Songbird (Hermione X Male Reader) The Philosopher's Stone

Chapter 12: The Dark Forest

"We think Snape's trying to steal it. But, Y/N thinks it's Quirrell," Harry said. "Quirrell? Snape? Blimey, Harry, you're still not on about him are you?" Hagrid questioned. "Hagrid, we know he's after the Stone. We just don't know why," Harry said. "Snape is one of the teachers protecting the Stone! He's not about to steal it!" Hagrid said. "What?" Harry wondered.

"You heard. Right. Come on, now, I'm a bit preoccupied today," Hagrid said. "Wait a minute. One of teachers?" Y/N asked, from the arm chair he and Hermione were sharing. "Of course! There are other things protecting the Stone, aren't there? Spells, enchantments," Hermione said. "That's right. Waste of bloody time, if you ask me," Hagrid confirmed.

"Ain't no one gonna get pas' Fluffy. Hehe, not a soul knows how. Except for me and Dumbledore. I shouldn't have told you that. I shouldn't have told you that," Hagrid said.

A cauldron over the fire began to rattle. "Oh!" Hagrid exclaimed. Hagrid rushed over and grabbed something from the interior of the cauldron. "Ooh! Ooh! Ooh! Ooh!" Hagrid said.

Hagrid placed a large egg on the table. The group gathered around to get a closer look. "Uh, Hagrid, what exactly is that?" Harry asked. "That? It's a...it's um..
," Hagrid stuttered. "I know what it is! But Hagrid, how did you get one?" Ron asked.

"I won it. Off a stranger I met down at a pub. Seemed quite glad to be rid of it, as a matter of fact," Hagrid explained.

The egg rattled and cracked. Pieces flew off as a baby dragon emerged. It squeaked and slipped on a egg piece.

"Is that...a dragon?" Y/N asked. "That's not just a dragon. That's a Norwegian Ridgeback! My brother Charlie works with these Romania," Ron enthused. Y/N reached out to pet dragon, but it seemed scared of him. The dragon whined and ran over to Hagrid.

"Isn't he beautiful? Oh. Bless him, look. He knows his mummy. Hehe. Hallo, Norbert," Hagrid named the dragon. "Norbert?" Harry questioned. "Yeah, well, he's got to have a name, doesn't he?" Hagrid argued. "Don't you, Norbert?" Hagrid said, raising his fingers back and forth across Norbert's chin. "Dededede," Hagrid said.

Norbert backed away, hiccuped and blew a fireball into Hagrid's beard. "Ooh! Ooh, ooh," Hagrid said, putting out the flames with his mitts. "Well...he'll have to be trained up a bit, o' course," Hagrid said.

Hagrid looked of into the distance. "Who's that?" Hagrid asked, pointing a finger at a window. "Malfoy," Harry spat. "Oh, dear," Hagrid said.

The four of them quickly exited Hagrid's Cabin and are currently walking through a corridor. "Hagrid always wanted a dragon. He told me so the first time I met him," Harry informed. "It's crazy. And worse, Malfoy knows," Ron said. "I don't understand. Is it that bad?" Harry asked. "It's bad," Y/N said.

The stopped as McGonagall turned the corner. "Good evening," McGonagall greeted. Malfoy appeared, smugly beside her.

The Quartet are stood in front of McGonagall's desk, as she scowled them. "Nothing, I repeat, nothing gives a student the right to walk about school at night. Therefore, as punishment for your actions, fifty points will be taken," McGonagall said. "Fifty?!" Harry exclaimed.

"Each. And to ensure it doesn't happen again, all five of you will receive detention," McGonagall said.

Malfoy's smug grin faded at McGonagall's words. "Excuse me, Professor. Perhaps I heard you wrong. I thought you said...'the five of us'," Draco said.

"No, you heard me correctly, Mr. Malfoy. You see, as honourable as your intentions were, you too were out of bed after hours. You will serve detention with your classmates," McGonagall informed. The Quartet grinned and Draco huffed.

The five students were being lead to Hagrid's Hut by Filch. "A pity they let the old punishments die. There was a time detention would find you hanging by your thumbs in the Dungeons. God, I miss the screaming," Filch said. Draco gulped and Hermione clutched Y/N's hand for comfort.

"You'll be serving detention with Hagrid tonight. He's got a little job to do inside the Dark Forest," Filch enlightened. Hagrid appeared, carrying a crossbow, and sniffling.

"A sorry lot this, Hagrid. Oh, good god, man, you're still not on about that bloody dragon, are you?" Filch said. "Norbert's gone. Dumbledore sent him off to Romania to live in a colony," Hagrid sniffled.

"Well, that's good, isn't it? He'll be with his own kind," Hermione said. "Yeah, but what if he don't like Romania? What if the other dragons are mean to him? He's only baby, after all," Hagrid said.

"Oh, for god's sake, pull yourself together, man. You're going into the forest, after all. Got to have your wits about you," Filch said. "The forest? I thought that was a joke! We can't go in there. Students aren't allowed. And there are..." Draco said. As if on queue a howl was heard in the distance. "Werewolves!" Draco finished.

"There's more than werewolves in those trees, lad. You can be sure of that. Nighty-night," Filch said, wandering into distance, mumbling to himself. "Right. Let's go," Hagrid said.

The group of six walked into the deep depths of the Dark Forest. Hermione was clutching Y/N's hand really hard. Y/N thought he would lose circulation, but comforted Hermione so he let her.

Hagrid stopped, and bended down in front of a silver puddle. Hagrid dipped two fingers in the puddle, pulled them out and rubbed them together. "Hagrid, what's that?" Harry asked. "That's unicorn's blood, that is," Y/N said.

"Correct. I found one dead a few weeks ago. Now, this one's been injured bad by something. So, it's our job to find the poor beast. Y/N, Hermione, you'll come with me," Hagrid said. "Okay," Y/N said. "And Harry and Ron, you'll go with Malfoy," Hagrid arranged. "Okay. Then I get Fang!" Draco said. "Fine. Just so you know, he's a bloody coward," Hagrid said, and Fang whined.

The groups spilt up. Hermione had now resorted to hugging Y/N's arm. Y/N pulled his arm free from her grasp and wrapped it around her shoulders. "You okay?" Y/N asked. "I'm scared," Hermione said. "Don't be. I'll protect you," Y/N said. "Thank you," Hermione said.

They strolled deeper and deeper in the forest, but didn't find any signs of a unicorn. "AHHHHHHHHHHH!!! AHHH!" They heard Draco scream in the distance. "Come on, let's go!" Hagrid ordered, and they ran in the direction of Draco's scream.

They arrive and see Harry and Ron conversing with a centaur. "Harry!" Hermione called. "Hello there, Firenze. I see you've met our young Mr. Potter. You alright there, Harry?" Hagrid asked. "Harry Potter, this is where I leave you. You're safe now. Good luck," Firenze wished.

Firenze galloped away, leaving the five alone. "Where's Malfoy?" Y/N asked. "He ran way," Ron informed. "Did he? What a coward. Come on, let's get you all back to castle," Hagrid said.

They exited the Dark Forest without a word. The Quartet went asleep as soon as their heads collided with their pillow.