Time Keeps On Slipping - 25

Harry's mouth was dry, he couldn't remember the last time he had eaten, and every muscle in his body was sore. On the other hand, Gabrielle was practically glowing, which wasn't unheard of for a happy Veela. He had thought with his recent sexual activity he would have been more capable. Keeping up with Gabby wasn't an issue for the first few hours. It was after those that he began to see how outclassed he was in this situation.

He limped to the front door when he remembered that Gabby was currently in the shower. The young Veela was skilled in so many things, singing was not one of them. Harry opened the door to see Luna twisting a piece of licorice into a stick figure.

"Hello, Mister Potter," she said in a deep, stuffy voice while she held the stick figure in front of her.

"Hello, Miss Lovegood," he replied.

"You are mistaken, sir," Luna continued in the same voice. "I am Mister Twist."

"Mister Twist," Harry nodded. "My mistake. How are you today?"

"I am doing well," Luna, via Mister Twist said. "Miss Lovegood was dispatched to gather you."

"Thank you," Harry said with a desperate sigh. "I don't know if I can make it another day."

Luna looked him up and down.

"You've got at least two more days in you," Mister Twist said.

"Thank you for the vote of confidence," Harry chuckled. "Would you like to come in?"

"Yes, thank you," Luna smiled from around Mister Twist.

Harry led her to the kitchen and made her a cup of tea with extra sugar and heavy cream. He went with water, desperate to hydrate.

"What's the plan?" He asked as he turned back to face Luna.

Mister Twist was now lacking a leg and had something that looked suspicious, like bite marks where the limb ended.

"Hermione has offered you a place to stay," Luna answered as she chewed. "My home is also open, as well as The Burrow. You can choose."

"Sirius didn't offer?" Harry felt a little disappointed at that.

"He doesn't have a house," Luna replied. "The desk at the DMLE isn't an option."

"What happened to Grimmauld Place?" Harry stopped what his preparations.

"He burned it down," Luna shrugged. "Too many bad memories and dark artifacts."

Harry sighed, then nodded. He would burn down Number Four Privet Drive given the chance.

"I don't suppose living alone would be an option?" Harry asked.

Luna tapped her chin. She casually took another bite out of Mister Twist.

"You are legally an adult," Luna said.

"Point of fact," Mister Twist added. "Legally, he's dead."

"We fixed that," Luna countered.

"Thank you for that," Harry said setting her cup of tea in front of her.

She dunked Mister Twist in the cup, complete with bubbling and a 'deep' gasp once the licorice figure emerged.

"You are welcome," Luna said taking another bite.

"It looks like your partner didn't make it," Harry commented.

"That's a shame," Luna finished off what was left of the licorice. "He had two days left before retirement."

"What would you suggest for a place to stay?" Harry asked.

"Hermione is on enforced vacation," Luna said. "I am at work."

"You're at work?" Harry asked.

"Magical Artifact Stress Test," Luna held up the Time Turner that she wore around her neck.

"Is that safe?" Harry felt a bit of dread settling on his shoulders.

"No," Luna replied easily. "It's highly unstable and the potential side-effects are rather severe."

"Then why are you testing it?" Harry tried to keep his voice calm.

Luna always had a logical explanation, it didn't make sense at times, but it was logical. At least to her.

"I made it, I will test it," Luna replied simply.

"Oh," Harry said. "That's impressive."

"Thank you," she smiled at him.

Further conversation stopped as Gabby entered. She was completely nude with a carefully cultivated sheen of water from the shower. Her hair was just the right amount of wet to look messy without being unflattering. Not a single drop of water trailed on the floor behind her. Her allure flowed effortlessly, filling the apartment within a couple of breaths.

"Hello, Luna," Gabby smiled.

The sound of her voice and that smile made his body heat up with arousal. Well, it tried, his tanks were truly empty.

"Have you come to join us?" Gabby trailed a finger along Luna's shoulders.

"No," Luna grumped. "I'm here to rescue Harry."

"Rescue?" Gabby gasped in faux-shock. "Whatever for?"

