Disclaimer: If I had my way Harry Potter would definitely belong to me...but alas, he does not.

I am, of course, still writing The Elemental but I figured I needed to write something to get my creativeness flowing, and what better way than to write a short story for you all!

I would also like to give some long overdue thanks to my Beta and to all of you who have favourite me as an Author. I was stunned by the amount of e-mails I received when I came back from my holiday.

Hope you like it. I'm planning on it being around 4 chapters probably.

Hearing the sobs grow louder, Draco quickened his pace to almost a jog. His heart immediately began draining blood away from his face and pumping it into his legs.

So much for being lulled into a false sense of security.

He was getting slightly out of breath but lately his fitness levels had increased dramatically. Last month, for example, he had almost been too late because he hadn't been fast enough.

A sharp cry pierced the air and echoed faintly around the corridor walls that Draco was now sprinting down. He had to get to them before they stopped crying out. If they could cry out they were still conscious.

His hand was clenching his wand tightly as he rounded the next corner faster than before. He skidded slightly with his wet shoes but quickly righted himself. He knew he always had trouble with that corner. Atleast he hadn't fallen this time. That would definitely have slowed him down and he needed speed right now.

The cry came again and oddly...it was of a higher pitch than Draco was used to. His ears strained to pick it up again. He had first thought it sounded masculine, but as he came closer to his destination he realised it sounded softer. Female.

His heart thudded faster as the thought entered his head. Surely they hadn't lowered themselves to that. If so they were cowards, the lot of them, and when Draco got his hands on them. Well, let's just say he expected their voices would be sounding a lot higher as well.

He bared his teeth fiercely and let out a soft growl of anger. He would find out who they were this time. He'd rip their infuriating masks right off their faces. He'd make sure nobody would think of taunting them again in such a way. He didn't even care that it was ironic or mocking. He just wanted it to stop.

The look on their faces as they lay curled up hurt something inside him. Not literally of course, and technically it shouldn't even be metaphorically. He was a Malfoy. They reminded him of that enough.

It always happened in his quarter as well. Never Pansy's or Blaise's. Always his. They were taunting him. Showing him he couldn't do anything to stop them. He didn't know why exactly it had started in the first place but he had a few theories. Perhaps it was grief or maybe vengeance that had formed this group; almost a club really, a club with a common purpose in mind:

To punish Slytherins.

Not all Slytherins, of course. People would have been plain idiotic to mess with some of the seventh year Slytherins. No, the targets were usually weaker.

The crying suddenly quieted dramatically and Draco's heart almost stopped. He pumped his legs forward not even aiming his wand at anything anymore. They wouldn't still be there now. They liked to leave their victims alone afterwards.

As the corridor straightened out into a pair of stairs, Draco's goal came into sight. She was lying curled up protectively as usual, a pair of glasses lying broken beside her. Her left hand was lying quiescently, just touched the bottom step. Draco knew she'd be at the bottom of the steps. It helped construct the perfect excuse afterwards if anyone found her that she had fallen down the stairs.

He jumped the last few steps, careful not to tread on her still body, and grasp her shoulders tightly. Merlin, she looked a mess. Her nose and mouth were leaking small droplets of blood and both her eyes were already beginning to form deep bruises. Judging by the dusty marks on her robes, Draco could also assume she had been kicked repeatedly.

He growled again before pulling himself together. He shook her shoulders lightly. "Hello? Can you hear me?" he asked urgently. The girl stirred and cracked her eyes open slightly, but then moaned lightly.

"No. Go away," she whimpered, her voice cracking, "I can't take anymore."

"It's okay," he reassured her, "I'm Draco Malfoy and we need to get you to the hospital wing so...up you get," he added this last bit more forcefully then before. He knew his authority in the house would get her moving and that was exactly what he needed her to do right now. He didn't suspect she had any broken bones. They didn't usually leave any lasting injuries, just bruises. And fear.

The small girl opened her eyes wider this time, her gaze steady with relief as she gazed at Draco. "Okay," she whispered softly before gritting her teeth in pain. With Draco's help she pushed herself to sitting position and then upwards. She faltered as she straightened up, and for one awful second Draco wondered if they had decided to break bones now. He gripped her steadier but she waved her hand weakly at him. "Nothing's broken," she said, her voice hoarse, "it just hurts."

He nodded quickly at her before tucking an arm around her waist. The hospital wing wasn't far. Draco would take her there...and then she could make up whatever excuse she wanted to. The people he had helped had never told anybody the truth. Maybe it was pride, hell maybe they'd even been convinced that they deserved what they had got, Draco didn't know anymore. He knew one thing though; he was going to stop these attacks.

Helping crying children to the hospital wing certainly wasn't doing much for his reputation. Atleast he was trying to convince himself that was why he wanted these attacks to stop.

He rolled his eyes once and tightened his grip on the latest victim. As much as he hated to admit it...he was starting to wonder if the war had installed some sort of noble intentions in him. They certainly hadn't been there before. The war had changed many people; some for the worse.

