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Spiral Tangent: 'Witches Tales' - Four women deepen their relationship with Holly, to varying degrees of comfort.

Placement: November-December 1994; Chapters 41-43

What you need to know: Holly Evans attends Hogwarts in place of Harry Potter, though she found out almost a year ago that she IS Harry Potter and can now change into him like an Animagus. Later she discovered that it was Lily's modification of the Glyph of Weeping, used to protect Harry from soul-based magic, which caused her soul to be merged into Harry, transforming them into Holly. While none of Lily's memories were included in the emergent being, Holly has learned much about Lily's life through her journals and some preserved memory strands.

This Tangent is huge, and unusually story-related. Still has plenty of sex, though. Why make it this big? Because, aside from Padma's Tale and the Omake, it all happens in two days (20th & 21st December - Winter Solstice). Holly's having another one of those weeks.

Sections:
part one
Padma's Tale
Hermione's Quest Ends
Recognising Choices When Made
Just Harry
Padma and Her Bleedin' Maths

part two
Ritual Interruptus
Hermione's Wake-up Call
Sex and Violets
An Hour Later...
Omake: '...the one time...'

It is Fourth year, and Holly is beginning to realise that, in order to repair the Magical Society that Holly sees as broken, she is going to need allies and better ways of keeping secrets. Holly already created a variation of Riddle's Dark Mark that she tattooed onto Natalia (Nymphadora) Tonks to give her mind some protection from Dementors. Hermione reacted poorly to the idea- maybe because Holly only told her about it while they were recruiting Padma Patil for their cause.

*

Padma's Tale. 4th November

Holly and Padma have been sharing information for the last few days about Holly's double-life as Harry Potter, the Spiral Mark and the disciplines of the Mind Arts. After the fourth such meeting in the Chamber of Secrets, Padma expressed a discomfort with their cold, slimy and dark meeting place, in particular because she can't enter without Holly's Parselmouth ability to reveal the entrance and activate the staircase. The Hindi girl suggested that their next venue (and Time-Turning safe zone) should be one of her arrangement.

Holly approaches Padma in the seventh-floor corridor half-awake from the early hour of their meeting. Her uniform is only loosely put together, and the strap of her rucksack is pulling her dress-shirt out of alignment. Padma frowns at Holly's disheveled appearance.

"Thank you for meeting me promptly, Holly. Are you sure you were not followed?"

Holly silently shows the top page of her folded Marauder's Map while suppressing a yawn.

"Excellent."

Padma wraps the long gold chain of the Time Turner around Holly's neck and twists them back six hours in time. Aside from a brief walk-by from Filch and his cat, the corridor remains empty during their Turning.

"Please come with me, and verify that this space is as equally protected from monitoring as the Chamber."

Padma pushes open the iron-and-wood door. As she walks in, Holly notes a humid wave of perfumed air washing around her from the portal. The doorway appears to lead them to another part of the world... or maybe a different world entirely. Holly follows Padma in with her senses now fully awakened.

The doorway leads into a partially-collapsed marble temple or shrine, with the door on this side made of matching stone. Seven pools of different shapes are lined up along a descending curve down a hillside leading to a deep pond overhung by willow and Cyprus trees. The closest bath is a well ten feet across, surrounded by a circle of tile. It is situated within the dilapidated walls of the shrine, with an aromatic mist rising from the surface of the water- perhaps heated by a hot spring. The furthermost 'pool' is actually the squared-off stone edging of the pond itself.

Alongside the tiled outlines of each pool is a stone bench, and the path leading down from the shrine to the pond is marked by ancient pillars of marble as much as a yard in diameter. Diffuse light from beyond the low-hanging clouds gives the space a pink, otherworldly tint. Places beyond this opening in the dense trees are shrouded in a similar mist, and there is no appreciable echo to give away that this is merely a room covered by illusions.

"What is this place? It looks like a Maxfield Parrish painting."

Padma closes the door behind them and steps forward to stand next to Holly.

"It is a secret room that can be nearly anything that you need it to be. It can simulate any other room in the castle and has a few other specialised forms such as this one. In a way, I have you to thank for my learning about it."

"How so?"

"After your... 'Calendar Girls' speech I was approached by our seventh year prefect. He said that I was being demeaned by you including my beauty in amongst so many 'lesser women'. I accepted his attempt at seduction on the agreement that he teach me something equally rare and valuable. I had learned that from you as well. He led me here and I gave him my virtue."

"I thought... didn't you have your eye on Dean Thomas? Not that I mind; I expect that whatever-his-name-was probably was more trustworthy."

"Edwin. His seduction technique was much better than his follow-through. At the time, my relationship with Dean had not progressed as far as I wanted to take it so I chose to leverage both opportunities. I have been pleased by the results, overall."

"How is Dean these days?"

Padma blushes slightly. "Compliant."

Holly turns back to give Padma a knowing look. After a pause, she adds, "Good."

Holly wanders across the stone-tiled floor of the shrine, her progress followed by Padma's attentive eye. She finishes her tour and turns back to find Padma staring at her collarbone.

Padma asks, "How did you get that scar on your neck?"

"Flint's crew used Diffindo to remove my clothing. Sixteen of them, actually. Did you want to see?" Holly removes her loosened necktie and begins unbuttoning her top.

"N-no! I mean, only if you want me to see... but you would not want that. I would not want that."

"I'm not you. Take off your clothes."

"What?"

"You bring me to this romantic hideaway and expect me not to enjoy it?"

"I find this place very relaxing. I thought we were going to work on Occlumency."

