Day Walker
Disclaimer: I own the Golden Bloodlines spell, the Memorium spell and the Gemini copying spell. Damien, Blue and Cotton is also mine. The rest of the wonderful characters belongs to JK. Rowling.
Summary: Returning kittie, spells, remembering and plans.
Warning: This is still a slash story! *Grins*
Author's Note: This chapter may contain some errors because it is un- betaed. It will be reposted when my beta has looked at it, but I don't think I can keep it unposted any longer.
~Chapter 17~
~Blue and Cotton~
The next couple of days went by without many surprises. Harry and his friends spent alot of time finishing their homework so they were sure they'd have the evening off on Friday.
Thursday afternoon, three Gryffindors and a Slytherin were sitting in sofas around a table in the Entrance Hall working on an essay of the use of Buckleaf flowers in potions for Herbology. The coming week they were to brew a potion with Buckleaf flowers as one of the ingredients in Snape's lesson. He hadn't told them which, but Harry was determined to be able to brew it no matter which potion the professor chose.
"This time I will be able to brew it correctly," said Harry in a slightly angry voice. "I'll show that git that I'm not a complete moron in Potions. I'm sorry Draco, but, as I guess you've noticed, he's been treating me like an irritating insect he would like to kill but is not allowed to step on. He's done that since our very first lesson." He looked at his boyfriend, who was sucking the top of his quill.
"I know," said Draco. "I can't stand watching it anymore. Would you mind if I have a little chat with uncle Sev before next Potions lesson?"
Harry shook his head, looking slightly puzzled.
"He's not a bad guy, and he told me that he really doesn't mean to be as mean to the students as he is, but he wants to seem intimidating and has a tendency to overdo it. I've noticed, though, that he treats you even worse than the other, and I'm planning on telling him to stop it."
"Will he listen to you then?" Hermione asked. "I mean, Snape completely despices Harry."
Draco sighed. "I don't know if he will. He's repected my wishes on earlier occasions, or at least taken my suggestion up to consideration. I hope he will do the same this time."
Harry smiled. "Thank you, D. Even if he doesn't change I know that you have tried, and that means alot." He leaned over to his boyfriend and as he was about to kiss him they heard a loud meow.
"Blue!" Draco lifted up his cat and hugged him. "Where have you been, boy?"
The large black cat meowed again.
"Nevermind! I don't care where you've been, I'm just happy that you're back!" The blonde kissed Blue's black nose and released him to settle down beside his master, who kept petting him lovingly.
"Has he been missing?" Damien asked.
"Yes. I let him out four days ago and he didn't come back in at dusk like he used to. I didn't tell you," Draco adressed his boyfriend, "because cats are known for straying alittle and I didn't want you to think I was being paranoid."
"I would never think that just because you were worried about your cat." Harry scratched Blue behind the ears, causing the cat to close his eyes and purr. "I'm just glad he's alright."
"I think I know where he's been, though," said Hermione with a smile playing on her face.
The boys looked at her with questioning looks on their faces.
"I overheard Parvati and Lavender talking to each other the other day while I was studying. They were sitting at a table close by me and they're not exactly quiet."
"Can you get to the point, Hermione," said Harry with a small laugh.
"I'm getting there. Anyhow... Parvati was telling Lavender that her cat, Cotton, was in heat and that she had been away since around the time that Blue went missing, and yesterday they were talking about kittens at lunch so I think Cotton is pregnant. Blue might be the father."
Draco grinned widely. "Kittens. How sweet! Do you know if there's any ways of checking if Blue is the father?" He looked at Hermione.
"Hmmm...?" The boys could actually see her thinking, by the expression she wore. "When I think of it, I do recall reading something about that in a book once. I think I saw a spell for finding out such things. I'll go to the library now and collect the book right away. I'll be back in a few minutes." She rose to her feet and left them. Heading for the corridor leading to the library.
"She's got a superb memory," said Draco, his choice of words giving away his aristocratic past.
"I know," Harry replied. "You'll never catch 'Mione forgetting something she's read or even where she read it."
He was right. Only moments later, she emerged from the library corridor carrying a book called 'The Breeding of Magical Creatures'.
