Okay, big chapter here people! You've all been waiting a long time for this one, I'm sure. I need lot's of reviews, I hope this chapter is recieved well. I'm a bit worried because I am no longer ahead of you in chapters, I have about 3 pages done on chapter 9, so I need lots of review to motivate me, let's see if we can get up to 100! Fingers crossed!

Harry awoke Saturday morning to bright sunlight streaming through the cracks in the curtains surrounding his bed. He found himself feeling more refreshed then he had in a long time. He figured he was lucky to have that at his advantage; he would certainly need all the energy he had to deal with the Dursleys today.

Harry assumed that was also part of the reason he'd had a semi-restful sleep, having his relatives here seemed to have taken it all out of him. The student were supposed to take their families to each of their classes today; Merlin knew how well that would go.

He could just imagine Vernon and Petunia's reactions to the sort of things he studied. All he knew was he was incredibly thankful Hagrid was not bringing in the Dragons until after Christmas.

Harry swung his legs out of bed. He'd better get going. The Dursleys never liked him sleeping late and it would probably make no difference being here. As he pulled on his robes, Harry welled up with the injustice of it all. The one place he considered home, the one place where he was free of the Dursleys, and now that vision of perfection was crushed.

In the Common Room, Ron and Hermione were already waiting for him.

Hermione got out of her chair, "You ready?"

Harry wasn't sure weather she meant breakfast, or facing the others, but either way, "We'll see won't we."

When they stepped into the Great Hall and Harry spotted his aunt and uncle at the Gryffindor table, his refreshed feeling seemed to vanish and exhaustion took over. When he took his seat across from them, Harry noticed they were taking hesitant bites of their food. It seemed hunger took over their fear.

Vernon glared at him, "So what are you expecting us to do here? Because if you think you're going to get me to do any of that hocus pocus you're off your rocker."

Harry rolled his eyes, "The Headmaster wants us to show you our classes, and you couldn't cast a spell if you tried, so don't worry." Petunia's beady little eyes stared him down in anger.

Through all of breakfast Ron and Hermione were on his right and left, respectively, showing their silent support. The rest of the meal was spent chatting with the other families. Harry did as best as he could ignore his adult counterparts.

He took them to Care of Magical Creatures first. It took a lot longer than it should have getting down to Hagrid's cabin; they had to stop every few meters to let Uncle Vernon catch his breath. When the finally made it to the makeshift classroom, his Aunt and Uncle immediately recognized Hagrid, really who could forget him.

"You!" Petunia shrieked, "He is one of your teachers?"

Hagrid looked rather hurt, and Harry was quick to his defense, "And he's one of the best we have." Hagrid beamed at him.

They were predictably horrified at the miniature practice Dragons. Harry said proudly, "We get to use the real thing, after holiday." Petunia nearly fainted.

In transfiguration Vernon and Petunia took a seat next to a brown and gray feline, which transformed into his professor upon their seating. Needless to say, they wouldn't take a seat the rest of the day, and McGonagal was quite pleased too.

Charms was nothing out of the ordinary, a flurry of activity. Flitwick stood on his little pile of books in order to greet the relations. Vernon and Petunia released his hand quite quickly.

Harry had this sunken feeling in his stomach as he led his aunt and uncle to the dungeons. The Dursleys were bound to be pleased about the way this class was run. They entered the classroom a bit late, and Vernon held him back in the doorway.

Snape peered over the room of crowded heads, "Potter, you fool, don't just hover in the doorway you're letting in a draft."

Harry was sure he saw Vernon smirk at that. Well at least they'll relate to something, or someone, he thought. He looked up at his Aunt and Uncle as they paid rapt attention to the menacing teacher.

"Your children are currently attending my NEWTs potions class. This is the highest level they can achieve, you should be very proud of what they have achieved." Harry found it amusing how the potions master could lie to Voldermort, but had trouble lying about the competence of his students. It was obvious his mantra was not one of his own choosing.

