The next day, Harry and Hermione made their bruise balm and dittany under the close direction of the twins. Gred worked with Hermione and was exacting and meticulous in his instruction and critique. Hermione looked exhausted as she got very little sleep last night, trying to sleep on her belly. She also skipped breakfast as there was no way she was going to sit down, or eat standing in front of the other students.
As soon as the balm was completed and Gred said it was passable, Hermione scooped it into a container, and handed it to Harry. She then ordered "Try it!", and dropped her apron and skirt. She walked over to Snape's desk, yanked off her panties, and laid on Snape's desk with her bottom and legs hanging off, just like she was being caned. There really was nowhere else to do so, as it was the only clean and empty one. After a few seconds, waiting, she turned and looked at Harry.
Hermione now irritated, "Well, stop looking at my pussy and put it on! It really hurts!" with a slight crack in her voice.
Harry just glanced at Hermione. In her position you can see the three vivid red/purple lines crossing Hermione's bottom. Her buttocks has swollen slightly from the brutal strikes which explained the added pain today. With the way she was sticking her bottom out, her pussy was on display, though with no signs of arousal at all. The labia looked completely dry. Hermione was obviously not enjoying her current situation. The twins were at least, being discrete checking her out, but Harry can hardly blame them with Hermione displaying herself so aggressively and without warning.
Elanor who was working on something at her station, snorted. "A woman's modesty only lasts until she needs her kid delivered, or serious pain relieved. Then she doesn't care who has their fingers in her vagina as long as they fix it. You better start rubbing that balm on her bum, Heir Black…before she asks Fred or George to do it."
Harry still completely addled by the unexpected situation, asked questioningly "Hermione?"
Hermione, now at her limit, yelled, "NOW…PLEASE! It hurts worse today than last night!" and her voice completely cracked, crying at the end.
Harry scooped out a handful, and started smearing it on Hermione's bottom, right into the cane lines…to which she first yelps, hisses, and then started moaning in a way he had never heard, but it sounded like she was really enjoying the relief from the pain.
Both Fred and George turned bright red with noticeable tenting in their pants, said their apologies, and bolted. Elanor just laughed while trying to work.
Harry kept rubbing it into her bottom watching as the cane stripes vanished. He was so entranced by what the balm was doing, he wasn't really paying attention to how much he was massaging Hermione's bottom. Hermione continuing to moan, suddenly stiffened up and let out a scream yelling "Harry!" Harry then felt her shake and then collapse.
Harry was still rubbing her bottom when she swatted his hand away. Not looking at him, Hermione quickly stepped away from Harry, pulled her panties on and replaced her skirt. There was a definite puddle on the desk where she was lying. Harry glanced at Hermione and noticed her upper thighs were wet.
She then turned to leave when Elanor said with a note of warning, "Don't do it, miss. Clean up your station first, if you don't want to be right back where you started."
Hermione froze, and came back to her station still not looking at Harry. Harry just looked at her confused, not knowing what to do.
"Hermione? Are you OK?" Harry timidly asked, while setting her remaining bruise balm down at her station. He had his own which he had already secured, with his Dittany, in his store.
Hermione said distantly, "I'm fine." But it was obvious she wasn't. Hermione cleaned her station with tears going down her eyes. She looked at Snape's desk, sobbed, and quickly scorgified his desk. When she was done cleaning, she bolted toward the exit.
Elanor seeing her reaction to having to clean Snape's desk, and her face as she was leaving, quickly grabbed Hermione as she reached the exit and ordered, "Come with me." Elanor took her, by the arm, down the hall.
Harry with a dejected look on his face, finished cleaning his own station, and went to leave. As he placed his apron on its hook, and was going out the door, he ran into Fred and George waiting in the hallway.
Fred said looking sympathetic, "Hermione is with Elanor in the library. Are you OK?"
Harry cried plaintively, "No! I don't know what's wrong! Hermione won't tell me!"
George looked slightly embarrassed, "Um, Harry? Master Snapes potions are much better than the normal stuff. When you place this improved balm on, it feels really good. I mean REALLY GOOD. Almost good enough to be worth getting caned, good."
