Disclaimer: I don't own it.

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Chapter Four: First Week of Classes: Day Four

Hope once again met Harry in the astronomy tower on Thursday morning. She rubbed her eyes as they silently watched the sunrise while sitting across from each other. It had been a long night. She had gone to see her father after quidditch practice. He had given her another book on controlling wandless magic and told her to read it before their next lesson. She nodded with a sigh and helped him with some potions until almost eleven. Then she had gone up to her room, where she began on her Arithmancy homework, which took her another two hours to do. By the time she began the book and got ready to go to sleep, it was almost three in the morning. So when her alarm woke her up at five, she was less than enthusiastic.

Nevertheless, she had gotten up and joined Harry on the tower. She could catch up on sleep this weekend. It was worth it to share the time with him.

She looked up and caught his eyes on her. His expression was worried. She raised her eyebrow at him. "What's wrong?"

He stared at her with a piercing gaze. "I was about to ask you the same question, you look exhausted."

Hope shrugged. "Was with my dad until late, then had to finish homework, and read this new book he wants me to have done. Not a big deal, Harry."

She wanted to squirm under his scrutinizing gaze, but forced herself to continue staring into his eyes. She wouldn't back down.

Harry looked away and shook his head. "You should've slept in instead of meeting me up here."

Hope was hurt. "You don't want me up here?"

Harry looked back at her quickly. "That's not what I meant. I just think you need the sleep."

Hope let her hurt eyes level with his. "I am a big girl, Harry. I can take care of myself. If you would rather me not be here, then that's your choice. I will leave."

Hope stood but didn't get far before Harry grabbed her arm. "Don't go," he whispered.

Hope sighed and turned to face him. "Make up your mind."

"I just don't want you making yourself sick or anything like that to meet me. We can arrange another time for the two of us."

Hope rolled her eyes. "I don't have time to arrange anything else, Harry. It's no big deal. I'm a little sleep deprived during the week, get caught up during the weekend. I can handle it."

Harry watched her for a moment before nodding. "We need to get to Herbology."

Hope groaned and led the way down the staircase. "At least we get a break to do our homework afterwards."

Harry laughed at her. "You're turning into Hermione."

Hope drew back as if offended. "No way! Hermione does nothing but study. I'm just in a few more classes, plus on two quidditch teams, and still make better grades than her."

Harry laughed even harder. They weren't paying attention to where they were walking, and both walked into someone on the way downstairs.

"Oops. Sorry!" Hope said as she looked up. "Oh, hi Dad."

Severus raised an eyebrow at her. "Not paying attention to your surroundings. I thought you had learned your lesson yesterday."

Hope smiled. "Obviously not. Did you need something, or were you just heading upstairs for a visit with another Gryffindor?"

He rolled his eyes as he watched the two teens get to their feet and brush themselves off. "I wanted you to come down to my office after your first class. I do believe you have a break during that time. I need to discuss something with you."

Hope looked at him. "Dad, don't tell me you're about to take away the only free-period I have. Everyone is out of class at that time!"

Severus rolled his eyes at his daughter. "You're not everybody and you need to get prepared for the war." His eyes softened. "We need to discuss tactics on how to reach the animals. Remember what Harry said the mermaid told him? We're running out of time."

Hope sighed and nodded. "I'll be there, guess I'll do my homework later."

He gave her a sympathetic glance. "You can do it this weekend."

"I guess I can just sleep another time, then," she muttered as she walked away.

Harry shot the potion's master an apologetic look as he ran to catch up with Hope. He squeezed her shoulder in sympathy before they continued on to their first class.

The first class went by smoothly, and after being assigned a twelve inch essay, they continued on to the lake. Hope left everyone to go meet her father, promising to find them if they finished early. She listened halfheartedly to all the ideas he threw out, before deciding that their best bet would be to take weekends and actually go and talk to the animals. She nodded and just waited for everyone to show up for the Occlumency lessons that were scheduled to start.

