As he heard the wind howling through the Whomping Willow tree outside his open bedroom window, Harry lie awake, unable to sleep, but not from nightmares this time. His thoughts traveled to his best friends, Ron and Hermoine. They'd been through so much together; more than should be humanly possible to still be alive at this point. He wondered how much longer they could continue this streak. He wondered about his own mortality, especially now with the knowledge of the impending confrontation with Voldemort. He would lose his life or have to take another; neither one he wanted.

After weeks of internal questioning and searching, Harry realized he needed Ron and Hermoine; needed them both equally. He couldn't imagine one of the three without the other. He thought of his potions, how certain ingredients were necessary for success. More simplistic, he thought of fire. It took the three elements of oxygen, fuel and heat to cause fire to exist. That's how he thought of them; all three were needed to exist.

He understood it fully inside his head and wanted desperately to find a way to tell his friends so they too would understand like him. The fire concept was the simplest, easiest to understand, one he could come up with. Heart pounding against his chest, he knew it needed to be soon. Tomorrow night.

On one hand the day flew by and on the other it crept like the mandrake vines he'd recently planted in his Mandrake Harvest class. He couldn't back out of this. It was too important to all three of them.

"Harry," Hermoine said upon entering the room, cloak swishing behind her. "Why did you have us meet here?" They had stayed clear of the Remembrance Room since their last meeting, and that was months ago. The group was forced to stop for their own safety but hoped to start it up again soon.

"Yeah I've got a huge Snape test to study for," Ron whined. "And I know he's out to get me."

Eyes pleading with them, Harry said, "Please this is important. I've got something I need to discuss with you two and it has to be now. Sit down with me here."

Hermoine and Ron glanced at each other, knowing if Harry looked this serious, then they needed to hear what he had to say. Now. They sat down on the floor with Harry, the three forming somewhat of a triangle.

After taking a deep breath to attempt to steady his nerves, Harry began the speech that had rolled through his mind for weeks.

"Ron, Hermoine," he said, eyes darting between them. "I've thought for weeks how I wanted to say this and have come up with nothing than to just say it." Another deep breath. "I don't know what I would do without either of you. You're my best friends." He shook his head. "You're more than my best friends. I don't know what the term is for it actually. But I can't think of one of us without thinking of the other two." He took Ron's hand in his right and Hermoine's in his left. "Fire is the simplest way to explain it. Without oxygen, fuel and heat, fire could not survive and that's how I think of us. All three of us are this unexplainable force with this inseparable bond between us, strange as it may be." He drew in another breath. "I need you both equally. I need you intellectually, emotionally, spiritually..." He paused to squeeze their hands. "Physically."

Hermoine and Ron glanced at each other and then back at Harry.

Covering his hand with hers, Hermoine said, "Harry, that was the most beautiful thing I've ever heard somebody say. And you're right. I don't ever think of just Ron or just you. I think of all three of us. I care about both of you the same. Sometimes it's hard to separate my thoughts and feelings for you both." She offered a small smile.

"This is heavy," Ron said when the two looked at him. He'd never admitted his inner thoughts to anyone; he barely acknowledged them himself. But here they were, facing him squarely. He looked down, a slight blush coloring his cheeks and said, "Well...I can't believe I'm going to admit this...but I've stayed awake at night...daydreaming...fantasizing really...and..." He paused to glance up and then back down. "And it's always about both of you." He quickly looked up at Harry as if apologizing. "I've tried to keep the focus on Hermoine but...it always ends up being you both."

Harry and Hermoine smiled.

Heart pounding, both from happiness and anxiety, Harry said, "Can I ask you two something else?"

"After that I don't anything is sacred anymore," Ron said, wishing the color would drain from his freckled face.

"Have either of you been with...I mean...you know...there's always the...first times...for things," he stammered. This was so much easier in his mind.

"You mean sexual exploration?" Leave it to Hermoine, always willing to cut to the chase. "I have not done anything although I have wanted to often."

"Um...same here," Ron said with a glance up. "And you?"

Harry shook his head. "Me neither," he answered, gently squeezing their hands again. "What if we...you know...I can't imagine anyone else." Why couldn't he just say it?

Silence for a moment until Hermoine said, "You know there is a Hogsmeade trip Saturday. Everyone will be gone. We'd have the whole common room to ourselves."

All three exchanged silent glances that ended with small smiles.

"Okay," Ron said nervously.

"You two can't imagine how relieved I am," Harry said. "Let's go before Filch decides to go on his rounds. I could stay here all night with both of you."

"Saturday," Hermoine confirmed. "I for one am looking forward to it."

"Me too," Harry said.

"Me three," Ron said quietly.

Harry covered them with his Invisibility Cloak and made their way quietly back to their common room.

