Here is part 8, hope you enjoy loves! X

Chapter 8

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Lily Evans was sat with her best mates, Marlene McKinnon and Mary Macdonald as they waited on the last of their friends who shared their Defense class, Dorcas Meadowes.

Her friends giggled amongst one another, and soon the last of the four took a seat, and they all began to converse about one thing or the other.

She distinctly felt a pair of eyes burning into the back of her neck and turned to see James Potter grinning at her, offering her a small wave, and she blushed. If you were to tell Lily Evans that she would be happily dating James Potter a year ago, she would have hexed you till you forgot your name, but that was the case, and she was beaming, glowing even.

"Took her six years, was it? To finally say yes to the bloke, and now they won't stop making googly eyes at one another. Quiet sickening if you ask me." Dorcas muttered, but a smirk on her face as she watched the redhead's face turn a shade brighter than her hair.

"Oh shut it Dorcas, I find it adorable." Mary grinned; leaning into the palm of her hand and ogling the couple that made her believe in true love, even if she didn't quiet have it yet.

"More importantly, have you seen Amos Diggory these days, he's looking fit." Marlene grinned, a wild look in her eyes as she looked at the Hufflepuff who was currently leaning across one of the tables, waving his hands in the air as he told a story to his friends.

All four girls turned to stare at the boys rather round ass, and began giggling before a shadow cast over their table, and James Potter was looking down at his girlfriend, a jealous yet amused look painted on his face.

"I think that the only arse you should be gawking at, should be mine." He mumbled, running a hand through her bright red locks, and she rolled her eyes, jealousy a common occurrence in their relationship, mainly coming from James, who should know by now, that Lily saying yes to his consistent offers is a blessing and he should take as such.

"Oh dear, I would, if there were anything to stare at." She giggled, and Dorcas snorted, while Marlene and Mary also fell into a fit of giggles, whereas James pretended to pout before the door of the classroom burst open and in walked Professor Merrythought, a group of students following behind her.

"Settle down students, we'll be joined by a couple of fourth years who have been placed in my care, seeing as Professor Kettleburn is currently out ill, something about a wild hippogriff. Well regardless of his absence, he's asked me to attend to his students, and seeing as they have nothing better to do, I thought, why not have them be spectators to this Defense class, learn a few things." The professor clapped her hands together, and soon the fourth years filed in, Hermione and Regulus amongst them.

Sirius watched his brother and his cousin smirk at one another as they took a seat at the back.

"Perhaps they may even participate. We'll see, I am in no mood to send any children to the Hospital wing, so please, do keep yourselves composed and safe." And the class began with their practical lesson, James and Sirius firing spells at one another, Remus and Peter following and the rest of the class doing the same.

Lily threw a jinx Dorcas's way, and the girl blocked it easily. Lily huffed, Defense was not her strong suit, she struggled greatly in the class, and always ended up getting a bit bruised, whether it was physically or if it was her ego, and Dorcas was a bloody natural, blocking and throwing spells as if she could do it in her sleep.

Hermione and Regulus watched quietly, the spells that the sixth year students were using were so simple, in comparison to the things that Regulus and Hermione have been reading up on at Grimmauld, practicing them at school. The two fourth years exceeded most of these sixth years, and could take them out in a second.

But Hermione's eyes were watching Lily, who was struggling with blocking her spells, but was doing much better at firing them.

Regulus was instead watching his brother and his best mate, James throwing spell after hex at Sirius, who laughed it off, dodging it as if it was the easiest thing in the world.

Sirius may be good at Defense, even great, but Regulus was a natural. Transfiguration came more naturally to Sirius and that's just the way it was.

Professor Merrythought approached the two, giving them a small smile.

"Would you like to join any of these groups, or are you more willing to participate in the practical by dueling one another? I'd like to see how you've been doing, as we haven't started practical's yet." And Hermione nodded, Regulus saying that he would like to duel his cousin, and the two stood in front of one another, Merrythought watching them.

Hermione grabbed at her black tendrils, pulling them back from her face and tying them up in a high ponytail, discarding her tie, and rolling up her sleeves, Regulus followed, taking his tie off, and his sweater as well, rolling his sleeves up and they both pulled their wands out, bringing them near their faces.

"Give me your best shot Reggie." Hermione smirked, and he returned it with ease, before they both took their dueling stance.

Professor Merrythought leaned forward, and several sixth years and fourth years, including James and his gang, and Lily and her friends, also looked to the two young Blacks, perhaps because they believed that the two were the Devil's spawn and made of dark magic itself, or perhaps because they were intrigued to see the children embarrass themselves, assuming that they had never dueled before.

"Stupefy!" Regulus called out, his voice rough and loud, and Hermione easily dodged the spell.

