Disclaimer: I don't own it.

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Twenty-Two: Training

Hope awoke late and rushed to shower and get ready for class. After throwing her bag together, her godfather's voice stopped her as she was just on her way out the door.

"Remember, during your free period, you and Potter are to come to the spare classroom next to mine!"

"Yes, okay, I know, Bye!!" She said as she rushed out the door to breakfast. She sat down next to a giggling Hermione and an ignorant Harry and Ron.

"I'm serious, Ron!" Harry exclaimed to his best friend.

"So you didn't mess things up as badly as you thought with her then?" Ron ignored Harry in favor of his question.

"Uhh…guys?" Hermione tried interrupting them before they said anything they'd regret.

"Be quiet Hermione, we aren't studying this morning," Ron said before continuing. "It's awesome that she seems to like you Harry. I mean from what you've told us, she is the key to winning the war. Maybe we'll be able to get rid of you-know-who before long!"

"I know, Ron. I want to get rid of him too, but…"

"Harry Potter, I hope the next words coming out of your mouth were going to be 'but I really like Hope, and using her for the war is wrong' or else you're in trouble," Hope interrupted with a glare, causing both boys to jump.

"I tried warning you, but would you listen…" Hermione smirked, before getting up and walking to class.

Harry opened his mouth to explain but Hope raised her hand. "I'm used to being used Harry, but know you don't have to use me to win this war. Those disgraces killed my parents, both pairs of them, and I would NEVER help them!"

She turned and stormed out of the entrance hall, every eye turned to her retreating form.

Hope stuffed her books into her bag as Transfiguration ended and rubbed her head from the headache coming on. She threw the bag over her shoulder and walked with Hermione down to where they split; she to Arithmancy, and Hope to the dungeons.

As Hope entered the dungeons, she saw Harry, Severus and Dumbledore already in the room. She shrugged and set her bag down by the fireplace.

"Hope…" Harry began.

"Harry, just shut up. I'm not here to talk to you. What are we training for?" Hope asked the two older wizards in the room.

"Well, we were going to work on basic skills, but seeing as how you seem fine in all your classes, we decided to go ahead and begin dueling."

Hope nodded and pulled out her wand.

"Now, everything is fair game in these duels, with the exception of unforgivable."

Hope and Harry took their places and cast their first spells. Harry easily side-stepped Hope's weak curse but Hope was thrown back against a wall from his. She muttered a curse before standing up and retaking her position.

"It's not enough for you to play me, is it Harry? Now you have to show off your impressive dueling skills?"

"Hope it's not like that…"

Hope sighed and cast a quick, unexpected silencio. "I've told you, I don't care! I'm a tool in this war, I get it, but did you have to actually act as if you cared?"

She cancelled out the charm and took her stance again. He raised his wand but lowered it. He opened his mouth but Severus interrupted.

"Whatever childish problems you two are having, deal with them later, we are here to train."

Ignoring the glare both teens sent him, he continued.

"Since it is obvious the two of you are incapable of working together, I will work with Hope and Dumbledore with you Potter. Maybe at the end of the week we will be able to try this again."

Hope went over to where Severus was standing with one final piercing look towards Harry.

Harry, unseen by Hope, let his face drop as he realized how badly Ron's statements this morning had messed everything up. He sighed and walked over to Dumbledore, and began dueling after the look of pity he received from the aged headmaster.

Hope was sitting out by the lake on Friday, watching the sunset in peace. At least, she was in peace until she felt a weight settle down next to her. She looked over to see Harry settling down beside her.

"Hey," he greeted her.

"Hello," Hope returned the greeting, while returning her gaze to the sun setting over the lake.

"Hope, I'm not using you," Harry said bravely.

Hope shrugged, causing Harry to groan. "I'm not! I was your friend before I ever knew who you were. Why would I change that?"

Hope sighed. "Friends? I got the impression that you wanted more than that Harry. But okay, we can be friends. I'm over what Ron said anyway," she answered honestly.

"Hope, I told you the night of the Halloween ball that I was falling in love with you," he said, turning sideways on the rock they were sitting on.

"Look at me."

He waited until she did, and looked into her eyes.

"That has not changed, I'm not going to lie."

He saw the tears form in her eyes and knew she wanted to push everyone away.

"Hope, you are stuck with me. No matter how much you try, you are not getting rid of me, ever. We're going to finish this war together, and then we're going to live our lives."

Hope shook her head, tears now running down her face, and stood up. "I'm sorry, Harry! I just can't!" She cried out before running off. She ran to Severus' quarters and entered to find her godfather reading a book on the couch and Draco playing with a snitch in a chair. They both took one look at her tear-stained face before rushing over to her.

