A/N: This is a fic for The Quidditch League Fanfiction Competition Round 2.
Round 2: Where Are We Going?
Seeker's task: Hogsmeade Station
Team: Appleby Arrows
Cats, Winter, and Stations Don't Mix Together
Hermione has had Crooks for half a year now. He was her best friend in more ways than one. Whenever she was sad, he was there to comfort her. Harry and Ron were her second best friends; Crooks would always be first.
Her mother was against getting her a cat from day one, but she had managed to persuade her into getting one. Her father, on the other hand, adored the cat.
Since it was time for Christmas, Hermione had managed to get an allowance for her parents to visit. Usually, such a thing wouldn't be permitted, but the Headmaster had made an exception for her. The reason could have been the fact that her father had an Army background which automatically placed him above other Muggles.
Anyway, Hermione was waiting for her parents to arrive via Hogwarts Train. She had brought Crooks on her father's insistence. Ron and Harry were there with her, and their escort turned out to be Professor Remus Lupin.
When the train stopped, Hermione ran to greet her parents. It was a nice reunion, except one tiny little fact: Crooks was nowhere to be found.
"Hermione, where is Crooks?" her father asked.
Hermione turned around and went white.
"'Mione, you okay?" Harry asked, seeing her pale complexion lose what little color it had.
"No-o. He-e was he-ere just a second before," she said, stuttering.
With that sentence, the search begun.
With Harry
'I am searching for that blasted cat only for Hermione. She is a good friend, but that cat seems to be destroying the friendship she and Ron have…' Those were Harry's thoughts as he raced around to find the missing cat.
"Crooks! Crooks! I know that there is no lost love between the two of us, but for Hermione's sake, please show yourself."
Harry searched everywhere and he still couldn't find it.
With Ron
'I just hope that he is found so that 'Mione can be happy. I hate seeing her sad. It's like I am looking at my younger sister and I hate seeing her cry..' Ron thought while he ran along the Hogsmeade Station.
"Crooks! I hate you, but if you show up here, I am even going to give you Scabbers. Crookshanks! Where are you, half kneazle demon!?"
With Hermione
"Crooks! Crookshanks! Come here, you pretty cat! Crooks!"
She was running and shouting. She was tired, but she wouldn't give up. He was her cat, her sweet cat, and he would not die here, especially not here in this snow.
With Remus Lupin
He was debating with himself. If he used his enhanced smell, they would know that he was something, but it hurt to see his best friend's son hurting like this. Seeing the brightest witch of this age crying wasn't helping his dilemma.
'To Hell with everything; I won't have my cub suffering,' With that, his eyes turned gold and he started sniffing.
With Hermione's parents
They saw their child crying, but they couldn't do anything to help. They didn't know anything about this Station.
Hermione's mother was crying. She didn't like the cat, but she loved her daughter. She would do anything to make her child happy.
The man of the family, Hermione's father, was holding his wife. He loved that cat because he could see that the cat had helped his daughter. He would do anything for Hermione. He would even call the army to help search for the cat if it meant that she was happy.
The snow started to fall and everyone was slowly losing hope. It was hard to see outside so the conductor of the train called them in.
Hermione's parents entered first, while Remus went to find the kids. His nose wasn't of any use because it was too cold.
The first kid that was brought in was Harry. He was freezing but happy that he could say that he tried.
Ron was the next one. He wasn't happy at all. He didn't manage to find the cat, and he could see Hermione's tears. Nope, he wasn't happy at all.
Hermione was the last one and Remus had to literally drag her into the train. She wasn't happy because she thought everyone was giving up.
They had been sitting in a compartment for a while now, almost an hour and Remus's nose was slowly gaining its use back.
Hermione was mostly calmed down and was sitting opposite to her parents, sandwiched in between Harry and Ron.
Hermione's parents were looking at the three. They couldn't understand their bond, but they knew that their daughter loved them and that they were friends, if not siblings.
Remus suddenly stood up and said that he was going for a walk.
Remus walked towards the train's engine, following his nose. He entered the compartment where the engine was and saw the cat sleeping. He ran straight back to the compartment the group was in and shouted, "He's on the train!"
Hermione followed him to the engine. She was overjoyed when she saw him. She laughed and cried. She took him into her hands, and he lazily opened his eyes as if to say, 'What's with all the drama?'
After Hermione got her moment, Ron and Harry came forward.
"You stupid cat! I'm hungry with no food because of you," Ron whined, petting the cat.
"You better not steal another one of my socks, Crooks!" Harry warned while batting Ron's hand away so he could pet Crooks.
The next one was Hermione's father. He petted the cat without a word.
Soon after that, the snow stopped and they went to Hogwarts. The only thing that Remus could say to them was, "Well, let's take this as a lesson. Cats, winter, and stations don't mix well together."
THE END