part two

Author's Note: Please see the previous chapter for details.

*****PART TWO*****

It took a while for Harry to fall asleep; his mind kept whirling with unease at how many ways things with Ron and Hermione could go wrong, interspersed with dread about the funerals to come and sorrow for all the lives lost. Thus it was that he woke easily at the movement behind him when Ron and Hermione started kissing and touching again. He concentrated on keeping his breathing steady, his ears straining to hear their faint whispers.

"Let's go... I want you so much, Hermione."

"Hush... don't wake Harry."

"We'll be quiet. Come on... please?"

"Just be careful..."

The bed shook as they squirmed off it, and Hermione hissed, "Wait! That may have woken him."

Harry stayed still, knowing Ron had jounced the bed so hard on purpose. Eventually, Hermione whispered, "All right, let's go."

As they got near the bathroom door, Ron paused and hissed, "Hey, I've got an idea!" At Hermione's questioning look, he continued, "Why don't I cast a one-way Silencing Charm just outside the door, so he can't hear us, but we can hear if he gets up..."

Hermione flashed him a smile that was both impressed and excited, and retorted, "Why didn't we think of that last night?"

Ron chuckled and said, "I daresay we had other things on our minds at the time..."

Hermione stretched up and kissed him, then whispered, "I'll go in there and you stay out here and cast the charm; then we can make sure you can't hear me but I can hear you."

Ron nodded and Hermione ducked into the bathroom. Shooting a furtive glance at Harry, Ron cast the charm, making sure to give it some room outside the door before the spell's effects began. Carefully, he whispered, "If you can hear me, Hermione, wave."

Her hand poked out from behind the door, and Ron grinned. Then, her head followed, and he could see her mouth moving, but couldn't hear her. Stepping forward, within the perimeter of the charm, he then heard her whisper, "...worked perfectly." At his satisfied smirk, she chuckled and spoke in a normal voice. "I guess we don't have to worry about being quiet anymore."

Ron advanced on her, and she backed into the bathroom. He left the door open a crack, just like before, and wrapped his arms around her waist, pulling her against him as he said, "Excellent, because I want to hear you when you come tonight."

Hermione simply responded with a moan muffled by Ron's lips when she kissed him. They made short work of undressing, leaving their pyjamas in rumpled heaps on the floor, then Ron once again lifted her and perched her on the counter so he could slide his fingers inside her. Her head canted back and her back arched as she gripped the counter edge for balance when Ron dropped to his knees and licked her clit while he pumped two fingers into her wet heat.

Harry lay in the bed, eyes wide open in the dark, heart thundering, as he grappled with whether or not he would accede to Ron's request and spy on him and Hermione again. After a long while, unable to hear anything from the bathroom, thanks to Ron's charm, his curiosity got the best of him, and he crept out of bed and tiptoed to the door. As soon as he crossed the threshold of the spell, he heard Hermione's voluptuous moans and coos in counterpoint to Ron's deep panting grunts. The wet sounds of sex assaulted his ears, and he paused, gut clenching in anticipation of what he would see this time.

Ron had snagged the towels from the rack and placed them between his knees and the uncomfortable tile floor. One hand was wrapped around Hermione's thigh, holding her in place as his face and other hand were buried between her legs, which were draped around his shoulders. Hermione was leaning back on the counter, holding herself up with one hand and gripping Ron's hair with the other. Her eyes were closed as she uttered a stream of encouragement in breathy squeals and filthy talk.

Harry was stunned by the graphic nature of her words, but it sent a searing bolt of arousal straight to his cock. He stood there, frozen in awe, as Ron continued his actions.

Not long after Harry started watching, Hermione's back arched, her eyes screwed shut, her fingers tightened in Ron's hair, and her mouth opened with a string of profanity that heralded her orgasm. Ron's muffled groans increased in volume and intensity as he welcomed the shuddering of her body, the clutching of her cunt on his fingers, and the taste of her juices that coated his tongue.

When she had relaxed from her convulsing climax, releasing Ron's hair and slumping back onto the counter, panting, Ron withdrew from her and sprawled on the floor, a satisfied smirk on his swollen lips and his erection jutting upward obscenely. He flicked a glance at the doorway and his eyes lit up at the sight of Harry watching again. Grinning more broadly, he stretched every limb and shoved to his feet again to kiss Hermione.

Their snogging was much more languorous in Hermione's afterglow. But, after a long moment of kissing, Hermione backed away and murmured, "Mmm, I can taste myself on you."

Ron purred, "Delicious, isn't it?"

Hermione chuckled, then said, "I'm glad you think so, but it's reminded me of something else."

Ron was nuzzling her throat as he murmured, "What's that?"

Hermione planted one hand on his chest and pushed him backward at the same time her other hand gripped his cock. Meeting his surprised look, she said, "I promised I'd return the favour."

Ron beamed in delight and let her lead him around to the back wall. As she bent to gather the towels he had used, Ron looked straight at Harry and grinned. When she dropped to her knees in front of Ron, her back to Harry, Harry couldn't help but notice how luscious the line of her back and arse was, and his cock twitched in envy at the sight of her hands stroking Ron.

Her bushy hair swung and bounced as she rocked forward and back, pressing kisses and licks over Ron's thighs, belly, cock, and bollocks. Ron's head slammed back against the wall and his breath exploded out of him when she enveloped the head of his cock in her warm mouth, circling it with her tongue and sucking as she released it.

Ron stared down at her, looking dazed, and said, "Un-fucking-believable, you are..."

Hermione voiced a low, sultry chuckle and sucked him in again, sliding him in deeper and caressing his bollocks. Ron's groan started out soft but grew louder the farther she went, and his gaze was fevered when his eyes sought Harry's.

