Hermione blinked, a look of mild surprise crossing her face. "Harry," she said slowly, her voice calm and deliberate, "why would you pick just one girl?"
"Huh?" I blurted out dumbly.
Hermione gave me a curious look, clearly amused by my surprise. "Harry," she said slowly, "the wizarding world isn't like the Muggle world. Polygamy is completely normal here. Actually, it's quite common. Fred and George Weasley are both openly dating Angelina Johnson, and nobody thinks twice about it."
My mouth fell open slightly in astonishment. I knew that having multiple partners was typical among devils, but hearing this was accepted in the magical community genuinely stunned me. I wondered briefly if my mother Serafall knew about this little cultural similarity.
Hermione took advantage of my stunned silence to step even closer, gently placing her hand against my chest — making my heart speed up instantly. Her eyes locked onto mine intently. "Harry," she asked quietly, her tone serious but hopeful, "do you like me?"
My brain momentarily short-circuited at her directness. I swallowed hard, feeling suddenly tongue-tied, but managed a nod. "Yes," I answered truthfully, my voice coming out quieter than intended. "Of course I like you, Hermione. You're incredibly pretty, and you're one of the smartest girls I've ever met. I still vividly remember the first time I saw you in Flourish and Blotts-you left quite an impression."
Hermione's eyes sparkled brightly at my admission, a genuine smile lighting up her entire face. Without another word, she rose onto her toes and pressed her lips softly yet confidently against mine.
A brief thought flashed in my head. This was the third woman to kiss me so far today...
My eyes closed automatically, my arms instinctively wrapping around her waist, pulling her body tightly against me.
Her lips were soft and inviting, and I could feel her warmth radiating through the thin fabric of her clothing. My hands slowly drifted lower, sliding down her back until they came to rest firmly on her perfectly shaped ass. Hermione let out a soft, startled squeak into my mouth before giggling softly, clearly pleased by my boldness.
Our kiss deepened, becoming more intense as our bodies pressed together even more closely. I was suddenly very aware of every curve of her body, her breasts flattened softly against my chest, and her thighs brushing enticingly against mine. Eventually, she slowly pulled back, her breath slightly shaky as she gazed up at me with a delighted expression.
"I've been waiting weeks to do that," she admitted softly, her cheeks flushed prettily and her eyes shining. She looked up at me through her eyelashes, a playful, slightly mischievous smile curving her lips. "Just so you know, after you're done shagging those French girls, I'll be right here, waiting for you."
The confident, teasing look Hermione was giving me sent excitement and nervousness surging through my body.
Hermione and I continued walking around the Weasley family's gardens-holding hands lewdly. Ok, holding hands normally and just chatting as we checked out the magical property. There were a lot of plants and bugs I didn't recognize. And I'm pretty sure those lawn gnomes were alive...
It was nice, and lasted around a half hour before Molly called us back, saying her husband was here and it was time for everyone to leave for the portkey that would take us to the World Cup.
— Upstairs —
Ron trudged heavily up the stairs and returned to his cluttered bedroom, slamming the door shut behind him. He ran a hand irritably through his messy orange hair, his thoughts fuzzy and swirling uncomfortably inside his head.
"Stupid fake Harry Potter wannabe," he muttered bitterly under his breath, kicking aside a pile of clothes scattered carelessly on the floor. "Thinks he can just stroll in here, impress everyone, and make a fool out of me?" But then, uncertainty crept into his mind, causing Ron to pause and scratch his head in confusion. "But Ginny seemed really convinced he was real... Could I actually be wrong?" he murmured aloud, brow furrowing deeply.
"Confundo!" a high-pitched, squeaky voice suddenly sounded from behind him.
Ron turned around sharply, his eyes going blank and unfocused as the spell took immediate effect. Peter stood there, Peter was always there when Ron was alone. He'd always been there as long as Ron could remember. He was Ron's best friend, even if he was not real and imaginary!
Peter raised his slender, grimy wand higher, a cruel, satisfied smile stretching across his thin lips. "That's not the real Harry Potter downstairs, Ron. He's a fake. And he's definitely not your friend. No one is your friend but ME."
Ron's gaze went completely glassy, his shoulders slumping in compliance as the spell erased all his doubts and hesitation. "Yes, you're right, Peter," Ron droned in agreement. "You're my only real friend."
