Later That Night
"Do you think we should wake them up?"
"Like hell," Victoire whispers. "Look at them; bloody adorable."
Teddy shrugs his shoulders in agreement. He looks over to the tiny hospital bed, meant for one, currently occupied by two bodies. Hermione lays peacefully asleep on her back with her repaired arm in a sling. Draco lays on his side with his arm snuggly draped across her waist. His face is rested on the incline of her neck and his lower lip hangs open as he lightly snores.
"Mr. Lupin." Madam Pomfrey scurries toward them with her arms full of different potions and equipment. "Ms. Weasley. How did you get in here? It's after hours."
"We heard Ms. Granger was injured," Teddy informs. "Harry told me."
"It was one frightful evening for Ms. Granger and Mr. Malfoy, and they should be left to rest."
"Wait." Teddy wrings his hands together while thinking quickly on his feet. "I'm family.. Draco's family that is. It should be my right to visit."
"And visit you may," Madam Pomfrey responds irritably. "When he's awake in the morning."
Hermione stirs in her sleep as her eyes slowly flutter open. "Teddy. Victoire." Her voice is scratchy and hoarse. She sits up in her seat which nudges Draco awake. He sharply inhales while his body naturally leans back. He has to catch himself from falling off the miniscule hospital bed.
"Draco! Is it true your father was at Ms. Grangers?" Teddy eagerly interrogates.
"Perhaps," he mutters with a yawn. He wipes his face with his hands before placing a shoe on the floor and bringing himself to his feet.
"We've been practicing dueling," the boy with blue hair impatiently informs. "We're starting our own new club and everything."
Teddy looks over his shoulder to find Professor McGonagall standing in the doorway. Her mouth is puckered and she holds both hands interlaced in front of her. "I see you both have awakened." She moves toward Teddy and places a hand on his shoulder. "And it appears as though you have company."
"Headmistress!" Victoire speaks in an innocent high-pitched voice. "I told Teddy that we shouldn't visit after hours."
"That's rubbish," Teddy scoffs. "It was your idea."
McGonagall calmly raises a hand silencing them. "No matter," she sighs. "We have much greater issues at hand, I fear. Feeling better Ms. Granger?"
Hermione gingerly nods her head. She glimpses to her arm in the sling with a sigh. "Rather unfortunate break, but it was properly healed by Madam Pomfrey. Her only wish is that I keep it rested for now."
Draco smiles at her in visible admiration. He uses his fingers to tenderly tuck a lock of hair behind her ear.
Victoire cups her hands beneath her chin. "The two of you are so bloody cute."
A prominent scowl appears on the blonde's face. "I shall never be referred to, by anyone, as cute."
Hermione snorts while rolling her eyes. "So what's the plan, professor?" she diverts.
"The school is officially on lockdown," McGonagall informs. "The students have been instructed to remain in their common rooms at all times, except for transfer in between classes by the House prefects."
"How are we supposed to practice dueling?" Teddy groans. "There's only so much time we get in class.."
"I will allow extracurricular activities under the advisement of Mr. Malfoy or Mr. Potter." She turns to Draco. "That is, if they are willing to put forth such effort."
"Of course, headmistress."
Draco's eyes linger on the professor for longer than intended. He absent mindedly strokes his chin while thinking back to the unbreakable vow he committed a couple weeks prior. It was a secret that was only known between himself and his father.
And he intended to keep it that way.. for now.
The Next Day
Harry sets his briefcase across his podium. He opens it while stacking a heap of papers against the surface. "Ready for today's lesson, mate?"
"As ready as I'll ever be," Draco sighs. He walks past the windows of the classroom, raising the heavy curtains by wand. The sunlight floods the area and illuminates the dome shaped ceiling.
"And how's Hermione?" Harry asks while flattening his jacket with both hands.
"Brilliant." Draco lightly smiles. "She's a firecracker, that one."
Harry repositions himself behind the podium as students eagerly flood the classroom and disperse to their desks.
A flurry of chatter ignites at the sight of the return of their blonde professor. Many questions are asked regarding Lucius and the appearance of the Purists. He does his best to avoid their interrogation and keep focus on the subject at hand.
Harry takes the lead and centers himself at the front of the classroom. "Today we are focusing on a very powerful charm," he begins silencing the room. "It will be both an offensive and defensive spell that can be used in the face of battle. And it all starts within yourselves. You are not merely young witches and wizards, but gifted individuals who happen to possess the unique ability of magic. Today's demonstration will prove such. Mr. Wood, if I could borrow you?"
Jack shoots up out of his seat faster than the speed of light. He eagerly nears Harry side while lightly bouncing on the balls of his feet.