Harry had stepped closer to the door, nearly pressing his face to the opening, and if Hermione had been facing that direction, she could have easily seen him. Harry...and Ron...just felt lucky that she had chosen that position facing the wall.

Ron's hands came to rest in her hair, alternately gripping and stroking it as he tried to refrain from thrusting into her mouth. It wasn't very long before Ron interrupted Hermione and rasped, "If you want me to fuck you, then you better stop, 'cause if you don't, I won't be able to hold back any more."

Hermione hummed and flashed a wicked smirk. "You've already satisfied me, love. I'd like to satisfy you, if that's all right."

Ron's eyes rolled back for a moment and he sighed, "I think it's brilliant..." Hermione bent to her task again, and Ron locked eyes with Harry as he murmured, "Fuck yeah, that's good... I love it... Mmm, don't stop..."

Harry felt light-headed, like he wasn't getting enough oxygen. His cock was painfully hard, and his heart was racing. He couldn't take it any longer and plunged his hand into his pyjama bottoms to squeeze his erection. Ron's eyes narrowed as he tried to see, so Harry nudged the door open a bit more, showing Ron his hand moving under his trousers.

Ron gasped, his eyes widening, and he moaned, "Yeah, that's it..." nodding at Harry. Harry pushed his pyjama bottoms down to mid-thigh and let his gaze travel between Hermione bobbing on Ron's cock and Ron's burning eyes as Ron watched him wanking.

Harry's breath became more erratic, and Ron's hands gripped Hermione's hair again, holding her still as he thrust into her encircling fist and inviting mouth. Ron's litany of, "Fuck...yeah...do it...yeah...come on...fuck...I love it...yeah..." ended with him grimacing and bucking as he growled his climax, trying to keep his eyes open to see Hermione's wet mouth locked around the head of his spurting cock and Harry convulsing in gasping shudders, come dribbling over his knuckles as he leant against the door frame.

Ron let go of Hermione's hair and held himself propped against the wall, taking deep, quavering breaths. Hermione reached for some toilet roll and wiped her mouth discreetly, clearing her throat. Harry swallowed hard and exchanged one more astonished look with Ron before he backed away, pushing the door further closed again, and stumbled to the bed. Snatching his wand from under his pillow, he cast a cleansing charm on himself, yanked his pyjamas up, and dived under the covers again, where he lay there trying to calm his frantic pulse.

Several minutes later, Ron and Hermione tiptoed out of the bathroom and carefully crawled back into bed. Harry heard them kissing some more as they settled in. Once they were in bed, and all was quiet, the calm that follows orgasm won its battle with Harry's anxiety over watching again, and he drifted to sleep.

May 4, 1998

The next day, no one mentioned their liaisons or connections, which was just as well, since the schedule for the funerals...the next day... how could it possibly be so soon?...had come out in the Prophet, and they were sobered by the task of working out which ones they could go to and which they'd have to miss. The paper was marred with circles and lines and arrows as all three of them offered their opinions on the scheduling nightmare. Even Hermione's vast experience with timetables wasn't enough to solve all their problems, and they all lamented the loss of the Timeturners two years before.

Ron Flooed to the Burrow for a quick check-in, and that evening, after a quiet dinner, all three were content to keep to themselves, holding vigil with their own thoughts until bedtime. They knew they had to get a good night's rest to fortify themselves for the stress of the next day.

Still, when Hermione got in bed and saw how miserable Harry looked, curled in on himself, she didn't say a word but instead curled up behind him, offering the comfort of an understanding embrace. And when Ron came out of the bathroom and saw them that way, he simply nodded and climbed in behind her, spooning against her and reaching forward to lay a hand on Harry's arm as well. The closeness allowed them all to fall asleep.

May 5, 1998

The next morning, they were up early, grim and quiet as they donned formal black robes for the services. It was only to curb Hermione's stern lecture that Harry and Ron ate anything before they left Grimmauld Place, as neither of them felt like they would ever be hungry again. Harry's bitter mutter that he wished they could go Polyjuiced was met with sober looks of rueful agreement, but they were silent when Hermione gripped their hands...like she had so many times before...and Apparated them to the cemetery.

The day went by like a blur of pain; Harry's throat was so tight that he doubted he could utter a sound. The haze of anguish was broken up by needle-sharp moments of clarity, forming memories that he knew would be burned into his mind forever...

A chalk-white Andromeda Tonks holding baby Teddy as she watched her daughter's casket being lowered into the ground beside her husband's grave, her eyes hardly more than burnt holes in a blanket...stark contrast with Teddy's rainbow-hued, ever-shifting hair...

The plain marker and simple, unadorned casket that contained what was left of Remus Lupin, finally free of offending the sensibilities of bigoted wizarding folk who blamed him for what he was...

Wails enough to rival a banshee's that cut through them like razors...

The variety of sunset hues that capped the heads of the crowd of Weasleys around Fred's grave, a ring of fire on a sea of black...

When they approached the Weasleys, Harry stiffened, fully expecting...even half-hoping...to be attacked. But Arthur just clapped him on the shoulder and thanked him quietly for coming, Molly enveloped him in a trembling hug, and Ginny squeezed his hand. Even Bill, Charlie, and Percy murmured acknowledgements. But George...

George had eyes for no one and nothing but the casket that hid the other half of his soul from him. As the service went on, tears flowed freely, including from Ron, Hermione, and Harry, but George merely stared, blank and dry-eyed, until they finished lowering the casket into the ground.

Then, after the group began to break up, many moving on to the next service, Harry looked at Hermione from the discreet distance they had retreated to so the family could have the final moments alone and croaked, "I know we said we'd go to Snape's next, but I'm not moving until Ron is ready. You go on, and if anyone asks, tell them we're on our way."

