Harry Potter Boy who Lives

H P Boy who Lives 7th year

Chapter Five

Hermione's Lesson

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The first day of term begins and with it Draco and Harry's intensive training with Chen. Hermione discovers that sometimes it's best to stay out of a room unless invited, because things happen that you least expect...

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Dobby gave him a personal wakeup call, using a conjured gong beside his bed.

Harry stumbled out of bed. He looked at what his father had hung up for him to wear. His muscle shirt, sweat bottoms, hooded sweat jacket, socks, and Nikes. He took an icy cold shower, to wake up, put in his contacts, said the hell with shaving, and got dressed.

"I defeated Deatheaters and Voldemort; I can handle 4am physical training. I handled it from 10pm to 4am all through sixth year; I can go through two hours with Master Chen." He chanted, as he passed a bleary-eyed Draco in the hallway.

"Just kill me now." He stumbled down the hallway.

"It's too early to exercise." Ron yawned.

"Let's go boys your hell, I mean physical training awaits." James was wide-awake and ready to go train.

"Five miles of running should wake you sorry blokes up." Sirius, like James, was wide-awake and raring to go.

"Five miles total?" The two asked hopefully.

"Ten total, five miles both ways." Sirius laughed when the boys moaned in misery.

"He might make it two and a half to start, that's if he's in a good mood." James gave them hope.

Harry was sitting downstairs, getting his treatment from Master Chen. "It hardly hurts anymore." He answered Chen's questions about his arm.

"Ancient Orient healing accelerates your mending time. This should be off by Saturday, then arm will be good as new." Chen was pleased with his arms healing progress. "Both you and James will be healed."

Harry finished his herbal tea and took his other potions. "That's good news the cast itches."

"That's your arm healing." James drank his own tea and potions.

--

Master Chen eyed the sleeping boys standing in line in front of him, on the lakeshore. "A nice brisk run will wake you up, but first you must learn how to breathe correctly." Chen demonstrated a breathing technique, which they practiced for thirty minutes, all the while stretching their muscles to prepare them for the run. "Now I wish you to run from here, to Shrieking Manor gates, and back. No pausing, use the breathing exercises I have just taught you. Begin now."

"Yes, Master Chen," Ron, Harry, and Draco did as he commanded.

Sirius and James were already off and running.

"You have forty minutes to finish run." Chen shouted after them.

Forty minutes later James, Sirius, and Harry were back in front of Master Chen. Draco and Ron arrived ten minutes, later sweat soaked, and breathing like a freight train. Harry was starting to sweat, but not out of breath.

"Young Prince, has endured similar training before?" Chen was impressed with how in shape Harry was.

"During Sixth year from 10pm to 4am training with Tonks, Kingsley, Lupin, and Moody…Most of it physical, mental, and practical training…" Harry nodded.

"No fair you have an edge." Draco drank the tea that Chen handed to him.

"I was preparing for the battle of my life, and studied any means of defense, or offense, they could teach me, that I could research in the library, or get by talking to Uncle Albus." Harry drank his own tea.

"I hate to say it, but what's next?" Ron finished his tea.

"Brisk run builds strength in legs. Swim in lake builds strength in arms and whole body." Chen was sitting twenty feet above them on a pole, protruding from the ground. "Middle of lake and back, no pausing use breathing begin now."

Draco, Ron, and Sirius took off towards the lake.

"As for you young prince, we work on balance, and concentration." Chen jumped down from the pole. "Walk across the lower poles without falling. Poles move so you must concentrate."

Harry shed his jacket and walked up to the poles. "This was Moody's favorite training tool, but I wasn't broken when I did this before." He stepped onto the first pole with one foot, then to another, until he was standing on the other side.

"Very good, now poles grow higher," Chen made the poles grow ten feet higher off the ground.

Harry stepped on the first one, then the second, where he stood on it with both feet barely keeping his balance. When he finally made it to the other side sweat was soaking his clothing. "That was close."

The poles grew another ten feet and further apart. Harry glanced down at Chen and his father thirty feet below him, then at the obstacles ahead of him. "Uh, isn't this a bit high?" He called down at them.

"Ignore height, for it does not matter, focus on breathing, and concentration." Chen lectured him.

Harry noticed there were twice as many poles as before. Right focus on breathing and concentrating on not falling and breaking my neck.

He continued across the poles that seemed to move up, down, and swayed at their leisure. Easier said than done. Harry gritted his teeth in concentration and went about the task. It took him longer than his other tries, but he made it across.

"Excellent, young prince, but faster next time... Picture a Doxy chasing you, or perhaps a Redcap." Chen suggested. "Now go again."