"Which unique ability do you believe you possess, Jack?"
"Being an excellent Keeper on the Gryffindor quidditch team, of course." Grayson chuckles to himself causing Jack to turn to him. "Think something's funny?"
Grayson rolls his eyes. "Your ego," he scoffs.
The children ensue in laughter causing Harry to have to get their attention on track once more. "Quidditch; brilliant. Now, if you had to envision yourself as an animal, what do you see yourself as? A hawk or an eagle, perhaps?"
"An eagle, sir."
"Brilliant." Harry squares his shoulders with his hands. "Now, keep pristine focus of that image of an eagle.. or, as Mr. Malfoy and myself are teaching today; something that we refer to as your Patronus."
Jack squeezes his eyes shut while licking his lips and nodding his head. "I'm doing it now, sir."
Harry guides Jack by his shoulders to the corner of the room. A display of life-sized dummy's stand next to each other in a row. "Now take out your wand, flick with your wrist like this, and repeat the incantation "Engorgio Patronum."
Jack's eyes flutter open. He puffs out his chest while taking in a deep breath. He raises his wand and points it rigidly at the dummy. Moving his wrist in a circular motion, he powerfully yells, "ENGORGIO PATRONUM!"
A blue wisp of smoke escapes the tip of his wand and twirls in the air. It slowly transforms into the appearance of an eagle that's twice the size of a normal one. It lets out a squawk while soaring around the classroom, flying over the heads of each student who watches on in awe.
"That's it!" Harry encourages.
Jack keeps focus on the Patronus, guiding it's movement by the direction of his wand hand.
"Now cast it toward the dummy!"
He follows instructions and eagerly swishes his arm directly toward the human-like doll. The eagle folds back its wings while darting at the dummy. It's beak pierces through the doll, sending it crashing to the floor.
The classroom erupts in applause. Jack proudly crosses his arms before doing a quick bow.
"Brilliant!" Harry shouts with a grin. "Ten points to Gryffindor."
Draco slowly walks next to Harry while clapping his hands together. "You may have a seat, Mr. Wood."
Jack makes his way through the sea of students, high-fiving a row of Gryffindors as he passes.
Draco points to the floor next to him. "Mr. Goyle, if you would."
Grayson's eyes slowly dart from side to side while sinking lower in his seat.
"Since you wished to speak up during Mr. Wood's presentation, perhaps you would like to demonstrate yourself?"
"Fine," Grayson grumbles. He wipes a finger under his nose before placing his palms against the desk and pushing himself up from it.
"And which unique ability do you believe you possess?"
"Being an excellent Slytherin, of course," he mocks Jack.
Draco sharply inhales. "Very well.. position yourself in front of the dummy."
Goyle shrugs his shoulders and walks over to Jack, standing right before him. The Slytherins in the classroom snicker among themselves.
Draco dramatically rolls his eyes while taking long strides toward the snarky young man. He yanks on the back of his robes and directs him toward the doll standing in the corner. "Carrying on.. which animal do you envision your Patronus to be?"
"Well, snakes are our House mascot. I want it to be a serpent."
Draco does a quick nod. "Now close your eyes."
Grayson obeys orders and clenches his eyes shut. He raises his arm and violently swishes it toward the dummy. "Engorgio Patronum!" He flicks his wrist over and over, but nothing happens. "ENGORGIO.. PATRONUM!" He messily flails his wand around with gritted teeth.
The class begins to break out in mutters and giggles.
Draco's eyes narrow. "Are you envisioning the serpent, Grayson?"
"What do you bloody think?" he groans. "ENGORGIO PATRONUM!"
The rampant snickering only heightens in the classroom. The doll stands perfectly still in the corner and the tip of Grayson's wand refuses to dispel a thing. Harry tries to contain the classroom for the third time today, but they defiantly chatter among themselves. Some students bang their hands against the desk while throwing their heads back in laughter.
Draco glances to Grayson who's head hangs miserably low. The defeated expression on his student's face makes him feel admittedly remorseful. "SILENCE!" he defensively roars. "It is perfectly normal for one to struggle the first time when casting a charm. If I hear one more hint of a giggle or chatter, the whole lot of you will be serving detention indefinitely." The class quiets all at once.
Grayson's face is tomato red. His wand comes clanging to the floor as he defeatedly chucks it to the ground. "Can't do anything right," he mutters with a shaky voice. Draco goes to place a reassuring hand on his shoulder, but Grayson had already bolted toward the door. Without permission of leaving, he throws the door open and slams it shut behind him rattling the walls.
