Chapter 3

Hermione walked quickly down the hallway, rushing to catch up to Parvati Patil. Parvati had her name on the list for the DA, and Hermione needed to make sure that she knew about the plans, and that she would pass it along to her sister and her friends.

"Parvati! Wait up!" Parvati whirled around.

"Oh, hey Hermione. I heard about the new decree. Does this mean no DA anymore?" Parvati asked worriedly.

"That's actually what I wanted to talk to you about." Hermione looked around to make sure no one was within earshot, then pull Parvati to the side of the hallway.

"Whats going on?"

"Okay so Harry, Ron and I decided that now of all times, is not the time to back down. With everything going on outside of Hogwarts, people need to know how to protect themselves, whether the ministry likes it or not. So we're going to meet even more secretly. Before I disclose any further details, are you in?" Hermione asked.

"Yes of course I am!" Parvati exclaimed without giving it a second thought.

"Okay perfect, I just need you to sign this then." She said quickly, thrusting the sign up sheet under Parvati's nose.

"I thought I already signed one."

"Yes but this is a new one. It's a master list of everyone." Hermione explained. Parvati shrugged and quickly signed her name on the list.

"Okay so what's going on?"

"Wednesday evenings. Six o'clock. There's a hallway on the fifth floor. Walk up and down that hallway thinking 'I need to learn to protect myself' and a doorway will appear. Walk through that doorway quickly and shut it behind you. No one must be around. If you see or hear anyone, stop thinking and just pretend to be on a stroll. It is imperative that no one see's you. Show up a little early or late so that there isn't a flood of students suddenly strolling the fifth floor."

"Hermione that is so cool! How did you do that?"

"One of Hogwarts best kept secrets. But anyways, we need to educate as many people as possible. Tell anyone fourth year and up who you know to be trustworthy and who would be interested to come and find me before Wednesday night. Please Parvati, you'd be doing us a huge favour."

"Oh of course! I'll tell Padma and her friends, and a few of the Hufflepuff girls… don't worry Hermione I'll spread the word." She said and started skipping off.

"Parvati!" Hermione called after her. Parvati turned back around. "You must be discreet. No one else can know. No talking about this in the hallways alright. Make sure that everyone knows that."

"Naturally!"

.

"Granger." Draco said as he sat down across the table from her. Hermione jumped about a foot in the air and then scrambled to hide what she was working on. Draco Malfoy is the last person that could be allowed to see the list of people in the DA.

"Merlin Malfoy! You gave me a heart attack!" She practically yelled.

"What're you working on that's so secretive?"

"Nothing."

"It was obviously something."

"None of your bloody business Malfoy."

"Let's see, the most advanced book of charms that Hogwarts has? It must be something. What charm are you looking for?"

"I'm just trying to expand my knowledge. Not something you'd know about."

"I bet you and Potter are up to something. You always are… off trying to save the world again?"

"Malfoy, go away. I'm trying to work."

"I just came to do the same thing."

"There's plenty of empty tables. Go sit at one."

"Yeah but I want to sit here."

"Why can't you just leave me alone?" Hermione said with an exasperated sigh.

"I just want to work." He said.

"Clearly. Well if you won't leave, I will." Hermione said as she packed up her books. Malfoy watched her for a minute.

"I finished that book by that muggle author." He finally said. That stopped Hermione. She looked at him curiously.

"And?"

"It was well written no doubt, but it was incredibly unrealistic."

"My thoughts exactly!" Hermione exclaimed, sitting down absent mindedly. "I mean that they would be unable to live without each other after one night? I suppose there always is love at first sight though…"

"Love at first sight? You honestly believe in that nonsense?"

"You don't?"

"Granger love is a lie." Draco said with finality. Hermione looked at him curiously again.

"What makes you say that?"

"Two people that suddenly need each other so much that they would do anything for the other, that they would be willing to die for them? It's a load of bullocks. Completely unrealistic."

"What about unromantic love. Like the love a parent might have for their child, or for friends?"

"What, like you love Ron?" He taunted. Hermione blushed furiously.

"No. Plus that wasn't my question."

"Oh, so you do love Ron romantically." He mused.

"Shut it Malfoy I love him as a friend. Just answer my question."

"Parents so called 'love' for their children is just an obligation they have. They have to feed you and all that because they're the ones that brought you into the world. And just because you get along with a friend, doesn't mean you love them."

"So you live your life without any love whatsoever?" Hermione asked. She was suddenly very sad.

"Everyone does. It's all an illusion. Plus, what even is love? Define it for me." Draco challenged.

"It's not something you define. It's just something you feel. And love does exist Malfoy. There is living proof of it. And if the muggles have it too, then they do have some form of magic. Because it is magic. You can ask Harry or Dumbledore. There is living proof of it." Hermione ranted. She wasn't sure how much she should tell Draco about how Harry survived the Killing Curse when he was a baby. She wasn't even sure why she was telling him anything.

