A/N: What can I say? I am sorry for the lateness of my update.  I now understand the severity of writers block, and I think I should make a petition for Phizer to create a pill to get rid of it.  I really am sorry, and I promise more frequent updates.  And for all you baseball fans out there, now that the season is over, I can concentrate once more on my fic.  But, don't expect an update for aleast 2 weeks if they trade Jorge Posada, as I will be in jail for throtteling Brian Cashman. sigh On other notes, I am a participant in Inell's "Always the Quiet Ones" fic exchange for the Christmas season, so look out for that! I hope to update by Friday, I still have a few plot points to iron out.  Love you all, and thank you for your support!!

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Now, to the story....

On the other side of the open space, the girls were taking cooing and petting the newborn unicorn foal.

"He is so precious!" Lavender exclaimed to Hagrid, the foal's nose buried deep in her palm.

"He was born two weeks ago, I was there when both his ma and pa were born, and they just showed up on my door step with it was time for him to be born." Hagrid said from inside the enclosure, where he was petting the male unicorn.

"Oooh!" Pavarti squealed as the foal nuzzled her, her face lighting up.

Hermione smiled, allowing herself the small indulgence of 'acting like a girl'. The calf really was a beautiful thing to see. He was a blight gold color that would fade to white in his adolescence. But, as of that moment, he was finely shaped, with a glittering patch of skin on his forehead where his horn would sure grow.

"Oooh Hagrid!" Lavender cooed, "I am so happy you decided to bring good animals this time."

Hermione shot a nasty glare to Lavender, and a sympathetic smile to Hagrid. "Oh Lavender, Hagrid has taught us about some wonderful animals."

"And I supposed the lesson on the Blast-Ended Skrewts was his crowning glory?" Sneered Pansy Parkinson who was pushing her way to the front of the queue.

Hermione narrowed her eyes, "No one was talking to you Parkinson."

"Well I'm talking to you Granger-" Pansy snarled only to be cut off by Hagrid's booming voice.

"You can insul' my lessons, but dinna start no troubles here, or it'll be detention for you Parkinsons." He menacingly told the now cowering girl.

Hermione only smirked as Hagrid winked at her as he walked back to the enclosure.

"Now, listen carefully!" Hagrid said in his most loud voice, which elicited a more than a few nasty remarks from the Jarveys. "As there is only one calf, I am going to divide tha girls into groups. One group will be excused to go to the library, the others will study the Ma, pa, and baby unicorn respectively. Everyone isto report to class, I'll let yuh know which group'll be headin' on over to the library."

Hermione felt a pride swell in her, 'He really is becoming a wonderful teacher.'

Hagrid divided the girls into four groups, careful to separate Hermione and Pansy. He wasn't like Snape who thrived on seeing house rivalry get in the way of schoolwork. Plus, Dumbledore told him that he 'had a good feeling' Pansy was feeling threatened by Hermione's time spent with Draco.

"Now, Group one, please head strait to the Library, yer essays are due for the next class." Hagrid told the group, which included Pansy and some of her cohorts. Grumbling, they all gathered their bags and with one last wistful glance at the baby unicorn prancing around the enclosure, they were gone.

"Now, Group two and three will follow me to the Ma and Pa unicorn, Group four you can head on into the cage and greet the baby. Remember, if you don't fear him, he won't fear you." He led the two groups to the adult unicorns, leaving Hermione and several other students outside the enclosure.

"Um...well, who would like to go first?" Hermione asked, smiling nervously.

They all shifted uncomfortably, remember the incident with Draco and the Hippogriff years before. The wrong approach can prove harmful.

"Why don't you go Hermione, you're Head girl." Hannah Abbot called out from the back.

"I've faced Lord Voldermort, do you really think I'm afraid of a Unicorn?" Hermione replied indignantly.

There was a collective gasp and grimace when she said the name, and Lavender stepped forward. "I'll go."

Hermione grinned at the girl and opened the enclosure. "Good luck!"

Lavender shot a smile at Hermione and tentatively stepped into the enclosure. In her hand was frozen cubes of sugar, a treat for the foal. At her approach, the foal neighed and cantered towards her, stopping a foot in front the girl. Willing herself not to be scared, she made soothing sounds and raised her hand that held the sugar. The entire class held their breath, and when the baby unicorn nuzzled Lavender's hand, and continued to lick her neck and face like a puppy, several girls volunteered to go in.

"Ok, Pavarti, Daphne, and Vicky you can join Lavender in the enclosure." Hermione smiled, opening the door to the enclosure.

The time passed by relatively quickly, and all the girls were with the baby, cooing and nuzzling it. Being the last girl, she let her self in the pen and closed it.

As she approached it, everything went deathly quiet, but she didn't notice. As she drew closer, she heard Hagrid's booming voice in the distance. Hermione lifted her hand to touch the foal's nose; she didn't know why, but there was an air of uneasiness, but she brushed it off. She brought her hand up to touch the foal's nose; and as she made contact with its skin, the baby reared back savagely, neighing in terror. Kicking violently, the unicorn's hoof made contact with Hermione head with a sickening thud, sending her quickly into inky darkness.

Everything was thrown into chaos; the girls started screaming all running at once to the door of the enclosure, the adult unicorns fought Hagrid fiercely to get to their foal, and the baby throwing himself at the fence to get to its parents .

Across the way...

"At least the women I bring back here are doable. The ones you brings back... I don't even wanna shake their hands. If they were on fire I'd have to stop and think about whether or not I'd piss on them." A voice bellowed from the far side of the spacious courtyard where the Jarveys were held.

"Are they always this unpleasant?" Harry asked Ron, frowning.

"I'm afraid so." Ron sighed, "Fred and George had a few, mum had a right fit when she heard what they said about Grand mum."

"You have to admit though..." Harry trailed off, taking notes.

"If they didn't want to be laughed at they shouldn't have been born retarded." A Jarvey cackled in Vincent and Greg's direction.

"They can be bloody hilarious." Ron grinned.