Fred continued also looking embarrassed, "We had to leave, because hearing your witch enjoy herself that much, was too much for us, and it's rude outside an Orgy room, to get an erection around witches you aren't personally sexing."
Harry asked confused, "Enjoy herself…as in sexual?"
George was getting over his embarrassment and started grinning ear-to-ear, "Yep. You rubbing Hermione's bottom popped her off. Have you started diddling her yet? "
"NO! We aren't ready for that yet!" Harry exclaimed, turning red, now embarrassed himself.
Fred said with aplomb, "Well that explains it. With you rubbing her bottom for the first time, combined with getting the bruise balm on cane stripes for the first time. It was just too much for her, and she climaxed. She was probably really embarrassed, and didn't know how to deal." Like it was the most obvious thing in the world.
George said with sympathy, "Everything will work out Harry, she really cares about you."
And Fred grinning ear-to-ear, remarked "And that was seriously hot. You are a lucky wizard bro." He squeezed Harry's arm before they both left.
Harry went over to the library and knocked at the door before slowly opening it. He peeked inside seeing a nice sized room, with deep thick carpet, gentle lighting over the tables and by the chairs, and with wall-to-wall bookshelves full of potions texts. There were 4 comfortable chairs and 4 tables with chairs for working on parchments.
Hermione and Elanor were sitting in two of the comfort chairs, now looking at him.
"Is it OK for me to come in?" Harry asked hopefully.
Elanor got up and said to Hermione, "Remember, this is as new to Harry as it is to you, he doesn't understand what happened." She then turned to Harry, "Yes go on in, Hermione wants to talk to you." Elanor then left.
Harry went and quietly sat down in the chair Elanor just vacated. He was looking down, glancing up at Hermione, not saying anything.
After a while Harry quietly asked, "Hermione, are you OK?"
Hermione wasn't meeting his eyes; she just kept looking down. After waiting a while, Harry plaintively begged, "Hermione, please?"
Hermione took a breath, then let it out. She quietly replied, "That surprised me."
Harry going for broke, asked quietly still unsure, "Did you climax when I put the balm on you bottom?"
Hermione took another breath and let it out forcefully. She then admitted louder, "If felt really good to have you rubbing my bum."
Harry ashamedly admitted, "I was too surprised, watching the balm heal you. I didn't notice your reaction, until you were fully in your climax. Not knowing what to do, I just kept rubbing until you pushed me away. I honestly had no idea what happened, though you seemed to enjoy it. I was really, worried about you."
Hermione embarrassed with how inexperienced they both were, "I'm sorry for scaring you. I have never climaxed from someone else before. Doing it in public really embarrassed and surprised me. I'm sorry I tried to run away."
Harry replied sadly, "Please don't run from me. I can handle anything except you leaving me. Next time just tell me what you want. You could ask me for anything, to do anything, and I would try to grant your wish. I couldn't imagine being embarrassed enough to leave you."
After hearing Harry's words, Hermione was very ashamed, "I'm sorry Harry. I really should have just told you my concerns." Then with some trepidation, she said "I think you should spank me."
Harry just looked at her and said, "If you think you need me to, I will. Personally, I would rather not. I understand your fears and confusion. Just don't pull away from me again and we can move on."
Hermione, a bit surprised, and with a small smile, replied "OK Harry. You can certainly spank me, if I do it again. i will do my best, not to earn that spanking."
Changing the subject, Harry said "Elanor seems really nice, and seems to care. The twins are worried about us. Everyone seems to treat everyone else as family here. I think we have nothing to be ashamed of among the apprentices, as everything we are going through, they have already done. I get the strong feeling what happens here, stays here. It looks like Snape brutalizing, then having the apprentices heal each other, creates a sense of comradery and family. I doubt it's an accident. Every time I think I understand Master Snape, he just impresses me more."
Hermione thought for a few seconds. She then replied, "You could be right. It certainly impressed me when they cheered for us, and Elanor was the big sister, I never knew I needed, today. We hear the twins are clowns, but Fred was an exacting instructor, and that bruise balm, wow. And Fred said it was barely passable!"
