A/N: Late disclaimer: I own everything in this story, because I am J.K. Rowling, ghostwriting for tangledhair. I decided I wanted to do a Harry/Draco slash, but I knew they wouldn't let me print it, so here I am at !

Damn it! Who am I kidding?! I own nothing! It's all hers!

(more at the end)

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XIX

XIXIX "Avoiding a Witch Hunt" XIXIX

"Harry?"

Harry was sitting with Ginny, Ron, and Hermione in the library. He looked up from his book to find Luna Lovegood standing above him. She was looking around the room, as though wondering where she was, and why there were so many books. She always had a dreamy look in her eye, and Harry made a point to admire her for that. He smiled.

"Yes, Luna?"

"All these books and nobody ever bothers to read about the Giant Cricket Snakes of Transylvania," she said absently, to no one in particular. Harry's friends started to snicker. Harry glared at them.

"What are those?" he asked Luna with a friendly smile.

Luna's eyes widened as she looked at Harry. "They're a rare species of snake that have huge cricket legs that they use to pounce on their prey from long distances. My father tells me that sightings are getting closer and closer to England, and that everyone should wear a pink hat whenever they go outside."

Ginny scoffed and went back to her reading. Ron stared at the Ravenclaw in amazement, with his mouth hung open. Hermione opened her mouth to argue, but Harry kicked her under the table and asked, "Why a pink hat?"

"They jump to attack so they see their prey from above, and of course they don't like pink very much." Luna rolled her eyes, stating the obvious.

"Oh, of course," said Hermione sarcastically.

Ginny muffled her laughter. Harry nudged her angrily.

"Well, thanks for the warning, Luna." She looked around the room, lost in thought again. "Was... there something you wanted to ask?"

"Do you think the Room of Requirement will expand to accept more students?"

Harry shrugged. "Now that you mention it, it does seem bigger than it was last year."

"Good," she said, and wandered away.

Everyone stared after her except Harry, who promptly went back to reading as though nothing had happened.

"That girl is—" Ron began.

"—very nice, and a friend of mine," finished Harry without looking up.

"But she is a bit strange," said Ginny condescendingly.

Harry closed his book and regarded his friends quietly, a protective anger flowing though his blood. "She fought with us against Death Eaters last year. She didn't have a personal stake in the battle, but she went anyway. She deserves our respect."

He packed up his book bag. He was sick of people making fun of Luna because she was unusual. It even went so far that people stole her things and hid them from her. Ever since he found that out, he had made a point to be nothing but friendly to her.

"Harry, I didn't mean—" said Ginny, but Harry stood up and walked out of the library.

"What's wrong with him?" asked Hermione.

"Dunno," said Ron. "Maybe he's got a crush on her."

Ginny packed up her bag quickly and ran after Harry. She didn't get very far before she nearly tumbled over him. He was bent over the unconscious form of Luna Lovegood. Her skin was red and she was trembling.

"Ginny!" he pleaded. "Help me get her to the infirmary."

XIXIX

Word was out at school that members of the DA were being targeted for attack. That night, Harry expected far fewer members to show up at their meeting/training session. But a strange thing happened. The DA members had shown such camaraderie and "strength" by binding together that more people than ever wanted to join. Sixty-seven people were in the Room of Requirement when Harry began the lesson. He divided the new people into each group and explained the types and uses of shielding charms before they broke into their small groups to practice.

"Was this what Luna was talking about?" asked Hermione when Harry made his way to her group. Ten of the thirteen new members were from Ravenclaw. But even with the added bodies, everyone still fit quite comfortably in the Room of Requirement.

"Yeah, I guess so," said Harry dully.

"Did she see who it was?"

"No. She thinks they were hiding behind one of the statues in the hall. We've got to do something about this, 'Mione."

"I know. But unless we catch them in the act, I don't see how we're going to have any proof of who's doing it."

