Author's Note: Next chapter will go up when I get reviews so R&R! (

The next day Harry got up feeling quite refreshed. That is, refreshed until all the memories of what he'd learned yesterday came flooding back. There was a cold feeling in the pit of his stomach. No, he told himself, for today I'm going to forget all that. For today I'm going to be normal. I'm going to enjoy a nice date with my girlfriend. Tomorrow. Tomorrow I can go back to saving the world. But not today. He got dressed and went downstairs. Neville was already in the common room.
"Hey, Nev? You wanna play Gobstones?"
"Er, okay."
They got out their games and played, neither asking what dreams or thoughts it was that brought the other awake so early on a Saturday when they'd normally sleep-in.
"Harry, did you know I started taking self-defense lessons over the summer?"
"Really?"
"Yeah. It was a Muggle class though, if you believe it. Taught me how to kick some major butt the next time Malfoy tries something."
"That's great, Neville." He sincerely meant it; he hated watching Neville get picked on.
"Thanks. I can show you some moves if you want to try."
Harry looked around the common room. No one else was there yet. "Alright. I'll give it a shot." They moved aside some of the tables and chairs to make room for them to workout.
First Neville led him through basic stretches and they jogged in place to help warm their bodies up. Neville started demonstrating some of the basic kicks: side kick, back kick, front kick, and a roundhouse kick (the roundhouse was a little trickier). He advised Harry on how to keep his fists up in a proper defensive stance and where to put his feet. Harry soon caught on and was able to perform the kicks nearly without flaw. They conjured a punching bag each to work with and practiced their kicks against the bags. As Neville had warned, kicking the bag was quite different from kicking air; if you were just kicking air you weren't as likely to lose your balance.
Dean and Seamus were the next downstairs. Shortly followed by Ron. They saw what Neville and Harry were doing and joined in, picking the moves up as they went along.
Neville instructed them on some combinations to do. Front kick (right leg), back kick (right leg), front kick (left leg), roundhouse kick (right leg). Side kick (left), front kick (left), side kick (right).
After an hour or so of practice Neville had them all working on punches. First sans punching bag, then with the punching bag.
Dean had made the mistake of trying to punch the bag before putting on his gloves. It hurt.
They hardly noticed the others coming down the stairs as Neville led them through different combinations with punching and kicking. "Right jab, left jab, front kick left, roundhouse right," he commanded. He ran them through 8 more combinations before telling them to take a breather. It wasn't until they were taking this 3-minute rest that Harry and the other's noticed the small crowd, which had gathered in the common room to watch them.
Harry wasn't sure about the others but he definitely felt a bit embarrassed, however, he didn't let it show, even when Renata whistled at him and yelled, "Why'd you stop, muscle man?" She had a mad grin on her face. Many of the students standing near her laughed.
Harry shrugged it off. "Excuse me, I've got to go shower or I won't be going out with you," he said to her, making his way up the stairs.
Renata wrinkled her nose. "Yeah, you better shower. You stink."
Harry ignored her. By midmorning he was showered, dressed again, and eating in the Great Hall with Renata, Hermione, and the other boys from his dormitory (as well as anybody else who still happened to be there of course).
Hermione asked, "So why were all of you downstairs working on martial arts? Planning a fight?"
"No. We just woke up early and didn't have anything better to do," said Seamus.
Renata leaned back casually in her seat, "You seemed to be ring- leading the whole affair, Nev. I take it this is what you were busy with all summer?"
"Yeah. Gran thought it'd be a good idea if I could defend myself. I'm going to take some dueling lessons over Christmas break. I couldn't take that class over summer because of the restriction on under-aged magic."
"Dueling lessons?"
"Well, not really dueling. Magic self-defense," Neville admitted.
A shy-looking girl approached the table; Harry didn't recognize her. "Nevvie? I thought you were going to take me to Hogsmeade today. We made plans, remember?" She smiled coyly at him.
"Okay, just a minute, Riana, I'll be right there." Neville turned back to his friends, blushing, "I guess I'll be going now. Bye."
When Neville was out of earshot Ginny exclaimed, "Ha! So that's it."
"What?" asked Ron, Harry, Hermione, and Renata (Dean and Seamus had left shortly after Neville had).
Ginny grinned mischievously. "Riana is a Hufflepuff in my year. I heard she was dating a Gryffindor. I had no idea it was Neville."
"Neville's got a girlfriend?" Ron asked incredulously.
"It appears so."
"How was it we didn't notice?" asked Harry.
"Speak for yourself," said Hermione, "I knew he was dating someone, I just wasn't sure who it was. I only knew that it wasn't someone in our year.
Ren wrinkled her nose. "I can't believe he lets her call him 'Nevvie'."
"People are strange, Ren," said Harry.
"I guess. But no stupid nicknames for me. I'm Renata or Ren. You call me anything else and I'll break your arm, I swear I will. Or at least twist it."
"I know," Harry said. He believed she might break someone's arm. He'd seen her pull a guy's arm behind his back and twist it into a very painful position when he called her "babe".
