When you're in solid anticipation, days drag on in one slow, repetitive cycle. Harry, Ron, and Hermione were well aware of this fact because on a fateful Tuesday in mid-February, they had received a sudden letter from Hagrid informing them of his return next week and that he had a 'special surprise' for them.

So, time had somehow turned slower. The day Hagrid returned, all three of them, especially Harry, were trying their hardest to resist the urge to skip class and run straight for his hut. But patience took their side, and when the final bell rang, they immediately set off to meet him.

March was approaching, so the earliest signs of spring could be seen all around the castle's gardens. Flowers were starting to bloom, the grass looked lush, and even the Whomping Willow was straightening up as its branches showed off the new season's ornaments.

All the way down to the hut, the conversation between the three never faltered.

"I reckon those giants let him go," Ron was saying as he led Harry and Hermione through the trees, "Won't hurt someone from their own species, would they?"

"Won't hurt? It's a miracle he came out of this alive!" Hermione exclaimed, "I just hope he's not too beaten up."

"I agree," said Harry, "knowing he's back safe, that's at least one less problem for us."

"One less problem. As if this 'mysterious' surprise wouldn't be one." Ron scoffed. "Hagrid can't tell the difference between – "

But he stopped mid-sentence, suddenly freezing up.

"Get back!" he yelled, pushing the other two. "Quick! Behind the hut!"

"Why? What's going on?!" Hermione demanded, but she got her answer when Umbridge came striding out of the hut, the door shutting behind her. From their hiding place, the three watched the High Inquisitor grimace and shake her head.

"You'll be hearing from the Minister very soon!" she called, "Unless you don't want us meddling with your real affairs, you'd tell me what sort of journey you took!"

And then, from inside the hut, a voice floated out that filled their hearts with glee.

"It's not yer ruddy business! Be on yer way!"

"And I'm supposed to just listen to you when you have…" Umbridge screwed up her nose. "All that blood over your face?!"

So, Hagrid was hurt. Their foreheads creased with worry while they hoped it wasn't too bad.

But this time, Umbridge received no response. To their horror, she pulled out her wand and stared at it as if she was thinking of using it on their friend.

"What the bloody hell is she doing?!"

"I swear if she even lifted that arm –"

"Shh, Harry! She'll hear you!"

Thankfully, Umbridge lowered her wand, threw one last dirty look at Hagrid's door, and went back on the path with pudgy steps. After making sure she was well out of sight, the three left their hiding spot. Harry rushed to the hut and knocked on Hagrid's door.

"Hagrid, it's us!" he called.

This time, the response came instantly.

"Harry! Been waitin' for yeh lot."

Hagrid opened the door – and their mouths fell open.

If someone wanted to know what the word 'pain' meant, they'd just have to take a look at Hagrid. One part of his head was sporting a massive wound as if someone had bashed it with a heavy club. Half of his face was coated with thick blood, its trail matting his beard, and he was tending the wound with a strange creature nobody could place. His giant hands had ugly gashes all over them, and he was having trouble moving his arms.

A pregnant pause filled the room for a moment as the three stared at the half-giant with wonder-like horror.

Harry was the first to speak up. "What happened to you?"

Hagrid sighed. "Figured yeh'd ask."

He bustled about to put tea on the stove and sat on his rickety table with a large 'thump'.

"Like I had told yeh lot, it wasn't an easy journey. Giants weren't even hiding in the mountains of Belgium!" he scoffed, as if he was still regretting it, "Luck got rotten for Olympe and me, but Fawkes swooped in with fresh news. Someone had misjudged their location. Turns out France was where we were s'posed to go, but how the bloody hell could I know that?"

"France?" Hermione's eyes lit up, remembering her vacation from two years ago. "Did you see the Arc de Triomphe?"

"Erm –"

"And the cathedrals? Especially Notre Dame! Isn't it so beautiful?"

"Well…yeh see, we didn't have any time ter –"

"But you must have seen the countryside…" Hermione trailed off, noticing how Ron was looking at her. She dropped her head. "Sorry."

"Right," said Hagrid uncomfortably, "If we had dropped by 'em, would've told yeh. But we couldn't. Not with those ruddy giants ter follow –"

The tea kettle started whistling, interrupting Hagrid.

"I'll get it!" Hermione declared, still embarrassed for going off-track. "You go on, Hagrid."

So while she served them tea, Hagrid launched off into his much-anticipated tale while mopping his head with the unfamiliar animal. Apparently, the change of plans had aggravated Madame Maxime a lot more than they had Hagrid because she, in a fit of rage, had suggested they Apparate directly to France. Now, Apparating from one country to another was dangerous, and the risk level rose when a distance like the one between France and Belgium was to be crossed. Although he had never learned to Apparate, Hagrid knew how perilous the journey could be. Still, Madame Maxime had turned deaf to his warnings and threatened to leave him behind and go to France alone. So he had no choice and had to take the risk with her. Thankfully, they had reached France just fine, but that was where their troubles began…

"Dumbledore had warned how French folks were more suspicious of us kind," said Hagrid, wincing from his head pain, "An' not just the wizards, but the giant side of us, too. We stayed hidden. Had a few close calls, but that was it. Didn't know the exact location of the giants to Apparate or Olympe would've gotten us there in a few snaps."

"But we figured it out. Went ter the damn mountains and all. Spotted a giant halfway there. Not exactly hidden, eh? But the old fella looked too weak to even stay on his toes. We followed the tosser and gotcha! We done stumbled on the big ol' giant community!"

"Were they…big?" Ron asked, eyes shining.

"Huge. Up to 20 feet or so. Made me look like a goblin!" Hagrid laughed, erasing some of his gruffness, "Very angry. Very loud. Makes a man wonder how they managed to live there all these years…"

"And you brought them gifts, right?" Hermione asked doubtfully.

"Course we did! Made a plan to bring it to their leader! A mean giant over 25 feet tall."

"25 feet…" Ron breathed.

"So…the giants did this to you?" Harry asked.

"A bit more complicated than that." Hagrid sighed. "I tossed myself into a fight."

Immediately, shock hit them like bricks. "What?!"

