Chapter 19: The French Champion
Chapter Text
A/N: Harry gets his kiss, Fleur gets her world view turned upside down.
-x-X-x-
He would be lying if he said he hadn't thought about it. He wasn't quite at the point where he could perform the ritual with Fleur, but that didn't mean he couldn't push for sex and then blow her mind with the showing. But… no, that felt a little too fast. And while Harry was confident that he could have Fleur coming back for more if she actually agreed, getting her to agree to fuck him at this juncture would be the hard sell.
Of course, he'd also considered making the favor a date. Specifically, a date to the Yule Ball. It would be quite the coup for Harry to walk into the Yule Ball with not just another Triwizard Champion on his arm, but arguably the most beautiful woman in the entire school. Fleur Delacour was quite the catch, and he was reasonable sure that unlike sex, she would agree to be his date, even if begrudgingly. It would be well within the realistic bounds of what he could ask of her.
… The thing was, he wasn't sure he wanted to do that anymore. It had certainly been an idea at one point, but now Harry found himself thinking it might have been a shortsighted one. Being the talk of the Yule Ball and parading Fleur around like a trophy might have been nice in the short term, but how exactly would it progress his actual goals? The short answer was, it wouldn't.
The long answer was a bit more complex then that though. Put simply, was there any date he could take to the Yule Ball that would progress his long term goals? If you'd asked Harry that back when he'd originally made the bet with Fleur, he would have said 'no'. But after his latest conversations with Hermione, he was starting to realize that the benefits of pulling the brunette closer to him could not be understated. Her eagerness to help and her devotion to their friendship… it was giving him ideas.
That all said, he was no longer thinking about taking Fleur to the Yule Ball. But he also wasn't going to try to get her to fuck him right now. That would be crude, crass, and likely blow up in his face. Still… what to ask for? While he technically COULD have banked the favor for later, the fact that Fleur had so quickly sought him out made it clear she wasn't inclined to wait. She wanted this over and done with now.
… Heh, very well then.
"What do I want from you, Fleur? I'll try not to impose on you too much. All I want… is a kiss."
The beautiful part veela pauses at that and blinks. Her naturally pouty lips purse together and she narrows her eyes at him, her tone incredulous.
"… A kiss? Zat is all you desire?"
Harry grins a roguish grin, albeit with the knowledge that he might still be a little too young in appearance to pull off said roguish grin. And he nods.
For a long moment, Fleur just stares at him. Then, she sniffs haughtily.
"Very well. If zat iz what you wish, 'Arry Potter, I shall give you a… kiss."
Her derisive tone makes it clear she's once again revised her opinion of him downwards, back to him being nothing but an 'immature leetle boy'. At the same time, Harry suddenly feels her allure rising up from within her. Oh, she wants to play dirty. Harry makes sure not to let his knowledge show in his eyes or face, even as he grins at her while Fleur moves forward.
Suddenly, the part veela looks downright… predatory. It's obvious what she's planning to do. With her allure blasting at full power, she's going to give him his kiss… and then leave him bespotted with her and desperate for more. More which she'll almost certainly not give to a 'leetle boy' like him.
As she approaches, she all but admits to it before she leans in to do the deed.
"You will get your kiss, 'Arry Potter. But… how iz it said? Hm. Be careful what you wish for~"
Then, she moves in and plants her lips on Harry's… before freezing in place. Internally, Harry is crowing in victory, even as he kisses Fleur Delacour right back. It starts out chaste enough. Nothing special. But see, if Fleur is going to cheat, then Harry is going to cheat as well. Ah, but who is he kidding really? It was ALWAYS his intention to cheat.
Regardless, where Fleur turns on her veela allure and blasts it full force in his direction, Harry's own efforts are a bit more subtle. Oh, don't get him wrong… it's a good attempt on her part. However, Harry was barely effected by Fleur's allure back in his original Fourth Year. The Harry of today? The Harry who traveled back in time? He's felt the full force of Pure Veela Allure. In comparison, with Fleur being only a quarter veela, her allure is nothing. Child's play.
Meanwhile, Harry has his own magic to bring the bear. And he concentrates it specifically on his lips. When Fleur kisses him, she gets a taste of that magic… and as part magical creature, she finds it absolutely delicious. The most delicious thing she's ever tasted? Well, Harry doesn't want to get too full of himself or anything.
Still, what Fleur clearly intends to be a simple, chaste kiss that leaves him begging for more winds up turning into something that… lingers. And completely of her own volition, Fleur tries to deepen it. Key word being 'tries'. Harry could have let her go further. He could have let her turn it into a full-blown makeout session. Maybe even with some over-the-clothes groping. But that would leave her with wiggle room. She might convince herself that he'd come onto her, rather than the other way around.