"You can keep believing in that illusion Granger. Whatever helps you sleep at night." He said, then turned to his books.

Hermione knew the end of a conversation when she saw one, so she turned back to her books. Although she tried to do some research for a charm that would keep anyone from spilling the secret about Dumbledore's Army, she couldn't focus. Her mind was too focused on the fact that there were people out there like Draco Malfoy who lived without any form of love in their life whatsoever. Although she still wasn't fond of Malfoy, she felt bad for him. Because what is life without love?

.

"No one's coming." Harry said as he paced the room of requirement nervously.

"Yes they are Harry. It's not even six o'clock yet." Hermione assured him.

"They've realized that I don't know anything. Or they got caught. How did I let you guys talk me into this?"

"Just give it some time. They'll be here mate" said Ron.

Just as he said that, the door to the room of requirement opened. Immediately all three of them had their wands drawn and pointed at the door. They quickly lowered them once they realized that it was only Neville, Ginny and Luna.

"Oh, hi guys. You've already signed the list right?" Hermione asked.

"Yes we have. Where is everyone?" Ginny answered.

"You guys are the only ones." Harry said.

"Oh shut it Harry people will come." Just as the words left Ron's mouth the door opened again. They all pointed their wands and lowered them again as they realized it was just Dean and Seamus. This pattern continued until five after six when it appeared as though everybody was there.

"Everyone listen up!" Hermione hollered, standing on a chair. "Thank you. Now if you haven't signed this please raise your hand. It is imperative that everyone sign this. No one? Okay great. Now this group is going to meet every Wednesday in this room at six o'clock. You must be sneaky in getting here and come in small groups. Take a different route each time. We cannot get caught, not now, not ever. Refrain from speaking about this in the halls, classrooms, great hall and to anyone who is not currently here. Now, Harry is in charge. Please listen to him. Got it? Okay, Harry?"

"Right, thanks Hermione. Okay, so tonight I want to hear what you guys want to learn here after that we can work on a few spells. Sound good? Please raise your hand though. There is a rather large amount of you and I want to make sure I get everything you say. Hermione will write it down." Harry told everyone. Once he was in a role of leadership, his nerves just went away. He was a natural really. Hermione couldn't help but smile at her friend in pride.

"Stunning!"

"Expelliarmus!"

"Confundus!"

"Body binding!"

"Shielding!"

"Harry, do you think you could teach us to produce a patronus?" Ginny asked after an onslaught of various hexes were called out. Everyones hands dropped and they all looked at Harry expectantly.

"Well… a patronus is very difficult. I produced it in a time of dire need, and was mostly only able to learn it out of desperation. But perhaps after a lot of hard work and little later on in the lessons we could try…" He said diplomatically.

There was a murmur of excitement rippling through the crowd. For some of them, learning to produce a patronus was years away in regular lessons, and that was under the old way of teaching.

"Right, so we have half an hour left before we should return to our dorms. Should we work on expelliarmus? I know it's pretty basic, but it is incredibly useful. Pair up and practice disarming each other and then I'll come around and help." Harry said. Hermione again couldn't help but smile at his natural leadership.

She naturally paired up with Ron and they went through the motions of easily disarming one another. She watched out of the corner of her eye as Harry helped various struggling students and smiled as she watched them suddenly get it. Harry really was a great teacher.

"It seems like you've all got that down now, how about blocking? You all know the theory behind how to do this, so take turns blocking and disarming with your partner." And again, he walked around correcting peoples methods and helping them to truly get it. Hermione and Ron again easily went through all the motions, as this was something they had gotten very good at over the years.

Harry then went on to have them all do a quasi-duel. This was done using only the spells they had worked on that night. Hermione beat Ron every time, much to his frustration. Harry seemed to be enjoying himself and much more at ease than he had before. Everyone else seemed to be enjoying themselves as well. They were all focused, but it looked like they were having fun at the same time.

"Alright everyone! That's enough for tonight. You guys all did great. Same time next week, remember to be sneaky. Keep practicing, but don't let any teachers see you! See you all later." He said and climbed down off of the chair. Everyone, much to Harry's surprise, gave him a big round of applause. He turned bright red but couldn't hold back the grin spreading across his face. This of course had Hermione grinning from ear to ear, as she hadn't seen him smile like that since Cedrics death.

As everyone was leaving and Hermione was packing up, she saw Ginny stop to talk to Harry. She watched curiously as they talked, both smiling at one another. She couldn't help but laugh at how awkward Harry looked. Then Ginny gave Harry a big hug, leaving Harry standing there somewhat speechless. Hermione walked over to him as Ginny walked away.

"Good night?" She asked with a wink.

"Oh sod off Hermione." He shot back, but he was smiling so she knew it was okay.

"You did great tonight Harry." She told him honestly.

"Thanks, I couldn't have done it without you though."

"No really. You're a born leader. I just take care of the logistics of it all. Not as bad as you though it would be right?"

"Not that bad at all." He confirmed.

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