Harry cursed himself. He had talked to Malfoy under the influence of veritaserum for hours and it never once occurred to him to ask who it was that was attacking DA members. Not that he could have told anyone about it if he had asked. Maybe he could get that information from Malfoy if they talked again. But how could he talk to Malfoy again?

He was distracted throughout the DA meeting, thinking about this.

By morning, word was out at school that Harry Potter had a crush on Luna Lovegood, proven by how upset he was about her attack, proven by how distracted he was at the DA meeting. She awoke from her sleep in the infirmary to find her bed surrounded by candies and cards with best wishes from other members of the DA, none of whom would ever pick on her again.

XIXIX

Ginny walked Harry to the Hogwarts gates Saturday morning, where Tonks and Mad-Eye Moody waited.

"Wotcher, Harry!" called Tonks, as she saw the two students approaching.

Moody clapped Harry roughly on the shoulder in a slightly painful, but apparently friendly gesture. "Potter, how are you holding up?"

Harry shrugged. "How are we going?"

"We're taking the Knight Bus," said Tonks over her shoulder. She had gone to hug Ginny hello and was currently entertaining the redhead by changing her nose. "When do you need to be back?"

"Um, I have Quidditch practice after dinner. I don't really need to be back until then."

"And your team will wait for you if your visit runs long," said Ginny to Harry. Then she dropped her voice and said to Tonks, "But if he's going to miss dinner, make sure he eats, okay?"

"I heard that!" Harry said accusingly.

Ginny grinned and bounced over to him. "Boy do you hate it when people care about you!" She flung her arms around his shoulders. "Give Professor Lupin this hug, okay?"

"Um, okay," said Harry awkwardly. When he turned to watch Moody flag down the Knight Bus, Tonks raised an eyebrow at Ginny, who smiled with a shrug.

There was a loud pop and a double-decker bus appeared out of nowhere. The three loaded on, and with another loud pop, Ginny was left alone.

XIXIX

Lupin was asleep in his bed in the Recovery Ward of St. Mungo's when Harry walked in. Sitting by his bed were Bill Weasley and a very lovely young French woman with long silver hair that Harry recognized as Fleur Delacour.

Bill jumped up and extended his hand. "Harry! How are you holding up?"

"I'm fine," said Harry automatically.

"Oo are very brave," gushed Fleur, much to Harry's embarrassment. "I 'ave been so afraid with zees attacks coming more and more. But I know I 'ave to join zee Ordair. We must all fight zis, zis—Dark Lord," she spat. "We must all stand behind zee great Harry Pottair."

Harry was flushed bright red at this point. Bill couldn't help but laugh. He loved the effect his half-veela girlfriend had on men, himself included.

Tonks came to the rescue of the embarrassed Harry by asking, "How's Remus?"

"Recovering," said Bill. "Slowly, but—he's getting better."

Harry went to sit in a chair beside his bed. "Is he going to wake up?"

In response to Harry's question, Lupin stirred. He blearily opened his eyes and smiled widely at the sight of Harry. He made to sit up, but winced in pain.

Harry immediately leaned forward in concern. "Are you okay? What can I do? Do you need anything?"

Lupin let out a weak, but genuine, laugh. "Yes, nothing, no. Well," he said as an afterthought, "If you could help me sit up, maybe prop me up against some pillows, I would have an easier time talking to you."

Harry promptly did so, as gently as he could. He was pained to see Lupin as weak as he was, but relieved he was still alive. "What happened, anyway?"

Lupin looked like he would rather not talk about it, so Harry immediately tried to change the subject, but Lupin waved him off. "No, no, I'll tell you everything. I made it through," he sighed, "And what doesn't kill us..."

"Lands us in St. Mungo's for a few weeks," finished Bill with a grin. Lupin smiled too.