And so Harry has to be the one to pull away. He's the one who leaves Fleur leaning forward, her pouty lips puckered up and a tiny strand of saliva dangling from the French Witch's mouth. Taking a step back, Harry is all smiles as he gives the part veela a small bow.
"Thank you, Fleur. That was all I wanted."
Fleur blinks, struck dumb for a moment. Then, she realizes what happened and hurriedly straightens up, pulling her lips out of their puckered state and hastily wiping her mouth with the back of her hand. Then, amusingly enough, she checks to see if he'd noticed of all things. Harry just smiles guilelessly at her, but his emerald eyes are twinkling. Fleur quickly colors in embarrassment.
To her credit though, she's quick to recover. And despite the minor humiliation she must surely be feeling, she manages to hold her head high and grace him with a slight nod.
"… Of course, Monsieur Potter. I shall take my leave of you now. Good day."
Harry's grin only widens as Fleur stiffly makes her way to the door and tries to leave the classroom… only to run into the magical lock SHE put on it when they first entered. The French Witch's embarrassment intensifies as she quickly pulls out her wand and unlocks the door, before finally exiting the room. Harry watches her go for a moment before letting out a sigh and looking down at his crotch.
Thank fucking god for voluminous Hogwarts Robes. Because really, while it was easy enough for him to mentally ignore the effects of a quarter veela's allure, it wasn't so easy on the physical side of things. His body wanted what it wanted; Harry supposed. But Fleur… well, they'd have to wait and see if anything wound up progressing where she was concerned. There was still the Second Task after all, and if everything went as it did before, Harry could easily score more brownie points with her through that.
But it was also possible that Fleur might come crawling back before the Second Task. Especially after that lengthy kiss of theirs. For now… Harry was only human. Specifically, he was only a man. And as a man, he had needs. Needs that Fleur would not be satisfying today. Fortunately for Harry, he has… options.
-x-X-x-
"Ah! Fuck! Nnngh yes Master! Use me! Ruin me! Make it hurt!"
Grunting, Harry fucks Bellatrix from behind on a bed in the Room of Requirement. One hand fisted in her hair and forcing her back to arch to an almost painful degree, his other hand is on her hip for stability purposes, even as he pounds her cunt with all his might, fucking her hard, fast… and yes, making it hurt just the way she liked it.
Bella howls as his cock barrels its way into her stretched pussy over and over again, knowing full well that she can be as loud and enthusiastic as she wants in the Room. No one is going to hear her. No one is going to stumble across them. Not unless they somehow know to look for 'the bedroom that Harry Potter and Bellatrix Lestrange are currently fucking in'. Otherwise, the Room of Requirement will shunt them off into another version of itself. It's nice like that.
"Merlin, I love how randy that silly French Tart made you feel, my Lord. She really got you all riled up, d-didn't she?"
Snorting, Harry just shakes his head.
"You know full well the effects of a veela allure. It's one thing for me to appear to be unaffected by it. It's another to not be affected at all. I'm not gay, after all."
Bella cackles at that, before letting out a shaky, almost cute moan as her pussy walls clench around his cock and she rides out another orgasm upon his pistoning member. Once she's done with that, she speaks up again, panting all the while.
"On that note, Master… I'm r-ready when you are."
Harry pauses at that. He knows what she's talking about immediately, of course. She wants him to use her modified version of the Ritual in order to steal the magic of Rudolph Lestrange. Using Bella as a conduit, due to the magical wedding vows they'd taken back when they were married, it should work. And Harry HAD told Bella that he would consider doing it after the First Task.
If not now… then when? With a grunt, Harry pulls out of Bellatrix, his cock throbbing and swinging back and forth, covered in both their fluids as he lets go of her hair and gives her a nod when she looks back at him hopefully.
Squealing gleefully, Bella immediately hops off the bed. Harry feels her request of the Room to provide them with the necessary ingredients and while he could have blocked it if he wanted to, he doesn't. Crawling off the bed himself, Harry watches as Bella draws out the ritual circle in the center of the room. He notes how she's altered it and changed it from the original.
Once she's done, he very carefully double, triple, and quadruple checks her work. Bella waits patiently on her knees next to the circle, not making one word of complaint. After all, she knows she's loyal. Any mistakes he finds will be just that, mistakes. But no… there's nothing wrong with this modified ritual. It will do exactly what Bella said it would, and Harry will remain in control the entire time.