So Hagrid told them what had happened. How he had gone to the giants in peace and requested their leader (called Gurg in giant language), Karkus, to listen to what he had to say in exchange for the gifts he had brought. Madame Maxime had stayed in their temporary dwelling because the leader didn't trust women. Karkus couldn't speak or understand English, but he had translators. After some debate with English and the giant language being tossed back and forth (and Hagrid becoming close to getting trampled by the agitated giants because of his intrusion), the Gurg accepted his gifts and allowed him to talk.

Hagrid recounted how an eerie silence had fallen as every giant hung on his words. They knew who Voldemort was – an associate of his had approached them just two months ago – and they knew his plans. They also knew who Dumbledore was (He didn't look the part, but the leader was intelligent), and Hagrid's urge to join his side spread confusion. Apparently, Voldemort's nameless associate had informed them about him, so their impression of the wizard was only negative. How he wanted to erase the giants from existence and control their power, which they wouldn't have to do if they joined Voldemort in stopping the evil Dumbledore. But Hagrid had assured them this wasn't true and that Dumbledore cared about their safety and understood their power and influence. He had to bash his hand with the leader's club to prove he was telling the truth (that's why his fingers were purple), and only this act of self-harm made the leader consider him.

He had sent Hagrid back to discuss the proposal with his advisors (there were giant advisors!). But Hagrid didn't go back. He had stayed hidden among the rocky terrain and watched the leader make his choice.

Karkus had decided to trust Hagrid, but when he had gone to the 'town square' to declare his views, many giants disagreed with him. The disagreement and discourse had led to a full-blown fight, an array of flying rocks, blurred clubs, and thick fists. Hagrid saw almost every giant attack the leader – and that was when he did something foolish.

He jumped in the mob.

Of course, the giants were merciless. They dismantled Hagrid to his current shape, but he had failed. The leader had died. Defeated, he knew he couldn't stay when most of the group wanted to kill him brutally, so he returned, unsuccessful. The Death Eater had been more convincing than him, or the giants were lying and had killed him ruthlessly.

"Dumbledore said it ain't my fault," said Hagrid, shaking his head, "That I did the best I could. But I always take his missions seriously, and failing this one…"

"Well, the giants would have killed you." Ron shrugged. "You made a narrow escape!"

"And you're more helpful to Dumbledore alive than dead." Hermione smiled, trying to cheer him up.

"But Hagrid, this…Death Eater you talked about," said Harry, "Who was he?"

"Don't know. And the giants made a bloody show out of the secret."

Harry nodded and stared into his cup of tea. Whoever this nameless Death Eater was, he must have excellent negotiation skills. Why else would Voldemort send him, or her, to do the job? It seemed like he had gained the giants' support. In addition to the dementors, it was only a matter of time before his enemy would have a dangerous army of his own…

Harry sighed and focused on Hagrid again, who was grinning widely despite the current situation.

"Yah know, I was waitin' ter get this outta way," he said, excitement lightening his grisly features, "Cause I gotta tell yeh somethin'!"

"You mean the surprise?" Ron asked, unamused for some reason.

"Yeah! A mighty good one it'll be, too!"

"What is it, Hagrid?" Hermione's eyes shone with both curiosity and concern.

"I'll show yeh! C'mon!"

"Are you sure? Don't you want –"

"This can't wait! Follow me!"

With that, Hagrid stood up and hurried out of his hut with his condition and all, his tea forgotten.

In his wake, Harry, Ron, and Hermione stared at each other.

"We should follow him," said Hermione.

"Okay, but what if it's a 35 feet tall Fire Crab or something?" Ron said, irritated.

"What's your problem?" Harry narrowed his eyes at him.

"Endangerment. That's my problem." Ron sighed, his eyebrows knitted in a frown. "Y'know how Hagrid can be. I'm not going to put up with his bullshit if it really is a Fire Crab or some other goddamn ghastly creature!"

"But we haven't seen –"

"Oh, you bloody well know what I'm talking about, Harry!" he snapped, "He sent us to that cluster of Acromantulas without a second thought! We could have died!"

"And he could have gotten his soul sucked!" Harry snapped right back at him. "Hagrid went to Azkaban! And if you remember correctly, we wouldn't have found the Chamber if it weren't for Aragog!"

"Sure, go take the side of that giant spider who tossed us to his kids…"

"Oh, be quiet, both of you!" Hermione exclaimed. "Hagrid just came back from such a difficult journey. A mission that he failed. So we can show him a little support, Ron…"

"And be happy that he returned in one piece," Harry added.

"You think I'm not –"

"What's taking yeh so long! Thought yeh be following by now?"

Hagrid had returned and was contemplating the three with a questioning look.

Ron sniggered with sarcasm. "We're just hoping it isn't a bloodthirsty beast, whatever this surprise is."

"It ain't a bloodthirsty beast!" Hagrid retorted, the hurt clear in his voice, "Why don't yeh see for yourself?"

"Yes, we want to, Hagrid!" Hermione declared, glaring at Ron. "Let's go."

That ended the tense conversation, and the trio followed Hagrid out of his hut and deep into the Dark Forest.

"Now, I'd suggest yeh don't…freak out when yeh see him," said Hagrid as they crossed the jagged paths. "That might…agitate him, and we don't want that. Might create…a racket."

That did not sound good. Ron rolled his eyes. Of course, what else could they expect?

Hermione was thinking along the same lines, but she was more worried for Harry. Hagrid's tale seemed to have impacted him, which wasn't good considering how he had woken up from a different dream today.

She slowed her pace to meet up with Harry, who was bringing along the party's rear.

"Are you okay?" she asked, noting his distracted eyes.

Her question brought him back to reality. "Yeah, yeah. I'm fine…"

Except he wasn't fine. He was thinking. All this talk about the giants supporting Voldemort had brought back the dream he had last night…along with a fresh feeling of paranoia.

It had started out as usual, with him standing in the sacred hallway, which he now knew belonged to the Department of Mysteries. But this time, something was different. Because this time, he had opened the door.

The inside had been confusing and dark, but he could still make out closed doors around him. Great, this was just what he needed. More doors he couldn't reach.

