What a Witch Needs

Hi everyone! Here’s the next installment. Please let me know if you like this so far. Thanks.

Disclaimer: I can claim no ownership of the characters or settings used in this fiction.


Slave Girl

The next morning was Halloween and the students were all anticipating an exciting day of Hogsmeade and then the costume ball in the evening. Harry had dressed quickly and looked at Ron who was taking his time getting ready. “Come on, Ron,” he said impatiently. “I want to get over to Madame Balustrid’s shop and reserve our costumes before everyone else. I don’t want to get stuck with the house elf costume this year.”

“Why don’t you just go as yourself? That would be scary enough,” Ron mumbled, tossing his dirty laundry on the floor.

Harry stared at him a few moments and replied, “Did I do something wrong? If I caused this pissy mood, I’d like to know what I did at least.”

Ron sighed heavily and ran a hand through his hair. “Sorry,” Ron replied. “It’s not you.”

“Hermione?” Harry ventured. Ron had yet to tell him a thing, but Harry was tired of all the drama. He just wanted things back to normal.

Ron snorted and shook his head. “She told you, did she?”

“Just a bit,” Harry responded.

“Oh, and which part was that?” Ron asked, defensively. “Did she tell you what we did?”

Harry shook his head. “No, she only told me that things didn’t go the way she wanted them to go. She didn’t go into any detail…”

“You go on, Harry,” Ron snapped. “I’ll see you around later.”

Harry looked flabbergasted. “Stop being a fucking idiot, Ron. You think I like being in the middle of this… this… thing you’re having with Hermione? I care about you both. If she needs someone to talk to, then I plan on being there for her, Ron. Same as I would do for you.”

Ron flopped down on his bed, pouting.

“Ron,” Harry said, more calmly, “you can’t hide from her for the rest of your school career, despite what happened …”

“Or what didn’t happen, you mean,” Ron interrupted, morosely.

“Or what didn’t happen,” Harry clarified. “She’s feeling bad too, Ron. She thinks that you don’t want to be her friend anymore.”

Ron’s head lifted, looking at Harry. “She said that?”

Harry nodded. “You know, Ron, maybe it just wasn’t meant to be. Hermione isn’t the only girl at school, you know. I saw Lavender checking out your arse the other day.” Harry grinned at Ron, trying to make him feel better. “So what do you say? Can you make your peace with Hermione? I’d really like to spend the day with my two best friends.”

Ron frowned, thinking about it. He couldn’t imagine not being friends with Hermione. That would hurt worse than her sexual rejection of him. “All right, I’ll give it a try,” Ron replied. “It’s still going to be a bit awkward today though.”

“Probably,” said Harry, “but if you don’t try to mend things now, they may get worse.”

Ron nodded, getting up to follow Harry out the door. “Lavender, eh?”

OOOOOOO

The boys met Hermione downstairs at breakfast. She looked up from the table as they approached - a question in her eyes. Ron sat down across from her and took a deep breath. “Good morning,” he said, as he reached for a pitcher of milk.

Hermione’s heart filled with relief! He was speaking to her! She flashed a grin at Harry and then looked at Ron. “Good morning,” she replied. “You two better hurry and eat. We need to get our costumes picked out.”

OOOOOO

After breakfast, the three friends hurried along the road into Hogsmeade. They were disappointed to see so many people already there as they stepped into the costume shop. They quickly immersed themselves in the task of finding a suitable costume for the ball.

Parvati Patil and Lavender Brown were already thumbing through the costumes on the ladies’ side of the store as Hermione stepped up to join them.

“Hermione, what do you think of this Cleopatra outfit?” Parvarti asked.

“I think you’d look very good in it,” Hermione said in all honesty. Parvati’s brown skin and black hair would definitely lend itself to the look, she thought.

Hermione began thinking about how she wanted to present her own self tonight. Parvati and Lavender were definitely planning on showing a lot of skin, Hermione pondered as she observed the costumes the two girls were pulling off the stand. She bit her lip in indecision, trying to decide whether or not she should dress in something more risqué tonight. No one would certainly expect it, and she could honestly say that it bothered her people had judged her unexciting. She looked at the other girls and thought, ‘They’re not the only one with curves.’

It made her smile thinking how fun it would be shock people. Well, why not? Halloween was supposed to be fun, wasn’t it?

