Spotted: Draco Malfoy smelling of cat treats. It would appear a certain orange tabby has been getting some special attention outside. At least Crookshanks is willing to give him the time of day.
~xoxo, Gossip Witch
Draco ran his hand along Crookshanks's back aimlessly with his head leaned back against the corridor wall. He was lost in thought, but at least he had company. He smiled when he heard Crookshanks's purring get louder when he scratched the cat's ear. "You like that, Crooks?"
The only reply was a continuous purr. Draco glanced down at the cat and shook his head with a laugh. With his other hand, he dug around in his pocket to find a few treats and dropped them in front of Crookshanks's face. He watched as the treats disappeared almost as quickly as they appeared on the ground.
"She'd tell me if anything was going on between her and Potter," he mumbled to himself, leaning his head back against the wall. "Or at least mention that she wasn't sure about us."
The two of them had been seeing one another in secret for almost a year now. They shared stolen kisses between classes and secret glances during lectures when they were supposed to be doing something else. The day that Professor Snape paired them up in Potions had been the happiest day of Draco's life. It gave them an excuse to spend extra time together that wouldn't be questioned by anyone who happened upon them studying. "Or not studying," Draco reminisced.
With a heavy sigh, he pulled his head away from the wall and looked around the corridor. Hermione had to come looking for Crookshanks eventually, right? Sure the cat got out of her dorm on numerous occasions, but she always came looking for him after a few hours.
Leaning down and wrapping his hands underneath Crookshanks's belly, Draco picked him up and nuzzled his face into the orange ball of fur. Crookshanks squirmed a bit until Draco shifted him so that he was resting with his paws on Draco's shoulders and his head on his paws.
A few more moments passed by when Draco was stuck with a brilliant idea. He set Crookshanks down and dug through his pockets, looking for a small piece of parchment and a quill. He scribbled a quick note and sent it off. "A reminder is all we both need," Draco remarked, a smirk pulling at his lips. He pushed himself off the ground and made his way back to the dungeons.
He glanced back over his shoulder and noticed Crookshanks walking the opposite way down the corridor. He smiled and shook his head. "Smart cat," he mumbled, chuckling to himself.
~xoxo~
Hermione leaned down and picked up Crookshanks as she stepped out of the shadows. She had heard every word Draco had mumbled, and she wished she had been able to hear what he thought because, based on the smile on his face, it was a good memory.
Nuzzling her face into Crookshanks's back, Hermione let out a heavy sigh. For the front that Draco put on with the rest of the world, he was one of the kindest people she had ever met. Knowing what she knew of him now, she never would have imagined the Draco she knew as a first-year to turn out the way that he did.
She thought back to the piece of parchment she had tucked in her pocket. She watched him write the note, but she hadn't read it yet. Putting Crookshanks back on the ground, she extracted the note from her pocket.
Meet me on the fifth-floor corridor tonight. We have some memories to relive that may require a certain room to appear.
-DM
Hermione chuckled as she folded up the note and slipped it back into her pocket. She remembered the night he was referring to with fondness and crystal clear memory. "I'll see you tonight, Malfoy," she mumbled to herself as she started down the hall. Looking down at Crookshanks, she motioned for him to follow her.
~xoxo, Gossip Witch~
Want to be a part of the Gossip Witch fun?
This story is meant to be slightly interactive. Submit anonymous blasts about the students at Hogwarts and you might find your prompt used as inspiration in a future chapter! Submit your blasts to the xo-gossipwitch blog on tumblr.
Thanks for continuing to inspire this story!