But the next second, he felt dread gripping him tightly. Someone – or something – was watching him from the shadowy corners of the mysterious room, but before he could make out the stalker, the dream had vanished right before his eyes.

Since then, Harry had been disturbed. He couldn't stop thinking about the invader or his identity. At first, he believed it was Voldemort because who else had the gadgets to his mind?

But his gut told him something much more sinister was at play here, and he just wasn't thinking hard enough.

So naturally, his absenteeism was at a peak, which was good. Healthy even, considering how he was the centre of attention these days for all the wrong reasons.

Somehow, everyone had heard he had broken up with Cho. Since they were two of the most popular students at school, their split had caused a wildfire of gossip among the girls. Rumours about how he mistreated her, bashed Cedric despite his untimely death, and was a raging lunatic were heavy in this chitter-chatter. Of course, all of them were false, but the way Cho was acting all sulky and sour, she was making sure nobody would forget the break-up too soon, and her Ravenclaw friends were doing an excellent job of it.

Because of more pressing matters on his hands, Harry didn't have the time or energy to deal with such falsities, and yes, a tiny part of him admitted that he deserved this. Why couldn't he be rational and break up with her in a private corner instead of a busy ballroom? So he had remained unresponsive to this issue…

…until Hermione got involved in the mess.

He could see this coming from a mile away. He knew Cho would make Hermione the real culprit of the entire dilemma. She had told everyone who would listen how Miss Know-It-All was making plans to steal Harry away from her, and she had succeeded because he had fallen for her tricks.

It was like their fourth year all over again. Hermione was wrongly accused of being part of a love triangle when she clearly wasn't. It was bound to take a toll on her. But just like Harry, she was too busy to pay attention to any of these stupid rumours. OWLs were approaching, and she was way more interested in finding a suitable career than trying to justify herself for something she was not. Harry admired her resilience and ability to brush aside unimportant things without a glance. But despite his indifference, he still had some doubts. Cho was very unpredictable. Considering how angry she was with Hermione, her vengeful spirit was awake. It was only a matter of time before she took a dangerous step that could leave all of them, especially him, in shambles.

He had tried to warn Hermione, but she had just laughed.

"Oh, Harry. Cho can't attack me, okay? I'll be on to her in a snap."

"But you don't know how she can get when she's angry –"

"It wouldn't happen. I promise. If it did, I'd make sure she never forgets it."

The way she had said this, with a determined light in her brown irises, had made Harry believe her instantly. Yes, Cho didn't stand a chance against Hermione.

But if something did happen, it would be his fault.

So with Hagrid's adventure, combined with the Cho conflict, the strange dream, and the sluggish Occlumency classes, Harry felt like he had to pause the world and take a deep breath. Too much was going on at once. And now Hagrid had a surprise for them that Harry hoped wasn't something that could land his friend into trouble…

"I'm fine," he had said, but Hermione wasn't entirely convinced. Hagrid's failure was disorienting news, so she couldn't blame Harry for mulling things over. These days, she fantasised about taking revenge on Cho Chang for falsely painting Harry as a culprit and Hermione as a boyfriend-stealer. She wanted to shut her up for good.

But karma would strike. Hermione was sure of that, too.

The forest trees were becoming thicker to wherever, or whomever, Hagrid was leading them. At one point of their trek, they spotted three Centaurs at the far side of the floor matted with vines and strangely shaped rocks. The creatures did not pay any attention to the little group and kept talking to each other.

"Best not bother them," Hagrid spoke up suddenly, "They won't be too happy to see us folks in this area. Heck, I had a hard time hiding Gr – I mean, the surprise, 'cause they wouldn't let me go by in peace!"

"Because Firenze came to work for Hogwarts?" Hermione asked.

"Yep. It's against the Centaur rule book – mingling with humans. I'd advise yeh folks not to step near them when yer – erm. Never mind."

He was clearly hiding something, but the three decided not to question him. They were already curious about the surprise.

However, they soon got their answer when a horrible odour permeated around them.

"Phew! What's that smell?!" Ron complained, pinning his nostrils shut.

Hagrid looked embarrassed. "Well, he just got here. Didn't have time fer –"

But the rest of his words hung in mid-air as the ground shuddered, and he went flying across the forest floor! They barely had time to shout because the next wave swept them off their feet. Hermione went face-first, but she grabbed some nearby branches, breaking her fall. Harry and Ron weren't so lucky and almost received cracked skulls…

"What the hell is going on?!" Harry shouted, scrambling up but losing his balance because the ground was still trembling.

"I bloody told you!" Ron yelled, sporting his arm, "I told you Hagrid would bring yet another –"

"Grab the trees!" Hermione interrupted him, "Quick!"

The boys didn't have to be told twice. The sturdy trees provided good support as the earth shifted off its hinges, looking as if a giant was walking on it!

"A giant…" Hermione murmured – until a realisation made her heart sink. "Oh no…"

"What is it?!" Ron demanded, shielding his eyes from all the dust.

"You don't suppose Hagrid brought a –"

"Don't worry! Something must have distributed 'im!" Hagrid had appeared, flushed. "He's just a young boy."

"What are you talking about, Hagrid?" said Harry. "How can a young boy cause this?"

"He's very sensitive. Very easily bothered. But he'll calm down…"

As if on cue, the ground finally stopped shaking. After waiting a full minute to see if the disaster had really passed, they took relieved breaths and stepped away from their woody pillars.

"See?" Hagrid smiled. "I told yeh he'd calm down."

"Yeah. That excuses him," Ron scoffed.

"Come on. He's right by these trees."

Now that they knew the creature was this powerful, their hearts thudded in their ribcages as they followed Hagrid into a whirlwind of leaves…

…and came upon the most astonishing sight.

"Say hello to Grawp." Hagrid beamed.

They couldn't reply. Their voices had become stuck in their throats.

Because right across from them, sitting on the ground and sniffling as if he had just finished crying, was a giant. Dressed in a brown toga fraying at the edges, his body seemed rock solid, his skin charred and brownish-pale, his face so large that it could easily swallow an adult hippogriff. His thin lips sported a sharp tooth on either side and although he was sitting down, he was coming up to the middle of the towering trees around him.

