Lust, War and... Love?

paigeey07: Thanks for your review and support! I'm glad you like reading this story.

msmarvelfreak: Thank you for reviewing! I am glad you like Hermione in my story. A “too-nice” Draco began bothering me too… You’re right about it. He’s somewhat motivated to appease Hermione because: 1) he needs to prevent her from reporting the whole potion incident; 2) he’s really craving to bed Hermione, Mudblood or not; 3) he’s a cunning Slytherin and he has learned quite a bit about politics from his father. But Draco is definitely not a totally nice person, and I hope his meaner side will come out in later chapters.

Winter: Thank you for reviewing! Yes, Hermione and Draco are in for a big drama in this story. :)

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Monday came, and Hermione suffered through her classes. She failed to hand in her homework for Ancient Runes and turned in an unfinished essay for her DADA class. Professor Snape glanced over her parchment the moment she gave it to him, and his dark stare drilled into her. At least he did not call her names, Hermione thought. She wouldn’t be surprised to get a detention from Snape for her extremely sloppy work.

The Potions class was the worst. Ron teamed up with Harry and his illicit textbook, and the boys put a good distance between themselves and Hermione. Poor Ernie Macmillan had to tell Hermione to stay away from their cauldron because she kept confusing the ingredients and measurements. Zabini equally struggled with semi-conscious Malfoy over their cauldron, but he was far less fortunate than Ernie. While Hermione resorted to merely watching her partner work on their potion, Malfoy had a spat with Blaise and angrily dumped a too-large lump of crustaceous jelly in their brew. The result was that their potion foamed madly, spilled all over the table and burned holes in it. The incident distracted Professor Slughorn and everyone else enough for Hermione’s abysmal performance to go unnoticed.

When the classes were over, Hermione dragged herself to the Gryffindor Tower in a hope for some rest and a break from the obsessively erotic dreams. To her great annoyance, Padma Patil, the Ravenclaw prefect, caught her in a corridor and handed her a parchment.

To All Hogwarts Prefects:

Each Female Prefect must inform all 4th, 5th, 6th and 7th year girls in her House that a girls only Sex Education Seminar is to take place today at 4:00PM.

Each Male Prefect must inform the 4th, 5th, 6th and 7th year boys in his House that a boys only Sex Education Seminar is to take place today at 4:00PM.

The 4th and 5th year girls shall report to the Arithmancy Classroom where Professor Sprout will conduct the Seminar for them.

The 6th and 7th year girls shall report to the Transfiguration Classroom, where Professor McGonagall will conduct the Seminar for them.

The 4th and 5th year boys shall report to the Charms Classroom, where Professor Flitwick will conduct the Seminar for them.

The 6th and 7th year boys shall report to the DADA Classroom, where Professor Snape will conduct the Seminar for them.

The attendance is compulsory for every student.

Minerva McGonagall,
Deputy Headmistress.

Hermione read and re-read the parchment while walking to the Gryffindor Common Room. The love potion abuse apparently had gone rampant at Hogwarts if they launched the seminar so urgently.

In her barely coherent state of mind, she had a very hard time deciding whether she ought to report on Malfoy or not. Whenever a lurid image drifted into her mind she burned to experience it with him in reality. When the amorous fantasies abated a little, she shivered at the prospect of spending most of the school year having sex with Malfoy in St. Mungo’s and being the subject of the wildest gossips at Hogwarts. Hermione was certain she would never be able to face anyone at school after they cured her and Malfoy in the hospital in March.

******

Whispers and giggles fluttered around the Transfiguration classroom as the girls speculated what the famously strict teacher was going to tell them about sex. Hermione took a seat in the back row. If she accidentally drifted into sleep there, most students would not notice it.

Professor McGonagall entered the room, and everybody straightened up in her seat. After expounding on the dangers of unprotected sex and the benefits of abstinence, McGonagall moved on to contraceptive spells and anti-disease incantations. Hermione strained to focus on the teacher’s words and to write down the most vital information.

“Is it possible to cast a contraceptive spell non-verbally?” Lavender Brown asked too brightly. Giggles spread in the classroom.

