A/N: Thanks for the reviews on the last chapter! Sorry this one took so long. September is my busiest month with school starting meaning not a lot of free time. I'll try to update faster in the future. I'll not keep you waiting, here Chapter Four!

[ _____________ ] = Hermione's thoughts

{_____________}= Lupin's thoughts ----------------------------------------------------------

Chapter Four: DADA

Hermione woke early on the first day of lessons like she had for the past five years. She got dressed in record times in the usual skirt, sweater, blouse, tie, and robe combination and hurried down to the Gryffindor Common Room to meet Harry and Ron. Naturally, they weren't there.

With a roll of her eyes, Hermione plopped into the group of chairs where Pavarti, Lavender, Dean, and Seamus were congregating. Pavarti was talking, not a big surprise.

"-went to New York City and saw all the sites."

Hermione, being very informed on the 'sites' after reading America, A Modern History over the summer, broke into the conversation. "Did you go to the library?"

"Hello, Hermione. I didn't see you sit down."

"The New York City Public Library. Did you go there?"

"The thing is, Hermione, a vacation is when you take a break from everything. Normal people, such as myself, don't go to libraries to have fun; we go shopping or to the beach. And by the way, this is a conversation for normal people only. You are definitely not normal, so good-bye!"

Hermione rose without a sound and walked out of Gryffindor Tower, the laughter of Pavarti and Lavender following her all the way to the Great Hall.

Hermione went straight to the Gryffindor table in the Great Hall of Hogwarts. She was pulling out the latest edition of Hogwarts, A History (the only new thing was a chapter devoted to Harry Potter) when Ron and Harry sat down in front of her quickly followed by Neville, Ginny, Dean and Seamus.

"Sorry about Pavarti and Lav, Hermione. They didn't do very well on their O.W.L.s and, of course, blame your high scores for messing them up," Dean said after a moment of awkward silence.

"Yeah, Hermione. Sorry," Seamus added quickly.

Once Seamus stopped talking, the awkward silence began again and Hermione noticed that Harry was, as usual, upset about something and the rest of them were trying not to bring up whatever the something was up.

"What's wrong, Harry?" Hermione asked as was expected of her.

"Everything," Harry said, glaring at her, "is wrong. Lessons start today and we'll probably end up starting the year with Double Potions, with the Slytherins of course, and the rest of the day will be Defense Against the Dark Arts. None of it matters though since I'm going to die anyway."

Before Harry could continue, Ron broke into the conversation. "Well, let's tuck in, shall we?" He gave a pointed look to Hermione who got the point and dropped the subject. As they loaded up their plates, Hermione spoke again.

"Has anyone got the schedules?" People all through the hall were noticing the noticeable lack of schedule sheets. Finally, one of the Ravenclaw prefects went up to ask Dumbledore what was going on.

As the Ravenclaw hurried back to her table, Dumbledore rose to address the students. "Some of you have noticed that there are no schedule sheets yet. This year, the sheets will apply to the entire year that you are in. As a result, your schedules will be handed out in your first class.

First years, go to the Quidditch pitch for flying lessons with Madam Hooch. Second years, please go to Professor Snape's room, you'll begin with potions. Third years will start with Herbology in Greenhouse One with Professor Sprout. Fourth years, go to the edge of the forest to begin with Care of Magical Creatures with Professor Hagrid. Fifth years, you'll start with Transfiguration. Sixth, and Seventh years, please remain here for some important announcements. You're dismissed!" The first through fifth years hurried out so they wouldn't be late on the first day of class.

Those remaining in the Great Hall moved closer to the staff table in order to here Dumbledore better. "Sixth and seventh years. You have a demanding year ahead of you. You will have six main classes, one taught per day with Herbology and Care of Magical Creatures sharing a day. The other classes are Potions, Transfiguration, Charms, and Defense Against the Dark Arts. Any other classes you wish to take, such as Arithmancy and Divination, will be taught either on weekends or evenings, depending on the teacher.

Sixth years, you will start today with Charms. Seventh years will spend the day with me, discussing career options in more depth than you did towards the end of your fifth year. I have all of your schedules here."

The schedules were distributed through the crowd. After glancing at it, Hermione raised her hand.

"Miss Granger?"

"How will the teachers work with the first though fifth years if two days of their week are devoted to the sixth and seventh years?"

"We've adjusted schedules to allow for no conflicts. Their classes will be longer as well and all four houses will be taking classes together in expanded classrooms. Now, if the sixth years could please go to Professor Flitwick's room, the seventh years have their careers to plan."

The sixth years moved as a pack, everyone whispering about the new schedules. The rest of their week went like this:

Monday- Charms
After-school: Muggle Studies Tuesday- Potions Wednesday- Care of Magical Creatures in the morning, Herbology in the afternoon Thursday- Transfiguration
After-school: Runes Friday- Defense Against the Dark Arts Saturday- Arithmancy and Divination Sunday- Free/Quidditch games

Charms and Muggle Studies were uneventful, as were the rest of their classes through Thursday. The Gryffindors weren't punished by Snape as often as usual. As it turned out, he hated the Hufflepuffs and Ravenclaws just as much as the Gryffindors and seemed to be in the process of figuring who he hated the most.

Defense Against the Dark Arts was the 'big test'. Harry was still mad at Lupin though his anger had lessened since September 1st. He was still very touchy and yelled at his friends at least twice a day.

