"Oh my God-Ow!" she winced instantly, flinching and rubbing her temple with a cute pout. She shook her head, clearly frustrated. "I guess we really can't say that word anymore now that we're devils, huh?"
I chuckled softly, feeling some of my irritation melt away as I watched her. She was still adjusting, clearly, and it was oddly endearing.
She glanced up at me again, huffing softly with embarrassment and crossing her arms under her breasts defensively. "You know," she muttered, glancing away shyly, her tone adorable in its mild annoyance, "if you keep talking to women like that, Harry, you're going to have no end to all the girls falling hopelessly in love with you."
I smirked down at her as we continued walking, my mood steadily improving as I observed her blushing face. "Maybe that's exactly the point," I teased softly, nudging her gently with my elbow.
She scoffed, cheeks reddening even further as she playfully shoved my shoulder. "You're impossible, Harry Sitri," she grumbled affectionately, biting her lip softly as her eyes twinkled warmly up at me.
"And you're adorable, Nymphadora," I replied with an easy grin, savoring the soft gasp she gave at hearing her hated first name yet again.
...
I didn't particularly feel like going to any of my classes after everything that had happened, so I simply didn't go.
Being a Triwizard Champion certainly had its perks. I was allowed to skip lessons whenever I wanted, provided I was using that time to 'prepare' for the tournament.
Sitting out in one of Hogwarts' sunny courtyards with Tonks, devouring a basket of delicious, fresh-baked donuts we'd managed to pilfer from the Hogwarts kitchens-this counted as training.
Absolutely essential preparation. Definitely. I will die on this hill!
Tonks reclined lazily next to me, savoring each bite. Her hair was finally returning to its vivid, spiky pink-the sight alone was enough to lift my spirits somewhat. We exchanged small talk, our moods gradually improving with every donut.
Then, out of the corner of my eye, I caught the unmistakable flash of vivid crimson hair against the green backdrop of Hogwarts' lawns. Turning my head, I saw Rias Gremory making her way toward us.
She looked even more stunning than I remembered. She was also currently alone, her Queen nowhere in sight. She approached me hesitantly, those bright blue eyes shyly meeting mine as she reached up nervously to brush a wayward strand of scarlet hair behind her ear. "Harry," she began softly, her voice gently hopeful. "Do you mind if we talk for a little bit?"
Tonks glanced sideways at me with a playful smirk, clearly amused at my sudden discomfort. "Go ahead, Harry," she teased lightly, stretching comfortably in the sun. "With the assassin safely caged, I'm sure Hogwarts is safe enough without me guarding you." She chuckled.
And that's how you tempt fate...
I gave her a flat, thoroughly unimpressed stare. "You're just begging the universe to prove you wrong, aren't you?"
She laughed and waved me away dismissively. "Relax. I'm just going to sit here and finish this basket of donuts in peace. After dying yesterday, I deserve some proper stress-eating alone time."
I shook my head fondly.
Tonks grabbed the entire donut basket possessively, flashing me a triumphant grin. "Have fun, Young Master," she teased lightly.
I turned back toward Rias, who watched our interaction with quiet curiosity. Her brow furrowed slightly in confusion, clearly wondering what on earth all that had been about?
"I'll explain while we walk," I promised with a gentle shrug, stepping alongside her as we slowly left the courtyard. We wandered along the grassy grounds, the peaceful atmosphere helping relax some of my earlier tension. Rias walked quietly beside me, clearly nervous, but doing her best to mask it. As we walked, I explained everything that had happened earlier in Dumbledore's office. I described the discovery of Pettigrew, Ron's traitorous rat, and how it turned out he'd been one of the bastards responsible for my mother Lily's death all those years ago. I talked about Voldemort's wand, Tonks's resurrection as my new pawn, and how Tonks was currently dealing with her new devilish nature...
Rias listened intently, and then brought up an interesting question. "Was this Peter a powerful enough wizard that he was able to control a 50 foot long basilisk and send it after you...?"
I paused my step at that. No, Peter was a sniveling coward. "There was no way he'd be capable of that. At most, I'm pretty sure he was the one who had Ron try and poison me, and I think he also tried to get me eaten by our werewolf teacher..."
"Then that means there's been more than one assassin so far," Rias pointed out. "Sona also told me the story about that Chamber of Secrets thing that happened in the first few days of the school year. I wonder if this supposed Heir of Slytherin is the second assassin after you?" she asked me, as we stopped near the edge of the lake.
