A/N:

American Mione - Ah ... more on the ring later, heh.

Shdurrani, and Shadows-zepher, and CloiodnaHPFan,

and HP crazygal - Thanks!

emerald girl - No insanity allowed, except by the author, of course.

Molly Morrison - I will do my best to convince you. I have recieved a few notes that say I am taking Hermione and Harry out of character a bit, but that will be explained in a later chapter as well, then perhaps everyone will go, OH!.

Kris - To paraphrase Mary Poppins. 'Comedy makes the serious stuff go down.'

DragonKatGal - We'll see about the Slytherins actually respecting Harry in the future.

Sabrina - More Luna/Ron torturing soon!

Dslguy - Only found one homonym error but thanks for pointing it out.

Oceanlight - I like playing with Ron and Luna the most. Maybe I'll devote a chapter to them or something.

Spana - See comment just above this one. Thanks!

thesalmonofdoubt - Funny that you should mention wanting something to happen. Check out the last paragraph of this chapter for your first taste.

josiemarie - Thank you, and all I can say is soon. The muse writes what she wants to write. I have absolutely no control which is pathetic because there are only two chapters left to that story.

Chapter 13

Wednesday, Harry had off from classes and only two double fifth years to teach in order to prepare for his sixth and seventh year classes. In a way he was dreading teaching his own age group and higher because he didn't feel adequate enough.

At Hermione's insistence he spent the rest of the day pouring over Advanced and N.E.W.T. level spells and Dark Creatures. He wanted to be ready for any possible question that might come up. The last thing he wanted was to be made a fool of in front of Malfoy and his cronies.

Speaking of Malfoy, Harry was somewhat surprised he hadn't seen hide nor hair of his nemesis over the last few days. Even at meals he had never thought to look over a the Slytherin table to catch the occasional sneer or snide look that Malfoy usually gave him. He still didn't forget the threats that were made at the end of last year and thought he'd better keep his guard up just in case.

He spent the better part of the early morning in the Defense classroom office catching up on his homework for Professor McGonagall's first lesson at the end of the day. So it was understandable that he was somewhat relieved to hear the bell for class to begin.

He grabbed his lesson plans and grasped the handle to the office door. "Deep breath, Potter."

He breathed in and let it go, raggedly, "Right, then."

"Good morning, class," he started, not looking at any of them for he knew his best friends and his girlfriend were attending.

By the time he had reached the front of the class he continued, "I'm sure you've heard from the rest of the underclassmen of what I've been covering at the start of every class. If not, you haven't been doing your homework."

He lifted his wand and looked up. All of the Gryffindors were beaming with pride that one of their own was teaching them and the Slytherins were quietly subdued, "All together now ..."

"LORD VOLDEMORT IS A WEENIE!"

The class erupted on the Gryffindor side and Harry watched as the Slytherin side flinched with distaste.

"Brilliant, Gryffindor's! Fifteen points awarded to your house."

"Slytherin's, by next class, or there will be points taken," Harry looked at Malfoy when he said that and saw no reaction from him in any way.

He thought that strange enough.

"Considering the number of Dementors on the loose and working for Voldemort I thought it best to practice on the Patronus Charm today," he paused to hear a little unrest among the students. "I realize that this is a N.E.W.T. level charm and not all Wizard and Witches can produce a fully corporeal Patronus, but we'll give it our best shot, eh?"

Hermione was almost bouncing in her seat. Harry knew she had perfected her Patronus last year and she probably wanted to show him that she hadn't forgotten.

"First a little history and then some application. Wands away and quills out."

He saw Ron's face drop in disappointment and then Hermione's elbow in his side to catch up and look supportive.

"I'm sure we all know that the Patronus Charm will drive away Dementors, but there are two other use it serves. Anyone?"

Most of the students looked around at each other. Hermione had warned Harry that she wouldn't answer this question because it would be unfair since she had written it in the lesson plans, but she only knew of one other application not two.

Ron looked kind of queasy raising his hand.

Harry jumped at the opportunity for his friend to shine. "Yes Ro ... Mr. Weasley."

He cleared his throat, "Um ... it can drive away a Lethifold."

"Correct. And tell us how you know this?"

He smiled crookedly, "It's on the back of the Chocolate Frog Famous Wizard's card. Um ... Flavius Belby."

"Exactly. Never let your parents say that you can't learn something while stuffing your mouth with chocolate."

Most of the class laughed at his joke ... even a few Slytherins.

"And five points to Gryffindor," Harry added. Ron beamed.

"Okay, one other use of a Patronus." He knew nobody would get this answer so he upped the ante, "For fifteen points?"

Something happened that Harry was expecting at sometime during the class, but not now.

