Drarry

Snakes and Lions

After Christmas dinner, Harry, Ron and Hermione retired to Ron's room where Harry considered telling them about the gift from Draco. He decided against it but also decided to send something in return. He knew he was just probing old wounds but he couldn't help himself. So when they finally crept into their beds, Harry pulled out a little gold lion he'd found and used some magic to change it into a pendant. Then he threaded it onto a chain and wrapped it up. He called Dobby quietly and the owl swooped down.

"Go find Draco," Harry whispered and Dobby soared out the window. Harry fell into a deep sleep, so deep that he didn't wake up when George kicked him in  the ribs. George had to pull all the blankets off him so Harry woke up.

"You sleep like the dead," George muttered and then winced as if a great pain had coursed through him. Harry groaned and rubbed his eyes.

"What is it?" he asked.

"Hermione's gone."

Harry leaped up and threw a rug around his shoulders to combat the cold. Then he followed George in a mad dash down the stairs and into the well lit kitchen. Ron was sitting at the table with his hands around a mug of tea and tears on his cheeks.

"I woke up and she was gone," he was saying through hiccups. "Bed empty. No note."

Harry ran out the door and his bare feet sank into the frosty grass. His breath came in great huffs of white and goosebumps rose on his skin.

"Hermione!" he shouted into the night. "Where are you?"

He began to circle the Burrow, eyes scanning the dim area. She could be anywhere, he thought in a panic. Please let me find her, he though desperately.

"Hermione! HERMIONE!"

"Harry?"

Harry spun around and dashed through waist high grasses. Frost coated his glasses and his feet were nearly numb with cold but he didn't care so long as Hermione was okay and nothing-

"Hermione?"

Sobbing could be heard and then a harsh voice. Harry couldn't make out the words but they sounded as if they meant harm. Harry stopped running and drew his wand from his waist band. He heaved silent breaths and tread carefully over the grass.

"Harry? Please..."

Harry peeked around a blob of grass and his breath whooshed out of him in a great huff of surprise. For Hermione was suspended in the air with someone tall and blonde pacing below her. Blonde hair glinted in the dawn light that was just beginning to seep into the sky. Malfoy...

"Fancy seeing you here, Potter," smiled Lucius Malfoy with a wicked gleam in his eyes.

"What the hell?" Harry breathed. "You're supposed to be in Azkaban!"

"Supposed to be," Lucius nodded. "Now Potter. Listen closely. Because I won't repeat myself and if you don't understand me, Miss Mudblood will suffer."

He twitched a wand, Hermione's wand, and Hermione screamed. Blood seeped down her pjs and soaked into the ground. Harry started forward in a fury with his wand raised but Lucius shook his head.

"No closer, Potter."

Harry stopped as Hermione stopped screaming. Her eyes were unfocused as sweat poured down her face. Lucius was taking something out of his pocket. It was a lion on a chain. The same lion Harry had sent to Draco...

"Stay away from my son, Potter," Lucius snarled, his fist closing around the lion. He flung it at Harry who, with the skill of a seeker, caught it. Shock coursed through him.

"What have you done with my owl?" Harry demanded. Lucius said nothing, only smiled.

"WHAT HAVE YOU DONE WITH MY OWL!?"

Suddenly Harry moved, flicking his wand up and sending a wave of red right at Lucius's face. The forced of the stunning charm blasted the blonde git about twenty feet backwards and caused him to land in a frozen creek. Hermione came crashing to the ground and lay still. Harry bolted for her and touched her cheek. It was icy cold.

"Renervate," he said, pointing his wand at her heart. Hermione's eyes fluttered and she stared at Harry with terror in her eyes.

"He's going to kill Draco," she stammered and her eyes slid shut.

"Bye bye Potter," Lucius sang from behind Harry and as Harry spun around, Lucius plucked Hermione's wand from the ground and began to turn on his heel.

"Expalliarmus!" Harry roared and the wand flew out of Lucius's hand before he could Apparate. Thrown off balance, he toppled to the ground and Harry stunned him again. Then he bound Lucius with magic and hovered him and Hermione into the air, back to the Burrow. Ron stood in the door way. His face caved in when he saw Hermione but Harry, breathing hard said, "Someone might want to write to Azkaban and tell them they're missing someone."