"I knew I'd seen it in here," she said while flipping over the pages. "It's in the chapter about the writing of pedigrees. Yes. Here it is." She cleared her throat and began reading aloud: "'If one of your females are pregnant un-planned, and you need the identity of the father for the offspring's pedigree, then you can preform this spell. Gather the males who it's possible could have fathered the offspring and the pregnant female. Then you let the female drink some water in which you've added some dryed Redweed from the Pacific Ocean and a crushed salmons eye. When the water is drunk, point your wand at the female's belly and say: Golden bloodlines, reveil! Not all spells are in latin," said Hermione befre she continued reading. "Then you will see thin golden strings stretching from the belly of the female to the male who inpregnated her. If that male is abscent, the belly will just glow golden for a second then go back to normal. No harm done to neither the female nor her offspring. Ps. This spell can also be used on non-magical creatures and even on humans.'" Hermione stopped reading.
"Then we just have to convince Parvati to let us do a spell on her cat." Harry sighed. "That won't be easy."
"Well, we'll bring her the book and the ingredients so that she can add them and preform the spell herself. I don't think she'll refuse. She seemed eager to find out who the father of the kittens were." Hermione shut the book, but had put a charm on the page of the spell so that it was a vibrant green instead of parchment colour.
"I hope they're Blue's. Then I will have a legal right to half of them. Don't misunderstand me, I would not dream of taking the kittens from Parvati and Cotton, but if she agrees..."
"We know, Draco." Damien smiled. "But shouldn't you wait until after we've found out if the kittens are Blue's or not? Before you start worrying about kittie-custody, I mean."
Draco smiled. "You're right." He turned and faced Hermione. "Can you ask Parvati if Cotton os with kittens or not, and if she is interested in doing the spell?"
"I can do that," she replied.
"Send me an owl when you've asked her, will you?"
Hermione nodded.
"Okay. Then I can go and ask uncle Severus if I can get the ingredients tonight and we'll be ready to perform the spell tomorrow if Parvati agrees." Draco grinned.
"I'm glad you can ask Professor Snape." smiled Hermione. "I wouldn't be able to steal from his storage cupboard again."
The boys laughed. "Harry told me about the Polyjuice Potion and what you had to do to pull it off. I still can't believe that you thought I was the heir of Slytherin, but nevermind that now." Draco giggled. "I won't let you try that again.I think he's put up sopme wards around that cupboard now."
"Do you think it'll pose a problem getting the professor to give you the stuff you need?" Damien lookeda t Draco.
"Nope. If I tell him why I need it I know he'll be happy to give them to me. He's a cat person himself, but he hasn't had a cat since his cat, Gabriel Angel, died four years ago." Draco sighed. "I loved that cat. However... He might want one of Blue's kittens. I think uncle Sev has grown quite fond of Blue lately. My little kittie here has been visiting his dungeon rooms often these past couple of weeks." The slender Slytherin grinned and pet his cat. The three Gryffindors all grinned back.
Harry, Hermione and Damien sat by the fire in their commonroom later that day when Parvati Patil entered the room accompanied by a gang of friends.
Hermione rose quickly and approached her. "Parvati? Can I talk to you for a minute?"
The other Gryffindor girl looked quite puzzled, but said "Sure" and followed Hermione away from her friends.
"Am I mistaken by thinking that your cat's pregnant?"
"No, you're actually quite right, but how do you know?" She looked even more puzzled.
"I overheard you and Lavender talking."
"Oh. I see." Parvati smiled understanding. "But why do you care about whether my cat is pregnant or not?"
"Because I think that Draco Malfoy's cat, Blue, might be the father of her kittens. He has been away at the same time your cat was gone."
"But we can't find out who the father is before the kittens are born though." Parvati looked at Hermione for confirmation of her statement.
"Actually, we can. I found this spell you can perform to find out while they are still in the womb."
"I see. Are there any risk of hurting Cotton or her children? I won't do anything that hurt them."
"No no no! I wouldn't ever get myself to hurt an animal. It's a very simple and harmless spell, and all Cotton has to do is drink water with some dryed Redweed from the Pacific Ocean and one crushed salmons eye added to it to trigger the spell. So that it won't reveal if anyone else in the area is pregnant you know. Draco is getting those ingredients from the potions master tonight. You can perform the spell and add the ingredients yourself if you want to." Hermione looked Parvati straight in the eye.