With that said… Harry reaches for Bellatrix and grabs her by the neck. He forces her face down into the middle of the ritual circle with her ass high into the air. He inserts his cock back into her as she squeals in excitement, kicking her feet a little bit and moaning up a storm as he penetrates her again.
The ritual circle begins to glow all around them, even as Harry savagely fucks Bella into the Room of Requirement's floor. He doesn't have to ask Bella if she's willing or eager this time. He doesn't have to do any prep… because he already owns Bellatrix. He owns the eldest of the three Black Sisters in every way possible. But most importantly, he owns her magic.
Reaching out along the pathway that he already forged between them, Bella's magic happily answers his call. It rises up to greet its Master, even as Bella herself is cumming her brains out beneath him. Not just because he's fucking her silly, but because she's so excited about what's about to happen. Harry just snorts in amusement at her enthusiasm, even as he reaches PAST her magic… to Bella's other bonds.
Hm, there is Bella's Dark Mark, of course. He'd locked it down but he hadn't removed the connection that Voldemort had to Bella's soul. However, Harry doesn't even try to touch that right now. The Dark Mark is the proto version of Harry's ritual. Meaning that the connection through which it is bound to Bella's soul completely favors Tom in the same way Harry's ritual connections to Bella and Aurora favor him entirely.
If Harry tried to reach out through the Dark Mark and do away with the Dark Lord right now… it didn't matter how physically weak Voldemort currently was. It didn't matter how diminished Tom was. It would turn Bella's body and soul into a battlefield, and while Harry might win and Tom might lose, Bella would DEFINITELY lose.
He has no intention of wasting his most loyal servant when Voldemort can be dealt with in due time. But he does file away the potential for using Bellatrix's ritual alongside a NUMBER of female Death Eaters all bound to his magic in order to destroy Voldemort. Just a question of whether he can find that many willing to switch sides and let him fuck them, given his own personal code.
That said, his own personal code doesn't stop him from taking the magic from maniacal murderers like Rudolph Lestrange. And the marriage vows between him and Bellatrix aren't nearly as one sided as Voldemort's Dark Mark.
Reaching out along THAT connection as he continues to fuck a howling, squealing Bellatrix into the center of the brightly glowing ritual circle, Harry seizes upon Rudolph Lestrange's magic. He can feel the man, all the way in Azkaban. The other wizard snaps awake at feeling his magic being tugged so viciously. But there's nothing he can do. Rudolph's resistance is miniscule at best and with the power of two full grown witches alongside his own, Harry can do whatever the fuck he wants with the Death Eater scum.
Hm. Actually, he does have a choice to make here. He could take Rudolph's magic carefully, a bit more slowly, and leave the bastard alive. It wouldn't be particularly difficult, just a bit more time consuming. It would leave Rudolph as little more than a muggle in Azkaban Prison… a fate worse than death, some might say.
Or he could just rip it away from the man, almost certainly killing him on the spot. The easier, simpler way to be sure. Much quicker too.
Harry considers it for a moment… and then grins as he makes his choice.
Chapter 20: The Modified Ritual
Chapter Text
A/N: Harry pulls a bit of a prank~
-x-X-x-
Killing Rudolphus Lestrange would have been the easiest, simplest choice. Ripping the man's magic from his body and tearing his soul to shreds in the process, leaving behind nothing but a dried out husk… well, given he was currently in Azkaban, there would have been no doubt in anyone's mind that his death was a result of the Dementors getting a little too frisky. The perfect crime.
Harry very nearly goes with that… but then he has a different idea. A better idea. Leaving Rudolphus alive after taking his magic COULD come back to bite him in the ass later on, even if the man was turned into a defenseless squib and left surrounded by Dementors. He might have managed to warn someone before the Dementors finished him off.
… But what if Harry could use that to his advantage? What if he could turn such a discovery from a curse into a boon?
Focusing on his connection to Rudolphus Lestrange, even as he's currently ball's deep in the despicable wizard's wife, Harry grins. Rudolphus can already feel that something is happening. Through the connection, Harry gets an impression of the man frantically writhing in his cell, hollering at the top of his lungs. With Bellatrix and Aurora's magic to anchor him, it's not that hard to reach out and… project a version of himself into the cell with Rudolphus.
Of course, it's not really a version of HIMSELF at all. Instead it's a shadowy presence with piercing red eyes that cause Rudolphus to go absolutely still as Harry mimics Voldemort's sibilant tone to the imprisoned Death Eater.
"Rudolphus…"
Freezing in place, Bellatrix's husband gapes at the projection.
"My… M-my Lord? Is that you?"
"Mm, yes Rudolphus. It is I, Lord Voldemort."