Harry knew that Snape's funeral would be sparsely attended, and he knew he owed it to the man to be there, but at the moment, the living were more important than the dead, and he had to be there for Ron. Hermione dithered, torn between her duelling responsibilities. Harry whispered, "Please, Hermione, the man deserves some recognition for all he did..."

Hermione set her teeth and nodded. "All right. I'll go. I don't want to leave him either."

"I know."

"Just... just make sure he knows I didn't desert him, okay?"

Harry hugged her and murmured, "He'd never even think that. Thank you."

Hermione patted his back and stepped away, casting one last look at the mourning group before hurrying across the cemetery to where Snape's funeral had begun.

Harry stood alone, his hand stuffed into his pockets, blinking back the tears that insisted on welling up. Suddenly, there was a commotion at the grave, and he heard voices raised in distress. Brandishing his wand, he ran closer, only to stop short in horror at what he saw.

The Weasleys had tried to leave, encouraging George to come away, but he resisted their pleas. Then, when his father had clasped his arm to guide him away, George had wrenched free, hurling himself onto the casket and shouting, "No! I won't leave him alone! I can't!"

He prostrated himself on the casket lid and broke into savage sobs. Writhing and pounding on the lid, scratching at the wood and bloodying his fingernails, he wailed, "Pour the dirt in! Do it! Just leave me here with him! Fred... Fre-e-ed! You can't leave me alone!"

Chaos erupted after that first frozen moment of sickening shock. Molly screamed in anguish, her hands covering her face. Ginny collapsed in a dead faint, only saved from hitting the ground by Percy grabbing at her robes. Arthur dropped to his knees in the dirt and stretched an imploring hand to his grief-stricken son. Charlie jumped onto the casket and struggled to lift his brother to his feet, to stop him from doing any more damage to himself. Bill immediately began casting spells to shield them from prying eyes and keep their family drama to themselves. Ron stood with his arms wrapped tightly around his middle, bent forward as if in physical pain, staring with haunted eyes at what looked like his brother losing his sanity all at once.

Harry looked around in panic, partly glad that Hermione wasn't there to witness the disturbing spectacle, and partly wishing she were there to know what to do. He ran to Ron, wrapping his arm around him and supporting him as the taller boy swayed on his feet. Ron was decidedly green, and he shook in Harry's grasp as he rasped, "Oh gods, get me out of here, Harry. Please..."

Harry nodded, guiding Ron to stagger away, panting, "Right. Okay. We'll go find Hermione at Snape's service..."

Ron shuddered violently and barked, "No! No more funerals! I have to get out of here!"

Cold sweat trickled down Harry's neck and he stopped, holding onto Ron as if for dear life. "Okay. We'll go home. Just... just hang on, okay?"

Ron made a sort of choking sound, but nodded, leaning heavily against Harry. Harry closed his eyes and tried to block out the screaming and weeping from behind them. Concentrating as hard as he could, he Apparated them to Grimmauld Place, directly to the bedroom.

Ron's groan of relief marked his surge of strength and he lurched toward the bathroom, slamming the door open and crumpling to his hands and knees on the tile. Harry rushed forward to help him, but Ron didn't make it to the toilet fast enough and retched onto the floor, heaving up the breakfast he had forced down that morning.

Harry grabbed a towel and dropped to his knees beside his friend, rubbing his back and muttering soothing nonsense as Ron convulsed and dry heaved, his choking turning into wracking sobs. Harry Vanished the pool of sick, but there were splatters on Ron's clothes, and his face was a mess of vomit, tears, and snot.

Yanking the shower curtain open, Harry shot to his feet and wrenched the taps on. Crouching, he wrapped his arms around Ron's ribs and struggled to help him stand. "It's okay. I'm here. It'll all be okay. I promise. Come on now. Let's get you cleaned up. The water's nice and warm. You'll feel better. I swear."

While he continued his stream of encouragement, he wrestled the soiled clothes off of Ron's trembling frame and led him to step into the shower. But when he started to let go, Ron listed dangerously to one side, his knees buckling. Harry once again wrapped his arms around Ron and ended up under the spray, soaking his robes. Giving it up as a bad job, Harry propped Ron against the shower wall, shucked his clothes, and then returned to embrace his best friend...Ron leaning back against Harry's chest...holding him as he suffered through his paroxysm of grief.

Wetting a flannel, Harry wiped Ron's face, still crooning comforting phrases. Eventually, the throat-tearing sobs subsided into weaker sniffles and shudders, and Ron lifted his hands to cover Harry's where they were splayed across Ron's chest and belly. Harry rested his head on the back of Ron's shoulder, and Ron let his head fall back on Harry's shoulder, his hair draining in rivulets down Harry's back.

Ron felt the vibrations on his shoulder as Harry said, "It's okay. You're not alone." The statement was punctuated with a gentle kiss, a demonstration of the love and loyalty that bound them to each other. They stood there, silent, under the hot water, breathing in the steam, for a long while. Harry wasn't going to move until Ron did, and Ron seemed almost frozen in Harry's arms.

After who knew how long...time seemed to have lost all meaning...Hermione burst into the bathroom, her eyes wide in panic. Taking in the sodden, rumpled piles of robes at a glance, she gasped and flung the curtain open, gaping at Ron leaning into Harry's supporting embrace. Gaze racing between Ron's haggard expression and Harry's pleading eyes, she merely whispered, "What happened?"

Ron turned his face toward the wall, grimacing, so Harry quickly said, "George lost it. Ron was sick. I had to get him out of there."

