"Harry, do you want to come flying with us?" Ginny asked eagerly, brushing her hair back from her face. "I got a new broom as a gift before school started, and I've been dying to try it out properly!"
"Flying is very nice," Luna added. "But I prefer to be carried on a steed with wings."
For a brief, anxious moment, I wondered if they were referring to my devil wings. But then Ginny started going into detail about the model of her new broom, mentioning speed and maneuverability. And Luna was talking about how she liked to ride thestrals, apparently.
I glanced back at Hermione, who was deeply absorbed in her books at the breakfast table. She clearly planned on studying most of the day, and I didn't want to disturb her. Sona hadn't even appeared yet, probably hiding in the Ravenclaw common room to avoid running into Serafall if she decided to surprise us again.
"Sure, that sounds great. I've never been on a broom before, though, so you'll have to teach me."
"Don't worry, we'll take good care of you," Luna said dreamily, smiling warmly. "It's easy once you get the hang of it."
We made our way out of the castle, Ginny on my left, chatting happily about flying techniques, and Luna on my right, occasionally adding her whimsical insights about the birds and the wind.
I couldn't help but notice the envious glances and whispers from other students as we passed, but by now, I was quickly learning to tune them all out.
Also, last night in the common room had turned out to be an absolute disaster for Ron and his little group of fourth-year friends. Hermione and I had been cuddling in a chair in the corner when it went down:
Ron and his friends had started loudly boasting about the ridiculous rumor-that Sirius Black was my real father-they had caught the attention of nearly every girl in the Gryffindor common room.
The girls had gathered around them like an angry swarm of bees.
Katie Bell, a fiery seventh-year with blonde hair and an impressive temper, had been the first to confront Ron. "What on earth makes you think you can spread filthy lies like that about Harry? Have you no decency? Where's your house loyalty!?"
"We just heard it from Snape!" Ron had tried to defend himself weakly, shrinking back from the intense glare Katie had directed at him. Apparently Ron had always wanted to be on the Quidditch team and now multiple Quidditch girls were staring him down. That didn't look good for his future prospects.
"And you believed Snape, of all people?" Angelina Johnson had interjected harshly, shaking her head with clear disgust. "Everyone knows he's full of garbage, a terrible teacher. Why would you believe him?"
"But it wasn't just him!" Seamus had protested nervously, trying to help Ron and instantly regretting it. "Malfoy was spreading the rumor too! And he should know, his mum is a Black!"
"Oh, so now you're trusting Malfoy, too? You boys really are complete idiots, aren't you!?" Jasmine had said angrily before turning to me and Hermione in the corner. "The whole school saw who Harry's-mum-sire was earlier today at lunch!" she said with a small blush.
And then, just when I thought Ron couldn't dig his hole any deeper, he opened his mouth again. His face twisted into a bitter sneer as he loudly declared, "I mean, honestly, that Serafall woman parading around in that ridiculous outfit? She looked like some kind of jumped up magical whore, I'd be less embarrassed of having Sirius Black as my father!"
The room went deathly quiet in an instant. My heart started pounding in my chest as fury surged through me. Lyra and Lyna, who were sitting nearby, immediately stood up, their eyes blazing with anger.
"He dares insult a Maou!?"
"He dares talk trash about our lady!"
I could immediately sense the hatred radiating from Lyra and Lyna as they rose from their seats. I had no doubt they were fully prepared to hurt Ron badly, maybe even kill him, consequences be damned.
And there was no way I could stop both of them if they didn't want to listen to me either. Their fierce loyalty to the Sitri family was both comforting and frightening. But I didn't want them to get themselves banished from the castle. Regardless of how much money my mum gave the school.
I doubted Dumbledore would be chill with them killing a student.
But before they could make their move, Ginny exploded from her chair first, fury blazing in her eyes. Her wand was in her hand instantly, pointed straight at Ron.
"You absolute idiot!" Ginny shouted, her voice shaking with anger. Without any warning, she started hurling vicious hexes at Ron, each spell hitting him squarely and making him scream out in pain. Bright flashes filled the room, reflecting off Ron's terrified face as he flailed and staggered backwards. His shrill squeals echoed around the common room.
The filthy rat perched on Ron's shoulder shrieked in panic, leaping from its master in a desperate bid for safety, leaving Ron entirely alone to face his sister's wrath.