Holly sits down on a stone bench and starts unlacing her boots. "Yeah, right. After our last session I'm not sure who should be teaching whom. I've already tested your defenses. They're adequate for keeping my secrets- you can defend and deflect, even when you don't know you're being sifted. You just need practice at detection."

"And your defenses are somewhat uneven, the weaker points shored up by the traps that lead into horrible memories of your past. We should be working on this."

"Yeah, but this is a wonderful bath house and I think it'd be a shame not to take advantage of it. I don't mind stripping solo, but if you get to see my scars, I'd like to see your flawlessness."

"I have already learned the aspects of female to female love. It was not inspiring."

Placing her boots to the side, Holly pulls off her socks and stuffs them into the footwear. "You got together with Marietta, right?"

"H-how did you know that?"

"I'm ignoring your silly question. Here's mine- what makes you think Marietta was a capable lover? Weren't you her first, and she yours?"

"Well, yes I suppose that is true."

Holly shrugs off her work robe and finishes removing her dress shirt. With the layers removed, Padma notes that Holly tightly fills her pale peach singlet and black denims. Holly steps up from the bench and walks on her bare feet to stand in front of Padma. "So really all you've gotten is a packet of sugar; I could give you a serious Sacher Torte."

"I am unfamiliar--"

"It's a dense, very dark chocolate cake that when made well will excite the senses with only a single taste."

"You are making analogy of your skill as a lover to baked goods."

Holly smiles in a hopefully seductive way. "Yes. Are you not fond of... treats?"

"I am unimpressed with most pick-up lines, double-entendres or poetic imagery. Edwin was overbearing in his abuse of prose."

Holly's smile fades slightly. "Ah. You would prefer something more direct."

"Yes. I have a desire for men and have already explored this facet of sexuality. What, in such an experience you could provide, would be significant enough to make me re-evaluate my choices?"

"I regularly keep pace with a nymphomaniacal metamorph and I have a ten-inch prehensile tongue."

Padma gasps slightly, watching Holly extend her tongue from her open mouth, sliding it down to caress her own neck out to the edge of her shoulder and back. Holly then stands up from the bench and strides forward with a focused gaze, backing Padma into a marble column. The dusky girl moves her hand before her in defense, gently placing it at Holly's collarbone once the girl stops her advance. Her voice seems lost for the moment.

Holly reaches up and takes hold of the hand touching her scar, drawing it up close to her face. She gently cups it in front of her and tickles the palm with the split tips of her tongue. She gazes at the taper of Padma's fingers, massaging the thumb with one hand even as she teases the sensitive parts between the digits with the other.

Padma squeezes her eyes shut and moans. "Holly, please..."

"Please what?"

"Please do not seduce me. I do not want to involve myself with you any more than I already am." Padma opens her eyes and looks back at Holly imploringly. A moment passes, where Holly's fierce intent is answered by Padma's fearful submission, accompanied by uneven breathing.

Holly shrugs and releases Padma's hand. "Okay." She steps back and turns around, dipping a toe into the heated pool. Holly then removes her glasses and taps her foot, causing all her other clothing to disappear.

Padma gasps in shock and then carefully calms her breath. She watches as the naked woman before her slips down into the steaming bath with a sigh. The Hindi steps away from the column unsurely. After watching Holly drop fully into the water and return to the surface with her hair slicked back away from her face, Padma walks slowly around the edge of the pool to face Holly once more.

"I do not understand. You could have had me just then, but you have abandoned the chase with what seems to be very little grief or frustration. Did this mean... so very little, to you?"

Holly squints and looks up at Padma. "I didn't mean to frighten you but I don't understand you, yet. I often put people on the spot about sex so that I can get a better sense of their interests and priorities, but you're a difficult read. You look at me with lust every once in a while, but for the most part you act like I'm the wolf and you're the rabbit."

"I do not fear that you intend to kill me, if that is your concern."

"Padma, are you going to share this pool with me?"

"No. But I will bathe in the next one over." Padma gracefully slips off her flats revealing her bare feet. She kicks the shoes underneath the stone bench alongside the next pool.

Holly considers for a moment before interrupting Padma's bath preparations. "Is this a caste thing?"

Padma is caught short and stops removing her robe to consider the question. She finishes pulling off her work robe and removes her blouse and skirt, leaving her in a thin white sleeveless undervest and knee-length slip. Padma unhooks her bra from beneath the undervest, pulling it away through an arm hole. Her darker skin seems to glow from beneath the sheer fabric.

She turns back to face Holly, noting that the red-headed witch is squinting at her body, apparently enjoying the view despite having removed her glasses. Holly's own body is only slightly obscured by the steamy water of her bath. Padma shivers slightly at seeing the pinkish scars across her chest, visible by their contrast to Holly's pale skin. Also prominent with her hair slicked back is the jagged rent on Holly's forehead. Padma feels herself gazing a little too long and snaps her attention back to the conversation.

"Yes. You are a warrior. I am not. We should not mix."

"Bollocks. I'll give you the dodge had some merit, but you didn't say I was Untouchable. Whether you consider yourself artisan or priest, such mixes are allowed, right? What's the real reason?"

"I am pleased to hear that you studied my books--"

"Answer the question, Padma."

"You are... frightening. There, I said it."

"You haven't said much. What about me frightens you? This may be a simple misunderstanding..."

"You are not human. You are more than just a witch. I have heard tales about those who would travel in the company of an avatar, and the mortals do not fare well."

Holly rolls her eyes. "But don't they usually get resurrected later?"

"The earlier versions do not include such happy endings. Cities may burn to ash in the midst of divine disagreements. Such is the nature of your conflict with the Dark Lord- it reaches beyond the grave."

