Chapter 20

Harry hadn't been so amused in quite a while. Malfoy was standing there, wand caught loosely between his fingers and suggesting an 'exhibition.' Hah. Harry would've obliged him, but really. It would be rude to kill the guy on the first day.

So instead, he turned to Ron. "Mr. Weasley, would you care to do the honors?" he said, gesturing grandly, still unable to stop the grin.

It took Ron a second to realize what he was doing, and then the Head Boy rolled his eyes. "Bloody hell, Harry, you're being too damn nice," he muttered, and then heaved a sigh. "Right then, Malfoy. Let's have at," he said, raising his wand. Everyone else in the room took two very large steps backward, except Harry.

Malfoy sneered. "Come, come, Potter, afraid to show your stuff?" he taunted. "I'll only be a little cruel."

Harry wasn't sure if it was the fact that Ginny was standing to one side, her eyes serious and dark on the three of them, or Ron stalwart and sturdy next to him, but somehow the taunt didn't bother him. He laughed. "Malfoy, at some point I'll let you have your duel. But not today. I want you alive to teach the rest of them," he said with a jerk of his head and amusement still in his voice.

"Besides," Ron drawled. "You get to curse a Weasley. Isn't that just one of your favorite dreams?"

Draco snorted. "I rarely waste that much time on you," he said. "Very well, then, Potter, but I'm holding you to that duel." The last time Draco had seen Harry's wand work, unguarded, had been the incident with Bellatrix. Harry hadn't figured out how to control what was happening with his magic back then, so Malfoy would be in for a bit of a shocker.

"If you'd care to get back to the business at hand, Malfoy," Harry suggested, still feeling the smile linger in the back of his mind.

Draco shrugged negligently. "Very well then," he said. And then he whipped about, quick as a snake and hissed, "Flamare!" Ron barely had time to throw himself to the side and avoid the streak of red light that hurtled toward him before the battle was on.

"He didn't wait for the call to start!" someone, a girl, called angrily from the group of students. Harry turned to face them, letting the duel progress behind him. He could feel the magic ebbing and flowing, and had a pretty good idea of the evenness of the match. As long as Ron didn't get pissed and stupid.

"Deatheaters don't wait for an invitation," he said starkly, shoving his hands in his pockets and loosing all of the smile that had remained. "They will attack you from behind, in the dark, any way they can catch you off guard."

Ron, meanwhile, was doing some rather nice acrobatics as he dodged Malfoy's fairly impressive Cutting Charms. "Ron's saving his magic, and dodging instead," Harry said, narrating once more. "A lot of time, it's smarter to duck than to fire aimlessly back at an enemy." He winced a bit as one caught his friend on the upper arm, and blood started to seep through his shirt sleeve. Ooh, that had to hurt.

"Harry, he's hurt! Stop the duel!" someone shouted.

"Do you think a Deatheater will stop, if you get a cut?" Harry shot back, voice hard. They didn't understand. Not yet. "You want to live, you have to work through pain. Know how to handle it." Ron was still holding his own, he noted with pleasure, although he was moving a bit slower. He did land a good tickling charm, however, that gave him just a scant few seconds to get to a better position and start firing stunning spells. Unfortunately for him, Draco was just as good at ducking and probably a bit more experienced with the whole matter.

"Reverso!" Malfoy shouted, and Ron was abruptly hit upside the head with a bolt of his own blue light. He dropped like a stone, a rather large one, considering his size. Malfoy straightened out of his crouch, breathing hard, Harry noted with malicious pleasure. He strode over, limping just a touch from possibly a Foot Inflammation Hex, and grabbed the wand out of Ron's limp hand, his own never leaving the other boy's chest. He muttered under his breath, and Ron was promptly wrapped in thick cords from head to toe.

"Rule number one," Malfoy snarled, turning back around. "Never, NEVER, leave your opponent with a wand, or the possibility of fighting back. Deatheaters may have two wands. They may have other nasty potions or toys hidden up their sleeves. Always take the wand, snap it, and leave them tied up. Or dead."