"He needs some rest to refill his testicles," Luna replied.

Gabby nodded like that was the most normal thing a person could say.

"I have been rather…" She paused to search for the word. "Vigorous."

Gabby strutted over to Harry with just the right amount of motion in her hips to make his body ache. She gave him a gentle kiss. For her it was rather chaste, which meant only a little bit of tongue, and it ended before they had to stop to breath.

"Rest up, my love," Gabby said. "You will need your strength."

Harry smiled at her. Her proximity made his body yearn for her. He had no doubt they would have started right then and there if his muscles, and fluids, didn't need time to recover. There was probably a potion that could help with that. Tempting, but Harry wondered if he would ever be able to leave if that was an option.

She turned and gave Luna a similar kiss.

"Au revoir mon amour. On se reverra bientôt," Gabby said as she walked away.

"C'est dommage que je n'ai pas le temps de lui mordre le cul," Luna said with a sigh.

"I don't speak French," Harry added.

"Shame," Luna smiled serenely at him.

Living with Luna would be interesting. She said she was working, but considering she was currently time traveling, he wasn't sure how that would function. The Burrow would have been amazing a few years ago. His few years ago, not the current few years ago. Time travel was annoying when it came to memories. Now, he wasn't sure how he'd handle living there with Ron gone.

That left Hermione. Leaving her alone with her thoughts was a gamble. Either she'd figure out how to cure cancer, or she'd figure out how to remotely control a person through their milk intake.

"I think I'll stay with Hermione for now," Harry said. "She shouldn't be alone."

"People seem to be upset if you walk around naked," Luna stated.

"Huh?" Harry asked.

It took him a moment to realize he was stark naked and had been this entire time.

"I need a shower," he said looking at the state of his body.

Dried sweat, scratch marks, bites, hickeys, and marked his flesh. There were plenty of charms that he could use to clean himself, but there was something about a nice hot shower that just hit right.

~

Harry had never been so thankful to take a shower alone. He didn't think he'd survive Gabrielle or Luna joining. All of his things had already been moved to Hermione's house leaving behind an outfit of a pair of jeans and a T-Shirt. He got dressed and found that Luna had left at some point. Stepping out into the house proper he felt like a new man. A new man that had been tossed down the side of a mountain and was slowly crawling back up, but a new man nonetheless.

Gabrielle was at the table having breakfast. She saw his confusion.

"She disappeared," Gabby offered.

"Disappeared?" Harry repeated.

The Veela nodded.

"We're not worried about this?" Harry asked. "She was testing a prototype time turner."

A note appeared on the chair where Luna had been sitting. His felt memory adjusted ever so slightly.

{*}
"Do you have a pen?" Luna asked.
"Not a quill?" Harry countered.
"I like the clicky ones," Luna replied.
"Let me check," Harry said.
He looked through a couple of drawers in the kitchen until he found one and gave it to her.
{*}

Harry shook his head. That hadn't happened. Had it?

"What does the note say?" Harry asked.

Gabby picked it up.

"At work, thank you for the tea," she read.

"That was weird," Harry muttered.

"Hm?" Gabby asked.

{*}
"Could I have a couple of napkins too please?" Luna asked.
"Sure," Harry replied. "Why?"
"Notes," Luna said as she started to write.
{*}

Harry blinked a few times as his memory shifted once more.

"Oh, another note," Gabby picked up the new one. "Sorry for the headache."

"What head-" Harry stopped mid-word as a pinprick of pain traveled along his scalp.

He pinched the bridge of his nose.

"That headache," he muttered.

Gabrielle took a moment to look him over. This time her gaze was measured rather than the usual carnal hunger. A gentle pulse of her Allure sent a wave of warmth through his body. It evoked a sense of welcoming love rather than desire. The headache vanished as the warmth washed over him.

"Thanks," Harry said.

Gabby smiled.

"I'm sorry to leave you alone," Harry offered.

"I am on vacation," she replied. "There are plenty of things to do." She paused. "Do you know how to get to Hermione's home?"

