In the dark of the corridor, in the face of Filch's maniacal, gleaming eyes, this didn't seem like such a good idea anymore.

Harry and Hermione were marched in silence to Professor McGonagall's private chambers on the Second Floor of Gryffindor tower. All the way down, Harry felt his anxiety grow like a sickening, coiling knot in his belly. Wild, half-formed alibis chased each other around in his brain, tripping over each other to be considered and rejected first. Their excuse - such as it was - wouldn't hold water for a second. Harry was convinced of that. And even if it did, it would only lead to more awkward questions that he had literally zero idea how he was supposed to answer.

So, for the first time in their friendship, Harry's unwavering loyalty to Hermione was severely tested.

For Hermione's part, she seemed to be realising the foolhardiness of her plan, too. She was visibly trembling, looking down at her slippers and biting her bottom lip in her worry. She wasn't a girl who got into any sort of trouble, let alone court it as she had now. This was new territory for her, and her uncertainty and inexperience made her vulnerable to mistakes.

Not that either had much of a chance to make a mistake. Professor McGonagall was already up and waiting for them when they arrived. Evidently, Mrs Norris had raced along ahead of them to communicate the crime to her in her cat Animagus form. Harry was mildly curious as to how that actually worked, but such frivolous notions were driven from his head as soon as he saw the expression on his former guardian's face.

For she was utterly furious.

Never, not once in their relationship, in any of her incarnations in Harry's life, had he ever seen Minerva McGonagall so beside herself with anger. She glowered at them, breathing heavily like a dragon about to strike. The comparison drove Harry to remember why they were here in the first place, and he was almost about to tell her everything, when the rant she had been storing finally burst free.

"I have never been so angry with two students before!" she cried. "Two of you - out of bed - long after the curfew was in place. I'm disgusted. From my own house no less. I thought both of you would have had more sense, knowing the dangers out here right now! Explain yourselves."

It was the first time Hermione had ever failed to answer a question posed by a teacher. Her courage and bravado gone, she simply stared at her feet and made soft whimpering noises in her throat. Harry, too, had forgotten the contents of the English Language. He opened and closed his mouth a few times, a little bit like a codfish, but no words came out.

"I think I've a fair idea of what was going on," Professor McGonagall continued. "Your fanciful heads have been filled with all the mystery of the object being stored below the school right now, so you thought you'd go looking for it. Who's idea was the suit of armour? Yours, Harry? Did you think it would keep you safe if you tried to pass Hagrid's little dog?"

Harry blinked. It was an out. A stupid one, but a believable one. Harry could play the hero, and it might keep Hermione from getting into too much trouble.

"Okay, y-yes, it was my idea," Harry mumbled, staring pointedly at Hermione when she looked on the verge of protest. "Ever since Sirius told me about it, and especially since we were attacked over Christmas, I've been thinking of trying to get to the Stone first. To keep it safe, you know."

"Safe!" McGonagall thundered. "You think you have more chance of protecting the Stone than a giant dog, a raft of enchantments and complex magic performed by Albus Dumbledore himself? I didn't think you that arrogant, Harry."

Ah, so there were a slew of other protections guarding the Stone. That was interesting, and Harry and Hermione had been right about that. They could discuss it later, but right now Harry had to play the foolish hero.

"I ... I just thought, you know, because I was part of bringing down Voldemort with the Stone, maybe I could protect it in some way nobody has realised yet. I was worried ... about Hermione, you know. I just wanted to keep her safe."

McGonagall's expression softened for a heartbeat, but it was back to stern stoniness just as quickly. This time, she turned it on Hermione.

"So I suppose Harry just roped you in to this idiotic scheme?" she asked briskly. "And you just went along with it?"

"He said he might need some help with a spell or two," Hermione lied. "But I wasn't about to let him go alone, and I didn't think he'd listen to reason to not go."

"Then both of you are as culpable as the other," Professor McGonagall frowned. "There is nothing that gives a student the right to be out of bed after dark, if not for attending classes. Nothing at all. You shall both receive detentions, and fifty points will be taken from Gryffindor."

"Fifty!" Harry cried. "That's harsh."