Hermione's eyes filled with tears and she nodded in sympathy. "I left as soon as Professor Snape's service was over...it wasn't very long...and I looked everywhere for you, but no one could tell me where you were. I knew something had to be wrong for you to just not show up..."

She paused, struggling with the strap on her shoe. Harry was staring at her, owl-eyed; she had been disrobing the entire time she was talking, and he didn't know what to do or say.

Wrenching the shoe off, she briskly stripped off her bra and knickers, kicking their clothes to the side before she stepped into the tub as well. Ducking in front of Ron, she framed his face with her hands and urged him to look at her. Tears were mixing with the shower spray trickling down his cheeks.

"Ron, please, look at me. We're here. Everything's going to be all right. I'm sorry I wasn't there to help Harry take care of you, but I'm here now, and we're not going anywhere. We love you."

Ron's lips trembled and he released Harry's hands to wrap his arms around Hermione, crushing her against him. Harry slid his hands from in between Ron and Hermione and splayed his fingers over Hermione's ribs at the same time he felt Hermione's hands on his sides, surrounding Ron with love and support.

They were all drenched and naked and pressed together, but they finally started to feel calmer. When Hermione felt Ron's trembling subside, she backed away to look at him again. The haunted look in his eyes had faded, and his muscles had regained some strength. When she smoothed his sodden hair out of his face and stretched up to kiss him, he jerked away and muttered, "Don't. I need to brush my teeth first."

Hermione smiled tenderly and stepped back, flicking a glance at Harry. He understood that Ron was finally out of the thrall of funeral horror and relaxed his grip around the taller boy, carefully backing away. Ron took a deep breath and turned to look back at Harry.

Sober green eyes met blue, and Harry murmured, "You all right?"

Ron blinked several times, then nodded faintly. "Thanks. I just really want to finish getting cleaned up."

Harry nodded and tilted his head at Hermione, indicating they should leave Ron to his privacy. She flashed an acknowledging smile and edged past Ron to crowd by Harry, saying, "We'll leave you to it then. But we'll be right out there, so don't worry. You're not alone."

There, she had said it too. That was the message that seemed necessary to repeat, for all of them to know, deep down. As isolated as their pain and misery might make them feel, they weren't alone. They had each other, and that love would be what healed them.

Hermione opened the curtain and stepped out first, reaching over to grab the last towel still hanging up. When she had wrapped it around herself, she crossed to the linen cabinet and grabbed two more, handing one to Harry as he emerged from the tub. She hung the third towel by the shower and retrieved her wand to send their clothes and the used towels still on the floor to the laundry. With a practiced flick, she cast a drying spell on her hair, and Harry watched it frizz in the steam filling the bathroom.

Smiling reassuringly, she said, "Come on."

They retreated to the bedroom and climbed onto the bed, still shrouded in damp towels. Finally relaxing from his heightened state of vigilance, Harry sighed and leant against the pillows propped at the headboard, closing his eyes. He jumped when he felt Hermione's hand brushing his fringe over his forehead, and his eyes snapped open.

She was smiling fondly, her gaze full of sympathy. "That must have been horrible. I'm glad you were there to help."

"Yeah. It was. I'm kinda' glad you didn't see it."

She nodded. "Indeed. Of course, Professor Snape's service was sad enough..."

Harry cringed. "I feel terrible that I missed it. Honest!" He hung his head and mumbled, "What was it like?"

Hermione frowned and said, "The only people there were from Hogwarts or the press. And there were few enough of them as it was. It's such a shame that we all misjudged him for so long."

"I hope the press didn't think I wasn't there because I didn't care... because I do! To do what he did for all those years...he was braver than I ever imagined."

Hermione nodded pensively. "Did you notice...there was no Headmaster portrait in the office. I had hoped it might have meant that he hadn't really died, but... I was wrong."

Harry's brows rose and he sat forward. "You're right! I didn't realize that until you said it. That's just wrong. And unfair!" He scowled in righteous indignation for a moment, then lit up, saying, "That's it! I'm gonna' make sure he gets a portrait, and I'm gonna' have a dedication once it's done...and the press can report that Harry Potter did not ignore his sacrifices even if I didn't manage to make it to the funeral!"

Hermione beamed at him and said, "That's a wonderful idea, Harry!" Harry grinned back, a spark of warmth at doing something worthwhile spreading in his chest. Hermione leant forward and enveloped him in a hug, saying, "I'm so proud of you," then pulled back and kissed him.

He returned her embrace and kiss with enthusiasm; the shred of relieved happiness in the wake of such a stressful day felt magnified in comparison. The joyful kiss melted into eager snogging, and it was a few minutes before they broke apart, flushed and breathless.

They both gave a startled gasp at Ron saying, "Don't stop now..." and turned wide eyes to see him lounging against the bathroom doorframe, his hair damp and tousled, the towel slung low around his hips, and a definite bulge tenting the cloth in front. His amused smirk widened and his eyes darkened with wicked intent as they gaped at him, abashed.

Hermione began, "Ron, I...we...it's not what you think..."

Ron cut her off, saying, "What? It's not people who love each other expressing it? Doing what they can to stave off the darkness...the pain? Helping each other feel alive in the wake of death?" He slowly crossed to them, resting his hands on their shoulders. "What is it, then?"

Hermione gazed up at him, amazed understanding and adoration making her eyes almost glow. In a whisper, she said, "Well, actually, I guess it is what you think."

He smiled, bending down to press a gentle kiss on her lips. "Excellent. Then I want to be a part of it, too."

Hermione's delighted laugh drew answering grins from both boys, and they exchanged a glance as she crawled backward on the bed, giving Ron room to climb on with them. When he was seated, one leg dangling over the side of the bed, and the bulge of his towel still visible in his lap, Ron said, "So, looks like we're all on the same page here. I mean, everyone's seen the others together in some way already."