He stumbled awkwardly, pleading desperately, his face twisted in pain and embarrassment. "Ginny! Stop! Please, I'm sorry!"
"You're sorry?!" Ginny snarled, her expression merciless as she continued her relentless assault. "You're pathetic, Ron! A disgrace to our entire family! How dare you insult Harry and his mother like that!"
Fred and George had stood up, both looking more furious than I'd ever seen them, with Angelina holding tightly onto George's arm, her expression a mixture of disgust and anger. Fred shook his head in disbelief, his voice filled with contempt. "You've gone too far this time, Ron. You better apologize right now."
Ginny paused her barrage momentarily, chest heaving and wand still aimed directly at Ron's trembling form. "On your knees, Ron! Apologize to Harry! Now!" she demanded fiercely, every word ringing clearly throughout the tense silence of the room.
Ron's face burned scarlet with humiliation, tears of pain and shame rolling down his cheeks as he clenched his fists defiantly at his sides. He glanced at me, hatred flashing briefly in his eyes before he shook his head stubbornly. "Never! I won't apologize to him!"
Ginny's jaw clenched tightly in rage. She looked ready to hex him again, but before she could, Ron turned and bolted up the stairs after his fleeing rat, stumbling and crashing into furniture in his desperate escape. The heavy silence lingered in the common room for several long moments before murmurs and whispers gradually began again...
...
I thought things would feel awkward with Ginny after what had happened last night, especially given how fiercely she'd defended me in front of everyone. But, surprisingly, she didn't seem interested in discussing it or dwelling on the drama.
She simply wanted to have fun, and I was more than happy to oblige. It was a relief to just relax and enjoy the morning without tension.
Ginny had chosen a small clearing on the edge of the school grounds to teach me how to properly fly her new broom. The sunlight filtered gently through the trees, casting warm, shifting patterns on the grass around us. She climbed onto the broom first, before gesturing for me to join her.
"Sit in front of me, Harry," Ginny instructed with a playful smile, patting the broomstick in front of her.
I hesitated briefly, my face warming as I stepped closer, carefully straddling the broom. As soon as I settled myself, Ginny's slender arms wrapped comfortably around my waist. I felt her perky breasts press firmly into my back, the thin material of her shirt leaving very little to the imagination.
"Relax," Ginny whispered gently into my ear, her warm breath sending a shiver down my spine. "Flying is all about confidence and balance."
Her hands slid slowly down my arms, guiding my grip to the proper position on the broom handle. I could feel her thighs pressing tightly against mine.
I was pretty sure the sexy redhead was doing all this on purpose.
"Now, gently kick off the ground," she continued softly, her lips so close I could almost feel them brushing against my skin. "We'll start slow."
I carefully pushed off, feeling the broom rise steadily beneath us. We weren't very high off the ground at first, but the sensation was completely different from flying with my devil wings. The broom moved smoothly under us, responding instantly to even the smallest shift of our bodies.
"You're doing great," Ginny praised warmly, her voice cheerful and encouraging. "See, I told you it was easy."
I chuckled nervously, glancing over my shoulder briefly to meet her sparkling eyes. "It helps that I have such a patient teacher," I replied lightly, trying to keep my voice steady despite how distracted I was by her closeness.
She laughed softly, tightening her embrace slightly, sending another rush of heat through me. "Anytime," she teased gently, leaning in even closer. "Just remember to keep your balance. You can't go getting distracted while you're high off the ground..."
As Ginny whispered those teasing words, her hand slid boldly downward, stopping firmly at my crotch. I had to suppress a groan, my breath catching sharply as I felt her fingers press firmly, clearly aware of the reaction she was provoking in me.
'Oh no,' I thought sarcastically to myself, barely able to control the excited grin tugging at my lips. 'A gorgeous 18-year-old witch is openly groping me mid-flight. How terribly unfortunate.'
I couldn't help but shift slightly, suddenly extremely aware of every single inch of Ginny pressed against my back. I opened my mouth, trying to say something playful, maybe even witty, but words completely failed me as her grip tightened slightly, sending another intense jolt through my body.
Before anything else could happen, Luna's dreamy voice floated toward us from nearby, startling both of us. "I don't think it's safe to have sex on a broomstick," she stated casually, her tone airy and completely unconcerned, as though she were simply commenting on the weather.