"Fifty each!" Professor McGonagall told him, breathily angrily through her long nose.

"Aunt Min - you can't -"

"It's Professor when we are on school time. And don't tell me what I can and cant do."

"But Hermione ... she didn't do anything!" Harry protested hotly.

"Do not think me a fool, Harry," McGonagall snapped. "I know that you two are trying to cover for the other, and Miss Granger's thoughtlessness here is not becoming of her. But you are both guilty in this little caper, and you both will be punished for it. Now get straight to bed, both of you. If I hear that you take even the slightest detour on the way back to the Common Room, that points deduction will be tripled!"

Harry and Hermione trudged back to bed in silence. Harry couldn't sleep. A hundred points lost in a single night! He hadn't thought about that part of the punishment. What would the other Gryffindors say when they saw the hourglass in the morning? How would they react when they heard that famous Harry Potter had gone seeking more glory, and cost them any chance they might have had at winning the House Cup?

He felt truly awful. But the fallout was worse than he'd imagined.

The first bleary-eyed Gryffindors thought there must have been a mistake, when they saw the House Cup points hourglass the next day. Indeed, some Muggleborn students suggested that maybe the batteries needed changing. But by the time they'd explained to their Magicalborn counterparts just what batteries were, the truth had started to filter out.

Harry Potter and Hermione Granger had been caught out of bed for a midnight tryst, and the whole school was soon talking about it.

Now Harry wasn't entirely sure what a tryst even was, but when he tried to ask Hermione about it she simply hushed him crossly, and ducked low to her cornflakes as though trying to hide in them. But it was a futile effort. She had been right about one thing, though, not a single student believed the story about them trying to get through the locked door on the Third Floor corridor.

"Stupid!"

"Idiots!"

"Bloody lovesick kids ... a hundred points ... all for a sloppy snog!"

Such comments followed Harry and Hermione wherever they went. Harry got it worse, on account of who he was, but Hermione came in for her fair share of nastiness, too. What Harry found most bizarre was that it was only the girls of the castle who gave Hermione a hard time, and it was as much over the silly rumours as it was the points loss. Harry didn't understand that at all. And some of the boys actually seemed more interested in her now, which made Harry unreasonably cross. Students he didn't know very well started trying to talk to Hermione, so Harry had taken to growling at them until they went away. He didn't want his best friend any more upset than she already was.

For three days, Harry and Hermione were given the silent treatment by other Gryffindors. This was made worse by the Slytherins, who kept thanking them for their efforts when they passed either in the corridors. Draco Malfoy was particularly gleeful about all this, offering his services to help Harry lose even more points whenever he wanted to. He declared that his legend would be secured if he helped Gryffindor post the first minus House Points score in the one thousand year history of Hogwarts.

So they kept their heads down. Neither drew attention to themselves in class; Harry worked harder, but more often alone, during Quidditch practice, seeing this as his best chance of recovering points for his House. In the evenings they worked quietly on homework pieces, choosing a cramped table in the corner away from everyone and struggling to see their parchments under the fluttering lights of the tiniest torches in the room.

On the morning of the fourth day, they each received a summons to detention that evening. They came from Professor McGonagall, but Harry also picked up a little note from Hagrid, on which he'd scribbled just two words.

She's hatched.

Harry and Hermione had relayed their plan in full to Hagrid two days ago, and after much cajoling he'd finally given in. He felt guilty that Harry and Hermione had gotten themselves so deliberately in trouble and was now duty-bound to repay them. In any case, Norbert - as he'd dubbed the baby dragon - had already singed off one of his eyebrows as he tried to sing it a lullaby.

That night, at eleven o'clock, Mr Filch collected Harry and Hermione from the Entrance Hall of the castle and led them down to Hagrid's Cabin. He was waiting outside with Fang the boarhound, who was leashed up and ready to go. Hagrid was carrying a crossbow and a quiver of arrows, and Harry shuddered as he saw this image of battle-readiness.

"Dont be too friendly with 'em," Filch sneered. "They're here to be punished. So punish 'em."

"They're going into the Forest, that's punishment enough," Hagrid barked in reply. "Now get going. I'll see them back up to the castle at dawn."