I was watching the water warily, just in case any crazy mermaid tried to jump out at us. Wouldn't be the first time after all.
I turned towards her, smiling faintly. "Wow, you're really smart aren't you? No wonder you're the only person who Sona regularly loses to in chess."
"Mystery visual novels are one of my absolute favorite genres," she said, her voice becoming more animated. "They're basically one conspiracy after another, and you never really know who you can trust until the very end!"
I wasn't much of a gamer myself, to be honest-I never really had time for it-but watching her passion bubble up made me feel oddly at ease. It was nice to see the gorgeous woman beside me get excited over something so normal and innocent.
"Then are you upset that Hogwarts doesn't have electricity?" I asked her curiously. "It must be torture not being able to enjoy your favorite hobby here."
At my question, Rias slumped slightly, a cute pout forming on her perfect, kissable lips. Her bright blue eyes dimmed just a little with mock sadness as she sighed dramatically. "It's definitely been difficult," she admitted ruefully, shifting her weight a bit closer to me. "But maybe this is a blessing in disguise. I can acknowledge that, over the years, I've gotten a little too attached to those games. Maybe a forced break isn't such a bad thing after all."
I raised an eyebrow at that. "Really?" I teased. "I didn't peg you as someone who'd let themselves overindulge in video games, of all things."
"You have no idea," she said playfully, nudging me lightly with her shoulder. "Though honestly, I'm not the one suffering the most. My poor bishop, Gasper, is having a much worse time of it. That boy lived almost entirely in the 2D world until I yanked him out and brought everyone here. He's been practically trembling from withdrawal ever since."
"Poor Gasper," I murmured sympathetically. "I'm sure he'll adjust eventually. This world isn't so bad, after all. At least, once you get past the giant murderous snakes and traitorous rats hiding in plain sight."
Rias giggled again, a gentle flush rising up her cheeks.
But after that, a somewhat awkward pause settled between us. Both of us remembered, at the exact same moment, the reason she'd even come to Hogwarts in the first place. It wasn't exactly for the school or the classes, and it certainly wasn't to help Gasper break his gaming addiction. It was because my mother, Serafall Leviathan, and her older brother, Sirzechs Lucifer, had arranged an engagement between us.
I shifted uncomfortably, glancing away for a moment as I tried to figure out what to say next. I knew I couldn't avoid the topic forever. But Rias surprised me, gently breaking the tense silence first.
"Harry," she began softly, the cheerful teasing from earlier replaced by a sincere, vulnerable tone. "I want to properly apologize for how yesterday went. I realize now that, when we first met, everything came crashing down on you at once-and I'm sorry. That wasn't fair of me, and I feel terrible about it."
"It's okay," I said quietly, though my voice was hesitant. "It wasn't exactly your fault..."
She shook her head slightly, "Actually, Harry, it kind of was my fault." Her voice dropped, edged with quiet resentment as she went on, her vivid blue eyes hardening slightly. "I've spent years begging my brother to help me escape my previous engagement to Riser Phenex."
The venomous way she spat the name "Riser" immediately caught my attention. Clearly, there was a painful history there. She noticed my curious glance and continued reluctantly, an angry blush coloring her pale cheeks.
"Riser Phenex is... an absolute possessive asshole," Rias began sharply, her eyes narrowing in pure disdain. "I was certain that marrying him would lead to nothing but a miserable, immortal existence, probably ending with one of us killing the other." Her voice grew colder, quieter, as she leaned closer and continued in a hushed tone, "He's not just possessive, either-he's downright creepy. Most of the girls in his peerage have... suspicious circumstances around how they joined him. Let's just say he has a habit of collecting underage girls like trophies. And while the underworld doesn't strictly see that as wrong..." she hesitated, sighing as her expression shifted to something between anger and disgust. "After living so long in the human world, it's always seemed deeply wrong and creepy to me." Rias exhaled a long breath, visibly forcing herself to relax. From the tone of her voice, it felt like she could have easily gone on ranting for hours about just how much she hated the guy. Instead, she shook her head firmly, her long crimson locks cascading beautifully across her shoulders, and sighed, "But you know what? I don't even want to talk about Riser anymore. He's not my problem anymore-thankfully." She glanced back up at me, her bright blue eyes softening into a gentle expression, the fury melting away completely as she offered me a faint, hopeful smile. "Instead, I ended up getting a far better deal." Her voice had grown softer now, almost shy as she stared directly into my eyes.
