Harry's New Pets--The Flaming Nargles Version (a bit more for the end of part 2--1100 words)
A Harry Potter fanfiction by Andrew yclept Aelfwine
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The characters and situations of the Harry Potter series are copyright J.K. Rowling. They may not be used or reproduced commercially without permission. The use of these characters and situations is not to be construed as challenge to said copyright. They are merely borrowed for this work of non-commercial fanfiction, from which the author derives no financial benefit.
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Harry/Hermione/Fleur/Luna/Ginny
No sex yet, as they're too young, but considerable romance.
This started out as an omake for Rorschach's Blot's fic Pet Compartment, but swiftly spiralled out of control.
Many thanks to Rorschach's Blot for the inspiration, as well as for permission to write this.
This particular version started out as an omake for my own fic "Harry's New Pets--the H/F/Hr/L version" and swiftly spiralled even further out of control. The first 3700 words are the same as the first 3700 words of the original "Harry's New Pets"; the fic then takes a different direction.
Click here for Part 1#
Part 2 seemed to need a bit more at the end, so here it is. It's not really new--I've been too busy to write fic--but it seemed time to post it, so here it is.
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She dared a glance over at Harry. He was bright scarlet, his eyes were closed, and his hands, alas, were strategically deployed.
So were hers, of course, but still, it wasn't fair.
"Master," Luna said, "are you all right?"
"I'm sorry," was all he could seem to say. "Umm... I'll back out of the room, so you girls can have your baths?"
"Forgive me for saying so, Master," Ginny said, "but you're being remarkably silly."
"Ginevra," Luna said, "I'm not sure that's a very appropriate thing for a pet to say."
"But it's true," Ginny said. "The tub is big enough for all of us, and it's full of bubbles. Once we're in, nobody will be able to see much of anything."
Hermione had to say it. "What about our tops?"
"Fleur's the only one of us who's got anything up there to speak of," Ginny said. "What she does is her business. But if you're so very shy, Hermione, you can keep your chest under the bubbles."
"Umm..."
"Please, darling Hermione?" Luna said. "Before Fleur comes in, and our dear Master gets even more ridiculously embarassed when she sees his very handsome bottom?"
"All right," she said. "We'll look the other way when you get in, Harry, if you'll close your eyes whilst we're getting in?"
"Of course," he said.
"Although you're welcome to peek at me, darling Master. And so are you, sweet Hermione. I'd make the same offer to you, Ginevra, but it's not as if we've not bathed together almost every summer day since we were old enough to be let near the water," Luna said.
"But didn't you have swimming costumes?" Hermione said.
"We, um... my Mum thinks they're a waste of money."
"Swimming costumes?" Luna said. "What are those? Or is it a joke? Sort of like saying 'birthday suit' or 'the dress of Eve before the Fall'?"
"You've never...? A swimming costume is... it's like what I was wearing under my shirt today."
"Well, you were wearing your lovely skin of course... oh, you mean that stretchy thing. You wear that when you're bathing? In the water? Truly? Don't you worry about trapping Gulping Plimpies and juvenile Wrackspurts right up against your... right up against sensitive parts of your body?"
When Fleur arrived, the four of them were neck deep in the water. Harry's face had mostly lost its blush, and Hermione expected hers was about as far along. "What 'appened, mes chers? Not zat I am not delighted, but I 'ad not expected..."
"That lovely Minie happened, dear pet-sister Fleur," Luna said.
"She charmed our clothes off and left," Hermione said.
Fleur said something fiercely unladylike in French. "Zat leetle... 'ow dare she?"
"It's not her fault," Hermione said. "Nurse had to leave to see to your sister, and she told her to take care of us before she left. I think she thought taking our clothes was part of the service."
"Ah," Fleur said. "Well... I suppose all is well zat ends well, yes?"
"Of course," Luna said. "Although admittedly I thought it started out pretty well, also."
"So," Fleur said, "let me undress and I will join you." She began to unbutton her blouse. "You may look, or not, as you please."
Harry clamped his eyes shut. "She's really pretty, Master," Luna said. "You don't know what you're missing." Not knowing what else to do, Hermione decided to watch Harry. Fleur's so pretty, but... I'm not like that. Not yet, anyhow.
"Luna," Fleur said, "you yourself are watching our Maître, not me."
"But of course," Luna said. "I enjoy the faces he makes, and I know that you would actually feel a little embarassed if my eyes were on you, darling Fleur. But I can see you with my Good Eye, and I can testify that you are gorgeous."
"Merci, jolie petite Luna," Fleur said. "Okay, my darlings, I'm getting in now." The water rippled, and for one moment there was a long smooth Fleur-limb sliding against Hermione's shoulder. "Sorry, 'Ermione. Zere, I am in. You will open your eyes, please?"
"Is it safe?" Harry said.
"Of course it is safe, my silly, darling Master," Fleur said. Hermione opened her eyes. Fleur was leaning forward, her nose almost touching Harry's. The foam seemed to cling to her like a bikini top. "Ouvres tes bons yeux verts." Harry opened his eyes. Will she kiss him? Hermione wondered, and couldn't decide if the thought filled her with wonder or dread.
Fleur and Harry looked each other in the eye for a long moment. Then, very softly, Fleur rubbed her nose against Harry's. "Comme les Esquimaux, non?" she said. "And now may I give Hermione the Eskimo kiss?"
"Of course." It was nice to rub noses with Fleur, even if part of her did wish for lips.
"Is this a Muggle custom?" Luna said softly.
"I don't know," Harry said.
"Um... sort of," Hermione said. "It's... well, Inuit do it, that's what the Eskimos call themselves, and Maurai, that's the native people from New Zealand..."
"But Maurai aren't Muggles, are they?" Luna said. "My Daddy's family lived in a Maurai village for a while, when he was a boy."
"I suppose some of them must be magical, and some of them must not be, just like English and French people," Hermione said.
Ginny giggled. "Does it matter if it's a Muggle custom? Isn't the important thing that it's a Harry Potter and his pets custom?"
"Bien sûr," Fleur said, and rubbed noses with her.
"Umm, Hermione..." Harry said. "May I...?"
"Of course," she said. "Or should I say 'Yes, Master'?"
"If you want to."
"Yes, Master," she said, and rubbed her nose against his. It felt ridiculously pleasant. As did rubbing noses with Luna and Ginny.
They talked about this and that as the afternoon wore along. "Goodness," Hermione said after a while, "the water's still warm."
"Magic," Fleur said softly. "We could stay here all week. Although... I don't think it would be so nice to become prunes."
"I'm ready to get out, if my master and my pet sisters are," Luna said. "Would you show us round the castle?"
"I'd love to," Fleur said. "But I t'ink we might need some clothes first. Even though I know how you feel about zat, darling Luna."
"Don't worry," Luna said. "I'll be good. Even if 'good' doesn't mean quite what it ought to."
Continued.