Hermione's brow furrowed in confusion, and Harry ducked his head, his cheeks flushing. "What do you mean, Ron? I know I told you I had seen you and Harry together, and you just walked in on us..."

Ron's smirk was devilish as he said, "And Harry's seen you and me. Right, Harry?"

Hermione snapped her astonished gaze to Harry, and he shrugged sheepishly. "I didn't know how to tell you, or when, but I saw you and Ron in the bathroom that first night."

Hermione's hand rose to cover her mouth as she blushed. She started curling in on herself, her other hand coming up to cross her chest. Ron immediately reached out and gripped her arm, saying, "Don't. There's nothing to be embarrassed about...you were starkers in the shower just now, so what's the problem?"

Harry thwacked Ron and said, "It's different! She made the choice to strip down now, but the other night, she thought things were private!"

Hermione glanced shyly at Harry and murmured, "Exactly. Thank you, Harry."

Harry met her eyes and said, "I'm sorry I spied on you, and I'm sorry I didn't tell you, especially when you came clean to me. But I will say this: I couldn't stop watching because... not only was it beautiful, I wished I was in there too."

Ron looked between them with a lopsided grin, and Hermione flashed a tentative smile of forgiveness at Harry, squeezing his hand. Shifting to curl his legs under him and kneel on the bed, Ron said, "So, if we all want the same thing...each other...then what's stopping us?"

Both Harry and Hermione turned startled gazes on Ron, who simply stared back in challenge and invitation. Then, Harry looked back at Hermione and caressed her hand where it was still tucked into his. She looked down at their hands, then up at Harry. He smiled tentatively, and she relaxed, biting her lower lip and blushing again as she averted her eyes.

Ron clasped their arms and urged them to move closer. His voice was low and coaxing as he said, "Why don't you get back to what you were doing when I so rudely interrupted..."

Harry glanced at Ron and saw the blue of his eyes almost obliterated by his dilated pupils. Then he locked eyes with Hermione as he closed the distance between them, once again using his thumb to release her lower lip from between her teeth so he could soothe it with a kiss. Hermione responded with fervour, and they squirmed closer, their hands roaming over their now-dry skin.

Ron exhaled a low groan of appreciation and loosened his towel so it could slide off as he crawled around them, pausing to brush their hair out of the way and trail a caress or graze his lips over their flesh. After several moments, he eased the towels off of them, flinging them to the floor.

Harry felt the towel slipping away and a stab of heat washed over him, ending in his cock, which bounced and strained toward Hermione. His hands slid down her sides and over her hips, and she moaned against his mouth. He backed away and nibbled along her jaw and down her throat as her head canted back in pleasure. Ron was behind her, but he quickly moved to the side, allowing Harry to press her backward, guiding her to lie down.

Hermione twisted her legs out from under her and sank onto her elbows, gasping as Harry continued down her chest, diverting to either side and suckling her nipples before laving along her ribs and down to her navel. Hermione shuddered and collapsed onto her back, her hands flying up to pass over her face and rake through her hair, her eyes closed and mouth open, and her knees bent, framing Harry's shoulders.

Ron was crouched to one side, barely blinking, his body flushed and burning with desire as he drank in the sight of the two people he loved loving each other. Unable to hold back any longer, he surged forward and descended on Hermione, snogging her deeply while Harry inched backward, his wet kisses zeroing in on the inviting heat between her thighs. Hermione squealed into Ron's mouth at the sensation of Harry's tongue delving into her cleft, laving her from cunt to clit.

Ron backed away and looked down at Harry's face buried between Hermione's legs, exhaling heavily. Licking his lips, he breathed, "Fuck yeah... doesn't she taste good, Harry?" Harry hummed an affirmative, making Hermione buck, and Ron voiced a wicked chuckle. "She feels even better. Don't you want her? To sink deep into her?"

Hermione moaned at that, and Ron inched closer to Harry, leaning down to watch his friend sucking Hermione's clit. His voice was hoarse as he continued, "You want her to come for you? Touch her. You watched us; you know what to do. Go on; make her squeeze your fingers. She's so fucking hot and she gets so wet. Make her come, and then maybe she'll let you fuck her too."

Again, Hermione moaned, panting and whimpering as Harry followed Ron's urging and slid two fingers into her cunt. Ron grinned, looking up the length of Hermione's undulating body, and crawled down beside Harry, where he smoothed a hand across Harry's back, feeling the play of muscles and sinew as Harry slowly fucked Hermione with one hand and sucked her clit at the same time.

Ron continued caressing Harry as he watched Hermione writhing in bliss. He knew she was building to her peak, and he wanted to see her shatter in ecstasy at Harry's hands. He trailed a hand down Harry's back, then over his hip and down his haunch, feeling Harry tense up beneath his fingers. Leaning near Harry's ear, he breathed, "Relax. Just enjoy. We love you, you love us... it's all good."

At the end of his words, Ron pressed a tender kiss to Harry's neck, grazing his lips over his shoulder and down his back as he massaged Harry's hamstring, soothing the taut muscle. Harry's eyes closed at the electric charge that raced over him, starting at Ron's touches and ending in his pulsing cock. Ron's lips pulled away from Harry's flesh at the same time he slipped his hand between Harry's legs and gently stroked along his bollocks and down his erection.

Harry's surprised shout was muffled against Hermione's pussy, and the startled thrust of his fingers plus the vibrations of his voice sent Hermione over the edge of the abyss, making her curl forward in shuddering convulsions, shrieking her release. Ron wrapped his forefinger and thumb around the base of Harry's cock and squeezed in an effort to stave off the possibility of Harry shooting his load too early. The feel of Ron's hand touching him so intimately while Hermione orgasmed from his efforts flooded him with elation, warming him with more than sexual heat.