"The Floo," he answered.

"See you soon, lover," Gabby blew him a kiss.

"See you soon," Harry said as he took a pinch of ash.

~

The house felt different than the last time he visited. Colder, literally, and all of the curtains were drain. If it wasn't for the soft sound of music playing elsewhere in the house he would have thought the place was abandoned. It was closer to Grimmauld than the Burrow at the moment.

Harry stepped out of the Floo room and into the hallway proper. The stairs were to one side with the kitchen and sitting area he had met everyone previously on the other. He could hear the music better now. It seemed to be coming from upstairs.

If he remembered correctly, there was a library on the second floor. That was where he would start his search. He carefully made his way up the stairs, not exactly trying to sneak, but keeping his steps even. Following the music led him to a set of double-doors on the second level. They were slightly ajar letting out the sound.

Harry steeled himself, then opened the door. Hermione sat at a wide, professional looking desk in the center of the room. A couple of scrolls, open books, and a few notebooks were spread out along the surface. Hermione was slumped over, one hand still holding a pen while she used an impressively wide book as a pillow.

He spared a quick look at the scrolls as he approached. It was in a language he couldn't read. The only piece of information he got was from the seal at the bottom stating it was from the Egyptian Department of Magic. The witch that killed Ron and Bill had claimed to be some Egyptian deity. Of course, she would be researching that school of magic.

"Hermione," Harry said softly. "It's Harry."

She muttered something. Her words were muffled by her book pillow.

"Hermione," he repeated. "When was the last time you ate?"

"Huh?" She raised her head.

The cover of the book hung onto her face for a moment. It let out a small SLAP as it dropped into place. The noise made Hermione startle awake. She dove under the table and had a shield up on instinct.

"Harry?" Her voice came from under the desk. "What are you doing here?"

"I was hoping to stay with you," Harry offered. "Going to Hogwarts isn't going to work. The article by Rita Skeeter, you know."

"Right," she got out from under the desk and brushed herself off. "Right. Staying with me was the best choice. Molly would use you as a distraction from her grief and Luna…" she rubbed the sleep from her eyes. "I honestly don't know if Luna even has a house or whatever. It's just as likely she lives in a compartment in her desk as her childhood home."

Hermione stretched as she stood. Her back popped in a couple of places letting out moan usually saved for the bedroom in the process. He had to admit that his thoughts were being influence by his time with Gabbrielle.

"It looks like you survived your brush with Gabrielle," the corner of her mouth twitched ever so slightly.

"I need a couple of days to recover," Harry chuckled. "The plan wasn't to stay with her long term. I just needed to get out of there."

"I'm sorry about the article," Hermione began to mark her place and close the books. "I put it off when she first tried to release it. Then everything happened."

Harry nodded in understanding. Focusing on stopping a potential Dark Lady was more important. News of his return was going to come out eventually. It was cruel to have a glimpse of the life he could have been if things hadn't been absolutely mad. Being Newt had been one of the best memories attached to Hogwarts. No one had tried to kill him, the students didn't suddenly banish him, and he got to just be.

The country had moved on and needed something to feel good about. Enter Stage Left, Harry Potter, the Boy Who Lived. It was odd to be so famous for not-dying. He was a war hero and walking miracle in one neat package that could be sold to all ages. The perfect shiny thing to distract the masses.

"Want me to show you to your room?" Hermione asked.

"Sure," Harry nodded. "I can make lunch when it's time. Do you still like Grilled Cheese?"

"Harry's Grilled Cheese?" Hermione smiled. "You could make them now if you want. It's not that early."

"Have you had breakfast?" Harry countered.

"Yes…" she drew the word out.

"Cold tea and Pepper Up Potions don't count," Harry said.

"Fine," she grumbled. "No, I haven't had breakfast."

"Then I'll make breakfast," Harry said. "And then you'll take a nap."

Hermione opened her mouth to argue.

"Hermione," he cut her off. "You were sleeping on a book. You know the deal."

"I never should have made that stupid agreement," Hermione muttered.