A/N: Sorry for the delay folks! But here it is ...
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
CHAPTER NINETEEN: LEAVING FOR THE HOLIDAYS
~~~~~December 11th, 1996. Hogwarts.~~~~~
Harry quickly blocked a strike coming for his head. Hermione was a natural with a sword, he wasn't and right now if the swords hadn't of been made of wood, he would be very dead, or at least lacking a few body parts. Either way there'd be bruises to show from this battle.
Brodsky stood to the side watching the two make use of the skills he had been teaching them. The physical training had probably been the best thing to help them with their swordsmanship.
Their physical strength was already increasing and also their endurance; they'd been dueling now for almost half an hour and although the sweat was pouring off them, they showed no signs of giving up. Their martial arts training was being heavily relied upon as well, as could be told by the way they moved around eachother, dodging and rolling.
Yet Harry had failed at every attempt to get the upper hand on her. She certainly did excel with a katana in her grip. But then again,Brodsky thought with a small smile, The girl excels at every task put upon her.
"How are they doing?" A feminine burr came from behind him.
He turned to see McGonagall standing there, her usual stern mask over her face, but in her eyes he could see the emotion she held within.
"They are both progressing nicely. Harry is a bit behind her in this particular field, she's a natural, but he's ahead with wandless magic, much to her frustration."
"She's a girl who strives for perfection." McGonagall said as she came to stand beside him and the two turned half their attention on the battle.
"Indeed and she usually gets it." He said, closing his eyes and smiling.
McGonagall looked at him with a sad face, "Reminding you of someone, perhaps?"
"Clarice." He said simply, referring to his late wife. "She was much the same during our Hogwarts days, always had to be the best."
"Hermione reminds me an awful lot of myself actually. I was like that too." McGonagall told him, watching Hermione.
"You still are, old woman." Brodsky laughed.
After a brief moment of eye contact, including a mock-glare that, even though fake, had put terror into the hearts of many students over the years, they turned to the excitement before them just in time to see Harry make one last desperate attempt at winning the duel.
Hermione had seen it coming, she twisted to her left just as he was coming, placing her next to him on his right and swung the bokken. It impacted his chest hard enough to knock him backwards with a loud grunt.
He'd only been holding his wooden sword in one hand and his grip hadn't been that tight. From the shock of her move, and both impacts he went through, first her weapon hitting him, then landing solidly on his back, he lost hold of his training sword.
In the blink of an eye Hermiones was pointed at his throat. He looked up at her, both breathing deeply, and gave her a painful smile. Some of her hair had came out from the knot it had been in and was now plastered around her face and she was smiling smugly at him.
"I let you beat me, you know." He chuckled, his smile broadening.
She raised an eyebrow as her smile turned into a grin, "And why would you do that, Potter?"
"'Cause you're damn hot when you win."
Cocking her head she asked, she tried to hide her smile saying, "And I'm not normally?"
"I didn't say that, Love."
Hermione laughed as she casually flung her bokken to her other hand and offered the one previously holding it to him.
Harry didn't miss a beat as he took the hand and pulled her down, flipping her over and straddling her, holding her
hands above her head.
"You haven't won yet." He cheekily smiled.
Hermione looked up into his eyes. Harry saw the evil glint in them and the smile she gave and immediately regretted his decision. He was about to jump off her and forfeit when he received a sharp knee to the groin.
Every hold he had on her loosened as he groaned in pain and Hermione, who had always been good at taking advantage of a moment, did so. She wrapped her legs around him, and flipped him onto his back, then used the wooden sword she still had in her hand and held it across his throat.
Harry had a rather pained expression on his face as he managed to get out, "I thought you wanted children some day."
"Sorry about that, Love, but you were being so cheeky I just had to do something about it."
He managed a little laugh as he looked up at her, "I'll remember that the next time you're being cheeky."
A throat cleared behind them, cutting short their playful banter, and both turned to see Brodsky and their Head of House standing there with amused expressions.
The two slowly got up and made their way over to their professors, Harry limping a bit and leaning heavily on Hermione. "That shot was a bit low, Love."
Hermione laughed, "What and that last attempt to drive a wooden stake through my heart wasn't?"
"You were kicking my arse, I was desperate."
"Well done, both of you." Brodsky said as the room changed form from their normal training room, the same one used for the DA, to a large windy field with two long couches and an armchair around them. "Although I'm sorry Harry, I must proclaim Miss Granger the victor."
Harry and Hermione practically collapsed into the chair and simultaneously leaned back and closed their eyes, enjoying the cool wind on their skin. Brodsky sat across from them while McGonagall took the armchair.
"I was quite impressed with the both of you." McGonagall commented and the two students looked up at her. "You both seem to be doing very well, although I wish this all weren't necessary."
