorty but a goody, I promise.
Hermione was amazed, as September slowly moved toward October, at how strong the Veela's lust could be when she and Harry were together. If Harry's reactions were any indicator then the werewolf was pushing for it too. She had the feeling that if they made it to Christmas without losing their virginity to the other it would be a bit of a miracle. But as she came to know the Veela she felt more assured. The Veela's focus was purely on Harry and his own lust was clearly focused on her. That was very good. The couple had a safe word if they felt their snogs were getting a bit too intense and they both used it. All in all as September slipped away Hermione felt far better than she had at the beginning of the month, though lying about her hair and teeth had taken some work at first she and Harry had come up with excuses to explain them away.
The end of September saw the first quidditch game of the season- Gryffindor vs Hufflepuff. Hermione sat in the stands with Seamus and Dean, a boy on either side. Hagrid sat behind them as he always did. She hadn't yet had a problem with accidentally casting the allure, though Ron Weasley was certainly acting funny around her. He'd get a weird blissful look on his face if he got too close to her.
It creeped Hermione out and Harry and the boys made sure to always be mindful of where Ron was as a result. No one else seemed to feel it, leaving Dean to theorize that maybe Ron was more sensitive to mind magic like his sister. According to Rufus the diary hadn't been capable of casting the Imperius curse or having any control on that level. The diary's power was most similar to a compulsion charm and Harry had been able to fight it off while Ginny Weasley had succumbed to it without any attempt at fighting back.
The teams entered the pitch and Hermione squeezed Dean and Seamus' hands as the stand raised up. "Do you think you'll ever get over that fear?" Dean asked her.
"I don't think so," she sighed. "Put me on an airplane and I'm fine. Being not on the ground courtesy of magic just freaks me out."
Seamus squeezed her hand, "Well you're safe with us."
"Yeah. Only safer with Harry probably," Dean nodded.
Ron Weasley had refused to attend the game because he said, "Gryffindor are rubbish without a real keeper." Neville had disagreed. At first the shy young Gryffindor had been interested in having a friend. He'd never had that before. But Ron mostly complained about Harry Potter and then he really got mad about the quidditch try-outs. Ron had been furious that he'd lost to a girl. Neville didn't need a friend that spent most of his time complaining about other classmates and plus, he had a girlfriend. Well, a female friend. She was a girl and she was his friend but that didn't mean that she was his girlfriend.
Neville had begun spending time with Hannah Abbott after that first DADA class and he really liked her. While Neville didn't really hang out with Ron after the DADA class, he was still the only fourth year who would talk to Ron. The other two boys were friends with Harry and Hermione and Neville didn't think that they'd be caught dead talking to Ron.
With the game being Hufflepuff vs Gryffindor Neville felt a bit awkward. He really wanted Gryffindor to win but Hannah was a Hufflepuff. "It's okay to have a friendly rivalry about our house teams Neville," she said.
He nodded and she kissed his cheek, "You're too cute Neville." The shy boy turned bright red and he remained bright red even in the stands in the cool September air.
"Neville are you okay?" He looked to see Lavender Brown looking at him curiously.
"Y-yeah I'm okay," he nodded.
"Is this about your girlfriend?" Parvati Patil asked.
Neville's blush grew, "Sh-sh-she's not my g-g-g-girlfriend!"
Lavender and Parvati exchanged an amused smirk, "Neville it's okay to have a girlfriend. Harry has Hermione."
"Or Hermione has Harry depending on the day," Lavender giggled.
"Hannah's not my girlfriend."
"Is she your friend?" Parvati asked.
"Yeah," he said, his brow furrowing in confusion.
"Is she a girl?" Lavender asked.
"Yeah….wait! No! She's not my…"
"Have you asked her if she's your girlfriend?" Parvati interrupted him.
"Wh-what?" Neville blinked.
Lavender sighed dramatically, "Neville, I know purebloods grow up in the Victorian ages but honestly; girls can choose a boy to be their boyfriend. Now isn't it possible that Hannah chose you and you just didn't catch on?"
Neville lowered his head as he thought. That did sound like something that could have happened. He wasn't very good at understanding girls and Hannah had kissed him on the cheek. Maybe he did have a girlfriend and just didn't know it. "H-how do I know if I have a girlfriend?"