"You say that like I can't be understood or related to. I am a girl. We have much in common."

"You may appear as a woman but there is where our commonality ends."

"Is this because I can switch? Surely there must be stories about other people in this situation. Even Natalia can appear as either."

"Of course. Those stories are legends, and like those legends you are associated with acts of wonder and creatures of great rarity. Did your metamorph friend not explain how unusual her talent is, particularly in the extent of her ability?"

"Yeah..."

"And already you have broken the rules that others considered inviolate, by using two Unforgivable Curses as blessings. You defeated a Mountain Troll and killed a Basilisk. Reality warps around you. Those who stand too close are caught in the wake and must twist similarly or they shall surely perish."

Holly scowls. "So why stick around with me at all? You could have taken the Obliviation route."

Padma sits demurely onto the stone bench, crossing her legs and resting her forearms on her knee. She considers for a moment before responding.

"It is a calculated risk. Already in my time with you I have learned things that no one else of our generation would be likely to discover or have a chance to investigate. I am willing to stand in your shadow, in order to explore the secrets you uncover. Only so close and no closer. Will you accept my terms of involvement?"

"Sure."

Holly puts her glasses back on and then raises her hand out of the water, the tip of her finger glowing blue with enchantment.

"By my magic, I promise to treat Padma Patil with the respect of equals, to keep her secrets and not to force or coerce her into sexual congress with me."

Padma retrieves her wand and raises it in front of her, pointing the tip skyward.

"By my magic, I vow to keep secret that which I learn through association with Holly Evans, only speaking of these matters with those whom she has explicitly named as trustworthy, and only of the matters she deems appropriate to be shared."

Both witches nod in agreement after considering the other's words. They then speak the invocation in tandem, "So mote it be." Aqua-coloured light from both witches arcs out to twist together, then splits back to land in the center of each girl's chest. Holly idly rubs her sternum where the magic re-entered her body.

"I'll say this as I said it to Hermione- you decide to pursue me sexually and the gloves are off."

"I will attempt to forego any teasing in the matter." Padma then pulls the vest up over her breasts and off from around her head. She stands up from the bench and with a second movement she slides her slip and knickers over her hips to fall around her ankles, revealing her primly shaven privates and smooth, shapely legs. Padma steps to the side and then bends down slowly at the waist to retrieve the errant pieces of clothing, placing them with her robes before stalking across the tile and descending into the next (oval-shaped) pool.

Holly watches this brief but enticing striptease with interest, sighing deeply once Padma's chest barely descends below the water line.

Padma reclines in the bath facing toward Holly but rises slightly from the water (now that her chest is wet) with a concerned look. "Are you alright?"

Holly's covetous expression darkens.

"Girl, you're cruel. Drop-dead gorgeous, eminently taste-worthy and graceful to a model's envy, but cruel."

Padma smiles in satisfaction. "This is not an invitation of any sort, but I will be amused to see you suffer in my presence. I know that you find me attractive. Surely you can appreciate the irony from my perspective- I'm taunting a Devi to worship my beauty from afar."

"You seem to have moved beyond your fear of my possibly-divine nature..."

"Yes. The vow does give me some sense of safety within your presence." Padma rises slightly more out of the water, presenting her chest prominently while binding her long dark hair into a loose knot to keep it out of the water.

Holly grumps for a moment. She fiddles with something in her hands and then draws her left arm out of the water, pointing her finger towards Padma in the next pool. With a 'twang', an elastic zips across the open space to snap into Padma's left breast, giving the shocked girl a small but painful welt.

"Oww!"

"Remember that motto about tickling dragons...?"

*

A little more that you need to know: After seeing Holly nearly killed facing dragons during the First Task of the Tri-school Tournament of Wizardry, Hermione changed direction and lobbied (unsuccessfully) to be Marked as well. In Holly's most recent argument against it, she explained that she feels Hermione is blessed by God and would be sacrificing that blessing if she took the Spiral Mark.

Hermione's Quest Ends; 20th December

Hermione pulls Holly and 'Harry' into a private conversation in an isolated hallway after intercepting their departure from lunch in the Great Hall. After ensuring their protection, Hermione stands with one foot forward, as if for a stage soliloquy.

"'Every subject’s duty is the king’s;
but every subject’s soul is his own.'
Grace is only MY responsibil'ty,
and I devote myself to your venture.
By blood I am our enemy's target;
I want Spiral's armor for this conflict.
Will you leave my mind bereft of aegis?
Am I not worth protecting anymore?
Your Mark is the banner I choose to bear.
Trust me now and I shall never waver."

Harry-Tonks looks between Holly and Hermione, who are staring at each other intently.

"Ehmm, I'd swear that was English but what'd she say?"

"Hermione said 'shit or get off the pot'. If we're starting a revolution then I can't be coddling her as she's already a prime target for the enemy even without me loving her. Whether or not she loses God's blessing is her problem. It's a fair argument... and in iambic pentameter, no less."

Hermione tilts her head back in satisfaction. "So you'll agree, now?"

"Not in the least. It was lovely poetry, Hermione, but if I'm going to let my convictions be overturned by a song then we're already doomed."

Holly turns and exits the border of privacy, leaving the other two behind. Harry-Tonks scowls at Holly's departure and then turns and smiles at Hermione, who is slumped against the wall looking defeated.

~o~

Hermione sidelines Holly again after dinner. With just a look the girls agree to find a private space and soon are sealed within a nearby receiving room. Holly turns to face Hermione, interrupting her friend's building presentation.