My pulse quickened at her sudden intensity. I couldn't look away, trapped momentarily by her earnestness and beauty.
"So... what do you think... about us?" she asked slowly, her voice just above a whisper. There was a vulnerable pause in the middle of her sentence, as if she was bracing herself for rejection. "Do you think we can work out?"
I hesitated for a moment, carefully considering my words. But as I looked at Rias, at her beautiful face and hopeful gaze, I realized I truly did feel optimistic about the potential of our arrangement. Despite yesterday's awkwardness, she was clearly intelligent, kind-hearted, and ridiculously attractive-I was definitely lucky here.
I let my expression grow serious as I answered, my voice sincere and steady, "Yes, Rias-I genuinely think we could work out. You're interesting, intelligent, clearly a good person, and absolutely stunning. I think once we get to know each other, we'll both like what we find."
Rias's reaction was instantaneous. Her porcelain cheeks flushed deep scarlet, her eyes widening as her lips parted slightly in shy surprise. She fidgeted adorably under my direct praise, nervously tucking another errant strand of hair behind her ear, suddenly unable to meet my eyes.
Watching her reaction, I couldn't help but remember what Tonks had said earlier-that if I kept talking this way, I'd have endless girls falling in love with me.
"And I think you're very interesting, handsome, and kind as well, Harry Sitri." She tilted her head slightly, clearly teasing me back now.
I found myself automatically leaning in to kiss Rias. The movement felt completely natural-almost inevitable-as my eyes locked onto her soft, inviting lips. She stiffened briefly, blue eyes widening in shock, but she didn't pull away.
My lips touched hers, and everything around us seemed to dissolve instantly into nothingness.
Rias let out a gentle gasp as our mouths met, her full, plush lips yielding effortlessly under mine. Her body relaxed almost immediately, pressing closer as our kiss quickly deepened, shifting from soft exploration into something much more passionate. I felt the softness of her large breasts pressing firmly into my chest, their plush weight molding comfortably against me. Her slender arms slowly lifted, looping shyly around my neck, pulling me even closer.
My heart hammered fiercely inside my chest as our tongues began to move in sensual tandem. I tasted the sweetness of her lips, felt the velvety caress of her tongue brushing against my own. The kiss wasn't aggressive-it was gentle yet deeply sensual. She released small, sweet moans against my mouth, each delicate sound vibrating pleasurably into my lips.
We stood by the lakeside. Time felt suspended as we continued to kiss deeply, intimately.
Eventually, our lips parted slowly, reluctantly. As we separated, Rias opened her eyes, gazing up at me through long lashes. Her vivid blue gaze was glossy, slightly dazed-though nowhere near as hazy as Lyra, Lyna, and Hermione had looked earlier today after I'd thoroughly fucked them. There was a vast difference, after all, between kissing someone deeply and passionately and absolutely ruining them in bed-or in the shower in Hermione's case.
Still, Rias appeared beautifully flustered. "That..." she murmured shyly, blinking several times as she regained her composure. Her eyes glowed with gentle warmth and embarrassment, lips curled into a soft, bashful smile. "...was my first kiss, Harry."
My eyebrows rose slightly in surprise. "Seriously?" I asked gently, reaching up to gently brush a strand of crimson hair from her flushed face. I smiled playfully down at her. "Then I'm deeply honored, Rias."
She rolled her eyes slightly, her shy smile widening into a playful smirk. "My first kiss with a boy, at least," she amended softly. Her voice dropped lower, slightly teasing now. "I suppose that's an important distinction to make."
I chuckled lightly, genuinely amused and intrigued by her subtle implication. "You were pretty good yourself," I said with a warm smile, leaning slightly closer, voice lowering to match her playful tone. "Does this mean you've been practicing with a girl? Perhaps your lovely queen, Akeno?"
Rias laughed softly as she glanced coyly away for a second before meeting my eyes again. "Maybe," she teased again. "Akeno certainly never complains when we 'practice'."
My pulse quickened at the delightful mental image, but I forced myself to stay composed-at least outwardly.
I realized with sudden clarity that yes, this marriage between us could definitely work out-in more ways than one.