Sure, they'd talked about giants, but actually seeing one? Right here in the Forbidden Forest? It was disconcerting, almost perplexing.

Involuntary gasps escaped them when the giant, as soon as he saw Hagrid, sprung to his feet and ran towards him. The ground again rocketed back and forth beneath his feet, but the three kept their balance this time. He looked even taller now and even more intimidating.

The giant grabbed Hagrid and lifted him up as he burst into tears. His sobs were so loud that their wavelengths were actually shaking the leaves!

"All right, all right, calm down, lad!" Hagrid has to scream to become audible over the creature's noisy moans. "Was it the Chimera? I told her to stay in the den!"

It was a little while before he could quieten him down. As he tried to pacify him, the three gaped at this 'surprise', wondering why on Earth Hagrid decided to bring one of them to Hogwarts grounds. Hermione knew keeping giants somewhere far away from their community was prohibited under the Act of Creatures' Rights, and considering how Umbridge was just badgering him, Hagrid could this time really get sacked. This part of the forest was hidden, but if someone did some sleuthing, the giant's earth tremors and shaking leaves would be a dead giveaway…

Meanwhile, 'Grawp' had finally lowered Hagrid to the ground, his little sniffles deafening enough to shake the trees. Harry and his friends just stared at the half-giant, silently demanding an explanation.

Hagrid was all smiles when he gave one. "This is my half-brother. Turns out we had the same mother!"

That didn't make things less complicated. Ron scrunched up his eyebrows while Harry spoke up, "Half-brother?"

"Yeah. Didn't know I had one, to be honest with yeh." Hagrid sighed, patting Grawp's leg. "Folks in the community told me. And…and how my mum…died. Just three months ago."

His eyes turned watery. The concern growing in Hermione's gut immediately turned to sadness. "I'm so sorry, Hagrid."

"It's fine," he said, wiping his sudden tears, "Grawp was all alone when she died. Didn't have any friends. Didn't have anybody to trust. I couldn't…leave him! Look at him! He's just a kid!"

"Just a…kid?" Ron stared in disbelief.

"He ain't even that tall! Just 16 feet!"

"So, adult giants are even taller – ow!"

"I'm sorry for your loss, Hagrid," Hermione said, elbowing Ron to shut him up, "But…"

She trailed off, wondering if this was the right time to pursue the topic.

Once again, Harry came to her rescue. "But…d'you think it's okay keeping him here? I mean…how will you take care of him?"

"I've thought about that." Hagrid nodded, looking up at his brother, who had resumed his sitting position. "It ain't gonna be easy. 'Specially with those Ministry scum loitering, asking me for information. That I'm not gonna give 'em, bloody rascals, and they won't find Grawp! I have a plan!"

This 'plan' was to keep Grawp hidden in this area, which was safe as it was deep in the Forest, and no Minister agent would have the guts to venture this far.

"Oh, but what if they do have the guts?" Ron challenged him.

"Trust me, nobody knows about this area except for me and the creatures."

"And…what if they heard him?" Hermione asked, her fascinated eyes scanning Grawp. It was not every day you got to study a real-life giant.

"Nope. I've told yeh, he's still a child." Hagrid grinned behind his bushy beard. "Nobody can feel him unless they're 20 feet away from him."

He also told them how he would teach Grawp to speak English so he could communicate better with him. Food and drink won't be a problem because he could get them from the handy resources of the Dark Forest.

"And no creature would bother him." Hagrid said, "Except for that darn Chimera."

"Can we see it?" Ron asked, his blue eyes wide.

"Nope. Too dangerous. She won't hesitate to burn you to a crisp." He suddenly clapped his hands, startling them. "Now! It's time for introductions. Who wants to go say hi to him?"

Out of instinct, all three shrank back, their eyes on his giant brother, who was now standing and sniffing the leaves around him.

"C'mon, he won't hurt yeh!" said Hagrid.

"Are you sure he won't pick me up and hurl me in the air?" Ron asked, frowning.

"Of course not!"

"What if he steps on me?"

"Then look out –"

"I'll go," Hermione said, silencing Ron.

"Me too," Harry added. Grawp looked harmless enough, even slightly confused, and sure, who said they couldn't be careful?

Hermione was the first to approach the giant, her hands slightly trembling as she looked up at him. She hadn't craned her neck this much to talk to anyone. Something about this fact made her heart race.

"H-hi Grawp," she managed, giving the creature a small smile. But he didn't see her and kept on sniffing the leaves.

"Yeh gotta speak louder!" Hagrid encouraged. "Else he won't hear you!"

Hermione nodded, but no sound emitted from her lips. She was aware of the ground beneath her quivering, the morbid stench, and the lingering risk of this beast going haywire and trampling her to death. She thought she would be overly familiar with giants because she had read all about them after Hagrid had left for his trip. But now, seeing everything she had learned turn into something tangible, her disbelief was imminent. The situation could not be stranger.

However, some of her strength returned when Harry graced her with his presence and took her hand in his. "It's okay. It's just like Buckbeak. Only less dangerous."

"Less dangerous?" Hermione mused. "Giants are –"

"Violent. I know. But he is young," Harry smiled, making her blush a little, and wince when he shouted. "Hey, Grawp!"

This time, the giant heard them. He looked directly at Harry and Hermione, and did something odd. He smiled!

Hermione gained some confidence at that and waved. "Hi, Grawp!"

The giant waved back. She could feel her heart softening for him. He was so friendly!

"See! I told you!" Harry grinned at her.

"Yes. I just got flashbacks from the troll –"

The rest of her words were flung into oblivion as she started to scream.

Grawp had lifted her in the air!

"WHOA! PUT HER DOWN!" Harry shouted up at the giant.

"Serves you right, Hermione!" Ron scoffed. "Going into his lane like that!"

"SHUT UP!" Hermione yelled at him. Her heart was racing and her sweat glands were highly active. She could feel the distance between her and the ground, knowing her body was basically hanging in midair. Her fear of heights had revived, and the swarming in her gut proved it.