As Hermione calmed, Ron released Harry's cock, once again gently stroking it, as he purred, "That's it... see? Isn't she amazing? Don't you want to feel her squeezing your cock the same way?" He wrapped his hand around Harry's shaft and squeezed, making Harry shiver. "I wonder if she needs convincing..."

Harry lifted his damp face from between her thighs and withdrew his fingers, carefully crawling forward, trying to meet Hermione's eyes. She heaved a few more deep breaths, then opened glazed eyes to lock gazes with Harry. She saw the apprehension mixed with desire and affection, and she smiled, reaching up to pull him down for a reassuring kiss. After a long moment of snogging, tasting herself on him, she pulled away, whispering, "Harry... please... make love to me."

Harry's moan blended with Ron's deeper groan, then Harry and Hermione both gasped at the feel of Ron's hands between their legs, guiding Harry to fill her in one long excruciatingly slow stroke. When Harry was buried completely, he sighed, revelling in the warmth of Hermione's cunt clenching along his length. Ron moved up to one side, eyes alight with arousal as he watched them rock against each other.

Harry shifted so he could sink back onto his heels, with Hermione angled up on his thighs. He looked down and marvelled at the sight of his cock sliding in and out of her slick curls. Ron breathed, "Amazing..."

Harry glanced up at Ron, who locked eyes with him again, edging closer. Ron lifted one hand to tangle his fingers in Harry's hair at the back of his neck, pulling him in for a vehement kiss. Hermione whimpered at the sight of them snogging again, tongues duelling for dominance. After several minutes of kissing Harry while he was fucking Hermione, Ron pulled away, looking down at Hermione's fingers circling her clit. Eyes narrowing and lips spreading in a feral grin, he crawled backward and ducked down to replace her fingers with his tongue, making Hermione squeal at the same time Harry groaned at the implications of seeing Ron's ginger head bobbing below his waist.

Hermione reached out and tugged on Ron's leg, guiding him toward her. She panted, "I want you too."

Ron lifted up and beamed at Harry as she pulled him into position, straddling her head, and when she enveloped his cock in her mouth, Ron once again pulled Harry into a passionate kiss. Harry could taste Hermione's juices on Ron's tongue, and thrust harder. Hermione cried out, the sound muffled by Ron, and Ron let go of Harry so he could dive down to lick her again.

Harry peered down, leaning back and trying to see, but Ron's head was in the way. As he leant back, however, sliding out of Hermione's cunt, he moved too far, and accidentally disengaged completely, bouncing upward. Ron's eyes were trained on the glistening head bobbing in front of him and he stretched forward, capturing it with his lips and sucking it in deep, swirling his tongue along the underside to the accompaniment of Harry's shout of, "Oh gods yeah! Yesss... Ronnn..."

Hermione made an excited squealing noise, pulling Ron down and sucking him in until the head of his cock was lodged at the back of her throat. Ron's eyes rolled back and he groaned, sending delicious vibrations into Harry's bollocks. A moment later, Hermione urged Ron up, releasing him and gasping, "Ron, Harry, wait..."

Ron let Harry's cock slip out of his mouth and carefully rolled to the side. Harry was panting, his erection throbbing in time with his heartbeat, leaning back, holding himself up with both hands while his feet were trapped under his arse. Ron was crouched on his hands and knees, and Hermione struggled to sit up, backing away from being propped up and spread on Harry's lap.

They all stared at each other, overwhelmed by how fantastic everything felt with the three of them together. Hermione licked her lips, suddenly looking nervous.

Harry was instantly concerned at her change of expression and rasped, "Are you all right?"

Hermione nodded, saying, "Yes! I'm great...this is all great. I just..."

She trailed off, biting her lip again, and Ron caressed her calf, saying, "Hermione, tell us what's wrong, please."

Harry shoved forward and listed to one side, freeing his feet and stretching. His expression rueful, he added, "I doubt you can surprise us now, after all this..."

Everyone grinned, and Hermione cleared her throat. Taking a deep breath and squaring her shoulders, she murmured, "It was so wonderful to have both of you. I just... want to really have both of you."

Harry and Ron exchanged stunned glances, and Hermione ducked her head, blushing at her boldness. Ron breathed, "I'm game. You?"

Harry wasn't sure exactly what Hermione wanted, but he realized he didn't much care. As long as he was with them and they were all enjoying each other, that was all that mattered. He would do anything he could to have happiness and love, after all the pain and misery they had suffered. He looked at Ron, then at Hermione. "Whatever you want, I want."

Hermione's eyes flashed in arousal, and she shifted onto her knees so she could crawl forward and kiss both of them in turn. "Well then, I want you both..."

Ron's voice was hoarse with suppressed excitement as he said, "How?"

Hermione wrapped one hand around each cock, stroking in tandem, eliciting sighs of pleasure. Thoughtfully examining them both, she noted which was longer, which was thicker, and how straight or curved they were. Ron was longer and more slender, pointing straight out from his nest of bright red curls. Harry was thicker, if not as long, and curved up toward his belly. A lascivious smile curving her swollen lips, she said, her voice husky with need, "Harry, I want you in front. And Ron, I want you in back."

Both boys groaned as they comprehended her intent. Hermione's hands gripped tighter when she said, "But we have to go slow. It's not something one can just do without proper preparation...at least that's what I've read."

They couldn't help it...it was just so Hermione to have read up on kinky sex...and they all burst out laughing. Both boys shuffled closer, wrapping their arms around her and taking turns kissing her and nibbling on her neck. Ron was eager to begin, and he dipped his fingers into her slick cunt, making her gasp. Trailing his fingertips back, he circled her pucker, making her shiver at the tickle. Suddenly, he pulled away and said, "I have a better idea..."