"There are some however," his eyes landed on Harry. Here we go "that could do with improvement, or perhaps more discipline." Vernon closed his eyes and nodded promptly, a look of utter joy that someone finally understood what a delinquent his nephew really was.

Harry had a sudden image of Snape, Voldermort, and Vernon all sitting around a pool table talking about what they could do to improve Harry's defiant behavior. He could barley contain himself from laughing at all the obnoxious images floating through his mind. Harry caught Ron's eye across the room and he had to close his eyes in order to maintain his composure.

Snape was shooting daggers at him, and Vernon and Petunia were looking utterly horrified. If Harry wasn't certain that the three of them didn't have a sense of humor they would be laughing to. He got his revenge though…

After they had stopped to break for lunch, Harry trotted quickly to the defense classroom, glancing behind his shoulder occasionally to make sure the Dursleys were still in tow. They were the second group to enter the classroom. The Weasleys were already there visiting with their son.

Harry was thankful the Dursleys didn't make a scene when they realized that Bill was his professor. Bill spotted him and waved them over, Vernon and Petunia followed resignedly. The Weasleys beamed at him and Bill looked at Harry's companions with as much dignity as he could muster.

"You should be very proud of Harry, Mr. and Mrs. Dursley," Bill commented.

Vernon kept his beady eyes on the professor, "Is that so?"

"Oh yes! I suspect you've heard all about it. Harry here has the best marks in his class." Vernon looked over at Harry in an unbelieving sort of way. "He's been helping me teach the class even, I'm afraid I'm a bit behind." Petunia looked as if she had disapproving several things to say about that, but Bill got their first. "Yes, Harry certainly has plenty of spell up his sleeve."

That sufficiently silenced Vernon and Petunia for the rest of the "period."

When Professor Binns floated into the classroom, Harry was positive his uncle nearly had a coronary. He noticed some of the other wizarding parents seemed to droop at the sight of their former teacher.

Binns didn't seem to notice his former pupils, however. He peered down at them, "History of Magic is an essential part of your child's education. They will learn how to proceed in their future by event of the past." The ghost's word seemed to fade in and out of his brain.

Harry came back to alertness when the teacher ended his diatribe. Binns didn't seem to notice the rest of his audience come alive, "Are there any questions?"

A parent of a Ravenclaw Harry didn't know raised their hand. Funny how old habits die hard. The ghost nodded to the man, "What are the children studying now?"

Harry felt his stomach drop, beyond where he could reach it. Ron and Hermione both looked back at him. Oh, I'm going to die. The Professor looked down at the man, "We are currently covering the biography of Harry Potter."

If Harry didn't pride himself on Gryffindor courage he would have bolted. Most of the room was looking at him now. Petunia, who had until currently been bearable, was quickly filling her lung with air; no doubt she needed the energy for the oncoming tirade.

Petunia and Vernon were on their feet now, Harry tried his hardest to usher them out the door, but wasn't quite quick enough.

"How dare you!" Petunia shrieked, "Well, I'm just glad to know that you're one of the rich and famous because you got my sister killed!" Harry pulled away, that hurt more than anyone in this room probably understood.

His pain was quickly boiling into rage, "What are you talking about? You never gave a whitty's heap about my mother!" Vernon took him by the arm and led him into the corridor. He pushed Harry against the wall. Petunia was glaring at him white faced and furious.

"Don't you ever disrespect your aunt like that again," Vernon growled.

"Why shouldn't I, eh? She never respected my mum and I won't care to do the same, to either of you." Vernon's hand quickly met with his gut. Harry rolled away and turned to grab onto the wall, trying to keep his balance. Before Vernon could manage another remark, Harry was down the hall and up the stairs.

Harry looked up when Ron opened the door to their dormitory.

Ron smiled at him, "Well Harry, you sure know how to get the drama rolling," Ron plopped down on the bed next to him.

Harry laughed sarcastically. "Oh man, you should have heard the people after you left," Ron said, "They were practically calling for you aunt's head."

"I'd gladly let them take it," Harry said, even if it was a lie and Ron knew it. They sat in silence for a moment. Ron was fiddling with his sleeve, looking keenly interested in his hands.