Peter's smile widened, clearly pleased with Ron's response. He stepped closer, the tip of his wand glowing brighter with an eerie, unsettling light. "That's right, Ron. I'm always here for you," Peter cooed reassuringly, his voice soft and manipulative. "I've never let you down. You'll help me expose this imposter downstairs, won't you? You'll tear him down and make sure everyone sees he's nothing but a fraud! Help me hurt him...? He's obviously in cahoots with Sirius Black! I bet they're both searching for me right now!" Peter declared, with a crazy look in his eye.
Ron's previously dull expression twisted into sudden anger, his fists clenching tightly at his sides. An unnatural surge of blind rage flooded through him, making his pulse quicken and his breath come in rapid, furious pants. "Yes," he spat bitterly. "I'll help you, Peter. I won't let that fake Harry Potter trick my family! I won't let him hurt my best friend!"
Peter chuckled darkly, his eyes gleaming with twisted delight. "Excellent, Ron. I knew I could count on you." He stepped closer, his bony hand gripping Ron's shoulder tightly. "You'll follow my instructions exactly. No questions, no hesitation. Agreed?" Obviously he knew Ron couldn't say no. Years of mental conditioning made sure of that. Peter hadn't muddled with the minds of the rest of the Weasley family, but Ron was his obedient slave.
"Anything..." Ron replied immediately.
XXX
I actually like Ron as a character, but Pettigrew living with him for years was one of the creepiest things in the story that was kind of just glossed over...
m.webnovel.com
HP x DxD: That's not Wizard Magic! Chapter 7 — Chapter 7 — WebNovel
58 — 73 minutes
Chapter 7 (~10000 words)
— Harry —
I stumbled slightly as my feet slammed into the ground, momentum from the portkey nearly sending me sprawling face-first into the grass. Just as I braced myself to hit the ground, a hand grasped my arm, steadying me firmly.
"Whoa there, careful," a deep, friendly voice chuckled warmly.
I blinked and straightened myself, turning to see the amused, smiling face of Cedric Diggory, a bloke I'd literally met just moments ago before the portkey had whisked us away. Tall, broad-shouldered, and annoyingly good-looking-not unlike myself. Cedric had an easy-going charm that made him immediately likable nonetheless. He was in the same year as Fred and George at Hogwarts.
"Thanks," I muttered, giving him a small nod. "Haven't quite gotten the hang of magical transportation yet."
Cedric grinned sympathetically, releasing my arm. "You'll get used to it eventually. Portkeys aren't the most pleasant form of travel. The first time I took one, I ended up flat on my face and broke my nose."
Behind him, Cedric's father-an enthusiastic man named Amos Diggory-gave me a hearty smile. "It's been an honor meeting you, Harry Potter! I can't wait to tell everyone we've met!"
Cedric rolled his eyes, giving me a subtle, apologetic smile. "Dad's a big fan," he whispered discreetly.
"Yeah, I picked up on that," I whispered back with a soft laugh. Raising my voice, I addressed Amos politely, "Pleasure meeting you as well, Mr. Diggory."
As Cedric and his father turned away, disappearing into the bustling crowd, Hermione stepped up beside me, brushing stray grass off her clothes and looking thoroughly irritated. "I swear," she complained, glaring down at the grass stains on her trousers, "portkeys are even worse than apparition."
I grimaced, vividly recalling the unpleasant sensation of being squeezed through that magical tube earlier. "Sorry, Hermione, but I'll have to disagree there. At least this time I'm not gagging and feeling like I've left my stomach behind."
She gave a slight huff, though amusement flickered in her eyes as she looked me over, clearly pleased I was still in one piece.
Before she could respond, Arthur Weasley-who had cheerfully introduced himself just before we'd left-called out loudly. "Fred, George, Ginny, Ron!" Arthur waved his arm enthusiastically, beckoning them closer. "We've got our tent all sorted! Come along now!"
The twins whooped loudly, immediately breaking into an exaggerated race toward their father, knocking shoulders and playfully wrestling as they went. Ginny lingered briefly, giving me a soft, inviting smile before following after her brothers, her vibrant hair swaying behind her as she moved.
Ron didn't spare me another glance. He'd been moodily quiet since our earlier confrontation. I didn't miss the glares he shot me though. I swear, it was like he wanted to be Saji 2.0 or something...
At least Saji didn't keep a gross looking live rat in his pocket. I think...?