An expression of pure, honest joy alights upon the Death Eater's face at that. He looks… thrilled beyond belief. But then to be fair, he was always one of the true believers, just like Bellatrix had been. He'd gotten locked up in Azkaban all these years based off his zealous faith in the Dark Lord.
"I knew it… I knew you would come for me one day, my Lord. For us! Your Faithful are all here, in this prison! We've waited for you! The others… the others foreswore you! They lied and hid their loyalties! But not us!"
"Very good, Rudolphus. Very good. I knew you would stay true. I knew I could count on you. Just as I know I can count on you now."
Eyes still wide and wild, the vile wizard nods his head rapidly.
"Y-Yes! Anything, my Lord! Whatever you need!"
Harry smiles. This entire time they've been 'talking', he's been working. Still fucking a squealing, screaming Bellatrix in the Room of Requirement, he's been slowly but steadily working his way through what binds Rudolphus's magic to his soul. Untangling it carefully without just outright shredding the Death Eater isn't easy… but if this works as he intends, it will be oh so rewarding.
"Very good, Rudolphus. Know that your sacrifice will not be in vain. Your magic… will be put to good use."
Rudolphus Lestrange freezes at that, blinking rapidly as he parses the words of 'Lord Voldemort'. Then, he finally realizes that the tugging on his magic hadn't gone away, it had simply gotten a bit subtler. Instinctively resisting once more, Rudolphus doesn't actually get anywhere with his defiance. Its too far along now… and to be fair, he never had a chance of fighting this in the first place.
"My… My Lord! Wait! Please!"
Harry lets a rich, sadistic laugh erupt from his shadowy red-eyed projection of the Dark Lord.
"What's the matter, Rudolphus? You are mine. Everything you have belongs to me. If I am to ever return, I have need of your power. Do not fret. I shall leave you alive as a reward for your leal service to me."
"N-No… NO! My Lord, I swear I a-am more useful to you free and able to act in your name! PLEASE! You needn't do this! You needn't-!"
But it's already much too late. Harry doesn't bind Rudolphus to him like he did Bella and Aurora. He takes from the other man wholesale. He untangles the Death Eater's magic from his soul and leaves Rudolphus with nothing but his life. In an instant, the imprisoned wizard becomes an imprisoned muggle… a squib, if you wished to be particular about it.
As Harry consumes Rudolphus's magic, purifying it of the other man's touch and adding what's left over to his own power, Harry feels the connection between the two of them starting to fray. So he finishes up, having the projection of Lord Voldemort in Rudolphus's cell start to fade away.
"Farewell, Rudolphus Lestrange. Your sacrifice will be remembered. Your magic… will be put to good use in ensuring my return."
His 'words of comfort' do not do much for the other man. Harry's last view of Rudolphus Lestrange is to watch the other man wail in despair and reach for the bars, screaming for help, screaming that his magic is gone. If Harry were actually Voldemort, he'd probably kill Rudolphus in that moment. After all, the Dark Mark is still intact. Rudolphus might now be little more than a muggle, but his soul still belongs to the Dark Lord.
But Harry is not Voldemort. And if Rudolphus wants to tell anyone who will listen that Voldemort 'stole' his magic, Harry is happy to let him. With Voldemort currently little more than a misshapen homunculus, its not as though the Dark Lord is in any position to defend himself anyways. Of course, the Ministry won't believe Rudolphus's ravings for even a moment. Not anymore than they believed Harry when he told them Voldemort had returned back at the end of this year in the original timeline.
But that was fine. Because word of Rudolphus's predicament would reach his fellow Death Eaters. The ones who had escaped justice back at the end of Voldemort's first reign of terror. The ones who had slipped back into society with donations and slaps on the wrist. Lucius Malfoy in particular would probably be terrified when he heard what happened to Rudolphus.
Amused beyond belief, Harry finally pulls his spread out attention back together. He's been fucking Bellatrix hard and fast all this time, of course. But now he's actually able to focus on it and his pet's body. Grabbing her by the tits, Harry's emerald eyes glow with power and twinkle with delight as he chuckles throatily down at her.
"Your modifications worked perfectly, Bella."
Her eyes light up at that, and the eldest of the Black Sisters wriggles and writhes beneath him.
"That's wonderful, Master. Then it's done? Rudolphus is no more?"
Harry tilts his head to the side at that and shakes his head.
"No… I left him alive to act as a trojan horse. With a little luck, his testimony will be enough to start turning Voldemort's Death Eaters against him. Even the most loyal ones. And it'll give us cover as well for any further… actions against your former peers."
