3 chapters in 3 days ... unheard of.

I just want to address something. I read FanFic daily, and I know the pain of unfinished stories. My own unfinished works have weighed on me these past few years. But, I was scared to start writing again. I have also been incredibly ill - my health isn't the best, so I've had to focus on work, and getting better. Now that I've the time (and courage) to write and post again, I'm enjoying it, and plan to continue. However, my health is precarious, so whilst I'm back, there might be the odd break as my health dips and recovers.

With that said, thank to you to everyone that has reviewed this story! Reviews really do spur me on, and inspire me to write.

As always, any and all mistakes are my own!


100 Nights - Chapter 3 'Trust in Crumpets'

The rest of Hermione's morning passed excruciatingly slowly. She'd cat napped on the floor with Severus for twenty minutes after returning to her chambers, and when she awoke decided a shower was in order. Drying charms were great, but she knew where the giant squid had been.

Hermione was pleased when Severus didn't try to follow her into the shower. He might be a fox, but he was still a stranger to her. She tried to work out some of the knots that had formed in her shoulders in the shower, but the pulsing water wasn't strong enough. Maybe Crooks would take pity on her and use her as a lookout post again. He'd always been 'unintentionally good' at working out her stress knots.

After her shower she'd manage to coax Severus into letting her check his back leg for damage. She'd had to bribe him with bits of crumpet, as he seemed oddly fond of them for a fox. Thankfully, it did seem like just a nasty sprain, and so she wrapped his leg, and let him rest on her bed.

Without any other reason to put it off, she completed her prep work in record time, and had curled up in her bed to read the book on animagi Minerva had gifted her last Christmas. Her fox companion had made himself comfortable on her lap as she read, and she occasionally reached down to pet him. Her fox had been oddly calm for a creature found in the wild – maybe he was part magical, like her Crooks. Speaking of Crooks, he had also wondered off somewhere – probably to the kitchens to chase the elves.

"I wish I could transform like Minerva," she said to Severus, stroking the book in her hands. "It must be so freeing to be something else."

Severus nuzzled the hand closest to him as she closed the book and looked down at the fox. Without human Severus to keep her company on the weekend, she was lonely. Fox Severus helped, but it just wasn't the same. She usually spent Saturday debating the latest potions articles with Severus, and Sunday restocking Poppy's stores with him. She wasn't the best brewer – she'd become rather rusty since leaving Hogwarts, but she could follow orders, and chop. Severus tolerated her presence, and she was forever thankful for that.

Minerva had been so busy since becoming Headmistress that she'd had to find others to keep her company. At first, she resisted the notion of socialising, too tired of the endless personal questions, but after a few months she realised books could only keep her attention for so long. Hermione craved human connection. She'd lived for so long with multiple people that being by herself didn't come naturally with her anymore, so she tried branching out. The rest of the Hogwarts staff were great, and some could even hold an intelligent conversation, but they would pry. Hermione wasn't a fan of prying, and that was why she got along so well with Severus. They kept out of each other's business, and only talked about their subjects, and other topics that interested them. They never spoke about their personal lives. Unsurprisingly, she did most of the talking, but Severus seemed to tolerate it. Whereas she'd wax on about a topic without taking a breath, he'd sum up his ideas in fifty words or less.

The lunch bell sounded, rousing Hermione from her musings. She closed her book and turned to face Severus. "Now, you stay here and rest up. I'll be back before you know it with some more sausages for you." At his light nip, she added, "and crumpets too."

As she opened the door to leave, a ginger ball of fluff strutted past her. "There you are Crooks! What mischief have you been getting up to?" Crooks butted up against her legs, getting ginger fur everywhere. "Hmm, I wonder what the elves will be telling me tomorrow."

Hermione bent down to pick up her familiar and brought him over to her bed where Severus had made himself comfortable in her absence.

"Crooks, this is Severus, Severus this is Crooks. Play nice, and I'll give you both treats when I get back." She looked sternly at the two animals, and wagged a finger at them. "I expect to return to my chambers exactly as they are."

The fox and the cat looked at each other, then took turns licking her outstretched finger. Hermione signed, and decided that was as good as it was going to get.


"You're lying to my human," Crooks said, after Hermione had left. He approached Severus, crouching in front of him, "and I don't like it."

Severus stared at the ginger cat in front of him, well this was new. Normally he could only talk to Artemis and Minerva when he was in his animagus form. Naturally, he had tried talking to others, but it seemed only the two felines could understand him.

"I'm trying to help her," Severus started to explain, but had to dart out of the way when a ginger clawed paw attacked his snout. "Watch it!" he exclaimed.

