Harry Potter and the Womb of Requirement NOW CODED

27

There was now a scant three weeks left until the NEWTS, and the seventh years were buried in their work. Ginny took care of the Potions, occasionally catching Snape turning a flame up or down per Hermione’s written instructions that she left meticulously each day. More and more, she could feel herself start to trust her Potions master. Her Missy did, after all, though Severus missed the chats he had with the redhead’s bond-mate. He watched the youngest Weasley as she tied her hair back, rolling up her sleeves, a totally businesslike air about her. He sent. {At least one of the Weasley clan has the knack for Potions}. Ginny rolled her eyes and measured a careful amount of chopped ginger to the Bond Potion, followed by steeped decoction of henbane. She tapped the last bit into the flask, stirring it fast as instructed until it had boiled for the requisite two minutes. She turned the flame down and allowed herself a small smile at the compliment.

The seventh years were haunting the library. Madam Pince provided extra cushions to make Draco comfortable, even allowing him to put shoeless feet up on the table. His girth was increasing daily, and his ankles and feet swelled up a bit at the end of the day. Harry was wrapped around him as they read from the same text. Early on, they’d realised that if they mentally read to each other aloud, the information stuck better in their memories. Tonight was Harry’s turn as he read over his lover’s shoulder, an arm looped over Draco’s belly. Occasionally one of the others would glance over at the two of them, lost in study, and smile. As they dined, they studied. All together.

As a group mind, they brought the session to a close. After a certain time, they couldn’t concentrate anymore, usually as kisses started to be bestowed, answered.

They wished Madam Pince goodnight, Hermione sending a {Goodnight, Irma} with a smile. They wended their way to bed.

Deep into the night, Harry awoke, struggling to catch the last of a dream or a Sight, he wasn’t sure. But the content had disturbed him profoundly and he sat up in bed, sweating. Even though it was dark, he still put his glasses on, his eyes darting about. Gradually his accelerated breathing slowed. He kept his channels closed to everyone and cautiously felt back into his mind for the image.

He was carrying Cariad in his arms, still a baby. The image widened and he saw the baby’s face and hair. She was blonde. Nothing unusual there. Hermione had often said she was born a blonde but her hair colour had changed as she grew. But it was when the child opened her eyes, that Harry reeled in shock. A clear green, a couple of shades lighter than his own. How could this be?. The child Draco and he had seen before quite clearly had blue-grey eyes.

As the babe in his arms closed her eyes again, Harry laid her down, probably for a mid-afternoon nap, as the room they were in was lit by sunlight. Then Harry, in real time, clutched hard at the bedclothes as the internal movie played itself out. He bent forward and kissed his child, he noticed a ring he was wearing on his third finger of his left hand. A heavy silver metal band with three diamonds embedded into it’s surface. It was what he did with that hand, that made him hot all over again. He stroked his stomach, but instead of the flat planes he was accustomed to, his belly was distended, rounded, quite obviously pregnant, judging from the size, about five months along. The movie in his mind ended, and Harry was left staring into the dark, utterly confused.

His mind raced until he shook the images from his head, telling himself not to be so silly, it was just a dream he’d had. He glanced at his Dragon asleep, then found his left hand drifting over his own stomach, the dream still fresh in his mind. He sighed and smiled ruefully, removing his specs and laying down again, wrapping himself around his beloved and once again slept.

That weekend, Draco decided they needed to have a pre-NEWTS party, so they invited all their sendees, with the exception of the staff, of course, and with plentiful supplies of Muggle lager that the House-Elves seemed to be able to conjure from mid-air, plus a little of Fred and George’s finest, a very jolly evening was had by all. Susie Bones brought her CD player and a stack of discs. Seamus his I-Pod and speaker setup, so there was plenty of good music. Draco partied long and hard. Something told him, this was the last party he could indulge in until after Cariad’s birth, so indulge he did, going a little white when he sampled some of the Weasley twins’ excellent weed, but it wasn’t a major pale fail.

All through the evening, various loved-up folk had asked for a loan of one or the other of the bondees rooms, then returned to the party flushed and smiling. The party eventually wound down, and people left as the dawn was breaking. Harry had to clean the sink before they went to bed, somebody couldn’t handle their alcohol and had been sick. Draco gathered the empties up, stacking them in the kitchen, squirmed at Harry’s task, then went back in the living room.

