Harry spent the whole of the next day worrying about his upcoming detention, and from Ron's stiff, distracted movements, he could tell he felt the same way. It wasn't that Harry was scared of the detention - it was the anger of the other Gryffindors. Even Fred and George weren't talking to them. After getting his first taste of what it was like to have friends, it was a bitter blow to have it ripped away so quickly. Why hadn't they just put the bloody cloak on?

Unfortunately, the more Harry dreaded it, the faster the day seemed to go. Before he knew it, dinner was over the sun was sinking behind ominous clouds. He and Ron prepared to leave in silence, and despite thinking about nothing else all day, still managed to be late. Malfoy sneered at them as they approached the front doors.

"Nice time keeping, Gryffindors." He jeered. "Maybe that Remembrall would have come in handy tonight."

Neville looked at them reproachfully, fear obvious in every movement he made. "Sorry," Harry mouthed. Neville looked away.

"Very clever, boys," Filch muttered as he led them across the grounds, "Chose a nice, cold night for a wander through the grounds." Filch kept a continuous stream of threats going as they walked, putting all the boys on edge, but when Harry realised that they were heading to Hagrid's hut he relaxed a little. He was sure Hagrid wouldn't make them do anything too bad...

As they neared the cabin, Hagrid stepped out of the door with Fang at his heels. Filch greeted him with a nod, and said, loudly,

"I hope you make the little buggers suffer, Hagrid."

Hagrid shook his head as he watched Filch's shuffling figure retreat towards the school.

"Poor old bastard," He said to himself. Then, turning to the boys "Well, what're you waiting for? Let's go." He began to stride towards the forest with Fang galloping at his heels.

"You surely don't mean for us to go in there," Malfoy attempted to sneer, but the quaver in his voice betrayed his fear. "There's dangerous stuff in there, maybe we should-"

"If you didn't want to go in the forest," Said Hagrid impatiently, "You shouldn't've done stupid things what're against the rules."

Malfoy muttered something about his father as they began to walk into the forest, Which Harry didn't quite catch. While they walked, Hagrid filled them in on what they would be doing. Apparently, something was attacking the unicorns and draining their blood. Hagrid shook his head sadly as he spoke.

"Never seen anything like it," He sighed. "To kill a unicorn..."

The forest got darker as they walked deeper in until, even by the light of Hagrid's lamp, the world seemed a spectrum of grey and dark blue. The splashes of unicorn blood were the only bright things in the forest. The eeriest thing about the forest was the way sounds appeared shockingly suddenly - first, there would be complete, dead silence, and suddenly a sound would loom into being without warning, before vanishing and leaving an empty, echoing absence behind it. Harry saw Malfoy jump a little as a wolf (or werewolf?) howled in the distance, the lonely sound creeping around them and sending shivers through their spines. Finally, Hagrid slowed to a stop and thought for a moment.

"Right," He said, finally, "I think we should split up. Now Harry, Ron, I would usually put you two together, but this is supposed to be a punishment, not an adventure. Ron, Neville, you stick with me, please. Harry and Draco, you guys take Fang. Follow the trail of unicorn blood, and if you come across anything suspicious, send red sparks into the air. I'll come over. Don't yell unless you get attacked, or you'll scare the creature away."

"Is that a bad thing?" Asked Neville shakily.

0o0oDraco0o0o

Trying not to show his fear, Draco trailed after Harry through the murky depths of the forest, concentrating on stopping his hands from shaking, and trying not to think about the horror stories the older Slytherins often told about students who had supposedly died horrible deaths in the forest. After the deafening silence of the forest had filled their ears for several minutes, Potter took a deep breath.

"Why couldn't we have been friends?" He sighed, quietly.

Draco was instantly on guard. "What?"

"I don't get it," Harry said, sounding increasingly frustrated. "We were friends on the train. We got on really well. And then as soon as you found out who I was, you hated me."

Draco sighed. "It's complicated, Potter. It's not personal; it's because of who we are. I'm a Slytherin; you're a Gryffindor. I'm a pureblood; you're a blood traitor. Don't you see? My father would never allow me to be friends with you. It's just the way things are."

"Why are you so scared of what your father thinks?"

It's not what he thinks, Draco thought to himself, it's what he does. He remained silent.

"Can't we at least be nice to each other?" Harry said with exasperation. "That first potions lesson you helped me out. But now you just make fun of me for not understanding. We don't have to be best friends or anything, but at least we could... I don't know... Be civilised? Your father, he doesn't need to know."

They walked on in silence for a while before, at length, Draco answered.

"Why don't you hate me?"

"Why would I hate you?" Asked Potter, seeming surprised.

Draco laughed mirthlessly. "Because I would hate you if our positions were reversed."

"Maybe I prefer to forgive people."

Draco didn't say anything and they continued to walk through the forest. He was confused. On the one hand, there was the fact that he genuinely liked Potter. On the other, there was his father, his house, his duty as a Malfoy. Draco didn't like to imagine what his father would do if he heard... But what if, like Potter said, his father didn't find out? It wasn't like they were going to be best friends.

The silence stretched between the boys as Draco argued back and fourth. He didn't know if the conclusion he came to was the right one.

