Disclaimer: Space, the final frontier…

Chapter 6

The first class of the day was Care of Magical Creatures and for the first time she could remember, Hermione was glad to share a class with the Slytherins. Because of this, she could just dump Harry with Draco and actually concentrate on the class without being forced to knock the deranged wizard unconscious in order to keep him from doing odd things to the pretty little critters. As Hermione looked down her class list she realized that every class she had today was either with the Slytherins or a class that Harry wasn't taking. Maybe today wouldn't be so bad after all.

Draco groaned as he scanned his schedule; every class he had today contained Gryffindors. How could that blasted McGonagall possibly think that he would happily baby-sit Harry? They had been mortal foes until just yesterday. And to make it worse, he would be with that mudblood. No, he chided himself, her name was Hermione and she really wasn't that bad. And before the more Slytherin part of his mind could retaliate, he hurried across the hall to catch up with the two Gryffindors.

Hermione saw a figure walking quickly across the grounds toward them, and slowed so Draco could catch up.

"Good morning." She greeted him with a smile.

"I guess." He responded looking rather downcast. "I just can't believe that they left him with us. I mean honestly, he doesn't belong here. Why don't they just send him to St. Mungo's or something?"

Hermione thought for a moment and then responded slowly, "I suppose they still believe he can defeat Voldemort, even in his current state, and want him to at least try to complete his magical education."

Draco nodded thoughtfully and looked about to reply, but before he could open his mouth to speak, Harry chimed in, "Voldemort, hehe, that's a funny word." He then proceeded to run around in circles screaming 'Voldemort' at the top of his lungs.

"Quick, stop him!" Draco shouted, "If someone hears him they'll panic!" He then drew his wand and yelled "silencio" only to watch the spell melt before it reached Harry. "Shit," he swore, "his magical barrier!"

"Here, let me solve this." Hermione said soothingly and walked over to Harry. "Harry, if you be a good little mental wizard and stay quiet, I'll give you a cookie!"

"A cookie? Oh boy!" Harry shouted with glee and immediately shut up.

"Much better." Said Hermione approvingly and handed Harry a chocolate chip cookie.

"Wow, never even thought of that!" Draco stated in awe.

Hermione just smiled and they continued walking. When they reached Hagrid's cabin they found most of the class already assembled. As usual, the Gryffindors and the Slytherins were stood in two separate groups, interacting only when a member from one party felt the need to throw an insult at the other faction. As they arrived and turned to join their own houses, Hermione asked, "Look, could you take Harry for today? I mean, you have classes with him all day, so it only makes sense" And before Draco could respond, Hermione gave a quick command to his new charge and departed rather quickly to the Gryffindor cluster.

Draco quickly shut his gaping mouth; he had been given no chance to argue back, none at all! He sighed in a resigned sort of way and muttered for Harry to follow him. He started toward the knot of Slytherins, but then remembered who he was in the company of. He figured that his housemates wouldn't take too kindly to the fact that he was now the friend, well, more like the keeper, of their most hated foe. He also knew that the Gryffindors hated him as well, so with no where to go, he settled in a spot equidistant from the two groups. The next few minutes he spent amusing himself by watching Harry attempt to catch airborne insects in his mouth. Apparently he believed they looked like flying chocolate chips.

Hagrid arrived shortly after Harry had eaten his fifth "chocolate chip". Hagrid stared at him queerly for a second before asking Draco, "Whas' the matter wi' him? Were 'is potatoes bad at breakfast or summat?" Draco was about to reply irritably when the half-giant professor slapped himself in the forehead with the air of someone who has quickly remembered something and exclaimed, "Oh yeah, the Headmaster tol' me this mornin'." He then went on to mutter darkly about "ruddy muggle sports" until he noticed the class waiting for him to begin.

Blushing slightly, he addressed the students in his booming voice, "Righ' I thought we might jus' do a bit of review today, yeh know, to see what yeh all remember from last year." At this statement relieved sighs resounded through the seventh years. They would all be keeping their limbs today. "Alrigh' then, lets start wi' sommat easy: Who can tell me wha' color an adolescent unicorn is?" As usual, Hermione's hand shot up as well as several of the other girls' but, oddly enough, it was Harry's hand that reached the air before all the others.

Hagrid scratched his head in confusion before calling on him. Harry quickly whipped out one of his trust finger puppets (this one looked suspiciously like Legolas) and said in a squeaky voice, "They're white!"

Hagrid stared at him, stunned, then said, "Very good, Harry! Ten points teh' Gryffindor!" He then proceeded to ask another question (one about knarls). Once again, it was Harry's hand that penetrated the air first, and once again he answered the question correctly (this time with the help of Aragorn). And so it went on like this, until the insanely knowledgeable wizard had earned one hundred points for his house and Hagrid was forced to call on someone else to be fair.

"Wow! That was brilliant Harry!" Hermione exclaimed as they were walking across the grounds to their next class: Transfiguration.

"Yeah, it was amazing!" agreed Draco, "Where did you learn all that?"

"My friends told me!" said Harry in a rather creepy voice as he waved the finger puppets in front of their faces.

"Your friends, right…" said Hermione in an obviously not-understanding voice. Draco snickered and Hermione glared at him. Not much more was said on the rest of the trip.

Transfiguration passed in much the same way as Care of Magical Creatures, with Harry astounding the class by answering all the questions with ease. In fact, the rest of the day was like this and by dinner the whole school was aware that Harry Potter was now the smartest, though oddest, student in the castle.

A/N: Sorry, that took so long… I got caught up in other things. Oh well! I hope you enjoyed the chapter and show it by reviewing! Heck, review even if you didn't enjoy the chapter!