A/N: Oh, if you're looking for that picture I promised in the previous chapter, check my profile for it. Thank you readers! I look forward to your reviews!

Practicing With Amaranta

Harry waited in the Room of Requirement with Ron and Hermoine. The room impressed him with everything they'd need for Defense Against the Dark Arts training. The wall was lined with shelves packed with books all on Defense Against the Dark Arts, and cushions all around the place, just the right number, too.

He didn't have to wait long for everyone. Dean, Lavender, Parvati, Neville, and Ginny were the first to arrive, but then everyone soon followed afterwards. He even had a fleeting suspicion that Amaranta wasn't going to come, but it was dispersed the moment she walked through the door. She had been avoiding him these past few days, never leaving Draco's side. And every time he stole a glance at her, Draco shot him a nasty glare, and pulled Amaranta even closer to him. Her blank face never changing.

"Maybe it's just me," Hermoine said after passing Amaranta's messages to Harry, which mostly involved her aplogizing for something, "but I think she looks more lifeless lately." Draco never left her side, except for bathroom breaks, which is where Amaranta spoke with Hermoine, asking her to pass the message to Harry for her.

"Doesn't she always look like that?" Ron interjected.

"She has a blank face that says she tries to conceal her feelings," Hermoine pointed out, "but now it looks as if she has no feelings at all, or rather, she's locked them deep inside. Poor thing looks so pitiful, caged by Draco's side. He must've threatened her or something!"

"Yeah, it must be torturing being with Malfoy every waking hour," Ron snorted. "I think I'd kill myself. Or him."

Harry ignored their talk for a while as he watched everyone make themselves comfortable on the cushions. Amaranta, having arrived last, got the cushion in the back, and Harry hoped this was the only reason.

"Well, I've been thinking about the sort of stuff we should do first and-erm-" He noticed Hermoine's raised hand. "What, Hermoine?"

"I think we ought to elect a leader," she said.

"Harry's leader," Cho snorted, thinking that was obvious information. Harry's stomach did a back flip.

"Yes, but I think we ought to vote properly. It makes it formal and gives him authority, so everyone thinks Harry should be our leader?"

Everyone held up their hands, including Amaranta. Harry was relieved that she didn't appear to hate him or anything.

"Er-right, thanks," Harry said, feeling a blush in his cheeks. "And-what, Hermoine?"

"I also think we ought to have a name," she smiled brightly, hand still poised in the air. "It would promote a feeling of team spirit and unity, don't you think?"

"Can we be the Anti-Umbridge League?" Angelina suggested.

"Or the Ministry of Magic Are Morons Group?" Fred added in.

"I was thinking," Hermoine frowned at Fred. "more of name that didn't tell what we're doing, so we can refer to it safely outside meetings."

"The Defense Association?" Cho said. "The D.A. for short, so nobody knows what we're talking about?"

"Yeah, the D.A.'s good," sad Ginny. "Only let's make it stand for Dumbledore's Army because that's the Ministry's worst fear."

There was murmur of agreement and Hermoine wrote DUMBLEDORE'S ARMY across the top of the parchment with their names.

"Right," Harry said when she had sat down again, "shall we get to practicing, then? I was thinking, the first thing we should do is Expelliarmus, you know, the Disarming Charm. I know it's pretty basic, but I've found it really useful-"

"Oh please!" Zaharias Smith cried, rolling his eyes. "I don't think Expelliarmus is exactly going to help against You-Know-Who."

"I've used it against him," Harry said quietly. "It saved my life last June."

Everyone gaped at him.

"But if you think it's beneath you, you can leave," Harry shrugged his shoulders.

Nobody moved, not even Smith.

"Okay," Harry felt nervous with everyone looking only at him. "I reckon we should all divide into pairs and practice."

Everyone got to their feet and divided up. Not surprisingly, Amaranta and Neville were the only ones left, so he reluctantly partnered with the only Slytherin in the room.

"Ok, on the count of three," Harry called out. "One, two, three!"

Shouts of "Expelliarmus!" rang through the room, wands flying out of hands. Neville's flew especially far, to the other side of the room. Neville made his way to the wand, but Amaranta was faster. "Accio Wand!" She called an Neville's wand flew into her hands. He looked at her testily, but she simply handed him back the wand, a cold look in her eye.

Harry was right in starting with the basics. Few succeeded actually disarming their opponents, and some of the spellwork was a little slipshod. Amaranta, however, ruthlessy sent Neville's wand flying into the walls. If she kept this up, it just might break.

"Ummm, Amaranta, why don't you switch partners with someone," he led her away, and instead of looking insulted, Neville only looked grateful. "Where'd you learn to disarm someone like that?"

"It's self-taught," Amaranta answered coolly. "I've practically lived around this kind of stuff all my life, it just caught on. Besides, I was imagining Neville was Draco."

Harry wasn't expecting that answer. "Why?"

"Well, I could never force myself to harm someone who had done nothing to me first, so I imagined it was Draco, which is probably why I succeed a little too well."

"You usually get along with Draco, you don't actually like him or something?"

"No, it's not that," she replied, sighing. "It's just that. . .he can be disagreeable sometimes."

"You act as if you know him well," Harry commented. This would be the chance to figure out their history together.

"I should say so," Amaranta replied, wide-eyed. "I've lived half my life in his manor."

Before he could inquire further, Cho stepped in between them, seeing her so close made his stomach squirm unpleasantly. "Harry, you said Amaranta should switch partners with someone; why not me? I'll practice with her."

"Um. . .ok," he said, dejected at not being able to find out Amaranta's relationship with Malfoy.

Cho's curly haired friend glared at her angrily, but Cho gave her a twice vicious look, and then turned to face Amaranta. Harry hadn't seen Cho look at anyone so fiercely. They face each other, wands raised in front of their faces, never blinking.

"One, two, Three!"

"Expelliarmus!" They shouted at once and each other's wands went flying out of their hands, and both were blown back a bit.

Everyone had ceased practicing to watch as they both used a Summoning Charm to retrieve their wands. This time, they didn't count. Cho was blown back this time, as Amaranta remained rooted to the ground, but both had lost their wands. They stared at each other, as everyone stared at them staring at each other. Amaranta looked colder and more unsociable than ever. Cho gaped up at Amaranta her mouth open, but no words came out. Harry decided to break the tense silence.

"Umm..Amaranta, I think it's best if you practice with Hermoine, instead," he said quietly, but it still rang loudly in the silent room.

She bowed her head slightly. "As you wish," and then walked over to Hermoine triumphantly.

Harry wasn't exactly sure what was going on between those two, but it was clear that Amaranta had won.