Lilja opened her mouth, seeming momentarily unsure of what to say. Her delicate eyebrows knitted together slightly, confusion mingled with surprise. Finally, she spoke again, her voice soft and hesitant, but clearly relieved at Hermione's welcoming demeanor. "Oh, um-thank you," Lilja said quietly, her cheeks still lightly flushed. Her gaze shifted quickly between Hermione and myself, as if trying to assess whether Hermione's calm attitude was completely sincere. "That's very kind of you to say. And yes, I'm Lilja Nornas. It's nice to meet you too."
Hermione's smile widened, and she tilted her head slightly, regarding Lilja with open appreciation. "Harry told me you were beautiful, but honestly, he undersold it. You're absolutely gorgeous. Welcome to Hogwarts-I hope you're adjusting alright so far?"
I watched Lilja closely, noting the slight widening of her eyes and the gentle reddening of her already flushed cheeks. Clearly, she hadn't been expecting Hermione's genuine kindness, especially considering the awkwardness of her timing.
"Oh! Um, thank you again," Lilja replied softly, now visibly flustered by Hermione's sincere compliment. She tucked a stray lock of vibrant red hair nervously behind her ear, her eyes darting downward shyly as she added, "And Hogwarts has been very welcoming, thank you. I'm really glad to be here."
She glanced toward me once more, an uncertain look flickering in her green eyes. Lilja hesitated for a moment, clearly unsure of what to say next before she finally gathered the courage to continue.
"Actually, Harry," she said quietly, her voice gentle and uncertain, "I was looking for you because, well... I thought we were going to hang out today? But if you're busy-" Lilja paused again, glancing quickly at Hermione, her gaze lingering a moment too long. A faint trace of something flickered across her features-maybe embarrassment, or perhaps even a touch of envy, I honestly wasn't sure.
Hermione chuckled softly, clearly sensing Lilja's discomfort, and she reached out warmly, gently touching Lilja's shoulder to reassure her. Lilja jumped very slightly, startled, but Hermione just smiled even more warmly in response.
"Oh, please don't worry about interrupting us," Hermione said reassuringly. "Harry and I were just... taking a break between some other rather intense meetings he had today." Hermione gave me an affectionate, teasing look. "He's all yours for the afternoon," she finished with a wink.
Damn, Hermione was so amazing, wasn't she?
— Lilja —
Get it together, Lily! she chastised herself sternly, shaking her head ever so slightly, silky strands of vibrant crimson hair slipping from behind her ear and falling gently along her flushed cheeks. You're a reincarnated grown woman twice over! Quit acting like such a shy, blushing virgin schoolgirl-even if that's your current cover role here at Hogwarts.
Lilja's vivid emerald eyes tracked Hermione as the pretty brunette walked back toward the castle. Hermione paused just once, looking back briefly over her shoulder to wave warmly at Harry and Lilja before disappearing behind a stone archway.
Lilja shifted her gaze slowly toward Harry, who was watching Hermione with an affectionate smile lingering on his handsome face.
"Your girlfriend isn't angry or jealous you're spending private time with another woman?" Lilja asked quietly, attempting-and failing-to sound entirely casual. Her heart fluttered slightly as Harry turned to her, his piercing blue eyes locking directly onto hers with startling intensity.
Harry chuckled softly, a warm, reassuring smile spreading across his lips as he regarded Lilja thoughtfully. "Hermione? No, she wouldn't be angry at all," he explained calmly, stepping closer and stuffing his hands comfortably into his pockets. "If anything, she probably thinks you're doing her a favor."
Lilja tilted her head slightly, brows knitting in confusion. "A favor? What do you mean by that?"
Harry's expression softened further, his gaze sliding off briefly toward the distant towers of Hogwarts as he explained gently, "Hermione has an incredibly busy schedule. Between her advanced classes, studying magic, tutoring other students-she rarely gets any downtime. I know she feels guilty sometimes about how little we get to see each other, especially considering she was my first girlfriend and the very first member of my harem."
Lilja blinked slowly at that revelation, absorbing his candid words with a mixture of amusement and disbelief. Right, she thought inwardly, barely holding back a bemused chuckle, the son of my past self, Lily Evans, really does have a harem, doesn't he? What a surreal turn of events...
Instead of voicing that ironic thought aloud, Lilja composed herself and gave Harry a teasing little smile, gently nudging his side playfully with her elbow. "You certainly lead an interesting life, Harry," she remarked lightly, careful to keep any jealousy she was feeling entirely hidden beneath a playful veneer.