Harry looked in Hermione's eyes and shyly admitted, "I liked that you called my name when you climaxed."
Hermione blushed, looking down with a small smile. She then looked up and said with a smile, "Let's go to lunch."
Harry grabbed her hand and smiled at her, "OK, Mine."
That afternoon, Harry and the rest of the Hufflepuff quidditch team were preparing to practice when the Slytherins showed up. Their captain showed Cedric a note saying they had a new Seeker and needed to practice.
Harry nonchalantly wandered up to Draco who had his broom on his shoulder, "Hey bro, what's the story?"
Draco sighed, "Nott's dad bought everyone new brooms...well all the others, to get him on the team as Seeker. I earned chaser without buying brooms for the team."
Harry snorted, "Of course you did, you're certainly good enough! But, Nott as seeker?" and Harry grinned.
Draco shook his head, "Yeah, I know he has no chance against the Black Swallow, but…politics."
Harry smacked Draco on the arm, and went over to the Slytherin captain. He struck a Lockhart-worthy pose in front of him, and with a grin, "How about a wager to see who gets the field? Me against any of your players…since you don't have a seeker. The first one who catches 5 snitches wins." Harry pauses and with a Weasley-Twin worthy grin, "I spot you 3."
Nott, wanting to prove he was worthy of being seeker for the Slytherins, immediately accepted the challenge. He yelled, "You're on! I have the 2001, I will leave you in my dust."
Harry just grinned, looking at him pityingly. He then said, "Accepted! Release the first snitch." And he looked at the Slytherin captain with a challenge in his eyes.
Flint growled at Nott, "You better catch those 2 before he gets to five…GO!"
Harry was off like a shot. Over, under, around, straight up, then straight down and he skid broke right at Flint. He hopped off his broom, saying loudly "That's ONE!", before he handed the snitch to Flint…and grinned. The Hufflepuff team cheered and an audience was starting to form. Nott hadn't even moved. Flint's face was thunderous. "Go!" he yelled.
Twenty minutes later the Slytherins were leaving with Flint having a go at Nott, full volume. Nott was still the seeker as he did catch one. Though that one flew right to him and he still barely got it before Harry was in his face reaching for it.
Before he left, Draco just grinned and muttered "show off!" Harry grinned back. Cedric waved the spectators away, and Hufflepuff had a very good practice.
All in all, a very good day.
Naturally, at dinner, everyone knew the Black Swallow utterly spanked the new Slytherin seeker at practice that day. Most just said 'DUH, against a beginner?' Harry had to admit, his new name the Black Swallow was cool. Much better than Barn Swallow. It was funny how everyone considered Harry a professional 'expert' and he was a second year with three games to his name...
Tonight, was his first time with Master Snape. Snape told him they were using the Prince dueling room this time. Harry went early to get the lay of the land and entered the room. It was sized fairly large with two dueling platforms 1 foot off the ground. Just enough to make it obvious if you were blown off. There was also a large area where you could fight without official boundaries. Harry went over there. He loved how all the rooms were much larger than would be allowed by the distance between the doors in the hallway. This area didn't even pretend to make things fit.
Snape came in wearing a dueling robe. Dueling robes are designed to allow the fighter to move. This one was not armored as far as Harry could tell. He looked at Harry and noticed he was wearing the same, without armor. He looked down and raised an eye brow. Harry replied. "I was taught not to rely on my armor. Move, shield, strike. I only use armor once a week so I stay used to the effect it has on my movements."
Snape nodded in approval. "Master Flitwick tells me you wish to be taught to fight. To know how to lose. To feel curses rend your flesh, once your magic is used up."
Harry nodded, and asked, "Did he tell you about my 'situation'? How I reset nightly?"
Master Snape raised an eyebrow with curiosity. He replied, "Yes…a most unique situation. I cannot fault your willingness to use it to its fullest to become…better." And Snape struck.