"Well goodnight," Hermoine said, not moving from them.

"Okay," Ron said, not sure if he wanted to move or not.

Harry sensed their apprehension and desire simultaneously, gingerly placing an arm around them both. He leaned in, touching Hermoine's lips with his, then turned his head, touching them to Ron's. Hermoine then touched Ron's cheek and kissed him.

All three smiled and said goodnight with the promise of Saturday and what that union would mean to all of them.

It was impossible for Harry, Ron or Hermoine to sleep Friday night with the upcoming consummation taking place in just a matter of hours. Each one was anxious, uncertain, nervous and very excited.

"Going to Hogsmeade?" Ginny asked her brother during breakfast. Her friends had been unusually quiet.

"Uh...no...I've got a project to finish for Applied Potions," Ron lied. "You know how Snape is."

"What about you two?"

Harry and Hermoine glanced at each other. "We're studying for our final in Backwards Potions and Spells," she quickly answered. "I've heard it's the hardest final of all fifth year classes." She feigned a sad face to prove her displeasure for not being able to go.

Ginny shrugged. "All right," she said. "I'll bring you back some candy since you can't go."

All three hid their smiles.

"Everyone is gone," Hermoine announced upon entering the common room, pointing her wand at the door and whispering a couple words to lock it tight so no one would be able to get in. When she looked towards her two friends, she saw them sitting on a huge plush rug in front of the fireplace and noticed a few candles on the hearth. "How beautiful," she breathed rushing over to them. They were each holding a small goblet and grinning. "What are you two drinking?" she inquired.

Ron reached around and handed Hermoine a goblet. "It's wine," he told her. "Real wine. Stole it from Filch's cabinet." He smiled easily and added, "It's good stuff. Takes the edge off."

"You stole it?" Her eyebrows shot up at Harry.

"I thought it might help," he said quietly, knowing he shouldn't have stolen the wine. "Try it."

She took the goblet and sipped a little. "It's not bad," she answered, not wanting to admit she could have downed the contents in one swallow. "The fire is a nice touch, Harry."

He smiled. "I thought it would be appropriate to sit here for a little while," he told them. He and Ron had been sitting by the fireplace for about thirty minutes, waiting for Hermoine to make the rounds, checking that everyone had left for Hogsmeade. "After all, that's basically us, dancing and crackling, providing heat and warmth and light."

Hermoine smiled at Harry's words. Sometimes he could make her forget about the depths of darkness that filled his being. She crawled across the rug to where he was leaning back against a chair and cuddled up next to him, sipping her wine. She looked over at Ron and motioned him over also, wedging herself comfortably between the two. This was heaven to her.

The three sat in silence for a few minutes, watching the glow of the fire before them, wrapped together in arms and legs, sipping wine, allowing it to release their apprehension. It wasn't long before heat surrounded them like a thick blanket although none knew the exact source; the fire, the wine or them. Maybe it was a combination thereof.

Hermoine tilted her head over against Ron's as he twirled her dark tresses around his freckled fingers while she gently caressed Harry's forearm. She was thankful for the wine.

Ron could smell the sweet fruit scent of Hermoine's shampoo and felt a twitch in his slacks that caught him off guard. Her hair was much softer than his and he couldn't wait to touch her skin. He thought about the crush he'd had on her for so long as he pushed her locks away, lightly planting small kisses on the sides of her neck.

Hermoine's small moan caught Harry's attention, looking to see the cause. Ron's lips were kissing her neck as she leaned back against him, her eyes closed in pleasure. They were beautiful. He leaned forward, holding himself up with one hand while allowing the other to touch Ron's cheek and play with his hair, touching his lips to Hermoine's. They were warm and soft and tasted of wine. Ron reached up to cover Harry's hand and caress his fingers while Hermoine slid her hand under the back of Harry's hair to pull him into a deeper kiss.

When Harry's lips left Hermoine's, they searched for Ron's. He gently lifted Ron's chin to release his lips from her neck so he could claim them. She watched as the two touched their lips together a few times before deepening their union, mouths opening and becoming one. She leaned towards them, determined to slip her tongue in between the tangle of theirs, all three kissing and tasting.

They paused, needing to catch their breath, their eyes meeting in a triangle of questions. Harry spoke first.

"No turning back?"

Hermoine and Ron shook their heads.

"No Harry," she said with a smile. "I'm ready."

"Me too," Ron added. "This is better than what I expected."

"I do think we should…take turns," she added. "Two on one sort of. At first at least."

Ron and Harry looked at each other. Ron nodded as Harry said, "Okay. Who is first then?"