Neville was so adorably dense in the eyes of the two fourth year girls. Harry had that quality too before he started dating Hermione. Neville seemed a bit worse though because Harry could read people and work out the situation. And if Hermione had kissed him the fool would certainly have worked out Hermione liked him. Neville though seemed a bit more sheltered than even Harry and that showed in his fear of pretty much everyone. Parvati smiled sweetly, "Well does she touch you often? Hold your hand, touch your arm?"
The pureblood bit his lip in thought before nodding, "She does that sometimes."
"Does she ever hug you or lean into you like Hermione and Harry lean into one another on the common room sofas?" Neville nodded his head again. "Has she ever kissed you?"
Neville turned bright red. Lavender grinned, "Neville I think you have a girlfriend."
He promptly paled. "A-A g-g-girlfriend? Are you sure?"
"Neville, I think we can tell if someone has a girlfriend," Parvati deadpanned. "We are girls, after all. We can spot a guy who's claimed a mile away." As the game began Neville sat pondering this information. He had a girlfriend. That sounded really scary.
It was Lee Jordan's first game but in Harry's opinion he didn't seem nervous. The first shot was easily caught and Lee caught it easily, doing a roll on his broomstick to toss it to Alicia Spinnet, who ducked a bludger that Fred sent at Diggory. Harry rolled his eyes. Fred and George always took shots at 'pretty boy' Diggory. Harry didn't need the help to out-fly Cedric; he could do it all on his own. He flew a bit higher to get a better view, dodging a bludger as he did. "Alright there Harry?" George asked as he sent the bludger toward a Hufflepuff chaser.
"Yeah George," Harry nodded.
One thing you could say about Hufflepuff was that defensively they were tight. He saw them moving in on the girls and he dropped, moving forward and clearing the way for Angelina to streak through behind him and toss the ball into one of the hoops. The Gryffindor section erupted and Harry smiled. He resumed his search for the snitch, every so often dropping and making the Hufflepuff team flee. He could hear Diggory barking orders at them to not be afraid of Harry but Harry didn't see that happening anytime soon. Harry had the fastest broom in the school and while his current tactics wouldn't work against Slytherin, they worked against Hufflepuff because the 'Puffs were just too nice and careful.
He didn't hold the run as long but he freaked out the Hufflepuffs enough that Gryffindor's chasers scored four more times. With the score 50-0 Harry kept his eyes out for the snitch. A complete shutout of Hufflepuff would give them a good jumping off point for the rest of the season and build the team's confidence. He really wanted Angelina's first season as captain to go well. That they had a tournament on top of the quidditch season meant that some of the older students probably wouldn't be on the quidditch team the whole season. He knew Angelina was old enough to enter the tournament but Harry doubted she'd leave to do the tournament. Quidditch was more important to her. He'd certainly choose quidditch over the tournament. The Tri-Wizard Tournament sounded really dangerous and putting Hermione through that did not appeal to him. Nor did being the center of attention, not with everything going on with them; although Harry wasn't one to seek attention anyway.
As he was making his third lap Harry saw it. He didn't even glance to see if Cedric had seen it, just streaked toward the golden ball. He was vaguely aware of the commentator whose name he didn't know screaming, "Potter's seen the snitch! Potter's seen the snitch!"
Harry's fingers reached out and he claimed the snitch before he felt his heightened senses reacting. A barrel roll had him just avoiding a head-on collision with Cedric Diggory. Harry landed safely and immediately the team descended on him, "200 to 0! We won!" The twins cheered.
Angelina held him at arm's length and looked him over, "Are you okay? You almost collided with Diggory."
"I'm okay," he assured her. "I guess my quick reflexes are for more than grabbing the snitch," he joked, hoping to divert attention from what he knew was a too fast reaction. Hermione was going to kill him. On the plus side the snitch hadn't been too far that his sight would be questioned. Not that he'd appreciate that after Hermione had killed him.
He was saved from any further questions by Hermione running toward him, "Harry James Potter!" He winced and she leaped into his arms, "I thought you were going to get hurt you giant prat!"
"Sorry," he said.
"I will kill you slowly later," she whispered into his ear, making Harry pale. Hermione kissed him and pulled back to look him over, "Are you hurt?"
"I'm fine," he assured her. "I rolled at the right time. Good thing my broom responds to the slightest of touches." Hermione could feel the Veela respond to Harry's innocent remark about his broom in a very non-innocent way and she forced it down, making a note to chastise her idiot boyfriend later when she yelled at him for almost running into Cedric and his near-impossible avoidance of it.