Harry could see that Draco, Ron, and Sirius were heading back from their swim. "Faster got it," He stepped onto the pole and made it all the way to the center. He fought to keep his balance, behind him was his incentive a Doxy. Not wanting to be poisoned, he made his way across the poles to the other side. "Can I get down there's a...Doxy chasing..." The Doxy was gone. "Well, there was a Doxy chasing me." Harry frowned.

Draco was dragging, as was Ron, but Sirius was getting his second wind.

"The lake serpent is grouchy in the morning." Draco sprawled out on the grass, his energy was totally spent.

"It does make you swim faster though." Ron collapsed next to him.

"Now we meditate, relax our mind, and bodies to prepare us for the coming day." Chen now sat on a pole beside Harry.

The pole Harry was sitting on lowered down to the ground. "Tonks is good at this part." Harry got off the pole and sat down next to Draco and Ron. "You sit in lotus position, close your eyes, breathe, clear your mind, and focus on a tranquil place." Harry was one that liked meditation.

After thirty minutes of meditation, Chen pointed up at the poles forty feet in the air. "Very good, young prince. Now watch as James performs the poles blindfolded." James advanced across in record time, then went back on one foot. "That is what comes from practice."

James sat on the pole as it lowered to the ground. "Just like riding a broom you never forget." He had enjoyed his morning workout. He and Sirius were barely sweating, let alone breathing hard. In fact, they both looked teeming with energy.

"With proper breathing, one can climb mountains in record time without exuding all of ones energy. Dark Wizard hunting is very physical, as well as mentally trying on ones body. This training, will not only hone your physical form, it will exercise your mind as well. Reflexes will be lighting fast, which I believe is a positive in the game of Quidditch. Your concentration level will be so acute that your mind will be able to process situations and complex problems like lighting strikes the ground. Your balance will be unmatched, allowing you to perform flawlessly while on a broom, another positive in Quidditch. Now it is nearing half past six, you are free to return to the castle to cleanse, dress, and eat before your practical lessons begin." Chen dismissed them with a bow and all of them bowed back.

Harry, Draco, and Ron entered the Family wing, where everyone was up getting ready for class and breakfast.

"I'll be lucky if I can move by days end." Draco was nearly crawling up the stairs.

"Tell me about it my whole body hurts." Ron was crawling up the stairs.

Harry wasn't nearly as badly off, but his body was very sore from the workout. His legs screamed for mercy, as he gingerly took the stairs one at a time. It had been torture enough taking the stairs up to their wing. Now it was up more stairs, to his room, and a nice soothing hot tub a benefit of being prince, which he wasn't complaining about.

"Now I'm not sorry for the late night training sessions of sixth year." He made it to his floor and room. He was so tired and sore, that he stripped as he was heading for the tub. It to his delight was full of steaming water and scented with what smelled like soothing herbs. "Just what the Healer ordered." He stepped down into the tub and it activated like the spa at Lazy Meadows. He closed his eyes and let the water work its magic.

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Hermione got up from her reading spot, in the middle of his bed. She was still dazed from the view, that she'd been unconsciously shown by her other half. She'd known that he'd be aching and sore, so she'd prepared a bath for him, filled with healing herbs, salts, and a potion that his mother had given her that morning.

"I'll just, um, put these away in the soiled clothes bin." She held his sweats at arms length, not thinking of using her wand, or motioning with her hand to perform the task. Her mind was still on her view of the boy she loved so much.

Lily poked her head into her son's bedroom. "Oh dear, you got yourself a view didn't you." She noticed Hermione's dazed far-off look.

Hermione blushed crimson. "Um, well, you see I just wanted to...um... Make sure he was all right, so I've been reading on his bed, and he...he...stripped before even entering the..."

"They do that when they're too exhausted to care about anything, but relief on their sore, tired, aching bodies." Lily walked over and handed her the potions in her hands. "One is for pain and one is for energy to compensate for only rice, noodles, and tea for breakfast."

Hermione's eyes widened when she realized that Lily wanted her to go into the bathroom and give the potions to him. "You wish for me to...but...he...he's..." She stammered nervously.

"Healers are like Muggle doctors. The human anatomy is just something we see, besides he's your soul mate is he not." Lily could clearly see that Hermione was not ready for more than just serious snogging and that set her mind at ease.

"Yes, he is and I understand that. It's just that however wonderful the view may be I'm not ready for the rest yet." Hermione blushed so crimson that she was close to the color of a ripe tomato.

"Yes, I know that sweetie. That's why I trust you to walk in there and bring him that potion." Lily patted her on the cheek and left the room.

