Chapter 130: Chapter 130
"Maybe," shrugged Harry. "But, I also want to create a foundation to fund it. I also want to see it recognised as a worthy charity; to see it as a worthy beneficiary of bequeathments. In that way, funding for it will eventually become self-sustaining. In the intervening years, House Potter can be its main contributor."
"Well, that's for another day," said Hermione. "For now, we have homework and study."
Harry groaned as Daphne grinned. Only Harry's reaction made Hermione frown and respond. "Harry James Potter; just because we've done this before does not mean you don't have to complete assignments and study. This time, at least, you can put in the effort to succeed at more than just Dah-dah."
"Yes, dear," he muttered. That earned him a smack to the back of the head from both witches. He was about to complain when he realised he didn't really have the right to. He did come across as moody and somewhat belligerent in the tone of his response.
For the next few nights both girls slept in their own beds. When Harry pouted a little about it they both blushed, got angry and told him they had 'women's issues' to deal with and didn't want to share a bed with him.
After three days of dealing with two irritable witches who got angry with him at the drop of a hat, he decided to go and talk to Luna about it. He knew she arrived very early for breakfast, so rose early to join her for his own breakfast in the Great Hall.
"Luna, you've got to help me," he begged, after telling her of what he felt was their estrangement. "I've clearly done something wrong and don't know what it is."
Luna heard him out without comment. When he finally wound down, she looked at him directly and quietly said, "Harry, it's not your fault. Both of your ladies are currently experiencing the time of month known as menses. It will pass within the next day or so."
Harry looked back with confusion until his eyes widened in dawning comprehension. "Oh, God!" he moaned. "I'm an idiot."
"No, you're not," she disagreed. "They really should have told you. However, we witches know it's something most wizards don't want to know anything about. That they're both going through it at the same time is quite unusual; but not unheard of. Wait until they're not so irritable and talk to them about it. Let them both know it's something you recognise as being natural; and that you understand."
Harry nodded and gratefully said, "Thanks, Luna."
She nodded back and said, "Either that, or the wrackspurts are confusing them."
Harry smiled back.
That evening, once the three were back in their apartment with him sitting on one couch opposite the two girls, he said, "I've finally come to understand what you two ladies have been going through for the past few days. I hope you both can forgive me for not realising it earlier."
With all three blushing, Hermione replied, "Harry... i-it's kind of an unwritten rule that girls don't talk about 'female issues'... especially about that time of the month... with boys."
Thinking hard, Harry posited, "Well, while I understand they wouldn't talk about it with just any boy, wouldn't wives have to talk about that sort of thing with their husbands 'slash' partners? I mean, wouldn't it create problems in their relationship if they didn't?
"You and Daphne... and I understand it's through no real fault of your own, as I understand women can become short tempered then... but, you and Daphne actually had me worried and upset. The way the two of you were acting these past few days, I thought I'd done something wrong. A-and that it was up to me to figure out what it was and fix it." Hermione moved first, quickly followed by Daphne, as they both quickly rose from their couch and, coming at him from either side of the coffee table, sat on the couch either side of him. Both enveloped him in a hug.
"Harry, it's not your fault!" murmured Hermione. "You're right in that... as we're so close, now, and considering our usual sleeping arrangements... we should have been at least a little upfront with you about what was going on. But, we thought you knew!"
Harry, blushing, just shook his head.
"Sorry, Harry," apologised Daphne, moving in for a second hug.
While Daphne hugged Harry, Hermione - in her usual scheduling mode - explained, "Alright. What you need to know. My cycle is almost exactly twenty-eight days long. In other words, I'm average. My... flow... is generally for four days. So, for your information, I'm pretty much finished. So, for twenty-four days, I'm fine; and, for the other four days, I'm not.
"Let's see. I'm lucky in that my... cramping... isn't too severe. For your information, it's the cramping that makes us women irritable; plus, the 'unclean' feeling we get during that time. A good pain relief at night is often a hot water bottle placed on the lower abdomen. And, don't worry, Winky takes care of that for me."
Turning to Daphne, she asked, "Daphne? Are you willing to share?"
Blushing, Daphne pulled away from Harry and looked away a little. "Let's see," she stammered a bit in embarrassment. "My cycle is the witch's cycle. Purebloods are, more often than not, tied to the lunar cycle. So, my cycle runs for about twenty-nine and a half days. The... messy... part of that lasts almost five days. And, like Hermione, I get cramps, but Madam Pomfrey has potions for that."
"She does?" interrupted Hermione.
"Yes," nodded Daphne, looking at her bond-sister. "You need to ask her for a witch's monthly pain relief. You take it as soon as the cramps start, and it'll last for the entire time. It won't affect your thoughts or make you tired like a general pain relief potion, either. It's specifically targeted to the... you know... the womb. However, it doesn't stop the irritability."
"Thank you," sighed Hermione. "I'll remember to ask her about it for next month."
"If Hermione's cycle is a little shorter than mine," continued Daphne, "We will steadily start to have... that... time further and further apart. That we're having the cycles at the same time, now, is very unusual but is, of course, also mathematically feasible. It will occur about once every... eighteen months? Or, thereabouts. But, there will also be a few months, either side, where our days will only partially overlap.
"We know you understand, Harry," blushed Daphne. "However, we still apologise for how we've... shunned... you these past few days."
"That's alright, Daphne," he replied. "As I said, I understand. And, thank you, both, for letting me know what was going on. At least now I understand I'd done nothing wrong."
With a kiss to each cheek from the girls, they returned to the other couch. And the girls decided to again tutor Harry on third year Ancient Runes for the rest of the evening."
The next evening Hermione returned to sleeping in Harry's bed. Daphne returned the next night.
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