It was during our Astronomy exam when we witnessed Umbridge take on Hagrid and Professor McGonagall.

Hagrid managed to escape, but McGonagall ended up in the hospital wing after being hit by four Stunners at once.

"That evil woman!" I gasped, feeling horror at the thought of having to look after that dreadful giant.

With Dumbledore, McGonagall and Hagrid all now indisposed, the school was very much in dangerous times. For the first time, I was relieved about the prospect of the summer holidays.

However, Harry had to have his usual end of year dramatics before we reached that goal.

"I need to speak to Sirius to make sure that he's not really tied up in the Ministry about to be murdered by Voldemort!" He announced breathlessly one afternoon, just as we had finished sitting our final OWL exam.

"Sure, Harry," I humoured him, arranging a break in to Umbridge's office even though I thought we were wasting our time.

As I watched Harry stick his head in the fire, I found myself quite suddenly being grabbed from behind.

Before I could react, I was violent shoved face forward against the wall, a hand restraining my wrists behind my back as another wrested my wand from my grip.

"Well, well," a familiar voice drawled in my ear as my captor continued to pinion me against the wall with his own body. "Little Miss Goody Two Shoes really does like to break the rules, after all."

"Let go of me!" I gritted, attempting in vain to throw Draco Malfoy off me.

But he just pressed me further into the wall, chuckling softly above my ear as his fingers curled tighter around my wrists.

I could hear Harry struggling over by the fireplace but was unable to turn my head to look at him.

"Turn her around!" Umbridge's voice barked over by the fireplace, presumably restraining Harry. "I want her to see just what happens to vulgar little brats who insist on crossing me."

Keeping a tight grip on my wrists, Draco slid his other hand over my mouth, gagging me with long, cool fingers, and roughly span me around so that I was facing into the room where I could now see that Umbridge had hold of Harry by the hair, bending his neck back as far as it would go, as though she were going to slit his throat.

"I want to know why you are in my office," Umbridge demanded, shaking the fist clutching Harry's hair so that he staggered.

"I was - trying to get my Firebolt!" Harry croaked.

"Liar." She shook his head again. "Your Firebolt is under strict guard in the dungeons, as you very well know, Potter. You had your head in my fire. With whom have you been communicating?"

"No one-" Harry said, clearly trying to pull away from her.

"Liar!" Umbridge shouted. She threw him from her and I winced as he slammed into the desk.

I sensed Draco smirking behind me, his fingers around my wrists still gripping tightly into my flesh and hand clamped firmly over my mouth, not once yielding his hold. I could hear his heart thudding wildly beneath his chest. Excitement.

My heart, however, was racing in fear. Umbridge looked ready to murder someone and I would no longer put it past her.

A commotion outside and several large Slytherins entered, each gripping Ron, Ginny, Luna and - to my bewilderment - Neville, who was trapped in a stranglehold by Crabbe and looked in imminent danger of suffocation. All four of them had been gagged.

"Got 'em all," Warrington said, shoving Ron roughly forwards into the room. "That one," he poked a finger a thick finger at Neville, "tried to stop me taking her," he pointed at Ginny, who was trying to kick the shins of the large Slytherin girl holding her, "so I brought him along too."

"Good, good," Umbridge said, watching Ginny's struggles. "Well, it looks as though Hogwarts will shortly be a Weasley- free zone, doesn't it?"

Draco laughed loudly and sycophantically behind me, his body shaking as he did so. I took the opportunity to struggle, but his hold only tightened, tears of pain reaching my eyes as his fingers dug further into my cheeks where he was gagging me.

"You're not going anywhere, Granger." He hissed quietly; his breathing fierce and ragged through lips which I could just picture semi parted and curled into a sneer.

However, Umbridge had other ideas and ordered him to go and fetch Snape. He didn't move, keeping his firm hold on me.

"But- professor," he hesitated, "what about Granger?"

"Miss Bulstrode can take over restraining the Mudblood." Umbridge answered, gesturing to the large menacing looking girl in the corner who, when she smiled, had teeth missing. "Besides, she's little threat without her wand."

There was silence. Draco backed us against the wall as the imposing figure of Millicent Bulstrode sloped ungainly across the room towards us.

When she reached out to grab me, a hiss escaped his lips and he tightened his hold on me, pulling me away from her. "I've got her, I'm fine." He snarled.

His reluctance to hand me over to Millicent intrigued me. There was a time not so long ago when the idea of simply touching me disgusted him. Now I could actually sense his panic about letting me go.

My eyes swivelled around the room and met Harry's equally bewildered gaze. His shoulders gave a little lift as he remained sprawled over the desk.

When it was clear Draco wasn't going to release me without a fight, Millicent looked to Umbridge, waiting for further instruction.

"Very well, very well," she sighed impatiently, seemingly rather bored by all these teenage dramatics. "Miss Bulstrode, go and fetch Snape. But do hurry, I haven't got all day."

