Sorry it's been so long dears! I've had most of this chapter completed for a while, but between AP classes and recently being cast in a play, I've been at a loss for time. And will power. But at last, I have taken to my word processor once more. Just don't give up on me if I continue to take a while for updates.

I feel the need to respond to a couple of my reviewers, so if you are T.A. Perrot or BrutallyHonest96, read on:

T.A. Perrot: Your review easily made my week. Keeping the characters true to self is my biggest concern, so your review was a huge compliment to me. THANK YOU! :)

BrutallyHonest96: I apologize if the scar bit was unclear. I'll be explaining it further in later chapters. I really appreciate you pointing that out so that I can make sure to focus on it.

As always, I have simply kidnapped Harry and co. temporarily. Their permanent residence is with the fabulous J.K. Rowling.

Hermione jolted awake in her bedroom. After lighting her wand, she peered at her watch on the bedside table as a low rumble of thunder echoed in the distance.

4:37

Perhaps the storm outside woke me up, she thought hopefully. But a muffled cry from the adjacent room told her that she had not been awoken by the thunder, but rather by Harry's restless sleep. More bad dreams.

She rolled out of bed gently and tiptoed into the hall to the door of Harry's room. When she pressed her ear to the door, she could hear him yelling in his sleep

"Ginny! Her-Hermione! Ron!"

Hermione sighed. Harry's dreams had been occurring every night this week. It made her feel helpless, watching him suffer like this. She reached up and tapped on the door softly "Harry, Harry wake up…" she called through the door, but to no avail. He was still talking, and she could hear the bed creaking under his tossing and turning. "Harry, dear, get up!" she tried again, a bit louder this time. Still no answer. I hate to do this, she thought. But it was obvious that her conventional methods were doing no good.

"HARRY, DEAN THOMAS JUST PROPOSED TO GINNY!"

Thump. He was awake.

The door opened moments later and a very agitated Harry stumbled out. "Hermione… what the hell was that?" he said.

"Sorry…" she was staring at her feet. "But… it woke you up, didn't it?" Hermione peeked out from under her bushy hair, fighting to suppress a smile.

"Whatever," he turned around to go back to bed, but then changed his mind. He sighed resignedly. "Was I really that loud?" he asked, almost in a whisper.

"Yes," Hermione said. "I'm going to try and find out how to brew a Dreamless Sleep potion, or at least make you a Draught of Peace. You won't be able to function when you're awake if your dreams keep on like this, you realize."

"I suppose…"

"Harry, do you - do you want to talk about it?"

"There's not much to say, is there? It's always the same. He's got you all, Ron, Ginny, you, everyone. And there's nothing I can do. I'm… I'm totally, completely at a loss to do anything. Sometimes there's someone random there too, helping him… It was Professor Dewhurst this time. Last night Mrs. Norris was there. Always knew there was something funny about that cat." He chuckled slightly.

Hermione reached out and put her hand on his shoulder.

"Harry, I think… I think you need to discuss this with someone."

"…I thought I was discussing it with you." Harry tilted his head to one side.

"That's not what I meant," she shook her head slightly. "I mean, I think you need to see a professional about this, Harry. There's a psychological condition, Muggles call it Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. I'm concerned that's what's wrong with you," Hermione's brown eyes were filled with anxiety. "I - I'm really worried about you," her voice broke as she choked back her tears.

Harry instinctually grabbed her and pulled her into a tight embrace. "Mione, it'll be alright," he murmured in her ear. "I'm here. I'm not going anywhere…" he continued to comfort her as he held her. He found it odd that he was comforting her about his psychological issues, but he didn't say anything about it. After a while, Hermione's quiet sniffling stopped and Harry held her back at an arm's length. "I'll talk to Madame Pomfrey and see what I can do, alright?" he smiled at her softly. "I suppose we ought to try and go back to sleep, don't you think?" She nodded, seeming slightly embarrassed by her emotional moment. "Well, goodnight Hermione."

"Goodnight, Harry."

The crowd of Gryffindors collectively groaned as they entered the Defense Against the Dark Arts classroom for the first time in the new year. It seemed that whoever made the schedules had not yet gained enough wisdom to realize that pairing the Gryffindors and Slytherins for classes was a poor decision. The two houses automatically separated themselves in the room, the Slytherins occupying the left side of the classroom while the Gryffindors dominated the right.

After a few minutes of idle chatter, the professor finally called her class to order.

"Good morning class. My name is Professor Dewhurst, in case you haven't picked up on that yet," her lips formed a small smile. She paced back and forth in front of the room.

