Eye to Eye

Despite being incapacitated and delirious last night, Dumbledore was present at breakfast in the morning, looking no worse for wear. They had been, somewhat morbidly, hoping that the Headmaster would have been out of commission for a while- though Harry had correctly predicted that it would be far too convenient for them. Regardless, Harry realized things needed to change. They needed to be more proactive now, and they needed a plan of attack.

Hermione had, the day after the attack, set to work on looking up wards, particularly the fidelius.. If Harry were to escape, he needed to be somewhere safe. It wouldn't do for him to go on the run, only to have Dumbledore, the Ministry, or Voldemort be able to track him down. Rebelling so openly also had other consequences. At least now, they could openly count on friends within the Order to some extent, going on their own meant burning a lot of bridges. The problem was, if they didn't break away on their own terms, Dumbledore would force the issue soon enough, or in the worst-case scenario make it impossible for Harry to escape.

Despite their confidence in her, Hermione cautioned that she wouldn't trust herself to ward a hideout safely for some time yet, if she had the summer to do her research it would have been no problem, but time was not on their side. Seeing the time crunch, Susan and Luna joined her in her studies. Susan was quite academically minded, and even Hermione had come around to the fact that Luna was actually brilliant in her way.

There were a few other options.

As Susan had threatened Dumbledore, they could strike a deal with the Ministry. Harry was against this from the start, and Susan herself expressed doubts about how reliable or stable the government really was.

Alternatively, if they could get someone older, who was more experienced or connected on their side, that could basically solve all of their problems. That also carried a risk, anyone they went to might just alert Dumbledore. If they wanted to get help, they needed to be very careful in who they trusted.

With a pang, Harry realized that Sirius might have been the perfect advocate in this situation. But he wasn't here. Mr. and Mrs. Weasley would have been his second choice for trusted adults, but he didn't need Ginny to tell him they'd disapprove. Maybe Remus though… Harry wished he was closer to the man, but at the moment he honestly wasn't sure he wouldn't go straight to the rest of the Order and attempt to keep him locked away 'for his own good'. He wanted to believe that Remus would be on his side, but it would be taking a risk.

Quietly, Harry had wondered if pretending to be compliant and returning to the Dursleys might be the best plan for now. To say that there was no love lost between he and his relatives was an understatement, but the past summer it'd seemed they worked out a policy of mutual avoidance. Despite his resigned attitude about it, every time his thoughts turned in that direction he could feel Ginny's hackles rise, neither she nor Hermione had any intention of letting him go back to 'those people'. Neither did they like how casually he viewed much of their behavior.

Of course, that was only the beginning of their worries. There was that niggling issue that Harry still needed to find another witch to bond with. Of course, their little secret getting out made that all the more difficult. Very few witches wanted to be seen with him these days, or at least didn't want to admit to wanting to be seen with him. Susan's ear for school gossip wasn't as useful as Harry would like. While there were some girls expressing interest in Harry (strictly in private) Harry cynically felt that their interest was shallow. Case in point- Romilda Vane was the name that Susan heard most.

Relations with the student body as a whole were as tumultuous as could be expected. The attack had taken the heat off them to some extent, but not completely. Cho had eventually succeeded in cornering him, and had demanded that he admit the reason he had lost interest in her was because she 'didn't put out'.

Harry wasn't sure how to tell her the truth- that it was her personality and her treatment of Luna that had made him lose interest. He'd quickly decided, as his attempts to talk over his increasingly hysterical sort-of-ex failed miserably, that it was easier to just let her live with her delusions. He honestly didn't care enough to fight her on it.

Overall, the teens decided to stop worrying what the student body thought. While they weren't about to snog in the halls, they were more openly affectionate with each other in public now. It never failed to elicit excited murmuring, but Harry's attitude had grown increasingly blasé to it.

No, they had far more important things to worry about.While Hermione focused on the more academic aspect of their planning, Harry decided to get practical. It wasn't just a matter of being a better duelist, it was having a versatile and useful spell set. His experiences up to this point, particularly preparing for the Triwizard Tournament and teaching the DA, were a good starting point, but he needed more.

