Sorry for the delay guys, I had a lot on and then the arrival of Covid-19 has completely ruined all creativity for me- not to mention motivation. Being couped up inside does not do well for me. Your patience is appreciated 3

As always, no money is made from this story. All Harry Potter related things are the property of JK Rowling. No copyright infringement is intended.

Chapter Two

It was the third day of Harry's week of detention with Snape. Dumbledore has given him quite the roasting and saw fit to give him 5 days' worth of detention, but at least he hadn't taken away his weekend.

Hermione of course had rolled her eyes and joked that only he could get detention on the first day of the school year. But it had been a perfect time for Harry to work on his Occlumency, and so he returned to the dungeons once more to begin another gruelling round of trying to stop his Potions professor from gaining access to his mind.

This time he was armed with more information. Since Harry could not keep her company for two hours each evening, Hermione had been in the library trying to find a way to help Harry block Snape from his mind- coming to the conclusion that for him to have any sort of control over what happened when he was attacked, he needed to ensure a clear mind.

He knocked on the heavy wooden door and opened it at the barked "enter!" from Snape. The dour man stood next to his desk and pointed to the chair situated before it. "Sit and clear your mind, Potter."

Harry ignored the sneer on the man's face at his last name. He sat down, relaxed his hands in his lap and closed his eyes, breathing slow and deep.

"I did not tell you to take a nap, Potter," Snape hissed.

Harry didn't open his eyes. "I'm not, I'm clearing my mind."

Hermione had said to just envision a scene that calmed him, gave him a sense of peace. Instead of inspecting any thoughts that flashed through his mind, just let them float by and pay them no attention. Eventually the thoughts would stop, and he would be able to block Snape easier.

"Hurry along, Potter, I haven't all night!"

Green eyes snapped open and he frowned. "You asked me to clear my mind and I'm trying to do that. Stop barking at me!"

Snape fell silent with a glare but didn't jibe him any further. Harry did as he'd been advised by Hermione and smiled softly. "Okay, I think I'm ready."

Snape's lip curled. "How very fortunate you are able to think."

Harry braced himself and tried to keep the peaceful scene in his mind.

"Legilimens!" Snape said.

Pain erupted behind his eyes as it always did but Harry fought to keep his scene in place. It took Snape a solid five minutes to shatter the image to get to his memories, but it was more than Harry had been able to achieve before.

He cried out in pain and Snape withdrew, looking at Harry with barely concealed contempt. "Almost passable, Potter, except once again you failed to keep me out!" He sneered.

Harry sighed. "It's more than I've been able to do before."

Snape had to concede that point. "Indeed. Your scenery idea is commendable but nowhere near strong enough. The Dark Lord would shatter that in seconds and rip your mind apart before you even had time to blink."

There was nothing said for a few minutes before Harry sighed. "I'm not sure what else to try."

Snape traced his lower lip with his forefinger thoughtfully. "Perhaps lay a trap. Imagine your scenery and then when you feel the attack on your mind, change it into a trap of whatever description."

Harry blinked several times and cocked his head in thought. "Did you just...since when did you actually go about helping me?"

Twin spots of colour appeared on Snape's sallow cheeks and he narrowed his eyes, gaze cold. "Make no mistake, Potter, if it weren't for the fact that we need you to block the Dark Lord from your mind I would not be in any way offering you any assistance!"

For an hour they continued, Harry trying desperately to create a trap and failing on each attempt. One success was that he was able to keep Snape out for longer each time. Though he would not be able to withstand Voldemort's attack, the improvement was enough for Harry to ignore the pounding in his skull as he returned to the common room in Gryffindor Tower, marvelling that he was, for the first time, leaving the dungeons happy.

-oo0oo-

Friday came and Harry could not be more grateful for the weekend, as much as he knew the Occlumency lessons were important, five days straight of it was taking its toll on him. Hermione met him at breakfast and smiled softly when she sat next to him, the concern in her brown eyes evident when she noticed the dark shadows under his eyes.

"Do you want to go to Hogsmeade tomorrow?" She asked.

"Sure, I could use another trip to Honeydukes and I'm having withdrawal symptoms from lack of Butterbeer," he said, stifling a yawn and rubbing his eyes. "Maybe get something to knock me out for a good night's sleep."

She laughed and swatted his arm. "Right then, that's settled. Are you going to be Quidditch Captain again this year?"

Harry paused before he answered. "I'm not sure. With everything that's going on, maybe it's best if I step away."

"No," she said quickly. "Harry, you love Quidditch. You can't not play just because of this law. Besides, with Dumbledore still around the likelihood of You-Know-Who attacking the school is still as slim as it always has been."

