Hello! It's been awhile, I've been busy but here! I apologize for going over 3,000 words. I'll make sure to remember the limit in the future.
THC Monthly Challenge, August
Story Prompt: Back to School
Prompt(s): (action) brushing hair; (animal) tabby cat
Tabby Cat
Draco groaned as he listened to Blaise babble on, and on about Pansy. He didn't understand, how could he tolerate her? He could tolerate Blaise for all he cared, he was his best friend. Although, he's found himself questioning himself many times why, and how he got into Blaise's ridiculous dilemmas. She's not that clingy anymore, and stopped yelling at me to death...Oh well, that's maturity kicking in. Finally. He thought. But her screams and shrieks are still bloody annoying. A voice added in his head. Right you are brain. At least it's just after dinner.
"And then the git has the right to look me in the eye after stealing the very last bacon! He may be your goon, but that doesn't mean he gets to get in the way of my breakfast- Dray? Draco? Helloooo?! Are you even listening to me?!"
Ignoring his fellow Slytherin, Draco bent down on the ground, distracted by the small tabby cat walking near. "Dray! What's gotten into you lately? You haven't been the same since- MERLIN WHAT IS THAT?!" Blaise yelled, as Draco picked up the kitten who was trying to scratch him. "I believe it's called a 'cat,' Zabini- or a kitten in this case." The blonde stated blandly.
"I can clearly see that, but why on earth did you pick it up?!" He came closer to whisper, "It could be our professor!"
Draco ignored that, and examined the kitten he was holding and looked into it's eyes skeptically. "Are you McGonagall?" He asked. The tabby kitten rolled it's eyes, as if it could understand him. "Nope, I don't think so." He said holding it farther to examine it. "Do you really think that McGonagall would transform into a kitten?"
"Well- maybe?! For all we know it could be anything seeing as she's the only tabby cat we see around." Blaise shrugged. Draco looked up at him with an unamused expression on his face, "If you don't remember, you can't change your Animagus once you transform. You change into the animal that suits your best." His friend looked at him with a confused look. "Then how come you just asked the kitten if it's McGonagall or not? For all we know, she could be standing right behind us-"
Blaise's sentence was cut short by McGonagall herself looking as serious as ever. "Pardon me, boys. But have you seen Ms. Granger?" She asked. "No, I haven't seen her since you showed us the Head dorms professor." Draco admitted. Earlier, the two were proudly dubbed Head Boy and Girl by the Headmistress, mind you.
The part of Draco's day that was the worst (after listening to his bestfriend pine after Pansy) was listening to the former Transfiguration teacher talk on, and on about their 'duties to the students,' and 'how they should set a good example, especially for their respective houses.' His mood changed slightly at the thought of it, sure most of the Slytherin population's parents were death eaters, but that necessarily didn't mean that their children were.
Looking into (what Blaise preferred) their very souls, she seemed to have rested her case. "If you see her, please make sure to inform myself, or the other professors." With that the Headmistress nodded, and muttered a quick goodbye before walking away. Blaise was the one who broke the silence, "Wow, it seems that all the professors really care about Granger." His blonde bestfriend brought the cat to his chest and stroked it's fur to calm it down, "Yes, that's what you get for being the teacher's pet and a war heroine." He muttered.
The tabby looked up at him with an unamused look, then proceeded to jump out of his arms. "Well, look at you. You're a smart kitty, huh." Blaise said before crouching down to pet it, which the cat obliged to while staying perfectly still. Draco rolled his eyes at the black haired man, "What happened to 'MERLIN WHAT IS THAT?!'" Draco mocked. "Hardy har, har." Blaise responded.
He soon got over that by chuckling, "Come on mate," He looked behind to see the tabby following them. "Let's go get something for this cat to eat, then you and I can do all sorts of things in your gigantic bedroom like-"
"Gossiping about Pansy, talking about Pansy, pining over Pansy."