"I--"

"Hold up, Hermione. I'm getting tired of arguing with you about this, so I'm going to give you fair warning. If you bring up this topic again after today, I'm just going to hit you. No dialogue, no discourse, just violence. I've made my point. From here on out you're just arguing to annoy me, and I will slap you to ensure that you don't waste my time."

Hermione glares at Holly in annoyance over the threat. "May I have my 'last shot', now?"

"Yeah. Serve it up. Dazzle me." Holly sits down on a nearby marble end table and glares back at Hermione.

"I'm the girl that punched Minister Fudge; I'm the girl that breaks all their assumptions about blood; I'm the girl who ruins the scoring. They're going to KILL ME just for being me; never mind being your friend, your lover or your fellow revolutionary. "

"Doesn't mean you need the Mark. I already know that you're in agreement about the need for change."

"But I can't just be a resource! This is MY FIGHT, even more so than yours! You already have a future set, should you choose it, and this society would allow you entrance to their halls of privilege if you were to convince them of your contrition and a change in beliefs. I will ALWAYS be on the outside if things are left as they are."

"No doubt."

"Then... why won't you let me serve the way I WANT TO?"

"Because you don't know what that means. You haven't had to make a hard choice. Prove to me that you are willing to make hard choices, Hermione."

Hermione paces about in agitation. "How do I do that? Do you want me to capture an enemy and torture some secrets out of them? Be realistic, Holly! Not everyone needs to serve in the trenches, and you can't see all the strategies while you're fighting. You need me!"

Holly shuts her eyes and rolls her head in frustration for a moment.

"Hermione, you're right. I do need you, but not for that. I need you... to be safe. I need to focus on you as the reason to go through what I go through. If I take you in as a minion and destroy your... Grace, then I'll lose that... belief. I need to be able to believe in a better person, a better world. You are the personification of the better world I seek to make. If I destroy you in order to make that world, then what's the point of the struggle?"

"Holly, I'm not a saint. I'm not even pure. By many standards, I've fallen so far that Jesus already weeps for me. If you need to focus on someone for whom to make the better world, make it be for my children. For your children. For... your and Natalia's children. Make it be for that, and to take apart the society that's forcing us to live through this bilge, when this world should already be a wonder and a delight. They promised us magic and gave us horror--"

Hermione is cut off by Holly's annoyed growl. "Stop writing speeches for a minute and just talk to me! Why do you want THIS so badly, really?"

Hermione mimics Holly's earlier head-rolling motion before letting out a huff and continuing.

"I... oh God. I can't believe I'm going to..."

"What?!"

Hermione turns and stares directly into Holly's eyes. "Holly, I desperately need to be fucked long and hard in the near future and with great frequency. I miss having you... plunge your fingers into my snatch and tease my nipples to hard points before sucking on my teats until my knickers are flooded with love juice. I want you so bad it hurts. I need the Mark to fix my brain so that we can be lovers again."

Holly rubs her ear while staring flabbergasted at her friend. A chuckle finally slips beyond her moment of shock. "H-Hermione, what the fuck?"

Hermione's head falls forward in defeat. "It... was a suggestion from Natalia."

"She told you to say that? And you listened?"

"Well, it's not the sort of thing you forget."

"No, no, I certainly won't. And... do you actually feel that way?"

Hermione blushes deeply while looking at Holly askance. A small squeak of a voice issues from her lips, "Yes."

It takes a long moment before Holly responds, "Liar. Fine."

"Fine? What do you mean, 'fine'?"

"Tomorrow. I will take your virginity in the morning. Afterwards, the Marking."

Hermione squints at Holly with incredulity. "A-alright. Is this really because of what I just said?"

"Yeah. You threw out your logical and impassioned argument and took the advice of someone you don't respect but who commands my attention. You volunteered to perform unsavory sexual acts for an indeterminate amount of time. And you lied about wanting me, well enough for it to be believable for two seconds. A hard choice."

Hermione grumps and points an accusing finger at Holly. "You planned this with her!"

"Not at all. Hermione, I hope you will eventually understand that Natalia may not be book-smart but she is very wise. By getting you to do that, she tested you in a way that proves your conviction to HER satisfaction."

Hermione squints at Holly in confusion. "And... that's important because...?"

"Because I love her. And I love you. And the only way that's going to work is if we can get you to love her."

"But I'm not a lesbian!"

"Didn't say anything about sex, Hermione. We're going to be sharing our memories and expertise, which requires understanding. The first step here is for you to accept that, in this area, Natalia is the expert."

"Well, I don't think I understand this at all!"

"Perfect. Meet me in our 7th floor 'training room' at 5:00 tomorrow morning- I'll reintroduce you to my other aspect, we'll have sex and collect samples after. Then we'll reconnect down in the Chamber after lunch and I'll give you the Mark. I'll need the few hours' break to prepare."

"Did you have to wait with Natalia?"

"No. I had everything ready then because I knew what I was going to do. I only just agreed to do this, so I need some prep time. Also, I need to make sure that we're not interrupted. Unlike the Madhouse, the Chamber isn't under the Fidelius. I want to check the warding after I get the ritual circle scribed, to see if I need to plug any leaks."

"I can help--"

"No! Just... trust me. This is the way I want to run this. Either take my word for it or forget the whole thing."

"Okay."

Holly shifts off the table and draws her confused friend into a hug.

"Hermione, everything you said made sense, and yet I'm still not entirely sure. I won't renege on my promise, though. If you still want the Mark by tomorrow afternoon, then that's what will happen. I... need to check on a few things first. With Natalia."