"What's left of them, you mean," Filch leered back with a twisted grin. Then he turned and stomped back up the sloping lawns, his gas lamp swaying against the dark night.

"You alright, you two?" Hagrid asked as soon as Filch was out of earshot.

"Yes but, Hagrid, why do you have a crossbow?" Hermione asked in a shaky voice.

"I wasn't lying about dark things going on in the Forest," Hagrid replied, seriously. "Yeah we got to deliver baby Norbert to the other dragons, but we got to keep an eye out for whatever it is that's lurking in the Forest. Filch is a mean old coot, but he ain't wrong. It's dangerous in here, so stick close to me and stay alert. And stay to the path. Come on."

Hagrid strode over to a spot behind his hut, emerging with a wheelbarrow, inside which was the sleeping dragon. It was an ugly looking thing and even though the scudding clouds often obscured the bright moon overhead, Harry could just about make out what resembled a crumpled, black umbrella wrapped in the neon pink blanket, which was now blackened and fire-damaged. It was only the steam rising from its considerable nostrils that hinted to its being alive at all.

"Phew! That stinks!" Hermione whispered, pinching her nose against the acrid scent of Norbert.

"All babies smell like that from time to time," Hagrid quirked happily. "She just needs changing."

Harry blinked at the very startling idea of a dragon in a nappy. He turned to look up at Hagrid. "So, Norbert is female."

"Yeah ... I think so," Hagrid replied. "Hard to tell, as she tries to bite me if my hand gets too close to check."

"Bite you?" Hermione quavered. "Even at such a young age?"

"Well yeah, but she's just teething," Hagrid returned blithely. "Come on, lets get this over with."

The Forest was dark and silent. Every twig that cracked underfoot sounded out like snapping bone. Harry looked down to watch his step, careful as he'd twice almost trodden on Hermione's toes where she was walking so close to him. As he was scanning the damp detritus of the Forest floor, Harry noticed something glittering and shiny dotted here and there.

"Hagrid - what is that?" Harry asked, pointing at a larger splattering on a tree stump as they passed.

"Unicorn blood," Hagrid informed him. "Something's been attacking them. That's why the Forest is so dangerous right now. Don't know what it is, and I've found two dead so far. Monstrous thing, it is, to slay a unicorn. Whatever's doing it must have no morals, or no worries about leading a cursed life."

"What do you mean?"

"It's powerful stuff, unicorn blood. Drinking it will keep you alive even if you're at Death's Door. But you've killed something pure to sustain yourself, so you're cursed as soon as the first drop touches your lips. But there's some as don't mind that, Dark Creatures and Wizards and so on. And its them we need to watch out for."

Harry tread with even more care and alertness now. Every sound, every creak of movement drew his attention and his wand. And with each abrupt snap of his head and tautening of his body, Hermione tightened her grip on his forearm. Harry hadn't even noticed her taking it, but he wouldn't dream of telling her to let go. Not only was he comforted by having her so near, where he could keep an eye on her, her presence also gave him the courage he might need, to fight whatever it was that was lurking just out of sight in the shadows.

They seemed to walk for hours, right into the very heart of the Forest. Harry was just about to give up on these caves, when Hagrid suddenly led them through a clearing to the base of a sheer rock face, that seemed to sprout up out of nowhere. The moon had broken through the canopy above, dappling the branches in stunning hues of grey and silver. There was a chilly mist hanging at knee-height all around the clearing, and Hagrid pushed the wheelbarrow through this to the mouth of the cave.

"Right, this is your bit," Hagrid announced, stepping away from the wheelbarrow. "I don't think I can bear to say goodbye to little Norby. You be good. Mummy will never forget you."

For a wild moment, Harry thought Hagrid was about to bend down and give Norbert a goodbye kiss, but he seemed to reconsider a second later and instead moved away to the edge of the clearing.

Harry turned to Hermione. "Okay then. This is your moment. What's the plan?"

"Well, we ... er ... take the baby inside, I suppose," Hermione mumbled. "We'll push it to the other dragons and see what happens."

"And if the dragons attack us? What then?"

"We leg it!"

"Good plan," Harry smirked. "Do you want to push the baby or lead the way?"