That earned a smack on the arm from the lovestruck boy. "If I'm not mistaken, I'm not the only one who's crushing on someone in our year." Said a mischievous looking Blaise. Draco raised an eyebrow, "Oh? Whom? I bet it's...Longbottom crushing on Loony." He smirked. Rolling his eyes Blaise gave the Head Boy some time to figure out who he was talking about. "Just tell me already."
"..."
"Blaise!"
"..."
"Don't give me that look!"
"..."
"You do know I can deduct points from this."
"..."
"BLAISE!"
"..."
"Wow, and I thought you couldn't resist talking...I mean- you're such a chatterbox! I bet even the kitten agrees, don't you kitty!" Both stopped to see the cat still following them. It tilted its head at Draco, before nodding. "It nodded! HAH! TAKE THAT CHATTERBOX!"
"Merlin, shut up Dray! And for your information, its you and Hermione. Before you get mad at me, kitty's a she." He finally said. "How'd you know?" Draco asked. "Well- her face is more hollow than the male cats that I've seen for one, and besides it seems to understand us. Why not ask her ourselves?" The black haired Slytherin suggested shrugging. Draco snorted at that, "If you're so sure you do it. I'm surely not going to ask it."
Giving the blonde an annoyed look, the he crouched down and looked at the cat. "Are you a she?" He asked dumbly.
The kitten nodded. "Ha! See! She is a she!" He said triumphantly. "Whatever, now that we know that kitty's a she, what should we call her for the mean time?" Draco asked.
Blaise shrugged, "Well, you'd be better at taking care of her for now instead of me, because- let's put it this way, it will die in my care. You're more capable."
"Mhm, sure." Was the sarcastic response. "Come on, Dray. Do you know how many cats have died because of my care taking skills?"
"Ok, ok! I'll take care of her, but one; never tell me any of that again. And two; the only pet you'd ever be capable of taking care of is a goldfish."
"At least I don't go naming strays the first five minutes I see it!"
"You'd have to think she has an owner, Zabini." Draco said before picking the tabby up gently. "Do I sense that Draco Malloy is about to get attached to a kitten?" Blaise teased.
"Sod off."
"You know you love me!" Blaise yelled before waltzing away to the Slytherin common room. "Once you know how to shut up, then I'll believe you." Draco muttered before starting to walk to the Head common room.
"Hmm..." He looked at the kitten, "What should I name you in the meantime?" He asked her. She looked up at him and just rolled her eyes for what seemed like the umpteenth time today. "You sure do roll your eyes a lot..." he hesitated, before saying- "...just like Granger." He somewhat chuckled.
"That's it then, I'll call you...Mia. I guess since you can't really understand what I'm saying, and that you're creepily similar to Granger...it's settled then. A nickname I never got to call her myself."
Once he got back to the common room, he set her in his bedroom and went to shower. Once he got back, he saw Mia hanging from his bookshelf, attempting to claw a book out.
He took her gently, while grabbing the book. "My, my you really are like Granger." Resting his back on the headboard of his bed, he decided to see what that it was about. "It's sort of a muggle book, isn't it?" He remembered how Grabger had gifted it to him when they were settling in the common room a few hours earlier.
"Hmm...I'm starting to think that 'Mia' doesn't suit you." Draco said. The tabby merely hopped next to him, seemingly trying to read.
"Here you go you big furba-" He paused as he put the cat on his chest so she could be more comfortable. "That's it, Fur-ball. Her-mione. Furmione!" He said triumphantly. Furmione looked up at him with a curious expression on her face. "Well, I suppose you like that name better than Mia." He said, rubbing the back of his neck.
By the time Furmione fell asleep, he set her down on his bed gently and went to the bathroom to get ready for bed. Meanwhile, in his bedroom a cat was no longer seen, only a girl with bushy brown hair. "You're getting payback for this tomorrow Zabini...thinking you can just try to prank me by putting a spell on my brush. You're lucky that I know the counter curse..." Draco mumbled angrily as he stomped into his bedroom. He was sure Furmione couldn't hear, unless-
"Ron..."
