Shadows Unveiled: The Unbroken

Rest of the weekend passed in a relative lull as Harry focused on his training. He knew that a lot of people would have called him crazy -which was far from new- for spending his time training rather than enjoying some high quality entertainment that was available, but he also knew that as the end of the year neared, things were somehow going erupt into a total disaster, and this time, for once, he wanted to be ready for it.

It was late Sunday evening when he left the Room of Requirements, exhausted, but satisfied with his progress. Combat application of transfiguration was coming up nicely, and he was having an easier time casting nonverbal spells in combat. Today, for the first time, he managed to send an eight-spell combination chain without a break, faster than it took for an average student to cast a spell.

But all that training took its toll. He was too exhausted to continue training, more mentally than physically, as he was unused to the strain of managing that many spells together. Still, he preferred to do some relaxing activity rather than sleeping. The only question, what? Or more accurately, who?

A turn later, he was in a hidden nook in the corridor, allowing him to pull out the Marauder's map. A quick examination showed him that Susan was in her room, and so was Daphne. It was hard to explain to Susan how and why he was in her room, but admittedly, the latter was promising. Harry wondered how Daphne would react when he showed that he could easily sneak into her room, showing even the vaunted walls of Slytherin was ineffective against him.

But a better opportunity caught his eyes. Hermione was in the library, this time occupying a table in the middle, which was not her usual habit. Smart girl, Harry thought with a smirk. Hermione was doing her best to avoid him, still shocked by her own reaction to their latest alone time. She wasn't as good as she thought, of course. With his enhanced magical abilities, Marauders' Map, and his cloak, cornering her alone would be trivial, not to mention he still had access to her room.

But, despite his advantages, he let her succeed in her task. It was more fun to let her stew in her own confusion and apprehension, knowing that her increasing arousal would make things less clear for her. But after a few days of leaving her alone, it was once again the time to stir the pot.

He could understand why staying in the middle of the library seemed like a good solution for Hermione, he thought as he surveyed the situation under his invisibility cloak. It was Sunday evening, and the place was bustling with students from all four houses, which probably made her think that even if he somehow found her there, there was nothing he could do.

Not a bad plan, considering she was still thinking that all that happened was an accidental escalation following a couple of bad decisions. She had no idea about his commitment to the situation, or his expanded capabilities. He decided to put the latter one in use, walking around the library while under his invisibility cloak, casting compulsion charms on the people, mostly to make them leave the library.

The compulsion charms were weak to avoid detection, barely above a tug, but luckily, it didn't take much to convince a bunch of students to do something other than their homework. He made sure to make a few of them stay in the library instead, making them focus on their work instead.

Though, there was one important exception to the rule. Gregory Goyle. Harry decided that Umbridge deserved a distraction of her own, so he made sure to implement a deep hatred of Umbridge in Goyle's mind, enough that he would be willing to target her if the situation allows. He didn't expect too much to happen, but anything to distract her from targeting him would be useful, no matter how fleeting.

With his preparation complete, he faded behind the bookshelves and stuffed his cloak to his pocket, and then walked to the main area with a large book on his hand, a complicated book that could function as a background reading for last charm they had studied on Flitwick's class. He could cast that with no issue, and even if he didn't, he would have probably ignored it, as a spell to make an object change its color every three seconds wasn't exactly the first choice in battle. But, it was an excellent conversational opener for a discussion with Hermione.

She was alone at her table, too focused on the book in front of her to notice the recent changes in her environment, how most of the students slowly left the place, nor she was aware of the aversion ward he placed around the table. "Hi," he said casually as he pulled the chair right next to her.

"Harry!" she exclaimed as she turned towards him, shocked by their sudden closeness, which Harry ignored in favor of flipping open his book. "What are you doing here?!"

"Studying," Harry answered very casually. "It's just a few weeks until the OWLs, and you of all people should know that there is no harm in a bit extra crunching to get ready for the exams."

She just looked at him, her mouth open in shock, his casual answer stolen the wind from her sails. Which, admittedly, was understandable considering what happened their last encounter. Harry watched her from the corner of his eyes as while he acted like he was focused on his book, watching her expression shift between confusion, shame, and surprise.

It took a while for her expression to settle into determination. From the way she steeled herself before opening her mouth, Harry could guess what she was about to say, but he let her say that nevertheless. "Harry," she whispered. "What happened that night… It cannot happen again-" she started, only to cut off by him.

"Okay, whatever you wish," he said simply, not even bothering to raise his head from his book.

"What!" Hermione exclaimed, quite a bit louder than necessary, which would have pulled a crowd if he hadn't already depopulated the library.