"I'll push. It'll be good practice for later life."

Harry felt his heart leap into his throat as Hermione ducked her head away, embarrassed. Why did this keep happening to him? And what even was it? Maybe he was sick and needed medicine. He'd have to ask Sirius, or maybe Neville might know. Sirius would probably just tease him or something. Either way, Harry put it from his mind and walked cautiously towards the cave. The crooked mouth was jagged and foreboding, filling Harry with a sense of trepidation before he'd even set a single toe over the threshold.

Harry led Hermione to the cave entrance and looked inside. And he was immediately gripped by a paralysing fear.

For it was utterly black inside.

There was not a chink of light to be seen, not even a pinprick. Harry was overcome with a thrill of this elemental terror. His neck prickled cold with it, his palms clammy as he considered the prospect ... and wondered if he could even do this part.

"Are you coming?" Hermione quirked jokingly from the palpable gloom ahead. Then she saw how Harry was frozen in fear and hurried back to him. "What's wrong?"

A shameful heat rushed across Harry's skin, and he was sure he was flushing all over. He had never felt more of a coward, more ashamed in his whole life, and in front of a girl who was showing her fearless side to boot. He could barely speak with the sense of disgrace flooding him.

"What is it? You can tell me," Hermione whispered, quite gently, sounding surprised rather than judgemental.

Harry took a shuddering breath. "I ... I ... I'm afraid."

"Of what?"

"The ... the dark," Harry confessed in a muted mutter. "I know it's stupid, considering where I grew up and everything, but I've always been afraid of total darkness. I don't know if I can go in there."

Hermione looked at him with her soft eyes. She wasn't pitying him, she wasn't laughing at him as he expected ... she was understanding. She didn't even need to say it out loud.

"I know it's scary," she soothed. "But I'm here with you, and we'll face it together. Here, take my hand."

"You won't let go?" Harry replied quietly.

"Not unless you want me to, or you feel comfortable enough."

"Promise?"

"I promise," Hermione whispered faithfully.

She held out her hand and Harry slipped his digits between hers. Her skin was cool to the touch, and it doused the flames of shame raging over his own flesh. Hermione held on tight, squeezed encouragingly. Harry took strength from that, took a steeling breath ... then took those first steps into the black unknown.

But they hadn't gone more than three feet or so when they had to stop and draw breath. Or try to find another way to breath, actually ... for it absolutely stunk in here!

Without thinking, Harry pulled his hand from Hermione's grip to cover his nose. He was panicked in the dark for all of three seconds though, as Hermione instinctively snatched her forearm around his just to reaffirm that she was still there with him, something Harry was eminently grateful for.

"What is that?" Hermione cried, her voice funny where she had pinched her nose. "It's disgusting!"

She wasn't wrong. The whole place was dense with a dank, rotting smell. The air was stagnant, as if the very particles were putrefying all around them. Stench of decay clung to their nostrils, making their breathing heavy and laboured as they struggled to find the will to move forward.

"I don't know!" Harry choked back. "But it smells like something died in here."

"What could have died to cause this bad a smell?"

She had to ask ...

Suddenly, with the most abrupt lack of warning Harry thought possible, there was a feral, guttural sort of roar, the beat of powerful wings ... and a gout of flame struck at them from a point high above.

"Dragon!" Harry yelled, tugging Hermione clear of the flame just in time. "Run!"

So they did, mindlessly and with no idea of direction. The huge beast swirled and shrieked above them, blasting fire in long streaks of red and amber. It threw parts of the vast chamber into stark relief, revealing pillars and statues and monoliths, one of which Harry dragged Hermione behind, pinning her in place as a burst of flame broke against the stone and flanked them like two searing hot barriers.

"What are we going to do?" Hermione yelped.

"I don't know!" Harry called back, as the dragon soared past and screeched angrily yet again.

"We have to get back to the baby!" Hermione cried. "It's our best hope!"

"Where did you leave it?" Harry yelled over another blast of fire.

"Just behind us!" Hermione shouted in reply. "Grab my hand, and when I say run ... just run!"

Harry reached out and Hermione snapped her fingers back into his. He could feel the pattern of her frantic breathing as her