Susie had left her CD’s until the morrow, and Harry picked out a favourite, putting it on, pulling his Dragon to him for a slow dance, as the light strengthened outside the opened window. They kissed, languid open mouths joining, then heated tongues. {Take me to bed, Harry}, Draco purred. Harry obliged, stripping his lover slowly, Draco a mess beneath him, {Please, baby, not so slow. I’m going out of my mind here. Please}. Harry quickened the pace, sunk balls-deep into his beloved, making him howl into the early morning, joining him scant moments later.

Sunday afternoon Hermione tapped lightly on the boys’ door, she had come to retrieve her little phial from the fridge. She stayed a while, visiting. Her and the boys having a post-mortem on the previous evening. {Someone threw up in our sink, eeewww}, Harry sent. Hermione giggled, {I think that was Jonathan, Justin’s boyfriend. I don’t think he had had weed and alcohol mixed before}. Draco sent, {How do you two know about this illegal substance anyway?}. Hermione turned her laughing hazel eyes to steel grey-blue, {Because we’ve lived in the Muggle world, sweetheart, and you haven’t}, even now she could not resist getting the odd dig in.

She left them with a few papers and a bit of grass. She left clutching her phial, making her way to the lab, sending to her Girlie to join her. A few minutes later and Ginny tapped three times and ventured in. Hermione had the lid off the small pot, and was just popping the lid on the sterile phial as Ginny entered. The redhead hugged her Missy tight as the thin milky fluid was tipped into the pot, then gently stirred. She had done as much as she could. She slumped, exhausted from the amount of Magic that had gone into preparing this Potion, not to mention the love. As the Potion cooled, she pulled towards her a small black glass bottle and poured the still warm Potion into it, then stoppered it tight with a feeling of triumph. She fell into Ginny’s arms and wept awhile at the enormity of the gift she was about to bestow, if it worked, but she had a feeling it would. A quiet confidence.

She was brought back to Earth by Ginny’s send, {Shall we go and give it to them, then, love?}. Hermione clutched the small bottle tight, kissing it, then nodded, {If they’re fit for company}, they both giggled, as they made their way back to the Protected Section.

Draco admitted the two serious-faced girls. His first send, {What’s up, Ladies?. You look like you lost a Galleon and found a Knut}.

The two swept in and Hermione knelt before the coffee table, placing the black glass flask on it. Draco sat beside Harry on the sofa. They both looked puzzled, then expectantly at the bottle, then back to Hermione, who was composing herself, her cheeks flushed.

{A little present for you boys, from your Elemental. It should be good for about three years. According to the lore, I have to give you something special, and this is it. You must keep this Potion in a cold lightless place until you wish to use it}. Ginny’s face was wreathed in smiles, {Take it}, she urged. Harry picked up the bottle, examining it.

Draco’s send was tremulous, {What is it, and what does it do?}.

As Harry returned, to his place beside his Dragon, she told them. {This will allow you to, erm, add to your family}. Draco looked faintly horrified, {This would mean me again as the carrier?}. Hermione grinned and shook her head, {Not if this works. The way I’ve made this}, she indicated the bottle, {Should mean that you can choose}. Draco shook his head, {But the books say....}. She cast him a sympathetic glance, {We are so not going by the book here, and anyway I managed to complete the hypothetical male birthing Potion. Muggle technology has come a long way, chaps}.

As the import of this sank in, she waited, then Harry got it. {While Draco had his scan. Why you felt so shite for two days. Ohmygod, Hermione},his hand slowly extended and caressed the bottle. Harry felt himself go white, his eyes roll up and he collapsed sideways on the sofa.

All three rushed to Harry’s side, his Dragon holding him, reviving him, {I thought it was only me and mine that did this fainting thing, Harry}, but underneath the flippant tone, real anxiety lurked. Harry clung to him, his sends quiet, {I had this vision last night. I wasn’t sure if it was the tattered remnants of a dream, a Sight, or...}, his send dreamy, {just wishful thinking}, then he sent them all the movie he’d watched in his mind the previous night. Draco was stunned, {Then the girl with brown hair....?}. Harry giggled then, {Is our second child}. The four looked at each other, amazed, then the boys dived on their Elemental, enveloping her in hugs, Harry’s threatening to crack her ribs. Then he burst into tears, {‘Mione, I cannot imagine a greater gift, but, if I may ask, why?}.

She grinned then, {Because you wish you were the carrier. That’s why. And now I’ve given you a way to be so. I’ve watched you, Harry. I’ve seen how you are around Draco, watched your quiet envy}.

