Can A Phoenix Love A Lion? (Hermione Granger x Male Reader)

8. Beyond Fluffy

The year came slowly to its end. Y/N, Hermione and Ron were studying in the park—Ron more absorbed by the butterflies than by anything else—when they saw Harry running to them.

"What do you think he's discovered this time?" Ron asked.

"That Snape's the bad one," Y/N said.

"Don't you think it strange," Harry said immediately as he arrived, "that just when Hagrid wants a dragon, a stranger appears with an egg in his pocket?"

"Now, you've got my attention, Harry," Y/N answered. "But what do you want? A stranger can be everyone and nobody. We won't find him if that's what you want to do."

"Let's go see Hagrid," Harry told them.

"Again?" Ron complained.

"We've already caused him too many problems," Hermione said.

But she talked to the wind. Harry was already walking across the park, heading to Hagrid's hut. Rolling his eyes, Y/N took his books and stood up, following Harry with Hermione and Ron.

Hagrid was just outside his little house, cutting some wood.

"Hagrid, who's given you Norbert?" Harry asked straightforward.

"Don't yeh want a tea before?" Hagrid said casually.

"Hagrid, it's important," Y/N replied. "Do you know who it was?"

"Dunno, he wouldn' take his cloak off. It's not unusual, yeh get a lot o' funny folk in the Hog's Head—that's the pub down in the village. Mighta bin a dragon dealer, mightn' he? I never saw his face, he kept his hood up."

"What did you talk to him about, Hagrid?" Hermione asked.

"Has he mentioned Hogwarts?" added Y/N.

"Mighta come up," Hagrid said, frowning as he tried to remember. "Yeah . . . he asked what I did, an' I told him I was gamekeeper here. . . . He asked a bit about the sorta creatures I took after . . . so I told him . . . an' I said what I'd always really wanted was a dragon . . . an' then. . . . I can' remember well, 'cause he kept buyin' me drinks. . . ."

"And did he . . . did he seem interested in Fluffy?" Y/N asked.

"Well . . . yeah . . . how many three-headed dogs d'yeh meet, even around Hogwarts? So I told him, Fluffy's a piece o' cake if yeh know how to calm him down, jus' play him a bit o' music an' he'll go straight off ter sleep. . . ."

Y/N, Hermione, Harry and Ron suddenly looked horrified.

"I should'ta told yeh that!" Hagrid blurted out. "Forget I said it! Hey . . . where're yeh goin'?"

They all ran to the castle and directly burst into Professor McGonagall's office. She raised her head, looking at them with a questioning eye.

"We need to see Professor Dumbledore," Hermione said courageously.

"Professor Dumbledore?" Professor McGonagall repeated. "And why, if I may ask?"

"It's . . . it's a secret," Harry told her. Not very clever.

"Professor Dumbledore left for the Ministry of Magic ten minutes ago," she said coldly.

"He's gone?" Y/N said feverishly.

"He's a very great wizard. He has many demands."

"But it's important!" tried Ron.

"More than the Ministry?" Professor McGonagall said, raising an eyebrow.

"Look," Y/N told her. It wasn't anymore the time for caution. "Professor . . . it's about the Philosopher's Stone."

Whatever Professor McGonagall had thought he was going to say, it wasn't that. Her quill fell from her hand and she now looked startled. "How do you know . . . ?" she spluttered.