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"What's that?" Ron asked his sister. Ginny looked down to see the necklace Fleur had given her. She told him it was nothing and tucked back under her robes. She had been wearing it daily since the attack on Ron the previous week.
The Slytherins had tried the letter trick five more times, but luckily no one else had fallen for it. So far the Gryffindors seemed to be getting the better of their slithering rivals. Most of their wins were due to the direct connection to the Weasley joke shop. The twins had perfected most of the prank toys, packing the most magic and power into the smallest of capsules. Millicent and Blaise had gotten a taste of the twins newest stink tarts; sweet little bits of candy that after one hour caused a person to smell for hours on end. The two had been banned from the common room until it wore off.
Pansy and the Carrows had grown pig tails and noses not long after that, and Adrian Pucey's tongue had split down the middle like his house mascot and he had grown some scales. After that the Gryffindor and Slytherin houses had been banned from this week's Hogsmeade trip, something that both were extremely teed off about. A truce had been forced between them by the staff. If they behaved themselves for the week then they would be allowed to the next and final trip before winter break.
The Weasley siblings rounded the corner to find Harry and Hermione waiting for them by the great hall.
"Morning" they greeted their friends and headed inside.
As they sat to eat an owl flew overhead and dropped a note on Harry's plate. The first thing they did was look over to the Slytherin table. Draco was looking Harry square in the eye, silently taunting him to open the note. Both Harry and Hermione ran several different checks on it before Harry opened it. His face turned red and he crumbled the parchment in his hand.
Malfoy along with his usual group of hangers-on burst into hysterics. Hermione pried the note from Harry and laid it on the table for Ron, Ginny, and herself to see. A crude drawing of a crying baby sitting beside two prone bodies with the dark mark greeted them. Ginny set the note ablaze and turned her attention to Harry. He was shacking with anger.
"Next Hogsmeade he's mine." The three nodded in agreement.
That would be the last taunt of the week. From that morning forward both houses were shining examples of stand-up students. It worried the professors to no end.
By the time the Friday evening rolled around Dumbledore made the announcement that both houses would be able to join their classmates for Hogsmeade. He warned them to keep in line or there would be serious consequences come the New Year.
Saturday went as usual. Mostly everyone woke up by mid-morning and made their way down to the great hall before settling in a carriage and heading down to the village. The Gryffindors had an extra spring in their step as they headed down. Monday they would board the train and head home for the holiday. Even Harry was being allowed to leave. Dumbledore had said he could spend Christmas at headquarters along with the rest. Very little could break the boy's spirit after that announcement. That was until Malfoy's note. Rounding the corner to the entrance hall the golden trio was stopped by a wall of their house mates.
"What's going on?" Ron asked trying to peer over everyone's head. The house parted a little to allow them through.
At the bottom of the stairs stood, what looked like, all of the Slytherins.
"Snake pit" someone whispered from behind them. The Gryffindors stood at the top of the stairs looking down at their rivals. They seemed to be waiting for something. Ron was about to ask that when Malfoy walked out with his entourage. The stuck up prat sent them a smirk before walking out the castle and towards the carriages followed by his house.
"Should be the house of ferret instead of snake" Ginny said as the house exited. She made sure Malfoy heard her and smiled at him when her house burst into laughter. Several members of her house patted her on the back as a course started from the back.
"The amazing bouncing ferret
Born on a platter in an opulent manor was he
A platinum blonde cowardly git he grew to be"
The Gryffidors laughed some more before Malfoy spoke up.
"Better born in a manor then a stable. Tell me weaslette did your mum even notice she was pregnant again. Did she even notice when you slipped out of her. Did she just pick you up and throw you on the pile with the rest of the flea bitten lot."
Ginny was seething. Both she and Ron had to be held back as Malfoy and his house walked out the castle.
Breakfast was a jovial affair even after that. Most of the students were happy to be spending their last free days with their friends around the village. Harry however was focused on getting Malfoy back and not getting caught.
"The woods" he said as he finished his eggs.
"Th' woos wha?" Ron asked around his third muffin.
"Malfoy. I need to get him in the woods."
Hermione looked over at her friend. "Harry, I know you're upset but…"
"But nothing Hermione. This is my last chance and after what happened today I am not letting him go home thinking he's won."
Hermione looked around at her friends. The three looked completely determined to get the git back.
"Fine, but can we just be careful this time."
"When are we ever not?" Ginny asked with a smirk.
The four finished breakfast and settled into one of the carriages. The ride down was a quiet one. Hermione was alternating between her friends minds. She wanted to make sure they were thinking clear. Harry and Ron had been easy to read. Their shields were down which made Hermione tisk at them. They were reviewing some of the spells she and Severus had taught them. Ginny was bit harder to read. Hermione was able to pick up snippets of what was going through her mind but she kept getting kicked out. Once more Ginny didn't seem to notice. The girl sat there stoic as ever with her hand on her wand. After a few tries Hermione gave up. She would have to ask the girl later if she had been reading up on occlumency along with disgusting pus curses.