"Potter." he stopped walking, indicating Potter do the same. Then he took a deep breath. "I'm sorry about the way I've treated you and your friends." He continued. "We can't be friends outside of class; it's too much to risk. However, I think that it couldn't hurt to just be civil like you said. So, shake?"

Potter – or Harry? – grinned and reached out his hand, but just as they were about to shake, a noise made them jump. It sounded like something was slithering. Slowly, Harry moved in front of Draco and approached the source of the noise, Draco close behind.

A unicorn lay on its side in a small clearing, blood dripping thick and slow from multiple lacerations in its side. Its legs stuck out at odd angles and its mane spread pearly white over the ground. It was the most beautiful and sad thing Draco had ever seen. Then, from a dark area behind the unicorn, the noise came again. A stooped figure came crawling out from the shadows towards the unicorn, and lowered its face to one of the cuts on its side. Slowly, it began to lick the blood from the wound.

Bile rose in Draco's throat and without meaning to, he screamed. The creature's head jerked up, blood dripping from its mouth, and stared at the two boys. Fang bolted from the scene, barking loudly. The creature stood up and came towards the two boys swiftly. Harry reacted first, grabbing Draco and pulling him away from the creature, but not fast enough. The creature was upon them, and seemed just about to attack when suddenly the sound of hooves came from behind the two boys, and a large creature leapt around them, colliding with the creature and sending it sprawling away from Draco and Harry.

"Argh!" cried Harry, and Draco turned to see him kneeling on the ground, hands over his scar.

"Harry? What's wrong? Are you ok?" Draco knelt beside him, at a loss for what to do.

"My... scar... feels like it's burning," It sounded like every word Harry spoke was a struggle, and all Draco could do was watch. He stood up, keeping one hand on Harry's shoulder, and turned to see that the creature had disappeared into the night, and in its place stood a centaur.

"Are you alright?" Asked the creature in a worried voice.

"I- I think so. I don't know about Harry, though,"

"My name is Firenze," Said the centaur, as he walked over to Harry. "Mr Potter? Are you ok?"

Harry slowly brought his hand down from his forehead and looked up at the centaur. In a shaky voice, he said "Yeah. Yeah, I'm ok. Thank you." As Harry came to himself, Draco swiftly removed his hand from Harry's shoulder.

"What was that?" Asked Draco, hearing the fear still in his voice.

"A dark creature. Very dark. I trust you know that it has been killing the unicorns?" The boys nodded. Firenze lowered his head in sadness. "Such evil I have never known. To kill something so pure..." He paused and seemed to gather himself before continuing. "Can either of you contact Hagrid?"

Harry, who was now leaning against a tree next to Draco, looked confused. "How did you know we were with Hagrid?"

"Deduction. Can you contact him?"

"I got it. Red Sparks." Draco lifted his wand and sent a shower of red sparks into the air. He watched them shimmer against the darkness of the night, before leaning against Harry's tree to wait and looking down at the ground. In doing so he noticed a cut on Harry's hand. "You want me to heal that for you? I've got my wand out just now."

Harry looked down at his hand in surprise. "Must have happened when my scar started hurting and I fell down. You know healing spells?"

Draco smiled. "Benefit of being home schooled - you know stuff others don't. Give me your hand." He gently held Harry's hand up and said "Episkey," clearly. Both boys watched as the skin began to seal and the blood ran back under the surface.

"Cool spell," Said Harry, examining the healed skin.

"It only works on very minor injuries. I wonder where Hagrid is? Reckon I should make more sparks?"

"They'll be here soon," Said Firenze, making the boys jump. They had forgotten he was there. "I can hear them faintly,"

Harry seemed to remember something. "Hey, Draco, could you maybe apologise to Ron too?"

Draco sighed. Then, reluctantly, he agreed.

0o0oHarry0o0o

"Boys? You alright? Firenze? What 'appened?!" Hagrid came bursting into the clearing with Ron and Neville close behind.

"Something was drinking the unicorn's blood, and then it tried to attack us, and then Firenze came and chased it off, and Harry's scar started hurting," Draco said in a rush. He still sounded scared. Harry felt oddly calm.

"My scar's fine. I'm fine." Harry looked at the unicorn, so sad and beautiful and pure, lying on its side. "Whatever killed it must have been incredibly evil."

Hagrid and Firenze shared a look. They both looked solemn and scared. "Thank you for saving the kids, Firenze," Said Hagrid, gruffly. As he turned back to the unicorn, Harry saw a tear run down Hagrid's cheek. The giant stood with his head bowed for a minute, as if paying homage to the dead creature. Then he turned and addressed the group. "Alright, guys. Let's get moving. I want us out of this forest as quickly as possible." As they began to leave the clearing, Harry turned to Firenze.

"Thank you. You risked your life for us."

Firenze looked down at Harry gravely and put a firm hand on his shoulder. "Take care of yourself, Mr Potter. And you," He looked at Draco, "Be careful too," Firenze turned and gazed up at the sky. "Mars shines brightly tonight."

On the walk back to the castle, Harry could hear Draco talking to Ron quietly. It sounded like they were ok, though Ron seemed reluctant to forgive Malfoy. But something continued to confuse Harry. Why did Draco's father have such a big grudge against Harry? He hadn't ever even met the man.

And why had his scar hurt so badly?