There was a hissing murmur from the crowd at that, and Malfoy gave Harry a smirk, as if expecting him to contradict what he'd just said. Harry merely raised his eyebrows. "When it's life or death, be sure you know whose life you'd prefer to continue," he said coolly. "Yours or his." There was a slight hint of consideration behind those silver eyes, and the barest suggestion of a nod. Perhaps he and Malfoy could work together, after all.

"Right then," he said, turning back to the crowd. "You just saw a pretty good duel. Dodging. Ignoring pain. Using spells both simple and complex, trying to take your opponent off guard. Finally, completely disabling your opponent." He gave a nod. "Pair up, and have at. Pull no punches, and I mean it," he said.

There was a pause before movement slowly began, a murmur starting to rise from the crowd as people shifted about. Nothing really happened until Hermione's voice rang out, "Expellariamus!" and suddenly Ernie MacMillan was without his wand. And then dueling began.

Harry walked over to Malfoy and held out his hand for Ron's wand. The Slytherin studied him a moment before tossing it at him. Harry caught it out of the air without a problem.

"You dodged me, Potter. Why?" the blonde boy demanded.

Harry quirked one corner of his mouth at him. "I didn't want you dead," he said, with perfect seriousness.

Draco scowled, as if he was going to say something nasty, and then paused. "You're quite serious," he said, in a low voice.

Harry nodded, eyes on the silver ones. "I'm trusting you to help me save lives, Malfoy," he said. "I'm not about to make you look a bloody idiot before you begin."

Draco was silent another moment, that cool, blank look he so often wore on his face. "Fair enough," he finally said. "Only you still owe me that duel."

Harry nodded. "Fair enough," he echoed before turning back to Ron. He shook his head and started muttering counter-curses and healing charms before saying, "Ennervate."

Ron groaned and shook his head from his position on the floor, barely audible over the noise of the duels and spells flying about them. "I lost, didn't I?" he said glumly.

"Bang, you're dead," Draco drawled, ever so kindly from behind Harry.

"Put a sock in it, Malfoy," Ron said, so surprisingly not rising to the bait that Harry blinked. He heaved himself to his feet and held out his hand for his wand. "What?" he asked, the tips of his ears going red as Harry regarded him with interest.

"Just curious at how you're so calm about it all," Harry said quietly, tilting his head and considering. And more than a little tempted to take a peek inside his mind.

Ron shrugged, ears going redder. "I'm just like them," he said, nodding. "I need to practice and learn. And Malfoy's pretty good, ass that he is." Then Ron smirked, completely ignoring the Slytherin standing nearby. "Besides, I'll get him next time."

"You keep telling yourself that, Weasley," Draco drawled.

Harry grinned and handed over the wand. "Right then. Ron, you know the drill. Draco, we'll prowl about, try to keep anyone from ending up dead and heal anything that's dripping. Offer tips if you see the chance. Next time we'll work on some specific spells, but for now, let's get them used to the idea of fighting."

Draco gave a jerk of his head and glided off into the crowd, quite impressively for someone with a sore foot. Harry supposed he should have healed the other boy, but heck. He'd just rendered his best mate unconscious.

Ron gave a jerk of his head. "Shall we?" he asked.

Harry set his jaw. He didn't particularly want to, but that hadn't been a legitimate reason for him since he'd entered this school. "Right," he said.

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Cara was in pain by the time the hour-long session was over. Holy gods, Harry was going to kill them. And he was going to let Draco help. Of course, she thought, hobbling slowly toward Gryffindor, she could always end Draco's life and remove that problem. She knew just where to hit him, too...

A shadow detached itself from behind a statue as she stomped past, muttering. "McDaniels," it said softly.

She turned and glared, setting hands on hips. "I'm not terribly happy with you right now," she announced to the dark hallway. Humph. Of course Ginny had to stay behind and neck with Harry. Bloody friend.

Draco walked slowly toward her, eyes steady, intent. That swirling gray that always seemed to be saying more than she heard. "You told me before that you would be in this war whether I wanted you to or not," he said quietly, hands uncharacteristically in his pockets. "And if I haven't said it to you yet, my priority in this whole debacle is to keep you alive. So here I am."

Cara blinked and then swallowed. "The only reason you're doing this is for me?" she asked. Her voice wobbled just a bit.

