AN: Okay, right now this chapter is done, but only because it's 1:20 in the morning. I might add some more tomorrow... I might now. It's currently at 6ish pages... which isn't great, but, it's better than some other chapters I've done. Oh and Harry's little speech near the end of the chapter isn't meant to sound like a speech from Buff, I was just kinda thinking' about the show today and that's how the speech came out. Sorry, Mr. When.

The Moment That I Saw You Cry, ch. 4

"So, these nasty little hellions are called pell-mell's," Professor Johnson announced to his Defense Against the Dark Arts class.

"They don't look very threatening," Dean Thomas said from the back of the class.

"That's because I've performed the spell you are about to learn on them, Dean. If you had actually done the reading last night you would know that."

It was the first day of classes and Hermione had yet to find out who the Head Boy was. After a terrible double potions class (it was the Slytherins that made the class terrible, not the teacher) the Golden Trio walked into the Defense Against the Dark Arts classroom to see their new teacher. Professor McGonagall, who was now the headmaster, had mentioned that their teacher would be coming late, so he would leave the surprise for their first day of classes.

Professor Syda Johnson was by far the most normal Defense teacher they had had so far. Once you got over the fact that she was American and had her hair dyed a brilliant black that was in pig tails, spiked jewelry hung on her bony wrists and a spider web was tattooed over the back of her neck and perky smile was plastered on her face she was as normal as any other human being.

"As I was saying, pell-mell's are known to be very fast and very violent," Professor Johnson hopped up on her desk and sat next to the caged pell-mell's, putting her hand the cage maternally, "I think they are just misunderstood."

"And Gwap is friendly," Ron mumbled under his breath.

"Are you done, Ron, or do you want to have this conversation with the whole class."

"I'm done."

"Great. So, today were gonna learn the spell that I performed on them. Does anyone know what it is?"

Hermione raised her hand but Professor Johnson didn't call on her, she scanned the room and then saw Hermione's hand, "Why's your hand up, Hem- Hermi... why's your hand up?"

"It's Hermione Granger and I wanted to answer your question..."

"Oh, sorry, I'm so used to being in the States... we're not real big with the waiting to be called on-wait you turn what not. Anyway, you wanted to answer it?"

"Yes, pell-mell's are known for being very fast and violent, like you just said, a group of them have been known to kill someone. Of course, that person wasn't a wizard so they didn't really know what to do. Anyway, they are said to be related to grindylows but that hasn't been proved and-"

"Harmony, I wasn't asking you what they were. I asked you how to fight them. If you were to encounter any magical creature that was attacking you all of that information would be utterly useless, all you need to know is how to fight them and how to win.

"I want you guys to know that I'm not here to teach you definitions or give your long essay questions on your test-"

Harry and Ron slapped each other high-fives.

"I'm here to make sure you can survive out there in the real world. You can't survive in the real world with just book knowledge. Sure, it can get you a job and a job can get you money and money can get you food, clothes and whatever, but, you can't get by with just that.

"Street smarts will let you survive... you might be broke, beat up and clothes, but your alive and you can go and steal the book smart persons clothes and money because they got attacked by some tiny little pell-mell's.

"Whatever. Class dismissed. Go play on the playground or whatever you do here."

"But, there's still a half hour of class left- and you haven't taught us the spell," Hermione pointed out as the students ran out the door before the teacher changed her mind.

"I don't care. Go learn it in your precious books."

Hermione gathered her books and joined Harry and Ron in the hallway, "Have we gone through all of the qualified teachers? What kind of teaching was that?"

"It's a shame she'll probably die at the end of the year or turn into a vampire or fairy or something," Ron said jokingly.

"She's right," Harry said, talking half to Hermione and Ron and half to himself, "Do you guys want to go somewhere where we can talk. I need to tell you to something in private. I've made a decision."

"Sure, Room of Requirement?" Ron asked.

"Sure."

The three walked to the Room of Requirement and Harry conjured in his head what he needed, "Come on."

The room was meagerly decorated with a table, three chairs, a mirror, a shelf with some knickknacks, the room contained no windows.

"Is this a riddle?" Hermione asked Harry, a little quizzical on why he needed to go out of his way for a riddle.

"Huh?" Ron asked.

"You know, the one where the room only has a mirror and a table and you look in the mirror, you see what you saw you saw the table in half two halves make a whole you clim- never mind," Hermione faltered, "What did you need to tell us Harry?"

"I've been thinking lately."

"Congrats, mate. 'Bout time," Ron slapped him on the back and started to leave. Hermione smiled with laughter, but Harry bowed his head and stuck his hands in the pockets of his slacks.

"No. I'm going to go and look for the rest of the Horcruxes," Harry looked both of them in the eyes.

"But, Harry, what about school?"

"This is more important then school right now, I'm sure I can catch up when I come back. I need to do this, Herms," Hermione let the name slide. Even with what the path ahead held for them, did any of this have to do with her turning him down? Was this a way to avoid her? Or prove his worth?

"Harry, you don't have to do this. There are aurors and," her eyes became and wet and shiny with tears, "and other people out there to do this. This isn't your job."

"You're right. It's my destiny."

"Harry, even I'm gonna agree with Hermione. This is mad," Ron walked to stand behind Hermione and fiddled with the wicker lining of the chair. The lining was frayed and was starting to fall apart.

"I don't care. Voldemort choose me, it's not like I can back down from this. I have to go, whether you guys want me to or not. I'm not asking for your permission."

"Then we'll go with you," Ron chimed in.

"We will?" Hermione asked as if them going with him was totally absurd. Which it was.

