"It's certainly very strange" said Hermione
We had reached a large stone reindeer now, over which we could see the sparkling jets of a tall fountain. The shadowy outlines of two enormous people were visible on a stone bench, watching the water in the moonlight. And then we heard Hagrid speak.
"Momen' I saw yeh, I knew," he was saying, in an oddly husky voice. I felt really awkward, I knew that Hagrid wouldn't want to be overheard in a conversation like this, I certainly wouldn't have myself. Hermione tapped me on the shoulder, and indicated that due to Delacour and Davies being half concealed in a rose bush nearby, we should move back that way, but I wrinkled my nose and refused, shaking my head quickly.
"What did you know, 'Agrid?" said Madame Maxime, a purr in her low voice.
"I jus' knew . . . knew you were like me. . . . Was it yer mother or yer father?"
"I — I don't know what you mean, 'Agrid. . . ."
"It was my mother," said Hagrid quietly. "She was one o' the las' ones in Britain. 'Course, I can' remember her too well . . . she left, see. When I was abou' three. She wasn' really the maternal sort. Well . . . it's not in their natures, is it? Dunno what happened to her . . . might be dead fer all I know. . . ."
Madame Maxime didn't say anything. Hermione smacked her hand to her forehead, closed her eyes and whispered "of course..."
"What?" I said, a little too loudly, meaning Harry and Ron turned around.
"In a minute" Hermione mouthed, gesturing for us to keep listening.
"Me dad was broken-hearted when she wen'. Tiny little bloke, my dad was. By the time I was six I could lift him up an' put him on top o' the dresser if he annoyed me. Used ter make him laugh. . . ." Hagrid's deep voice broke. Madame Maxime was listening, motionless, apparently staring at the silvery fountain. "Dad raised me . . . but he died, o' course, jus' after I started school. Sorta had ter make me own way after that. Dumbledore was a real help, mind. Very kind ter me, he was. . . ."
Hagrid pulled out a large spotted silk handkerchief and blew his nose heavily.
"So . . . anyway . . . enough abou' me. What about you? Which side you got it on?"
But Madame Maxime had suddenly got to her feet.
"It is chilly," she said — but whatever the weather was doing, it was nowhere near as cold as her voice. "I think I will go in now."
"Eh?" said Hagrid blankly. "No, don' go! I've — I've never met another one before!"
"Anuzzer what, precisely?"
"Don't say it, don't say it, don't say it..." Hermione was muttering, eyes closed and fingers crossed.
"Another half-giant, o' course!" said Hagrid.
Hermione buried her head in her hands.
I was stunned for a few seconds, but then, thinking about it, I realised it made a lot of sense.
" 'Ow dare you!" shrieked Madame Maxime. Her voice exploded through the peaceful night air like a foghorn; behind us, we heard Delacour and Davies fall out of their rosebush. "I 'ave nevair been more insulted in my life! 'Alf-giant? Moi? I 'ave — I 'ave big bones!"
"No, you're definitely half giant too" said Hermione "but of course Hagrid is, how did I not think of it before!"
Maxime stormed away; great multicolored swarms of fairies rose into the air as she passed, angrily pushing aside bushes. Hagrid was still sitting on the bench, staring after her. It was much too dark to make out his expression. Then, after about a minute, he stood up and strode away, not back to the castle, but off out into the dark grounds in the direction of his cabin.
"Come on, let's go" said Harry
We started walking back to the castle, but Ron still looked uncomfortable.
"What's up?" said Harry, looking at him. Ron looked around at Harry, his expression very serious indeed.
"Did you know?" he whispered. "About Hagrid being half-giant? Either of you?" he indicated to Harry and I
"No," Harry said, shrugging. "So what?" I shook my head.
"It does explain a lot though. No wonder he's so huge" I said
"I'll explain inside," said Ron quietly, "c'mon. . . ." Delacour and Davies had disappeared, probably into a more private clump of bushes. We returned to the Great Hall and sat at a table far away from the dance floor.
"So?" Harry prompted Ron. "What's the problem with giants?"
"Well, they're . . . they're . . ." Ron struggled for words. ". . . not very nice," he finished lamely.