For a moment, Bella looks confused, but she's also visibly pleased. Harry raises an eyebrow as he pinches her nipples between his fingers, making her moan in pleasure.
"What is it, Bellatrix?"
"A-Ah… sorry, Master. It's just, I was surprised. I can't feel my vows to my husband anymore. It would seem leaving him magicless has… dissolved our relationship."
Oh? Harry checks on what she's talking about and realizes Bellatrix is right. She's no longer married to Rudolphus Lestrange, at least as far as magic is concerned. Harry hums as he considers this, before ultimately deciding that it makes sense. The magical vows that bound Bella and Rudolphus together in unholy matrimony required both sides of the fence to be magical.
It was one of the many reasons why Purebloods looked down on muggles and thus muggleborns and half-bloods. Because if a witch or wizard were to marry a muggle, they could never actually 'marry' a muggle. At least not in the eyes of the insular Wizarding World, who considered marriage to only be valid and legitimate if it was done with magical vows.
Marriage Vows weren't unbreakable or anything, to be fair. Divorce was still very much a possibility in the Wizarding World. But it was still tradition to make your marriage vows under the gaze of magic itself. Something that a muggle could never do.
And since Rudolphus was no more than a muggle now… well, Bellatrix's magical marriage to him had been dissolved. Chuckling at this realization, Harry wraps a hand in his pet's hair and pulls her into a deep, tongue-filled kiss. Bella submits to him totally and utterly, until finally he pulls out of her at the last second and cums all over her face and her tits, coating her from her forehead all the way to her navel in his seed. A baptism, of sorts.
"Your marriage is null and void, Bella. Welcome back… Bellatrix Black."
A shiver runs through Bella as she moans and arches her back, rubbing his seed into her body quite enthusiastically. Looking up at him with a wicked, cum-coated grin on her lips, his pet giggles.
"Thank you… Master~"
-x-X-x-
It almost feels strange to just… go back to school life after that. But Harry has appearances to keep up all the same. He'd had the option to pull a runner and go on the lam back when he first came back in time and he'd chosen to stick around and stick it out. In the long run, he hoped that it would help. He needed the clout and the reputation that he might not be able to garner by going on the run and fleeing his required education.
As well, there were people he would be leaving behind that Harry had come to realize he simply wasn't willing to discard. Case in point… Hermione Jane Granger.
"I know you said not to tell anyone about this Harry… and I haven't, I promise. But… where do we even begin?"
Sitting in a far off corner of the Hogwarts Library, Harry smiles as he looks across the table at where Hermione has a dozen different tomes scattered around her. She pouts a bit at his smile, before blushing when he reaches out and places his hand atop hers.
"I have full faith in you, Hermione. What's the first thing that comes to mind? We can start there."
Blinking rapidly at his words, Hermione looks a little shocked for a moment before ducking her head as a shy smile spreads across her face.
"I… well… I suppose we need to… find a way to shield against it?"
Harry hums noncommittally, letting Hermione work it out in her head in real time.
"We could… develop a spell that blocks muggle transmissions?"
When Hermione glances at him to gauge his response, Harry just lifts an eyebrow.
"Oh?"
She immediately flushes and shakes her head.
"N-No… that wouldn't work, would it? Because technically magic already does that, sort of. Except not really, because if it blocked muggle transmissions and technology fully, then there would be magical dead spots all over the world the size of our communities. And the Statute of Secrecy would be dead."
Harry hums some more. She's on the right track, sort of. To be fair, there are still plenty of places on Earth that are 'dead zones'. Muggles don't have complete coverage of the entire globe, not by a long shot. And they love to make up their own excuses for why they can't use their technology in a given place. Still, she's not wrong. Magical places don't completely disrupt muggle transmissions. Internet signals, radio waves… it all still manages to get through, albeit at a reduced rate. That's the problem. Muggle Technology is fighting a constant invisible war against Magic… and its steadily gaining ground.
But blocking it isn't the solution, because to do so would block huge chunks of the Earth and draw more and more attention to the magical communities, even if they COULD get the international magical world to accept such a thing without a fight. No, blocking and shielding, while pretty good first steps, weren't the solution.
Unfortunately, as Hermione sits there with her brow furrowed and her lips drawn into a thin line, it becomes increasingly obvious that she's not going to figure out the solution. Not today anyways. Harry wants to give her time, really he does. But he's just too impatient. In the end, he decides to push things along.
"What about integration, Hermione?"
The brunette blinks at him, her big brown eyes confused for a moment before they light up in realization.
"If you can't beat them… join them!"