"Okay," said the other Gryffindor girl. "I know that those things are harmless. When can we do this? It would be nice to know if Malfoy's cat is the father, because I would like to reach an agreement with the father's owner about who'll get what kittens before they are born so that there won't be any arguements over them. Malfoy's cat is that beautiful black one, right? The one with the blue eyes?"
"Yes. That's Blue. Draco wants to agree about things like that too. We can do it tomorrow after classes if that's alright with you that is?"
"That's fine with me. Where shall we meet?" Parvati asked.
"We can meet here, can't we?" She answered the other girl's question with a question. "I mean, we are mostly Gryffindors and Draco is actually allowed in here. He can bring Blue here."
"Fine. Here it is then." She smiled.
"Good." Hermione smiled back and went to join Harry and Damien. She told them what Parvati had said and wrote a short message to Draco. Instead of owling it, she summoned a house elf and asked him if he could deliver it to Draco for her. The house elf bowed and stuttered "yes off course, young mistress" before he disappeared with a lound crack. Only minutes later he reappeared, carrying a note from Draco.
Hermione read it aloud to the boys. "This is what he writes: 'That's good, 'Mione. I just talked to uncle Sev. He said I'll get the ingredients tomorrow at breakfast. See you there. -Draco. Ps. Say hi and goodnight to the boys from me.'" Hermione folded the note together and tucked it into her bag. "Good," she said and pushed her hair out of her face. "I'm going upstairs to take a shower now, and then I think I'll go to bed, so I'll just leave you guys to it. Goodnight, boys." She smiled at them.
"Goodnight, Hermione." Damien rose to his feet and gave her a hug.
"Goodnight," said Harry and did the same.
"G'night," she said again and left them.
"Harry?" Damien asked carefully.
"Yeah."
"Have you finished my drawing yet? Or.. Not MY drawing, but the drawing of me... I've been meaning to ask you earlier, but I haven't got around to it. Because of everything with Bl... You know." The day walker's eyes were suddenly very busy examining the floor in front of the fireplace.
"I know, and actually I put the finishing touch on the drawing of you last night before I went to bed."
"Nice! Can I see it?"
"Sure. I'll pop up to the dormitory and get it." Harry left Damien while he thought: 'It's safe now, 'cause we are not alone in the commonroom.' He fetched his drawing pad and the book in which he had drawn the picture of Draco. He felt like showing Damien that particulat drawing and even some of the others. He hesitated for a moment, his fingers caressed the book's back before he took a deep breath and pushed the memories aside He went back down to the commonroom.
"What's that?" asked Damien when Harry put his sketch pad on the table in front of them, still holding the book.
"Well..." His fingers stroked the book again. He drew his breath. "It's my Book of Ramblings. By ramblings I mean feelings put into mostly drawings, but also into words. It's drawings in there from my life with the Dursleys. Nothing of the bad, only things that made me happy. There are also stuff from after I came here. Draco. But first. The drawing of you." Harry put the book down and opened the pad to reveal a highly detailed black and white drawing of Damien.
The model in person grinned widely. "I still love it! It's a good thing I don't keep them hidden all the time, isn't it?" He pointed at his drawn self's fangs.
Harry smiled. "You're right. It's a pity actually. If it was up to me you wouldn't hide them at all."
"Oh? You like them?" Damien raised one eyebrow and smiled playfully.
Harry shook his head. "You're back to your old self again, I see." He laughed."And yes, I like them. They're... Er... A nice feature."
"Yeah, right." The other boy laughed as well. "Speaking of nice features, are you saving?"
"Saving what?"
"Your hair. I've noticed you haven't cut it at all since I got here."
"Er... Not really. I just haven't thought of cutting it because now, when it's longer, I can manage it. Why do you ask? Do you think I should cut it?" Harry pulled self-consciously at a lock of his raven black hair.
"No" For God's sake, no. I love long hair on a guy. The feel of it running through my fingers. And, by the way, you look both older and better with your hair long." Damien grinned. "There's only one more thing I would like to change about you."
"What?" The green eyed boy was curious.