Harry couldn't help but smirk at her reaction. She might be trying to convince him to stop that particular aspect of their relationship, but it still, being dismissed that easily triggered her feminine fury. He was tempted to play on that particular angle for a bit more, but that would slow down his progress in more important angles.

His decision made, he turned to her with a completely serious expression. "Hermione, you're a lovely woman and an amazing friend that helped me in a subject nobody else would. I will be the first one to admit that it was amazing, but if you don't want to do it again, I have no choice but to respect it."

And just like that, her anger deflated, replaced with a monumental blush. It took real effort from his part to not to fall laughing, watching as his cheesy lines worked wonders on her. "I see," she stammered. "Thanks," she added before turning her gaze to her book, searching escape in most Hermione way possible.

Harry was very comfortable with the silence that stretched between them, but the same couldn't be said for Hermione. She was fidgeting a lot, trying to look at him from the corner of her eyes in a manner she no doubt thought as secretive.

At that point, he was expecting her to leave, but since she didn't, he had no complication in giving a small preview of the next stage of his plans. "Can you help me understand this part?" he said, pointing a complicated looking paragraph. But more importantly, while asking that question, he put his hand on her shoulder for a moment. A fleeting touch to a completely safe spot, impossible to argue, but Harry wasn't surprised when it triggered a huge blush on her face.

"Let me look," she said, reaching for the book. Harry was ready for her move, and reached it at the exact moment, making their fingers brush in a moment that looked coincidental enough to belong a romantic comedy; looked being the keyword, as Harry was manipulating every second to trigger that exact impression on her.

"The third paragraph," he said as he scuttled closer like he was trying to see the page, which brought their bodies closer. She sent a fleeting glance at him, but he kept his face neutral, and she failed to bring herself to say anything. And just like a shark that smelled blood, Harry slid in a bit further to connect their bodies further, and put his finger on the offending paragraph. "I don't understand how the transposition energy levels would help the formation of the cycles," he questioned.

"It's simple," she murmured before launching an explanation, which was significantly more detailed than what was necessary. A clear emergence of one of her defensive traits, escaping into the dry world of academic details whenever she felt uncomfortable, seeking the familiar ground.

It wasn't the first time that particular habit was working against her, but for a different way than the usual. Under normal conditions, it made people walk away, or on the conditions that weren't possible, tune her out. But this time, it gave Harry an amazing opportunity to further his chosen angle of attack. He had pulled just a bit to stop their bodies rubbing against each other, but he was stayed close, separated by a hair's breadth.

"But I don't understand why it still stays working when a part of its matrix collapses," Harry added after she finished her overly complex explanation, though once again, his fingers caressed the back of her hand in a display of casual intimacy. Her blush intensified, about to say something, but once again, she failed to say something as Harry kept his expression smooth. Instead, she launched another detailed explanation, based on a lot of complicated and obscure Arithmancy formulas.

It was fun to play with her like that, he had to admit, but she was reacting slower than he would have preferred. He decided to cheat a bit. Not a lot, certainly not like the other times where he forced thoughts and emotions in her mind. No, this time, he gently reached into her mind, and brought a few select memories from their night encounter to the forefront of her mind.

She froze for a moment, her blush intensifying. She shook her head adorably, but that did little to push the memories back to her mind. "Are you okay?" he asked while looking concerned, holding her hand casually while doing so. "You suddenly look a bit distracted.

"Sorry, I suddenly remembered that I need to… help Parvati in her homework." Hermione answered in a way that would have been obvious even if Harry hadn't known it was a total lie, or that he was completely lacking in the ability to read her body language.

"Really, it's this urgent?" he asked.

"I'm already late," she said, making a motion to stand up, which he prevented by wrapping his hand around her bicep. He didn't pull, or put any strength behind it, but still, it immobilized her tighter than iron manacles.

"I understand," Harry said. "But can you answer this last question before leaving?" he said.

"I guess," she said, and once again, started explaining. But this time, Harry didn't let go of her arm, gently squeezing in a way that might be mistaken for absentmindedness if it wasn't for her brightening expression. This time, she tried to keep her explanation as simple as possible, trying to get away, but he had picked the question with care. Even compressed, it would have taken her a minute under normal condition.

And their bodies casually rubbing together, his fingers still around her arm, it was far from casual, especially when he reached into her mind to pull yet another memory to the surface whenever it struck to her fancy. With all, it took her almost five minutes to finish her explanation, and she was panting at the end.

"I need to go now," she said the moment she finished the explanation, jumping to her feet while haphazardly gathering her stuff.

"Cool. Actually, I'm finished with my work as well. Let me accompany you to the Common Room."

