Chapter 24-All is Not as It as It Seems

(Hermione's POV)

A few weeks later I woke up to an abnormal noise…was my 'alarm clock' whimpering? In a somewhat hazy state of mind due to the fact I'd just opened my eyes I glanced over at the infernal thing. The watch read 0423.

It was not supposed to go off that early, and slowly my sleep-fogged brain registered that it wasn't the one making the noise.

My brain clicked…Harry…nightmare…in his room…now. My covers were off in a flash and I threw open my door crossing the hall in three quick strides to toss open the Head Boy's bedroom door.

My friend lay writhing in his sheets, glistening with cold sweat murmuring unintelligible things. The expression on his face was one of pure misery and I knew it was Voldemort again, something in my chest welled up like a volcano on the verge of erupting. Why can't you lay off a bit you fucking bastard!

I reached out to Harry and laid my hands on his shoulder, trying to steady him, "Harry, it's a dream…just a nightmare. Wake up!" he was still tossing violently and his hair was incredibly-but understandably-messy.

Finally I had to holler in his ear and shake him before he opened his eyes. He looked up at me in horror, his left hand groping towards his nightstand for his glasses. I saw them and picked them up to place in his hand. Meanwhile Harry was edging away from me still staring at me with his terrified expression.

After he got his glasses on he took a sigh of relief, and only then did I notice he had somehow found his wand and was now lowering it. "Hermione." He breathed heavily.

"Do you want to talk about it?" I queried briefly glancing into his unreadable expression as I attempted to straighten his sheets for him.

Some painful emotion flitted across his face before he turned away to look at a candle by his bedside. He waved his wand over the candle before turning back to me, and a small flame flickered in the residual breeze.

"How is you can master wordless spell casting so easily after the first lesson while the rest of us show no signs of improvement?" I joke and after a pause I become concerned again, "Seriously Harry, you can tell me anything."

He shook his head almost imperceptibly, had I not been looking for it I might not have noticed.

"Harry I was with you at the Ministry last year along with everyone else I can handle everything-anything, please say something." I pleaded as my hands unconsciously twisted his newly straightened sheets into a knot.

He was trying so hard to be strong. If I looked closely though, I could see his labored breathing rattling his sweat-drenched bare back and he had buried his messy hair in his hands.

I crossed to the other side of the bed where he was sitting and placed my arm over his shoulder, "Please Harry." I said softly "I can handle whatever this stupid dark lord's got to dish out."

"Not this." He croaked and for the first time since he recognized me that night he raised his face to meet mine, and placed a steadying arm on my shoulder. "Not this Hermione." Right there I didn't know which scared me more, his hollow tone or his stricken expression which I had only seen once before when Sirius died. It was then that I felt truly afraid.

Hours later Harry, Ron and I were sitting down at the breakfast table in the Great Hall discussing our schedule for the day.

"You know," said Ron while piling danishes and bacon onto his already overflowing plate, "I definitely don't regret not getting the required grade for potions. I saw that last essay Harry was working on for the great git-face, something about the properties and uses of hemlock in restorative draughts…Don't want to be the one he tests it on."

"Honestly Ronald, if you ever read the textbook you'd know that if mixed properly hemlock is completely harmless." I retort disgusted by his lack of attentiveness to critical facts, and his simply animalistic tendencies towards food. "And you," I said rounding on an unsuspecting Harry, "ought to let people know about these dreams of yours, they've always meant something before." I was still mad at him for saying nothing more about his nightmare and going back to sleep like nothing happened.

"Zee za anovr reem?" Ron managed between mouthfuls.

"Horrors. I can actually speak Ron…" I respond astounded at his lack of manners, "Yes you idiot," I hissed as Ron leaned in, "Harry had another nightmare and he won't say a thing about it."

Ron gulped his food down, looking very pale suddenly and clearing his mouth momentarily, "Harry mate, you oughta tell someone."

"It's probably just another Department of Mysteries fiasco waiting to occur." Harry mumbled burying himself in How to find Dark Wizards and their Magic Around You by: Para Noia, and I noticed with concern mingled with fury he had not touched his plate of eggs and sausage.