She sighed as the headmaster came in. If he was there, it meant it wouldn't be the same, easy lessons that her and Harry were used to getting. He motioned for Harry and her to join him, while Hermione and Draco stayed with her father.

Dumbledore gave Hope a scrutinizing look before continuing on. "The two of you have basically mastered what Severus can teach you with basic Occlumency. What I suggested, is that while he is teaching Hermione and Draco, I continue on teaching you two. I can teach you how to form mind links, and once we finish with that, Severus should be ready to teach you how to fabricate memories for those who are probing your mind."

Hope and Harry sighed as they nodded. Dumbledore gave them both a book to read and commanded them to read the first three chapters before the next lesson. Hope sighed as she put the book in her bag and listened as he explained about how the person needed eye contact to instigate a mind link, but did not have to continue eye contact to keep the link going.

After time was up, Hope watched everyone go to lunch. She followed, pretending to be listening to Hermione as she complained about how she wasn't catching on to Occlumency as well as she should be. Hope rolled her eyes at the girl, and shared a knowing look with Harry.

After lunch, the four teens went on to yet another double DADA class. Everyone knew that Hope and Harry would be dueling in this class. Harry was worried because of how exhausted Hope was. He watched as she secretly downed a painkiller from the duel with Ginny a couple days ago.

Fortunately, Hope was still fast on her feet during the duel. The fight went on for thirty minutes, with neither backing down or tiring, until Hope's shield fell under a double curse by Harry. Hope was thrown off the platform and across the room before hitting the stone wall hard.

Draco and Hermione were at her side in a moment, expecting her to give up. Instead, Hope shrugged them off and got back on the platform with a look at Harry. She was bleeding from a cut on her head and was obviously slightly disoriented, but she wasn't giving up.

"Hope, don't do this," Harry called from the other side.

"I'm not losing," she said with a glint in her eyes.

Harry dodged a curse she threw at him. He had no choice but to retaliate. He sent a mild curse toward her and watched it cleanly break through her shield. He summoned her wand to him and turned toward the professor.

"Good enough?" He asked. She wordlessly nodded. Harry went toward where Hope was attempting to stand and took her weight. She fought against him, annoyed that he beat her. Harry locked eyes with Draco and the boy wordlessly came up and took his sister's weight.

"No homework, tonight. Excellent job to both Harry and Hope. I will see you all on Tuesday."

Draco helped Hope out of the classroom and down to the hospital wing. He teased her the entire way down, noticing how Harry hung behind them with a guilty look on his face. He knew Hope was fine, but assuring Harry of that was another story.

"Hope, tell your boyfriend to quit moping," he teased as he set her on a bed.

"Harry, quit moping," she responded without even thinking.

Harry smirked as he came up to her. "Does that mean you'll go back out with me?"

Hope looked up at him with confused eyes. "Huh?" He watched as understanding crossed her face. She pushed him gently. "Ask again when I'm not annoyed at you for beating me."

Harry smiled and kissed her forehead gently. "Fair enough."

Hope was annoyed when the mediwitch fussed over her before releasing her to go straight to bed. Hope rolled her eyes and got out of bed before walking gingerly toward the library. She ignored Harry, Draco and Hermione's objections.

"I have to finish my essay. I won't have time to do it any other night. I promise I'll go up right afterwards, and if someone wants to wait for me so they insure I don't collapse, that's fine, but I'm doing my essay."

Everyone sighed but sat down and started on their work. Once done, they all went to the common room and settled comfortably. Hope was sitting in a lounge chair, while Harry sat at her feet. Hermione and Draco were sharing a chair. Hope had pulled out her book to read a few more chapters while everyone else caught up on their homework.

A few more chapters she told herself and then I can get some sleep.

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A/N: This is the last chapter I have that is edited. As soon as Nita gets more chapters to me, then I will post them, and in the meantime I will keep writing more. Let me know what you all think.
Kayla