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Hermione took several deep calming breaths, to ward off fainting right there on the floor. "You can do this, Hermione. Just go in there give him his potions, then run out and go back to your rooms." She psyched herself into stepping into the bathroom.

Harry was still enjoying his soak, eyes closed and content smile on his face, as the water worked its magic. His right arm had Impervious cast on it, so even that was in the water.

"If I have a soak like this every morning, I just may live through Master Chen's training sessions." He growled contently, as his senses caught scent of roses. Hermione always smelled like roses.

He opened one eye and spotted her tiptoeing towards the tub, with two potions in her hands. Accio Potions, He held out his good hand and the potions transferred from her hands to his own. "Good morning angel of my heart, was it you that drew the bath for me this morning?" Harry watched as she blushed crimson and barely managed to keep a neutral look on his face.

Hermione nodded not moving from where she stood, only a foot away from the tub.

"Did you come back to check on me, do your usual and sit reading on my bed awaiting my return?"

Her blush deepening even more rewarded Harry, but she said nothing.

"I see, so you got yourself an unexpected view did you." He chuckled, unable to keep up his neutral expression, it was just not possible, and she looked so much like a deer caught in the headlights of a Muggle car.

"I just wanted to make sure you were all right..." She whimpered shakily.

"I know that sweets and I'm not mad. Just really enjoying my tub. What's in the potions?" Harry eyed the hot pink vial.

"That one is for pain, as you very well know and the other is an energy supplement potion." She sat down on the cool mosaic tile floor. "Aunt Lily said it should make up for what you lack by eating rice, Chinese noodles, and tea for breakfast this morning."

Harry downed both potions, setting the vials aside, before closing his eyes again. "What time is it, luv?"

She glanced down at her watch. "It's just going on seven, you can stay in there for ten more minutes, or I can, um, give you a rub down if you need one." She watched as his eyes instantly opened and that wicked grin spread across his face.

"Rub down is it, well, now how can I refuse an offer like that." He made like he was about to rise out of the tub and she bolted from his bathroom. "I was gonna wait until you left before getting out." He called out to her from the bathroom.

Hermione rewarded him with an "I'll just bet you were," growl from the other room.

Harry walked out of the bathroom towel drying hair with his good arm, dressed in his Gryffindor boxers. "The only things that are still sore are my legs and upper back."

Hermione's heart stopped, then started again, as he stepped into view in front of the conjured pile of pillows on the floor that she had for him to lie down on. "Well then, um, lay down there on your stomach and I will try to work the kinks out." Her mouth was so dry that she could hardly speak.

He walked back into the bathroom and returned with a glass of water. "Here angel, drink some water."

She took the glass downing every last drop before setting it beside her. "Thanks now lay down, so I can give you that rub down, and still have time to finish getting ready for school, before heading down with you to breakfast."

Harry did just that, allowing Hermione to work her magic, with the herbal liniment, and her hands.

"We ran from the lakeshore to Shrieking Manor without stopping. He gave us forty minutes to complete the run. Then because I can't swim across the lake yet, he put me through balance, and concentration exercises. I had to cross these poles that swayed and moved up and down. I got up to thirty feet before we finished off the workout with mediation. Dad and Uncle Sirius didn't even break out in a sweat."

"Did you honestly believe that they wouldn't remember their training? It must be like riding a bike, horse, or broom. You don't forget things like that." Hermione worked the tense muscles of his back with her eyes closed. It was a challenge, but she was managing to do the rub down, with only the occasional glance at what she was doing.

"You make a good point my heart and have made it so I'll be able to function enough to attend classes today." Harry rolled on his side, so he could look at her. "You had your eyes closed the entire time? Should I be insulted or flattered?" He teased.

Hermione glanced down at her watch. "Look at the time. You're all set and I have to finish getting ready for school." She bolted from the room.

Harry got to his feet and went to get dressed for the day, with a pleased smile on his face.

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7:25am Hermione's room

Hermione frowned at the diadem that Anna had braided into her hair. "How is this supposed to make me feel better? I can't look at him without turning as red as a beet and I have to spend from breakfast to three in the afternoon with him. I saw him naked and he was..." She buried her face in her hands. "Oh, I'm doomed."

"You're not doomed, child. The diadem is Queen Mab's; she wanted you to have it. Queen Guinevere wore it as a gift from Arthur. It gave her strength and the ability to handle any situation she came across. Now as for seeing my grandson in the buff, that was bound to happen eventually. You, dear granddaughter, are blowing an innocent situation way out of proportion." Anna brushed her hair, as she spoke in soothing tones.