The girl had begun crying again and Draco quickly began rubbing her arm soothingly. "What's your name?" he asked briskly, trying to distract her from the pain. He probably wasn't doing a good job but hell; he'd never been good with crying females, even if they hadn't hit puberty yet.

"Lisa," she answered, sniffing slightly. Her eyes were cloudy but apart from the tears sliding down her cheeks she hadn't complained yet.

Draco felt a small amount of pride bloom in him. Atleast she was being brave about this.

"Right...and what year are you in Lisa?" he asked calmly. If she fell unconscious again he would need to tell Madam Pomfrey who she was. He half didn't want to know that answer thought and really hoped she wasn't going to say what he thought she was going to say.

"F...First," she wavered, obviously looking a little terrified at Draco's dark expression.

Well.

That just said it all didn't it?

"Lisa, first year. Attacked last night by the Astronomy tower," Draco spat out quietly as he took his seat on the Slytherin table. He knew he wasn't being quiet enough. They could still probably hear him across the Great Hall but at this moment he couldn't really give a damn. Let them see how furious he was. After all, he was coming after them next.

Blaise choked on the muffin he was currently eating and banged himself hard on the chest. "Lisa?!" he whispered incredulously, "That sounds like a girl's name!" His knuckles were stark white against his olive skin from gripping the table hard.

Draco gave him a half furious, half sarcastic look before rolling his eyes. "Well done, Blaise. How observant of you. And yes, before you ask me, they beat a small first year girl this time." Noticing the hurt look his friend was giving him, he relaxed his face slightly and carefully put on a blank expression. "Sorry, I'm just angry about this as well. Actually I think anger is an understatement at this point."

"I just can't believe they attacked a girl, and a first year at that. This has gone further than just grudges against families that fought on the side of the Dark Lord in the war. Hell, they're just using any excuse to fuck with us now," Blaise gritted out. Draco could see the depths of Blaise's eyes shadow over. He guessed if he looked in a mirror he'd see the same coldness in his own.

Draco nodded in response to Blaise's outburst, "I'm willing to bet that she wasn't even connected to him in the slightest." He let out his breath steadily and moodily began placing food onto his plate. 

"Did you and Pansy see anything last night?" he asked absently. He knew what Blaise would say. It was what he always said.

"No. Coast was clear. We were hoping it had been a quiet night," he replied heavily.

Draco nodded again quickly and quirked a half smile, "Me too. Unfortunately, it was a little busier than I would have liked."

Blaise nodded sympathetically before tapping his fingers on the table. "What excuse did she use this time? Walked into a door? Fell down the stairs?" he asked bitterly.

Draco let out a harsh laugh before putting on a grimace. "Neither, actually. She said she thought she had been sleep walking...and had probably walked into a lot of doors whist she was at it." He sighed slightly, "We can't protect them Blaise. The most we can do is get them to the hospital wing quickly."

He put down his fork and finally asked the question that had been plaguing his mind since last night. "Is it just me Blaise or are things getting worse?"

"No Draco," Blaise replied quietly, his eyes downcast, "it's not just you."

There was silence for a few minutes and the sound of clinking cutlery filled the space their conversation had been.

"Then I expect," Draco surprised himself by saying, "it's about time we finally did something to stop it. I expect everyone else will agree with me that this is the last straw and they've got to be stupid if they think we're going to let something like this go." He locked eyes with Blaise who tightened his mouth in agreement.

"But what?" Blaise questioned, "The teachers are oblivious, well atleast most of them are, and it's not as if we can catch the people doing it." He scowled. "McGonagall seems to have only a mere inkling of what people are doing and it's not like she can do anything to stop it. The 'inspiring' speeches she's given us so far have barely halted the attacks." He put his head wearily down on the table, the black rings around his eyes standing out in contrast to his skin. Draco couldn't really judge though. If Blaise looked like crap, who knew what Draco looked like.

Putting that thought to the back of his head, Draco smiled slowly, a plan already forming in his head, "I think we need a role model, Blaise, a leader if you will; someone who can set an example for these 'bullies'." He eyes glinted dangerously as they surveyed the nearby tables. He knew the perfect person as well.

"No offense Draco, but I don't think you're the best person considering you're in Slytherin," Blaise drawled sarcastically.

Draco just waved his hand however, "Don't worry Blaise," he reassured him, "I have someone far better in mind. Well maybe better isn't the word I was looking for, but he'll certainly do." His stormy eyes settled heavily on a certain green eyed wizard sitting on the furthest table from Slytherin. "We've just got to open his eyes a little to what's going on."

Oblivious to the worried looks Blaise was shooting him, a smirk spread itself across Draco's face. If Blaise thought that a furious Draco was something to worry about, he clearly hadn't seen Harry Potter in battle. It had definitely made Draco glad he had switched sides at the last moment. After all, there certainly was something mesmerising about watching Harry Potter cut his enemies down to size.

Draco couldn't wait.

Right people, new story! You know what you need to do if you want to read more! If all goes well I could be updating as soon as tomorrow: D

(Also, this might be kind of random but does anyone know when the next HP Film is coming out? I've been hearing different dates left, right and centre. Thanks.)