"Since that's settled, I think we should be going." Renata promptly stood and began to walk away, obviously expecting Harry to follow.
Harry lingered at the table a minute, "Hey, this is supposed to be Ren and mine's first date since getting back together, so. . .?"
"Wha-" Ron started. But Hermione interrupted him.
"Don't worry, Harry. We'll stay out of your way," said Hermione firmly. "Enjoy yourself."
He smiled. "Thanks, Hermione." He ran to catch up to Renata. "Hey." He smiled at her.
"Hey." She smiled back.
He took her hand and they continued the walk to Hogsmeade.
"So what's the real reason you were down in the common room so early?" she asked.
"Real reason?"
"Don't be stupid, Harry. It's not very attractive."
"I woke up and remembered everything about yesterday. Everything I talked about with Dumbledore, Sirius, and Lupin. I didn't want to think about it. Not today. I wanted today to be good, normal. I want to forget for at least today. Please?"
"Alright. If you say so."
"Thanks."
Together, they entered Hogsmeade.
The first stop was Honeydukes. "Chocolate will make you feel better. Everybody loves chocolate," she said firmly.
In fact, the chocolate did help. They decided now was as good a time as any to start on their Christmas shopping and went to Zonkos, Gladrags, and a stationary store. At the stationary story Harry bought himself a journal at Renata recommendation. She told him it would help funnel all his feelings and what he was thinking.
"I keep a journal too," she said. (A/N: entries from her Diary are going to appear in a later chapter).
"Really?"
"Yeah. Hermione does, too, you know."
"She does?"
"Yeah. I'm hungry. Let's go have lunch over in the Three Broomsticks. They serve food there too, right?"
"Yeah." They headed on over there, ordered some fried chicken, French fries, and Butterbeer. They sat down at a table.
"How did Hermione get her parents to agree to her coming back to Hogwarts? Or did they agree? She never mentioned it to me."
"She sat her parents down rationally and explained things to them."
"Really?"
"No. She made them sit down and she explained that she'd be coming back to Hogwarts with or without their permission. She told them that she had her chance to make a difference in the world and she was going to take it. She also emphasized that the wizarding world was her place now and they couldn't keep her from it."
"So basically she told them that they didn't have a choice in the matter?"
"Yup."
"This year is important, isn't it?" Harry asked.
"Yeah."
"Things are going to move fast this year. I'm sure Hagrid's death isn't the last. There's going to be others. I don't want one of them to be you."
"Nonsense, Harry. I'll be fine. You worry too much."
"Yeah, but that's because you give me plenty of reasons to worry."
"Me?"
"You're reckless."
"Never!"
"Always."
"Well, so are you," she grumbled. "That's why somebody's got to keep an eye on you."
"I don't need-"
"Yeah. You do. Somebody's always been watching out for you. Your parents, your aunt and uncle, Dumbledore, Sirius, Lupin, Ron, Hermione, me, even Neville and Ginny too. Always watching out for you. And we always will watch out for you. I'll always have your back. You can count on me."
"Thanks, Ren. That means a lot to me." They finished eating. He was quiet for a while and they went outside, they walked a while, wherever their feet happened to lead.
"Harry," she said suddenly. "Why is it that it was so important for you to forget all that today?"
"Because . . . Oh. Ren." He threw his hands in the air and let them drop down helplessly. "I just want to be normal."
She nodded. "All right." She gave him a gentle kiss. "For today no troubles. But, Harry, after the last seven years how do you even possibly define 'normal' anymore?" she said gently. "Eight years ago you would have defined it as a kid living with his parents, going to school, growing up, leaving home, getting a job, getting married, dying quietly old and retired. The possibility of strange powers or being a wizard never entered your mind. Seven years ago you found out about Hogwarts and expected a normal wizard's life. Not for you. You're special and you've got to deal with it."
He nodded. "I will, but not today. Sometimes I swear you're the only thing in this world that keeps me sane. The little world inside my head is held together by a few things I know will always be true. Dumbledore will always be able to control any situation. Malfoy will always be an evil git. Ron and Hermione will always fight. And you'll always boss me around, win just about any argument, break into my mind, and I'll still love you anyway. But I'm not so sure about the first three anymore. As powerful as he is, Dumbledore isn't all-powerful. Malfoy does have something of a heart, even if he won't show it. And Ron and Hermione, they love each other; sure they still fight and they always will but they don't fight so much. You're my one rock in this sea of turmoil. I need you in my life or I'll go crazy."
"Don't worry. I'm here. And I'm not going anywhere, Harry." She hugged him.
Harry gave her a long kiss before the two of them carried their shopping bags with them on the way back to Hogwarts. They passed by the Three Broomsticks Harry noticed something in the window he hadn't seen before. "Hey!"
"What is it?"
"Three Broomsticks is hosting a dance on Christmas day. If we can get out of Hogwarts do you want to go?"
"Okay. It sounds fun."
"Great." They continued on their way.