Hermione reached up and touched the star shaped Paraiba tourmaline on the middle of her forehead. A bejeweled golden chain of multicolored tourmalines held it in place. "He wants to be an Auror so badly, but the training seems so strenuous. He was so out of it he didn't even notice me. He was thirty feet in the air, walking across wooden poles! What does that have to do with magic? This training is going to get him hurt, I just know it." Hermione had snuck outside to watch them train and had been horrified seeing him balancing on the poles.

"Harry's already an Auror. This training is a formality, but also a necessity. It will help him, as it did James and Sirius." Lily stood in the doorway. "I brought you breakfast."

"Alastor has done nothing, but rave about how well our boy did all sixth year, during his late night training sessions with Tonks, Kingsley, Remus, and himself. If anything Harry will plow through Chen's training. Now as for Draco, he'll make it, but Ronald, I'm afraid isn't Auror material." Anna walked over and poured herself some tea from the large loaded tray that Winky had prepared for all of them.

"Winky is such a little angel, she thought that you would like breakfast up here for your first morning." Lily munched on a piece of toast.

"Hermione's the reason they have rights, privileges, and wages. She helped them achieve their freedom and independence, by forming the Society for the Preservation of Elfish Welfare." Harry was sitting just outside the doorway of her bathroom, with a tray on his lap. Fried rice, wantons, Chinese noodles, and tea were awaiting his fork. "You wouldn't come to breakfast, so I came up to join you."

Anna walked out to survey her grandson. "Are you ashamed of your birthright?" She sat down next to him and snagged a wanton off one of the plates.

Harry knew what she was getting at, but didn't think that whether he wore the circlet on his head really mattered. "No, Gram I'm not. But, I wish to be equal to my classmates and wearing a crown of gold on my head makes that nearly impossible." He dug into his rice.

"I see your point. Still, indulge me and wear it anyway. If anyone asks tell them that you're humoring your Grandmother, who happens to be their Queen." Anna produced the circlet of gold from her robes and placed it on his head. "Arthur was said to have worn this when he was your age and training with Merlin."

"Like that doesn't put any pressure on my shoulders. First-Gramps will see this on me and expect nothing less than excellence." Harry was having no problem finishing breakfast. "Hey Annie, you can't hide in there all day. We have class in fifteen minutes with Gramps and Uncle Sirius."

Hermione was just finishing her stack of hotcakes and sausage when he called her by her middle name. "I am well aware of that, Jamie. You will forgive my actually having a reaction to seeing you naked, after watching you play acrobat on thirty-foot poles. That might I add horrified me when you nearly fell. To you a broken arm is nothing, so why not go for a broken back as well!"

Hermione got up and walked out to glare down at him. "I happen to care about that thick headed skull of yours even if you do not!"

She turned to look at Anna and then back at Lily. "Gran, the diadem is lovely. I'll visit First-Gran after classes are over and thank her. Aunt Lily, thank you for the chat. I will pay Winky a visit after dinner and thank her as well; I finished another dress for her." That said she left the room in a huff.

"Annie?" Lily walked over and sat in front of him.

"Jamie?" Anna arched a brow at him.

"That's between me and my wife. She was all for my training with Master Chen until this morning. Now she thinks I have a death wish, which I do not. This training comes as natural as breathing to me. I got this cast, because they chased me up on the roof. She panicked. Then George followed by Draco, Gin, and Angelina. I lied when I said I didn't remember. I just refused to lay blame when I ate the Ferret Fritter. What gets me is how she can practically drag me into a corner, attack my person last night, and then goes all miss innocent lamb this morning. If I have a James side, she has an Annie side! Who cares if she saw me naked, it was because she was worried about me. We're married it...No way! I refuse to have this conversation with my Mum and Gran." He set the tray aside and it vanished. "Annie forgot her book satchel. I'll be a nice husband and carry her bag and mine." He slung her bag over his good arm and then picked up his own by the handle before stalking off to class.

"I've got Ron and Neville in ten minutes, see you at lunch Mum." She gave Anna a hug.

"What's your first lesson?" Anna asked curiously.

"We're walking passed the barrier and going to the mall to people watch." Lily grinned.

"The boys will enjoy it that's if Ron is able to move, as for Harry and Hermione they will be fine." Anna smiled.

"Stephen is starting them out with getting out of binding spells without the use of magic. Oh and Ginny is in class with them a fact that I don't believe that Draco is unaware of. She scored O's on all her O.W.L.' S it's a reward for her." Lily was off to her class.

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Chapter Six

First Day Blues

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I do not claim any of JKR's characters only that I love being able to create my own kind of mischief with her beloved characters. I do not claim any other things that are owned by other companies that I may mention once and a while in the stories...Although the original characters and ideas are mine and I loved creating them. So please review if you wish but try not to flame me too badly.

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Cindra 2004-2008