"Your glasses. Or how about loosing the glasses all together? Ever considered contact lenses? It's not fair to hide your eyes with those horrible glasses."
"Actually I have. I really hate my glasses, but it's just that I've never worried about my looks before." Harry shrugged. "I think I'll look at some new glasses next Hogsmeade weekend. Or maybe I should consider contacts. I'll have to think about that."
"Nice. And don't worry about your looks. You're looks are great. So are you drawing skills." The blue eyed halfblood changed the subject smoothly.
"Thank you. You can have a copy of this if you like?" said Harry, happy that they were not talking about his looks anymore. He pointed at the drawing of the vampire.
"I'd love that actually."
"Okay." Harry took out his want and touched the drawing with its tip, and said "Gemini!" An identical drawing appeared next to the original. The only difference was that the copy had a tiny 'G' in the bottom left corner. Harry handed it to Damien. "The 'G' works as a copyright mark that stops any type of copying spell. It's not that I think you'll copy it or anything, but it's the only copying spell I know."
"It's okay. I don't know any at all." He fell silent for a moment. "Harry? Can I see some of your other drawings?"
Harry nodded and opened the book on its very first page. It was the drawing of a spider. I can start by telling you how I got this book.
The other boy nodded.
"I was walking home from school one day because Dudley, my cousin, had stuffed me in a broom cupboard so that I missed the bus.I think I was nine. On my walk to get to my aunt and uncle's house I saw a bottle at the side of the road. For no reason in particular, I picked up the bottle and put it in my bookbag. And then I saw another one and another and another. There were so many along the road that by the time I reached a super market where I could exchange them for money, I had my arms full and I left the store with a handfull of coins. More money than I had ever had. I carried them around in my pocket for weeks before Dudley pushed me in the cupboard again and I had to walk home. I took a different route that time and passed a bookstore. I had never been in a bookstore and decided to go inside. I was in awe and stayed for as long as I dared, in fear of getting beated by my uncle when I got home for being late. I left with a pencil and eraser of my own, not just something I got at school. I also bought a cheap drawing pad. I have always loved to draw, but never got much of a chance to. In addition to those items I bought this book. It was meant to be a journal, but I've never actually used it as that though. The drawing pad got used up quickly due to late night drawing in my cupboard under the stairs and since I didn't have any money so I moved on to using this to draw in. I didn't draw quite as much after that since I didn't know how long I had to use it." Harry smiled. "It lasted me until I got here. After that I've been magically expanding it everytime it needs it. I've also begun to using it for other things besides drawing."
Damien smiled back at his housemate, but looked sad. "I didn't know it was that bad while you were with your relatives. You actually lived in a cupboard under the stairs?"
"Yes, I did. Until I was eleven. I got my cousin's second bedroom the summer before I came here. But that was because of Dumbledore, not because my uncle and aunt became soft with me."
"I see, but none of that explains the spider." Damien looked at the page of the book.
"While I was still living under stairs I had only spiders to keep me company. Therefore I drew spiders. I have a whole folder of them in my trunk upstairs. Not only spiders off course, but alot of the." Harry smiled at the thought of his old drawings.
"May I turn the page?"
"Sure," replied Harry. He guided Damien through several drawings of spiders and landscapes before they reached the ones from after he came to Hogwarts. The first one was of the castle. "I did that one only a couple of days after I arrived here. I know it has flaws, but it was the first building I ever drew."
"I can't see any flaws, but I guess you know where they are." Damien studied the drawing carefully.
The second one was of a snitch gleaming in the light from an invisible sun, surrounded by the words 'Quidditch', 'Seeker' and 'Snitch'.
The half-vampire smiled. "Ah.. A young boy's first love..."
They both laughed alittle before they continued flipping the pages. Past pixies and scarlet engines, Hagrid and Fang, Fawkes on the shoulder of his master, and Professor McGonagall standing next to a cat.
"Does McGonagall have a cat?" Damien asked.
"No. That cat is her. She is an animagus, but I guess you haven't seen her change. She stopped frightening us with that in our second year." Harry smiled.
"Too bad. I've never seen an animagus change." He sighed.
"It's actually quite fascinating."