Harry grins and nods. To be fair, it's not his idea. It's hers. She just doesn't know it. This was the solution the Hermione Granger of his original timeline came up with. Unfortunately, she came up with it after it was too late. After the war. After the nuclear fallout had already ensured magic would die in years rather than decades. Her hypothesis had been sound, but much, much too late.
He felt a little guilty for stealing the other Hermione's thunder and he wished he had enough time to let this Hermione come to the same conclusion as her other self. But he refused to stay still when they could be moving forward. So he would guide Hermione onto the right path. He would steer her in the right direction.
"If we could find a way to wed magic and muggle technology… there have been attempts of course. People trying to adapt technology to magic. They've even had limited success. But… at their core, magic and technology don't mix very well, do they?"
"They don't… however, what if we attempted to adapt magic to the technology instead?"
Hermione nods her head enthusiastically at Harry's suggestion. She gives him a bright grin, one that he happily returns. Then… she blushes all of the sudden, her big brown eyes glancing down to where he's still holding his hand. Ah… whoops.
Harry considers Hermione and their hands for a moment. At the same time, he can feel one Viktor Krum wandering the Hogwarts Library, forever unable to find the bookish brunette that has attracted his eye. Thanks to Harry, no one is able to find their little secluded alcove. Not a single person has been able to listen in. And so long as he keeps it up, Krum is never going to get the chance to proposition Hermione and ask her to the Yule Ball.
That's by design. Because ever since he decided against taking Fleur, he's been considering who he SHOULD take instead. But who else, really? Who else besides the young woman right in front of him? Hermione is going to be crucial to his plans going forward. Building up her reputation right alongside his would go a long way to helping them save the world together. And it could start here, with her on his arm in front of everyone at the Yule Ball.
Chapter 21: Decisions Made
Chapter Text
Harry gets surprised and then decides to stretch his legs~
-x-X-x-
"Hermione… come to the Yule Ball with me. As my date."
Those big brown eyes, which had been looking down at where he's still holding her hand, snap up to meet his, going wide in response. Hermione's mouth opens and then closes for a moment, her blush intensifying before she finally finds the words.
"E-Excuse me?"
Ah, it's probably a bit sudden, isn't it? And also, Harry is telling Hermione what to do, not asking. He's gotten too used to being able to order around the witches in his life, hasn't he? Flashing her a grin, Harry shrugs.
"You don't necessarily have to attend, but as a champion I do… and I need a date too. So come with me, please. It can be just as a friend if you-mmph!"
He's not expecting it, funnily enough. He's not expecting for Hermione's reaction to be to all but lunge over the length of the table they're both sitting at, going up on her tip toes if not off of her feet altogether so she can grab him by the front of his shirt and pull him in to a surprisingly deep, passionate kiss. Harry's emerald eyes widen and he finds himself frozen in place for a moment before returning the kiss right back. Of course, his has a bit more tongue to it, making Hermione let out a muffle squeak and pull back in embarrassment.
The brunette bookworm looks like she might just flee from him right then and there but two things stop her. Number One, Harry is still holding her hand and he has no intention of letting go until they talk about this a little further. But fortunately Hermione doesn't force him to hold her in place because Number Two is that she finds the resolve to stick it out all on her own.
His best friend since the age of eleven gets this cutely determined look in her eye, even as she looks at him with a sort of resolute expression on her face.
"I would love to go to the Yule Ball with you, Harry. And I don't… I would rather not just go as friends, if it's all the same to you."
Blinking rapidly, Harry finds himself truly caught off guard in a way that very much had not happened all that often since coming back in time. He had thought he knew everything there was to know about Hermione Granger. But now, staring at her determined expression… he realizes he might be more ignorant than he thought.
"… I… I certainly have no objections to that. I'm just surprised is all. I didn't think… rather, I didn't know you saw me that way, Hermione."
The brunette blushes even harder at that, before glancing down at their hands again. He probably should pull his hand back at this point, but she seems to be enjoying the contact. Perhaps its anchoring her in a way neither of them realized she needed.
"… How could I not, Harry? You saved my life from a Troll. You saved the entire school from a Basilisk. We traveled through time together. Maybe I… maybe it wasn't entirely clear to me what my feelings were for you at first, but I'm old enough at this point to know what I want. And what I want… is you."
He'd tensed up when she'd mentioned time travel, only to realize that she's talking about using the Time Turner to save Sirius in their Third Year. For Hermione, that was last year. For Harry, that was a lifetime ago. Still, he finds his memories cast backwards, not to them saving Sirius… but to seeing Hermione descending down the staircase at the Yule Ball the first time through. Realizing in that moment that she wasn't just his friend, but a very beautiful woman who any man would be lucky to have.