Fortunately no one seemed to notice Harry's near super-human response time. In the common room it was just another reason to party. And courtesy of the twins they had quite the assortment of snacks and drinks. Harry enjoyed the festivities but he didn't need to be a werewolf to know that his girlfriend was upset. He kissed her, "Shall we sneak out?"
She nodded, giving him a small smile. Harry squeezed her hand and they exited the common room and headed up to the Room of Requirement. They'd need a soundproof room. It didn't take long to get there. Harry entered the room and immediately had his hands full of a witch who was kissing him like her life depended on it. Harry pressed her into the wall, his hands roaming her body. When they parted to breathe with their hands under each others' shirts she whispered, "Ukelele."
Harry released her, "Sorry," he whispered.
"It's incredibly unfair for me to want you this badly but also be so angry with you."
"I'm really sorry about that Hermione," he said. "The wolf's instincts saved me. If we had collided…"
"You'd be dead which is why I want to shag you against the wall right now," she finished. "Harry I think werewolves and quidditch might not be a very good combination."
He frowned, "But I really like quidditch."
"And I really love you," she said, kissing him again. "And I prefer to love you in one piece, not several. Because that's what I'll be doing if you take the injuries the wolf could prevent."
Harry hadn't even thought of what would have happened had he taken the injury his wolf had prevented him from receiving. Hermione was right; he'd be dead. He couldn't have that kind of luck at a quidditch game again. Taking that hit again would have him lying broken on the quidditch pitch with his girlfriend completely breaking down as their two friends tried to support her physically and emotionally. He looked at Hermione, "I…I am so sorry Hermione. It didn't even occur to me…"
"It never does Harry," she said. "You run off and play quidditch and you're happy to take the broken or vanished bones, be in a hospital bed for weeks, and you never think about what it is like for me to sit there and see that happen to you."
Harry didn't really have a response. She was right. He hadn't even known how afraid she was of magically being off the ground until the Quidditch World Cup. He'd never once asked her opinion of the games or of him playing. Not before they started dating when she was his best friend and not after when she became his girlfriend and mate. In every aspect of his life he sought her approval or advice and when it came to quidditch for some reason he wanted neither. And worse she didn't say anything because she didn't want to fight. Not when what she could lose was his friendship and possibly more. "I'm a jerk," Harry said, rubbing his face in his hands. "Hermione I don't even know what to say other than sorry and I'll quit quidditch."
"That's a good start. How about not saying things that can be a double entendre?"
"When did I…"
"The Veela was quite excited about your remark about your broom's sensitivity," Hermione said, frowning.
Harry's eyes widened. Then he blushed. Hermione smiled. He was cute when he blushed. Before she could say a word she was kissing Harry and pressing her body fully against him, one hand slipping into his waistband. Harry felt his wolf purr at Hermione taking control. And then he realized that they were definitely crossing that line. "Ukelele." Hermione backed away and he asked, "You sure?"
"Harry I don't know what will happen tomorrow; if we'll be as amorous then as we are today. But I do know that if we don't then we're going to end up on top of one another in the common room giving quite the show to the rest of Gryffindor and I don't want them to see that. The Veela would roast every woman in the room. And I think the wolf would kill every man who saw me nude." Harry growled at the thought. Actually growled, which surprised the both of them. "Harry?"
"Hermione I've never done that before," he said.
"Is this because we're not together or is this going to get worse?" Hermione asked.
"I don't know the answer to that," Harry answered. "I mean it's not like either of us has ever heard a Veela and a werewolf being together."
Hermione bit her lip. No sex was making their more obvious characteristics come out. In Hermione it was okay; no one in Britain knew anything about Veela save them, Dean, and Seamus. But the werewolf wasn't a mystery. One had taught at Hogwarts recently. She made a decision and looked him in the eye, "Do you want to have sex with me?"
"Yes," Harry answered immediately.
"You, not the werewolf."
"Well me and the werewolf but I am most definitely speaking for me primarily," Harry responded with a lopsided smile. "Do you want to have sex with me?"
"Yes," she said, pressing against him again.
"You, not the Veela."
"Me and the Veela now shut up and kiss me Harry." He grinned as their lips met. He really loved her.