"I was on a reconnaissance mission with Mundungus Fletcher, trying to locate what we think might have been a meeting place for Death Eaters who are working within the Ministry. Mundungus was supposed to be keeping watch while I checked it out. We had a series of signals worked out. But on his watch, he decided to slip himself a drink or two," said Lupin warily, "and meanwhile, a small group of Death Eaters in full shroud slipped by him." He shook his head. "He signaled me only just in time—almost too late. I dodged an Avada Kedavra, but was hit with a stunning spell and four Crucios, that somehow locked me into the spell. They apparently thought I fell from the Avada Kedavra because they sent up the Dark Mark and disapparated."

"What do you mean you were locked into the spell?" asked Harry, feeling nauseous.

"I mean, the wizards disappeared, but the pain didn't."

"But that's impossible!"

"I know. It was hours before the Healers could take it off." Lupin closed his eyes. Harry took his hand and squeezed it.

"So they've done something with the Cruciatus Curse to make it even worse? Merlin's beard! Only a Death Eater..."

"No kidding, Harry," said Tonks. "After so many hours under the spell, Remus' body was in a right state. It would take a powerful bit of magic to do what they did to a man as healthy as Remus. I mean, the combined force of four spells..." she trailed off.

"When I get my hands on Mundungus Fletcher," growled Moody.

"You'll do nothing to him at all," said Lupin. Harry looked at him in surprise. Lupin sighed, his eyes dark. "He's resigned from the Order and withdrawn in shame. Much as I would like to throttle the unreliable drunk, I'm sure he's punishing himself far worse than I ever could."

Bill shook his head. "You've got to be about a billion times more forgiving than me, Remus. I am amazed." Fleur agreed, and kissed Lupin on the forehead for it. Lupin flushed and looked at Harry.

"So, ahem, Harry, how have you been holding up?"

Harry scrunched up his face. You're the one in the hospital.

"I'm fine," he said.

Lupin regarded Harry for a moment. He opened his mouth, but then seemed to think better of it, and closed it again. Harry looked up and realized everyone was watching him. He shifted uncomfortably in his seat.

"So, what about the Death Eaters that did this?" he asked.

"They were in full shroud," said Moody. "We didn't get an ID on a single one of them."

"Do you have any suspicions?"

"Of course we have suspicions," said Bill. "And we suspect that they were all members of the Ministry. We just don't have enough evidence yet to prove it."

Harry opened his mouth and then closed it with a wry smile.

"What?" asked Lupin.

"I was just going to say, 'Why don't we go to Fudge with the evidence we have?' But of course, he'd never listen to us." The group laughed cynically.

"It's not just that," said Lupin. "One of Voldemort's greatest powers is his ability to divide people. The Ministry's already against us." Tonks cleared her throat. "Well, of course not everyone, Tonks, but so long as Fudge is the Minister he will keep the Ministry from working with the Order. Now if we went in there and started accusing Ministry workers with insufficient evidence, it would cause chaos."

"Half the Ministry would ban together against the Order," said Tonks.

"And the other half would engage in, well, a 'witch hunt', accusing anyone of being a Death Eater for the slightest of reasons," agreed Harry. He had some experience with this recently.

"People have a hard enough time trusting each other as it is, and things haven't yet gotten as bad as they were the last time Voldemort was in power. If we can maintain some semblance of unity in the wizarding community, perhaps things never will."

Harry noticed that Bill scowled when Lupin mentioned unity. Fleur put a sympathetic hand on her boyfriend's shoulder. "'E will come around," she said sweetly.

Bill nodded, but barely concealed how upset he was. "Remus, we've got to get back."

"Of course, Bill. Thanks for coming to visit."

Bill patted Lupin's shoulder and said his goodbyes. Then he and Fleur left. Harry stared after them. "What—?"

"We think one of the Death Eaters that attacked Lupin is in Percy's department," supplied Tonks gently.

"In his department?" barked Moody. "Shares an office with the boy."

"Have they told him?!" asked Harry, alarmed.

"You know how things are with Percy right now," said Lupin. "He wouldn't believe us if we told him."