Nothing else of interest happened during breakfast other Harry not even touching his fork, and Ron finishing his meal for him. Harry, on the other hand did not even notice and rather was scribbling furiously on a sheet of parchment with the dark wizard book and Not-so-Everyday Jinxes and Hexes by: Clavus Clarkus lying open side-by-side.

"Harry, did you steal Hermione's brain last night?" joked Ron as he stared in astonishment at Harry while gathering his own things to go to Moody's class while Harry still wrote.

"No." was his curt response. After three more words he finished up his sentence and crammed everything into his bag unaware of Ron's and my own befuddled looks, "Let's go to class before the real Moody decides to use us as his own duel partners."

Ron and I exchanged a glance, but we set off nonetheless after our friend.

Somehow, between the Great Hall and the Defense classroom Ron became telepathic and read my mind, sliding into the seat beside Harry before the lesson and attempting to get something out of Harry about last night while I found myself next to Neville Longbottom.

By the time Professor Moody arrived though, Ron had annoyed Harry so much that Harry shouted at him to, "SHUT IT! I'll handle my own problems thank you!"

"Really?" replied the professor in that sadistic happy sort of gleeful voice he used when asking for, and eventually picking volunteers. Ron shrunk away from Harry noticeable and Harry looked up at the professor very confused.

"Very well Mr. Potter I would have chosen you anyway seeing as you are the only one capable. Come stand up here please." Professor Moody was positively rubbing his hands together with excitement. Neville blanched and opened a book hastily to look busy.

Harry stood up slowly, walking over to Professor Moody, "Now," the professor began, "Today's lesson is very dangerous so I have asked the assistance of one of your old teachers, Professor Lupin, to help with today's proceedings." A great applause broke out amongst the class, except for the few Slytherins, although Malfoy did not make a sarcastic comment or glare as he was wont to do on such occasions.

The werewolf entered the room from a side door levitating a giant chest caked in ice and locked shut tight.

"Now who here can tell me what is inside that box just by the signs evident on the outside and the fact that only Potter of all of you has previously proven himself against whatever is in there?" demanded Moody his eye sweeping the class looking for hands, and no doubt, other things.

My hand shot into the sir and Ron smirked in my direction, and the nervous hand of Ernie MacMillian and lazy one of Malfoy pointed towards the ceiling.

The professor gave me a quick wink, but chose Malfoy just as I was about to blurt the answer.

"Mr. Malfoy, I do believe you with a half-dozen in this class have likely been unfortunate enough to be in close quarters with these foul beasts, so what is it?"

"The ice on the box, and the fact that this room has dropped significantly temperature wise-even Potter's tell-tale heroics indicate only one thing in there…a dementor." Said the Slytherin dramatically.

"Very good. Five points to Slytherin. Now who can tell me which incantation is used against a dementor and how it is produced excluding Mr. Malfoy."

My hand shot up along with every old DA member present in the room.

"Miss Granger care to enlighten the rest of your class?"

"There is only one known spell that affects a dementor, the Patronus Charm. The incantation is Expecto Patronum derived from the Latin words for 'welcome' and 'father.' The only way to conjure a corporeal patronus is to think of a very powerful happy memory so that the patronus acts as a shield for you against the dementor which sucks away your happy memories-and if you let it-your soul." I quote

"Excellent Granger. Take ten points for a perfect answer." Professor Moody replied. "Now, I have taken great care to procure this monster for class today, and CONSTANT VIGILENCE will be a necessity. Yes, Lupin and I will be here to cast our patronuses if there is a problem, but I would rather you learn how to cast one in the face of a real dementor as in the REAL world there will not be ANYONE to protect you." Moody said threateningly making the class jump.

Our school supplies were placed in one corner, and the desks were vanished. Lupin was unlocking the trunk while Harry stood, wand drawn in front and Moody was in front of the rest of the class in the back. I could already feel the chilling presence flooding my mind even though the chest wasn't fully opened.

On "three" the shriveled monster soared out of the crate and made for Harry, and I was suddenly remembering last summer when Harry had read Sirius' will which flashed to Ron's teasing first year.

This was interrupted by Harry's bellowing tenor voice, "You won't touch them you filth! Expecto Patronum!" Harry's handsome silver stag erupted from his wand and chased the foul thing back into the chest.