Unfortunately, Katie wasn't in a position to help until NEWTs were done with. Ginny, Demelza, and Luna were in a similar situation with OWLs. Demelza seemed to react the worst to the pressure. Harry had eased off on his 'punishments' and commands until the exams were finished in sensitivity to the situation, but it hadn't helped, if anything he was beginning to think she was more stressed now.

Thankfully, Harry found dueling partners in Neville and Hannah. The two of them had warmed back up to them after the attack. Hannah had even shyly approached Susan, blushingly asking 'what it was like'. Susan had been more than happy to engage in 'girl talk'. Hannah's face had remained red throughout the entire conversation, but Susan walked away from it feeling much more secure in their friendship and wondering if Neville might be about to get lucky.

Neville himself had, in a quiet moment in the common room, told Harry that he could still count on him to have his back. Harry was surprised at how warm that made him feel. He hadn't realized it, but since he and Ron had become estranged, he hadn't had much in the way of male comradery.

Ginny, meanwhile, had been blindsided when the person she was most avoiding thinking of, Fleur herself, approached her after Arithmancy class in the hall. Her clothes and hair were disheveled from sleeping in the hospital wing, but that did nothing to impact her beauty, or her impact on Ginny's male classmates. Thankfully, only a couple openly gawked at her, but it was obvious even the more restrained of them couldn't help but look.

Instantly, she was on edge. Luna, on the other hand was completely non-plussed, and greeted the young woman with a smile and a slight blush. "It's nice to finally meet you. I was really impressed with how you charmed your dragon. Ginny doesn't like you, but I think you're rather pretty." The younger girl gushed.

Fleur, having rarely been greeted with such friendliness by a girl who wasn't family, was put off balance "Er, thank you. Ah-" Ginny found seeing the normally unflappable woman sounding so wrongfooted to be oddly satisfying, even if she didn't get why Luna was going out of her way to befriend her.

"Oh, mind my manners. My name is Luna Lovegood. I'm friends with Ginny and Harry." Luna continued, with an unusual emphasis on the word 'friends' that made Ginny cringe. "Hopefully we can be friends too, but I can see that you want to talk to Ginny right now." At this, Ginny looked desperately to Luna and began shaking her head, but her friend only smiled in response- traitor.

Fleur blinked owlishly for a moment, before regaining her mental footing "Of course, thank you Luna. I'm sure that since you're such good friends with Ginny, that we'll be seeing more of each other."

With all help deserting her, Ginny was left with the options of making a scene or putting up with her future sister in law while she said what she wanted to say. With a sigh, Ginny gave in and fell into step with Fleur.

"So?" Ginny asked curtly.

"This isn't going to be an easy conversation, Ginny." Fleur said slowly "I'm not sure if the open hallway is the best place for it, perhaps somewhere more private."

"Muffiato." Ginny cast, provoking a rise of Fleur's eyebrow. "Anybody listening in on us'll just hear buzzing."

"I meant more that, some of this might be difficult for you to hear, you might want some privacy in order to… deal with it."

Ginny gave Fleur a challenging look "I'm no wilting flower. I'll manage."

Fleur huffed out a sigh, seeing that Ginny wasn't going to work with her on this, she decided that delicacy was off the table. "Harry's cheating on you."

For a moment, Ginny looked dumbstruck "What?"

"I caught him with another girl last night, in the hospital wing after you left." Fleur explained "I'm sorry."

Ginny's face showed indecision, but none of the emotion Fleur expecting. Fleur had expected that either she believed her and would be heartbroken or didn't and would be furious with her. "Look… Fleur." She began "I appreciate the heads up but Harry's not cheating on me."

Poor girl, she was in denial. "Ginny, I didn't think he was capable of cheating either, but I saw it with my own eyes."

Ginny sighed in frustration and finally explained "He's not cheating on me, Fleur, because he has my permission."

Now Fleur was the one dumbstruck "What?"

"Honestly, I'm a little surprised you didn't know about that, the entire school knows."

