Dressed himself but still pulling his shoes on - he did need that shower first - Harry replied, "Sounds good. We'd have to subtly check with Neville and his two girls first, though. They might have only just moved into their own Lord's Quarters and want to experience it on their own."
"We'll ask," she replied.
Lacing his second shoe up and standing up, Harry said, "I'm ready."
"Just in time," she replied, then indicated the door. "Shall we?"
Harry smiled, nodded and headed for the door to open it for her.
As they walked down the short hallway to the main door back into the public corridor, he said, "Thank you. That was... wonderful."
She smiled back and said, "You're welcome. And thank you, for allowing me to explore, as well.
"And, because you didn't push for more, I think we can allow hands to wander a little more freely when we... snog... in future."
He happily smiled back.
_‗_
―==(oIo)==―
ˇ
Before they went down for breakfast the next morning, Harry called Dobby.
"Yes, Master Harry?" he asked.
Indicating the large window in the room, he asked, "Is it possible to do something to that window to allow owls to travel through it without vanishing the glass, or something?"
"Oh, yes, Master Harry," replied the little elf. "Dobby can be using elf magic to make the glass so owlies can pass through. It be stoppings everything else, though."
"That's excellent, Dobs," replied a relieved Harry. "Can you do that and set up a roost for owls near it? I have a feeling Hedwig would be welcoming of it."
"Dobby can gets it done, Master Harry," the elf firmly replied.
"Thank you, Dobby," he said.
Less than thirty seconds later, Dobby caused the large window to glow blue for a moment, then turned slightly and set up a roost that would fit two to three owls. Directly with it he also conjured a small tray for owl treats and water. And under it he conjured a tray that would catch any droppings.
Harry was somewhat amazed. "Brilliant, Dobby! That looks perfect!"
Dobby gave a pleased smile, caused the owl treat tray and water to be stocked and popped away again.
After quietly watching Dobby perform the work, Hermione said, "That's actually quite clever."
"Thank you," he said.
_‗_
―==(oIo)==―
ˇ
Ten minutes later, the two walked in through the doors of the Great Hall. Today was the day Neville would be entered into two relationship agreements; a Betrothal Agreement and a Concubine Bond Agreement. And they wanted to make sure all three were alright and weren't about to panic.
Looking to the Hufflepuff table as they walked, both could see both girls were fine. If anything, they were both ineffably pleased and excited. The only darkness in their moods was when they looked to Neville and worried a little.
As they walked past to round the head end of the Gryffindor table, Harry could see his mate looking almost sick. He cast a quick glance in Hermione's direction before they moved to sit either side of him.
After sitting and his mumbled greetings, Hermione asked Neville, "How are you with your assignments? Up to date?"
Confused, he looked to her and muttered, "Sorry? I've had other things on my mind."
"We noticed," she said. "So, how are your assignments coming along?"
"Hermione, you know they're fine," he grumbled. "Why are you asking?"
"It's called 'distraction therapy', Neville," she replied. "You're way too focussed on something that's making you fret. I want you to focus on something else."
"I'm fine," he muttered.
"That won't work," she smiled. "That's Harry's default response when he's unhappy about something."
Harry chuckled and replied, "It is, too!"
Neville sighed and said, "I don't think you're going to be able to 'distract' me."
"Hmmm," said Harry. Then quietly asked, "What if Hermione shows you her breasts. Would that distract you?"
As Neville's head snapped around to stare back in shock, Hermione quietly exclaimed, "Harry!"
That had the boy blush to the roots of his hair and try to look anywhere but at either of them.
Hermione firmly, but quietly, declared, "I am not going to show Neville my breasts!"
"I'm not saying you should, Hermione," said Harry. "I'm just trying to set a level at which Neville can be distracted."
"Errr... Ummm―" Neville stuttered.
"Mmm," said Harry. "Maybe something else, then."
"Definitely," snapped Hermione.
"How about..." he mused. "After breakfast, we all head to the library. Neville, my educating of Hermione on pureblood and noble customs and etiquette has, so far, been rather slap-dash. I've been teaching her what I can, but my knowledge is not that much older than hers.
"That I can do!" Neville was quick to say. 'Anything to get off the subject of Hermione's boo- err... breasts,' he thought.
"Great!" exclaimed Harry. "Now, she knows the basics; such as, the various levels of Houses, the various levels of nobility, the various levels of heirs, that sort of thing. But, I meant to go over how a House is created and another elevated. It would also help her to know how a House can be, though rarely, dropped back a rank.
"Do you think that's something you can help teach?"
"Yes," Neville firmly replied. "Gran made sure I knew all of that before I even started at Hogwarts... here."
"Excellent," grinned Harry. Leaning around him he said to Hermione, "Looks like you won't have to show him your breasts after all, Love."
Again, Neville blushed and refused to look at either of them.
"Harrison James Potter!" she quietly but firmly declared. "You and I will be having words later."
"I never said you should or will show him your breasts, love," he said, oozing sincerity. "I just asked if it would distract him."
Neville finally turned to look at him and smirked, "That was... evil."
"Hey!" he said. "It worked, didn't it? I've now got your promise you're going to help me teach Hermione, after breakfast, more about the Houses."
Hermione glared back, but he could also see she'd put two and two together and figured out what he'd done.
"Fine," grinned Neville. "It worked. Happy?"
"Yup!" he happily declared back. "Now, while we eat, how about we go over a plan of attack of what to teach her?"
With a sigh, Neville replied, "As you said, how a House is formed, promoted or demoted. We can do all that in that order. I'm sure the library, here, has the books we need."
Harry nodded and said, "If not, we can ask the elves to collect the books you might need from our two Households. Now, eat up. We can't have you collapse at the table in the library from hunger while you're trying to teach."
And, finally, Neville was able to eat without feeling as if he was just going to vomit it all back up again.
_‗_
―==(oIo)==―
ˇ
A little while later, as Neville was trying to go over with Hermione an overview of what he'd be teaching, Harry excused himself to go over to the 'Puff table and talk to the two girls.
Immediately sitting in a space opposite, he quietly said to them, "Neville was on the verge of throwing up when Hermione and I turned up. He was shaking somewhat and looked a little faint.
"To snap him out of it I gave him something to think about other than fretting over what's going to happen immediately after lunch."
Suspicious, as she'd been carefully watching Neville's reactions, Hannah immediately asked, "What did you do?" It even sounded accusatory.
Looking to make sure no one was trying to listen in, he leaned forward and quietly said, "Don't hex me for it, as it clearly worked; but, I asked him if Hermione showing him her breasts would work."
Both girls looked back, stunned. Susan gasped, "Y-you didn't!"
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