His eyes snapped to his bed. There led Granger, who seemed to be having a nightmare. "Great, I try to take care of a cat, then it results to Zabini trying to prank me and Granger whimpering helplessly for Weaselbee, who turned up in my bed mysteriously after being missing for hours. Just great." He complained to the air.
"Draco..."
Now he was really surprised, why was she even saying his name? "First day back and drama is already unfolding...well- it was a good few hours while it lasted." Draco shrugged. Grabbing a pillow, he made sure to wedge it between him and Granger. He was too lazy to carry her back to bed, seeing as he walked around the whole school twice. The blonde crawled into his own bed, and stared at the ceiling, trying to attain sleep at last... I'll ask Granger about her problem in the morning. I mean- why even involve me in a dream if it involves his redheaded highness? Draco's mind complained.
"I didn't- I didn't! No..." Now Hermione was thrashing in her bed, twisting and turning, repeating how 'She didn't take anything,' or 'She didn't do it.' Draco reflected on those words as they sounded vaguely familiar. What was it...what was it? Think Draco think! Then the realization flood through him, My aunt. Bellatrix. That day... He inwardly groaned while rubbing his temples.
A few hours earlier...
The train was moving at a steady pace, so far Hermione had gotten almost halfway through her book. While Ginny fell asleep on her shoulder, she would always glance to the window once in a while. Unfortunately, they refused going back to Hogwarts with them, as they were offered a position in the Minsitry to start training as Aurors. Hogwarts: A History was always her go-to book, and she would've (in her preference) been halfway if it wasn't for-
"Malfoy." She said eyeing him, "Granger." He greeted. "Mind if I sit here?"
"Yes, I do." She spat out quietly.
"Well then..." he paused for dramatic effect. Then he just sat down. "I said, I do mind you sitting there Malfoy."
"Relax, Granger. It's not like I came here to hex you and She-Weasel into oblivion."
Hermione snorted in an un-Hermione way, "You couldn't if you tried." She mumbled while crossing her arms. Ginny decided to stir in her sleep at that moment, but just decided to use the rest of the seat as a bed.
Hermione brought her friend's legs up to rest in her lap, while Malfoy simply looked at her in an unamused manner, "On the contrary,"
She raised an eyebrow as a sign to say, 'Continue.' "I came here to do the opposite. Instead of coming to hex you, and argue with your limited vocabulary,"
Hermione glared at him, "I've come here to apologize." Her eyes widened, Draco Malfoy, apologizing? She didn't realize that she was staring until- "Staring into my gorgeous face? My, my Granger that's not a good look for you."
"You? Gorgeous?" She scoffed, "Please, over my dead body will you hear me saying that you're 'gorgeous.'"
"Well, I do have other names. Beautiful, handsome, amaz-"
"I thought you came here to apologize instead of bragging about yourself?"
Draco sighed, "Fine." He paused for about ten moments making Hermione clear her throat. "Is this a silent apology? Because if so, I don't translate 'quiet git.'" The Slytherin groaned, "Alright, fine! Stop pressuring me you mad woman! It's hard to apologize when you've done so much to the person you-" He paused and cleared his throat, "-to the person you have..."
"Bullied ruthlessly?"
"Ahem. To the person who won't close her know-it-all mouth!"
Seeing as she was silent- and was rolling her eyes at him - he continued, "I'm s...sorry. Sorry for calling you all of those nicknames, like beaver-tooth, a- and m-" He struggled, to say 'mudblood,' and how he kept stammering the words he meant to say. It was almost...cute. Wait- cute?! Hermione, Hermione Jean Granger! You just called the Draco Malfoy 'cute'!...Well at least you didn't call him 'gorgeous.' By the time she was done thinking, he managed to string a. "-the 'M' word...and everything that's been said by my younger, pureblooded snotted self."