"Do you need me to patch you up?" Harry looked at his friend; it was amazing how much they had come to understand each other.

Ron was looking up now and Harry was the one interested in his hands, "Yeah." They both stood from the bed, and Harry lifted his shirt, while Ron pulled out his wand.

A bruise was beginning to develop on the lower right side of Harry's rib. Ron seemed to remain calm only by the skin of his teeth. He whispered "torpeo" and they both plopped back down on their respective beds.

They had about another fifteen minutes before they needed to head down to dinner. Harry looked over at Ron, "You know, you really seem to be controlling your temper a lot better."

Ron looked at him surprised, "Oh you know, count back from ten, that sorta stuff," he joked.

"No, I'm serious, you don't lose it with Hermione nearly as much as you used to," as he said this Harry seemed to realize he'd hit the spot, and by the way Ron's neck was heating up Harry had the right train of thought. "Oh," he paused, "Its Hermione isn't it?"

Ron's head snapped up, "What? No," He hesitated and looked at Harry for a moment. Ron looked down and seemed to realize there was no use in lying to him. "Well, yeah, I guess that'd be it. We've just been spending a lot of time together lately, with all your Occlumency lessons and I dunno…" He trailed off.

Harry adjusted himself to face Ron, "So do you like her?"

Ron sat up, "What? Of course I like her. She's our best friend."

"Oh shut up, don't play dumb," Harry chuckled, "I can put it plainer for you if you like. Do you have the hots for Hermione?" Ron stared at him mouth gaping like a fish. "Do you imagine long walks on the beach together? Have you thought of names for the kids yet? Picked out a house?"

Ron seemed to have found his tongue, "Now you hold it right there Potter!" He seemed to be working up the energy to say something snide, but his determination seemed to wither and so did he. "What would you say if I did?"

Harry rolled so he was lying back to the mattress and he stared blankly at the inside of the canopy. Ron seemed to be holding his breath. Harry put his arms behind his head, "I'd say, I'd say about damn time."

Ron let out a puff of air and collapsed in heap on his covers. Harry looked over at his best friend, and they both burst into a fit of laughter.

When Harry looked back on it, he found that he could not formulate the words to describe that Sunday. It was filled with happiness, turmoil, anger, sadness, and so many emotions he didn't think there was a word on this earth to describe them all.

Harry was sitting next to Ron with Mr. Weasley on his right and Hermione to Ron's left. The Dursleys were sitting across from him. Harry was stirring his porridge for the hundredth time; it had turned into a sort of liquidy goo. He looked up when he saw Ginny approaching.

She was standing behind the Dursleys, and gently tapped Vernon on the shoulder. His uncle looked up at Ginny snidely.

She smiled sweetly at the hulk of a man, "Could I possibly take Harry from you for a moment?"

Vernon grunted and turned back to his eggs, "Please."

Harry was sure to shoot his uncle a snide smile of his own before following Ginny out of the Hall. She led him to the corridor that would usually take you to the kitchens.

"I just had to tell you," she started, "I broke it off with Seamus."

Harry's eyebrows shot into his hair, "Really! Ginny that's brilliant."

She beamed at him, "Isn't it? I just couldn't wait to tell you, and thank you." She pulled him into a quick hug, and took off when the bell rang. He tried vainly to catch another whiff of her hair.

The rest of the afternoon passed quickly. The Dursleys left him as quickly as possible in order to start packing. Harry did nothing to hinder this decision. He and the Weasleys went out for a ride on the Quidditch pitch and a picnic. Harry was profoundly grateful that his aunt and uncle had not stayed to hinder a perfectly pleasant moment.

Before long, dusk had fallen and the temperature went with it. The large group headed inside for the leaving feast. He attempted to ignore Vernon and Petunia as much as humanly possible in the vain hope of enjoying his dinner. By the time they had left, Uncle Vernon and Aunt Petunia were extremely unhappy and Harry was elated.