"I've been told that I'm supposed to be teaching you how to defend yourself against the Dark Arts. But it seems to me that, in this class particularly, that you probably know as much as I do," she paused in her path as she gazed at Harry.

He developed that same strange sensation in his scar he had experienced at the feast the first night: not even a hint of pain, as his scar had been prone to producing when he had the horcrux inside of him, simply a tingling sensation that made him unusually aware of the mark on his forehead.

Professor Dewhurst continued with her speech. "However, we must still cover what will be appearing on your N.E.W.T. tests in the summer. So bear with me if some of what we study is review.

"Now, class. Professor Flitwick and I have discussed it, and we will be working together to help you master the Patronus Charm. I realize this is very advanced magic, but you are N.E.W.T. students after all, and a group of dementors has been spotted near Hogsmeade. The Ministry has yet to exercise control over the magical creatures that were allied with You-Know-Who, and we want you to be prepared in case of any danger. Professor Flitwick will be focusing on teaching you the technique of producing a Patronus, and I'll make sure you know everything you'll need to conjure one when it counts."

The students' quills were scratching away furiously as Professor Dewhurst gave them instructions and tips on casting effective Patronus charms. After about 15 minutes, Harry heard a soft whimper from across the room. He looked up from his notes momentarily, and saw that Pansy Parkinson had gone quite pale. Malfoy was glancing at her nervously. Pansy scurried up to the front of the class, whispered something to Professor Dewhurst hurriedly, and proceeded to sprint from the classroom with a hand over her mouth.

"Ah – Mr. Weasley. Would you kindly accompany Miss Parkinson to the hospital wing? Make sure she's all right, you know."

"Er… yes, Professor." Ron seemed very confused as he strode out of the room after Pansy.

Professor Dewhurst continued the class without any further mention of Pansy, but that didn't stop her pupils from shooting curious looks at one another. Ron returned after ten minutes, but didn't explain anything to Harry or Hermione until they were on their way to Potions.

"Madame Pomfrey didn't seem surprised Pansy was in the hospital wing. Maybe she's got a stomach bug or something. But if it's possible to feel sorry for Pug-Face Parkinson, I do. She looked like she felt absolutely wretched."

"Well, I don't pity her one bit," Hermione sniffed as they grabbed their usual table in the dungeons. She had absolutely loathed Pansy ever since she had snidely commented about Hermione's buck teeth.

Professor Slughorn stepped out from behind his desk in the front of the classroom. "Today, class, we will be working on a very difficult potion: Anaegrogatio. Can anyone tell me what this potion is used for?"

Hermione's hand was in the air.

"Yes, Miss Granger?"

"Anaegrogatio is used as a healing potion to cure the common cold."

"Yes! It is a very difficult potion to brew, and takes quite a while to set up. We'll be working on this potion for a few months. Let's see here…" Professor Slughorn paused for a moment and tapped his wand on the desk absentmindedly.

"The other professors and I have discussed it, and we feel that there is a great deal too much interhouse enmity. So I want to try something new." There was a twinkle in his eye that made every student nervous.

"Mr. Potter, you will be working with Mr. Malfoy. Miss Granger, why don't you pair up with Mr. Zabini?" The Slytherins rolled their eyes miserably.

Professor Slughorn continued down the list of students, telling Gryffindors and Slytherins to work together. When he paired Ron with Pansy, Ron looked over his shoulder wistfully at Hermione. This put Harry in a particularly foul train of thought for the rest of the class, and he wasn't even sure why. This bad mood increased even more so after Zabini and Malfoy sauntered over to his and Hermione's table.

Malfoy was twirling his wand through his long fingers idly, not even bothering to acknowledge his Gryffindor companions. Zabini just sat there. There was an awkward silence for a moment until Hermione went to retrieve the ingredients for both groups' potions.

When she came back, it became apparent that Hermione and Harry were going to function as partners while the other two paired up. The two groups whispered to each other as they set up the first part of the potion, each pair acting as if the other two didn't exist.

Throughout the class, Harry noticed that Hermione was looking at something over his shoulder repeatedly. Whenever she did, she seemed to become more and more agitated. Eventually, Harry's curiosity got the best of him and he turned around to find out what was so terribly interesting behind him. He saw Ron and Pansy laboring over their cauldron. They were working together rather well, it seemed, but not overly friendly. It didn't bother Harry much, but when he swiveled back around and saw Hermione fuming as she chopped up some mistletoe berries, he became furious that Ron would have the audacity to actually tolerate Pansy. Couldn't he see how upset it made Hermione?

A/N: I'll try to update soon, I promise. Reviews and favorites are welcome as always!