She couldn't take it anymore, "Granger, Malfoys are not to be laughed at-"
"Relax, Malfoy. It's just funny how you can't string a sentence together...but, I-" She took a deep breath, "I accept your apology. I get what you're trying to say, but stop before you make me laugh and wake Ginny up." She said chuckling quietly. "Well, for one, thank you. Two, my apology was not a laughing manner." He argued. "I was truly touched by your apology Malfoy, I felt the sincerity, but it's just how- how you were s-stammering like a child!" She said, before stumbling into a quiet fit of giggles.
Hermione Granger, giggling. Weird. Draco thought. The newly dubbed Head Boy cleared his throat to get her attention, "And now since we are now Head Boy and Girl, I suggest we call ourselves by our given first names."
The Gryffindor's laughing died down, as she now spoke with a serious tone. "Alright, I'll agree to this...Draco." He nodded, "And I hope that we refrain arguing from your silly propositions...Hermione."
"I don't propose silly ideas you gi-"
"Oi...lovebirds. Stop bickering a let me sleep." Ginny interrupted groggily.
Present
Forcing himself, he got up and walked to the other side of the bed. "Granger." He said, shaking her shoulder. "N-no! Ron! Malfoy!" He groaned, he didn't have the energy for this. "Granger! HERMIONE WAKE UP FOR SALAZAR'S SAKE!" He yelled.
She woke up flinging forward, her forehead dripping with sweat. Draco let go of a breath he didn't know he was even holding, "Granger, what was that about?!"
"Merlin! Malfoy! Wait- what are you doing in my bedroom?"
"If I'm not mistaken, this is my bedroom Granger."
"Oh- oh!" She jumped out of his bed and bolted out of the room in a second, leaving a shocked Malfoy. "At least I have the bed to myself." He shrugged, and fell into the spot where Granger occupied. He didn't care if it was warm, it was a long day and he was mentally exhausted. First, Furmione disappears- oh well- he would have to look for her tomorrow. She probably went through the door when Hermione got here. He thought before dosing off.
In the morning, Hermione woke up with a headache. Curse Ginny for making me test out Fred and George's newest product! She grumbled angrily while checking her clock. 9:30...Thank goodness September 2nd is a Saturday. Hermione thought relieved. Then her mind decide to trail back to last night...
He'd named her, he actually named her like she was a real cat. Well- she was, techincally. And her name- cat name was Mia, a 'nickname he never got to call her'? Her human self, so...all this time he wanted to call her a nickname? "This is all too much for just waking up." Hermione said, her voice full of sleep before she threw her sheets off and got changed for the day.
Settling for an orange long-sleeved shirt, and some jeans, she put it on quickly, then grabbed her brush. She looked in the mirror, dozing off as she began to brush her less unruly hair. How am I going to explain this? He'll probably think I'm a stalker or something...no. I should start out by apologizing, then by explaining the truth. Yes, that seems like a well thought out plan. Grabbing a hair tie, she proceeded to put her hair up in a bun while stepping out into the common room.
"Furmione."
Hermione stopped dead in her tracks. "What?" Draco only seemed to notice her then, "Oh, nothing. I was looking for my cat...S...Sir Tiny." Furmione, Sir Tiny, they sound similar. Draco thought foolishly. "Oh, thank goodness. I thought you said Fur-mione for a minute." She put a hand over her chest, while trying to bring the subject up. I know you named my cat form Furmione Draco Lucius Malfoy. "Ah. I can see how you got that mixed up. Furmione...Sir Tiny... they rhyme." Draco admitted sheepishly.
That's a sight. Draco Malfoy acting sheepish. Well, there's a first time for everything. Hermione thought, while smiling awkwardly. Tell him now! "Look, Malfoy...about last night..." She trailed off, Retreat! You can't tell him now! You just indirectly admitted that it wasn't you! "It's alright, Granger...Though," He raised a quizzical eyebrow, "I do wonder how you were found in my bed after disappearing for McGonagall was looking for you."
