Written for The Dirty Minds Competition.

Warning: AU

Words: 457


Dying

Draco was dying. Writhing in agony on the floor, it wouldn't be long before he lost consciousness. Harry looked at his broken wand with a sigh. This wasn't how today was supposed to play out.

"Neville, you need to go back and find the potion. Take Luna with you," Harry barked. The pair nodded gravely before stalking out. "Ron, you need to go and find the Hippogriff, and be nice! She might be our only hope..." Harry let his sentence trail off as he left fate unsaid. If he didn't say it, it didn't have to be decided.

Breathing heavily, Harry grabbed Draco's wand and the blond let out an impressive groan. He couldn't attempt to help his newfound ally with his own bent wood, so Draco's own would have to do.

"We're going to save you, Draco. I promise."

With that, Harry set to work with Draco's wand.

-o0o-

Approaching the Hippogriff, Ron was scared. She was backing away, nostrils flaring, wild. Nothing like buckbeak. As he pressed his lips together in determination, he noticed how dry and cracked they were. He breathed in deeply and took a step forward. Don't look 'em in the eye, he remembered Hagrid once telling hin. Ron stared straight at her bared chest before licking his lips and reaching forward. He left his hand outstretched as he dropped into a low bow, and waited.

When the beast bowed back, Ron breathed a sigh of relief.

-o0o-

Luna and Neville were stood looking down into the Devils' Snare where the potion was dropped. It wasn't just any potion, it was the rare antidote to the poison Voldemort had injected directly into Draco's heart. Draco had known, of course, that standing against his master was dangerous - he'd said as much to Harry himself. But no one had imagined a horror quite like this.

"So, it's in there? What do I do?" Neville asked, nervous.

"You need to reach in, gently. Go slow," she told him.

Neville moved hesitantly, pushing his fingers into the writhing folds.

"Are you sure?" he asked, looking all the more uncertain.

"Yes, look. It isn't fighting you."

This satisfied Neville, and warily, he reached into the plants depths even further, feeling around hesitantly for the sweet prize he was after.

"It's no good, Luna, I can't do it! My arm isn't long enough!" he announced, frustrated.

"I can see it!" Luna shouted, ignoring his protestations. "It's so close! Go deeper, Neville!"

With Luna's encouragement, his fingers grasped around the cold bottle and he withdrew slowly, so as not to stimulate the plant too much.

He pulled out the vial with a proud grin before the pair ran off back to their patient, hoping that they weren't too late.