A night of love

Various Plans

A few minutes later they were both looking as decent as always, going into the library.

“Oh, I thought I’d meet you here,” they heard Padma say as they approached the charms section. Padma waved them to sit at her table. “You’re probably looking for this,” she said, showing the book she was holding. Its title was “Charms And Potions – How To Detect And Counteract Potions By Using Charms.”

“Is that what you wanted to talk with Harry about?” Hermione asked.

“Partly. I believe you already know he’s under a love potion as well as a loyalty potion. I’m now looking for ways to identify the perpetrator before getting rid of the effects.” She then looked closely at Hermione. “You’re also a potion victim, aren’t you?”

“Yes. We used the revealing charm to check each other. Somebody is dosing me with love potion. I don’t think I need more than a guess to know who.” Her expression was stormy and dark. Harry was glad it wasn’t directed at him.

Padma smiled at her. “You probably know that a love potion is only effective if the victim is unaware of it. Once the victim knows, the effect is usually reversed, turning the potion-induced love into hatred. Besides, I’ve started brewing the antidote. It will flush all potions out of your system and nullify their effect. It only needs to simmer for the night to be ready and there’s enough for both of you. You should only take it after dinner, though, as it will make you stay in the bathroom almost continuously for a few hours. You should drink as much as you can before you take it.”

“Why are you doing this for Harry and for me?”

Padma smiled nervously. “I’ll tell you after you are cleansed of the potions and their effects.”

Hermione gave it a moment of thought and nodded. “Do you know of a charm to detect potions in one’s food or beverage?”

Padma turned the pages to the first chapter. “There are a few spells here. I suggest this one, as it only shows its results to the caster.” She pointed at a specific paragraph.

Hermione read it quickly and nodded her agreement. “We must now make it a habit to check each serving before eating or drinking anything,” she told Harry. “You too,” she said to Padma, “as helping Harry may put you in danger as well.”

Padma shrugged. “I’ve been checking everything since I was ten. Some Indian cults have very weird ideas about girls and women, you know.”

At dinner, both Harry and Hermione cast the revealing spell. They were not surprised to find their food laced with love potion. Harry’s pumpkin juice contained the loyalty potion. He also checked Ron’s food and beverage, finding them free of potions. He didn’t mind the love potion, as its effect was already severely dampened by the mere knowledge it was used. He used a switching spell to put the loyalty potion in Ron’s glass.

They went to the library after dinner as well, meeting Padma there. She showed them the spell she wanted to use on them to find who was behind it. Hermione checked the spell and agreed it was good.

They found an empty classroom near the library. Padma first cast the spell on Hermione. “No surprise here. The potion is keyed to Ron and brewed by his mother.”

She then turned to Harry. She had to cast it twice before she was sure of the results. “The love potion is keyed to Ginny and brewed by her mother, as expected. The loyalty potion is keyed to Dumbledore and prepared by him. I guess it is administered either with the help of the house elves or through Ron.”

While finding they were given love potions by Ron and Ginny was not a great surprise by now, finding that Dumbledore was using loyalty potion on Harry was quite a shock, especially for Hermione. Despite her experience with the ministry and Umbridge, she still regarded Dumbledore as a trust-worthy figure of authority. This new revelation made his trustworthiness questionable, at best.

They had no time to talk about it, though. They all needed to reach their dorms before curfew, although Padma and Hermione could use their prefect badges to stay out a bit longer.

Ginny had already retired to her dorm room, but Ron was still in the common room when they arrived. “Where have you two been?” he demanded.

“At the library. I asked Harry to help me research something, as you can’t,” Hermione replied.

“Can you sit with me now? I can’t seem to find the right page...”

Harry watched for a bit before leaving. He knew Hermione would only make Ron more frustrated, insisting on him really studying and not just copying her work.

Padma met Harry the next day and gave him three vials. “The blue one is the flushing potion. Give one vial to Hermione. You should only take it after dinner, when you reach your dorms. Make sure to drink a lot at dinner. You should be free of any remnants of the potion by tomorrow evening. I’d like to meet you then for...” she blushed nicely, not finishing the sentence.

“What is the other vial for?”

“I’d like you to take the pink one before you meet me tomorrow. It is a very mild love and lust potion keyed to me. It will only take effect for a few hours. I simply want you to love me when you... do what I need you to do. It will make it easier on me.” She looked at the floor, blushing some more.

Harry took her face in his hands and made her look into his eyes. “Padma, you don’t really need this. I’d be a fool not to be attracted to you and...”

She put her finger on his lips to stop him. “Just take it, please. It will help me.”

Harry didn’t want to promise. He only nodded. “So, we shall meet tomorrow at eight in front of the Room of Requirements, if it’s alright with you.”

Padma smiled in relief. “Sure! I’ll be there at eight, and not a word to anybody, please.”