He looked away, as if considering. "Almost all," he finally said. Eyes still off into the darkness. "I have no love for the Dark Lord or his minions. I would not fight for them. But I have no desire to risk my own life to stop them." His eyes turned back to hers. "But I'll risk it to keep yours."

Cara's eyes suddenly burned, and watered. She wasn't unaware by this point, of just how difficult it had been for Draco to get to where he was, given his past. He'd been a good little apprentice Deatheater for so long, and then it had all changed. Professor Snape had done that when she'd somehow gotten hold of Draco's heart. Cara had no illusions. The Potion Mistress was deeply loved by her boyfriend. She was mother and teacher and mentor and most trusted friend. Cara suspected it was because she had been the first person to truly care for him.

Her husband, that scary old bat, was more like Draco. Although from what she'd gleaned from Ginny, Snape was an active participant against the Dark Lord. He'd been a spy, it was said, and now buried himself in research to help the Light side.

And here was this blonde, gray-eyed Slytherin, watching her with cool eyes as he waited for her reaction to the news that he considered her life worth saving, and his unimportant. What was a girl to do?

Cara promptly burst into tears and flung herself against her boyfriend. Lips met, hands and arms clung, and the two went tumbling against the wall in a tight embrace. As hard, warm lips ravaged her own, Cara spared one thought from the sheer physical pleasure of it all. If his only thought was to be careful with her life, then it was up to her to be careful with his.

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Severus sat back in his chair, really not wanting to be at yet another staff meeting. Didn't Albus have anything, anything at all, better to do?

And of course, the old coot took that moment to call on him. "Come now, Severus," the Headmaster smiled. "Don't you agree?"

"I do not care one jot for what the Astronomy Tower has in it," he shot back, knowing the old man was baiting him and just annoyed enough to rise to it. "Get on with it, and end this bloody meeting, Albus."

McGonagall smirked at him from her seat across the table, as if enjoying his discomfort. Which, of course, she was. They each took great pleasure in baiting each other, house pride being only a part of the matter. To be perfectly frank, he had the greatest respect for the older witch, and always had. She was downright terrifying with a wand, and he knew it. She seemed to hold him in some kind of respect as well, he thought, with no small satisfaction. Probably because he could hold his own with wand, wits and words. He sneered back companionably.

Next to him, his bloody wife decided it was time to pick on him a bit. "Oh, dear, Severus must not have taken his Cheering Charm today," his loving spouse cooed. There was a ripple of amusement around the table, and he favored all those smirking with an evil glare that promised retribution. Perhaps a nice laxative in the pumpkin juice, come morning...

Meanwhile, Dumbledore was coughing lightly, eyes twinkling like the damned annoying old git that he was. "If I may continue," he said, pursing his lips inquiringly. Severus glared once more, and then turned his attention back.

"I must now speak on a far more serious note," the Headmaster said, and now Severus began to pay attention. Hmm, perhaps there was a reason he'd been told this meeting was mandatory. "As some of you have discerned, the students have once again formed a certain club, one that was last seen two years ago, when the charming Professor Umbridge was with us." There was a muttering at that. The Hogwarts professors had still not forgiven or forgotten that wretched woman. "I speak, of course, of the DA."

"They've started again?" Flitwick queried. "But why, Albus? After all, we do have young Bill here, who is quite competent in the Defense Against the Dark Arts." Weasley gave a nod to the Charms professor in thanks, but didn't turn his attention from the Headmaster. Which was points to him, Severus supposed. Unfortunately.

"All of you know that Voldemort is growing in strength," Dumbledore said, completely serious. There was no remnant of the twinkle remaining in his eyes. "That he is gathering his forces, that it has been far too quiet for far too long. Indeed, many of you have spoken to me of your worries." The Headmaster sighed. "There is no way to hide from it, my friends. And no matter how the ministry wishes to avoid it, the fact remains. War is coming. And it is coming quickly."

"Bloody Fudge," Weasley muttered, and there was a murmur of agreement. No one at the table was a fan of the Minister of Magic, even though he'd finally come around after that debacle with Potter and friends at the Department of Mysteries and admitted Voldemort was alive and well. No, dear old Cornelius was dragging his feet as much as ever, determined to prove that things weren't nearly as bad as they seemed. Unfortunately, Voldemort's pause in activities to gather his strength just gave the Minister a chance to be louder in his minimization of the danger.

