Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter.
POV: Hermione
Hermione woke up early on Saturday morning with the intention of asking some people from other houses if they were interested in learning Defence Against the Dark Arts from Harry before the Great Hall became too full.
She spotted Ernie Macmillan and Hannah Abbott not far from the end of the Hufflepuff table. "Ernie will definitely be interested" thought Hermione. As far as Hermione was aware, Ernie was the only student, aside from Loony Lovegood, to openly declare that he did not think Harry was a liar. Ernie was also very well liked and respected by his peers and Hermione thought that this could be an advantage. She walked over to Ernie and Hannah, trying not to draw too much attention to herself.
"Hi, Ernie. Hi, Hannah" said Hermione trying to sound casual. "Do you mind if I sit down"
"No go ahead" said Hannah.
"Thanks" said Hermione sitting down on the bench next to her. "I wanted to ask you two something"
"What?" asked Ernie. "Have some toast" he added pushing a plate towards her.
"Thanks, Ernie" said Hermione as she took a slice and buttered it. "Listen, we're not going to learn anything in Defence Against the Dark Arts this year if Umbridge isn't going to let us use magic"
"I realise that" said Ernie. "Even the theory we're learning in her class might not be any use in our O.W.L"
"And it doesn't matter how well you know the theory. It won't be any use if you can't do the spells" said Hermione. Hermione never thought she would hear herself saying these words. Last year when she had been teaching Harry how to do a summoning charm she insisted that he learn the theory. "Anyway, I thought we should learn Defence Against the Dark Arts by ourselves"
"What do you mean?" asked Hannah.
"I mean finding people who are interested in learning defensive spells and starting - well, I suppose you'd call it a study group" said Hermione. "Ron and I have been asking people"
"I wouldn't mind having defence lessons"
Hermione, Ernie and Hannah looked up. A tall, skinny boy with blond hair and an upturned nose was standing opposite them. Hermione had seen him before in Herbology lessons, but she had never spoken to him.
"Hello, Zacharias" said Hannah. "Hermione, this is Zacharias Smith. Zacharias, this is Hermione…"
"I know who you are" said Zacharias abruptly. He sat down again and leaned forwards slightly. "When are these lessons starting?" he asked.
Hermione hesitated. She wasn't sure if she liked Zacharias. However, she couldn't exactly stop him from coming.
"We haven't worked that out yet" she said. "We're just asking people who we think might be interested to meet in the Hogs Head…"
"Why the Hogs Head?" asked Zacharias.
"Because students hardly ever go in there" said Hermione. "Apparently it's a bit dodgy"
"You want to start an illegal study group in a dodgy pub" said Zacharias sceptically. "How long do you think that's going to last?"
"Have you got a better idea?" challenged Hermione. "The Three Broomsticks won't be any good because it will be full of students and a Slytherin could overhear us and run and tell Umbridge"
Zacharias looked defeated.
"Well we could not go into Hogsmeade and meet in one of the classrooms" he suggested.
"Don't be stupid" whispered Hermione "Filch or Mrs Norris might catch us"
Zacharias thought for a moment.
"I suppose the Hogs Head will be alright. What time should we come"
Hermione sighed. She definitely did not like Zacharias, but now that he knew what was going on she couldn't tell him that he couldn't come.
"Twelve o'clock. Do you know where it is?"
"Yeah I know" said Zacharias. "Who've you got teaching these defence lessons anyway?"
"My friend, Harry…"
"Potter?" interrupted Zacharias.
"I don't know any other Harry's, Zacharias" said Hannah. "That is who's going to be doing it, isn't it?"
"Yes" said Hermione. "I'm not sure when we'll be starting. The meeting in the village is just to give us a chance to organise things and see who's interested and let everyone hear what Harry's got to say"
Zacharias raised his eyebrows.
"That could be interesting"
"He thinks Harry's lying" thought Hermione as Zacharias got up and walked off "And I was stupid enough to tell him what we're doing. He's probably half way to…"
"Hermione!" hissed Ernie reaching across Hannah and poking her in the arm.
"Sorry, I was daydreaming" she lied. "So are you going meet us in Hogsmeade"
"Definitely" said Ernie. "You heard me saying that my family have always stood behind Dumbledore"
Hermione nodded.
"And I am at a loss as to why no one has stood up to the ministry and told them that …"
"Maybe they're afraid too, Ernie" said Hannah thoughtfully.
"Not to mention they could end up in Azkaban" added Hermione.
"What?" asked Ernie and Hannah fearfully.
"I stayed with Ron Weasley in the holidays" whispered Hermione "Well his father works for the ministry. And he said that Dumbledore will be arrested if he's not careful"
"Well I'm not afraid to support Harry" said Ernie.
"And Harry really appreciates it" said Hermione earnestly. "But we don't want this all over the school. We just want to find some people who we can trust"
"Zacharias is alright, Hermione" said Hannah solemly. "I know he can be a bit abrasive, but he won't tell anyone what we're doing"
"The teachers are coming" hissed Ernie. "Hermione, you'd better go before Umbridge comes in here.
Hermione left the Great Hall still not entirely convinced she could trust Zacharias Smith. She felt like kicking herself for letting him overhear her. What if it had been Draco Malfoy?
"I'll just have to hope he doesn't tell" she thought. "Maybe I'm being paranoid. He might be genuinely interested in…"
Hermione was so preoccupied with Zacharias Smith that she wasn't paying attention to where she was going and bumped right into someone walking across the entrance hall. Hermione recognised the girl she had walked into at once. Her name was Eloise Midgen and she was well known for having rather bad acne and for accidentally removing her own nose when she had tried to curse her pimples off.
"I'm sorry, Eloise. I wasn't watching where I was going. Are you alright?" said Hermione.
"Yes I'm fine" said Eloise. Although her acne had improved several pimples still remained. Eloise walked off before Hermione had a chance to say anything else. However, the brief meeting had given her an idea. Smiling to herself, Hermione headed to the library.
