Chapter 3

It was easy for Harry to doze as he waited for Hermione to finish working on her potion. After the day he had, sleep was a small blessing. The smell of the cauldron and potions brewing was kind of a comfort. At least it was a sign he wasn't back on Privet Drive.

The cool creamy fell of the salve on his wrists brought Harry back from the edge of sleep, but just barely. He could see that Hermione was intent on what she was doing. Before he could stop himself he took hold of her wrists and flipped her down onto the bed twisting himself on top her. She was pinned to the bed beneath him.

"Harry--", was all she got out before he spoke over her.

"Sh, quiet. This time I'm in control." Harry said as he tossed Hermione's wand across the room. "This time I'll show you how its really done." Grabbing a piece of cloth by her neck he tore her robe half open.

"Harry, please!" Hermione said trying to shake free.

A pain shot through Harry's head. He knew this was wrong. This wasn't him. Jumping up from the bed Harry rushed to the nearest wall and slammed his head against it. "Leave me alone," he screamed as his legs collapsed under him. He could feel a slow trickle of blood running down his face as he leaned against the wall.

He was scared. What had happened to him? Could he fight it again if it tried to take him? And a shiver ran down his spine as he thought of what might have happened.

"Harry?" Hermione said from half the room away. "Are you alright now?"

Harry stood and turned towards her. "I'm fine now." But when he tried to take a step his legs wobbled and collapsed under him. It only took a second for Hermione to get there. With a gentleness he didn't expect she helped him back onto the bed. "You better tie me back up. I don't think I can stop it again." Hermione just nodded and cast the spell again.

Taking a kerchief from a pocket in her robe she dabbed at the wound on his head. "I better make something for this." She said before heading back to the cauldron.

Harry struggled some more inside, trying to banish the spell by will alone, but it was a useless effort. By the time Hermione returned all he'd done was make his headache worse. As she applied the new salve to his head, he couldn't help noticing the bad patch job she'd done on her robes.

"Hermione--", but this time it was her turn to interrupt.

"Harry, I don't blame you." She said then shook her head. "If its anyones fault its mine. I shouldn't have ever made that potion. I wish. I wish I could just go back and change it." Looking Harry directly in the eyes she said, "And if it was anyone else I'm sure they wouldn't have been able to stop themselves. I was lucky it was you."

"Still," Harry said feeling a little flustered, "I'm sorry."

Hermione just smiled and continued to treat the cut on his head. "You know if your going to have any control over yourself were going to have to finish what we started. You still need to, to do it, one more time. Do you think that you can do it yourself if I free one of your hands?"

The blush that rushed up his face was only second to hers. "I can't do that, not with you..." Harry said barely able to look at Hermione.

"Oh," she said shaking her head franticly, "I didn't mean with me watching."

Harry let out a relieved sigh, "I guess I can try."

Hermione just nodded again and stood up. She gave the cord holding his right arm a good tap making it evaporate, then turned her back to him.

"Um, Hermione," he said. When she peaked back over her should, "Could you wait over by the door while I do this?"

"Of course," She said with a little start and moved off towards the door.

Harry was a bit confused by all their blushing and the awkward feelings between them. They'd already had sex once, but for some reason it felt different this time. Like the first time wasn't real somehow. Shaking his head free of extraneous thoughts he pulled up his robe and tried to think of something sexy. The Ginny and Hermione romp came crashing back into his head. He tried to pick some other thought but nothing else would come.

He knew it was just a spell induced fantasy, but he felt a bit wicked masturbating to it. All in all it didn't matter, because trying to do it himself left him if anything more horny and less satisfied. Still, Harry wasn't one to give up. He tried again, this time changing the fantasy to three of them having a go. Nothing.

Pulling his robe back down, Harry called Hermione back to the bed. It took him a minute to explain that nothing he did seemed to be working. Needless to say she didn't buy his story and told him flat out he'd have to prove it to her.

"Be reasonable." Harry pleaded.

"I've already seen the spell make you do things. It's just trying to trick me. I know it."

"But it's not. Really."

"Harry, do you know what this means if you can't do it yourself?" Hermione said, rose color filling her cheeks. Harry shook his head truly lost on her train of thought. "It means that Ginny and I are going to have to do this for you every day. Otherwise you'll be a menace. So, you have to be faking it."

Letting his head fall back against the pillow, Harry tried to put the image of every morning, for who knew how long, being in the hands of Ginny and Hermione. It was worse than a nightmare.

"Your not faking are you," Hermione asked quietly. But she didn't need his little shake of the head, she could already tell. "I'm sorry," she whispered and leaned her head against his chest. Using his free hand, Harry smoothed her hair gently as some part inside of him raged against this new trap he found himself in.

Of course he knew there were perks to the whole situation, but still the loss of control was like life before Hogwarts. It had taken years for him figure out who he truly was, and with one spell it meant nothing. If it was this easy to take him out, he stood no chance against the likes of Voldemort. It was just another sign that he had to be stronger, to get stronger, if he was ever going to be free of the dark wizard.

Hermione leaned up and wiped away a few tears with the sleeve of her robe. "Goodness, I must look a mess." She said forcing a smile. Getting up she ran over to the cauldron and washed herself up a bit. This gave Harry a bit of time to try and put everything back into perspective; as long as they dealt with this on their own and quickly they'd have nothing to worry about. He couldn't let this stop him from his goal - no his destiny - to free the world of Voldemort and his Death Eaters.