Chapter 7

"Hello!"

Hermione, who was absorbed completely in her book, grunted.

"Hello?"

"Back so soon, Harry? What'd Ernie have to say?"

Draco, exasperated, yanked the thick volume from her grasp. "Hi, 'Mione."

Her brown eyes darkened to black as soon as she saw him. "Give it back, Malfoy."

"Why must I?" Draco flipped lazily through the book. "This seems like a rather interesting read…ooh, did I just see the word wizard?"

"Give it here." There was a definite edge to the Muggleborn's voice now.

"What do you find so…attaching about these things anyway?" Draco turned the book over and over in his hands, a light smirk on his face. "They're not much, just some parchment stuck together with someone's scribbles in them…"

"Because they're very INTERESTING, Malfoy—not that a person of your mental capabilities can fathom that term."

Draco clapped his hands together in mock joy. "She speaks!"

"Well by golly, what did you think I was doing? Croaking?" Hermione snatched at her book.

Draco held it away, reacting to her attempted grab with lightning reflexes. He hadn't been made Slytherin Seeker just for his money.

"Mind if I borrow this, Granger?"

"Yes, I do mind!"

"Thanks." He leapt for the compartment door.

"MALFOY!" Hermione screeched as he scurried out. "THAT IS AN IRREPLACABLE, ONE-OF-A-KIND FIRST EDITION OF LORD OF THE RINGS! IF YOU DO ANYTHING TO IT, I WILL KILL YOU! HEAR ME? KILL YOU!!!!"

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Harry practically tripped over himself getting to the door of Ernie's compartment when he heardthe shriek that was unmistakably Hermione. Ignoring Ernie, he stumbled out into the aisle and made a beeline for his best friend.

She was standing just outside the compartment he'd left her in, her face beet red and her eyes smoldering.

"What happened?" Harry cried

She took a few minutes to compose herself. "He took my book."

"Oh no. Not your very rare, one-of-a-kind Fellowship of the Ring?"

"Exactly."

"You want me to jinx him?" Harry brandished his wand. "Just tell me who to jinx and I'll jinx."

Hermione shook her head. "I'll deal with him myself. Thank you, Harry."

Harry smiled and ruffled her bushy brown hair. "No problem. I've been doing it for years anyway."

He and Hermione reentered the compartment.

"So what'd Ernie say?"

"Oh, I can't thank you enough for screaming at just the right moment. I was already dozing off from his speech on Impediment Jinxes…"

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They reached their destination a few short hours later. Ron rejoined his best friends and they snagged a carriage together. While on the ride, Hermione filled Ron in on what had happened. Apparently, he'd been at the far end of the train talking Chudley Cannons with some other Gryffindors and hadn't seen or heard anything. As expected, after hearing the report, Ron started to get wand-happy.

"Where is that fat-headed git? I'll shrink his head, hang him by his toes, dye his hair red-and-gold…"

Harry and Hermione laughed at the mental image that had instantly formed in their heads.

The castle was just as they had left it all those months ago, still breathtaking and beautiful. The trio smiled at each other excitedly as they took their seats at the Gryffindor table—they would get to see the Sorting again.

"Anders, Artie" became the first new Gryffindor. Harry and Ron were rather surprised at this—Artie looked like he would topple over if someone so much as exhaled in his direction. Indeed, the sight of the boy approaching the table was so appalling to Ron, he even snapped out of his usual hunger-crazed trance.

"That scrawny wimp is supposed to be a Gryffindor?" he muttered. "I mean, look at those GLASSES."

"And the shoes," Dean Thomas agreed. "Who on this earth wears RUBBER SHOES THAT LIGHT UP when you walk?"

"He's TINY. He's barely five feet!" Seamus Finnigan exclaimed.

"I think he ought to retry the hat," Harry added without thinking.

"I think we all pretty much looked like we weren't Gryffindor material when we were Sorted," Hermione replied. She shot the boys a highly-disapproving look.

Harry looked a little guilty. He quickly flashed Artie Anders a big smile as the first-year sat down tentatively a couple of places away.

Ron simply went back to looking hungry.

"Finally!" he moaned when "Yu, Xiao Ying" was Sorted into Ravenclaw.

Hermione wrinkled her nose at him. "You are such a pig."

"Here they go again," Harry muttered.

Luckily, Dumbledore cleared his throat before Hermione and Ron could start one of their famously loud fights, and the Great Hall quieted down.

Harry's eyes drifted towards the staff table for the first time that night.

There was Snape, his least favorite professor, looking cold and cruel as usual, the Gryffindor Head of House Professor McGonagall, Hagrid, the Care of Magical Creatures teacher…

His green eyes fell upon an unfamiliar face.

She was very pretty, with long brown hair that had been pulled into a low ponytail. She wore glasses, which gave her that "teacherly" air, and her face held an expression of toughness.

Dumbledore was already talking. "And I would also like to welcome our new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher, Professor Greenleaf."

Their new professor rose from her chair and smiled at the students. She had a very nice smile, Harry noted. It was certainly nice enough to make most of the boys sit up and take notice.

"Now…tuck in!" Dumbledore clapped his hands and food began to fill the golden plates.

"Is it me, or are we FINALLY getting a pretty Defense teacher?" Seamus managed around a mouthful of potato as everyone started stuffing their faces.

Ron nodded when he finally succeeded in swallowing the huge wad of meat in his mouth. "About time we got some retribution. Right, Harry?"

Harry, who had been chewing the same bite of steak-and-kidney pie for the past few minutes while staring up at the staff table, was startled.

"Oh. Um, yeah. Right."

Ron peered at him. "You all right, mate? Did you get a bad pie?"

Harry shook his head, both to answer Ron's query and to clear his head. "It's nothing. I'm OK."

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A/N: PRAISE BE TO THE LORD FOR GREAT IS THY FAITHFULNESS AND GREAT IS THY MERCY TO ME!

By the way, Professor Greenleaf, Artie Anders, and Yu Xiao Ying are mine. :)

And of course, to my reviewers:

Delayed Action Ninja- Thanks! :) Well, that kind of stage is also very nice, but I wanted Draco and Hermione's relationship to develop from honest respect and friendship, not from passion caused by hate. But I will be putting in some "moments" soon, so fear not! :)

Flavagurl- Thanks! :)

Foxer- Thanks! :)

Alcapacien- Thanks! :)

Crimson Girl- Thanks! :) And yeah, you are. :)

MissDitzy- Thanks! :) Yeah, it's tough, because you need a lot of time to be able to develop it, but it's worth it. :)

Ehlonna- Thanks! :) Well, Draco wasn't there at the time because he was with his mum (and presumably Crabbe and Goyle). Hermione went on ahead because she wasn't exactly needed yet, the other Order members being there and watching Harry's back and all. :)

Draco- Thanks! :)

Coming up: The bodyguarding begins…