"I fear I must share your sentiment, William," Dumbledore said gravely. "Cornelius is certainly not helping, and may possibly be hindering. Regardless," and here everyone straightened. Severus included. They were about to get some new information. "An attack is coming, my friends. This year, on this castle. Voldemort will seek to destroy his strongest enemies in one swift blow, and it may well be that we will be the only ones standing in his way."

There was silence for a long moment as that was digested, before McGonagall spoke up. "How do you know, Albus?" she asked. That was another thing Severus had to admire the Head of Gryffindor for. She never failed to ask the hard questions.

The Headmaster looked over at his Transfiguration Professor. "Young Mr. Potter, I fear," he said. There was a collective sigh of dismay. Potter's 'warnings' had so far had a rather unfortunate tendency to come true. The incident at the end of his fifth year being the notable exception. "And so it leads us to the DA once again. Mr. Potter has taken it upon himself to ensure that his fellow students are not left defenseless when the battle comes to them."

"They're only students," Sprout protested. "They shouldn't be fighting."

"The Dark Lord doesn't care for 'shouldn't', Sprout," Severus snarled at her, feeling darkness drag at his soul. Would this unending pursuit of the Light by the Dark ever be finished? "The students will be tossed into the whole mess if the battle's here, and some houses," he shot a dirty look at McGonagall, "are foolhardy enough to get involved even without the proper knowledge."

"Hence Mr. Potter teaching them," she snapped back at him, always defending her star student. Bloody Gryffindors. Sonora reached below the table and laid a comforting hand on his leg. For her, he refrained from continuing in that vein, settling instead for glowering and muttering under his breath.

"If you would please?" Dumbledore waited a moment before the teachers all turned their attention back his way, the Heads of Gryffindor and Slytherin the last to do so. "I wish to ask you all, do not penalize the students for their participation. Allow some leniency if they are in the halls, moving to or from the meeting. We may trust in the leadership of Mr. Potter," he nodded at McGonagall, who smirked. "And in that of Mr. Malfoy."

Now it was Severus' turn to smirk, even though the information was news to him. Malfoy had gotten involved in this little party? Well, he supposed the students might possibly get some understanding of what they faced, then.

"And what about us, Headmaster?" Weasley spoke up, face serious. "What can we do to help prepare?"

Dumbledore looked at him. "I fear we can do nothing but wait, my friends. Brush up on your combat skills. Pour over old books of curses and hexes. Try to discover yet another way to protect the castle from invasion." He sighed. "Hogwarts possesses a magic all of its own, and when the time comes, will not stand idly by as it is laid under attack. But in the meanwhile, we must ready ourselves any way possible. You will know what you need to do, when the time comes."

Bloody Dumbledore and his bloody vague statements, Severus thought sourly. Sure, he knew what he'd have to do. Put his body in front of others and die at the end of a former compatriot's wand.

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Ginny waited until all the students had left, and it was only Harry, standing and staring out the window at the dark grounds below. He was turning over in his hands a bit of bandage that Hermione had conjured for Hannah Abbott's head after she'd gotten a good knock when she'd crashed into a wall.

"Harry," she finally said softly.

He turned his head and looked at her. Those grass-green eyes were distant, shuttered. "They shouldn't have to," he finally said.

She looked back, intent and determined. "Neither should you," she told him softly, yet again.

His mouth twisted in some semblance of a smile, and he tossed the bit of bandage away. "It's my bloody destiny, not theirs," he said, putting his hands in his pockets and beginning to wander moodily about the room. "No one should have to do what I'm about to make them do."

Ginny'd heard it all before, and frankly, wasn't too interested in hearing it again. Harry still didn't understand, and maybe he wouldn't ever. But in the meantime, she knew there were more important things than brooding. She tucked her wand safely away, and began to walk toward him, unbuttoning the top three buttons of her rather sweaty school blouse as she did. It took Harry a minute to notice, but soon enough he was looking rather wide-eyed at the gap that showed a nice bit of cleavage.

"Err, Gin?" he said, as she stepped close to him.