"You're just letting him have sex with other women?" Fleur demanded, spiraling. This wasn't her first time encountering this sort of arrangement. She had never been privy to her parent's sex lives, but she knew very well that her mother slept with who she pleased, and that her father let her. She knew that it crushed him. She had vowed to never do what her mother did to her father to Bill.

"I would tell you not to tell anyone, but to be honest its only a matter of time until Dumbledore ropes the entire Order into our sex lives. So if you want to be the one to have that conversation with my mother, be my guest." The girl's nonchalance dumbfounded Fleur.

"Why?"

"None of your business." Ginny refused, turning away. Fleur reacted by grabbing her forearm, and the redhead turned back to glare at her.

"Why would you resort to this, Ginny? Anyone can see that 'Arry's taken with you. I understand how desperate you are, but…" That was a poor choice of words, and Fleur knew it as soon as they'd left her mouth. She felt utterly unprepared for this conversation and sure enough it was spiraling out of control.

"Desperate?" Ginny repeated shrilly, ripping her arm from Fleur's grasp. "Spare me! You wanna know why I hate you? Because you've been judging me from the very first day! Looking down on me because I, god forbid, have a sex drive. You don't know me, and you don't get to judge me. I'd rather be a slut than an ice queen!"

Fleur slammed her hand to the wall, by Ginny's head. The blonde's hands shook as she reined in her temper "Is that… what you think of me, that I'm a frigid bitch?"

Ginny, for her part, didn't back down, and glared back at Fleur defiantly "If the shoe fits."

"You have… no idea… how much self-control I have, Ginny Weasley. You have… no idea what its like." Fleur seethed.

"Don't patronize me." Ginny said coolly "I denied myself for years."

"Not like I have." Fleur continued "I can't even let myself feel desire too strongly, or the allure…" She waved her free hand absently "does what it does. You don't know what its like, having to constantly restrain yourself, policing every thought, every desire. Even when I'm fucking your brother, I can't let go, even for a second. If I ever do… I don't know if I'd ever be able to stop."

And Ginny believed her. The crazed look in Fleur's eyes that forced Ginny to accept that she meant every word. Fleur looked positively unhinged, and if Ginny was being honest with herself, it was bloody hot.

"You're right Ginny. Your sex life is none of my business, and I shouldn't judge you for it. But I deserve that same courtesy."

Ginny nodded mutely.

I can't believe I'm saying this, but I feel bad for her.

Who are you and what have you done to my girlfriend?

Shut it, prat.

------

"I wonder if Fleur likes girls?" Luna commented dreamily.

Ginny let out a long, beleaguered sigh. "She's marrying my brother." This had not been the first time she told Luna this.

Katie chucked a bit "You do know that Veela are highly polyamorous, right?"

"Really?" Luna said with hope.

"I'm pretty sure that's racist." Hermione protested.

"Based on what she said told Ginny, she doesn't sound interested." Susan agreed, before pausing thoughtfully "Or rather, she doesn't want to be interested- which is distinctly different."

"I can't believe we're discussing this." Hermione bemoaned.

Katie laughed "Lighten up, its all in good fun."

"For the record, I don't support this." Ginny grumbled. "Need I repeat that she's marrying my brother?"

"What's good for the goose is good for the gander." Katie chimed.

"Huh?"

"Isn't it a little hypocritical that you don't like the idea of Bill and Fleur in an open relationship when… you know…" Katie gestured around them indicated the six girls Harry was currently in a relationship with.

"That's different."

"Oh?"

"Beyond the fact that we have a very good reason for doing this… I'm actually okay with this- not just because its saving Harry's life. But Bill… he's a romantic."

"And none of us are?" Hermione challenged.

"Your idea of a perfect date is going to a bookstore."

"I'm a romantic." Demelza interjected.

"Oh sweetie, we all know that you have non-traditional expectations in that department." Katie said soothingly.

"That's… probably fair." She wilted, and Katie stroked the younger girls hair soothingly.

"Oi, what about me?" Susan added "Got some quippy reason why I don't count?"

