Chapter 12
He usually hated having his birthday overshadowed by looming exams, but it was by no means forgotten.
His parents sent two owls bearing sweets and gifts, and the first year Slytherins took the day off from revision to celebrate with him in the common room.
If anyone noticed any lack of enthusiasm from him, Draco didn't hear about it.
He had to admit to himself just how strange it felt to celebrate a twelfth birthday when he should be reaching adulthood.
Finally, the dreaded exams they spent so much time preparing for came around.
Every morning they woke up to heated arguments between some of the N.E.W.T and O.W.L-level Slytherins, who couldn't decide on the best answer to one of the exam questions from the previous day, or couldn't find their notes for last-minute revision.
The first years weren't much better - Crabbe tried to leave for breakfast still wearing pyjamas, while Pansy and Daphne Greengrass bickered about Spellbound, their favourite all-witch band.
The written exams caused him little trouble, except for History of Magic.
He was certain he misremembered the dates and names of inventors who created some of the first prototypes of a self-stirring cauldron - the ones which refused to stop once they began.
He made up for it, however, when he had to ask for a whole extra foot of parchment to finish his potions essay, or an exemplary forgetfulness potion, and when even McGonagall called the elaborate snuff box he transfigured impressive.
On their last day of exams, he only felt relief when his pineapple started to tap dance across the table.
His newfound peace didn't last long. He barely made it to the courtyard before Potter dragged him in the direction of Hagrid's hut, Granger and Weasley following close, as surprised as him at this development.
"Let go of me, Potter. I can walk by myself."
He obviously didn't realise he was still grabbing onto Draco's forearm until then, and sheepishly let it go.
"Erm... right. I had an idea."
"A good one? Don't answer, I shouldn't even hope." Draco snapped back, rubbing the freed arm. His hand was getting some blood-flow back again.
"Don't you think it's a tad odd," he said as they strayed off the winding path and cut across the grass, "that Hagrid always wanted a dragon, and now that his pet is guarding the Stone a stranger just happens to turn up with one in his pocket?
Lucky they found Hagrid, right? How many people wander around with dragon eggs if it's against wizard law? "
Draco had to reluctantly admit to himself that Potter might actually have a brain cell or two rattling in his head. He wouldn't admit it out loud.
Weasley's question - "What are you going on about?" - went unanswered as they approached. The gamekeeper sat outside his hut, happily shelling peas into a bowl.
"Hullo," he greeted them. "Finished yer exams? Got time fer a drink?"
Weasley almost took him up on the offer before Potter cut him off.
"No, we're in a hurry, but I've got to ask something. What did the stranger you won Norbert off look like?"
"Dunno," Hagrid answered, unconcerned with the sudden question. He probably was used to Potter's inquisitive streak, Draco thought. "He wouldn' take his cloak off."
"And you didn't even attempt to find out his identity? Why would you trust a stranger to dump a dragon egg on you? What if he reported you to the ministry for the illegal dragon?" Draco questioned, as the other three just looked on, stunned.
"Now, not ev'ryone's out ta get yer, Malfoy. It's not that unusual, yeh get a lot o' funny folk in the Hog's Head. Mighta bin a dragon dealer, mightn' he? I never saw his face, he kept his hood up."
Draco felt his blood boil. How could someone this careless be trusted to look after children in the Forbidden Forest, much less be in charge of defence against the Dark Lord's return.
Before he could give the half-giant a piece of his mind, Potter grabbed his arm again and shook his head.
He sank down next to the bowl of peas and continued the questions.
"What did you talk to him about? Did you say anything about Hogwarts?"
"Mighta come up," said Hagrid, frowning as he tried to remember.
"Yeah... 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 too well, 'cause he kept buyin' me drinks.
... Let's see... yeah, then he said he had the dragon egg an' we could play cards fer it.
.. but he had ter be sure I could handle it.
... So I told him, after Fluffy, a dragon would be easy. .."
"And was he... did he want to hear more about Fluffy?" Potter barely kept his voice calm. He appeared almost as frustrated with the story as Draco, clenching his fists.
"Well, yeah. How many three-headed dogs d'yeh see?
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 -" It was too little too late for the gamekeeper to notice he was spilling delicate information, Draco thought when Hagrid gasped and suddenly looked mortified.
"I shouldn'ta told yeh that! Forget I said it! Hey -"
He shouted to get their attention, but they were already racing up the hill to the castle gates.
"What a dense oaf. Complete fool. I can't believe he was chosen to fetch the Philosopher's Stone or protect it.
" Draco whinged, out of breath. No one disagreed with him this time.
The Gryffindors walked in silence until they reached the entrance hall.
It was empty, everyone was outside, making the most out of the pleasant weather and celebrating the end of exams.
"We've got to go to Dumbledore." Potter said, suddenly.
"You want to tell him Quirrell knows how to get past the dog?" Draco asked, surprised. He didn't remember hearing about Potter asking any teacher for help with the messes he got involved in.
"Snape." Weasley corrected him, still determined to blame the Potions teacher.
"It doesn't matter-"
"No, look! He's here." He pointed to the end of a corridor, Draco turned just in time to see the end of Severus' cloak disappear around a corner. "Go, follow him."
"Why me?"
Granger gave him a pointed look, as if he was trying to act stupid. He didn't appreciate it.
"He won't find it weird if he catches you, he's your Head of House. You can just pretend you had a question. We'll go find Professor Dumbledore." She reasoned.
"Alright, already. Try not to do anything too stupid while I'm gone." He said, not daring to hope it would keep them out of trouble. Longbottom's worries were getting to him, he thought. And so, he went after Severus.
As predicted, there was nothing to see. Draco followed him all the way to their common room in the dungeons.
Apparently, their Head made arrangements to talk with some of the fifth year students about their Potions O.W.Ls.
Draco wondered if the Gryffindors managed to speak with the Headmaster.
If the old wizard decided to protect the Stone himself - now that the school was about to close for summer - then they wouldn't have to worry about it anymore.
He couldn't remember when the attempted larceny happened last time, and he couldn't say if his interference would have made any difference to that part of the timeline, but it would be nice to forget about this complication.
That's why Draco didn't realise it would all be coming to a head that evening.
He was cheerfully gossiping with Pansy and Daphne by the dying fire in the otherwise empty common room.
They decided to stay up to have fun after the stress of exams, and all was going well - until one of them mentioned Dumbledore's absence at dinner.
He couldn't believe he didn't notice.
Draco's reluctance to look at the teacher's table backfired and made him miss a vital clue.
He stood up so quickly, Bulstrode's cat Hester dropped from his lap to the floor and hissed at the betrayal.
Draco didn't have time to apologise to it.
The Gryffindor trio must have gone ahead without him, and he couldn't help but worry that they might fail this time around.
He had to go risk his life, no matter how much the idea terrified him.
"What are you doing, Draco?"
"Where are you going so suddenly?"
Ignoring the girls' questions, he dug in his bag for a scrap of parchment and a quill, and quickly wrote to Severus.
'Professor,
He'll try to take it, tonight. If He hasn't already.
Please, send for Professor Dumbledore immediately.
Apologies in advance for my recklessness.
Draco.'
With trembling hands, he folded it neatly, and passed it to Pansy.
"I need you to do me a favour." He said. "Take it to Professor Snape, as quickly as you can. Don't open it, it won't make any sense to you anyway."
"Draco, are you losing your mind? What's going on?" She asked.
"I have to go take care of something... Don't have time to explain. Just do as I ask, please."
She nodded, taken aback by his sudden request. Draco didn't waste any more time and pushed the painting door open with as much force as his twelve-year-old arms allowed.