At their questions Hope just shook her head and turned to Severus. He looked at her and wordlessly pulled her into a hug. Hope cried even harder until she had no tears left, then wordlessly sat on the couch next to her godfather.

"Hope, please tell us what happened. You can't come in here crying, and expect us to not want to know."

"Harry…" Hope whispered.

"What did Potter do?" Severus asked, with malice in his voice.

"It's not like that!" Hope exclaimed. "It's not him, it's me. He said something the night of the ball…and he repeated it…and I can't…and I'm scared…"

Draco was trying to make sense out of her muttering and went to kneel down in front of her.

"Hope, what did Harry say?"

"He said he was falling in love with me," Hope whispered, and closed her eyes against the new tears.

Both men were confused. "Why is that bad?"

"I can't get close to him! Do any of you notice that all of you are kept at an arms length? I can't risk it! Between the curse that is going to take place again tomorrow and Voldemort's threat…I can't risk it!!"

The shocked look on both of their faces told Hope she'd said too much. She put her head in her hands and groaned.

"I can't believe I just did that!" She muttered into her hands.

"What threat?"

Hope searched her mind for any way to get out of this before deciding to finally just tell the truth.

"My dream. He said if I didn't join him, I'd be getting even more people killed," she whispered.

"Hope! You can't push us away or you won't stand a chance. We care about you and are willing to risk it to you know, because we care about you, but you have to let us. Do you understand?"

Hope nodded wearily before rubbing her eyes. Draco returned to his chair and Hope sat in comfortable silence with the two men before she yawned.

"Tired?" Draco asked with a smirk, once again playing with the snitch.

Hope shrugged. "A little," she answered, avoiding Severus' eyes. "What is that?"

"This…" He replied, holding out the little golden ball. "…is a golden snitch. It's the way to win a game of quidditch," he explained to her.

"That's the game played on broomsticks, right?"

Draco laughed and began explaining quidditch to her. Hope played with the snitch for awhile while hiding yawns from the other two. She glanced at the clock and sighed.

"Well, I guess I should get back up to the common room…"

"I'll walk you up, if you get caught out now, then you'll get into trouble for breaking curfew," Severus said, grabbing her arm gently and leading her out.

He stopped her before she went in. "You're still not sleeping, are you?" He asked, with a raised eyebrow.

Hope sighed and looked at the floor again. "I'm trying, but I'm afraid to fall asleep. I don't think I'd be able to handle waking up alone. It's not big deal!" She said at the look on his face. "I'll deal with it, it's my problem."

Severus shook his head at the girl before commanding the portrait to open. As a teacher, he had permission to enter any of the dormitories or common rooms. He led Hope inside and heard the many shocked gasps of Gryffindors.

"Bloody Hell, can't even get away from the greasy git in here…" Ron muttered.

"Continue with your activities," he said, sending a fierce glare at Ron, causing Hope to giggle. Severus turned back to Hope and told her to go take about a half hour to get her stuff ready for the weekend. Hope shrugged and went to go get some stuff ready to take with her, with Hermione following her up.

"Mr. Potter, a word if you please?" Snape said, trying to keep the common venom out of his voice.

"Yes, sir." Harry said, his voice worried. He knew he deserved whatever Snape threw at him if he had hurt Hope, but he couldn't help but wish it was another professor.

Once away from listening ears, Snape began.

"Mr. Potter, Hope is in a very delicate situation at the moment. I must commend you for the fact that you finally pushed her into admitted some of the things she's dealing with, but please be careful with her in the future. She's…" Severus sighed, unsure of how much to tell him.

"Scared, sir?"

"Yes, very scared. She wants to push everyone away to protect them, and nobody is making that easy. Don't let her do it to you. She needs those around her to keep her close. After all, you can't afford to lose hope in a war, and Hope is the hope needed in this one."

Harry laughed before catching himself. "Don't worry sir; I don't plan on letting her go anywhere, anytime soon."

Snape nodded his head and Hope walked out into the hallway. Harry smiled at her and walked back into the common room.

"What were you two talking about?" Hope asked the older man curiously.

"Harry and I were just agreeing on a point."

"And that point?"

"You. Let's go, Lea," he said, leading the way back to the dungeons with a small smile playing on his lips.

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A/N: OMGOSH I am so so so very sorry you guys. I promise I wanted to post and I was going to but the stupid website wouldn't let me upload my chapters. I'm giving you all at least three tonight. I feel so bad!!