"Shut up, Harry," she told him companionably. "You're going to worry and fret and feel guilty, and you won't let me help with that. So for now, we're going to put everything else aside, and there's just going to be us. Ok?"

He was still looking down, a fairly fascinated look in his eyes. It really was gratifying, after all this time, to see that slightly dazed look in her long-time love's face. He swallowed. "Ok," he said.

Ginny grinned and reaching out, caught him by the front of his shirt. "I really like you in this kind of dishevelled uniform look," she told him, before yanking him down and kissing the lights out of the both of them.

When they came up for air, they were both breathing hard. Harry's hands had found their way under the edge of her shirt and onto the bare skin of her back. She twisted one in his hair and the other was busy unbuttoning his shirt. "You make me forget there's a war," he said, rather thickly as she worked her way down his front, smoothing buttons away from fabric, stroking exposed skin and dropping soft, damp kisses against his chest. Lordy, she loved how a boy was put together, so different from a girl. He was all hard and muscles where she was soft and breasts.

"Good," she said, her own voice hoarse, and he kissed her. Hot, wet, and hungry. That kiss built and built until it was hands and tongues and bodies pressing closer and closer, parts aching to be touched. Somehow they wound up on the ground, on the practice mat, Harry's body half covering hers, his clothes strewn about, mixed with hers. Ginny moaned, her head tipping back and back arching as his lips ran over the tips of her bare breasts. Her fingers dug into the skin of his lower back, dipping even lower to clutch at his rear.

"I... you make me crazy," he said thickly, voice muffled against the skin of her belly, hands stroking up her legs.

"Me too," she gasped, rather incoherently. He seemed to understand, however, because his body moved against hers, and his hands slid into those dark, hot places that were just aching for his touch and Ginny cried out, clutching at him. He slipped his fingers under the edge of her panties, stroking over her hot, wet, sensitive flesh, and then ever so hesitantly pressed inside. She gasped, shocked at how it felt, so good and so terrifying all at once.

"Merlin," he muttered, moving his hand just a bit and sending waves of pleasure through her agan.

"Do that again," she mangaged, absolutely positive that something very nice would happen if he did. He did as she asked, and the feeling built. She groaned, and it seemed to encourage him. He did it again, and again, and Ginny felt herself winding tighter and tighter, clutching at him and pressing close and panting as she reached.

And then something inside her snapped, and her entire body seemed to explode inside itself. Strange little cries escaped her throat as she shuddered and shook. Nothing had ever felt this good before in her life.

Slowly her body seemed to calm, and she breathed hard, looking up to see Harry leaning over her, a look of awe and smug pleasure on his face. "What...?" she started.

It was cut off by a swooping kiss, one that just about got the whole thing started again, before he broke away. "We better stop," he said, voice thick.

Ginny pouted at him. "Why?" she asked, running fingertips over his back and making him shudder.

"Because I'm not going to screw this up," he said, closing his eyes and leaning into her caress. "I'm not rushing anything."

"Humph," she grumbled, bringing her hands around to trace his front. "Meanie."

He gave a rather pained laugh. "Believe me. I'm suffering." Ginny gave a glance down and blushed furiously, and Harry opened his eyes in time to catch the full effect. "I do love those full-body blushes," he said, grinning.

"Oh, shut it," she muttered, turning redder.

"Nah," he said, still grinning as he lifted himself off her and reached to pull her up. "I don't think I will."

Ginny raised one delicate eyebrow as she began shrugging back into her clothes. "Two words," she said sweetly.

He held up his hands. "Ok, ok, enough said," he said. Clearly remembering a certain conversation from the dinner table earlier. Clothes all in place, she waited while he checked to see that his own wand was tucked in his pocket, and then took his hand when he held it out.

As they were stepping out of the doorway and started down the dark, empty halls, Harry looked down at her. Feeling his eyes, she looked up. "Thanks," he said quietly.

She blushed, bright red even in the dark. "For what?" she answered, embarrassed.

He smiled. "For making me forget, for a nice long minute," he answered. She squeezed his hand in return and as they made their way to the tower, sadly wished that it could have been more than a minute.