“Yes, the contraceptive and protective spells can be cast in both ways. However, since an unplanned pregnancy or nasty disease is too high a price to pay for a faulty non-verbal spell, you should do it verbally to be certain, and never be ashamed of it in presence of your partner. You must make it clear to him that you need to take care of your health and personal life,“ McGonagall said severely. The giggles died. “You should not be shy about it with your partner, if you weren’t too shy about engaging in sex in the first place. Not that I advise engaging in sex - you are definitely better off by preserving your virginity!”

Too bad Malfoy didn’t have a chance to listen to this before brewing his horrid potion, Hermione thought. Professor McGonagall’s formidable tone was going to drive away any hint of sex from Hogwarts for years to come.

As the teacher talked on and on, Hermione sunk into a daze again.

“It came to our attention that various love potions have gained popularity at school this year. I must warn you all that even a seemingly benign concoction from the WWW shop can have dire consequences for you and your partner. Ever more dangerous is a mix of different love potions, since the effects can be very unpredictable. The effects could be as bad as irreversible mental injury, suicidal thoughts, violent acts committed out of jealousy, and even death!”


Hermione hadn’t thought of a suicide yet, but after those words she started contemplating it.

“Now we’ll discuss possible side effects of various love potions, “ McGonagall’s eyes swept over the girls. “Who could name a potion to discuss?”

Heavy silence hung in the classroom. No one was coming forth with any ideas.

“What would you suggest, Miss Granger? I believe you came across quite a few potions in your expansive readings.“

The question landed in Hermione’s fogged-up conscience, and without really thinking it over she replied mechanically, “Heorte Lustbaere, Professor McGonagall?”

Everyone’s head turned towards Hermione.

“Yes, it’s an excellent example of a highly potent lust potion. Very potent and very dangerous.” McGonagall gave Hermione a steady look. “What do we know about the remedies for it, Miss Granger?”

“There’s only one antidote to it. It can be prepared only on a certain day of year…” Hermione’s mind crawled out of the stupor and reeled from the shock at her own words. Hastily, she rushed to repair the situation. “Professor, I just browsed through some books at Flourish and Blotts when I shopped for school…”

“Excellent, Miss Granger. As you can see, there are certain potions that have virtually no antidote. Heorte Lustbaere imposes a strong mutual lust on a couple for an indefinite period of time. The remedy for it is extremely hard to prepare, and it can be made only on a certain day of the year. If the lust is not satisfied in a timely manner, the end result could be irreversible insanity or even suicide!”

Mortified, Hermione cursed her own lack of control and the wretched Malfoy who was way too good at Potions. It was clear she had to fix it with Draco before it became public knowledge.

As Hermione rushed to the Gryffindor Tower after the seminar, Padma, Parvati and two more Ravenclaw girls caught up with her.

“Hermione, in what book did you find Heorte Lustbaere?” asked the Ravenclaw prefect.

“Is it very difficult to make?” inquired another girl.

“First, it’s illegal. Second, I don’t remember, so please leave me alone!” Hermione bolted up the stairs to the portrait hole. Her tempers were chronically short since Sunday.

******

Hermione poked at her plate mechanically. She could make an excellent example of an Inferius come alive. A lust-wired Inferius, to be exact.

“Hermione, do you think Malfoy is kind of strange lately?” wondered Ginny. “The boys aren’t themselves after Snape’s talking to them about sex. Look at Harry - he’s so mortified now. And Ron’s redder than his hair!”

Hermione raised her eyes and saw Malfoy strolling past the Gryffindor table for the fourth or fifth time since the start of the dinner. Another example of a lust-wired Inferius, apparently. Her eyes met his bleary stare, and she quickly looked down at her plate. She had to do something before he assaulted her in front of everyone in the Great Hall.

“I don‘t know… I’m so tired, I’ll go get some rest, Ginny. “ Hermione left the table. From a corner of her eye she saw Malfoy turn on his heels to follow her to the entrance. She almost ran to the doors before he could catch up with her. Outside the Hall, when Draco drew level with her, she rolled up her eyes in a most cross manner and told him not to follow her to the third floor corridor where a few unused classrooms were located. Draco picked up the clue brilliantly and turned up in the same part of the corridor five minutes after she arrived there.

“Don’t try to snog me yet, Malfoy,” Hermione warned him and pushed open a door into an abandoned classroom. “We need to talk first.”

Malfoy followed her. To her discomfort, he immediately cast several protective spells on the door.