Only… Harry had never really thought HE was the man destined to have her. Even when Viktor Krum had swept Hermione's feet out from under her, Harry hadn't been upset on his own behalf… but rather, on Ron's behalf. He'd thought… or rather, he'd assumed that his friends were going to get together. Because that's what happened in the other timeline.
Now though, Harry was forced to reconcile with the truth. Viktor Krum had only gotten the 'yes' because Hermione had correctly deduced that Harry wasn't going to ask. Meanwhile, Ron was Hermione's second choice. And apparently Harry was her first. He was just never confident enough to reach out to her. He'd pulled back and let Ron have her because he thought that was what both of them wanted.
Of course, setting all that aside, Harry is a Time Traveler from an Apocalyptic Future that's come back in time to save magic through any means necessary. He can't tell Hermione the truth… not yet anyways.
… Perhaps if he were a better person, he'd push Hermione away in this moment. He'd find a way to make it so that she didn't want him anymore. They could still be friends, it had worked out that way before after all, but it would probably be better of him if he spurned her romantic advances. And yet… and yet…
This time it's Harry who leans forward over the table. Hermione flushes but doesn't pull away as he winds a hand slowly through her brunette locks and pulls her in for another, longer kiss. This one has tongue too, but this time Hermione isn't scared away by it. She lets him makeout with her and makes out with him in turn as the two of them enjoy each other's presence for a while.
He wasn't the Harry that Hermione thought she wanted. That Harry still lived on inside of him, but he'd become a different person over time. The kind of person who did what had to be done… no matter what. Still, he could at least give Hermione this much. He could give her what she thought she wanted and explore her feelings with her. And when the time came to tell her the truth, they would see if she could accept him for who he really was or not.
Kissing takes up the rest of their time together. Harry doesn't push any further than that. He doesn't want to rush Hermione, nor does he intend to push her into the ritual that would bind her and her magic to him at this time. Instead, he lets himself relax and simply enjoy the moment. There will, after all, still be plenty of work to do once this moment is over.
-x-X-x-
Four weeks until the Yule Ball. Three months until the Second Task. With Hermione secured as his date, Harry and his foreknowledge of what the Golden Egg contained, Harry didn't exactly have to worry about either at this point. Meaning he could turn his attention to more important things, such as his next conquest.
Hermione's feelings for him had been a wake up call, truth be told. On the one hand, it was proof that he wasn't omniscient. He didn't know everything there was to know about everyone in the wizarding world. Sure, he knew a lot… but 'a lot' wasn't enough. He needed more information. He needed eyes and ears on the ground.
Rita Skeeter was the obvious next conquest, all things considered. He'd been slowly stringing her along, getting her more and more addicted to him. At this point, she was the one arranging their meetings. And yet… and yet, Harry had decided he would continue to let her simmer. She would come to him in her own time, at her own pace, and he would claim her.
In the meantime, Harry had decided to be proactive. Meaning, he'd decided to range outside of Hogwarts, School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Technically, he wasn't allowed to leave the school grounds during the week. But with the power of two witches and a wizard's stolen magic at Harry's beck and call, obfuscating his departure and absence from those in charge of Hogwarts was… child's play.
As was infiltrating the Ministry of Magic, all the way to the depths of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement. The Office of Madam Amelia Susan Bones, the Director of the DMLE, was of course warded to hell and back. The entire Ministry was. But… not well enough to keep Harry out. Not even well enough to provide ample warning that he'd gotten IN.
Hidden from her perception, Harry stands in Madam Bones' office, watching her hard at work behind her desk. Amelia was… not someone that Harry had ever gotten to know personally in his past life. The only time they'd ever met, in fact, was at the disciplinary hearing that would have taken place in the upcoming Summer before his Fifth Year. Harry didn't expect that to occur now, of course. He'd remove Dolores Umbridge from power himself before he let her send Dementors after him or anyone he cared about.
That said, the reason Harry and Amelia had never met again or gotten the chance to get to know each other better was because the woman had been killed by Voldemort a year later. By all counts, she'd put up a valiant fight, but in the end the Dark Lord had murdered her.
It had… galvanized Susan Bones. Lit a fire under the beautiful red head's ass. She'd thrown her all into becoming an Auror herself, following in her Aunt's footsteps all the way to the top. Susan Bones had been the last Director of the DMLE as a matter of fact… before the Ministry of Magic had collapsed, of course.
In the apocalypse that had followed, Harry and Susan had gotten closer. Not too close, but close enough that Harry had learned some things about Amelia from her niece. Two things in particular that Harry was going to make use of tonight, as a matter of fact.