The witches lean back in their embrace to face each other. Hermione says, "You really love her."

"I love you both. If either of you puts me in a position of having to choose between you after all this... well I doubt any of us will live much longer."

"Why is that?"

Holly's grip around Hermione's waist tenses noticeably, and she locks her gaze on Hermione's brown eyes.

"Because I'll kill both of you in a fit of rage, and then take my own life for being so stupid as to let you convince me that this would work."

Holly reaches up and kisses Hermione's lips before disengaging her hold and turning to leave.

*

Recognising Choices when Made; 20th December, evening

Holly stands, somewhat distracted, as Padma unwraps the gold chain of the Time Turner from around her neck. They enter the Room of Requirement, currently masquerading as the Restricted Section of the Library. Holly delves into the stacks while Padma unpacks her bookbag. Soon, numerous books and scrolls litter the nearby worktable, mostly containing Padma's recent research.

"Padma, can we move the second Turning tomorrow morning down to the Chamber? I need to use the Room for Hermione. In fact, I'd like it if you could lurk in the Chamber for the day."

Padma considers the idea briefly. "Ah! You have finally chosen to grant her the Mark. But why then would you wish to use the Room? Certainly the Chamber is the more stable space for rituals."

"It is and that's where we'll do it but I need to fulfill a promise, first." Holly squints at Padma with suspicion. "Hang on. You've been working on this already?"

Padma shuffles through another stack of scrolls until she finds the collection of interest, placing them to face Holly. "Of course. I have some enhancements, really just cleaner rune arrangements for your ritual circle. Do you intend to trade the same qualities with Hermione as you did for Natalia?"

Holly begins reviewing the graceful script on the top page. "Almost. Wait. Why would you expect me to do this?"

"Holly, you may not have intended to use it ever again when you first conceived of the Spiral Mark, but surely since then you have come to realise the value of its use in your greater purposes."

"So I am to fully embrace my Dark Ladyship, is that the idea?"

Padma stares at Holly in confusion. "Yes. After you had cheated in the contest and slain a dragon for profit, I assumed that you had already resolved yourself to that conclusion."

"Yeah, but it's getting real. Saying 'I'll be an evil bitch so I can worm my way into the underworld' sounds great on paper, but it's another thing entirely when you're faced with a crime you have to commit to fulfill the plan. Even moreso when it's a crime against those you care for."

"What crime? You will be applying a ritual to your voluntary followers in order to protect them and your secrets."

"Follower-s? You think I'm going to make a habit of this?"

"Holly, you have stumbled upon a remarkable achievement in vital magic and can leverage the Spiral to build a cadre of absolutely loyal and capable followers. I think you are imbuing too much of a personal bond into this procedure. You do not have to make love to empower your Mark. I am sure it makes the experience memorable, but it is hardly necessary."

"Really? What else have you uncovered?"

Padma's eyes light up and she invites Holly to sit next to her, sliding out another collection of scrolls for review.

"So much! In some ways, I am anticipating Hermione's Marking even more than she is, for I believe our cooperative analysis may allow us to develop this into a new paradigm in the realm of institutional authority!"

Holly watches Padma's enthusiastic nodding with a pained look. "Me too. I'm fair to certain I might get both of you to say this sort of thing in a way I can appreciate, beyond the hopping up and down."

*

Just Harry; 21st December, early morning.

Hermione arrives in front of the door to the Room of Requirement, only this time it appears as an oval parlour door, cross-stitched in deep plum satin. Hermione turns the brushed-brass handle and enters. The room beyond is barely lit by candles in wall sconces. Dark-tinted gossamer scarves are strewn from the ceiling, creating a small maze of fabric while further reducing visibility. The air is a bit thick with the scent of flowery incense.

Hermione shuffles forward through the curtains until she comes upon a warm hearthfire with a long couch in front of it, beyond which she can now see an extra-wide posted bed, partly obscured by more curtains. Reeling from the warmth, Hermione removes her work robe and sets it on an ottoman. Beneath she is wearing her normal schoolday wear- white blouse and grey woolen skirt. Hermione removes her House tie and loosens the top buttons on the blouse to relieve her from the stifling heat.

"H-Harry? Are you in here?"

Harry silently steps up behind Hermione, sliding his hands around her waist in a loose embrace that nonetheless startles the witch. Hermione gives a 'Yelp!'

"It's me. Good thing, too. It certainly would be embarrassing if it were somebody else in here."

Hermione twists in Harry's hold and hugs him in relief. "You gave me such a scare. Why'd you do that?"

Harry stares into Hermione's eyes. "Reckon that you're already jumpy. I might as well help you past that."

Hermione returns Harry's long gaze, a quiet 'coo' escaping her lips as she lets herself get lost in the firelight's reflection.

So as not to ruin Hermione's moment, Harry whispers. "Do you remember the first time we met?"

Hermione whispers back, "Do you mean on the train, or on Animagus Day?"

"No, I mean when you first met me as Harry for a conversation, at the Three Broomsticks. You were having such an awful day and I saw you there and knew you were the answer to my prayers at that moment. I missed you so much, and I needed your help, and I wanted to console you in your sorrow over Buckbeak."

Hermione smiles with a saucy turn at the corners of her lips. "I remember that day fondly- usually at night, behind my bedcurtains. As I recall, you were up to quite a bit of mischief..."

Harry returns Hermione's warm smile. "For very good causes! Anyway, that's the day I remembered while I was getting this room ready. The mystery, the sense of danger... I wanted so badly to kiss you then, to let you know that things weren't as bad as they seemed, and that I was going to do everything in my power to make them better for you."