"Look, the point is that Bill isn't built like that." Ginny overruled "He's a one woman for all time kind of guy, and if Fleur were to convince him to open their relationship, it'd be him doing it for her sake. It wouldn't be because he wanted to, and it'd hurt him."

"Oh." Luna said sadly "I didn't think- that'd be awfully sad. I don't want to break anyone's heart."

The conversation moved on, but Katie's focus remained on Demelza. Ever since the attack on Hogwarts she'd been awfully quiet, and seemed somehow deflated, and it was never more apparent than now. "Hey, sweetie, are you okay?" Katie asked her "I was just teasing you earlier."

"No, it's okay. I'm fine."

At this Susan raised an eyebrow "Do you mean fine like how most people mean it, or how Harry means it."

Ginny snorted.

"We've already got our hands full with Harry, we don't need anybody else sweeping problems under the rug." Katie nodded.

Demelza shook her head, feeling trapped. "Look, it's not a big deal."

"So then you'd have no trouble talking with us about it." Katie smoothly pivoted "Right?" The older girl placed a hand on Demelza's shoulder and rubbed it soothingly "We're your friends, if nothing else. But honestly, I feel like we're all quite a bit more than that. We're not about to judge you."

Demelza seemed to shrink further in on herself, and bowed her head. After a long moment of silence, she quietly said "Why am I here?"

They were silent, until Katie prodded "What do you mean?"

"I mean. Ginny's the one that Harry chose first. Hermione's smarter than all of us and Harry's best friend. Susan is great with politics. Luna's creative. You're experienced and you can take care of Harry better than any of us. But… what am I? I didn't even know him before last year. I'm not particularly good in a fight, or at anything, really. I'm just a plain, ordinary girl who got sucked up into something so much bigger. How am I supposed to stand up to Death Eaters or V-v-voldemort."

"You know" Ginny told her "Harry says the exact same thing about himself."

"He's wrong. He's amazing." Demelza said with quiet conviction.

"You're right, he is." Ginny smiled. "But what makes you think you aren't?"

"You're just trying to make me feel better."

"I get that you look up to me, Dem, but I'm just a girl, like you." Katie said, drawing Demelza into a hug, her hand stroking her hair soothingly. "This fighting dark wizard stuff, its new to me." Susan nodded along with this. "I get scared too, but well, I just fake it 'till I make it."

"I never had any friends until last year. Everyone called me Loony and said I was insane." Luna put in, before adding with a small smile "While I do know a lot about magical creatures and phenomena, I don't think that's why Harry wants to be with me. I rather think that he likes me for me."

Ginny and Hermione shared a look. Neither of them or Harry had thought about how much of an adjustment the war would be for them. Hermione in particular had accepted this… ages ago, perhaps it was during her first year, when she'd lit a professors robes on fire to break the curse on his broom. It was that day that she'd made the leap- blatantly breaking rules to save her friend's life. Ginny hadn't been as closely in Harry's orbit, but her experience during her own first year had forever changed her. One really couldn't go back to being a child after being possessed by a dark lord. Ever since she'd woken up in the chamber, she'd felt in her bones that Tom wasn't gone and that Harry would have to stop him. She had just hoped that she might have some role to play in that, some way to fight back against him the way she had tried and failed to that past year.

But none of the others had had that realization, until now.

"You do a lot for Harry, Demelza." Ginny said. "I should know." She tapped her temple.

"Like what? What good am I to him?" Demelza said self pityingly.

"Harry's had very little control over his life." Ginny explained "When he was little, the Dursleys" That name still came out darkly whenever she said it "Never let him have any freedom as a kid. He was always under their power until he went to Hogwarts."

Hermione took over seamlessly. "Even while at Hogwarts, he's always had a difficult time getting independence. He was forced to compete in that tournament, kidnapped, attacked unexpectedly more times than I can count, bullied, abused by teachers, tortured, and persecuted. That's not even mentioned how our supposed allies have treated him. Dumbledore and the Order gave him nothing last year. Just stuffed him away in Privet Drive and told us to keep what was happening from him."