But oddly enough, she didn't feel too scared.

"Help her, Hagrid!" Harry exclaimed at the half-giant, who, meanwhile, was staring deadpan at his brother. Harry's shout snapped him awake.

"It's okay. Grawp won't hurt her." He sighed. "C'mon, Grawp, put her down. That's a good boy."

But the giant didn't listen to him. His watery yellow eyes were busy observing Hermione with the same fascination she was watching him just now.

Something about this mesmerised look diminished Hermione's fear. Unlike the chaos below, she gently touched Grawp's fingers that were clasped around her body.

"Hello, Grawp." She smiled at him. "I'm Hermione Granger."

The giant's ears perked up at the sound of her name. He grinned a little, showing his dirty teeth. Hermione tried not to gag as she resumed her amiable demeanour with him.

And then, he did something that turned all of them mute.

He spoke her name.

"Her – mo –" he tried, his eyebrows scrunched in concentration.

"Yes!" Hermione beamed, delighted. "Her-myo-nee," she enunciated.

"Hermonee," the giant declared.

The said girl laughed. "Good enough!"

"Bravo, Grawp!" Hagrid clapped from the ground. "Bravo! See, told yeh he wasn't dangerous."

"I think you're influencing Hermione," Ron remarked, unimpressed.

"She's brilliant," Harry counterfeited, awed. "Bet you're jealous."

"Like I'd find being lifted up by a giant tempting." Ron shook his head. "I'm out!"

"I've read about them, actually," Hermione spoke up from above. "But Hagrid, please ask him to put me down. I'm not exactly…great with heights."

"Sure. Hang on." He slapped Grawp's shin. "Okay, that's enough, chap. Put her down!"

Grawp growled in an unhappy tone, but he obeyed Hagrid all the same. Hermione was relieved when she could feel the ground underneath her feet again.

"Thanks, Grawp!" she told the creature, no longer afraid of him. However, being back on the ground made her dizzy, and she almost tripped before Harry caught her arm securely in his.

"Steady, steady."

"Thanks," Hermione said, looking into his eyes, momentarily forgetting the giant behind them.

"So, how was the weather up there?" Harry grinned when they rejoined Ron.

She laughed. "That was stupid."

"Yeah, but that must have required some nerve –"

"Oh, cut the crap, Harry," Ron interrupted, his mouth set in a scowl, "I would have given him three minutes, give or take, before he threw Hermione like the bloody Quaffle."

"What's wrong with you?" Harry snapped, his indifference getting to him.

"What's wrong?" Ron's eyes widened. "Look around you, Harry! We're standing under the shadow of a bloody giant!"

"Except he won't hurt us," Hermione said calmly, "Look, I know you're being reasonable, but I've read about them. Young giants are not clever enough to think humans are their enemies or that they should resort to violence at every possible chance. Hagrid said Grawp is still young in giant years, and honestly? I can clearly see that."

"So he's no danger? At all?" Harry asked.

"No. Well, if he didn't trust us, he could become threatening when he's an adult." Hermione sighed. "So this is why we have to earn his trust. Befriend him."

"And how are you so damn sure about this?" Ron raised an eyebrow.

"Because of reading. You should try it sometime."

"Like I don't have much better things to do than read about giants all day –"

"I did it because of Hagrid's trip! And…well…because I was curious!"

"Hey, there's no shame in reading!" Harry put in, "Besides, we learned more about Grawp this way."

"Sure, take her side. I'm not even –"

"All right. All right. That's enough," Hagrid declared, coming towards them with a huge smile. Behind him, his brother was eating something from his lap.

"He's just a kid. He will give yeh no harm, Ron. I promise yeh that."

"Okay," Ron said, still unconvinced, "But are you seriously going to keep it here?"

"Of course! He's my brother!"

"But Hagrid, what if you're caught?" said Harry.

"Won't happen, I assure yeh."

"And the centaurs –"

"Oh, they hate humans. Would rather die than mingle with them."

"But do you think this is an ideal environment for Grawp, Hagrid?" Hermione asked, "What if he feels congested or something?"

"He won't…" Hagrid sighed, trailing off. "Look, I know yeh three mean well. But I don't know where else to keep him. I can't keep him too far away from me, yeh know, with no giant community and all, because he's a kid. I 'ave no choice." He looked fondly towards Grawp. "And I won't mind bearing an extra responsibility. I love him."

Suddenly, the misty look in his eyes turned urgent.

"'Course, I'll look after him as much as I can," he told the trio, "But you'll help me, right? If they took me away, you promise you'll keep checking up on him?"

"Who'll take you away –" Harry began.

"Only you three know about Grawp." Hagrid was almost pleading. "Look after him?"

"Yes! Hagrid, we will!" Hermione exclaimed, alarmed by his urgency. "We will. But nobody's taking you away."

"Yeah, I bloody hope not," Harry added. "Grubbly-Plank's not you."

"She's an excellent teacher," Hagrid commented, and Hermione agreed with a smile, "But I'm taking my classes back. D'you think the other students will be thrilled?"

"Er…"

"Some might cause trouble."

"Like Malfoy," Ron clarified.

"Well, he'd have to live with it, eh?" Hagrid chuckled, his dishevelled look contrasting with his joy.

"Yeah…" Harry affirmed, still curious about what Hagrid had said just now. "But who d'you think will take you away, Hagrid? The Ministry?"

"They can't do that!" Hermione exclaimed, unable to contain herself, "I mean, the Order is protecting you, isn't it, Hagrid?"

"Yeah, yeah, they are. Dumbledore makes sure of it." Hagrid sighed, wincing under his head pain. "But who knows? The Ministry is dodgy. They might take me in for questioning or summat, but if that happens, yeh'll keep an eye on him, right?"

Harry and Hermione immediately pledged their allegiance, knowing Hagrid loved Grawp too much to abandon him somewhere desolate, but Ron sighed.

"Okay…I will," he finally said, "But keeping him here is a bad idea."

"Nothing to worry 'bout!" Hagrid declared cheerfully. "Just can't wait to return to normal life, that's all!"