"So do we, Professor." Hermione told her.
"Did you need us for something Professor McGonagall?" Harry asked.
"Oh, no, I just came by to see how things were progressing."
Brodsky spoke, "The two are doing brilliantly. In fact, after speaking with Mad-Eye and Tonks I can say that they are far ahead of the others, even with the extra lessons added on their schedule. They will be able to do silent magic with ease very shortly I am sure, and with a few more months of training they will be masters of the blade, though Miss Granger will probably accomplish that task a little quicker."
"A few months?" McGonagall repeated and then went on gravely, "I just hope we have that much time."
"Do you know something Professor?" Hermione asked, leaning forward and allowing Harry to rub the heel of his palm into her back, loosening it up a bit.
McGonagall looked at the younger witch who really did remind her of herself, "Unfortunately, no. The Order is working hard on gathering intelligence, but You-Know-Who seems to be keeping to himself."
"Which usually means he's planning something." Harry said darkly.
"Do not worry yourselves with it at the moment." Brodsky remarked. "What is to come, will come. We will do our best to prevent anything that may happen, but if we cannot then we will deal with it when it occurs. Both of you go shower and rest for your next class."
Harry and Hermione nodded and stood, walking for the exit. McGonagall turned to Brodsky, "Do you really think they will be ready in time, Byron?"
"Those two, prepared or not, I have no doubt they will face it with the best of their abilities, and most likely succeed. It is the others I am not as sure of, but I do not know them as well. Harry and Hermione, however, they will stand in front of whatever is to come and if they do not beat it away, they will die trying."
McGonagall looked on the verge of tears as he spoke those words, "Then best we make sure they can beat it away." She paused and there was silence between the two until she spoke up again, "They're too young." She said, her voice barely above a whisper. "They shouldn't have to do this, any of it. They should be focused on school, their friends, and each other, not on a damn war."
Brodsky looked up at her with eyes that had seen far too much in his fourty-two years. "It is their destiny."
~~~~~December 20th, 1996. Hogwarts Express.~~~~~
The trio sat in a compartment on the train with Luna, Ginny and Neville. The six chatted comfortably for most of the trip, talking about their plans for the holidays, quidditch, and quietly, their training.
They were only about twenty minutes from the station when Ginny excused herself. Harry didn't know where she would be going so close to the end of their trip but didn't give it much of a thought. Hermione grabbed Ron and started dragging him to the door.
"We have to patrol." She stated, then gave a quick look to Harry that told him everything he needed to know.
He waited a full five minutes before also excusing himself. After searching around for a while, he ran into Hermione fairly far from their compartment.
"Let's go find a place to talk." She said, grabbing his sleeve and leading him down the corridor in search for an empty compartment.
"Where's Ron?" He asked.
"I'll give you three guesses." She smiled back at him.
Harry laughed a little, "He found a Ravenclaw compartment?"
"Yep, not that I minded getting rid of him. Gives me some alone time with you before we don't get to see each other for weeks."
"What's that girls name anyway?"
"Lana Hart, fifth year Ravenclaw."
"Do you know her?"
"She's a prefect. I don't know her, but I know of her, she's supposed to be pretty smart." Hermione responded.
"Then what's she doing flirting with Ron?" Harry asked with a chuckle.
"He's older, not that bad looking, fairly popular, plays quidditch - -" Hermione listed, most of her attention focused on her search.
Harry cut her off, "Hey!"
She grinned back at him then stopped suddenly when they heard a cry from the compartment just in front of them, "For Merlins sake, Gin, just let it go!"
Harry and Hermione looked at each other with knit brows. "That's Malfoys voice." Harry said angrily then started for the compartment door while reaching for his wand.
"Wait." Hermione grabbed his hand and pulled him back.
"He might be hurting her!"
"I don't think so, Harry, he just called her 'Gin'."
They moved closer to the compartment that the voices were coming from to listen to the conversation. Harry had his wand drawn just in case.
"Why can't you just let it go?" Malfoy asked, with none of his usual sneer.
"Because I'm your friend, your only real friend and I worry about you. He's a right bastard, Draco and it frustrates me that I can't do anything to help you!"
There was a brief pause of silence before Malfoy sighed loudly, "I know Ginny. I'm sorry I yelled, it's just that this is the way it is. There's nothing we can do about it right now anyway, so don't worry, please. I can't bear knowing that your Christmas is ruined because you're too busy worrying about me."
Ginny scoffed, "Don't lie to me, I know it goes straight to your head that I'll be thinking about you, you prat."
For the first time since they'd known him, Harry and Hermione heard Malfoy give a genuine laugh, "Yeah, your right it does."
