Chapter 15: Sixth Years Defense Class

Harry turned to Hermione, shifting from one foot to the other, "I just want you to know that I am really happy for you and Ron, even if it doesn't seem like I am, it is just hard to see couples together, when I know I can't be with Ginny."

Hermione laughed, "Yeah, yeah Professor, quit stalling and go let my classmates in. And by the way, we know you are happy for us, Ron thinks you are just weirded out by the idea of you best mate and your sister dating, he doesn't know how you feel about Ginny."

"Right well take your seat Ms. Granger it is time for class." Harry walked over to the door, and pulled it open, waiting in the corridor, were the other twelve N.E.W.T., sixth years. This group consisted of Ron, Dean, Seamus, Neville, Lavender, the Patil twins, Susan Bones, Justin Finch-Fletchely, Ernie MacMillian, Draco Malfoy, and Pansy Parkinson, much to everyone's disappointment, even Malfoy's it seemed. "Please take your seats; you will not need wands or quills today."

Seeing Hermione already in her seat Pansy smirked, "What's a matter Granger; Weasley isn't enough for you, so you're screwing Potter as well."

Harry saw the temper rising in both of his friends, and felt his fury building as well, so he said the first thing that came to mind, "Detention, Ms. Parkinson, for deliberately provoking another student." She turned and ugly shade of purple holding down her fury, but said nothing else.

Harry took a deep breath and sat down on his desk, "Some of you already know what I am about to tell you, I am sure you have all heard bits and pieces of the story at the very least but I would like for you to listen just the same. I am going to tell you about my experiences fighting against Voldemort." The entire room gasped, Harry rolled his eyes, "Tell me, how anyone is going to defeat him, if they are all afraid to say his name? You all had to know that I was about to say it, it's all over the school, 'first Defense class Harry Potter is telling us about all of the things he, that Weasley boy and Granger have done,' so why are you so surprised?"

"We'll we didn't think that you would just come out and say it plain as day," said Dean from his place at the back of the room.

"That's what I called him all last year in the DA." Harry ground his teeth, he could not fly off the handle at Dean, this was a class, and he was the Professor. "Now, if you are all finished with your ridiculous gasping, I'll continue," Oh, God! Even as he heard himself speaking, sounding almost a surly as Snape he could not stop. He closed his eyes for several seconds, trying to gain control over his temper. He took several deep breaths, in through the nose, out through the mouth, and started to speak. The words came pouring out, as he finished he was shocked that he had no one had interrupted, not Pansy, not Draco and not Dean which was fortunate because Harry probably would have cursed him into oblivion, and that would have been hard to explain.

As they sat staring at him he had a sudden idea, "I want a foot of parchment from each of you for next class. Your topic is the one reason you think Voldemort should be defeated, the one thing above all others that you want to see preserved."

"And what is your reason," Pansy said with a sneer.

Harry sat for a minute thinking, staring over his steepled fingers, before he answered, in an even tone, "Love."

The sneer slowly evaporated off of her face and she seemed unsure of what to do next, she had not expected him to respond at all, much less with such honesty. Hermione leaned over to Ron and whispered, "He looks just like Dumbledore."

Harry jumped off the desk, "Right, well see you next lesson, bring your essays." He watched the Slytherin, Hufflepuffs, Ravenclaw, and Gryffindors depart, he turned back to his housemates, "So that went pretty well right?"

"Yes, it did, I thought you handled Pansy very well indeed." Hermione elbowed Ron in the ribs as she finished speaking.

"Yeah, mate, real good, but why'd ya give us homework? You didn't give Ginny's class homework."

Hermione glared daggers at her boyfriend, "Ron, Harry is our Professor, he can give us homework if he wants to, besides I think it's a great assignment, it will really make some people evaluate their actions."

"You mean people like me right, did you just forget I was here?" Malfoy accused her.

"Ummm…" Hermione looked unsure of how to respond, "No that's not what I meant at all."