“You know Hermione is suspecting something and probably Ginny as well.”

“Just another reason not to tell a soul.”

Both Harry and Hermione drank as much as they could during dinner. “I probably stayed too long in the sun today,” Harry said to Ron, “as I’m more thirsty than I have ever been.”

They took the flushing potion soon after reaching their dorms. Nobody wondered why they needed the toilets so many times after drinking so much liquid. It even disturbed Harry’s sleep a few times during the night.

He avoided Ginny that day and stayed as far from Ron as he could, finding refuge mainly in the library, where both Hermione and Padma joined him, although each studied a different subject. They were going to the Great Hall for dinner, when Hermione asked Padma, “So, you’re meeting Harry tonight, aren’t you?”

Padma looked at Harry accusingly. He shrugged innocently. Hermione noticed the exchange. “Harry didn’t say a word, but don’t forget that your sister is my dorm-mate. She told us about your problem. ‘She is supposed to be smart, yet by refraining from s*x she made herself eligible to be sold for wife. I got rid of my virginity as soon as I could, so they can’t sell me.’ She also told me about your deadline at the summer vacation. It was plainly evident to me what you wanted Harry to do.”

Padma blushed furiously. “My sister should better learn to keep her mouth closed. Her legs as well. And yes, I plan to be with Harry tonight.”

“Do you mind if I join you?”

Both Harry and Padma stopped walking, looking at Hermione as if she sprouted horns. Hermione just shrugged. “What? Isn’t it natural for me to want to give my virginity to the man I love? Besides, your sister told me it is more fun when there are more participants.” A red tinge crept into her face despite her bravado.

“I never planned to have company at this event,” Padma finally said.

“Neither did I, but as we both seem to share the same boy, why not share this experience as well?”

Harry was finally catching up. “You love me?” he asked Hermione.

She smiled tenderly. “I’ve been in love with you since first year, although I didn’t know it then. That potion just confused me, making me unsure of my feelings. Now, that I finally know, there’s no reason to hesitate any longer. I love you, Harry, and I want to be yours.”

“I love you too,” he blurted, not really knowing what he was saying. Hermione didn’t need any more. She grabbed his face and kissed him for all her worth. Harry didn’t stay passive. He responded with vigor, and soon that kiss turned into a full-fledged snog.

“You’re in the middle of a corridor and people may come here any moment,” Padma reminded them a few times, until they broke the kiss, not looking ashamed even a bit.

“We need to catch up,” Harry explained innocently. “We might have had much longer to become a couple if those potions didn’t interfere. Do you know for how long we’ve been fed the potions?”

“I don’t know, but you may find by interrogating Ron under Veritaserum. I can brew some, if you want. Right now, we have a plan to execute,” Padma urged them.

“The three of us?” Hermione asked, not yet sure.

“Yes, the three of us. I don’t want Harry to be torn between you and me.” Padma didn’t look happy about the way things turned out, but she seemed determined to not let it spoil her plans.

“Fine. I’ll make sure he’s ready on time,” Hermione told her, as they approached the Great Hall.

Harry sat beside Hermione, feeling a bit overwhelmed. He was very happy to learn that Hermione loved him. Once the love potion was flushed out, he found that he loved her, but he didn’t know how she felt. He was also excited at the prospect of finally having s*x, and a bit frightened. He knew that the first time could be awkward, that the girl might have pains and that he would quite possibly finish without letting his partner reach her peak. He had heard too many stories about first time s*x. Yet he also knew it could turn out great. And then he recalled he would need to do it twice...

“Hey, mate! Something bothering you?” Ron asked as he sat at his side. Harry noticed that Ron was holding two small vials in his left hand. Harry would not have noticed it normally, but knowing what he now knew, he was much more cautious.

“Not really. Just a bit tired,” he answered. His face was turned to Ron, yet his eyes followed Ron’s hands as he tried to put the potions into Harry’s plate and goblet. Harry’s reflexes urged him to stop Ron, but his mind dictated a different action.

“I think there’s a spider on the table,” he said, faking disgust.

Ron jumped on his feet. “Where?” he asked, his eyes scanning the table.

Harry switched their goblets and used his wand to vanish the contents of his plate before saying, “Maybe it was just my imagination, or maybe it moved under the table. I don’t know.”

Ron looked pale. “I don’t feel so good now. I think it’s better if I skip dinner.”

“Lie down a bit. It may pass in an hour or so,” Hermione suggested sweetly. She noticed another vial in his right hand. She silently vanished its contents.

With Ron gone, Harry felt his appetite grow. Knowing that Hermione was sitting at his side, secretly touching his leg with hers, was also very nice. He was also glad that Neville sat on the place vacated by Ron, so that Ginny couldn’t claim it.

Dinner was quite pleasant under these conditions.