Hermoine thought Harry and Ron might have an easier time if she was first so she stood up and slowly began to take off her clothes. Both sat still watching her, wide eyed, until she was completely naked.

"You're beautiful," Harry whispered, his eyes scanning down her body.

"Wow," was all Ron could manage, swallowing hard.

She laid down on the rug while they laid on either side of her. Hermoine was not ready for the pleasure she would receive. Two mouths and four hands were crawling over her, touching, caressing, squeezing, probing, tasting. She moaned and wiggled under their explorations. A few times, when she didn't feel their mouths on her body, she opened her eyes to catch Ron and Harry stealing a wet kiss, which only proved to turn her on even more.

"Hermoine, can we try something?" Harry asked. "I saw in a book of ancient…uh…sexual positions."

"Please," she breathed, wanting them to continue.

Propping her knees up so her feet were on the floor, Harry positioned himself between her legs while Ron laid at her side. She closed her eyes, feeling one set of fingers holding her open and a mouth kissing her abdomen while another set of fingers and mouth pleasured her, licking and sucking and sliding in to her very core. Instinctively, her legs widened, giving each more room, causing an electricity to shoot through her entire body. She moaned, gripping onto the rug beneath her, from what they were doing to her and from the fact she could hear them kiss once in awhile, knowing they were sharing her taste.

"Oh god," she breathed, her body tightening, almost to the point of pain. She couldn't move. She was only aware of one area of her body. She gripped the rug tighter and moaned louder when she felt two tongues playing with her, knowing they were also playing with each other. "Ron…Harry…." she moaned and whimpered seconds before the tidal wave of ecstasy flooded through her body, her hips thrusting up towards them, her insides pulsing and throbbing in a way she'd never known, her crying out to them both.

As Hermoine lay still, chest heaving, Ron and Harry sat up on either side of her, glancing at her before coming together in another wet kiss. "You two…" she breathed with a smile then focused on Ron. "Your turn," she told him sitting up.

Ron looked uncomfortable for a moment but then stood up, slowly taking off his clothes. When he hesitated at his knickers, Harry said, "Don't be embarrassed, Ron."

Taking a deep breath, he slid them off, revealing his hardness before sitting back down. Harry and Hermoine scanned his body as they gently pushed him down to the rug. Ron closed his eyes, feeling mouths and hands crawl over him. He'd never felt such pleasure. They seemed to kiss and caress every inch of his freckled skin and he was surprised he hadn't completely exploded all ready. "I can't last," he whispered as a plea for release.

It took a minute to get themselves settled, but Harry ended up at Ron's side, taking him in his mouth, sucking and kissing, pulling Ron's thighs towards him while Hermoine worked on the other location she knew to be powerful in pleasure. She spread his cheeks, revealing the small opening, licking and barely probing with her finger. Ron gripped the rug, nearly tearing handfuls of fur off, fighting to keep still when he just wanted to thrust into Harry's warm mouth. He couldn't handle the overload of sensation and came hard and fast, Harry finishing with his hand while Hermoine fought to keep contact. Ron's exclamation seemed to echo throughout the room.

Harry and Hermoine embraced in another wet kiss while Ron tried to catch his breath. "Bloody hell," he panted, running a hand through his hair. "Wow."

With no word, Harry stood up and quickly disrobed, revealing his slender body. Before lying down, he pulled Ron and Hermoine to him in deep passionate kiss. When he closed his eyes and felt their wet mouths and warm hands touching him, he fought the images of Voldemort that wanted to invade his mind. He opened his eyes often to make the visual disappear, replacing it with a better one of his lovers. "I won't last either," he finally whispered to them, knowing heaven was only seconds away. He reached for Hermoine and said, "I want to taste you…when I cum," and helped her position her body to sit above him so all he had to do was extend his tongue out to touch her. Next he positioned Ron at his side and guided Hermoine's hand to his backside, encouraging her to play with Ron while he took Harry's throbbing member into his mouth.

It was too much and Harry knew it. Smelling and tasting Hermoine above him, listening to her moan, knowing she was pleasuring Ron because he felt his moan against his stiffness engulfed in Ron's warm mouth, he gripped Hermoine's hips, causing her cry out, thrusting his hips up to Ron's slick hand, grunting and groaning as if he were dying.

Panting, Harry's scar burned as he covered it with his hand.

"You okay?" Hermoine asked concerned, glancing at Ron.

"I'll be fine," Harry told them, fighting for breath. "I never imagined it like this."

"Me either," Ron said with a big smile across his face.

"I'm ready for more," she added, the fire dancing in her eyes. "Let's go to your bed Harry."

They headed for the sleeping chamber as Harry turned to face the common room as an afterthought. Picking up his wand from the nearby table, he pointed and said a few words, straightening up and putting the room back together so there was no sign of anything.

