Good Enough | hp

38| A Conversation With A Friend

Hagrid was sitting in his shirt-sleeves at his scrubbed wooden table; his boarhead Fang, had his head in Hagrid's lap.

One look told them that Hagrid had been drinking a lot; there was a pewter tankard almost as big as a bucket in front of him, and he seemed to be having difficulty in getting them into focus.

"'Spect it's a record," he said thickly when he recognised them. "Don' reckon they've ever had a teacher who on'y lasted a day before.

"you haven't been sacked, Hagrid!" gasped Hermione.

"Not yet," said Hagrid miserably, taking a huge gulp of whatever was in the tankard. "But 's only a matter o' time, i'n't it, after Malfoy..."

"How is he?" said Ron, as they all sat down. "It wasn't serious, was it?"

"Madam Pomfrey fixed him best she could," said Hagrid dully, "but he's sayin' it's still agony... covered in bandages... moanin'..."

"He's faking it," said Harry at once. 

Estella nodded. "Remember when Harry lost all the bones in his arm? She mended that."

"School gov'nors have bin told, o' course," said Hagrid miserably. "They reckon I started too big. Shoulda left Hippogriffs fer later... done Flobberworms or summat... jus' thought it'd make a goof firs' lesson... 's all my fault..."

"It's all Malfoy's fault, Hagrid," said Hermione earnestly.

"Exactly," Estella said. "You told us all not to insult the Hippogriffs- it's his fault he wasn't listening.

"We're witnesses," said Harry. "We'll tell Dumbledore what really happened."

"Yeah, don't worry, Hagrid, we'll back you up," said Ron.

Tears leaked out of the crinkled corners of Hagrid's beetle-black eyes. He grabbed both Harry and Ron and pulled them into a bone-breaking hug.

"I think you've had enough to drink, Hagrid," said Hermione firmly. She took the tankard from the table and went outside to empty it.

"Ar, maybe she's right," said Hagrid, letting go of Harry and Ron. Hagrid heaved himself out of his chair and followed Hermione unsteadily outside. They heard a loud splash.

"What's he done?" said Harry nervously as Hermione came back in with the empty tankard.

"Stuck his head in the water barrel," said Hermione, putting the tankard away.

Hagrid came back, his long hair and beard sopping wet, wiping the water out of his eyes.

"Tha's better," he said, shaking his head like a dog and drenching them all. "Listen, it was good of yeh ter come an' see me, I really-"

Hagrid stopped dead, staring at Harry as though he'd only just realised he was there.

"WHAT D'YEH THINK YOU'RE DOIN', EH?" he roared, so suddenly that they jumped a foot in the air. Estella's hand jumped to her chest. "YEH'RE NOT SUPPOSED TO GO WANDERIN' AROUND AFTER DARK, HARRY! AN' YOU THREE! LETTIN' HIM!"

Hagrid strode over to Harry, grabbed his arm and pulled him towards the door.

"Hagrid-" Estella hurried after him. "What are you-"

"C'mon!" Hagrid said angrily. "I'm takin' yer all back up ter school, an' don' let me catch yeh walkin' down ter see me after dark again. I'm not worth that!"

✰♪

"What did he mean?" Estella said quietly as they walked back up to the common room. Her ears still rung from Hagrid's screaming. "What did he mean you can go out after dark Harry? It wasn't even curfew yet." She turned to him.