"Just promise you'll write to me." Ginny asked softly.
"You know I will. Now go back to your loser friends and stop bloody worrying about me."
Harry and Hermione shared a look, then Hermione turned back and watched two Hufflepuffs exit one cabin and go into another. She grabbed Harrys sleeve and back-peddled him towards it, and had to physically push him inside.
"What the bloody hell is going on?!" Harry fumed, "He was being nice to her! Him! Nice to someone!"
"Calm down, Harry."
Hermione stuck her head out of the door. Ginny was walking their way with her head down. She hadn't noticed that they were in there as she got to the door so Hermione reached out and grabbed her by the collar of her shirt. Ginny gave a yelp as she was dragged inside the compartment.
Quickly Hermione shut the door and drew the blinds then whirled on the shocked Ginny. Repeating Harrys question from earlier she asked with much less venom, "What the bloody hell is going on?"
Ginny looked from the angry Harry to the curiously worried Hermione then said with a dejected sigh, "You heard us didn't you?"
"If by 'us' you mean you and that bloody ferret than yeah we bloody heard you!" Harry yelled.
"Harry." Hermione said with a warning look, "Calm down." She turned her attention back to Ginny, "Honestly Gin, it's none of our business - -"
"None of our business?!" Harry stared at her wide-eyed.
"No, Harry, it's none of our business." Hermione said back, the warning in her tone getting stronger and stronger. Harry was angry, but he wasn't angry enough to miss it so he threw his hands in the air and angrily sat down, lest she hit him again.
Hermione was talking to Ginny again, "But still, we'd like to know what is going on between you two."
Ginny sighed again and sat down across from Harry, looking down at her hands which were rubbing each other furiously. Hermione remained standing and carefully edged so she was between the two enough that should tempers rise too high she could defuse the situation before either exploded.
"We're friends." Ginny began.
"Since when?" Harry asked, the razor still in his voice.
"Just a little after his father broke out of Azkaban. He really isn't as bad as he seems, once you get to know him."
Harry scoffed and Hermione once more shot him a look, then asked, "How did it start?"
Ginny looked up at Hermione with sad eyes, "You know how you and I are the only ones who'll use Moaning Myrtle's bathroom?" Hermione nodded, "I found him in there, he was an absolute mess. Myrtle told me he'd been going in there alot to get away from everyone, just to cry.
"He doesn't want to be a death eater." Ginny said turning to look at Harry with serious eyes, "It's his father, he's being forced into it. We talked alot that day and I even got him to smile. After that he was pretty cruel to me for a while, I think he was embarrassed, but a little while later he came to me and apologized, said I was the first person to ever be that nice to him.
"We met up in Moaning Myrtle's bathroom all the time and just talked about everything. He's my friend, and I don't care what either of you say."
Hermione was about to speak when Harry stood and she unconsciously moved in front of Ginny. "You're friend?! He's a low, dirty, slimy, son of a bitch! How can you......Bloody hell, Ginny! This is Malfoy! The guy who's made our lives hell as much as he could! The guy who got Norbert sent away and tried to have Buckbeak killed! The guy who's father tried to murder us all!"
Ginny stood too, "He is not his father! And if you tell anyone I'll tell Ron that you two have been snogging behind his back every chance you get!"
"Both of you calm down!" Hermione interrupted. She turned to Harry, "It's none of our business who Ginny is friends with and we are not going to say anything to anyone!" Turning to Ginny, "Has he ever hurt you?" She asked, softer than when she'd spoken to Harry.
"No, no! He wouldn't, Herms!"
"If he ever does you are to tell me straight away, that's the only condition I ask for keeping your secret." Ginny nodded then hugged Hermione.
Hermione hugged her back then motioned with her head to the door. Ginny took the hint and quickly departed, not sparing a glance back, just happy to be getting out of there. Hermione turned back to Harry who was looking at her as if she'd gone mad.
"You're going to let this go on?" He asked.
"Yes. We can't control her, Harry, and as long as he isn't hurting her than I don't see a problem with it. And we won't be telling anyone."
"Fine." Harry grumpily agreed.
Hermione took his hand and smiled at him, using her spare hand to lift his chin so she could look him in the eyes, "Now, this train is slowing down which means we are about to part for a couple of weeks and I don't want to leave you without a proper goodbye and you being angry with me."
He smiled a little and leaned in to gently kiss her, "I could never stay angry at you for long. But if he hurts her, you better tell me so I can deal with him."
"No."
"No?"
"No, I won't be telling you."
"Why not?"
"Because one, I don't want you to go off and kill Malfoy, and two, I'd want to deal with him myself." She told him, and then before he could respond, pulled him in so that their lips met, saying her proper goodbye.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~