Hermione thought she was about to explode beneath the pressure of paying attention to lectures, the increasing amount of homework, remembering all the spells, and giving all of her friends a person to lean on. She wanted to leave all of them behind and be more of a normal person but her friends just wouldn't leave her alone. Especially in Defense Against the Dark Arts.

The sixth-years congregated outside of Professor Lupin's classroom long before class started. He had always been their favourite DADA teacher and they couldn't wait to see what was in store for them this time. Hermione was in the front of the line with Ron and Harry. Harry wouldn't stop complaining about Lupin but Hermione wasn't really listening to anything he said. The door swung open and the trio walked in and sat several rows from the front though Hermione would've liked to be in the front row.

Lupin walked in to the applause of many. "It's lovely to see all of you again," he started, "and I assure you that I'm not a secret spy for the ministry out to destroy the integrity of the Hogwarts staff like a certain former teacher." This comment was met with laughter and more applause from everyone but Harry.

"He thinks he's so funny and so great. He doesn't know anything the stupid- " Harry muttered to Hermione. He would've continued had Lupin not started talking again.

Lupin went spent the morning going over the last five years of material, testing to make sure that everyone knew what they were talking about. The former members of Dumbledore's Army knew the answers to every question and Neville volunteered to show different jinxes and defensive spells several times.

The house-elves delivered lunch in the class-room and even Hermione had to admit the food was quite delicious. Once everyone had finished, Lupin gave an outline of the "great" Dark wizards of all time, including Grindewald and Voldermort.

Harry, being the charming boy he was, kept whispering through all of class, talking to Hermione so she couldn't hear half of what Lupin was saying. It didn't really matter since she knew all of it anyway, but she wished that for once Harry would think about someone other than himself for once. By the end of class, Hermione was on the verge of tears of anger and despair. Luckily, class ended quickly. Unluckily, Lupin had to speak one more time before class was over.

"Thank you for being such a wonderful class, I'll see all of you next Friday. Hermione, please stay after class for a moment. I'd like to speak with you." Hermione stayed at her desk as the rest of the students filed out, whispering. She overhead Pavarti telling someone, "Guess Little Miss Perfect isn't as perfect after all," and could feel the stares of other students on her. Hermione just started straight ahead. It was growing more difficult every moment to not break down.

"Harry, Ron, you can leave," she whispered to her two friends who hadn't moved from their seats. She gave them a glare that sent them from the room, still rather reluctantly. When Harry closed the door, Hermione got up and walked to Lupin's desk at the front of the room.

"Yes, Professor?" Hermione asked him, head down.

"Hermione, how-" he began to speak before being cut off by Hermione.

"If you ask me how Harry is I swear to god I will never speak to you again," Hermione raised her head giving her professor a death glare. She spoke in a deadly whisper.

"Actually, I was going to ask how you were doing. I know Harry can't stand me at the moment and he needs some serious anger management. I can see how they're wearing on you."

"I'm fine. I don't know what you're talking about."

"Hermione, you can talk to me. I know what it feels like when your friends aren't really your friends anymore. My one remaining 'friend' is a murderous traitor, remember?"

Hermione began to cry. Not quietly or gracefully but in pointed, loud sobs that racked her body. "They don't know me anymore. Nobody does. I'm just good-old-dependable Hermione who can't possibly have any issues of her own but only exists so her friends can dump all of their problems on her. Oh no, I couldn't possibly be on the verge of a breakdown everyday with everything that's going on," Hermione practically screamed between sobs. She walked around as she spoke, waving her arms around dramatically. "I'm the perfect prefect with the perfect grades and the perfect friends and the perfect life who really has absolutely no-one in the world!" She slumped against the cupboard that had once held a boggart and slid down in, curled up in a ball, sobbing into her arms.

Lupin ran to her and held her shoulders. "Hermione, look at me," he said. She reluctantly raised her tear-stained face. "Nobody is perfect. Nobody can be perfect. Sure, you may excel at almost every subject except for a year in Divination. Sure, your friends are too embroiled in their own lives. But you aren't alone, Hermione. I'm here for you. I always will be. Remember that."

Hermione looked into his eyes. [ He understands. He really does. His eyes are so full of trust and love. I believe him. He's the one person in the entire world who can ever understand me.]

Lupin, of course, looked straight back into her chocolate eyes. {God, she's been through so much. Why don't they understand that? I can never let her down. I can never leave her. Her soul is so strong but so full of self- doubt.} Without thinking, Lupin lifted Hermione up and hugged her. Hermione returned the hug, letting her last tears fall unto his shoulder. The world stopped and the two of them glowed in a white light. Realizing what they were doing, they jumped apart.

"Erm, Harry and Ron are excepting me. I'd better-"

"Yes, that's a good idea. I'll be down shortly. If you need anything-"

"Right. I'll see you later."

With that, Hermione picked up her bag and left the room.

[I can't be. No way. But that light.. No. He's a teacher. I can never tell him.]

{What have I done? She isn't just a student, she's underage! But I know what that light is. I haven't seen one that strong since James and Lily- but that doesn't matter. I can never tell her.}

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A/N: Sorry. That was really long. That's the size of the first three chapters combined. REALLY sorry about that, but I didn't know how to split it down. I know, the "light" came out rather obvious but I ignored everything in the notebook when typing this up. Remember: read and review!