And just like that, her face broke into alarm. "I need to visit the ladies before," she added rapidly. "Don't wait for me around." And before Harry could answer, she dashed away, leaving her stuff on the table. Harry waited until he was out of her sight, then dashed to a concealed location, pulled his cloak on, and then followed her. He couldn't help but smile, remembering the last time he had chased her off the library under a rush of emotions, particularly how it had ended after he revealed himself to her in the cubicle.

Unfortunately, today, the same ending was out of the question. But even without that, he wanted to see how she was going to handle their relationship.

When he entered the bathroom, Hermione was standing in front of the mirror, watching her freshly-washed face. "Get your wits together, girl," she was murmuring even as she was watching herself in the mirror, but that determination didn't seem to be holding against her quickened breath and heightened blood flow. She was still under the throes of sharp arousal.

A smile popped onto Harry's lips as Hermione glanced towards the stall, her hands, twitching expectantly, leaving no question about the purpose. But, just as she was about to step in, she stopped and pulled her wand. The spell was on her lips before he could react. "Humonum Revelio," she murmured.

Harry stilled, trying to ready himself for a sharp admonishment he expected to receive rather sharply. But, much to his surprise, her seeking glare passed slid off him like the spell that was supposed to reveal him even under the cloak failed to completely register his presence.

Why, he didn't know, but while he was considering that particular question, he missed the chance to step into the stall before Hermione could shut the door. Pity, he thought even as he walked towards the next stall. It wasn't that being a voyeur was a big challenge. What kind of wizard he would be if he couldn't come up with alternative ways of peeking, after all. Still, he would have preferred to be closer to her.

He entered the stall next to her, careful not to make any noise as he closed the door. A silent conjuration created a seat he could comfortably rest, while his follow-up spell made the wall between them transparent in the same manner of a one-sided mirror.

"Right on time," he murmured as he watched Hermione desperately unlocking the last button of her shirt, her robe long removed, hanging innocently on the wall. For a moment, he enjoyed the sight of her tits in her bra before her hand reached and pulled it away, treating him with a perfect view of her breasts for a moment before getting obstructed once more, her hands substituting the role of her bra.

She was doing her best to stay silent even as she desperately squeezed her breasts. With her body on edge, the pleasure she received was enough to make her stumble. She glanced around, looking for something to help her balance. For a moment, Harry was afraid that she was going to use the same wall he converted into a viewport, therefore hiding the most important parts from him, but luckily, she chose the other wall, giving him the full frontal view as she rested against the wall.

And what a view it was, he thought, hardly keeping himself from whistling in appreciation. It wasn't the first time he was seeing her amazing body, but that removed little from the exhilaration he was feeling. And somehow, the fact that she was unaware of his eyes made things even better.

It was definitely making her more expressive, one of her hands deserting its post on her breast, sliding under her skirt instead. She bit her lips in a display of unbidden arousal while her panties slid down her legs until they stopped around her ankles. Unrestricted by a barrier, her hand was free to wreak havoc under her skirt, twisting her expression into a sharper display of emotion.

He decided to copy her, and a brief struggle with his belt later, his shaft lay on the open, standing to attention. He started pumping it gently while enjoying the amazing show that lay in front of his eyes. Harry smirked, enjoying the disappearance of her fingers. Even after all they had done, there was a unique charm watching her while she was unaware. Her arousal was honest, unencumbered by the need to control the situation, and the fact that he knew he was in her mind made things even better.

Then, Hermione stopped without a warning despite, from what he could read, she was still far away from a climax. She reached towards her robe, and for a moment Harry was afraid that the amazing show was having an early end. But she picked her wand instead, and used it to cast a conjuration spell, and a cylindrical object appeared in her hand as a result, one that looked eerily similar to appendage he was massaging. "I wonder what McGonagall would have said if she saw how you use her teachings," he murmured in amusement.

But the shift in her expression as her conjured toy disappeared under her skirt was enough for him to leave that humorous track of thought. Her eyes closed at first, then she started biting her lips in an attempt to hold back her moans, which still didn't prevent occasional gasps from escaping her mouth. The movement of her wrist quickened, her arm slowly driving upward with each repeat as she got used to the presence in her hands, with the same diligence she showed towards the year-end exams.

Unfortunately, she started trembling, in a manner that was becoming exceedingly familiar, long before he was close to a climax. He wasn't happy to be blue-balled, and he decided that she deserved a punishment. And since a direct one was out of the question for a while, he decided to be low-key on that. He pulled his cloak back on, dispelled the observation spell after one last glance to her beautiful body, a light sheen of sweat adding a sexy gloss to it, and left the bathroom, his mind already occupied how to make her pay for the early end of her amazing show.

She deserved a punishment. The fact that she didn't know, or would allow, his presence was just a detail…