"Good to have you back, Hagrid," Harry grinned, his elation masking the severe doubt that was also affecting the other two.

Ron was right. It was too risky keeping Grawp here. But reasoning with Hagrid was next to impossible when he had his mind set on something.

The anxiety in their hearts did not decrease as they made their way back to the castle. The dread of Umbridge lurking nearby only heightened their worries, along with what might happen if anybody besides them stumbled upon Hagrid's newly discovered relative.

They could just hope his return would be met with open arms…


Alas, this flicker of hope diminished little by little as the days went by. Hagrid resumed his teaching position just like he had said he would, but students were not happy about it, even the Gryffindors. They had tried to hide their disappointment, but it could be seen clearly through their fake excitement and lack of that special glitter in their eyes.

The tension was incredibly vivid in the air when Hagrid introduced them to Bowtruckles. Small wood-like creatures who were generally peaceful, their temper rose when people touched them, so they made the students feel icky and frustrated as they had to mingle with their homes for class activities. Forced to catch the weird things and protect their eyes whilst doing so (Bowtruckles could gouge them out if they felt threatened), they complained that Grubbly-Plank's curriculum was much better. Furious about Hagrid being treated like this after such a difficult journey, Harry took Dean, Seamus, and Neville aside as they were part of the complainers.

"Hagrid's a nice bloke," Dean said when Harry questioned him, "I'm happy he has returned, but…you gotta admit his teaching ways are…strange."

Seamus and Neville were with him, and even Harry had to admit their complaints rang with truth. He had been bitten by a Bowtruckle, and Ron had been this close to losing an eye when he went scuffling with a particularly angry one.

"And I thought the Blast-ended Skrewts were mad," he had muttered.

Hermione also couldn't justify Hagrid's choice of making them socialise with Bowtruckles, except for his surface-level view of the creatures being harmless, which they were, but not when they were triggered. Everybody knew perfectly well what they were up against when Hagrid brought them to a tree dominated by the little things.

However, the worst thing about the entire scenario was the Slytherins. Unlike the Gryffindors, who were trying their best to see Bowtruckles as fascinating beings, their rivals showed blatant hatred towards them and utter disappointment on Hagrid's return.

"Where's Grubbly-Plank? Why did this oaf replace her?!" Malfoy had loudly sneered as his fellow Slytherins laughed and agreed with him. His satirical remarks were conniving, to say the least, knowing how this entire group disregarded anything Grubbly-Plank had to say without much interest. They just did it to get on Hagrid's nerves.

And they had succeeded.

"I'm no' fit ter be a professor," Hagrid had said during a Saturday afternoon. "Students are right. Grubbly-Plank was much better…"

"Yeah, but she isn't close to the creatures like you are," Harry had commented.

"And you know the correct, hard-hitting way to care for them!" Hermione had smiled.

But Hagrid had shaken his head. "I thought Bowtruckles would be interesting. Yeah, disturbing them can be a bit meddlesome, but some exercise is good!"

This had turned them mute. What could they say to that? Hagrid seemed to have forgotten that his idea of 'exercise' had resulted in several students' trips to the hospital wing.

So, things could have been better. Especially since Hagrid had Grawp to think of now. When he was with him, he turned a blind eye to everything else. And when he was not with him, he stayed distracted, thus not entirely present during class. This worsened his reputation with the students and earned a mark of satisfied disapproval from Umbridge when she came around to review his teaching. His distracted mind also increased her suspicions, which the trio could tell by the way she observed Hagrid, and that only increased their worry.

However, nothing angered them more than the Slytherins' cruelty towards their dear friend. They jeered at his dishevelled appearance, his clumsy and absent attitude, his troubles as a teacher, and anything they could find or make faulty in him. They obviously wanted to get Hagrid fired, and signs of resignation had become plausible as Hagrid had started to see himself as a failure. It was disheartening – and maddening.

Good thing that the Gryffindor vs Slytherin Quidditch match was coming up in a few weeks.

These days, with their secret classes and an illegal new friend, they had to be extra careful around the Inquisitorial Squad. The problem elevated as Pansy now held a grudge against Hermione, and she grasped any chance to get the girl in trouble. But Hermione was smarter, so she stayed two steps ahead of her foe.

Pansy might have gotten Theodore to fool Hermione, but she wasn't going to gain the pleasure of hurting her.

So the only way they could relieve some of the utter resentment was by winning in their rivals' faces. It was an important match, too. The winner would obtain a higher chance of getting into the Big Finale.

In the days leading up to the match, Harry and Ron trained extra hard with the rest of the team. They really wanted to wipe that ugly smug look from Malfoy's face.

Time went by quickly, and the special Friday finally arrived. Harry's heart was thudding wildly as he pulled on his Quidditch robes. Today, he had a mission – avenge Hagrid. And he was going to do everything in his power to turn it real.

He grabbed his Firebolt and went downstairs to the common room. Most of the students had already left for the Quidditch stadium, but Hermione, Ron, and Lavender were there, waiting for him.

"Remember, no distractions. Just focus on the Snitch," Ron reminded him as the four set off towards the field.

Harry nodded. "And you?"

"The Quaffle."

"Good."

"Oh, you two will be great!" Lavender beamed, "Don't worry about it too much."

"I know, angel, but this one's for Hagrid." Ron sighed. "Those bloody thick-headed Slytherins deserve to lose."

"Yes, but she's right. Worry will cloud over your head and make you lose focus," Hermione explained.

"All right." Ron shrugged, but Harry mulled over what she'd said. Worry was constant, but could he set it aside for this match?

He believed he could.

The stands loomed above them as they approached the stadium. Joyful shouts and banter could be heard from everywhere. The energy lifted Harry's spirits a little.

"I'll be cheering for you!" Lavender told Ron, before reaching forward to kiss him. "Good luck!"

"Thanks, I'll need it." Ron grinned, staring at her lovingly.

Beside them, Harry avoided Hermione's eyes. He hated feeling like a third wheel when she was around, which was such a bizarre thing to experience that he didn't question it further.

But Hermione was done hiding. She approached Harry and leaned up to kiss his cheek. It was getting easier.