"No, no, you won't guys. I'm going give you all a nice, fun, normal school year if I have to kill every person on the face of the Earth to do it."

"Yay?" asked Ron.

Harry smiled at him, way to break the tension, "It' just... I don't want to protect you from the world. I want to show it to you. And this is how I'm going to do it. You guys, Ron especially, have never known normalcy in your life," Harry looked at Hermione, "And the muggle world isn't doing much better. I'm doing this. I just wanted you to be the first to know."

"So, you haven't asked Pro-Headmaster McGonagall, yet?" Hermione asked, a hopeful gleam in her eye.

"No, I'm not going to ask her. I'm going to tell her. You guys don't get it, do you? I have to do this. This isn't a choice for me. Seventeen years ago Voldemort came in my house and killed my parents and tried to kill me. The spell backfired which means he choose me."

Harry ruffled his hand through his hair and with one last look at his friends he left the room.

Draco walked into his private common room, God being Head Boy rocked. Draco had never been so thankful for privacy. He had had a splitting headache since the middle of the night and he had asked to be excused from his classes. The chirpy Professor Johnson was the new head of house for the Slytherins and she had been more than willing to let Draco out.

"I've read up on your file, you're a good student. I know you won't fall behind this early in the year," she had said.

Draco slid down on the couch and closed his eyes. His head was racing through everything and the room had started to blur, darkness was the only place he could his peace and solitude. He had yet to meet the Head Girl, even though they had been at school for a few days. Before he could bother himself with any more thought on this he had passed out on the couch.

Hermione and Ron remained in the same places that Harry had left them.

"So, where do we go from here?"

"Professor McGonagall?" Harry knocked on her office door.

"Come in, Mr. Potter."

Harry decided not to mention the fact that she somehow obtained the ability to see through solid oak doors, "Professor McGonagall, I've made a decision and I figured you should know about it."

Professor McGonagall looked up from the papers she was grading and looked at Harry with a sad, sympathetic gleam in her eye, "What is it, Harry?"

Harry suddenly felt light headed and dizzy, his heart started to pound and his hands became cold and sweaty and pins and needles started to prick his fingers, "I've decided to go and look for the rest of the Horcruxes."

"Are you sure about this, Mr. Potter?"

"Yes, I am."

"And, there's no stopping you?"

"No, I'm going with or with out your permission."

"Okay, I suppose if you give me some time I can get some supplies for you. Food, blankets, stuff you'll need. I feel like I should prepare you, but I don't know how."

"I've been preparing for this for seventeen years, hopefully that will work."

"Okay," Professor McGonagall put her face in her hands and sighed, "Give me a week, I'll have your supplies for you on Monday. Please take some time to study up on your spells and curses, not just the ones for dueling, but, for other things, creating fire, keeping warm. Ones for survival. I'll figure out a way so you can keep in touch here. Like, a muggle cell phone.

"I'm not quite sure what we are going to do about studies. You can't get very far in this world with out graduating from a magical school. I suppose if you return with enough time you can just catch up. I'm sure Ms. Granger would be more than happy to help you with that."

"I'm sure," Harry said, he wasn't sure if he could face Hermione alone anymore. It had been hard enough with just Ron there today. But, everything had become so confusing. He wasn't sure where their friendship stood right now and he wasn't sure if it would survive him leaving against her wishes. He couldn't back out now, though.

"Is that all you wanted to tell me?"

"Yes, it is, mam."

"Okay, I'll send notice to Madam Pomfrey to give you some potions to drink. They'll help keep you strong and make sure you are rested, even if you have only gotten an hour of sleep."

"Thank you, Professor McGonagall."

"You're welcome, Harry."

Harry left Professor McGonagall's office and headed to the library.

Hermione was walking back to her room when Harry walked by her, his hair ruffled from stress.

"She said yes, didn't she?"

Harry nodded his head, "She understood. She suggested that I study up on some spells, that um... would you know help me get by. Like, um" Harry searched for the words, "she mentioned something that would make me feel rested even if I only had an hour of sleep. Do you know what I'm talking about?" Harry look down at the floor, he began to pick the cuticle next to his thumb with his index finger.

"Yeah, I uh, learned that one during our exams during out first year. It's um, really easy."

"Really, do you think you could um, right them down for me? Yeah," Hermione looked at her watch, "I have to get to Arthimancy, but I can write them up after dinner. I have the notes in a journal somewhere. Um, bye, Harry."

Hermione turned and jogged down the hallway to her class, digging in her sack for the dinner roll she had thrown in there for her lunch.

Pofessor McGonagall sat in her office, shaking her head. Professor Dumbledore had left files and files of information and chronicles of his life which she was currantly going through. The most important piece of information she had found so far was the file concerning a spell which you could perform on a two diaries. They would then become capable of communication with each other, all someone would need to do was write in one journal and close the book, it would then transfer whatever was written in it to the other book. The receiving book would glow a certain color depending on the importance of the message.

Classes were over for the day and Hermione walked back to her private common room, still not knowing who the head boy.

"Vampire breath," Hermione mumbled the password. The portrait of the smiling twins opened and let her in. Two legs were sticking out of the couch and Hermione walked over to the back and leaned over. Apparently the head boy fell asleep during the lunch break. 'Sucks to be hi-'

"Malfoy?"

AN: Okay, this is the last chapter I have written so, it might be a week or so before I update again (which is really good compared to my normal rate of updating... I'm lame, what can I saw?) I know exactly what's gonna happen with the next chapter... it's the one where I explain the whole Harry likes Hermione thing and why Draco is still at school. Yes, I screwed up. Well, I knew how and why Draco was still gonna be in school... but, the whole Harry and Hermione... yeah...

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