Harry asked then, {Why was it him and not me?}

Hermione rolled her eyes in her typical smart , ‘Oh, I can’t believe you’ve not worked this out, yet’ way. {Harry, when you first made love to Draco, you topped, yes?}. Harry nodded. {And he’d never been, erm, a taker, always a, erm, giver?}, he repeated the nod. She shrugged, {Then that’s why. On your first night you were both virgins}. Harry looked confused, {But he wasn’t. I know he’s had other lovers. I was the innocent}. She grinned ferally, {But you took him, when he’d never been taken before. You took the other half of his virginity. Tell me, Harry, how did you....?}, her questioning send tapered away.

Harry got it, and giggled, {We fought for it. I got the upper hand}.

Hermione howled laughing, {I thought so. It couldn’t have happened any other way then. You made love, fell in love, and, the rest, as they say, is History}, she shrugged to general hilarity, even while Draco went a fetching shade of maroon, sending, {Granger, you are dead}. She shut him up with a look. {No I’m not, git, not even slightly. You need me, so get over it}, she teased. Meeting Draco’s grin as he faced her. {You’re a bitch. You know that, but I love you anyway}, she replied, {I know, dahling. Love you too}, and blew him a kiss. The girls left. Leaving their Magi alone. Draco devoured his Lion, kissing him hard. {One day, Harry, one day. After we’ve dealt with him}, he licked and kissed Harry’s taut stomach as he carried on downwards.

Deep into the night, Harry rose and padded to the bathroom. As he went about his business, he thought back to Hermione’s amazing gift. On automatic pilot, he found himself in the kitchen, the bottle of Potion before him on the table, sitting on the bench, he laid his head on his folded arms and stared at it. For two pins, he would swallow it down right away, but he knew he had to wait. He reached out a finger and stroked the black glass. His eyes filled and tears ran down his face as thoughts tumbled over each other in his mind. He was lost to the world, and didn’t feel Draco nearby until he sat beside him on the bench, taking Harry into his arms.

Harry howled in Draco’s arms, {What is it love?. What’s wrong?. I thought you wanted this, babe}. Harry snuffled and sat up. He picked up the bottle and kissed it, his eyes closed. He laid it down and turned to his Dragon, his face tear-streaked, {I do, more than anything. It’s just....there’s this fact that I found out, I forget where from, probably Aunt Petunia in one of her rages said too much. I don’t know.... Oh, Dragon, it’s said that my mum was pregnant when she was killed, and my little brother or sister died with her}, he sank back into Draco’s arms, fresh tears falling.

Draco couldn’t think of a thing to say. He held Harry tight as he cried himself out, rocking him, planting kisses in his hair, sending as much comfort as he could. He felt his own eyes tear as a long buried memory surfaced, their mother had just returned from a trip away, and as she alighted from the carriage, her two children barrelled towards her, into her open arms as she crouched, bracing herself for the onslaught.

Cariad was in the lead, Draco just behind her. Then her daughter suddenly stopped, clutching at her head, and fell to the ground, screaming, “Mama”. Narcissa rushed forwards, gathering her child into her arms, bearing her indoors, leaving a forlorn Draco on the drive. He sent Harry the memory. It was the last time he saw his sister alive.

Harry started at the send, gazed up into his beloved’s crumpling face, sending, {Come on, my Dragon. Bed. We both need some serious loving here}. Draco nodded and allowed Harry to lead them. He tucked the blankets around them, taking his Dragon into his arms and both wept for their lost siblings until they eventually slept again.

xxxxxxx

As Hermione made her way to the Potions lab, the same night, she felt the spike of sadness coming from her boys and wondered at it’s meaning. She paused on the threshold, seeing a light under the door, then slowly pushed it open. The single candle guttered as the draught hit it, and she gasped in horror, her knuckles in her mouth.

The candle lit a sleeping or comatose Severus Snape, his head leaning on his left arm. His left shirtsleeve was rolled up and blood dripped slowly from his forearm, over the edge of the bench and onto the floor. She closed and charmed the door, racing around the bench. Without touching her teacher, she held the candle closer.

His forearm was a mess of scars, some older than the others, fresh blood oozed from the latest cuts. He was about a third of the way through excising his Dark Mark the hard way. Hermione’s stomach lurched as her eyes took in the carnage before her. He was cutting it out, bit at a time, until he could handle the pain no more and passed out. This, she divined in moments, a wash of sadness coursing through her. She tentatively reached her hand out, her fingers gently stroked the black ink, she recoiled as she felt the evil, calling her teacher. This had been his torment over many years since he had denounced the Dark and come over to the Light. Pity for him rose like bile in her throat.