"Sure Granger, I may not be top in every class but I am far from stupid," he stormed out of the class room.

"Stupid Prat, where does he come off talking to Hermione like that," Ron exclaimed.

"Ron," Harry said in a warning tone.

"He has no right to treat her that way! I ought to hex him."

"You'll do no such thing. His entire school life has been turned on its end, you can't expect him to just sit quietly and behave all the time. Imagine if you had been put into Slytherin, do you really think that you could just suddenly be like the other Slytherins! You couldn't so lay off!"

"I would never be put in Slytherin to begin with; I am not a death eater like him!"

"You don't know that he is a death eater! Just because he is a Slytherin does not make him evil…the Hat almost put me in Slytherin twice! Am I a death eater then, am I evil!" Neville squeaked and fell over onto the floor unconscious.

Hermione ran to his side, "Neville, are you okay?"

"Of course, he's not okay, Hermione, he passed out! Would you be okay if you passed out for no reason!"

"Oh, wake up, Ron he didn't pass out for no reason! He couldn't handle you and Harry fighting. If something could rip you two apart like that, how are the rest of us not supposed to feel like we could be next!"

They stared at her, "Hermione," Harry said unsteadily, "you are my sister, nothing is gonna make me leave you."

She started to cry, "I know Harry, but you two have been best friends for years, and now this whole mess, and I just…"

Harry pulled her into a hug, "'Mione just because we have a fight doesn't mean we aren't gonna be friends anymore. You know that, we have had fights before, remember."

"Yes, your right," she said, drying her tears, "let's wake Neville up and get to transfiguration.

The rest of the day dragged by, there was an unusual tension in the group, Ron and Harry seemed to have forgotten their argument but, it still loomed large in Neville and Hermione's minds. The other girls seemed to sense that something was wrong and remained unusually silent.

They all retired early that night Harry and Hermione were the last in the common room, Hermione kept glancing up at Harry nervously. After twenty minutes of this Harry could not take anymore, and he put down the book he was reading, "Hermione, why are you looking at me like I am a bomb that could explode any second?"

"I…I just…er…wanted to tell you that I agree with what you said to Ron today, we don't know that Malfoy is a death eater and we shouldn't treat him like one. But I'm not sure we should completely trust him either."

"I know what you mean, but still he doesn't deserve to be exiled."

"I know. Good night, Harry."

"Night, 'Mione."

"Harry? Don't tell Ron, 'kay?"

"I won't tell Ron, now go get some sleep."

"Yes, sir, and you too by the way."

He saluted her and gathered his stuff; they each headed toward their dormitories. Harry was slightly surprised to find Draco leaning against a wall in their foyer. He stopped and gave the other boy a curious look, "What can I do for you, Malfoy?"

"I want to know why you did it."

"Did what?"

"This morning when Weasley called me a prat, among other things, you defended me, why?"

"Because, I now what it is like to be judged, all last year the whole wizarding world thought that I was nuts, and I just wanted a chance to prove that I wasn't."

"Today wasn't the first time, though, at King's Cross, you could have left me, and you risked your own safety to come after me."

"That would be because I have what Hermione calls 'a saving people thing' I just can't leave others in danger, no matter who. I know we haven't always seen eye-to-eye, and maybe we never will, but I wouldn't leave anyone to be tortured by people like that."

Malfoy just nodded, "So you almost got sorted into Slytherin, huh?"

"Yep."

Sensing he would not get any more out of Harry, Draco turned to go into his room, he paused with the door open and his back to Harry, "Good night, Harry."

"Night, Draco."

Harry lay awake in bed later, wondering if he had done the right thing with Draco. He and Hermione had just agreed not to trust him fully and Harry had told him about his need to protect others no matter who they were. But these worries were only in his mind, in his heart he knew that he had done the right thing. Just before he drifted off to sleep Harry heard a timid knock on his door, "Come in," he called, no at all surprised when Ginny entered the room.

"Harry, I had another nightmare, can I sleep in here?"

"Yeah, come on in."