A/N: These two chapters have been painful. But, the brain gets what the brain wants...

And it wanted a little bit of a short chapter. But it ended on the note it needed to end on.

Happy reading!

Henny, that lucky Penny!

A Man's Perspective

Draco Vision:

I knew something was horribly wrong when Henria hurried out of the Great Hall clutching that foul bird. She looked terrified and shocked. I started to recall the past three months and realized she did not have her bird with her like she normally did. Her constant companion had been away for Merlin knows how long. Not that I cared; kill the damned thing. He is a menace, but he brings a light to her eyes.

Except for this one time.

This one time seemed to bring doom to her eyes.

I heard the billowing of robes before I felt the hand land on my shoulder to grab my attention.

"Mister Malfoy, it seems we need to eradicate a pest problem. Please join myself and Professors Carrow and Carrow to see to the situation." Headmaster Snape's drawl accompanied his hand.

"Yes, sir." I stood up and grabbed my bag. Henria never makes life easy for anyone.

I followed the professors into the hallway. I almost ran into Professor Alecto Carrow when the adults in front of me suddenly stopped. I regained my composure and looked around in wonder. Where did she go?

"Mister Malfoy, you and Miss Sownbinder lived together for a few months; do you have any idea where she would go with that stupid owl?" Professor Snape's cool facade crumbled a little. He must be really annoyed with the fact that an owl broke through the check point and gained entrance to the castle.

I thought carefully. I knew that the bird had followed her almost everywhere. He was accepted into her classroom while she held a teaching position. He slept in her room at night. He would perch on window sills during the blocks she had her own lessons. There was not a place that she could go that he would not follow. I sighed and rubbed my forehead in annoyance.

"Well, he followed her everywhere before owls were no longer allowed to enter the castle. I imagine she is taking him to a safe place so that she can release him. If I were Hen-Miss Sownbinder, I would run outside and find the closest tree line and tell him to fly away." I answered, working through my train of thoughts. A scoff of annoyance came from the stumpy wizard.

"Very well. Let us venture outside quickly then." I nodded and followed the long legged Potions Master to the doors.

A quick look around the grounds and the two of them were easy to spot. She was giving him a light kiss on the head of the bird and he pushed off. I heard Professor Snape yell at her to stop. His billowing robes were doing their job of making him look like a bat as he started to sprint across the grass towards her.

"THE TREES DENALI! FLY IN THE TREES!" her boom of a voice always surprised me. Her stature belied the volume of her voice. I felt my legs moving after the Headmaster. Stupid Twin and Ugly Twin would never be enough help with Henria.

And then I stopped dead in my tracks.

A beam of red lights shot out of Professor Alecto Carrow's wand. It flew straight at the receding black dot of the bird. I almost laughed at her attempt to try and stun the bird. But it died in my chest as I saw the dot fall out of the sky. It reminded me of the numerous Potter fell off his broom and he fell limply towards the ground. The bird made no effort to catch itself with its wings. And that is when I felt a familiar prickle on my skin.

I looked to see Henria fall to her knees. I continued my sprint to the broken looking girl. I could not see her chest moving. I did not see any expression in her face. Even from the rapidly closing distance, her eyes looked dead and unseeing. Henria looked almost dead.

Her bird just fell out of the sky.

And then I saw her chest heave in a sputtering breathe. And then another. The prickle on my skin made my hair stand on end. I tried to pull the memory of when I had felt this kind of thing the last time, but I could not. It must have been too long ago. I stopped my advance a few meters from her shaking form. Her face was contorted into complete despair.

"NOOOOOO!" I flinched at the volume of her scream, "NOOOOOO!"

Her anguish washed over me. I swallowed with difficulty and looked to Professor Snape. His usual expressionless face was present. He seemed unaffected by her cries of sorrow. I tore my eyes from his face and trained them on Professor Carrow. She looked smug. I wanted to smack the expression off of her face. Henria may be a pain in my arse, but she is still a person. People have feelings.

Well, Henria does not have feelings. She made that abundantly clear from our last heated encounter in the Head dormitories. I guess I have to accept most of the blame for that cock up. I cock blocked myself on that one. Granted, she was the one who was talking about sides and over thinking sex. But, you cannot really blame everything on her. I should have whispered sweet nothings in her ear and then I would have been less frustrated in the shower.