Harry gave a rueful chuckle in response, nodding slightly. "Interesting would be putting it mildly."
Lilja paused for a moment, considering her next move. Her eyes drifted toward the sprawling, shadowy expanse of the Forbidden Forest stretching ominously beyond Hagrid's hut.
"I have an idea," she suggested with a touch more enthusiasm than she intended, pointing toward the thick forest. "Would you like to go into the Forbidden Forest with me and practice our sword skills again? Last time was quite enjoyable, and besides-it's such a lovely day."
And I'm definitely not suggesting this just to have an excuse to get close and grope-no, feel!-his muscles again. Absolutely not. She nearly sighed at her own weak attempt at self-deception.
Harry, however, did not answer her right away. Instead, his expression grew thoughtful, his blue eyes darkening subtly with something like cautious concern. "That might not be the best idea at the moment, Lilja," he said slowly, the edges of his mouth tightening faintly with tension. "There's a... situation in the forest right now. It might not be safe for training."
"A situation? What sort of situation?"
Harry hesitated briefly, clearly weighing how much information to share. When he finally spoke, his tone was carefully neutral. "There's been a monster sighted recently in the forest..."
A monster, here? She wondered briefly if he meant a stray devil-rare though they were in Scotland, it wasn't impossible.
"Oh, come now," she scoffed lightly, placing her hands confidently upon her slender hips and fixing Harry with a challenging smirk. "I'm hardly frightened of some monster lurking in the shadows. I can handle myself just fine. Or-" she tilted her chin up defiantly-"perhaps you're the one who's scared, Harry?"
As expected, Harry immediately reacted to her teasing exactly how she'd hoped. Like all men, with his chest subtly puffing up as he told her nothing in the forest frightened him.
Lilja once again found herself blushing as Harry reached out casually and grasped her smaller hand gently in his own larger one, their fingers naturally sliding together and intertwining with an ease that surprised her. Her heartbeat quickened noticeably, and her breath momentarily caught in her throat at the unexpected intimacy of the gesture.
Wow, he certainly is forward with girls, isn't he? she mused silently, an amused and slightly nervous chuckle slipping quietly past her lips as they moved slowly toward the shadowed edges of the Forbidden Forest.
Lilja couldn't recall a single man from her previous life ever making her feel this flustered or excited. Men had approached her often before, of course-they'd showered her with flattery, tried charming smiles, clever wit, and romantic gestures-but none of those experiences had stirred her heart into such an embarrassing frenzy of butterflies and warmth. None had made her cheeks flush this deeply, or left her pulse racing in her chest quite so strongly. Harry was unquestionably unique, and as confusing as it was, Lilja found herself secretly enjoying every moment of his attention.
As they walked deeper into the forest, sunlight filtered down gently through the tall, whispering canopy above, casting shifting patterns of light and shadow upon their path. After about an hour of lively sparring and practice, Lilja's skin began to glisten softly with a thin sheen of sweat, her Hogwarts uniform clinging damply and uncomfortably against her slender curves, accentuating the soft swell of her breasts beneath the white blouse. Her breath came more quickly now, each inhale and exhale noticeably deeper, her heart pumping strongly from their exertion.
But when her emerald eyes darted curiously toward Harry, she noticed immediately that he seemed even more heated and sweaty than herself. Harry's breath was coming in deeper, steady inhales, his broad chest rising and falling rhythmically beneath his now-dampened shirt. Without hesitation, he casually reached up, grasping the hem of his school shirt, tugging it smoothly upward over his muscular torso and head, and then tossing it carelessly aside.
Lilja's gaze was instantly and helplessly drawn to his naked upper body. Her mouth opened slightly in silent astonishment at the sight, her cheeks flooding hotly with warmth once more. Harry's chest and abs were sculpted with lean, well-defined muscles, his lightly-tanned skin stretched taut over each powerful curve and ripple of his physique. Tiny droplets of sweat glistened attractively upon his chest and shoulders, slowly trickling down along his abdomen. Lilja swallowed nervously, her throat suddenly dry, her heart pounding even more rapidly than before.
Gods, those muscles... Yum! she thought immediately, biting gently at her bottom lip to restrain herself from staring too openly. She quickly realized, with embarrassed shock, that she was finding it increasingly difficult to pull her gaze away from him the longer they spent together. How did Harry Sitri manage to unsettle her so effortlessly?