"Well done." Said Professor Lupin clapping Harry on the back.

"Well, Potter has certainly achieved an O for today's class, now that you have seen how it's done I want you all to practice making a patronus without a dementor first. Then once this has been accomplished we will line up once again for a try at this little bugger." Growled Professor Moody patting the trunk almost affectionately "Oh yes, almost forgot-twenty points to Gryffindor for courage, intelligence and one perfect patronus!" as he slapped Harry on the back a bit too hard and Harry winced.

The rest of us split up to conjure our own patronuses while Harry, Lupin and Professor Moody walked around helping.

All of the DA members I am happy to say remembered perfectly and I gazed over at Harry with admiration for his teaching skills before turning back to my own otter which was currently being chased by Ron's monkey.

"Ron!" I scolded, "call off your dumb monkey!"

He guffawed. "Naw, after all it's only a monkey Herms what can it do?"

"NEVER CALL ME 'HERMS'!" I screech and due to Ron's loss in concentration his monkey evaporated and my otter flickered before returning to it's near opaque silver state.

Ron stayed away from me for the rest of the class. Neville's camel presented no threat. I looked around the class in interest to see everyone else's patronuses.

Parvati had a leopard while Lavender was the proud owner of a…goat? Seamus had horse and I looked around for Malfoy only to see him cursing himself in the corner and shaking his wand with fury,

"Damn wand, must be malfunctioning." He sputtered and I saw to my surprise Harry walking over to him.

After twenty minutes of Harry's tutelage Malfoy produced a feeble bald eagle.

Then we all queued up and somehow Ron managed to push me to the front.

"Let's see if your books are all they're cracked up to be!" sneered some random Slytherin and my heart fell to my stomach. What if my patronus doesn't work? What if I fail Harry and the DA?

Lupin searched my face for the go-ahead before I grimly nodded and before I knew it the foul creature was bearing down on me and I could only smell its putrid breath…and only think of…that day I got the letter Killed in Action.

"Expecto Patronum." I chanted, not thinking.

Nothing happened.

My vision was going black. Think something really happy. Harry's voice reverberated in my head.

I forced my memory of Harry winning his first Quidditch match into my mind.

"Expecto Patronum!"

Nothing happened and things were shrinking, getting blurry. I felt like an icicle.

Really happy thought. A voice echoed in my rapidly emptying mind. Whose voice was that? After a long pause that felt like years I connected the voice to a name…Harry…which went to a memory. He's Alive! The Dragon didn't get him!

"EXPECTO PATRONUM!" I shouted at the top of my lungs.

A gigantic otter seemed to explode from my wand and forced the dementor away, relief washed over me like rain. The room felt warmer, there was somebody grinning at me.

Somebody awarded fifteen points to Gryffindor and a strong arm from the grinning face pulled me to my feet, "Knew you could do it Hermione." Whispered the voice from my memory…Harry…as he embraced me and I felt safe again.

Ron was next after me, and he did pretty well and on the fourth try his ghost-like tiny monkey (along with help from Moody's bear) forced the dementor into the chest. Ron returned to us white-faced but grinning from ear-to-ear.

"I did it-sort of!" He exclaimed.

Neville did surprisingly well, his camel conquered the dementor by itself on the third try to Ron's dismay.

Everyone else more or less did worse, a few managed non-corporeal patronuses but Malfoy was a shock.

After his third try he collapsed on the floor, like I must have done but he seemed terrified and very lethargic.

After three more desperate tries Moody had his bear chase the monster back in its cage. Malfoy, passed out was sent to the hospital.

The three of us commented on his performance after class while Harry and I went to the dungeons for Potions and Ron to Divination.

"Why d'you suppose Malfoy couldn't conjure anything when everybody else at least got some swirly stuff?" asked Ron with a gleeful tone, "Perhaps he would rather command it to suck out Harry's soul or something."

"Actually Ron…" Harry began shocking both of us, "it's very different from that. You see I was talking to him during the lesson. He and I are actually really similar." Harry sighed, "He doesn't have any memory happy enough."

A/N: Sorry for lack of updates, but I've had a death in the family. Additionally, I am not going to be update for approx 2 wks due to work.