Ten minutes later, Harry was on the ground, beaten and broken. He had used every bit of magic he could access shielding and striking. Snape was impressed. Only the better sixth and seventh years, and possibly one fifth year could have done as well…and they would be in the hospital at least a month…if they were healed completely at all. Once Harry went past his second maturation, then the real training could begin. Casting in parsel, that had been a surprise. So was the near point casting. He had to admit, Harry was going to be deadly…but would he be good enough to take Riddle? Not anytime soon. Certainly not before his third maturation, but with enough training…
Snape ignored the broken boy before him and casually instructed, "After your reset, clean up and go to bed. I will see you in class." And he left.
As Harry was lying there using all his will to ignore the pain. He heard someone. It sounded like someone was talking themselves into attacking an enemy. "Fight…find them…kill…" and it faded away, just as Harry lost consciousness.
Harry had an idea. He went to the library looking up apprentice contracts and was very happy with what he saw. He could activate a clause which allowed him to completely override the class schedule and since the school was allowing a Master/Apprentice arrangement, they really couldn't do anything about it. Harry then asked to talk to Master Snape for a short time after dinner. Master Snape agreed.
Harry visited Master Snape in his office at the Prince School. "Master Snape" Harry asked.
Snape looked up and motioned Harry forward. Harry came forward to the desk and stood there at parade rest. "Sir!" Harry said as Lord Black had instructed him.
Snape looked nonplussed, "Cut the crap Harry. What do you want?"
Harry relaxed and looked him in the eyes, but stayed respectful. "I have an idea sir. It has come to my attention that a master of an apprentice can eliminate unnecessary distractions from their apprentice's education. Now I know you specifically disallowed that ability to prove you would not interfere with the other educational opportunities of your apprentices before their graduation from Hogwarts, but with my magical guardian's approval, we can temporarily suspend that limitation with the goal of getting me out of useless classes. Namely converting HOM and DADA to independent study as well, but utilizing different professors as the advisors and evaluators.
Snape just looked at him, running through the legal permutations involved. He then shook his head, "It's weak, but doable with the approval of the Headmaster of Hogwarts. How do you think you will get Headmaster Dumbledore to approve this?"
Harry thought for a second and replied, "I'm not sure, to get him to not interfere with my betrothal to Lady Granger or any other personal relationships, I had to oath to drop the charges against him which involved his legal responsibility for the Dursleys and his thievery for himself and the Weasleys."
Snape smirked and said, "So that's how that situation just vanished. I had wondered how Albus accomplished it."
Harry growled, "Oh yes, that bastard promised to give Hermione to some deserving fourth gen…for the sake of the blood, don't you know, if I did not make the agreement. Heck, I doubt she would have been allowed to be your apprentice as well."
Snape with slight disapproval and some disappointment, "While I understand your hostility, please don't voice such disrespect for the headmaster with witnesses. While I understand caning you would mean little to you, it would distress Hermione…even if I entirely agree with your sentiments."
Harry nodded at the rebuke, "How ever did you get him to let you make this school in his demesne. I can't see him willingly give up such power."
Snape with a shark-like grin, replied "Someday I may answer that question…but this is not that day." And Harry nodded his acceptance.
Harry said thinking out loud, "What if we make the agreement, get everybody to sign it, and get the school board to ratify it? With Malfoy, Longbottom, and Black we should be able to have it rammed down their throats and the headmaster would be dealing with a 'fait du accompli'?"
Snape looked at Harry for a while, "He would still make trouble, but you could probably get a deal with him at that point, only giving up reasonable concessions. This is on you. I'm not going to fight for this."
Harry going for broke, then requested "All I need from you is your word you will only use your increased power to remove Hermione and I from DADA and HOM for the purpose of converting them to independent study, and no other changes to our lives or education."
Master Snape glared at Harry, looking into his eyes for a while, and eventually nodded, "I so swear." With magic swirling around him signifying he meant the vow.
Harry bowed deeply, "Good evening, Master." spun on his heals and left.
Snape sat there thinking of the literal shit storm this was going to create and grinned. Harry had so much of his mother in him. Merlin, he missed Lily so much. Thinking of Harry, he realized Harry cared for Hermione the way he had cared for Lily…it really hurt when Lily switched from lovers to friends, but James proved worthy…eventually. He realized both Lily's and Harry's relationships were dependent on that damned Potter Foible. Fate sure was a bitch.