"Probably make a point to be friendly with the guy," said Tonks darkly.

"But we have to warn him," said Harry.

"It's no use right now, Harry," said Lupin.

Harry looked down. He didn't much like Percy after the way he had acted the past year, but he didn't want him to be in danger. Oh, Merlin— "Do Ron and Ginny know?"

Lupin shook his head. "I don't think Molly and Arthur told them."

Harry put his head in his hands. All these secrets...

Moody cleared his throat. Harry looked up. "Potter, we've got to get going. But we'll be back around four o'clock to pick you up, alright?" Harry nodded and the two Aurors left him alone with Lupin.

"Truthfully, Harry, how have you been?"

"I'm alright."

"Harry..." said Lupin warningly.

Harry avoided his eye. "I was really worried about you."

"But I'm okay. Tell me what else is going on." Harry shrugged, like there was nothing else. "I hear you've restarted Dumbledore's Army," said Lupin with an encouraging smile.

"That was Hermione, really, and anyway, now—"

"Now, what?"

"Well, it's kind of like what's going on with the Ministry. The DA is being targeted for attack in the halls, but we can't prove who it is, and we're trying to avoid a witch hunt, but half the group wants to just go ahead and start attacking Slytherins no matter if we have proof or not, and there's all this graffiti in the bathrooms about me killing Cedric, and the Slytherins are always saying his name whenever they see me, and then there's all this Dark-Mark-For-You-Harry-Potter shit, and my class load is killing me this year, and then there's this..." crush on Malfoy.

Harry shook his head in frustration and anger. He hadn't meant to let everything out like that. He felt weak, but when he looked up to Lupin, he was nodding seriously, and with sympathy.

"What are you doing about the DA?"

"Pretty much the same thing they advise to deal with the Death Eaters. No one in the DA's ever alone if we can help it. We're working on shielding charms now. They're really improving quickly now that I've got them divided into smaller groups and appointed more leaders. What?"

Lupin was smiling. "Nothing, it just sounds like Dumbledore's Army really is becoming one."

Harry considered this, and nodded. "Yeah, I guess so."

"What about the graffiti and the name-calling?"

"That's not going to stop. I just try to ignore it."

Lupin narrowed his eyes, but nodded. "And as far as the Dark Mark goes—you do know that there is not an intelligent witch or wizard out there who is going to turn against you because Voldemort says so, right?"

Harry smirked. "I guess so."

"I mean it, Harry. People seem to be of the mindset of 'Why won't they just leave him alone?' They're on your side. And I think they'll stand behind you when the time comes."

Harry looked away quickly. It was the closest they had come to discussing the prophecy since Harry had heard it last year. He wasn't ready, and he didn't want to talk about it until he was.

Lupin let the matter drop for the time being. "In the meantime, who do you have a crush on?"

Harry looked up at him, slack-jawed. He hadn't said anything about it. How did he know?

Lupin laughed. "I thought so. Come on, out with it."

"It's just someone at school." Harry could feel himself reddening.

"Who?"

"I don't know. It's kind of a complicated situation."

"Mm-hmm?"

"I don't think I'm ready to talk about it."

Lupin smiled. "Well, I'm here when you are."

They talked on into the afternoon. Harry went down to the cafeteria at lunchtime and got them some stoat sandwiches. Afterwards, the Healers had to take Lupin out for a little magical therapy. Lupin came back groaning. He said he knew it was good for him, but damn did it hurt.

At 4:00, Mad-Eye Moody walked in followed by Tonks, who was whispering something into Arthur Weasley's ear. Mr. Weasley was grinning.

"Remus! How are you feeling today?" asked Mr. Weasley.

"You know, every day a bit better," said Lupin.

"And Harry," he beamed, "How are you holding up?" Harry rolled his eyes. Why did everyone keep asking him that?

"I'm fine."

"Good. How's everyone else? How's Ginny?"