Her smile grew when she spotted a belly dancer’s costume with silky veils and dangling coins. Oh my, she thought, she had never shown her belly in public before. The bottoms were low cut and would only reach just below her belly button. The top was little more than a bra with filmy veils hanging from it. There was a headdress of sparkling coins as well.

Just thinking about wearing it made her feel naughty and flushed with excitement. ‘I’ll do it,’ she decided. Before she could change her mind, she walked up to the counter where Madame Balustrid took it and put a tag with Hermione’s name and size on it. Madame Balustrid would later use a spell to adjust all the costumes to the right sizes for the students. Then they would be ready to pick up by this afternoon at 4:00 p.m.

Ron had chosen an alien costume and Harry had reserved a Roman gladiator. Satisfied with their choices, the three friends went off to enjoy their day in town.

After they’d left the shop, Malfoy, Crabbe and Goyle arrived at the costume shop. “I told you we should have got here sooner,” Malfoy grumped at his friends. “But you couldn’t resist second helpings of breakfast, you fat lumps.”

Malfoy was sure that Madame Balustrid kept her best costumes in a back room somewhere. He knew how these places operated. He strode up to the counter and said, “What else do you have besides this mess out here?”

“Excuse me?” asked the dignified witch, surprised.

“I know you’ve got more costumes somewhere and I want to see them,” Malfoy stated.

Madame Balustrid’s eyes followed Malfoy’s hand as he took out his money pouch and began tapping it knowingly with his finger.

“I’ll see if I can find anything,” she replied, turning to go into the back room.

“I’m glad we understand each other,” Malfoy said.

As he waited, his eyes fell upon a costume with Hermione’s name pinned to it. ‘Hmmm…,’ he thought, ‘the nosey little Mudblood wants to be a harem girl, does she?’ His gaze darted to the front display window where he remembered seeing an interesting companion outfit. When Madame Balustrid came back with her arms full of costumes, Malfoy said, “I want that one in the window - the sultan.”

“Oh!” She looked at her prized sultan’s costume. “Well, that one is expensive,” she said.

Malfoy poured a pile of gold coins on the counter. “Not a problem. I also need one more thing from you. I want you to put a charm on that harem girl costume hanging over there.” He pointed at the one with Hermione’s name on it. “You must connect my sultan with that harem girl. I want whoever wears that costume to become my slave while she wears it.”

“What?!” Madame Balustrid exclaimed, horrified. “That would not be ethical, sir!”

Malfoy leaned over the counter and said in a low voice, “Neither is taking a large amount of gold for all this. But these things do happen, don’t they?” Malfoy pulled out a second pouch of gold and watched Madame Balustrid’s eyes grow wide with greed.

She looked up and smiled at him. “When would you like to pick up your costume, sir?” Malfoy smiled in return. Tonight was going to be very entertaining indeed. Hermione Granger was going to get exactly what she deserved.

OOOOOOOO

When Hermione, Ron, and Harry returned at 4:00 p.m. for their costumes, Harry noticed that Madame Balustrid was biting her nails nervously, watching as Hermione lifted her costume from the reserved rack. When they left the shop, Harry said, “Hermione, can I take a look at your costume for a moment?”

Hermione backed away from him with a mischievous smile on her face. “No Harry, it’s a surprise,” she teased.

Harry sighed and dropped his request. It was probably nothing. Perhaps Madame Balustrid was just a nail biter. They hurried back to the castle in order to get prepared for tonight.

OOOOOOOO

Harry and Ron were now standing in the common room waiting for Hermione to come downstairs so they could go to the ball. Harry couldn’t help laughing at Ron who had used a spell to turn his skin green for the evening. “You look like some sort of lizard,” Harry said in mirth.

Just then they heard laughter as a group of girls descended the stairs. Lavender and Parvati were in the lead with big grins on their faces. Hermione was behind them, but the two boys could not see her costume yet.

“Take a look at Hermione,” Lavender announced as she stepped aside and let Hermione by. Harry and Ron stood there, shocked, looking at Hermione’s bare midriff and shapely legs peaking through the veils. Her top had pushed her breasts up, forming tantalizing curved mounds in which the material barely covered her areolas.

