AN: Guess what? I got a spifferific little Harry Potter note card set from my bestest friend in the world. I "eed" and I "awwed" when I saw it…ah, my little world. Lovely, isn't it? Well, this chapter won't be as dark (though pivotal none-the-less) because the guy I really like gave me lotsa huggies today. Heehee, gee, I'm really happy.

Disclaimer: As if you didn't know, I don't own this. Yeah, well, what new…btw, this little song-type (yet not really) fic has lyrics from LP, so I don't 'em neither. K?

Chapter Ten: And Even Though I Tried

Harry forgot that they had Care of Magical Creatures with the Slytherins. A lovely period stuck with Malfoy, Crabbe and Goyle. It dimmed his spirits a little, but not much. Ron, on the other hand, looked positively green at the sight of Malfoy and Co. when they arrived at Hagrid's hut, just around the Greenhouses.

They came around the bend and saw something roaming in Hagrid's paddock. Harry tilted his head a bit toward the figure. It was a centaur, he noticed. Unfortunately, it was not the one he saw in the Forbidden Forest his second year. In fact, it made him think; no centaur would take to confinement, and even if they did, they wouldn't do it for show. Centaurs are mysterious creatures (making them a perfect lesson for the Care of Magical Creatures) but oddly enough, he didn't think that they would allow that sort of thing to go on. Ron, on the other hand, thought that this was "fantastic".

"A centaur, Harry," he said, grabbing his arm. His monotonous attitude seemed to have subsided for a while. "I've never seen one like this."

Harry smiled. Hagrid saw them approaching and waved. He was talking with Hermione, who looked anxious and very quizzical. She, besides Harry, would be the only one who'd wonder about this confinement of a centaur.

Harry and Ron walked up to Hagrid, who was chatting quickly with Hermione again. "Good Morning, Hagrid," Harry said brightly.

"Good Morning to yeh, Harry," Hagrid replied, smiling broadly. "I got quite a lesson fer yeh today. Got me a centaur to do yeh a presentation. Very special treat, this is."

Harry nodded. "Yeah, been meaning to ask you about that. Hagrid, why is the centaur confined?"

Hagrid laughed. "Why do yeh think it's confined, Harry? The paddock's wide open, it is, and the centaur agreed to stay. Jus' want a little bit o' room between me and me students, yeh know? The centaur agreed to stay fer a lil' while, to show 'em off. Then 'e's going home, but the other centaurs aren't too happy 'bout this, no."

"I doubt they would," Harry mused. "Still as secretive as ever, Hagrid?"

"You bet they are. Wouldn't tell me why he agreed. Still surprised 'bout it meself, mind you. Quite a big 'eart these guys' got."

"That's great, Hagrid," Ron chimed in. "Not so sexist as a unicorn, yet still as cool."

Hermione shot daggers at him, and turned her head quickly. She walked away, muttering a small goodbye.

"Wha' the matter with 'er?" Hagrid asked them.

"Er, quite a long story, Hagrid," Harry said briskly. "Never mind it."

"Well, me class is starting now. Let's go, you two."

Harry and Ron came up to the front of the fence, along with other peering students. Malfoy, Crabbe and Goyle held back. Harry could tell he was absolutely dying to get a sight at the centaur. He mentioned this to Ron.

Ron turned to him. "Bloody git, see if I care about what he wants," he said abruptly.

Harry was taken aback. Perhaps Ron was in a foul mood again, and he turned to the centaur and to Hagrid's presentation.

"This 'ere is one o' my good friends, Quentin. 'E's a centaur, and e's one o' thee best out there." Hagrid continued to talk, but Harry didn't bother to listen. He minded started to drift, and he glanced around to other places. He noticed where Hermione was standing. Oddly enough, it was right next to Malfoy. It seemed that he was talking to her in such a way that made her face look like it wanted to cry, or horror plus anxiety. Whatever one it was, Hermione had a hand to her mouth, trying not to cry.

Harry was very interested in knowing what they were talking about. It seemed that lately, everyone was keeping something from him. It kind made him a little mad, that his best friends couldn't even tell him anything anymore. Something foul was going on, and Harry vowed to get to the bottom of it all.

"Hermione, what the matter?" Harry asked, as she came over to join them. She looked very flustered, and very guilty. He should have gone over there and punched Malfoy. But what held him back was the fact that Malfoy had looked just the same as she did. And, Harry thought, what was the point of calling a truce with him if he always made fun of Hermione and he attacked them in the hall? Malfoy was up to something.

"Harry, nothing. It was nothing," she said. She turned her head to the open paddock, now that Hagrid had stopped his lecture, and the centaur was meeting and greeting with the students.

Malfoy was behind everyone else, Harry noticed. He didn't was to come anywhere near the centaur. He looked afraid.

Harry smiled. 'Serves him right,' he thought darkly. Harry turned back to the paddock, as the centaur approached him. He recognized this centaur, for some very odd reason.

"Er, hello," Harry said, finally being able to talk to him. "Is Mars bright tonight?" he said, jokingly.

"No, Saturn is," he said, soberly, obviously bot getting the joke. "Master Potter, I know where you meant that; I was there when you arrived on my friend's back," he said, "when he saved you from danger."

Harry smiled. "I knew I'd have seen you before. Was he all right? Bane didn't yell at him, did he?"

"No," the centaur replied, "we do not yell. He was simply flustered about the fact that he offered to carry you like a normal horse should. We are above that. I saw why Bane was mad, and rightly so; but I also saw how his point as well. Beware, Master Potter, Saturn is bright," he finished, and trotted to Hagrid, as Harry was the last person in the line to talk to. Harry was confused. Saturn was so bright? What did Saturn have to do with anything?

Hagrid approached the middle of the paddock. "That's all fer me class today, yeh are let out early, on the 'count that it's almos' Christmas."

Harry smiled, and the rest of the class yelped a little yell of joy. They all began to walk back to the main grounds, but Ron and Harry stood behind. Hermione said she had some things to look up in the library, and would meet with them later.

Hagrid waved at them, and turned to the centaur. Murmuring something illegible, the centaur nodded indiscreetly and trotted into the forest.

Ron snorted when Hermione left. "Something in the library, all right," he muttered under his breath. Harry looked at him.

"What's that supposed to mean, Ron?" Harry asked quietly.

Ron turned to him. He hadn't expected anyone to listen. "Er, um, later, Harry," he said, flustered, then picked up his bag from the ground. "We have Charms next, best be going," he said finally, swinging the bag up on his shoulders.

Harry sighed. Everyone was just so damn secretive lately.