"Oh c'mon Reggie. Try something a little…darker." And the boy gave her a grin, before retaking his previous stance. Their wands pointed at one another.

"Alarte Ascendare!" Hermione spoke, her voice clear and rang throughout the whole class, and Regulus was a tad too slow in blocking the spell, and she watched as he shot high into the air before collapsing onto the ground with a loud groan, he did not stutter however, quickly getting to his feet and spitting out a spell, "Carpe Retractum!" and Hermione dodged the spell, but not too quickly, the ropes wrapping around her ankles and dragging her towards Regulus, who was smirking at her as she tried to turn and blast the ropes of her legs.

She was now underneath his legs, and he was staring down at her, looking victorious.

"Colloshoo!" she yelled out, and Regulus raised his eyebrows, about to step forward and cast another spell, but his feet were stuck to the ground, the stickfast hex he thought, almost applauding Hermione but was quickly ascending towards the ground and Hermione rolled out of the way, getting the ropes of her legs and standing quickly, her wand pointed at Regulus.

"Crinus Muto." She mumbled, and giggled as his hair turned a shade of pink, growing out towards his shoulders, and he growled playfully, getting rid of the jinx that had his feet stuck to the ground.

"Since you seem so taken by changing ones appearance, lets see if we can do anything about those lovely teeth of yours cousin." Regulus's grin was wide and filled with mirth as Hermione was too slow in comprehending what he just said, and he cast a quick Densaugeo, Hermione's teeth grew at an uncontrollable rate, and the class was now joining in the duel that turned quiet hilarious, even Sirius smiling at his brother, and the fellow Marauders howling as Hermione's eyes widened and she touched her teeth, her eyes then narrowing at Regulus who was now grabbing at his sides, kneeling over.

"Ducklifors!" Hermione said through her teeth, and Regulus was no longer laughing as a duck now stood where he once was, and the class was now in fits of laughter.

"Alright! That's enough. Quiet a show you two put on," the professor grinned at the students, changing Regulus back to his human form, and returning Hermione's teeth back to their previous size.

"I think I'll enjoy practical lessons with you two in my class." She smiled and shook her head.

"That was brilliant!" Sirius called out, and Regulus's heart burst with pride, his brother's approval and appraisal meaning more to him than he'd care to show.

Hermione couldn't help the grin that took over he features, and Remus smiled at the girl, whose ponytail was now messy and her hair stuck out in all directions, a sheen of sweat covering her forehead, but she looked absolutely brilliant, radiant and simply beautiful.

Remus tried to slow down the beating of his heart, telling himself that it would never be a good idea to like his best mates cousin, who is younger than him, practically a baby, but she wasn't. She was growing into a fine young woman, and Remus was trying to compose himself as he approached his friends who were now going towards the two Black, who seemed to be more relaxed than he'd ever seen them since they've come to Hogwarts.

Even Lily and her friends were making their way towards the fourth years, who were being handed compliments by the majority of those who were in the class and witnessed the hilarious exchange of spells between the two.

"That was bloody amazing! You've got to teach me that spell that threw your friend over here 10 feet into the air!" Dorcas grinned at Hermione who couldn't help but smile back, nodding her head.

"And that color-changing spell your performed, bloody brilliant that was." Mary mused, her eyes bright and wide, and Marlene nodded her head.

"You two are pretty advanced casters for fourteen-year olds. Impressive, I can barely get a shield up." Lily huffed, and James graced her with a soft smile, wrapping his arms around her, and pulling her into his chest.

"Best duel yet." Sirius exclaimed, clapping his brother on the back, and watched as the younger Black flinched but didn't move away, this was needed; he needed this little moment where the world around them was forgotten.

Remus watched Hermione, her grey eyes shone with pride and a happiness he'd never witnessed before, and he wanted to hold her close to him, the wolf inside of him aware of the full moon that was in just a week, his territorial instinct and the scent of cinnamon overpowering his better judgment as he watched the girl release her hair from her ponytail and a wave of her scent smacked him in the face, and he almost let out a pleased growl but he composed himself and only smiled at her as she turned towards him, and she gave him a silly grin, before class was dismissed and she and Regulus picked up their ties and sweaters and made their way out of the class, bidding the Gryffindor's a farewell.

"That was nice." Hermione mumbled, her cheeks hurt from smiling, and that was a rarity in itself.

"That was the best lesson I've had yet, and we've been in Hogwarts for three years." And Hermione chuckled, shaking her head at the silly and dazed look that took over Regulus's face.

And she wrapped an arm around his waist and he threw his arm around her shoulder. It was a good day for the first time in years, and they weren't daft enough to not bask in it. They deserved this, they really did.