Draco.
They appeared just on the outskirts of the Malfoy Manor grounds, just far enough so they were not in view. The group released his arm quickly and Draco watched as they all glanced around as though lost.
It then occurred to him that they still hadn't decided on what they were actually going to do and how they would proceed to battle his father. They couldn't simply charge in there, wands at the ready and prepared to fight. This wasn't the war. Or perhaps they could do exactly that. It was five against one after all. His mother would also be in there of course, but she would be extremely easy to take down. She was, although smart, not very observant.
"So what now?" Astoria spoke aloud in a hushed voice, something that most of them were probably thinking.
Draco watched as Potter and Weasley looked at each other as though speaking telepathically, planning out ideas in silence. In the back of his mind, it infuriated him that they were such close friends that could literally understand what the other was thinking without speech.
"Well we just race right in there and capture him; he'll be no match for all of us! It's only Lucius bloody Malfoy" Weasley smiled, looking pleased with himself but not making too much eye contact with Draco. But this had not offended him at all. In fact he found it quite hilarious.
This plan seemed far too simple though. Surprise his father and merely take him down just like that? Be home in time for bed? After all their fear and worry, it just didn't seem right. However it sounded as though it may work, of course they would then have to find out what was actually wrong with his father, they couldn't just send him to Azkaban considering he hadn't actually done anything… yet.
"Yes, but we can't charge in, can we?" Potter sighed, rolling his eyes. "There is the slight hitch that there are about a thousand defensive wards around this place!"
"How do you know that?" Draco asked, slightly concerned that Potter knew about the wards that were meant to be invisible. His parents had spent hours making sure that the wards were not detectable to any unwanted visitors. He was also becoming increasingly irritated by Potter's know-it-all attitude; it was worse that Hermione during her Hogwarts years.
"I'm an auror… It's my job to know things about… dark wizards" Potter continued, looking utterly serious.
He would have been offended if it wasn't for the fact that he and his father had been deatheaters and it was only normal for Potter to still be suspicious about them.
"Ok well… there is no way through them… trust me" Draco affirmed.
Potter seemed stumped by this which disappointed Draco as he had hoped he would at least know some spells that would manage to fool the wards because he certainly didn't.
There was silence for an agonisingly long time. The group looking between one another hoping for ideas to be put forward. But all of them remained quiet.
"Looks like we're going to have to go with Ron's idea then" Hermione laughed nervously, obviously trying to brighten the depressing mood that surrounded them. No one spoke. Her intention to lighten the mood had not helped. They had no idea what to do and it was now pitch black. It was daunting how soon his father would be hunting for Hermione.
"Well we can't sit here all night!" Astoria moaned, "I'm freezing!"
Draco then realised that she still only wearing her over-sized shirt, he smirked. She was very beautiful and Draco could see why he had been so infatuated with her when they first met.
"I guess we will have to-"
Suddenly a deep voice interrupted. It was low and menacing. Draco's whole body froze as he recognised it immediately. He then very slowly turned his neck to catch a glimpse at the speaker.
"Hello son."
Hermione.
She wanted to run. Run so fast, Lucius didn't even have a chance to catch her. It seemed her life over the past months had been filled with running.
All she had been able to talk about over the last couple of days was fighting and taking Lucius down, but now she was in his presence, all of her courage had faded. All of her Gryffindor bravery was gone. She simply wanted to sprint as fast as she could away from this awful man.
Lucius stared down at her and smirked evilly, his long blonde hair fluttering softly in the breeze. Hermione could only imagine the disgusting things that were going through his sick mind as his black eyes once again pierced through her.
She gulped.
"Son… I see you've brought my mudblood" He began. But that was enough. Enough for both Ron and Harry to whip out their wands instantly and send stunning spells in his direction. But neither of them had anticipated the speed of Lucius' reaction and within half a second, he had his own wand out and rebounded their spells with ease. It seemed that his duelling skills had been enhanced or improved somehow, because they definitely hadn't been this way previously. Otherwise, they would have never escaped from the department of Mysteries all those years ago.
Unfortunately, poor Astoria was in the firing line and one of the spell hit her square in the chest, causing her to fly backwards and land hard onto the ground, causing Hermione to wince. The other only narrowly missing her own head.
"ASTORIA!" Ron cried at his girlfriend who was now sprawled motionlessly on the ground. Hermione saw the anger bubble inside Ron's eyes and he visibly snarled with rage.
"You'll pay for that!"
Lucius cackled crazily, switching his gaze between them all. The four of them now had their wands pointed towards the insane wizard; surely he couldn't defend himself against all of them?
Simultaneously, each of them shot spells of different colours at Lucius. But once again, he managed to deflect them. However the last one, which had been Harry's, caught him on the shoulder.
He yelped like a wounded animal and staggered backwards before eventually collapsing on the floor, his wand rolling out of his lifeless hand.
Harry and Draco raced over to the fallen man and quickly snatched up his wand, while Ron rushed over to his poor, knocked out girlfriend, still shaking with anger.
Hermione shuffled over to Lucius and knelt down.
"Is he definitely stunned?" She questioned, making sure he still had a pulse and that they hadn't actually murdered him. Harry was never one to control his temper and could have accidentally sent a killing curse. They couldn't afford to be sent to Azkaban now.
"Yes, it looks like it… it was a pretty good shot" Draco praised, glancing over at Harry, who awkwardly smiled back surprised at Draco's humorous attitude.
Hermione looked up at them both and began to giggle slightly. It was a pleasant sight to see her boyfriend and her best friend finally getting along after all those years of being enemies. However she was not laughing for long as an icy cold hand grasped onto her neck and closed in on her windpipe. She struggled wildly, as she was lifted up into the air, her feet dangling. Hermione gasped for air desperately.
Lucius Malfoy obviously wasn't as stunned as they had thought.
"You're mine now, mudblood!"
A/N: After all the build-up, I wasn't going to end the Lucius darkness after one chapter, c'mon! Thanks so much for your reviews!