"Who cares?" Harry said. "There's nothing wrong with Hagrid!
"I know there isn't, but . . . blimey, no wonder he keeps it quiet," Ron said, shaking his head. "I always thought he'd got in the way of a bad Engorgement Charm when he was a kid or something. Didn't like to mention it. . . ."
"Giants have always had this stigma around them in the wizarding world" Hermione added
"But what's it matter if his mother was a giantess?" said Harry.
"Well . . . no one who knows him will care, 'cos they'll know he's not dangerous," said Ron slowly. "But . . . Harry, they're just vicious, giants. It's like Hagrid said, it's in their natures, they're like trolls . . . they just like killing, everyone knows that. There aren't any left in Britain now, though."
"What happened to them?"
"Well, they were dying out anyway, and then loads got themselves killed by Aurors. There're supposed to be giants abroad, though. . . . They hide out in mountains mostly. . . ."
"I don't know who Maxime thinks she's kidding," Harry said, watching Madame Maxime sitting alone at the judges' table, looking very somber. "If Hagrid's half-giant, she definitely is. Big bones . . . the only thing that's got bigger bones than her is a dinosaur."
"What I'm wondering" I said "is how Hagrid was even created. It sounded like he was saying his dad was a below average sized man. So how did they, you know, do it? Did his dad just crawl up inside-"
"Stop right there Ginny" said Hermione firmly, holding up her hands and emphasising every word.
"Yeah, I'd like to keep my dinner in my stomach if at all possible" snapped Ron
Even Harry was giving me a dirty look. I bit my lip and blushed.
"Sorry guys" I mumbled, looking down at my legs.
We spent the rest of the ball discussing giants in our corner, the urge to dance having long gone. When the Weird Sisters finished playing at midnight, everyone gave them a last, loud round of applause and started to wend their way into the entrance hall. Many people were expressing the wish that the ball could have gone on longer, but we were perfectly happy to be going to bed; the second half of the evening had really gone downhill, after the pretty decent first. I met up with Demelza, Amy and Magda and we headed up to Gryffindor tower together.
The three of them were discussing the night excitedly and didn't seem to notice my more somber expression.
"Did you SEE how brilliant Stefan was when they played German Warriors?" Demelza exclaimed
"It was nothing compared to Andrew on Maximum Power!" said Amy
"Guys, Luna's display of trying to find those Moonfrogs trumps all of that I think" Magda cut in.
The three of them dissolved into giggles at that.
"You're very quiet Gin, what's wrong?" Demelza asked, finally noticing that I hadn't said a word since joining them.
I chewed my lip and sighed. "Look, I have something I need to tell you"
They stopped and stared at me. All of them now had serious looks on their faces.
"We're listening" Amy said as we started walking again.
"What is it?" Magda said "Oh my god, you and Harry didn't-"
"No, no we're fine, it's just that-" I stopped and sighed again. "Hagrid is half giant"
There was silence for a moment
"Well you don't say" said Amy dryly. "Was that meant to be a surprise?"
"You mean you knew?"
Amy laughed
"Of course I knew mate, it was obvious the first day I met him"
"Even Hermione didn't realise it until tonight!" I replied defensively.
"That's more of a surprise to be honest" Demelza said "anyway, how come this is relevant only now?"
I told them what had happened between Hagrid and Maxime.
"She's insulting our intelligence" Magda snorted "Big bones, honestly, how can anyone believe that?"
"Bet her students get expelled if they call her half giant" said Amy
"I wouldn't go that far" Demelza said "but I wouldn't put it past her putting them in detention. Considering how most people feel about giants, it would be very difficult to admit to such a thing"
"There's nothing wrong with Hagrid though, right?" I said, stopping and giving all of them a stern look.
"Right" Demelza said, and Amy and Magda nodded "of course, why'd you look at us like that?"
"I had to check. I hate any type of discrimination"
"But you know us, we all like Hagrid, we know he's safe"
"Even still, I've heard of times where people have found out their friends are half creature, and deserted them because of it"
"We've known for ages mate" Amy said, "if it was a problem, we'd have made it obvious"