"She's fine," said Harry, oblivious to the looks the adults were trading. Tonks winked at Lupin, who thought he might now understand the "complicated situation" Harry had been talking about.

XIXIX

Quidditch practice was going well that night. Harry felt he had finally hit his stride as Captain of the Gryffindor team. He had to keep a fine balance, watching his team practice, and practicing himself by looking for the snitch. The Hufflepuff game was coming up in a matter of weeks, so the team was practicing harder than ever. It would be their last game of the year, and if they won, they were a shoo-in for the House Cup.

Usually when they practiced alone they would only release one bludger, but today they had both. It was a grueling practice, but the team was doing quite well with it.

Harry was zooming around in search of the snitch when he saw Ron reaching out to save the quaffle from scoring his left hoop. With his concentration on Ginny and the quaffle she was shooting toward him, he failed to notice the bludger flying straight for him. Christopher, the nearest beater, almost made it, but not quite.

Ron took the bludger in the shoulder, and spun sharply toward the earth, clutching his broom, and the quaffle. In his pain, he only managed to regain control of his broom just before landing. He hit the ground with a thud.

Harry sped to the ground with the rest of the team. Ron was in a heap, curled up around the quaffle, holding his shoulder.

"I caught it," he said weakly with a smile.

"Ron, you goof! Are you okay?" Ginny looked like she didn't know if she should hit him or take him to the infirmary.

"I'm okay. My shoulder's a little bunged up, though." He looked up at Harry, dazedly.

"We should probably call it a night anyway," said Harry. "Good job tonight, guys. Round up the bludgers and hit the showers. I'll get the snitch and—"

Swoosh!

The team looked up to see a streak of green overhead. Harry saw Malfoy reach out his hand and catch the snitch. He swerved around and headed back toward the other end of the field, where the Slytherin team was waiting for him. He dismounted his broom lightly, and the group strode toward the Gryffindors.

Harry took a deep breath.

Here it comes—the personification of all of his problems. Malfoy was the son of Death Eaters, the leader of Slytherin, as conniving as the worst of the politicians in the Ministry, and the schizophrenic bane of Harry's fantasies. In detention, he had been such a funny and intelligent and attractive person. Harry dreamed about that Malfoy every night now. And that Malfoy frustrated Harry to no end when he found himself having to deal with this Malfoy—the sneering, self-centered prick who delighted in making Harry's life miserable. Harry glared at him. Here it comes.

As they drew near, Malfoy held out the snitch in a taunting manner. "All this time out here, and you still couldn't find this thing?" he jeered.

Harry looked around quizzically. "What's that I hear?" He made a quick motion, as though grabbing the snitch out of the air right next to his head, reminding Malfoy of a time he had been too busy laughing at Harry during a game to notice the snitch was right by his ear.

Malfoy flushed, changed his tactic. "What's wrong with your keeper? Did the poor bastard fall off his broom again?" The Slytherins snickered behind him. "This is the sorriest excuse for a team I've ever seen."

"We beat you, rich boy," said Ginny scathingly.

"No you didn't," drawled the blonde. "Professor Snape seems to be of the mind that someone put a hex on our chasers' brooms before the game with Gryffindor. We've called a rematch due to potential cheating. Now clear off the field, and let a real team practice."

"You can't do that!" said Ginny, stepping forward with her hands clenched into fists. Harry grabbed her and pulled her back.

Malfoy jerked his broom back behind him. "Stay away from my broom, you cheater!"

"Oh, sod off, Malfoy!"

"Potter, I'd tell that Weasel girl to shut up if I were you," Malfoy warned, motioning toward Ginny with the snitch.

Harry drew himself up, readying himself for a fight. But then he saw the snitch in Malfoy's hand. In a flash, he saw his dream of Malfoy on the field, holding the snitch, then smiling, and then writhing on the ground. Maybe Malfoy really didn't have a choice. But Harry did. He could get out of this without a fight.