Hermione looked at them seductively and licked her lips. Harry and Ron felt their cocks harden instantly at Hermione’s very uncharacteristic gesture.
“Uh… is that… costume… going to be allowed?” Ron asked without taking his eyes from her.

“Oh, don’t be such sticks in the mud,” scolded Parvati. “She’s so into her character!”

“Where’s my master?” Hermione asked, sliding her hands up her belly and over her breasts.

Harry swallowed hard. He couldn’t believe how incredibly sexy Hermione really was. Gods, this was going to be a long night! If only…

Lavender laughed, “O.k. Hermione, you can drop the act. It’s been funny for awhile, but it’s getting kind of old.” Lavender looked at Harry and Ron. “She’s been acting like this ever since she’s put her costume on.”

“I want to find my master,” Hermione repeated, heading for the portrait hole.

“Fine! We’ll find your master,” Parvati laughed, throwing up her hands. They trailed after Hermione as she swung her hips, making the attached veils swing from side to side. Ron and Harry couldn’t keep their eyes off her backside as she walked.

But something was bothering Harry about this whole thing. This definitely wasn’t normal for Hermione. When Lavender had said she’d been this way since she put the costume on, Harry couldn’t help remember the nervous face of Madame Balustrid this afternoon.

Harry caught up to Hermione and asked, “Hermione, who are you?”

Hermione stopped walking and lifted her hand, trailing one finger across Harry’s cheek and over his lips. “I’m whoever you wish me to be.”

Harry’s body stiffened in anticipation as he watched her hand trail lightly down his chest. When her knuckles grazed over his erection, he just about came. He had to shift his legs a bit so that no one noticed his excitement. Everyone was staring at them with their mouths open, surprised looks on their faces. Hermione turned and walked into the Great Hall, which had been transformed into a ballroom.

When Harry could finally breathe again, he looked at an astonished Ron and said, “I think that costume has a spell on it. In fact, I’m pretty sure that it does.”

“Obviously,” Ron agreed, still in shock. “Did she… did she touch your…”

“I’m going back to my room for my wand,” Harry said, quickly. He didn’t want to talk about this in front of Lavender and Parvati. “I need to try some sort of counter charm,” Harry explained. “You keep an eye on her while I’m gone.”

“Harry, they’ll kick you out of the ball if they see your wand. No wands allowed, remember?” Ron said. Ron stepped closer and added in a voice Harry could only hear, “And do you really need it?”

Harry sighed in frustration. “I’ve never done a counter charm without one. I’ll be back, under my dad’s invisibility cloak, until I can set Hermione right again.”

Ron nodded, “All right then.” Harry turned and ran back up the stairs while Ron entered the ballroom searching for Hermione. Where was she? He walked into the middle of the room and turned himself in all directions. Now where did she disappear to so quickly?

OOOOOOO

Crabbe and Goyle had been waiting for Hermione when she first entered the Great Hall and cornered her immediately, telling her they knew where her master was. Now she was following them down the back passageways and up a staircase.

“This way, Hermione,” snickered Goyle. “Master has been waiting for you over here.”

They stopped in front of a door and Goyle turned the knob. When the door opened, they saw Malfoy sitting in his sultan’s costume on a pile of silken cushions. This was the Room of Requirement and he had required a harem setting. Filmy sheer fabrics hung from the walls of silk and gold. A fountain gurgled up in the center of the room, surrounded with pastel cushions. And there sat Malfoy, reclining back against one wall on a pile of decadent cushions, jewels gleaming from the rings on his fingers.

Draco smiled wickedly at Hermione when she entered. His gaze moved over her body in appreciation. Yes, this was going to be a very fun night.

Hermione looked at him in adoration and said, “Master!” She dropped down and sat on a cushion in front of him. “What is it you desire?”

Crabbe and Goyle giggled in delight as they situated themselves nearby.

Malfoy glanced at them and said, “Get out, both of you. I don’t feel like sharing tonight.” The two boys frowned, disappointed. “You heard me, leave!”

They got off their cushions and glared at Draco as they left, slamming the door behind them.

“Well, my dear,” Malfoy smiled at her. “Dance for me.”

OOOOOOO

Sorry for stopping here! I need to find out if people are still interested in reading this fiction so I know where to put my time. Please drop me a review if you want more. Thanks.