With calm, practiced ease, Harry withdrew his wand from the pocket of his discarded shirt-a wand Lilja strongly suspected was fake, a mere prop designed to disguise his true nature as a half-devil. Harry flicked the wand over his muscular frame in a casual motion, murmuring a simple drying spell under his breath, causing the sweat coating his body to instantly vanish, leaving his skin once again perfectly smooth and dry.
Lilja quickly followed suit, pulling her own fake wand discreetly from her pocket. Unlike Harry, however, she chose instead to mutter softly beneath her breath the Norse drying charm that her sister Rossweisse had taught her long ago, specifically intended to help after their long, intense training sessions. Lilja's body instantly felt refreshed, the sweat evaporating from her skin and clothes, leaving her feeling clean and comfortable again.
She glanced up to find Harry looking at her pointedly, an exaggerated pout forming playfully on his lips as his gaze flicked meaningfully toward her still-clothed body. He raised one expectant eyebrow, his blue eyes glittering teasingly.
Lilja placed her hands firmly upon her hips, an amused yet slightly exasperated expression crossing her flushed features. "And just what exactly is that look supposed to mean, Harry?" she asked dryly, though the faint blush still tinting her pale cheeks clearly betrayed her embarrassment.
Harry's pout only deepened dramatically, his lips pressing together childishly in exaggerated disappointment. "Well," he began innocently, though the playful gleam in his eyes betrayed his true intentions, "I was sort of hoping you'd decide to follow my lead. It seems only fair, doesn't it?"
Lilja felt her blush deepen even further at his shameless suggestion, her eyes widening slightly in surprise. Gathering her composure, she lifted her chin confidently, her tone shifting into playful defiance. "If you really want to see me shirtless, Harry Sitri, you'll need to land a hit on me with your sword first," she declared boldly-only to immediately feel her blush intensify as she realized exactly what she'd just suggested.
Harry instantly straightened, his eyes practically shining with sudden enthusiasm, his muscular body tense with new energy and determination. "Is that all it will take?" he asked eagerly, reaching quickly to retrieve his sword from where he'd placed it aside earlier. "Well, let's get back to training immediately, then! No more resting!"
Lilja watched with open astonishment and mild embarrassment as Harry practically bounced with newfound excitement, clearly determined to meet her challenge as quickly as possible. She folded her arms beneath her breasts and gave him a small pout, though inside she felt strangely flattered by how openly excited he was at the idea of seeing her body. A small, shy smile began creeping onto her lips despite herself, and she gave a quiet, resigned sigh.
"You are impossible, Harry," she murmured softly, shaking her head slightly in fond exasperation.
Harry paused, giving her a playful wink, clearly unfazed by her words. "Maybe so," he agreed lightly, shifting his stance and raising his sword confidently, eyes bright and focused upon her. "But admit it-you secretly like it."
Lilja rolled her eyes, unable to prevent the small giggle that escaped her lips. "Perhaps," she conceded softly, raising her own sword smoothly into position, her emerald eyes locking directly onto Harry's challenging gaze. "Now let's see if you actually have the skill to back up that confidence of yours after only two short lessons."
"My aunt tells me I'm a fast learner," Harry replied with a smirk as he once again summoned his blade of water in his hands, while Lilja used conjuration to summon her own rapier.
— Harry —
Lilja's conjured rapier had a dulled edge for safety, but despite its harmless edge, she wielded it with incredible strength-far greater than her slender arms seemed capable of. Each strike that connected with my bare chest sent a jarring vibration through my body, leaving fresh bruises behind with every hit.
She'd honestly make an amazing Rook in my peerage with her raw physical power and exceptional swordsmanship skills.
Or perhaps she'd be a perfect Queen, she was versatile and incredibly strong. It was impossible not to think about adding her to my peerage the more I watched her fight.
Her speed was equally astounding-far beyond ordinary human limits, verging into clearly supernatural territory. I was beginning to strongly suspect there was something unique about this gorgeous red-haired woman. Her stunning beauty and strength dominated my thoughts more with every passing second.
I deliberately rushed closer to Lilja. I allowed her blade to strike my stomach intentionally, grunting as pain blossomed through my abdomen from the impact. Immediately afterward, I swung my water-blade in a swift horizontal arc, making gentle contact with her upper thigh. Rather than cutting or bruising, I intentionally manipulated my blade's water to harmlessly splash against her skin, soaking her robes.
