Friendship and Beyond 18/?

Rated: R contains mentions of rape and torture, although not actual scenes. Possible HP/SS in later chapters, also HG/RW.

Authors Notes: I do not own Harry Potter or it's characters, that would be JKR. Subject matter not for children, although nothing too graphic, but be careful when reading just to be on the safe side.

Continuing Education

The next day, Harry woke up surprisingly well rested and peaceful for the first time in his distant memory. He was surprised to find Ron already awake and gone from the room, although it was still quite early. Shrugging off his pajama top, Harry quickly showered in the connecting bathroom before donning his uniform for the coming day. Harry noticed that even after he was dressed that he still had another hour before he could go down to the Great Hall for breakfast.

Harry walked down to the common room, dreading a confrontation with any Slytherins that would happen to be up. Although the trio and the others of their new house had declared an uneasy truce after the confrontation a few days ago, anything remotely argumentative would restart hostilities between them. Most of the Slytherins had taken to ignoring them, although Malfoy continued to harass Harry whenever they saw each other.

There was nothing unusual in that however. It even comforted Harry somewhat in a disturbing kind of way. If Draco was still his normal nasty self, then he obviously still thought Harry was a worthy opponent. Malfoy's would never waste their time on anything but the best, after all. Harry felt better about himself because of it, ironically enough. If Malfoy was still an adversary, obviously Harry had not fallen too far down in the other boy's estimation. The saying was true, you were judged by the quality of your enemies.

Although the fighting between Draco and Harry had mellowed somewhat in it's heat, the frequency of their arguments stayed the same. If anyone were to comment on this difference, both would have adamantly disagreed. From Harry's perspective at least, the only difference was that Harry had faced true evil, and Draco's arrogant bigotry was paltry in comparison.

As Harry made his way down the stairs and entered the common room he found Ron and Hermione curled up in front of the fire whispering contentedly. Taking care not to disturb them, Harry edged around the wall until he exited the common room silently, closing the portrait behind him. After the conversation he had with them last night, explaining what happened between Snape and himself, Harry had decided to try to give the others some space today.

Since he was already dressed and ready to start his day, Harry decided to take a walk around the lake before breakfast. When he entered the Great Hall forty-five minutes later, he was in a relaxed mood, smiling freely at the few Gryffindor's seated already. As Harry sat at the end of the Slytherin table, he was surprised to see Ginny walking in his direction.

Over the last few days, Harry and the others had not gotten the chance to talk to the Gryffindors except in passing unfortunately. The trio had decided however, that they did not want to get into details about their resorting, for many reasons. The least of which, that if they told the Weasley's what had happened, they would more than likely have it out with Dumbledore, and while although Harry thought that the Headmaster deserved it, they couldn't afford to alienate anyone, especially the leader of the Order of the Phoenix. That would just causing needless discord that the light side didn't need.

"Hey Harry." Ginny said as she sat down uninvited at the Slytherin table, looking around cautiously. "What is going on?"

"It's quite complicated, Gin." Harry explained softly, noticing the hurt in Ginny's eyes that she tried so hard to hide from him.

"Well then explain it to me. You three only wrote a confusing note to mum and dad that explained nothing." Ginny answered sharply. "It's like we don't even matter to you anymore."

"Have you talked to Ron about this?" Harry asked uncomfortably. He hadn't realized how their silence must have looked to the Weasley family. Frankly they were so preoccupied with their own plight, and that of their teacher's betrayal, that they had temporarily ignored other's reactions.

"When have I gotten the chance?" Ginny asked angrily. "Was Gryffindor not good enough for you suddenly?"

"No Ginny, of course not!" Harry exclaimed in shock.

"Well, what am I supposed to think when you three suddenly are in Slytherin without a by your leave, and haven't spoken to anyone in a week?" Asked Ginny in a hurt tone of voice.

"I'm sorry, we've just been preoccupied." Harry said softly placing a comforting hand on Ginny's shoulder. "I can't really go into details about what happened but we had a disagreement with McGonagall and Dumbledore, prompting us to switch houses unexpectedly."

"Why what happened?"

"I can't really get into it, let's just say that we felt betrayed and we didn't want to remain with McGonagall as our head of house."

"That bad?" Ginny asked softly, looking angry on our behalves at her head on house where she sat at the teacher's table.

"Yeah…" He acknowledged softly.

"Well okay then." Ginny answered resolutely. "If mum and dad asks, I'll tell them you don't want to talk about it then. You do know that I'm still your friend thought, right Harry? You're not going to forget I exist now that you're in a different house?"

"Of course not." Harry answered, giving the youngest Weasley a reassuring hug. As they broke apart, Harry noticed that the Hall was beginning to fill up with students. "I expect you to visit us in the Slytherin Common Room anytime you want."

Ginny looked a little apprehensive at this so Harry was quick to reassure her.

"Don't worry about it. None of the others will trouble you. I'll tell you about it another time, but we have managed to come to a cease-fire with the Slytherins.

"Okay, Harry." Ginny agreed, getting up hesitantly from her seat when a few Seventh Year Slytherins walked down the aisle toward them. "I'll talk to you later. Tell Ron and Hermione I said hi. I'll try to stop by later this afternoon after classes, so we can catch up."

With a sassy wink in Harry's direction, Ginny walked back to the now nearly full Gryffindor table, where questioning housemates beset her. Harry watched her walk away with a relieved smile, before he began shoveling food into his mouth at a rather dangerous pace.