Hi. I wrote this for a fanfic challenge on one of my LJ communities. I thought it turned out quite well. It's just a one-shot now, but if it gets a good response I'll consider continuing it. Anyone who's been reading my other HP fanfic, I'm really sorry for the time it's taken me to update but various things appened include one of my stories being removed thus me not being allowed to update anything for a few days and then going on holiday. SO, sorry about that and i'll get back to it asap. but for now, read this and please REVIEW.

Harry gave an involuntary jump as the huge lion in the cage nearby gave an almighty roar. He had been on edge ever since the end of last year. Harry thought that Dumbledore's plan to calm the students, but mainly himself, by taking them to see a Muggle zoo was, in his opinion, definitely one of Dumbledore's less brilliant ideas. Harry shook himself. His heart was still pounding. Get a grip he told himself, it's just a bloody lion. It roared; that's what they do. From behind him he heard an all too familiar derisive laugh.

"What's the matter, Potter?" came Draco Malfoy's drawling voice, "Did the scawy lion fwighten you? You're pathetic, you know that?" Harry turned around to face the steely grey eyes of his enemy.

"Watch it, Malfoy. I'm really not in the mood," Harry told him threateningly. Draco just smirked and turned back to his cronies.

"I swear, if he says one more thing, he's gonna regret it," thought Harry aloud.

"Harry, you won't do anything stupid will you?" asked Hermione, having overheard him. "Dumbledore's doing this for your benefit you know. Starting trouble with Malfoy isn't the way to go about repaying him." Harry rolled his eyes but said nothing. He wandered over to Ron, who was standing right up close to the lion's cage. Having never been to a Muggle zoo, he was enthralled.

"Look at it, Harry! Isn't it funny?" he said staring at the lion. "I always thought lions were really fierce, but it's just lying there!" He lowered his voice, "If this is all they do, they might want to think about making a lion the Hufflepuff symbol." He started laughing. Harry smiled and nodded.

"What's the matter with you?" asked Ron, finally taking his attention away from the lion.

"What do you mean?" asked Harry.

"What do you think, Harry? You're being really quiet and...moody. What is it?"

"Just...Malfoy," he lied. Ron seemed to buy it though.

"That smarmy bastard. What's he been doing now?"

"Oh, nothing. Just being a pain in the arse as usual."

"Slimy git," muttered Ron, looking over at Malfoy and his gang of Slytherins.

"Ignore him, he's not worth it," he said, feeling fairly hypocritical, "Look, I'm going to look around. I'm bored. You can stay here."

In truth, Harry just wanted to be alone. He hated that everyone was going out of their way to make sure he was okay. This whole trip to the zoo was just some pathetic excuse to take Harry's mind off things. So far, all it had done was annoy him. He'd much rather be back in Hogwarts, sitting by the lake or hanging out in the common room. Why couldn't Dumbledore just treat him like a normal student? Everyone was under threat from Voldemort, not just Harry. Surely it would make more sense to be thinking of ways to fight him. Not go gallivanting off to the bloody zoo.

Harry walked for a while, glancing at the cages, not really paying much attention where he was going. Occasionally he would pass fellow students, but he didn't stop to chat. Eventually he noticed he was near the Reptile House. Harry smiled to himself remembering the last time he had been in a Muggle zoo. He went in. He regretted the decision almost immediately when he saw who was in there. Draco Malfoy. Harry thought about turning round, going back out, but part of him wanted to stay. He almost wanted Draco to say something to him, just so he would have an excuse to hit something. He walked over to the python's enclosure. The Slytherins were currently scrutinising a boa constrictor. Where they belong, Harry thought, amongst the other snakes.

He put his hand on the glass. The python stirred at the noise. Harry made eye contact with it.

"Hello," he whispered, not wanting the Slytherins to hear him speaking to the snake. The python inclined its head in reply.

"I wish I was in there, you know," he told the snake, "In an enclosure, where no-one could bother me." Harry thought the snake looked almost sympathetic.

"Bet you think I'm mad, huh? Well, if I could I'd swap places with you, I would. You could have your freedom and I could have some peace." He sighed and lazily drew patterns with his finger on the glass as he thought. The snake watched him, it's head tilted in curiosity.

"Well, well, well," came that cold, drawling voice once more. "If it isn't the boy wonder, come to see his beloved snakes. The only things that'll talk to you now, are they? Even they're too good for you, Potter." Harry breathed deeply and turned to face those cold eyes once more.

"I warned you before, Malfoy. Leave me alone."

"Oooh! I'm trembling with fear, Potter," Draco said, his voice dripping with sarcasm. "What are you going to do? Cry for Dumbledore? Seeing as you don't have a mother to go to."

Harry instantly lost it. He punched Draco, square in the face and knocked him to the floor. Pansy Parkinson, who was amongst the other Slytherins let out a small scream. Crabbe and Goyle moved forwards menacingly, but Draco, getting up from the floor, motioned for them to stay back. He wiped his mouth, which was now bleeding. He looked up at Harry smirking.

"Not bad, Potter. I didn't think you had it in you."

"Yeah, well there's more where that came from, Malfoy, so I'd back off before I really get mad." Harry felt his blood boil as Draco laughed at him, his steely eyes sneering. Suddenly he heard a frenzied hissing behind him. The python was right up close to the glass, hissing at Draco, throwing itself against the glass, as if trying to get out. Draco's laugh faltered as he too noticed the snake.

Harry saw the flicker of fear and doubt in Draco's eyes. He began thinking. He concentrated on the glass that was holding the python back and willed it to disappear, just like it had done five years ago. He had done it once before, he could do it again. It was Pansy Parkinson's shriek that told him he had been successful. Draco stumbled backwards as the python slithered out of it's enclosure towards him.

"Chase him. Bite him if you can," Harry told the python. Draco looked up in fear, having heard Harry speak Parseltongue. He looked back at the snake to see what it would do. It lunged at him menacingly, baring it's sharp fangs, still hissing wildly. Harry walked behind the python as it advanced upon Malfoy, enjoying every moment of fear he inflicted on his enemy.

The python was intent on Draco. The other Slytherins had scattered and watched on in fear as their "leader" backed away from the approaching snake, right into a corner. Draco backed into the wall. He was trapped. He looked up at Harry his cold eyes flashing.

"Call it off, Potter!" he yelled. "Call it off now!"

"Or what? You'll get daddy?" replied Harry scathingly, enjoying getting his revenge. For once, he was in control. Malfoy, usually so cocky and self-assured was cowering, making idle threats in desperation as the snake got ever closer.

Suddenly, Harry heard a shout.

"There, Professor! See?"

He turned. It was Pansy. She must have run out of the Reptile House. And she had returned with Snape. The python was now snapping at Draco's ankles. Snape observed the scene, a cold smile coming to his sallow face.

"Call the snake off, Potter. Now."

Harry glared at the Professor. He turned to the snake and told it to back off. It hesitated for a moment, before turning away from Draco and heading back to it's enclosure. As soon as it was back, Pansy ran over to Draco who was still in the corner trying to regain his composure. Harry looked at the Professor, who now advanced on him much like the Python had done to Draco.

"Well now, Mr. Potter," said Snape, his lip curling into an unpleasant smile, "Let's see you talk your way out of this one."