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AN: So there you are, my dear, dear friends! Holy hell, look at the length of this chapter! Really, I should have made it two. But here I am, a sucker for those gazillion reviews and all those wonderful concerns for my rather nasty cold, giving you a monster of a chapter. With smut, no less.

brokentoy19, mary-v - I teach music to little darlings grades K-5. Most of the time I even like it. Lol.

Hplovah - Perhaps that little conversation above will answer your question about Draco's loyalties. He IS a Slytherin, you know, and their first concern is their own. Besides, how could he pass up the chance to hex Gryffindors? (smirk)

James And Lily 4eva - Aw, come on, Draco was always going to do the right thing! Maybe. Ok, so it was questionable. And Draco will never be nice to the vast majority of people out there, you're right, he's too much like Snape. Both of them don't care too much about what people want, with the notable exception of the women in their life. Lucky girls...

Plateado - I have a sister of my own who as repeated volunteered to 'take care of'' all those extra Weasleys. (Physically restraining said sister, who is currently calling 'mine, all mine!' at a rather scared looking Charlie Weasley)

Openspy - The window option is not yet off the table. (wink, wink)

Hawkeyessabre - Sorry, but you've got a little more to wait for the latest on Ron and Hermione. Hope the above compensated...

Starchild71177 - Thank you! I'm always glad to hear that characters are stay in, well, character. Lol. As for Ireland, I spent five months living and studying there when I was in college. The University of Limerick, it was. (reminiscing fondly)

Severus' Wife - (smirking) Hah! You are too late! You never should have taken that vacation. I have performed a switching spell, replacing all the chocolate in the world with object from my home. I'm eating my new 'chair' as we speek.

Echosound - Ah, well, oops on the Britany! (is that right? Lol) Enjoy the story!

Ferggirl99 - You know, I get an awful lot of complaining out of you... especially since you've currently got Charlie locked up in your closet! Really, you should let the poor guy out ever now and then to use the bathroom. Lol. And nope, it's still Fudge in this fic. I did try to do a little clarification, though, so I hope this chapter helped... And shut up on my typos. The spellcheck doesn't catch that, and I was tired. (sticking out tongue) Hermione was there, but she was kind of hanging back. Ron's taking the lead on this one, and she's still mulling over what was said at dinner.

Harry/Ginnyfan4ever - Sorry, my dear, you'll have to wait a bit longer for that one. I hope Ron ending up unconcious sufficed? Lol.

Child-of-scorpio - I do like Draco as the white ferret. Hmm... an idea for that promised match later on... (begins gorging on cookies) I better eat these before you get violent.

Lumos girl - See, I'm always boggled by poor spelling, when there's that nice little button sitting up at the top of the word processor... goes by the name 'spellcheck'... Glad you're liking. Keep reading and reviewing!

Silver Warrior - What did you do, read all the chapters in one sitting? Wow... you brave, brave soul. Who apparently has a lot of free time. Lol. Glad you're enjoying. As for Hermione being told off by Harry, well, we all secretly love it when the smart kid gets something wrong. Lol.

CreativeQuill - Tears are always good. For me, anyway. (grinning evilly) I hope the rest of the fic's living up to your expectations.

James Potter's Lily Flower - I don't know what to tell you about the problem with seeing the pages... if it's a persistant problem, you should report it. Fanfiction maintains the pages, not me.

MrsSakuraPOtter - Ok, I finally dragged myself over and reviewed. See? I can do two things at once... and please notice, no cliffie this time.

FemmeDraconis - I do love my Ronnie. (sighs) Too bad he's all Hermione's. (back, ferggirl99, back!)

Barbelibou - Sorry you were confused, chalk it up to cold medication! Hope this is better...

Moonglaze - Ain't it wonderful to contemplate a pride of Weasleys? Hmm...

Cherryblossom08, Krissy, sugarbaby, WorldConqueror, Tsusetsu, lluvatar, elijah'stheone, elvengoddess696, Tooki, kpxiceboi, MusicMonkey88, echosound, Karrie, obsessed87, LeighVionna, volleypickle16, foxyginny - Thank you all! Your well-wishes and offered cold remedies definitely helped. (grins) Not to mention the copious amounts of chocolate. Keep those reviews coming!