Arthur turned his attention to Hermione and me, a genuinely kind smile spreading across his weathered face. "Harry, Hermione-you're more than welcome to stay with us tonight! We've got plenty of room in our tent, no trouble at all. We'd love to host you longer!"
"I already have plans after I finish escorting Harry," Hermione replied. Hermione casually slid her warm hand into mine, fingers curling possessively around my palm. It was an innocent gesture, yet something in Hermione's eyes as they flicked briefly toward Ginny suggested the move was quite deliberate. Ginny certainly noticed. Her eyes narrowed sharply at our joined hands, lips pressing together in a thin line before she hurriedly turned away towards her brothers.
"That's very generous, Mr. Weasley," I replied sincerely, giving his family an appreciative glance. "Thanks for having us these last few hours-I've really enjoyed myself. You've got a fine family. I'd love to spend more time getting to know them all better once Hogwarts starts."
Well, except Ron. But that was definitely better left unsaid.
"You're always welcome, Harry! Truly, it's been our pleasure."
Hermione and I took our leave, stepping away from the Weasleys and heading across the expansive, lively field. Hundreds of brightly colored tents stretched out before us.
Hermione and I wandered through the grounds, weaving our way between tents and clusters of excited witches and wizards. My eyes widened at the sheer scale of it all. It wasn't just big-it was utterly massive. Thousands upon thousands of tents stretched out as far as the eye could see, each packed full of wizarding families cheerfully preparing for the match. With this many people per tent, there had to be easily over a hundred thousand witches and wizards present.
I glanced sideways at Hermione, curiosity bubbling up. "Hey, Hermione, just how big is the wizarding world exactly?"
She furrowed her brows thoughtfully. "You know, I've never really thought about it," she admitted with a slight shrug. "Though if I had to guess, I'd say tens of millions at the very least."
Tens of millions. I let out a low whistle. It was genuinely impressive that such a massive community could stay so hidden from the mundane world. Then again, considering the extensive lengths the devils like Mum, angels, and other supernatural beings went through to conceal their existences, perhaps I shouldn't have been so surprised.
Wizards likely had their own equally effective countermeasures.
No one wants to get nuked by crazy muggles...
We continued our stroll, gradually noticing that the tents began to grow larger and increasingly luxurious, the occupants adorned in lavish, richly embroidered robes. Clearly, we'd entered the wizarding equivalent of high society. I could practically feel the wealth radiating off this part of the camp.
It was still weird for me to admit I was part of this class of "people" as a devil of clan Sitri as well. In fact, I probably made them all look "poor" in comparison.
She had finished escorting me. Despite the Weasley twins' teasing earlier, Hermione did indeed have a few close female friends from other houses, and she'd promised to spend some time with them while I met up with Gabrielle and Fleur.
I noticed a faint, almost wistful sadness flicker briefly in her eyes as she realized we'd soon part ways for the evening. Hermione leaned in close, standing on her toes, and gently pressed her soft lips against my cheek. A pleasant warmth bloomed across my skin where her lips had touched.
"Try not to get into too much trouble without me, Harry," she teased softly.
"No promises," I chuckled quietly, giving her a playful grin in return.
Her expression turned impish as she pulled away, deliberately swaying her hips as she walked off. My eyes traced the mesmerizing swing of her curves, and she threw a knowing smirk over her shoulder before disappearing into the bustling crowd.
Shaking my head in amusement, I continued weaving through the dense sea of tents, each more extravagant and opulent than the last. Occasionally, I caught sight of some older witches lounging about, their gazes lingering appreciatively on my face and form. A few of them boldly smirked, playfully waving fingers at me in invitation.
Feeling pleasantly confident, I returned their flirtatious waves with a casual grin, though I kept moving, enjoying the slight pout of disappointment that briefly crossed their faces as I passed by. After all, I had plans tonight, and distractions, no matter how alluring, could wait.
...I eventually spotted them-two stunning figures standing out even amidst the extravagance around us.
Fleur and Gabrielle Delacour, both easily recognizable by their long platinum-blonde hair and impeccable, striking beauty. They were dressed in tight-fitting robes of deep, vivid blue that clung seductively to every graceful curve of their bodies, highlighting figures that seemed to vividly display their sex appeal.
My gaze lingered appreciatively, tracing the elegant swell of their hips, the sensual curve of their waists, and the perfect fullness of their breasts.