She thought deeply, her gaze locked onto that dark stain on her Potion Master’s arm. He breathed, deep and even, a frown on his brow. Elementals were granted healing powers, and she sank into herself, seeking them. She opened her eyes, calm, focused. She carefully dowsed his arm with her hands, holding them palms down. Cautiously, she touched the Mark again, withdrawing her hand. Nothing.

She let her intuition take over. She sucked her fore and middle fingers into her mouth, wetting them thoroughly, then placed them on the Mark.

Snape snapped back to wakefulness, contracting in agony as he clutched his arm, glaring at Hermione. She retreated as if burned, {Sorry, sir. I was just trying to help}. Snape was clearly in excruciating pain. Then as suddenly as it had begun, it stopped. In amazement, Snape looked down at his arm, then at Hermione, in shock. Her eyes followed his back down. Where her wet fingers had touched the Mark was now just clean skin, two gaps clearly apparent. Their eyes met. In a trance, Snape offered his arm to her, {Whatever it takes. Rid me of this abomination, please. I beg you}

Hermione slowly nodded, {But before I do}, she lifted the scalpel from the bench, rinsed the blood from it and nicked her thumb, holding her cut thumb-pad and the scalpel to her teacher. Who took it wordlessly, nicking his own thumb, then pressing it to Hermione’s. He felt the crackle for a few seconds, then folded over in a swoon once more.

{Sorry, sir, but this is going to hurt}. She gently lifted his afflicted limb from the desk, to her mouth. {Quickest way, sir, Horrible pain, then it’s all over}. In three long wet licks, she had generously covered the Mark and the scars with saliva. Then retreated as her teacher came back howling in pain, writhing as the thing dissolved. Then the pain receded.

He looked up then. Hermione’s mouth was smeared in his blood. Then he looked down. The Mark was gone. Blood and scars were still there. She rinsed her mouth out, spitting blood into the sink and dried her face, sipping water to take the taste away. As sense returned, he rose, his eyes half-closed, his lips slightly parted, the tip of his tongue visible in the corner and reached for her. Hermione backed away a step, holding her hands before her, {I know, sir, but a simple ‘thank you’ will suffice}. Snape caught himself, colouring. He sank his face into his hands as he sat back down, {I’m sorry. So sorry}. He felt her grin in his mind, {Don’t worry, sir, Elemental Magic always, erm, gets a bit like that. The nature of the thing, don’t you know?}.

He looked up at her, then dissolved into joyful laughter, tears falling freely. He was free at last. She gazed at him, and, sod propriety, she stood behind him and threw her arms around his shoulders as he sobbed. He clutched at her hands, {you truly are a force of Nature, you know, not like Salazar}.

She nodded, {Salazar messed it all up, with his jealousy. He couldn’t handle just being the Elemental. He wanted to be the Mage. Like Godric and Rowena. He fucked up their Bonding Ceremony. Set off the whole train of events that lead to Voldemort in our own time}. Snape nodded mournfully as Hermione straightened up, unwinding her arms.

She suddenly felt deeply fatigued, swaying slightly. Snape caught her arm. {Bed. Now. Off you go. But know this. I will always be in your debt for what you did tonight, and I thank you with all that is in me}. He gazed once more into those brown liquid depths, {You know what nearly happened earlier?}. Hermione grinned, walking to the door. She blew him a kiss as she left.

She felt his euphoria build as she left, sending a careful, {Ssshhh. Don’t let him read you, sir. He’ll figure out that you are no longer to be counted on as one of his minions, and he’s gonna be really pissed off}. Snape calmed instantly, quieting his exuberance.

As Hermione reached their room, she was let in by an anxious Ginny, who had read the sends, a look of faint disgust on her face. Hermione sent, {Don’t you dare}, in a very dark tone, then sent to her bond-mate all that had transpired. Ginny was stunned, {He nearly kissed you?}, her send full of revulsion. {No, you don’t understand. I removed his Dark Mark, and we blood-bonded. Tonight was weird. And I need you, my love}. In moments, Ginny had her tongue twined with her beloved’s, knowing exactly what she needed, wanted. She gave up. Letting Hermione bind her hands, her eyes. Then take her. Trusting. Thrusting, until her lover drove her wild, forcing her over the edge, howling and shrieking, feeling her Missy follow her, somewhere in the red mist.

Hermione untied the bonds, gathering her Girlie to her, {Sorry, babe, but I really needed...}, her send faded. Ginny held her tight, sending, {Never apologise, unless I have to say my safe word}. The Elemental smiled into her bond-mate’s eyes, holding her closer, {Love you, Girlie. So much}. Ginny melted into Hermione’s insistent kisses, murmuring, “Mine, all mine, my Missy”.