I could hear the sigh of relief leave Draco's lips as his body relaxed behind me, including his grip, his fingers loosening around my mouth.

I wondered if I should use the opportunity to make my break and free myself from his clutches, but I was extremely wary of what Umbridge would do and felt it would be much safer to remain where I was whilst I searched around my mind for a plan.

Besides, Snape was a member of the Order and there was a good chance he would help us.

He didn't.

When Umbridge was all set to Crucio Harry, I realised I had to think fast.

"NO!" I shouted against Draco's hand, my lips moving against his fingers. "No - Harry - we'll have to tell her!"

"No way!" Harry yelled dramatically, his expression thunderous as he glared at me.

"We'll have to, Harry," I said, putting emphasis on my words, silently willing him to get with the programme, "she'll force it out of you anyway, what's ... what's the point?"

And then I began my best crying impression, sobbing against Draco's hand which he quickly dropped.

"Well, well, well!" Umbridge said triumphantly. "Little Miss Question-all is going to give us some answers! Come on then, girl, come on! Do tell all!"

"Er - my - nee - no!" Ron started to shout through his gag as he struggled against Warrington's hold.

"I'm - I'm sorry everyone," I said, praying this would work. "But - I can't stand it -"

Umbridge listened in rapt silence as I proceeded to tell her that Harry was trying to contact Dumbledore to let him know his weapon was ready.

As I suspected, Umbridge couldn't resist. She ordered both Harry and me to lead her to it at once.

"Professor," Draco said, still restraining my arms behind my back. I glanced up to see his eyes wide with panic. "Professor Umbridge, I think some of the Squad should come with you to look after-"

"I am a fully qualified Ministry official, Malfoy, do you really think I cannot manage two wandless teenagers alone?"

Maybe so, but she hadn't anticipated the centaurs.

*****

"Where's Umbridge?" Ron asked when he eventually caught up with me and Harry in the forest a little while later, followed closely by Ginny, Neville and Luna.

"Had to dash." Harry grinned sadistically. "And the Slytherins?"

"Let's just say they're each giving Sleeping Beauty a run for her money right now." Ron grinned back.

They high-fived and I rolled my eyes.

"Harry, what about Sirius?" Ginny asked breathlessly, her expression pained. "Do we need to send for help?"

"Well, according to his trusted house-elf," Harry drawled, slowly looking her up and down as he rubbed his jaw, "Voldemort has dragged Sirius down to the Ministry in broad daylight during work hours and sent me a little brain snapshot for the fun of it. So I say screw logic - let's ride some invisible ponies through the skies and go do some awesome end of year life saving business. Then maybe Dumbledore will notice me again."

"Cool," Neville said, rubbing his hands together. "Can we come too?"

Harry looked at him as though measuring him up. "No."

"But-"

"You're too young, Neville."

"I'm one day older than you!"

"Yes, but Dumbledore said I was mature for my age so technically- Luna, what are you doing?"

I whirled round to see Luna had already clambered up on something invisible, reaching down to pull Ginny up beside her.

"You're not a teacher, Harry." She said with a smile. "If we want to go on a rescue mission, then we're going on a rescue mission. None of us need your permission."

"HE'S MY GODFATHER!" Harry roared, spit flying from his mouth as his eyes popped out of his head.

"Yeah," Ginny scoffed as she positioned herself behind Luna, wrapping her arms around her middle. "Well, he's my friend and I want to save him too. Now get your head out of your arse and go find yourself a Thestral. The longer we take, the less chance of his survival."

"Come on, Harry!" Neville called cheerily. "Another one is just coming, you can hop on with me!"

"Great." Harry sniffed moodily.

I suddenly felt panicked, the idea of flying on something I couldn't see terrifying me.

A hand slipped in mine. Ron's.

"Don't worry, 'mione," he whispered in my ear, making my trembles turn into shivers. "I'll look after you. All you'll have to do is hold on to me and close your eyes."

I looked up at him, the smile on my face quickly falling as I realised his lip was bleeding quite badly.

"Ron, you're hurt," I murmured, hastily reaching into my robes for my wand but soon realising I didn't have it. Of course, Draco had taken it off me.

However, Ron grinned and removed it from his own pocket, handing it to me. "I got it back right after I hexed the git. No one hurts my Hermione and gets away with it."

"Oh, Ron," I breathed, my heart lifting at his words. My Hermione.

I cleaned up his wound, trying my hardest not to smile too much, feeling my face grow hot at Ron's lingering gaze.

"For fuck's sake, you two," Harry bellowed from a top of what was presumably a Thestral, already holding tightly onto Neville who was patting a space in front of him and saying good girl over and over. "People are dying!"

I heard Ron curse Harry's balls off under his breath and, still clasping my hand, he helped me up with him onto a third thestral (with careful guidance from Neville, of course) and then we were off.

Let's hope this time, Harry's hunch was right.

*****