Number One… Amelia Bones prized competence and strength. This, Harry could collaborate himself, still remembering the unreserved astonished awe on the woman's face when he'd proved he could conjure a corporeal Patronus that day in the courtroom. Madam Bones had a preference for people who knew what they were doing and could back up talk with action.
Of course, that led into Point Number Two. Amelia Susan Bones… was lonely. Unbelievably, unbearably lonely. Her niece had been sure of this, the few times they'd talked about her aunt. She'd bemoaned the fact that Amelia had been so alone more than one to Harry. The DMLE Director had never married. She'd never even dated. And besides Susan, she'd lost practically her entire family in the First Wizarding War.
On top of that, her love for competence left her all but an island to herself within Cornelius Fudge's Ministry of Magic. Because aside from Madam Bones, the number of competent individuals within the Ministry could be counted on two hands… perhaps not even that. She was effectively surrounded by morons and imbeciles.
Was it any wonder that Voldemort had killed her off so quickly during his Second Rise? The Dark Lord had known she would never willingly serve him and correctly deduced that she was one of the biggest threats to his rule. Which meant that she was perfect for Harry's purposes. After all, the enemy of your enemy was your friend.
"Madam Bones."
The older witch's reaction time is admirable. She comes up out of her chair immediately, her wand out and a silently cast stunner already racing towards the sound of his voice. Of course… when it splashes across the shadows seemingly obscuring his form, Amelia reacts as expected, sending out a slew of even more powerful magic as a cover while she makes for her fireplace. The Ministry of Magic's anti-apparation wards prevent even high ranking officials like her from teleporting away, so her only hope of escaping him is via the Floo System.
Or it would be, if the Floo System were still operational. The DMLE Director once again proves her intelligence by not even making it all the way to the fireplace before she slows to a stop and looks at him. Her magic has had no discernable effect that she could see. In truth, Harry had shielded and countered every single one of her spells, even the more imaginative ones. But from Amelia's point of view, the shadowy figure that had shown up in her office unannounced and without warning hadn't made a single move so far either way.
"… The Floo isn't going to work, is it?"
Chuckling softly, Harry shakes his head.
"No, Madam Bones."
Keeping her wand and eyes trained on him, Amelia still reaches up and grabs a pinch of floo powder, throwing it into the fire place. When the green flames fail to appear, she nods sharply and steps away.
"… Who are you? What do you want?"
They'd be here all night if he told her the truth, Harry reflects with no small amount of amusement. But then from the look of things, Amelia was going to be here all night anyways. No family to go home to. No competent peers to assist her with her work. The Director was truly being stretched thin, but that seemed to be the way she liked it. Throwing herself into her work, fighting the system… why, she would probably be grateful for what he was about to do, once she vetted his information, of course.
"I want what you want, Madam Bones. I want the corruption to stop."
Amelia narrows her eyes at that, her lips thinning out.
"And what exactly does that mean?"
Harry lets his shadowy form ripple in the approximation of a shrug.
"You and I both know that the Dark Lord was not truly defeated back in 1981."
The Director flares her nostrils at that but says nothing, allowing Harry to continue on. Funnily enough, he's not even talking about Voldemort or his horcruxes.
"Voldemort might have been destroyed, but large portions of his followers got off easy by claiming they were under the effect of the Imperius Charm. Members of the Wizengamot. Members of the Ministry of Magic. Former Death Eaters, one and all. And they haven't changed. They're still the exact same monsters they were under Voldemort. They just got better at hiding it. Right under your nose."
Amelia might value competence, but that doesn't mean she likes having her face rubbed in her failures. Gritting her teeth, the Director of the DMLE all but hisses as she glares at him.
"Get to the point."
Harry waves a hand of shadow, making her stiffen up… but the wave isn't directed at her. Rather, it's directed at her desk. Her eyes flicker over, only to widen at the set of papers that hadn't been there mere moments before.
"Enjoy, Madam Bones."
And with that, Harry 'disappears'. He's still there, but he hesitates for a moment before actually leaving. See, Harry has just given Amelia enough actionable intelligence to move against three Death Eaters who are committing numerous crimes right this moment. He'd confirmed all of it ahead of time with his own eyes, of course. Made sure that his information from the future was accurate to this new timeline.
If Amelia Bones acted upon what he'd just given her, three Death Eaters would be on their way to Azkaban soon enough. But would she? That was the question. And the test. Only, Harry wasn't sure whether to stick around as a silent observer, somehow potentially tainting the test in some way, or leave and see what Amelia did from afar…