"Yes, Mr. Malfoy," he choked out when he saw him raise his hand.

"It will temporarily disorient a Boggart."

Hermione turned around and gaped at Malfoy then back to Harry. Her hand shot up, "Is that true?"

Harry was stunned. "Fifteen points to Slytherin," he said with soft unbelieving tone.

There was no way he could have known that Harry had tried the charm on a Boggart that took Dementor form in the final portion of the Tri-Wizard Tournament. No one could have seen.

Malfoy just stared down at Harry with a grin that told him he will not be defeated so easily, even with Harry Potter as a teacher.

"Um ... right, then. Everyone up front ..."

Harry floated the desk out of the way as before, "The trick with producing a Patronus is finding a happy enough thought to support it. The wand movement is a held high with a small circle ending with a thrusting point. the incantation is 'Expecto Patronum'.

"Now observe."

Harry closed his eyes for a brief moment, envisioning the morning of the Weasley's arrival at Grimmauld Place and Hermione's unexpected 'yes', "Expecto Patronum!"

A gleaming white stag burst forth from his wand and ran the length of the classroom before disappearing into the wall. Harry nodded, satisfied with the result.

He turned back to the class seeing some of the students from both houses obviously impressed with the effort, "Miss Granger."

Hermione took Harry's place and followed his exact motions, "Expecto Patronum!"

A good sized otter slipped through the room as if the air itself was it's natural watery habitat.

Vincent Crabbe pointed and laughed once out loud, "She did it wrong!"

Malfoy slapped Crabbe on the chest with the back of his hand to silence him, "Shut up Crabbe, you twit. She performed the spell properly, and if you do it a fraction as well I'd keel over and die from surprise."

Harry looked at Malfoy as if he had spouted a second head. Taking up for Hermione? He shook it off and rationalized it as something else. Probably just insulting anybody for anything was enough for Draco Malfoy, even if it happen to be his own housemate.

"Um ... right. Everyone's patronus will be different, each suited to the producer," Harry clarified.

He brought as many members of the old D.A. club that he knew could produce a patronus forward in order to boost confidence in others. The first time he knew he could do the spell properly was when his friends were about to die three years ago, being charged upon by a large number of Dementors at the time. He had realized, with the help of a time-turner, that he had seen himself already send the glowing stag to drive away the Dementors.

He had already known that he could do the spell. Confidence was half the battle.

"Mr. Malfoy."

The blonde-haired boy approached and readied his wand.

"Your happiest thought, Mr. Malfoy," Harry reminded.

He circled his wand and shot it forth, "Expecto Patronum!"

A copious amount of silver mist shot out of the end, and Harry forgot himself, "Excellent!" He looked at Ron and saw his horrified reaction at Harry complimenting a Slytherin, much less Malfoy.

"Um ... I mean. Good try. Find something else that would make you happier," he thought on it for a second. "Maybe me at the bottom of a well?"

The class laughed and Malfoy joined in. Harry shushed them and watched as Malfoy closed his eyes and smiled.

"Expecto Patronum!"

He was reward this time with a good sized silver dragon exploding from the tip of his wand, darting through the classroom to and fro before exploding into the wall.

***********************

The bell rang to dismiss class.

"Twelve inches on the three Unforgivable Curses by next class."

Ron and Hermione rushed to pack their bags and meet Harry at the front of he class.

"What was with Malfoy; he was the model student?" Ron commented.

"Perhaps Professor Snape told him to watch his step in your class, Harry."

He nodded, "Maybe."

"Weird," Ron added. "And you with the 'EXCELLENT'! I thought you were going to give him points or something. What was that?"

Hermione came do his defense, "Harry's a good teacher. He doesn't let a childish thing like house rivalries get in the way of a proper education."

Harry wanted to put it off in the back of his mind, "So where are you two off to?"

"I have Potions," replied Hermione.

"Charms for me," said Ron. "It's not the same without you two there."

He hefted his school bag over his shoulder and headed out.

"See you at lunch, Ron."

He waved over his shoulder before he was out of the classroom.

Hermione took a hold of Harry's robe, "You make the most amazing Professor."

"Teacher's pet," he teased.

"I'm serious," she pleaded. "How many times have you seen me without an answer since you've known me?"

"Um ..."

"Never," she said with pride. "And the business with Malfoy. Every day you surprise me with something, Harry Potter."

They heard noise from down the hall, probably Hufflepuff or Ravenclaw students for his next class.

Hermione quickly pecked him on the lips and ran to the door, "See you at lunch!"

Harry mulled over what Hermione said and knew something odd was going on with Malfoy. He knew even Snape's urging would not prevent the Slytherin from making some sort of rude comment during class. Something wasn't right. The question held there as he noticed his room filling up.

"Good morning, class."