A/N: This is basically a continuation of chapter 14 from my fic "Dreams of Today". It could also be read as a oneshot, though. Because obviously there aren't enough "Draco is turned into a cat" fics out there.

Hear Me Purr

DRACO

Not again. Not bloody again, Draco thought, remembering what it had felt like to be turned into a ferret by that lunatic in fourth year.

"What have you done to me?" He demanded to know. But there was only a soft meow, along with a few hisses coming out of his mouth. Wait… Did that mean… Was he a cat? There were delicate white paws where his hands used to be. And for some reason he had the urge to lick himself. He suppressed it. No, no, no, that couldn't be true. That couldn't… Haley finally looked at him. He returned her surprised stare with a glare. This was so humiliating! He even had a tail! Which was currently swinging back and forth to underline his agitation.

"Well, I didn't tell you to eat that!" The girl burst out. What a lame excuse. Draco wanted to jump her. And not in a good way.

"Reverse it!" He hissed, baring his fangs instinctively. She only blinked at him in confusion. He had the feeling she didn't understand him.

"I'm sorry. I – I – it was an accident – I didn't mean to – to–" the girl stammered, waving her hands in front of her frantically. "Shit, how do we – how do we–?"

Did Draco detect worry in her voice? Was she worried about him? He growled. This was hardly the moment to be moved or overcome with useless emotions. He didn't want to be a cat!

…

HALEY

Right. She had to keep a cool head. How did she turn him back? A spell, she needed a spell… and her wand! That was important, too! Why in Merlin's name couldn't she concentrate? Maybe it was because Malfoy, the cat, was immensely cute even though he looked as if he wanted to scratch out her eyes. This was stupid! Where was the wand? Right. In her coat pocket. Her pocket. There! She had it!

Now the spell, the spell… She aimed her wand at the white cat, the words 'Finite Incantatem' already ready on her lips. But something made her hesitate. Was it the fearful way in which the cat was watching her wand? Or… What if it didn't work? What if she hurt him instead?

She lowered her wand arm. "I don't want to hurt you," she whispered dejectedly.

…

DRACO

Disarming. Those words were simply disarming. There was a strange rumbling sound in his throat. Was he… purring? Then the sound was gone. He turned around in embarrassment. How typical. Just when things were starting to sort of work out, something like this had to happen. Did the universe really hate him that much? He was almost sure cackling students were going to emerge from behind the trees any moment. Which wasn't even possible since the two of them were in an isolated time bubble. But who cared about that?

He felt so utterly humiliated, he wanted to turn around and let his claws slide all across her skin. Wait… had he just heard a chuckle? How dare she treat him like this? Had she planned this all along?

…

HALEY

She couldn't help it. Draco Malfoy as a cat had to be the cutest and at the same time overly dramatic thing in the world. How was he this melodramatic even as a cat? Haley chuckled. She couldn't stop it. She realised her mistake a split second before something white and blurry came flying at her. Fangs bared and hissing madly. It was terrifying, really. Intuitively, she raised her hands like a shield, closing her eyes and waiting for the impact…

Which was much heavier than she had anticipated.

Haley carefully opened her eyes. She was on the ground, blinking up at the cat turned boy again in confusion. He was sprawled all over her, his teeth bared. "Um…" She didn't know what to say. Had he turned back mid-jump? That must have looked impressive.

Her eyes wandered down to his chest, noting with relief that he was wearing clothes. This could have been awkward. She had always wondered what happened to the clothes when someone was transfigured into an animal or an object.

"Um… could you get off?" She whispered almost tonelessly.

"No, I bloody well can't!" He hissed, still glaring at her. Then he seemed to realise something. His eyes strayed across his arms that were resting on the ground next to her head.

"It's gone," he mumbled. "The fur. It's gone! I'm me again. I'm me!" He exclaimed happily. Haley nodded with a grin. And then he leaned down and rubbed his nose along the side of her neck. The gesture was strange and impossibly sweet at the same time. Well, at least the boy wasn't mad at her because of the toffee.

…

DRACO

He was rubbing his face against her neck. Why was he rubbing his face against her neck? It hadn't even been a conscious decision. Was that still the cat left inside him? And wasn't he mad at the girl? Abruptly he rolled off her and sat up. He scowled, crossing his arms and looking away.

"Hey, I told you. It was an accident." Potter said. There was a light touch on his elbow. He shook it off, still feeling offended and embarrassed. No guy wants the girl he liked to see him as a cat! That was so undignified!

"Merlin, you're such a grumpy pants. Do you always have to make a big deal out of everything?"

He turned around, aghast "A big deal? You turned me into a bloody cat! Just imagine, what if the spell hadn't worn off? I would have walked around on those stupid paws forever!" He said angrily.

Potter was biting her lips, watching him with a curious expression on her face. "But you looked so cute." She chuckled. Draco's heart skipped a beat. "For a moment."

The boy rolled his eyes. She was back to teasing him again. She hadn't even meant that but still his face was heating up. He snorted, trying to cover up his embarrassment.

"Ha ha ha. Funny as always, Potter, are you?" he muttered, picking at the grass next to him. He was so ready to go back and hide behind the curtains of his four-poster bed. She was chuckling again. Giggling at his expense. She was making fun of him. She was – touching his hand. The chuckling stopped. Draco slowly turned to face her. An amused smile was playing around her lips but there was something warm in her eyes. Her thumb was stroking across his skin soothingly. Calming him. He felt like purring again. But no… no… He was not a cat!

"I really am sorry you know," she mumbled, looking at her lap. "And I'm glad you won't stay a cat forever." She looked up at him sheepishly. "That would make all of this terribly awkward." She bit her lips again, looking so adorable that he had to lean over and kiss them.

"So, does this mean, you're not mad any more?" She asked. Mad? Had he been mad? How strange. No emotion seemed absurder to him in that moment. But somehow he always lost his ability to think clearly whenever she was this close…

He shook his head lightly. "Don't call me cute though. That's not an expression befitting a Malfoy."

"What about purring? Is that befitting of a Malfoy?" She mocked him. He rolled his eyes. But he had already forgiven her. It seemed like a natural thing. Absently he thought that he would probably forgive her anything. Even the annoying teasing.

"You're aware that we're not ever talking of this incident again." He stated but it sounded a tad like a question.

"Incident?" She echoed, lacing her fingers through his and making him shudder pleasantly. "You mean the tail?" She grinned. He frowned.

"Don't." He said slightly annoyed.

"Or the whiskers?" She went on.

"Stop it, won't you."

"Or your pointy little ears?" She giggled, her face lighting up with mirth. She was so beautiful. It was really unfair that she had to be this attractive when he wanted to feel cross with her. It looked like she wasn't going to shut up. Unless he made her. Which he gladly did. In the sweetest way possible.

…