"Make them suffer," she whispered to him, ignoring the intense blush creeping across her face, "I'll be rooting for you."

It took Harry a good few seconds to find his voice. "Thanks."

She smiled and waved at him before disappearing into the stands with Lavender. Even after she had vanished from his sight, Harry stood right where she had left him, his face growing hot at lightning speed. Somehow, he could still feel Hermione's lips on his skin, and somehow, they had increased his confidence.

She was pure magic. That was the only explanation he could think of.

"You coming?" Ron broke into his thoughts. Startled, Harry nodded and went with him to the changing rooms to join the rest of the Quidditch team.

"Damn, Hermione's having a spell on you, eh?" Ron jokingly said – but it made Harry feel queasy.

"Shut up," he retorted, "or I'll smack your bloody face as if it's a Bludger."

Ron smirked. "Just kidding, man. Just kidding…"


Hermione willed her heart to stop pirouetting as she fought through the crowd in the stands. The entire school was there, which wasn't a surprise since Gryffindor vs Slytherin matches were a treat to watch.

"Okay, you're getting a lot braver than before," Lavender said once they had finally found good spots.

Hermione smiled. "Oh, I don't know. I just leave hints and hope he picks them up."

"So that's better than confessing?"

"You said so yourself that he should confess!" Hermione sighed. "And honestly? I have bigger fish to fry."

She really did. OWLs were just around the corner, she still had to decide on a future job, her favourite cousin was sick with pneumonia, and she had Hagrid and Grawp to worry about.

But despite all these concerns, Harry still remained a top priority, even if Hermione didn't want him to. It was a losing battle.

The loud cheers around her brought her back. The teams were entering the stadium, and the crowd went wild at the sight of them. Hermione saw Harry and Ron and her face broke into a huge grin.

"Get those Slytherins!" she screamed alongside her fellow Gryffindors, her voice drowning under the absolute clamour from the stands. Down below, the two teams sized each other up, the intense competition clear between them. Madam Hooch, their usual referee, appeared, restated the rules, and kicked off the Quaffle. The match was on.

The sea of students reverberated as the fourteen players picked up speed. Angelina, Gryffindor's captain had the Quaffle, and she was flying through the stadium to reach the Slytherin goalpost as their opponents tried to block her path. Ron appeared ready at the opposite end while Harry hovered above, looking for the Snitch.

Hermione fixed her gaze on him, noting how Malfoy was right behind him. Insulting him. Trying to cause a distraction.

Don't listen to that sadistic jerk. She thought, gritting her teeth. Focus on the Snitch.

Harry must have heard her because he didn't even look Malfoy's way. The next second, he dived forward, and the crowd hooted.

Lee Jordan's commentary had informed them he had seen the Snitch fluttering by.

"Yes!" Hermione cheered, jumping up and down.

"Hey," Lavender nudged her, interrupting her jubilation, "Trouble at 3 o'clock."

Confused, Hermione looked at where Lavender was pointing – and heaved a huge sigh. Cho was staring at the stadium's ground, her pursed lips failing to make her seem innocent.

Without missing a beat, Hermione focused back on the game.

"Never interrupt my Harry-watching for petty things."

Lavender laughed at her joke. "Okay! But just so you know…she looked like she was more than ready to murder you."

"As if she can do that." Hermione rolled her eyes. "Come on, we're ahead of Slytherin. Don't ruin this amazing day with her name!"

Lavender agreed, just when the crowd erupted into raucous happiness around them. Ron had just blocked Theodore's attempt to score a goal!

The girls squealed and hugged each other with joy. Things were going better than expected!

But this quickly turned out to be false. The Slytherins had scored three goals in a row. After his initial success, Ron had difficulty noting which way the player would throw the Quaffle. His confusion was making the crowd furious. Hermione wanted to shut her ears as people, mostly boys, threw slurs at her best friend.

"Come on, Harry. Do something!" she pleaded.


Meanwhile, Harry had lost sight of the Snitch again. His grip on the Firebolt tightened as he tried to ignore Malfoy's drawl from getting into his head. Ever since the match began, he kept lingering by Harry's side, obviously trying to distract him so he couldn't focus on the Snitch. That seemed to be his strategy, along with hurtling forward as soon as Harry saw the Snitch. It wasn't a surprise as everyone knew Harry had keener eyes than dim-witted Malfoy.

Around him, the treacherous match continued. Ron was swiftly losing his competence as the Slytherins had scored two more goals. Lee Jordan's frenzied commentary told him that the Gryffindors needed at least thirty points more before Harry could win the match by grabbing the Snitch. Of course, that depended on if he could see it! So far, the windy atmosphere, coupled with Malfoy's taunts, had only made things more elusive.

"Shut up!" he yelled over the rowdy stands, sick of his blond enemy.

Malfoy smirked. "Why don't you go help Weasley, Potter? Looks like he can't keep his head straight!"

As annoying as he sounded, Malfoy was right. Ron was facing a lot of trouble, but he and Harry were at opposite ends of the stadium. If he dared to move, Harry might miss the Snitch, and maybe that was what Malfoy wanted.

Ron was on his own.

The next five minutes were a blur. The Gryffindor Chasers managed to score forty points. Ron had blocked the Slytherins' attack by inches, almost falling off his broomstick whilst doing so. The audience had become hoarse from shouting. The lions had a chance to win.

But the Snitch was nowhere to be found.

Where is it?! Harry thought frustratedly, dodging a Bludger that a Slytherin Beater had launched at him. Has it disappeared? Did somebody steal it?

He knew that was nonsensical, but his hope was dimming as he flew through the players, ducked his head to avoid getting hit by Bludgers, and tried to throw Malfoy off his trail at the same time.

He couldn't see it.

So he did what he thought was best.

Clutching the Firebolt, he lifted himself in the air, above the entire Quidditch field. His eyes zigzagged desperately across the space.

It was now or never!


"Harry can't find it!" Hermione yelled, wringing her hands, "He can't find the Snitch!"

"Maybe because Malfoy won't quit talking his ear off!" Lavender fumed. Beside them, Neville frowned. "They must have done something to the Snitch!"