They lit up their wands. Hermione pulled up a dusty chair and was about to clean it but Draco was quicker than her. With a flick of his wand, he transformed the chair into a very cushy-looking mattress, and flopped on it. His pale grey eyes were fixed on Hermione now.

“Do you think we’d need blankets?” He was madly itching to get his hands on Granger but he thought it would be best to show some restraint first.

“Oh… I don’t know…” Malfoy’s business-like manner took her by surprise. The sight of the mattress stirred very tumultuous emotions in her.

He muttered a spell, and another chair became a fluffy duvet.

“C’mon, Granger, now we can talk.” Draco pulled her down by hand.

******

Professor McGonagall was heading to the Headmaster’s office, closely followed by Filch.

“One of the unused classrooms in the third floor corridor is blocked by spells again!” griped the caretaker. “Those students need some good beating after all!”

“All right, Argus, I’ll check on that classroom myself. I don’t think it’s a big deal.” With a nod of her head, McGonagall dismissed disgruntled Filch.

“Strawberry Tarts,” she said crisply, and the gargoyle turned. McGonagall walked up the stairs and entered the office.

“Professor Dumbledore, I’m sure it’s Hermione Granger.” McGonagall’s eyes looked over Snape, Flitwick, Slughorn and Sprout, all assembled in front of the Headmaster’s desk. “No question about it ever - she’s the only girl who named the potion. What about Draco Malfoy?”

“Draco Malfoy skipped the seminar,“ Snape said darkly. “I’m certain no other boys consumed the potion. Professor Flitwick agrees so far.”

“The recipe calls for exactly two dried bragwood berries, and I’ve got two berries missing, no more, no less,” Slughorn said to Dumbledore. “I had ten berries - they’re very rare - I kept an exact count of them.”

“The standard dosage for a couple is two berries,” confirmed Snape. “I presume that Malfoy and Granger drank the potion for some inexplicable reason. Only two of them, apparently. Their lunatic behaviour during my class today clearly showed the effects of the potion.”

“Oh my, poor Miss Granger! Why her?” exclaimed Sprout. “We must send them to St. Mungo‘s!”

“I’m afraid it would not help much, Pomona. Only more humiliation for them both.” Dumbledore turned towards her. “I trust Miss Granger to be prudent about the protective charms.”

“How on Earth could Miss Granger drink a lust potion with him?” McGonagall clasped her hands and threw a glance at gloomy Snape.

“We must find and punish the perpetrators for breaking into my closet!” Slughorn huffed loudly. “I’m almost certain it’s the Malfoy boy!”

“Professor Slughorn, I believe the situation is too delicate for an open investigation. It’s obvious that Hermione and Draco are in great distress because of the potion.“ Dumbledore peered at Slughorn over his half-moon glasses. “We need to help the unlucky students keep it discreet until the vernal equinox. I count on you to prepare the remedy, Horace.”

“The antidote should not be too difficult to make.“ Snape folded his arms on his chest. “My concern is that there might be more to the lust potion than the books say.”

“All right, I’ll keep an eye on Miss Granger.“ McGonagall heaved a sigh and turned to face Snape. “I mightily hope Mr. Malfoy will not overstep the boundaries of decency, Professor Snape.”

A heavy pause hung in the room. Flitwick touched one of the magical silver objects on the side table with his finger, and it tinkled faintly. Sprout and Slughorn exchanged glances.

McGonagall broke the silence, “Filch has just reported that one of the abandoned classrooms on the third floor is blocked by spells again. I’d better check on it.” With these words she sailed out of the room. Flitwick, Sprout and Slughorn bowed out and left the office too.

“If your suspicions about Heorte Lustbaere are correct…” Dumbledore addressed Snape who seemed to be absorbed in his thoughts.

“Then I would say that it was a highly ironic but not an entirely unexpected occurrence.” Snape lifted his eyes at Dumbledore. “However, I believe Draco did not plan for Granger to have it.”

“The young Malfoy has refused to share his intentions with you, hasn’t he?” Dumbledore strolled around the room. “In this case, Heorte Lustbaere could be our blessing in disguise. Miss Granger should be able to stand up to him.”

Snape had a slightly pained look on his face. “Unless they attempt to use her too.”

“Then I trust you to keep her safe together with the poor Malfoy boy, Severus.”