Author's Note: Chapter seven, guys.
Harry and Draco's sixth year began without much excitement. After the Sorting of the new first years, Dumbledore stood.
"Welcome back to another year here at Hogwarts. Now, there are some changes to the staff this year. First of all, we welcome back an old friend, Horace Slughorn, back to teach Potions. Second, this year Defense Against Dark Arts will be taught by Professor Snape, and I hope you will wish him good luck. Third, there has been a new class added; hand-to-hand combat, which is open to third years and above. It will be taught by Lucius Malfoy. This class will teach you how to fight without magic, should you ever need to defend yourself and are unable to use your wand for whatever reason. That being said, tuck in!"
Harry was just as excited as most of his classmates as they entered the room where they would learn hand-to-hand combat. It had been turned into a kind of gym. When Lucius came into view, Harry and Draco nearly fell over in shock. Instead of robes, the Malfoy patriarch wore simple, Muggle workout clothes with his hair tied back.
"Hello, students. I am Lucius Malfoy. I will be teaching you hand-to-hand combat. I have strict rules about the use of what I will be teaching you. You are to never use on another student unless in class and under my supervision or unless defending yourself with no other way to do so. Am I clear?"
"Yes, Professor Malfoy."
"Excellent. Lets get started."
First, he showed them how to correctly wrap protective tap around their hands. Once he had inspected them and was satisfied, he demonstrated fighting a punching bag.
"Everyone understand what to do?"
He got a chorus of affirmative answers.
"All right then."
He made several punching bags appear for them to practice on.
"Begin."
He walked around the room, watching each student fight the bag, giving tips when needed. By the end of class the students were tired but eager for their next class.
Friday afternoon found most of the school gathered in the Great Hall, which had been turned into a boxing ring. Lucius and Severus were going to fight.
"I wonder who's going to win," Hermione said.
Harry and Draco, who had seen their fathers spar before, shrugged.
"Who knows? It's hard to really guess which one of them since they're pretty evenly matched," Harry said.
Lucius and Severus entered the ring, and several students were openly gawking at their Defense teacher. To see him in muggle workout clothes was extremely shocking, and to add to the shock, he tied his hair back so it would be out of his face before pulling on his gloves.
Dumbledore rang the bell, and the fight began. Almost instantly, everyone could see that the two men were very good fighters. The students were soon cheering as the fight continued.
"They're really good," Dean said.
Then Severus landed a blow to Lucius' side, when sent him stumbling back. The cheering became a roar for a few moments. Lucius recovered quickly and flew back into the fight. He ducked a blow aimed at his head and jabbed his left fist into the younger man's stomach. Severus doubled over, winded, as the students roared once again.
"Nice move," Seamus commented.
The combat professor bounced lightly on his feet, waiting for the potions master to recover, though in a real fight he wouldn't have done so.
"Come on, Professor Snape!" called a Slytherin student.
The raven haired man launched himself back into the fight in a flurry of blows, catching his friend in the face. Lucius tumbled over but quickly got back up. A few students gasped when they saw that his nose was bleeding.
"That's gotta hurt."
"Obviously, Ron," Draco said sarcastically.
The fight continued vigorously.
"How long will this go on, Albus?"
"Until one of them wins or until they can't fight anymore, I suppose, Minerva."
An hour passed, and the students and staff could hardly believe that they had been fighting for so long.
"Stop! Stop, stop, stop," Lucius said, holding up one hand.
He sighed wearily.
"I can't fight anymore."
Severus nodded in agreement. Both men were soaked with sweat and were bruised in several places. They pulled off their gloves and got out of the ring, climbing over the ropes, or falling off the ropes in Snape's case, groaning as their aching and abused bodies protested.
"Off to the Infirmary with the two of you," Dumbledore said, helping the waylaid Defense Professor to his feet.
The two Slytherin Professors limped tiredly to the Infirmary, where Madam Pomfrey treated them.
"Any longer, and I think I might have just collapsed right there in the ring," Severus told Lucius.
The blond smiled.
"I hear you there, my friend. I feel like a centaur ran me over. Merlin, do you hit hard, Sev!"
The other chuckled smugly.
"I'm lucky you didn't break my nose with that hit to the face."
"Sorry about that. If it makes you feel any better, you hit really hard, too."
Lucius smirked.
"That does make me feel better, actually."
"Well, I think we've gotten the students thoroughly interested in your class."
The weeks passed, and the older students were finally beginning to spar with each other and sometimes Lucius. Today he was sparing Harry.
"Come on, Harry. I'm not going to break. Hit me!"
The Griffyndor did as told, though he still hesitated.
"Narcissa hits harder than you, boy!"
A blow sent Harry sprawling.
"You're not even trying."
"I am!"
"If you were you'd be hitting harder and faster. I thought you were strong, Harry, but it seems I was mistaken. You're weak."
Harry glared at his uncle.
"I'm not weak!"
"Prove it, boy! Prove you're not the weakling the Dursleys told you that you were, or are you really just a weakling that's a burden?"
The Griffyndor struck like lightning, and Lucius fell back from the blow to his jaw. Harry stood over him, horrified.
"Now that's more like it, Harry."
He got up and faced his nephew.
"Imagine I am your cousin or that pathetic excuse of an uncle."
"He's not my uncle, you are. He hurt me, you cared for me."
"Make him pay for what he did to you, Harry. Let all that anger out."
Harry left fly blow after blow. Lucius blocked most of them but took a few hits. Finally they stopped.
"Good, Harry. Class dismissed."
"Uncle Lucius."
"Yes, cub?"
The boy hesitated, despite the affectionate nickname.
"Harry, you know you can tell or ask me anything," Lucius told him gently.
"Why did you make me mad enough to hit you?"
The blond looked at him.
"Boxing is a good way to relieve anger. You've had this wound for so long. This was the best way for you to get rid of those feelings, even if it turned me into a human punching bag."
"I didn't hurt you, did I?"
"No. Severus hits a lot harder."
The Griffyndor smiled.
"Off with you, cub, so you're not late for Potions. Your father will have my hide if you're tardy."
"See you at dinner, Uncle," Harry called as he rushed out the door.
Lucius smiled and took a drink from his water bottle before proceeding to dump the rest over his head. Harry had at last made some progress, and that was worth the bruises he would soon have from being his nephew's punching bag.
End Note: Lucius becomes a teacher and helps Harry deal with the pain caused by the Dursleys. Please review.