"Rubbish. That's against the rules!" Hermione shouted amidst the calamity.

Dean, overhearing her, cried. "Those bloody Slytherins can stoop that low!"

He then proceeded to let out a string of swear words that made both Hermione and Lavender flinch.

By the looks of it, Harry was still having severe trouble. Malfoy stayed glued to him, increasing his turmoil. With a heavy heart, Hermione watched him turn more and more frantic…

…until a brilliant idea hit her mind.

She pulled out her wand and pointed it at the floor.

"Sellalium!"

A chair appeared by her feet. Hermione pushed it to the edge of the stands and climbed it.

"What are you doing?" Lavender demanded.

"Boosting Harry's confidence," Hermione informed her. Taking a deep breath, she lifted her wand and shouted another spell.


Plunging in despair, Harry yearned for a sign of the Snitch. Gryffindor was ahead by one point, and the Slytherin Chasers had the Quaffle. Time was running out.

"Come on, come on, where are you?" he murmured, keeping his eyes trained on his surroundings.

Suddenly, something exploded to his left. Startled, he reeled into that direction – and his mouth dropped open in surprise.

Amidst the waves of scarlet and yellow, he locked eyes with Hermione and saw that she had her wand arm in the air. Above her, big and beautiful silver letters spelt out:

YOU GOT THIS, HARRY!

The crowd 'oohed' and 'aahed' at the display. Harry's tense face broke into a smile. And then, against the pristine white sparkles of Hermione's magical show, something flitted by.

Something small. Something clearly gold.

The Snitch!

Without wasting a single second, Harry sped through the air to reach his target, blocking everything out of his focus. He knew Malfoy was right behind him, knew that Ron had stopped the Slytherins from scoring again, knew the crowd was hanging on his attempt to catch the Snitch, but he ignored it all. His hand reached forward, the little devil just inches away from his fingers…

…until it was suddenly in his palm.

"Potter got the Snitch!" He heard Jordan screaming into his microphone. "Gryffindor wins!"

The entire stadium erupted into roars and shouts loud enough to turn someone deaf. Harry, grinning madly, lifted the Snitch in the air, just moments before the Gryffindor team had smothered him with hugs.

Through his friends' shoulders, he saw Malfoy spit with hatred. His smile turned wider at the sight.


Hermione felt like she was on a roller coaster ride when Gryffindor won the match. Her hands had gone cold from anticipation, and she couldn't stop smiling. She wasn't the only one, though. Her house, plus the Hufflepuffs and the Ravenclaws, were screaming with joy. She almost lost her balance when Lavender launched herself at her, her nasal voice turning even higher as she yelled with excitement.

"We have a chance to be in the Final!"

The fact just added to their delight.

Soon, the crowd was exiting the stadium. Hermione spied McGonagall applauding the team, and she felt overwhelmed.

"You did that on purpose, didn't you?!" Lavender asked gleefully as they made their way back to the Gryffindor tower with the rest of the house, high in spirits.

Hermione laughed. "Maybe! It was all a matter of chance. And it worked!"

Lavender nodded, her smile gradually fading as a thought overcame her. "You have such great ideas at such short notice! Who knew silver sparks could make the Golden Snitch stand out?"

"Like I said, it was a matter of chance. It worked because the Snitch passed by my magic!" Hermione beamed, relishing the triumph. "I made the letters extra-large, though. So Harry could clearly see them…and so they could cover more area in the air."

"Well, you deserve credit, too!"

"No, I don't –"

But Hermione couldn't say more as they had entered the Gryffindor common room, which was loud. Almost everyone was shouting with joy. In the middle of the crowd, the Gryffindor Quidditch team was gathered. Hermione saw people patting Ron's back and ruffling Harry's hair, indicating that the two were the stars of the show. Her heart swelled with pride.

This win held a lot more meaning for just the three of them.

She wanted to run up to them and hug them, but the huge crowd of people serving as a separation was impossible to break through. Sighing, she settled with celebrating with them later.

"Where are you going?" Lavender asked as Hermione started to walk away. "Don't you want to party?"

"No, I'm a little tired." She forced a smile. She had to admit…it was saddening. The fact Harry hadn't bothered to thank her, or even try to find her, was a bit disheartening, but she brushed this aside as silly thoughts. Of course, she was intentionally asking for some attention at such a memorable event, and that was downright wrong.

"Don't be stupid," she murmured to herself – just when someone knocked her shoulder in an effort to get to the team.

"Hey!" she yelled, but they were already gone. Shaking her head, Hermione weaved through people to get to the stairs.

However, just a moment later, someone else hindered her path.

But this time, she grew speechless.

Because Harry had grabbed her hand through the number of people.

"I said wait!" He grinned, his green eyes appearing brighter than usual. Around them, people continued to celebrate as if there was no tomorrow, but Hermione felt like only she and he were in the room.

Despite the butterflies, she beamed at him.

"Oh, Harry. I'm so proud of you!"

"Thanks," he said, "but I should be thanking you! If you hadn't launched that spell, I would have never seen the Snitch!"

"I was just helping you." Hermione shrugged, blood rushing into her cheeks. "You caught it!"

But Harry shook his head. "No, Hermione. You made us win!"

And before she could reply, he leaned down and kissed her cheek.

"You're brilliant." He grinned. "Thanks for rooting for me."

Hermione half-hated him for doing this to her in the middle of the common room because her face had turned red.

But her emotions surged forward, and she threw herself at Harry to wrap him in a hug.

"I'll always, always root for you!" she said, burying her face in his neck.

Her unexpected embrace made her comfortable warmth creep onto his skin. Harry smiled yet again and held Hermione close as their fellow students caused havoc around them.

His victory suddenly seemed even more fulfilling…


Hello everyone! Happy new year! So…yeah. I am updating after quite a looonggg time! Sorry for making you wait! I have started my thesis, and I want it to be perfect, mainly because I'm doing it on my most favourite author in the world, Stephen King.

Well, anyways, I promise updates will come sooner than before! Only 11 chapters are left :D Thank you for being patient with me, and thank you for reading! See you!