"Yeah, you're right. Ron, are you still being my Keeper?"

The redhead scowled over but nodded. Harry gave him a nod back. "And with Ginny being a Chaser, I'm sure to have a good team this year again."

Hermione cheered softly and patted his shoulder. "Absolutely. Ask me nicely and I might even come watch you train."

Harry laughed and jostled her, eating breakfast before they had to head off for classes. He noticed that Malfoy's seat at the Slytherin table was suspiciously empty, but he did catch the glare that the twin dunces threw his way.

A hand waving in front of his face diverted his attention and he smiled sheepishly at Hermione. "Sorry, 'Mione. What did you say?"

"I said we need to go, we've got Transfiguration first and you know how much Professor McGonagall prefers the class be ready early."

He grabbed his bag and followed her out of the Great Hall, but not before he caught the narrowed gaze of Snape, a trace of curiosity in the dark eyes. Harry shrugged it off and hurried after his best friend to get to their first call of the day.

Thankfully their lesson was with Hufflepuff so he wouldn't have to deal with the Slytherin's for the moment. Merlin knew he could use a break from them always riding him. McGonagall wanted them to transfigure a book into a chair, and as always, Hermione got it right first time. She took a moment to help guide Harry's wrist movement and he noticed how warm her hand was against his own, the fingers delicate compared to his, thinner.

He smiled brightly at her and found he could do the spell easily once she gave him a little guidance. McGonagall praised the class and awarded every student who had accomplished the spell five points for their house.

The day went well, or so Harry thought, until dinner rolled around and a red-faced Ron sat fuming at the Gryffindor table in the Great Hall. "What's with the cold shoulder?" He demanded as soon as they sat down.

Harry blinked. "What?"

"Neither of you has barely spoken to me all week!"

Hermione shrugged. "I don't see any reason to talk to someone who can call their own sister out on being gay."

Ron turned an even deeper shade of red. "It was a slip of the tongue! I don't see why you thought that was worth breaking up with me for."

Cutlery clanked softly against porcelain as Harry ate in silence, refusing to get in the middle of this discussion. Hermione, however, had no issue telling Ron the cold, hard truth. "I'll tell you why, Ron. You've done nothing but undermine me and make me feel like a possession. Every decision I've tried to make for dates you've thrown out and demanded we do what you wanted. I tried to make plans for my birthday during the holidays with my family and you actually sent me a Howler because I didn't come see you- my birthday is in the school year and my parents like to celebrate before I go back to school, but you were busy whining because you seem to think you're more important than my own parents! You treat me as if I'm nothing and expect me to meekly roll over and do whatever you want. It isn't going to happen!"

Half the table gaped at Hermione's outburst, while Harry just kept his gaze on his plate and bit his lip. He knew it had to hurt Ron to hear how he'd been behaving but there was no denying the youngest Weasley boy had been out of order in the way he had been treating a girl he claimed to love.

In the end, Ron stormed off and muttered a series of unspeakable words under his breath. Ginny came and plonked next to Hermione and hugged her. "Thank you for telling him the damn truth."

Hermione gave her a watery smile. "I really wish it had worked out, Gin. But he's just too much the polar opposite of me."

Ginny shrugged. "Don't worry about him. He's always been pig-headed and stubborn. Let him be some other person's problem. In the meantime, I don't mean to bring up a sour subject, but have you thought any further on who you might want to marry?"

The freckles suddenly stood out darkly against Hermione's skin as she paled. "Gin, please, I can't even begin to think about it."

She nodded and gave her a tight hug. "If you need to talk then you know where to find me." She slugged Harry in the arm. "Look after her, boy wonder."

He shot her a glare but laughed. "You know it."

It did remind him that Hermione had a tough decision to make after some serious thought. Though he imagined the law would be repealed eventually, there was a chance that this could last for some time, which meant Hermione would have to be bound to someone for that length of time.

And not just Hermione, every Muggleborn in the school was under threat of this law, even the guys. Justin Finch-Fletchley was having a really hard time of it. His girlfriend was a Muggleborn and he'd been forced to break it off with her, and so far none of the others had agreed to marry him.

His heart hurt at the pain she was being put through, and the idea that Malfoy had it out for her made his blood run cold. He would do anything to protect her, and if that meant beating the Slytherin Prince to a bloody pulp then he would do it.

Hermione shooed him off for his final Occlumency lesson of the week with a tired smile. He pressed a quick kiss to her messy head and ran off before he could be late and piss Snape off before they'd even begun his lesson.