"Good thinking," Ron told him, realizing he was hard again.

They climbed into Harry's bed, immediately becoming a tangle of arms and legs and mouths as their collective moans and sighs filled the room. It wasn't long before Hermoine whispered, "I'm ready for you both." Everything stopped.

"You mean…" Ron began.

"Yes."

"How?" Harry asked her.

She thought for a moment. "Ron, lay here," she instructed. "I'll lay on you, facing up, so both of you have…access at the same time. Then I'll switch." She paused. "We can't stay like that long because you two need a turn and…well neither of you last long." She offered a smile.

They didn't argue, knowing she was right, as Ron did as he was told, cupping her cheeks in his hand. Harry reached for a small bottle he'd hidden in his nightstand drawer.

"Might help with this part," he said, squeezing the clear liquid onto his fingers, first sliding across Hermoine's openings and then up and down Ron's shaft.

Hermoine tried to relax as Ron spread her cheeks, slowly trying to slide himself in while Harry hovered above them both, also slipping into her carefully. "Oh…my…god," she breathed, amazed at the full sensation she felt. Harry began thrusting slowly while Hermoine and Ron moved as one body. She gripped the sheets, groaning in both pain and pleasure.

"Ron I can feel you inside her," Harry breathed, sweat forming on his forehead. This time wouldn't last much longer than the first.

"Me too," he groaned, sliding Hermoine off of him. "Need a minute."

All three separated, gathering their senses again. It was only a few moments before Hermoine turned over, facing Ron, sliding herself onto him. "Harry," she said, feeling as he slowly slid into her, him and Ron having switched.

"So tight," Harry breathed, following Hermoine's body with his as she slid up and down on Ron who was gripping the sheets still.

"Can't last," he warned, biting his lip. "Can't last."

Hermoine climbed off saying, "Okay let me be on the bottom and Ron in the middle."

"Won't it hurt?" he asked concerned.

"This helps," Harry told him, reaching for the clear liquid.

Ron slid into Hermoine, gently thrusting a few times, before stopping to wait for Harry. He felt his cheeks spread and hardness trying to slide into him. He fought to relax against Harry, who stopped with just the head in. He began thrusting into Hermoine again, unable to focus on anything around him. He felt like he was in a suspended state of being.

"No more," Ron begged, detaching himself from the two bodies.

"I'm close too," Harry added.

"It's time then," Hermoine said, pulling Harry down to her, feverishly kissing him, pulling him into her. "No more waiting."

Ron put more liquid on him and smeared some on Harry's small opening. He pushed and found it twice as tight as Hermoine. It took a minute to get their rhythm down, but soon Harry and Ron were thrusting and grunting while Hermoine reached for them both. It wasn't long before she cried out, spasming around Harry, sending him into orbit, causing him to yell in pleasure, and Ron hearing them both and feeling them underneath him and the tightness around him, released himself into Harry with his own groans and gasps.

Ron fell to one side of Hermoine while Harry fell to the other, all three gasping for air, their bodies damp with sweat.

"That was…bloody wonderful," Ron breathed, wiping his face.

"Oh yes," Hermoine agreed, her hand to her chest.

"I'm so glad I had that talk with you two," Harry added. "I wouldn't have wanted this…with anyone else." He rolled over to face Hermoine as Ron did too, the two men reaching for each other across her naked body.

"We mustn't stay like this," Hermoine warned. "I heard Ginny say something about not staying long since we weren't going. She could come back at any moment."

"Okay," Ron mumbled, his panting evolving into deep relaxed breaths.

"We'll get up soon," Harry said, feeling his body relax. "My fire."

After saying the password, the common room door opened and Ginny stepped in, carrying her bag of candy. Hogsmeade had been no fun without her friends and brother and she saw no reason to stay. She had schoolwork to finish anyway.

She'd had no problem entering as the spell Hermoine originally placed on the door was nullified when Harry put the room back together.

"Hermoine? Harry? Ron?" Ginny called out, looking around the room. It didn't look like they'd been here all day. She headed for her bedchamber, thinking she'd find Hermoine sitting among a pile of books but she did not.

Heading to the other side of the common room, Ginny said the magic words she'd learned from her older brothers so she could enter the guys' bedchamber. Immediately she saw Harry, Ron and Hermoine in bed, naked and wrapped up in each other's arms fast asleep, their clothes thrown about the floor.

She smiled. She had her suspicions about their reason for not going. Ginny was happy for them though. Looking at them together seemed the most natural thing in the world. They deserved it. She headed back down to the common room. She'd give them another hour before making a lot of noise so they'd hopefully wake up and not realize their special time had been discovered.

Ginny was not about to spoil this for any of them.