My heart lurched when she started screaming and shaking her head. I was beginning to be reminded of the incident with The Golden Trio. When the Weasel called her a whore and she flipped the fuck-

"We need to get out of here!" I said urgently to the Professors. I observed as her body began to shake. The air around us was growing thick.

"What?" Professor Snape snapped.

"MOVE!" I turned on my heel and did not care if they followed. I started running and then felt my body become airborne.

It was like someone casted Bombarda in my vicinity. An explosion went off in my ears and the air concussed. My body was weightless and I was flung a good six meters away. I tucked my head and rolled as best I could onto my back. The air was knocked out of my chest. I struggled for air as I propped my torso on my forearms. I felt like rolling over and dying.

"Malfoy?" a hoarse voice called out. I sucked in air so I could speak. My chest felt like it was on fire.

"I'm fine." I choked out. I coughed and grimaced. No, my chest was definitely on fire. Breathing was never this hard.

"Professors?" the Headmaster was pushing himself to his feet. I slowly followed his lead and nearly fell over again.

The area around Henria's lifeless form was nothing but dirt. The explosion of unchecked magic caused a dimple in the ground. About forty or fifty trees had been magically bent to her will. I would imagine if there had been a building, it would not be standing anymore. I looked to the Stupid Twin and Ugly Twin. They both seemed fine. And Professor Snape seemed to have fared well. I think I had a broken rib.

"Amycus, go fetch Poppy. I think we might be in need of her assistance." Professor Snape drawled. Yes, he fared better than I did.

"Yes, Headmaster." Professor Carrow bowed his head and scurried off for the mediwitch.

"Mister Malfoy, how did you know she was going to release magic like that?" the Headmaster turned his beady gaze onto my grey eyes. I held his stare without blinking.

"She had a row with The Golden Trio the night they had turned up at the castle. Weasley called her a whore and she released her magic in the Common Room. Books, papers, inkwells and even the furniture went crashing about. It may not have been exactly like this, but the buildup was the same. If she becomes too emotional, her magic will build a field of energy around her body. She was already angry at Potter for telling her about her Uncle Albus, so when Weasley insulted her, she cracked." I shifted uncomfortably. Yes, I definitely had a broken rib.

"Why am I just hearing about this now?" he sounded agitated. Well, agitated for Professor Snape.

"I assumed she let Professor McGonagall know. But, it doesn't surprise she didn't tell her either. She hated it when she had to discuss her feelings. It's been annoying." I looked at her still form as her chest rose and fell in a steady rhythm, "That is a big reason why we haven't been able to get to her. She won't open up. Any kind of mention of an emotional connection and she shuts us out. Although, Bulstrode's approach did get Professor McGonagall fired. That worked in our favor." I saw the Headmaster nod his head slightly.

"I think it is time the two of us discuss Miss Sownbinder. At a later date, I think." he drawled as we caught sight of Madam Pomfrey and Professor Carrow start cutting across the dead grass.

"Yes, sir." I replied respectfully. I gingerly touched the left side of my ribcage and winced which only angered the misplaced bone more, "Madam Pomfrey, I do believe I am in need of a bone fixed." I added a touch of whine to my tone. My favorite way to get what I want.

"Let me see." the mediwitch waved her wand over my torso. After a moment's contemplation, she pointed her wand and then a sharp pain exploded across my ribs.

"Damn it woman!" I growled.

"Ungrateful, that's what you are." she mumbled, "You are healed now, Mister Malfoy. Begone."

I looked to Professor Snape and he nodded his head in dismissal. I bowed my head and began my journey to my class. I snatched up my bag from where it had landed on the ground. My chest was sore, but I knew that would go away soon. I think I am doing a spot better than Henria at the moment.

I glanced back and saw the adults huddled around her. My heart fluttered. I really hope she will be all right. Who else will I have to yell at me and curse me back when I throw out hexes. A small sad smile broke along my lips at the thought of her training her wand on my chest. She really did have beautiful brown eyes when she was angry. And the tiny flush of color in her cheeks when she is thoroughly pissed off was sweet and endearing.

Too bad she is fighting on the wrong side.