"Oh, Harry..." Hermione leans in and kisses Harry on the lips. Their kiss starts simple and tender but grows more insistent and erotic the longer it continues. They break briefly to catch their breaths but immediately rejoin the snog. Hermione runs her fingers through Harry's hair. He moans slightly in enjoyment and then slips his hands from Hermione's waist to grasp at her bum. Her breath catches and Harry shifts his kissing to nibble along her jawline and lick the sensitive spot behind Hermione's left ear.

Hermione gasps and leans back to look for Harry's expression. His halted advance of covering her neck with kisses has left a needful look on his face and Hermione catches her breath again, this time accompanied by one hand reaching to touch his lips. Harry kisses the fingertips and then turns his gaze back into Hermione's eyes.

"Do you want this? Do you want me to do this?"

"Y-yes. Yes, I want you to do this. Somehow I imagined it would take me some time to ease into the mood. What happened?"

"Well, this may be a bit confusing, but I'm just Harry right now."

"What do you mean?"

"I-I'm... I'm just Harry. There's no Holly at the moment. Or more like Holly is asleep right now. Get it?"

"No. Are you trying to say that Holly and Harry are two different personalities?"

"Not quite. Ehmm... most of the time, Harry is Harry and Holly, while Holly is Holly and Harry, but every once in a while, when I feel... safe, Harry is just Harry." Harry shakes his head. "This is... ahh... probably not the best time to go over this."

"No, it's fine. I think I understand now. And the reason I'm having no problem expressing my affection for you is that the part of you I've been Compelled to avoid isn't active. Is that it?"

"Something like that. I feel like I've been lying to you about this, but it really isn't that cut and dried. Are you... do you still want to make love with me? Even though I'm not... all that I usually am?"

Hermione looks into Harry's eyes for several moments, considering the situation. Harry is becoming quite nervous from the silent scrutiny by the time Hermione answers. "Yes. I want you, Harry, to make love to me."

"Are you sure?"

Hermione grips the plackets of her blouse in both hands and rips them apart, sending buttons flying and exposing her unfettered breasts to the warm air.

"I'm sure."

Harry grins and reaches forward, drawing Hermione into a kiss with one hand while cupping her breast in the other. His thumb flicks over her nipple, interrupting their snog for just a moment so Hermione can catch her breath. Harry gently kneads her soft breast, encouraging her rising passion.

Hermione gasps and then breaks their embrace, twirling away from Harry in a dance of delight. Harry's arm gets caught between her half-removed blouse and her back, impelling him to stumble forward or end up with his arm bent backward. After a brief laugh they disentangle themselves. Hermione ends up with her blouse trailing out the back of her skirt with Harry staring at her chest, watching as her giggles make her breasts bounce in a delightful fashion.

"Harry! Surely you've seen your share of uncovered breasts by now."

"Yes, but I never get tired of watching them in motion. Particularly yours." Harry smiles and starts disrobing, prompting Hermione to finish removing her ruined blouse and pull off her nylons from beneath her skirt. She looks up to see that Harry is down to a pair of black silk boxers.

"Umm, Harry. Shouldn't I... take care of the last layer?"

Harry looks up from tossing a sock onto his pile of discarded clothes and shrugs. "Sure. That'd be great."

Hermione grins and steps forward into Harry's arms, kissing him seductively for a moment before sliding her hands down his torso to hook her fingers in the silk-covered elastic at his hips. She pushes the fabric downward but soon realises that her kisses have created... an obstruction. With a smile and a peck on his lips, she steps out of the embrace and sets to kneel down next to Harry's bold stance.

Hermione's eyes widen as she takes a closer look at the tented silk posed only a few inches in front of her face. She once again takes hold of Harry's waistband and carefully stretches it out and around his erection, distracted for a moment by Harry's plaintive grunt of appreciation. She looks back in time for the boxers to snap over his cock tip, causing the todger to swing forward and smack her lightly in the eye.

"Ow! Harry!"

"Hey, you're driving down there- it's not like a finger or anything."

Hermione rubs her eye briefly, hoping the small drop of fluid that caught in her eye will stop burning soon. Using her good eye, she takes a long look at Harry's equipment, her warm breath causing his manhood to twitch and rise a bit further. Hermione reaches up to wrap her fingers around the tip. She feels the softness and warmth of the flesh in her grasp, and becomes fascinated by it. A brief pull downward and she releases the rampant meat, watching it bounce up in reaction.

"Uhh, Hermione?"

"It's so hard when turgid, but shrinks to nothing when flaccid. Am I right?"

Hermione looks up to see a very distressed expression on Harry's face and notices that his 'unit' seems to be dipping downward a bit.

"Just a recommendation, Hermione. No bloke appreciates either of those terms, no matter how accurate they may be."

"Oh." Hermione grimaces apologetically and then looks back at Harry's manhood. A thought occurs to her and she licks her lips in consideration. Just that act is enough to inspire Harry's renewed vigor, and Hermione licks her lips again watching the rod rise once more.

"Are you thinking of tasting it?"

Hermione nods slowly, reaching her lips forward tentatively and extending her tongue to quickly lap the underside of his cockhead. Harry seethes and the penis jumps in delight.

"Hmm. I see this as more for your enjoyment than mine."

Harry groans. "Well, I would never insist upon you trying it but if you don't intend to continue, perhaps you'd like to come up here so I can move things along..."

Hermione snaps herself out of a reverie and stands quickly, turning to face Harry with a guilty look. "I didn't mean to tease..."