Harry and Hermione eyed him in curiosity as he crawled out of Hermione's grasp and circled behind her, nibbling at the juncture of her shoulder and neck and pressing his erection against her lower back. "Harry, lie down." Exchanging a look with Hermione, Harry shrugged and did as he was bid. "Hermione, straddle him like you're about to fuck, but don't do it yet."

Hermione, one eyebrow quirked thoughtfully, complied, smiling at Harry as she hovered over him and felt his hands sliding along her sides. Ron bent down behind her, straddling Harry's ankles, and caressed Hermione's arse. Then, dropping to his elbows, he leant forward and dragged his tongue from her cunt up to her crack, circling her twitching hole and pressing the tip of his tongue into the indentation. Hermione's eyes flew open wide and she gasped in shock, but Harry held her up when she seemed to lose all strength, dropping lower with a quavery moan as her eyes rolled back.

Ron felt the tension in her legs, and paused for her to regain her composure. With a devilish smirk, he purred, "Everything all right?"

Hermione lifted her face from Harry's neck and met his concerned gaze. Taking a deep breath, she watched Harry's reaction as she growled, "If you want to fuck my arse with your cock, Ron Weasley, you damn well better fuck me with that tongue enough first."

Harry's breath caught, a jolt of arousal shooting through his body at hearing such filthy talk from her mouth again. Then, apparently as Ron followed her orders and dived between her cheeks again, she descended on Harry with plundering kisses of unmitigated lust.

Ron bathed her arse with his tongue, plunging in as far as he could, loosening the tight ring of muscle and making her more receptive. He slid one finger into her dripping cunt, making her squeal and clench down on his invading finger and tongue, then slowly pressed that slippery finger into her arse, exhaling harshly at her needy moan.

It slid in fairly easily, so he fucked her with it a few times before pulling out and laving her with his tongue again. Then, he dipped a second single finger into her cunt to lubricate it before pressing both fingers into her arse, grinning at how she arched back toward him, taking them deeper on her own. Gently, he started to scissor his fingers, stretching her, and she let loose a string of profanity that set Harry's cock throbbing.

Tossing her head, she panted, "I need to be fucked. Harry, please..." Ron started to withdraw his fingers but stopped when she barked, "No! Keep doing that. Don't stop."

Harry gripped his cock and dragged the head between her slick curls, searching for the inviting heat of her cunt. She rocked her hips and suddenly he was slotted inside her. Undulating, Hermione sank onto him, taking him in deep. Harry marvelled at how tight she felt around him, then cried out in surprise when Ron flexed his fingers...Harry could feel it! He stayed buried inside her as Ron started fucking her again, still scissoring his fingers as he went. It felt like he was stroking along the underside of Harry's cock, adding to the incredible sensations.

Rocking his hips, Harry thrust shallowly, and Hermione cooed in appreciation. Ron's fingers were suddenly gone, quickly replaced by his tongue tracing over Harry's bollocks and Hermione's arse. Harry's hoarse yell of, "Fuck! Ron! Yeah!" mixed with Hermione's growled litany of depraved instructions.

Finally, after a long while of Ron switching between fucking Hermione with his fingers and tongue, he licked his palm and stroked himself, then crawled closer behind Hermione, splaying his hand on the small of her back, guiding her to lean down and thrust her arse higher. Harry stilled, sinking deep and staying there, and a hush fell over all of them as Ron pressed the tip of his cock against Hermione's arse.

Harry stared hard at Hermione, watching the shifting expressions on her face. Her brows drew together in a frown of concentration, and she wavered between biting her lips, grimacing, and exhaling slowly. Harry rubbed her back and sides, trying to help her relax against the intrusion. Ron's breathing was harsh and shallow, and Harry could feel him trembling with effort to control his movement. Periodically, Hermione would tense, and Ron would immediately stop, allowing her time to get used to the stretch of his cock filling her arse.

After a couple of agonizingly slow inches, Harry slid his hand around her hip and dipped down to tease her clit. Hermione gasped, her head flinging back, and both Harry and Ron grunted at the way her body contracted around them. She let out a long shuddering breath and whispered, "Oh gods... Harry, do that again." He circled her clit and she trembled, her breath catching. "Mmm, yes... Keep doing that... Yes... Now, Ron, more..."

Ron pressed forward, inching deeper, nearly choking at the rhythmic squeezing around his cock as Hermione relaxed enough to take him in. When he bottomed out, his bollocks flush against Harry's, he groaned and draped himself across her back, rasping, "Hermione... Harry... you're so fucking incredible..."

Hermione turned her head and kissed him, then leant down to kiss Harry. When she pulled away, she looked at them both, her pupils dilated to inky blackness, and breathed, "I love it. I love you. Both of you." She paused for a beat, then purred, "Now, move."

Harry instantly rocked his hips, pulling partway out, amazed at how tight she was, and both Ron and Hermione cried out. Then, Ron withdrew about halfway, and Harry huffed at the surreal sensation of Ron's cock rubbing against his while he was still encased in Hermione's tight heat. Looking past Hermione, Harry met Ron's gaze of incredulous joy and smiled. As one, they plunged in again, drawing a ragged shriek of rapture from Hermione's throat.

The intensity was beyond anything they could have ever imagined. Words became meaningless, and they created a rhythm as old as time itself. Senses overloaded with the euphoria of their union, they forgot about the rest of the world, oblivious to anything other than each other and the ecstasy they created with their bodies and souls.

