Chapter 81: Norbert

"What are we going to do about Malfoy?" Hermione asked quietly. The four Gryffindors were in the Common Room. They were the last ones up for the night.

Phoenix looked at her friends, a smile spreading across her face. "I know what we can do," she said, looking at Hermione, hoping she would understand.

The boys looked at her with interest. Hermione looked at her disapprovingly.

"You will not do that!"

Phoenix's smile widens, knowing full well her friend caught on. "Why not?"

"Because you can get into trouble. You should not use that on a student, and you don't have any, so where do you propose to get some?"

"Oh, Hermione, you don't think knowing about an existence of a dragon on the grounds won't get us into trouble? I have used it on people before, got me out of some punishments at my other school." She looked over at Ron and Harry, seeing that their interest remained and seeing their mouths drop at the last statement. Hermione looked as if she wasn't pleased. "And I could always take my mom's. I know where she hides her stash." Her smile remained.

"Phoenix! I can't believe you are even thinking it!"

"Thinking what? Harry and I do not know what you are talking about!"

Hermione looked over at Ron quickly. "And you won't because she will not do that, so there will be no point in explaining." She said.

Ron looked confused. Harry looked hurt. He didn't understand why they wouldn't tell them. Hermione knew. Why didn't he? 'Is it that Phoenix didn't trust him and Ron? She trusts Hermione. Is it a girl thing? Maybe it's Ron. She sounded like a troublemaker at her old school.'

"Fine, miss, goody to shoes. I won't do it."

"For some reason, I don't believe you."

"Why don't we just get ready for bed and think of what to do about Draco in the morning?" Harry said, not wanting anyone to know the subject matter of their conversation. 'What is the subject of their conversation again?'

"Yeah, Harry is right. Just think about it." Phoenix said, then made her way upstairs.

There was something about the smile lurking on Malfoy's face during the next week that made the four of them very nervous.

"You sure you don't want me to handle Draco?" Phoenix asked every time they saw him.

Hermione would answer the same way, a direct No.

With what free time they had, they would go to Hagrid's hut to try and reason with him.

"Just let him go," Harry urged. "Set him free."

"I can't," said Hagrid. "He's too little. He'd die."

"Little? Hagrid look at him! He is almost the size of your dog! And I'm sure his predatory instincts will kick in. I mean, look, he is still smoking." Phoenix said.

They looked at the dragon. It had grown three times in length in just a week. Smoke kept furling out of its nostrils. Hagrid hadn't been doing any of his gamekeeping duties because the dragon was keeping him so busy. There were brandy bottles and chicken feathers all over the floor.

"Okay, have you been drinking or the dragon? Hagrid, you need to go and do your duties. You can't keep letting it go. You really need to get rid of that dragon!" Phoenix urged.

"I've decided to call him Norbert," said Hagrid, looking at the dragon with misty eyes. He didn't hear a word of what Phoenix said to him. "He really knows me now. Watch. Norbert! Norbert! Where's Mommy?"

"He's lost his marbles," Ron muttered in Harry's ear.

"Hagrid," said Harry loudly, "give it two weeks and Norbert's going to be as long as your house. Malfoy could go to Dumbledore at any moment."

"Not if you would let me deal with him."

Hermione gave Phoenix a glare.

Hagrid bit his lip.

"I, I know I can't keep him forever, but I can't jus' dump him, I can't."

Harry suddenly turned to Ron.

"Charlie," he said.

"You're losing it, too," said Ron. "I'm Ron, remember?"

"Ha ha ha, no, Charlie, your brother Charlie. In Romania. Studying dragons." Phoenix said, laughing at Ron.

"Right, we could send Norbert to him. Charlie can take care of him and then put him back in the wild!" Harry finished.

"Brilliant!" said Ron. "How about it, Hagrid?"

In the end, Hagrid agreed that they could send an owl to Charlie to ask him.

"Thank goodness!" Hermione said as they headed back to their common room.

"I still can take care of Draco."