At the village the four walked around. They appeared to be window shopping as they made their way slowly across the village. Most of the shops were bursting at the seams with the number of students packed inside them. The Three Broomsticks was equally packed with students forcing most of the villagers to seek refuge at the Hog's Head. The four popped into the pub quickly but saw no Malfoy. After sweeping the village once more the headed towards the shrieking shack.
"I can't believe we can't find him!" Harry said kicking over a snowman left by another student.
"Like the song says mate 'a cowardly git he grew to be'."
Before they could laugh a stunner hit Ron square in the chest. The other three turned to see Malfoy with his wand out and a smirk on his face.
"He really is an idiot isn't he" the blonde said and bolted into the woods.
Harry and Ginny sprinted after him shouting curses along the way. Hermione cast a quick rennervate on Ron and ran after Harry and Ginny.
As she headed deeper into the thick woods she let Damon take over. At once the wolf told her something was off. She could hear Ron's heavy foot falls behind her but she couldn't hear Harry or Ginny or Malfoy. In fact she couldn't smell them either. Her eyes grew wide under the realization of what was going on.
Ron ran up to her and doubled over trying to catch his breath.
"Where is the git?" He shouted.
Hermione clamped her hand over his mouth and Ron looked up into gold eyes. He tensed and gripped his wand.
"Go to the village and tell them the Death Eaters have come for Harry."
She let him go and ran deeper into the wood. Ron stood there for a second before the words she had said hit him. Turning around he ran for the village, calling up all of his training and keeping his eyes peeled.
Two men sat and watched him run towards the village.
"Do we stop him?"
"Naw, they would have the boy before he makes it halfway there."
The two waited until Ron was out of sight before continuing to add traps and wards to the area.
Hermione felt herself pass through a barrier and at once was hit with the scents of her friends as well as six others. The sound of a tree exploding to her left told her where they were at. She ran towards the sound and came across a slowly waking snatcher. She hit the man with a stronger stunner and kept on her way. A hex flew by in front of her and she hit the ground a whirled around to see who had fired at her. Ginny was standing behind a tree with her wand raised. Hermione rushed towards the girl and pulled her close.
"Where's Harry?" she asked.
"He's up ahead a bit" Ginny told her.
"Okay, follow me."
Hermione began to make her way over to the sounds of fighting with Ginny. They came upon a snatcher with his back to them and Hermione made quick work of him, making sure to take his wand. She silently cursed herself for not taking the first man's wand. Ginny stayed close to her friend, keeping her eye open for any movement near them.
It wasn't long before they found Harry. He was about ten feet away from them but they couldn't get near him. The four other snatchers were firing curse after curse at him. Hermione couldn't help but smile a bit as she saw one of the men with a decent wound to his upper wand arm, taking his aim away. Hermione took him out first. Harry and the other snatchers looked over in her direction.
Two of the men recognized her and began sending heavy dark curses her way while the other started to advance on Harry. Hermione was trying to both defend herself and Ginny and keep Harry safe. She silently prayed that Ron made it to the village.
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"Death…Eaters…forest…Harry!" the boy gasped as he entered the Hog's Head.
The pub erupted in shouts and cries and everyone ran past and apparated to safety. A few professors stayed behind. Spout and Flintwick helped him to a seat while McGonagall and Severus headed outside. The barman filled a cup with water and handed it to Ron.
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"Ahhhh!" one of the snatchers went down. Hermione had hit him with a slicing hex and he was now bleeding out beside his friend.
Two were left still fighting for all they were worth. One of the men was a few feet from Harry now. Hermione had tried to hit him with a knockback jinx but missed. She didn't want to risk hurting Harry if she missed with a stronger curse.
A sharp pain shot through her wand arm as she focused her attention on the snatcher heading towards Harry. Hermione jumped out from behind the tree and hit the man with an incurs curse. He dropped to the floor convulsing as electricity ran through his body. Hermione turned her attention to the man now sprinting at Harry.
He was blocking everything Harry fired at him as he tried to get away. Animal instinct took over and Hermione bolted at the man. He was too focused on Harry to see her. Harry tried to run but tripped and lost his wand. The snatcher hit him with an incarcerus before Hermione slammed into his body. The force knocking both to the ground with a thud. Hermione didn't need her wand at that point. She rolled the man on to his back and socked him in his jaw one good time. His body went limp under hers. She breathed a sigh of relief and was about to take his wand when she heard Harry yell.
"Ginny!"
Looking back she saw the first man she came across grab the girl and apparate away.