"Ready then?" Sirius appraised the boy who rejoined him in the living area. Draco's clothing was straightened, his hair was combed, and his face had been scrubbed clean of tears. The only evidence of his earlier ordeal was his still pink nose.

Draco shot Sirius a woeful look, but nodded. He hated apologizing and made a mental note to remember to stop doing things that forced him into these situations. He took his sweet time cleaning up in the loo, but he knew better than to test Sirius' patience any further.

"Come on, kid." Once more that day, Sirius escorted his young nephew through the Hogwarts grounds. "Draco," he warned, "Don't dawdle now." The boy was walking so slowly that Sirius felt like he was stuck on one of those muggle moving floor things that were always slower than walking. What was the point of those damn things anyway?

Draco quickened his pace, but didn't say a word. What was left to say? He wasn't mad at his uncle, but at himself.

"Hullo, Professor," a group of students called out.

Sirius nodded at them, but he noticed the way they were snickering and whispering. He realized they witnessed him dragging his nephew through the school earlier. "I expect you have better things to do than hang around the halls," he added as they passed. He placed a comforting hand at Draco's neck. He really hadn't meant to embarrass the boy like that.

Heat rushed to Draco's face, but he held his head high as he passed those busybodies. He was a Malfoy gosh darn it. However, his demeanor wavered as they neared Hagrid's hut. Without really meaning it, he dug his heels in.

Sirius looked down at the little first year. Draco would be twelve in a few months, but he was far from the bravest boy Sirius knew. "Draco," he started, but then he recalled how badly Draco reacted when he saw Sirius' annoyance only an hour ago and changed tactics. He swallowed his frustration and knelt down next to him. "It will be alright," he said soothingly. When Draco insisted he wasn't afraid, Sirius only squeezed the boy's shoulders and straightened up. "I didn't say you were."

Draco couldn't get anything past his uncle, could he? He fell silent again as Sirius took the lead.

"Go on, young man." Sirius stepped back.

Draco cringed, but he stepped up to the door and knocked. He recoiled immediately on hearing Hagrid's unmistakable footsteps, but smacked right into Sirius, who was planted firmly behind him. He half expected a rebuke so he sighed with relief when Sirius only held onto his shoulders.

"Well, look who is here!" He clamped Sirius on the arm. "How is yer arm, Draco?"

"He is fine," Sirius answered for Draco. "It was just a scrape. Lucky for him that you were there, Hagrid." His faced darkened as he recalled how much danger Draco put himself in.

He gave Draco a little shove forward. "Draco has...what?" Sirius looked down as Draco tugged on his shirt sleeve. He glanced over to where Draco was looking. Oy, great. "We didn't mean to disturb you and your guests, Hagrid." Sirius saw Harry and Ron openly gawking at the scene in the doorway. Hermione, for her part, was at least trying to keep her head down. He lowered his voice. "Would you mind coming out here for just a minute? Closing the door?"

Hagrid was clearly confused, but stepped outside. "Sure, sure, but you aren't any bother. What is goin' on?"

"Draco has something to say."

The boy was just glad his uncle wasn't making him do this in front of the Gryffindors. "Mr. Hagrid," he said as bravely as he could manage, "I am very sorry that I didn't listen to you in class and that I set off that animal. I will mind you from now on."

Well, Hagrid certainly never expected an apology from the little Malfoy heir, much less a promise to "mind" him in the future. He knew it was Sirius' doing, but he also was around enough kids to know Draco felt absolutely mortified about the whole thing. "Yeah? There is mighty good then, Draco. Don't you worry about us. Right as rain. Why don't you come on in? We're havin' us some grub."

The idea of eating with the giant man terrified Draco, but the idea of sitting with Harry and company after such humiliation absolutely floored him. He opened his mouth, but Sirius saved him.

"Thank you, Hagrid, but Draco has some assignments to work on." Sirius rested a hand atop Draco's soft locks. "If you don't mind, I'll take you up on your offer though." He bent so he could whisper into his nephew's ear. "You've been a good boy. Go on now."

Draco didn't need to be told twice. "Thank you anyway, Mr. Hagrid. Bye! Bye, Uncle Sirius." He hurried off before Sirius could change his mind.

Sirius chuckled and turned back to Hagrid. "I would like a word with your guests. Draco may have tempted faith today, but he didn't come up with the idea on his own."

"I think yer just worked a miracle so have all the words yer like." Hagrid waved him inside. "I'll give yer a minute."

"Yeah, that is me. A miracle-worker." Sirius shook his head in amusement. He was greeted with a chorus of "Uncle Sirius! Professor Sirius! Professor Black!" on opening the door.

"Hullo," he answered. The smell wafting through that place was enough to kill his nostrils, but he joined the trio at the table anyway. "I'm glad you are here. I wanted to discuss what happened in Hagrid's class today."

Harry squirmed. "Where did Draco go?"

"Back to the castle," Sirius replied, "Although that is not really your concern, kiddo."

"He is the one who attacked the hippogriff," Ron pointed out.

"It wasn't quite like that, Professor." Hermione ignored the boys' scowls. "Well, it wasn't."

"Thank you for that, Hermione. I realize it wasn't all Draco's doing." He fixed Ron and Harry with a stern look. "He didn't get the idea to taunt that thing on his own. You were showing off for him. You know I don't like goading." He focused on his godson. "You especially know that, Harry."

"He was alright though, yeah?" Harry's voice trembled. He hadn't really expected the hippogriff to go after Draco like that. Not in class at least.

"Thanks to Hagrid's quick thinking, he is fine. But he could have been seriously hurt." He looked from one face to the other. "I'm docking ten points from Gryffindor for the taunting. I don't expect to have to do that again."

"What about Slytherin? Draco didn't HAVE to do it." Ron didn't want the kid mangled, but, really, nothing happened, and Draco was the one who was stupid enough to get himself into trouble with the animal.

"Slytherin lost points too, Ron, None of you boys are innocent in this. Draco took the bait, but you knew better than to set him up like that."

Harry's cheeks colored when Sirius' disappointed gaze flickered back over him. "I am sorry, Uncle Sirius. Maybe I can catch up with Draco?"

The boy's question caught Sirius off guard. "What for?"

Harry shrugged. "I just thought you were right is all. I should tell him I am sorry. He almost got his arm cut right off." He also had a feeling Draco faced their uncle's wrath. Word about Draco getting marched through school spread like wildfire.

A pleased smile spread across Sirius' face. "I think that is a good idea, Harry. Go on, see if you can catch up with him."

"You can tell him it is from me too," Ron piped up. No way was he going to directly utter any such words to Malfoy.

"Well, honestly, I tried to talk you all out of it," Hermione muttered.