Hermione shook her head, regretting how they'd all acted that summer after Cedric's death. Her best friend had just been kidnapped, almost killed, and seen someone else die, and then had been tossed back to his abusive relatives and put on minimal contact with the people he cared about. No wonder he'd had issues in fifth year.

"Dumbledore seemed to expect Harry to just dance to his tune all the way to his grave." Ginny said darkly.

The others had caught on, and Katie took up the banner "I've been helping him feel comfortable with giving up control. He's never been in a position where doing that has led to anything but pain before. I want to show him that it's alright to let other people take care of him, but what you do is just as important."

"I give him control."

"Yeah. You empower him. Can you imagine how big of a deal that must be for him?"

"I can, I can feel it." Ginny added "You make him feel amazing. Proud of himself, confident. Harry has a lot of burdens. Katie lifts them, even if for a little bit, but you make him feel like he can bear them."

The door to the Room of Requirement opened, it was Harry. He'd been listening in, of course, and had come running as soon as he realized Demelza would need the emotional support "I hear that there's a Demelza in distress."

It took a moment for the pun to register, but when it did Ginny groaned "That was bad, Harry."

"You're one to talk, you told me that joke about the Slytherin quidditch team."

"Oi! You loved that joke!"

"I thought you were adorable! Big difference."

"What joke?" Luna asked. Harry raised an eyebrow at Ginny. She couldn't resist the bait.

"Alright, so what are the Slytherin quidditch players' favorite drink?"

Harry just shook his head, an amused grin creeping up his face.

"What?" Luna asked obligingly.

"Penal-tea."

A chorus of groans were her response. After a moment, Luna's eyes brightened "Oh, I get it."

The mood of the room was much lighter now, and most importantly Demelza was smiling along with everyone else. Still, Harry wanted to reassure her personally. "Hey." He said, kneeling in front of her.

"Hi." She blushed as she tried to meet his gaze. His eyes were so intense, filled with compassion and affection, it was like looking into the sun.

"You know that what they said is right, yeah?"

She nodded.

"You don't have anything to prove, not to me, or anyone else, Dem. You're you, and that's enough. Its more than enough. You say that you're just a normal girl. If that's so, then I'm just an orphan boy, who never had a family. So thank you for being part of mine."

Demelza felt something inside her wobble and melt, and this time it wasn't from impassioned touches or even dirty talk, it was from this wonderful man sharing his heart with her. More acutely than since he'd taken her for the first time, she felt the overwhelming urge to submit, like a warm tidal wave of emotion. She wanted to give every piece of herself-mind, body and soul- to him to protect and control.

"Thank you. Thank you." She repeated like a prayer "Thank you, Master."

He was holding her close now, and her body responded, not so much to the physical stimulus of him touching her, but from the sheer emotional energy within her. She felt so safe, and cherished, and loved. All of her worries- about not being good enough, about the war, about how she could help Harry, even about the others watching them- slipped away. "I'm yours. I'm yours." She chanted "Whatever you want, Master."

"Oh, Dem." Her murmured. He settled her into his lap and kissed her forehead before claiming her lips sweetly. "I've got you." Her body was so receptive to him, that his words, combined with the feel of his erection pressed into her was enough to trigger a cascade of pleasure- not quite an orgasm, but something close to it. She let out a wobbling moan.

"Okay, I think that's our cue to leave." Susan's voice cut in. The hufflepuff was blushing a deep red, she couldn't seem to drag her eyes away from the couple. The way that Harry was able to enthrall Demelza so completely… did things to her. Harry seemed to jerk back to reality, but Demelza did anything but. She looked around at the friends, no, the strange family surrounding her and felt completely comfortable.

She didn't belong to them like she did Harry, but in that moment she did feel that she belonged with them. Part of her wanted to ask them to stay. She wanted them- the whole world, really- to know that she belonged to him. The thought of her being on display like that, it thrilled her.

But she didn't know how to tell them that and said nothing as they quietly filed out of the room. Katie gave the couple a saucy wink as she sashayed past. Luna lagged behind, her gaze lingering on them until Hermione tugged her away.

They were alone.