Ginny immediately flinched, pulling her hand away quickly. She let out a frustrated sigh and pouted adorably, clearly annoyed that our intimate moment had been interrupted. I felt a mixture of relief and disappointment, my mind desperately trying to regain focus from the thrilling haze Ginny had drawn me into.
We both turned to look at Luna, who seemed entirely unaffected by the scene she'd interrupted. My eyes widened in surprise as I heard the steady flapping of wings. Luna was gracefully sitting on the back of a large, black, skeletal-looking horse. Its leathery skin and enormous wings beating slowly to keep them both airborne.
"That looks so weird," Ginny said, her voice filled with confusion as she stared blankly in Luna's direction.
I glanced at her, puzzled by her reaction. "What do you mean?"
She shook her head, looking embarrassed and slightly uneasy. "I've never seen anyone die up close," she admitted quietly, her eyes still fixed uncertainly where Luna was floating. "I can't actually see Thestrals. To me, it just looks like Luna's sitting on thin air."
Feeling a bit mischievous, I suddenly decided to jump off her broom without warning.
Ginny's startled scream echoed sharply behind me as I felt the air rush past, a thrilling burst of adrenaline surging through my veins. For a split second, gravity pulled at me, making my stomach leap into my throat, but I'd already judged my landing. I landed right behind Luna, the thestral beneath us letting out an irritated snort at my abrupt arrival.
"Harry! Are you insane?" Ginny yelled. Her broom hovered nearby, unsteady as she tried to regain her balance. Her cheeks were flushed bright red, her eyes wide with shock.
"Relax, Ginny," I called out with a laugh, feeling oddly exhilarated. "I just wanted to see what it was like to fly on a Pegasus's ugly cousin."
Beneath us, the thestral let out an indignant whine.
If I messed up that jump, it wasn't like I'd fall to my death with my own wings. Although explaining them would make me nervous, I knew it was going to come out to the women in my life at some point. Especially with how close I was to each of them.
Luna twisted around to face me, her usually dreamy eyes narrowing into an adorable pout. "That's not very nice, Harry. Thestrals have feelings, too."
Immediately feeling guilty, I quickly leaned forward to pat the creature reassuringly on its rough, leathery neck. "I'm sorry," I said gently. The creature's tense muscles gradually relaxed under my touch, its wings slowing their restless flapping.
Satisfied, Luna turned back around, and I found myself noticing how close we were pressed together. Luna's slender frame fit snugly in front of me, and without really thinking about it, I wrapped my arms securely around her slim waist. The warmth of her body felt surprisingly comforting and inviting.
As soon as my arms encircled her, I felt her body stiffen slightly, then relax with a gentle shiver. My eyes caught sight of the back of her neck, which flushed a lovely shade of pink. Luna didn't say anything, but I noticed her hands subtly gripping the horse's mane tighter.
"Hold on tight," she murmured softly, her voice barely audible over the wind.
I didn't need further encouragement, tightening my grip slightly.
Nearby, Ginny had quickly regained her composure. She swooped and dived, having fun showing off her flying skills.
We landed smoothly back on the ground after quite a while.
During our flying, I'd frequently jumped between Ginny's broom and Luna's thestral, making both young women gasp nervously each time I leaped through the air. Eventually, they had both gotten used to my antics, rolling their eyes and giggling instead of screaming.
As soon as we touched down, I barely had a chance to catch my breath when Ginny suddenly grabbed the front of my shirt and yanked me down toward her. I saw the fiery determination flash in her eyes just moments before her soft lips pressed boldly onto mine.
My eyes widened briefly in surprise at her aggressive advance. Quickly recovering, I wrapped my arms securely around her slim waist, pulling her warm body closer against mine. Her kiss was forceful, confident, and undeniably sensual. Our lips moved together eagerly, the sensation sending heat coursing straight through my chest and lower down my body.
When we finally broke apart, both breathless and flushed, I looked down at her, unable to hide my amused grin. "What was that for?" I asked.
Ginny's lips curled into a playful, knowing smirk. "Oh, you know exactly what that was for, Harry," she purred teasingly. "The broom, you dummy. It's absolutely amazing. Best gift I've ever gotten!"
I chuckled lightly, feigning innocence. "And what makes you so sure I was the one who sent it to you?"