"And yet you did, anyway." Harry smiles and then slides his hands around Hermione's face, drawing her into a deep and passionate snog. Hermione enjoins in the kissing, and Harry quickly divests her of her skirt and white panties, their kisses never really disrupted for the split attention. Harry slides his hands around Hermione's bum and across the sensitive flesh between her hips, guiding her backwards until she finds herself suddenly sitting at the edge of the bed.

"Oh! That's frightfully convenient."

"Yes, I was thinking ahead." Harry drops to his knees in front of Hermione's waist and begins kissing up from her knees, stroking her thighs to encourage the witch into spreading her legs further apart. Hermione's gasps of appreciation come louder when Harry moves his caressing fingers through Hermione's downy mound to part her wet nether lips.

Harry dives forward, giving the witch's privates a very long and appreciative kiss. Hermione cries out in enjoyment. For a half hour.

Eventually Hermione is able to form a meaningful sentence. "H-Harry... if ever I (Gasp!)... if ever I would be ready, now is (Hahh! Hahh! Hahh!)... now is the time."

"Alright." Harry stands up and places his warm manhood at Hermione's entrance, the slickness leading his cock to slip in the half-inch up to her maidenhead. Hermione gasps again and nods nervously in encouragement. Harry gently pushes forward, stopping briefly in seeing Hermione bite her lip in pain. "Are you...?"

"Just keep going, Harry."

"I don't want to hurt you."

"I believe it's a necessary part of the process."

"Doesn't mean I'm happy about it!"

"Taking my virginity makes you sad?"

"I'm just..."

"WILL YOU GET ON WITH IT?"

"Fine!" Startled, Harry slams his member forward, breaking through Hermione's innocence and burying himself to the hilt.

"AAIIGH!"

"Sorry!" Immediately he seizes up, worried for the damage done and pulls back out halfway. Hermione's held breath breaks for a second painful cry.

"Aigh! Harry, don't move!"

"I'm sorry!" Harry then pushes himself back in, to restore his position over the previous mistake.

"Aigghhh! Haarrryyyy! What part of 'don't move' did you think meant 'shove in'?"

"Sorry! I'll just pull--"

"NO! Just... stop."

Both teens pointedly stare away from each other while breathing heavily- Hermione to bear through the pain and Harry over his anxiety mixed with still being turned on. A minute passes, and then Harry mumbles "H'mine?"

"What?"

"Either we keep going or we'll have to start over again later- I'm starting to lose the mood."

"Al-alright. Slowly, please."

Hermione looks up and locks her eyes with Harry, relaxing from seeing his sympathetic expression. She nods in encouragement.

Harry carefully pulls partway out of Hermione and rocks his pelvis to drive back in. His excitement begins to return and after a few strokes, Hermione’s breath and lubrication are both flowing in complement to his motion. Hermione catches her breath when Harry's thrusts begin to tap against her cervix- the sensation of complete fullness spins her head into a mild delirium.

Harry's breath comes faster and more ragged, accompanied by an increase in the speed of his thrusting. Hermione moans in answer, adding a desperately-whispered 'fassster!' that spurs him into a skin-slapping piston motion. Hermione's breaths come louder, sounding more like cries as the engine of their lovemaking brings them both to ear-rushing blood-boiling passion. Without warning, Harry pounds into Hermione's pelvis five times, ending by grasping tight to her hips and dragging her up to meet his last thrust. Hermione feels the increase in volume within her rubbed-delicate tunnel and whines in frustration as she feels so close... so close...

Harry slumps over Hermione, his orgasm robbing his legs of muscular control. His head lands heavily on Hermione's chest, knocking the wind out of her lungs and shocking her away from her imminent moment of ecstasy. Catching her breath, she reaches up to cuddle Harry's head to her chest. She barely hears him mumble from between her breasts.

"Clmp dwn."

"What was that, Harry?"

"Clamp down. I'm still partly hard. You can massage yourself to a climax."

Hermione thinks for a moment and then shifts her legs to wrap around Harry's bum. Concentrating on the feeling of fullness in her core, she twitches and clenches several different muscles until she gasps slightly.

"Yup, that's it. I can feel you. Do it again."

Hermione concentrates again; within moments she is panting and grunting, her muscles gripping Harry's slowly-recovering erection. Harry aids in her quest by reaching out the hot tip of his tongue to flick against Hermione's nipple. He takes the hardened flesh in his lips, gnawing it gently to aid in Hermione's arousal. She holds his head to her breast, obviously pleased with his help. Very soon, Harry feels and hears Hermione find her satisfaction.

"Hhhhnnnnnooohhhh! (Gasp!) (Gasp!) (Gasp!) Yyeeeessss! (Gasp!)... (Gasp!)... (Hahh!)... Uhhhnn..."

Hermione then sinks into a brief slumber, floating in contentment.

Feeling her relax around him, Harry smiles up at Hermione's deep breathing and slowly extricates himself from Hermione's hold. He teases her in a whisper. "Falling asleep? Cheater. I thought that was my job."

~o~

Hermione rouses to a warm bed with a warm, naked, male body wrapped around her from behind. Harry's hands cup her breasts loosely in a very enjoyable way. Hermione almost giggles with delight.

Feeling her awakening, Harry draws Hermione tighter into his embrace, kisses the back of her neck and releases his hug. The witch turns around in the bed to face him, taking a moment to wrestle the bulk of her bushy locks out of the way for an unobstructed view.

"I could get used to this."

"Maybe in another world, or when the future doesn't look quite so grim."

Hermione sighs and nods in acknowledgement. "Should we see about collecting the Humours?"