Once in the common room, the rest of his housemates headed straight to bed, all weary from their last day with their families. Harry stayed behind and took a seat on the sofa in front of the fire. It was completely dark now and the only light in the room was that of the dimming flames in front of him.

He stared into the flickering light, which was warm upon his face. Harry was mesmerized by them; it gave him time to think. He imagined so many different scenarios that could have played out this weekend.

What would he have been like if it had been his parents to have visited him instead of his aunt and uncle. It would have been much more enjoyable, no doubt about that. He didn't even need his parent though, as cruel as that sounded. What if Sirius had been here? Shut up, you stupid fool!

Harry snapped his head up towards the girls' staircase. Ginny was hesitantly gliding down the stairs. She had a terry-cloth robe, tied around the waste; it was covered in little moons, stars, and clouds. She came down more quickly when she spotted him.

Ginny plopped down in an over stuffed armchair, she smiled at him. "I couldn't sleep," she said. "You?"

"Yeah, same." Harry was slightly distracted by the way the flames of the fire seemed to be making Ginny's long red locks shimmer in the light.

"I think I'm like pumped with adrenaline or something," she said looking into the flames. Her quirky smile had disappeared. "Merlin, I don't know what… It was exhilarating, breaking it off with Seamus I mean." She was looking at Harry now. "I will never let anyone have that kind of control over me again, never. I have more respect for myself than that." Ginny paused; Harry was staring at her intently. "I don't think I could have done it with out your help."

Harry looked away, "I didn't do all that much."

"You did," she said, "I know you went after him." Harry looked at her alarmed. Apparently she noticed, "Don't worry, I'm not mad. Another time I might have been, but not now."

They sat in silence for a while; Harry could feel Ginny glancing at him off and on. She got up from her chair and moved next to him on the couch. "I suppose it's harder to break up with you family."

Harry jerked away from her, his sense of drowsiness had all but evaporated now, "What are you talking about?"

Ginny stared at him a fire burning in her eyes, "Why won't you tell me?"

Harry turned away from her, "Because there is nothing to tell," he said sharply.

"Don't lie to me, I can tell Harry. I went through the same thing! You helped me through it."

Harry glared at her, "What do you want to hear, Ginny? So my uncle's an arse, it's old news, and nothing you need to worry about."

"How dare you!" Ginny yelled, "Is this how you felt when I came to you? That it wasn't anything you needed to worry about! That I was some sort of whiny child."

They were both on their feet now and Harry had no idea how they'd gotten there.

"Of Course Not!" Harry yelled.

"Then why don't you tell me Harry," she was talking in a harsh whisper, and moving closer. "I've already figured it out! Why don't you admit it that your uncle hit-"

"Because!" he yelled, "Because I don't want someone that I care about to pity me!"

Ginny had stopped her tirade, "Care about?" They were so close now that Harry was sure their noses would be touching at any moment.

"Yeah, care about," He found himself taking a small step forward, and he was no longer worried about noses touching. The flames from the fire were reflecting in her chocolate brown eyes.

In that split second that their lips touched, it was something so mind boggling and mind consuming that he wasn't even able to fathom a comparison. All Harry knew at that time was this was the best he had felt in his life and he had no intention of ending it anytime soon. She tasted of a warm vanilla and strawberry; what had started out as a soft and delicate kiss was quickly becoming more passionate and intense by the second. But, of course, being Harry Potter nothing this wonderful could last for long…

"Potter, get away from her!" He and Ginny broke apart. Seamus was standing at the top of the staircase, tight lipped and furious. Harry was holding Ginny against him.

"Seamus this is none of you business," Ginny said.

Seamus was making his way down the stairs, "Like hell it isn't, you little-" Harry pulled out his wand and met Seamus half way. His wand was pointing at Seamus's heart.

"I advice you not to finish that sentence, Finnigan," Harry said in a harsh whisper.

Seamus stared hard into his eyes, "Don't think this is over Potter! You'll be pleading for

mercy before the end," and with that cliché and melodramatic statement Seamus turned on his heel and went back up the stairs.

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