"Er- yeah. I uh-"
"DRACO OPEN UP!" A voice boomed. The blonde sighed before coming to greet the guest at the portrait. There, was standing Blaise holding..."A Persian cat?" Draco questioned. "That's Pansy!" He said thrusting the black cat into his mate's arms. "Why'd you give her to me?! What am I supposed to do with her?!"
"Well you own a cat! Or- now you do! So you can take care of her before the spell wears off!"
"You know what Blaise? I think I'm gonna do you a favor." The Head smiled mischeivously, before turning to the oblivious Gryffindor. "Granger, come here." She gave him a confused look before coming next to him. "If you had a bloke, who had feelings for a girl in his house what would you do?" He asked her. She thought about it for a minute, then came up with a response. "Well, I'd try to have him confess his feelings if there's a clear chance...in a logical way."
Draco rolled his eyes, "Unfortunately Granger, I don't do things that way. So," He turned Pansy in his arms, "Pansy," The cat meowed in response, "Blaise, fancies you." He stated, while putting her down slowly. She turned to the other Slytherin, and purred against his legs. "Well, you have your answer mate." Said the blonde proudly. "Yeah, yeah. I like you too, Pans." Slowly, Blaise realized- "Where's tabby?"
"Oh, she's gone somewhere. I still have to look for her."
"Alright, and best be on a look out for the Weasley twin's newest product, it was just released today! That's how this wittle guwl," He said cuddling Pansy's cat form, "got into this mess." He said. "She'll change back eventually, at...midnight." Realization dawned upon Draco, "Uh...thanks for the information...Blaise..." He said dazedly. "You ok?" His friend asked.
"Y-yeah. You go on and take care of Pansy now. I think I know where tabby went."
"Alright, I'll see you at breakfast." Blaise said before walking down the hallway with Pansy.
Hermione tried to walk to her room guiltily undetected, but- "No. Not you Granger," Malfoy said, the portrait closing. "Sit." He said in a low voice. Hesitantly, she sat down on the common room couch. "Yesterday, I found a cat. A tabby cat like McGonagall. Cute little kitten she was." Draco started to explain, "At night, when I was getting ready for bed, she was there sleeping next to my spot."
Hermione held her breath, Oh no. "When I returned, an unexpected sight greeted me." She kept a straight face on, wanting to act professional. "You, were there having a nightmare in my bed. Whimpering for Weasley, and surprisingly...me. Do I get an explanation for that?"
"Oh wait, I already got one." He backed away. "Let me guess, she-Weasel wanted you to test out the new product. Being the goody two shoes you are, you refused not wanting to 'break any of the school rules.'" He quoted. "Then, uh-uh- don't talk. Then, she somehow manages to make you try it in a way only Salazar knows. Am I right?" She nodded, and paused for a brief second to think of a response. "My, my, Malfoy. You said you didn't do anything logical. So how did you come up with that?" She teased.
"Well, Granger. I'm second best in the whole school."
"Ah, but not first."
"Yes...that spot is reserved for a bushy haired girl, who I may as well fancy."
"And what would you say if she fancied you back?"
"Well, let's see...I'd take her out to Hogsmeade, then proceed to court her for a few years after graduation, before proposing to her. Then probably get married somewhere grand and have beautiful Malfoy babies."
Hermione was shocked. Draco stared at her for 5 long seconds before bursting into laughter. "Y- YOU ACTUALLY FELL FOR THAT!" The Gryffindor felt her anger rising, "Yes, because you put it as if it was really serious!" He just shook his head a continued laughing. "Malfoy!" Hermione called out, a smirk ghosting on her face.
"Shut up."
"Or what, Granger?"
"Or I may not proceed to give you a 'good morning' kiss for the first time."
"The first time, eh? Are you hoping for more?"
"Don't get so cocky. And I don't see your mouth closing anytime soon, so I'll just go back to my bedroom."
"Alright, fine!..."
"Good. Now were we? Ah, right."
The End.