He took a menacing step toward Malfoy. The Slytherin team leaned in, ready to pounce. Then Harry turned back to Ginny and said, "Shut up, Weasel girl!"

The Gryffindors regarded him for a second before bursting out laughing.

Malfoy was fuming. Harry went to Ron to help him to the infirmary. The Slytherins were calling the Gryffindors every name they could think of. Harry just waved and they kept walking, and kept laughing.

XIXIX

After his shower, Harry slumped into a chair in the common room with some homework. He was hardly paying attention to it, though. His thoughts were on Malfoy. He felt pretty good about mocking the guy, and while that was better than slugging him, he still wished for something else.

He stared at his book, thinking about the conversation they had had in the storeroom that night. He thought about Malfoy moving in on him, breathing on his neck. He thought about Malfoy smiling at him, and Malfoy going out of his way to be a total prat to Harry every day this week. He thought about Malfoy reaching under his shirt.

"Whatcha working on?" asked Ginny as she sat down in the chair next to Harry.

"Transfiguration," said Harry. Then he looked at his book. "Oh, no, I mean Potions."

Ginny laughed. "Come on, it's Saturday. Put that away."

"She's right, mate," said Ron, who had just gotten back from the infirmary. "You're going to turn into Hermione."

On cue, they heard a gleefully shrill "EEEeee!" coming from the stairs to the girls dormitories.

"What the—?"

Hermione bounded down the stairs with a piece of parchment in her hand. "Guys! I just got a letter from Victor! He's decided to join the Order!"

"That's great!" squealed Ginny.

"Yeah, great," mumbled Ron.

"He's coming to meet with Dumbledore on Valentine's Day weekend—he wants to know if he can see me."

"It's a Hogsmeade weekend!" squealed Ginny.

"Yeah, great," mumbled Ron.

"I have to go write him back!" And with that, Hermione bounded away.

Ron slammed his hand on the armrest of his chair. "Great! Hogsmeade with Vickie!" He got up and stalked out of the room.

Ginny rolled her eyes at Harry, who just shrugged and turned back to his book. He could understand how Ron was feeling. Malfoy's girlfriend Pansy Parkinson was always draping herself all over him. She wasn't right for him. She was completely lacking in personality. She wasn't even that good looking. Well, she kind of was, but she was still wrong for him.

"So," said Ginny, "Do you want to go to Hogsmeade with me next weekend?"

Harry furrowed his brow. "I don't know if Ron's going to want to go as a group," he said. "I mean, for safety's sake, I guess we should. They're as likely to attack someone at Hogsmeade as they are here..."

He looked up at Ginny, who was staring at him like he was extremely dimwitted. Harry shrugged, "Well, it's true. I'm gonna go check on Ron." He closed his book and headed upstairs.

Behind him, Ginny grabbed her hair in fists and fell over in her seat groaning, "Merlin's beard! That boy is impossible!"

Pavarti Patil looked over and smirked sympathetically. "No kidding. You remember the Triwizard Christmas Dance?"

Upstairs, Harry found that Ron had closed the curtains around his bed. He lay down on his own bed, drawing the curtains around him.

He stared up into the darkness and waited for his schizophrenic fantasy—Malfoy.

Here it comes.

XIXIX

XIX

X

Marilyn,MyBitterness- Well I'm glad you liked my answer! Thanks for coming back!

Wintermoon2- Thank you! And thank you for reading! And thank you for the tip on HP lexicon! Much appreciation, all around!

Kearie- Thanks for reading! Hopefully, you're talking about my poetic tendency toward sentence fragments, and not just things that I've missed. I am trying to clean fragments out of my stories for the most part, but sometimes they just work better. But please, point out the nit-picks, because as I have mentioned, I'm anal. ;)

Fantasy101- Thank you, and thank you for reading!

Fyre- Brilliant, eh? Oh my, flattery will get you everywhere! Thanks for reading, I do hope you continue to enjoy it!