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Harry Potter and the Last Stand

Chapter Five

First period the next day was free, so Harry spent his time writing up lesson plans for the DA. Hermione and Ron were spreading the word. They had decided the night before that they would use the same system as last time, using Hermione's enchanted coins. Draco was helping Harry up in their dorm room so that they could have some peace and quiet. Neville had decided to help as well, but at the moment he had left to speak to Dean about their Transfiguration homework, leaving the two boys alone.

'So, waht sort of thing do you think we're gonna cover altogether?' Draco asked, leaning in towards Harry a little.

'Well, I thought we'd start with the basics first, then move on to more advanced, the stuff we're supposed to be doing this year. Then I thought we could learn a few things we never would in school,' Harry replied.

'Sounds good. But what about the younger students like Ginny?'

'That's why we're going over the basics first. Give the younger ones a chance to learn what we already know.' Harry looked at Draco, smiling. 'Besides, Ginny already knows the stuff we know. She was in the DA last time.'

'Oh, I didn't know that. She's a smart girl, isn't she?'

'Yeah, she is,' Harry replied sadly.

'What's up?' Draco asked, concern showing in his voice and face.

'It's nothing,' Harry replied, shaking his head and looking back down at the parchment in front of him.

'Harry?' Draco coaxed, wrapping his arm around the other boys' shoulders comfortingly.

'It's just that it doesn't seem fair, you know?' Harry looked back up as he spoke. 'Fighting Voldermort is supposed to be my destiny, not theirs. They shouldn't have to deal with all of this.'

'It's their choice, Harry. You can't stop them getting involved if that's what they want to do.'

'I know.' Harry sighed. 'It's just...I've already lost my parents, Sirius and Dumbledore. I don't want to lose anybody else. I don't think I could handle it. And I certainly don't want my friends to lose anyone.' Harry rested his head on Draco's shoulder. 'I don't want them to go through what I've been through.'

'I know,' Draco whispered, stroking Harry's hair lightly. 'I know. But you can't stop them if they want to help you. Anyway, you can't do this on your own.'

'I know I can't.' Harry looked up into Draco's silvery eyes, his own green eyes shimmering with tears. 'But I'm not sure I can do it with help either.'

'Of course you can,' Draco reassured. 'You're the bravest, strongest and most naturally magical person I have ever met. You can do anything you want to so long as you put your mind to it.'

Harry smiled. He leaned up slowly and brushed his lips lightly against Draco's. He heard Draco gasp slightly at the touch before he leant down and deepened the kiss. The kiss felt like it lasted for an eternity when in reality it only lasted a few seconds. Even so, both boys were slightly breathless when they pulled apart. They smiled at each other.

Both boys jumped when Ron and Hermione entered the room, arguing about something as usual. They stopped when they saw the boys flushed faces. 'What have you two been up to?' Hermione smiled slyly.

'Nothing!' both boys exclaimed loudly, which only made the two Gryffindors in front of them even more curious, though they both had a fairly good idea what had been going on while they were away.

Ron decided to change the subject for now. 'So, Harry, what have you come up with so far?' he grinned at his best friend.

'Oh! Um...well...we've decided to go over stuff we should all know for the first meeting and slowly get more advanced every two or three meetings after that,' Harry told them quickly.

'And what spells and stuff have you actually come up with for the first meeting tomorrow?' Hermione asked, emphasising the last word, and making Harry blush.

'Um...well...nothing yet. But it will be sorted by tomorrow, I promise 'Mione.'

By the next night, Harry had a lesson plan ready for his first meeting of the DA. Hermione had told him they would be meeting in the Room of Requirement, like the last time, at nine o'clock. Harry made sure he was there at half past eight. He had the room set up and ready by the time the rest of the students arrived. Harry noticed that all of the students who had joined last time were here now along with a number of other students. Most of the students were in his year or Ginny's, who was a year younger than him. But there were quite a few from the lower years as well.

'I think it's great that you've started these meetings again, Harry,' Luna Lovegood told him dreamily, before walking away to talk to Neville.

At ten past nine, Harry decided that all the students that were going to come had arrived so he decided to get started. 'Okay, listen up, everyone,' Harry said loudly, making the large group in front of him go quiet. 'I thought that we could start by going over some of the things we already know, and a few things that the younger people here don't know so they can catch up. Is that okay with everybody?' Everybody nodded in agreement. 'Okay then, let's get started.'

After two and a half hours of remembering and learning the spells and enchantments that Harry had learned up to his fifth year, they decided to call it a night. Everyone promised to practice any and all of the spells that were new to them before leaving.

Harry dropped down into a chair in the common room, exhausted. He looked up as Draco, Hermione, Ron, Ginny and Neville joined him. He smiled slightly. The five sitting around him looked just as exhausted as he was.

'Hey,' Hermione smiled.

'Hey,' Harry replied. 'So, how do you think it went?'

'Good,' Ginny replied. 'I may not have learnt much more than I already knew but the younger girls did. They were talking about it all the way back.'

'So, when are we gonna learn the stuff we're not supposed to?' Ron asked.

'Soon,' Harry told him, smiling. 'We're gonna start on the stuff we're supposed to learn this year next time.'

'That means we'll all be learning something new,' Hermione added.

'And we'll get to practice it when the new Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher starts,' Ron added.

'Yeah, when is the new teacher starting?' Harry asked, looking at Hermione.

'I don't know,' she replied. 'But it should be soon. We're almost a week into the year already.'

The three sat silently for a while, watching the fire. Harry remembered the time when Sirius' head had appeared in that same fire. He sighed lightly. Ginny and Neville announced that they were going to bed and Hermione and Ron decided that they were going too, leaving Harry and Draco alone.

'What are you thinking about?' Draco asked after a while.

'Sirius,' Harry replied, looking across at him.

Draco nodded, and stayed silent for a while. 'You miss him, don't you?'

'Yeah, I do,' Harry sighed. 'He was my last link to my parents. He was like a father to me. We were gonna live together when he cleared his name.'

'It must be hard. Knowing that you'll never see him again.'

'Yeah, it is. He was family. It's always hard losing someone you care about.' Harry watched Draco for a minute. 'How are you holding up?'

'Okay,' Draco replied. 'It's hard, though. My parents are Death Eaters, and I'm fighting on the other side. All of my friends have abandoned me.' Draco sighed and looked back down at the fire, which was starting to go out.

'You've made new friends,' Harry told him gently. 'And I like to think of my friends as my family.'

'Yeah, I guess.' Draco looked up again. Harry was still watching him and he had moved closer. 'Thankyou.'

'What for?' Harry asked, genuinely confused.

'For being my friend. For looking out for me. For welcoming me into your family after everything I've done to you.'

'There's no need to thank me, Drake. You're one of us now, one of the good guys. And I'm not gonna let anyone hurt you anymore.' Harry smiled, then leaned across and kissed the other boy, gently but passionately.

A.N: Please review!