"And you're lying about that too," Crooks said, frowning at his wrapped leg.

Severus huffed, "As I was saying beast, I am trying to help her. Surely, you've noticed her slump, and become a shadow of her former self!

Crooks nodded his head in agreement. "And you think this is the best way to help her?"

"Yes," Severus said, wondering how on earth he was conversing with the ginger cat. He would have to do some research – maybe even talk with Minerva.

Crooks considered the animagus fox in front of him. He'd seen his Mistress sad so often recently, but she always seemed happy after coming back from her 'chats with Severus'. Maybe it was time for something drastic - nothing he nor the silver tabby had done had helper her yet.

"Hmm," he said after some time had passed. "Very well, but I have conditions. One, you will respect my Mistress, and her privacy. There will be no snooping in the shower or the toilet, and no rummaging through her personal effects."

"Obviously," Severus drawled. Insulted by the implication.

Crooks carried on as though he hadn't heard him, "Two, when this inevitably blows up in your face you will tell my Mistress that I told you so." Severus scoffed. "And three, we work together. You may know her well, but I know her better. I've been with her since her third year at Hogwarts, and I've seen her cry when her public face is down. I want no harm to come to her." Crooks paused and flicked his tail towards the fox. "You will agree to my conditions, or I will happily expose you."

Severus bowed his head, showing Crooks that he understood and accepted his conditions. Then, they plotted.

To an outsider it sounded like a bunch of yips, yowls, and meows, but to them it sounded like a pact had been made to protect their human from herself.


Lunch passed by uneventfully, and by the time Hermione got back to her chambers – crumpets and sausages in hand, she was yet again wondering why Severus hadn't told her. She'd been mulling it over since Minerva had mentioned it her this morning, and something didn't feel right. She'd been in his storeroom just the other week, and it was full to the brim! She signed, perhaps she was just being paranoid. Severus did like to keep a full storeroom.

Maybe a trip to Hogsmeade was in order. After all, her normal weekend routine was now non-existent, so she might as well make the most of the change and keep herself distracted. She needed to pick up some new quills anyway, and she'd pop by the Magical Menagerie to see if they had anything in stock for foxes.

"Well, I don't need him," she said, trying to sound like she meant it. "I can talk to others, and I have a life outside of him."

Decision made, Hermione entered her chambers to see that her familiar and fox hadn't destroyed her rooms. Pleased, she gathered her travelling cloak. At the fox's whine, she remembered about the crumpets and sausages, and transfigured two bowls to pop the treats into. She placed them on her bed – a rare treat Crooks later informed Severus, and pulled on her cloak.

"You two continue playing nice, and I'll be back shortly. I'm just popping out to get some supplies."

Before either animal could question her - they were far too distracted by the tasty food in front of them, Hermione had left the room.


Crooks batted him on the nose, claws retracted. "Fine job you're doing."

"What?" Severus said, his snout buried in delicious crumpets. He'd forgotten just how much his animagus animal loved to eat.

"She's gone."

At his words, Severus sat up straight and tried to leap from the bed, only to fall flat on his face. Crooks wheezed above him, "Slick."

"Shut up," he grumbled, "and help me find a way out of here."

"You won't be able to get out. She warded the room after she left. I could feel it." Crooks started to groom himself, one eye on the black fox at all times.

Righting himself on all four paws, Severus glared at the cat. "Why for? Surely you need to get out whilst she's gone?"

"Hermione doesn't trust you yet. She figures it's better to keep you in a contained place where you could possibly cause mayhem, than leave you to wonder the school where you'd definitely cause chaos. If I'm here with you, you're definitely unlikely to get into any trouble." The beast had the audacity to wink at him, and Severus scoffed - an odd sound for a fox.

"She told you this?"

"You think you're her first rescue?" Crooks replied, still grooming himself. "She's done this many many times before, it's just what she does. She helps others to distract herself. She's rescued more animals these past few months – just yesterday she freed a frog that had broken its leg."

Severus grumbled. Some bloody friend he was, though it did explain why they only met in his chambers. She had always claimed hers were 'too messy', and he had believed her.

"When will she be back?"

"In hour or so," Crooks replied, pawing at the bed covers to make them comfy. "You'd best get settled though. If she visits Flourish and Blotts we'll be here for a while. There's a litter box in the bathroom if you need to relieve yourself." With that the ginger cat flicked his tail at Severus, settled onto the bed, and closed his eyes.

Severus decided that sharing a bed with his feline companion would end in nothing good, so he padded out to her living room. After spotting a well-used armchair in the corner of the room and leapt up. He circled round and around to test out the cushion before plopping himself down and waiting.