Eventually, the pleasure couldn't build any more, and Hermione gasped, tensing as she reached her peak. Harry and Ron felt her clamping down on them, and they locked eyes again as they maintained their rhythm, drawing out her shuddering release.

When she collapsed between them, panting, Ron stretched down and kissed Harry over her shoulder, increasing his thrusting in both speed and force. Hermione shrieked again in encouragement, and Harry grunted against Ron's lips, the heightened intensity driving him past the pinnacle of his climax. He slammed into Hermione, bucking as come pumped out of him, flooding her clutching cunt and trickling down his bollocks.

Ron felt the pulsing of Harry's cock against his own inside Hermione, and the slippery wetness of Harry's come spreading against his bollocks when he plunged in deep, roaring his satisfaction as he followed his best friends' orgasms with his own.

Their ears were ringing as they all went weak, melting together in the wake of the blissful culmination of their love. Ron's cock slid out of Hermione, dragging across Harry's bollocks as Ron rolled to the side. Harry lay there, pinned by Hermione's limp body until she worked up enough strength to lift off his wilting erection and slump to the side between him and Ron. Her leg and arm were still flung across Harry's body, so Ron squirmed further to the side and tugged on her shoulder, rolling her onto her back. They all simply lay there, panting, coming down from their euphoric high, sweat and come drying on their skin.

In the lengthening silence, Harry exhaled a deep sigh of contentment and murmured, "Wow... that was a helluva first time."

Ron and Hermione both burst out laughing and Harry grinned at the happiness of the sound. Hermione lilted, "Well, I'm glad you enjoyed it. I know I did."

Ron piped up, "Hear hear!" They all snorted and sighed, still grinning. Then Ron shoved up onto one elbow and caressed Hermione, his voice solicitous as he asked, "Are you all right? I didn't hurt you at all?"

Harry snapped his eyes to Hermione, concerned. But Hermione's lips were quirked with a wanton smirk as she said, "I'm fine. Honestly! More than fine, really. It took some getting used to, and stung a little bit at first, but...wow...that was more intense than I could ever have imagined." She cut a wicked glance at each boy before adding, "I think you should try it yourself and find out."

Harry and Ron both wore identical expressions of surprise followed by consideration. They locked eyes and spoke at the same time. Ron said, "I'm game," and Harry said, "Worth a shot."

Hermione bounced, her hands gripping each of them in a spasm of exultation. Her voice was throaty as she said, "Don't you dare try it without me!"

The boys snorted and Ron quirked a rueful smile at her. "Love, you may be able to get there multiple times in quick succession, but I know I'm done for at least a few hours yet. I've never come so hard."

Harry uttered a noise of agreement, and he said, "Besides, how would we decide who tries it first?"

Ron's bark of incredulous laughter nearly drowned out Hermione's delighted gasp. She struggled to sit up and leant over Harry, smiling devilishly, as she said, "Well, since Ron already knows what it feels like to fuck a tight arse, I think it's only fair that you find out next."

Harry's eyes went round and his gut clenched again at the idea and Hermione's graphic words. Ron crawled closer and ducked down to stick his face between theirs. "Sounds like a plan to me. We've got all night to try again. After all, it's hardly even dinnertime...speaking of which, though, I'm famished. Used up a bit of energy, you see..."

Harry grinned and Hermione laughed, pushing him away. As he rolled on his back next to them, she bent down and kissed Harry. "He's got a point. What do you say we get some food to sustain us for further... explorations later?"

Harry nodded, taking a moment to stretch when Hermione rolled away to kiss Ron. She bounced off the bed and snagged her towel from the floor, saying, "I think I need a proper shower first, though." On her way to the bathroom, she cast a flirtatious glance over her shoulder and said, "You're welcome to join me if you like."

She disappeared behind the door and Harry flicked a glance at Ron. Ron grinned at him and winked. "It's probably pretty safe to join her right now, since I don't think I could get it up if I wanted to."

Harry snorted, rolling off the bed and steadying himself on weak legs. When Ron stood and started crossing to the bathroom, Harry gripped his arm and spun him around, pulling him closer. Ron gazed at him in curiosity, his brows raised. Harry frowned in concern and murmured, "I know that was spectacular, but I'm still worried about you, mate. Are you gonna' be all right? I mean, we have to go out in the real world again sometime."

Ron's expression sobered and he looked down. Taking a deep breath, he said, "I know. I'm trying not to think about things...and being with you two helps loads. Something about being close to you two like this just... helps me feel better. And not just in the naughty bits, but on the inside, too. Does that make sense?"

At Ron's grimace, Harry quirked a lopsided smile, gripped the back of Ron's neck, and said, "More than it would to anyone but us." He pulled Ron's head down and pressed his forehead to his, then kissed him...a gentle one of reassurance and love.

Ron responded by tugging Harry into an embrace. A beat later, he stepped back and jerked his head at the bathroom. "Come on, let's get in there before she's all done." Taking Harry's hand, he started to lead the way, then stopped and slanted a mischievous glance at him. "Just so you know, I may not be able to get it up right now, but I'll definitely be ready for round two later...so you better eat your vegetables, Harry-my-boy, 'cause I fully expect you to need that energy to rock my world and show me what a good shag feels like. Got it?"

He waggled his eyebrows and Harry laughed. Then, before they could open the door, Harry shoved Ron against it and trapped him with his body, smirking and saying, "Count on it, mate."

He abruptly pulled away and yanked the door open, pushing Ron with it. Harry entered the shower, leaving Ron to lean dazedly against the doorjamb, breathing heavily until he said, "I knew things were supposed to be better after we won the war, but... bloody hell!"

Lips spreading in a beatific grin, he ducked into the bathroom to join the two people he loved most. Together, they would all heal and be whole again. Eventually.