"Already done, Hermione. I cleaned up and collected samples while you were recovering. As soon as you are feeling up to it, I suggest you retire to the dorm, take a long, hot shower and give yourself some time to heal."

"Harry. Harry, I lov--"

With a squint, Harry transforms into Holly. "Don't! ...say it. Everyone says it but few actually mean it, and I'm not Harry." The short witch then turns away, rising from the bed and wrapping her work robe around her body. She retrieves her rucksack from a hook at the foot of the bed and navigates through the web of curtains to the door.

"Holly, I..."

Holly stops with her hand on the latch, responding without turning back to face Hermione. "What?"

"Umm... thank you. I guess."

Holly winces and whispers, "Anytime." The door closes quietly behind her.

*

Padma and Her Bleedin' Maths; 21st December, morning (2nd pass)

Holly meets Padma in Myrtle's loo, carrying a small pail filled with assorted bottles. Padma is struggling with a stack of tomes. They gather close to allow Holly to wrap Padma's Turner chain around them and spin back. Padma nearly faints to the floor with her stack of books when the Turning completes. Holly opens the entry, they switch burdens and descend. Holly hefts the books with ease, earning a jealous look from the Hindi girl. Holly leads them through the bone lounge, down the hallway to the serpent's door. Once through, they adjourn to one of four antechambers, this one set up as a study. Holly drops the stack of books on the large reading table.

"Padma, do you have a draft ready for the revised ritual?"

"Yes, Holly. I am... surprised how little revision was necessary. Are you certain that your mother only granted you her protection?"

Padma sits down at the table, looking back up at Holly as she retrieves a mortar and pestle set from a shelf full of potion-prep tools, placing it next to her pail-full of ingredients.

"What makes you ask?"

"Your understanding of the vital humours and their use in this invocation would've strained the capabilities of Professor Vector to construct. Yet you had never studied Arithmancy when you put this together."

Holly starts arranging bottles from her pail while giving Padma an indignant look. "I did so; I just didn't openly attend class until this year. That said, much of the groundwork was already there in Lily's research on blood magic. As to how much Lily is part of Holly, I have no idea. Do you have some notion on how to measure that?"

"No, but I suspect that there is more Lily than Harry in Holly."

Holly stops and stands quietly, eyebrows creased in concentration for several moments. She then turns up her face and glares at Padma in irritation.

"One; I think you've been spending too much time with Luna. Two; I've thought through that statement four times now and I still don't know what you mean by it. Three; what difference does it make to all the other insanity that we're up to today?"

"To answer: one; Luna cannot be found when she does not wish to be, so I only spend time with her when she wishes to do so. Two; I merely meant to suggest that Lily's ritual- YOUR ritual, enabled you to reset the clock on your life using your son's body. Three; it is relevant in that your personality has been dominating the relationship you have with Natalia, just as it has dominated your son's mind. Integrating Hermione into the group mind may unbalance the mix, permitting her stronger individual personality to exert a greater influence over the whole."

Holly paces about for a bit, shaking her head, then sits down on the table next to Padma's collection of scrolls. "Alright, I accept the theory that Holly is Lily... 'rebooted', but I still insist for my own sanity that I can't consider myself to BE my mother. Don't address me like I'm Lily- it'll just annoy me, and there's enough of that happening already. Now, what's this group mind business? I didn't change appreciably after Natalia was Marked aside from how she was training me, and I only hear her when we Rapport."

Padma tilts her head up to address Holly directly. "I cannot speak to how you felt following your re-humanization, but it seems to me that Natalia's morals about sexuality have become your own."

"And spending a year with her, happily exploring our bodies like Legos, isn't enough of a reason for that to happen naturally?"

"I am simply making derivations from your notes on the bonds you used in her Marking. No other aspect of her personality should have bled through, given the bonds you chose to establish. In most every other way, her personality has adapted to your influence- also as the Arithmancy predicts. Now you intend to weave Hermione's personality with yours and have selected bonds that should draw more of her traits in to you than push your traits out to her. I have only the most tentative of theories to explain what I expect for the result, but it gives me pause."

"So you think I should change the bonds?"

"Only one is easily identifiable as a critical factor. Do not reverse the Bond of Sacrifice. You will need your own tears, of course. Hermione's can be left aside."

Holly looks down at her hands, acting a bit like a truant child who has been caught. "Well what if... what if I want her to have more influence?"

"Holly, I say this with all respect for the girl- she is not ready. You lead because you know what horrors await us if we fail. I would not follow her. Hermione lacks the necessary perspective."

Holly sheds a tear prompting Padma to hand her an unused ceramic cup. Holly smiles wryly and then reaches down to gather Padma's face into an unexpected kiss on the lips. Padma's eyes widen in shock but she enjoins the kiss once she accepts the non-sexual intent.

Holly pulls back out of the kiss and smiles at Padma again. "There are times when I think you're sticking around just to make fun of me, but then you turn around and... just thank you, Padma. Thank you." Holly takes the small cup and gathers some of her tears into it, preserving them with a silent Stasis charm.

Padma watches the process with interest, though her face softens in sympathy when Holly finishes collecting her tears. She smiles just slightly. "You seem unusually emotional today. Has your descent into darkness upset you somehow? Perhaps if you were to deflower another virgin, you might feel better."

Holly answers the dry-witted teasing with a sobbing laugh.

Padma smiles prettily as she returns to her calculations. "Sadly, I cannot aid you in this instance. However, I believe Luna--"

"Finish that thought and you'll be Obliviated back into nappies."

Padma shrugs in amusement. Holly shakes her head with a smile, alights from the table and returns to her ink-making.

*


END OF PART ONE