When Harry turned the page, he revealed the recently finished drawing of Draco. Damien asked for no story to go with the drawing, but as though he knew what had gone through Harry's mind when the drawing was concieved, he said: "He's beautiful, isn't he? He was then too. Because he was younger when this was drawn?"
"yes, he was. Both younger and beautiful. It was in my fourth year here at Hogwarts. But I've just recently finished it."
"You're talented," Damien said, and he repeated that alot while they went through the drawings. Ron, Hermione, Hedwig. Damien was especially surprised by one of Hermione that Harry had drawn right after the ball during the Triwizard Contest.
"She should really get a permanent straightening spell put on that bushy hair of hers. Normally she's just avarage, but like that – and I know you haven't corrected anything about her, I can see that – like that she's beautiful. I think so, and I'm gay! It's the hair that does all the difference."
"I know. She's actually quite attractive for a girl, but her hair sorta hides it." Harry looked at the drawing of his friend.
"Has she ever had a boyfriend? Just wonder. Never heard her mention anyone."
"I don't think so. Not serious at least. She got very comfy with Viktor Krum – yes THE Viktor Krum – while he was here for the Triwizard Tournament, but that didn't get any further I think. She hasn't told me if it did. Then she and Ron was fooling around, but Ron ended it because there weren't any feelings beyond friendship between them. I don't think either of them were that upset about it. This was early last year." Harry's eyes filled with tears at the thought of his dead friend.
"You really miss you, don't you?" Damien put a hand on Harry's shoulder.
"Yeah. I know I haven't shown it much, but there has been so many nice things happening this semester that I haven't been able to mourn him in public, but I've mourned. At night." Harry stopped talking and wiped away the tears that clung bravely to his eyelashes. "I just wish I knew why. He didn't even leave a letter." He sniffled.
"I know. We all wish that. Even I would like to know that, and I know him that well." Damien let his thumb gently stroke Harry's shoulder while he spoke. "Did you draw him too?"
Harry nodded and flipped the pages of his Book of Ramblings past some poems, a drawing of a large black dog and a Firebolt racing broom to the drawings of Ron. Four pages were filled with the frecked face. He was smiling in all of the drawings. A few of them were in colour.
"Magically coloured?" Damien asked.
The other black haired boy nodded.
"They're nice. They portray Ron like you want to remember him?"
"Yes." Harry pointed his wand at the bottom right corner of the first page of Rons. "Memorium!" The words 'In loving memory' appeared where the wand tip had touched the paper. "He deserves it."
"He does."
Harry yawned.
"Should we look at more drawings some other day, Harry?" Damien's thumb stroked again. "It's getting a little late."
Harry looked around. The commonroom was emptying, and the clock on the wall told him that it had gone tow and a half hours since Hermione had left them. "I think so."
"I'm getting a little tired myself and we have a lot to do tomorrow." He took his hand of the other boy's shoulder.
Harry nearly moved after the retreating hand, not wanting to lose the touch, but he was able to restrain himself. "You're right. Let's get to bed." They both got up and climbed the stairs to the dormitories together, but parted outside the door to Harry's dormitory.
"Goodnight, Harry."
"Goodnight."
Damien turned around to go to his own dorm.
"Damien?"
He turned and faced Harry again.
"Can I have a hug?" Harry sniffled.
"Off course you can." The blue eyed boy put his arms around the small frame of the boy in front of him.
"Thank you," whispered Harry.
"Your welcome," Damien whispered back.
~ ~ * ~ ~ ~ ~ * ~ ~ ~ ~ * ~ ~
The following mornig, Friday morning, Harry, Hermione and Damien arrived at the Great Hall for breakfast quite early, but Draco had still beaten them to it. He was sitting at the end of the Slytherin table talking to Severus Snape. After a couple of minutes, the Gryffindors had sat down and their potions master was on his way back to the teacher's table. Draco caught Harry's attention and held up two very small glass jars. Harry grinned at his boyfriend, and even gave Snape an appreciative smile. He only got a scowl in return. It wasn't even his cat, but he was still excited about the kittens.
The classes of the day went good. Harrt got some homework, but most of the teachers gave the students the weekend off. When the last class ended Hermione went up to the Gryffindor tower with Damien to meet with Parvati, while Harry walked down to the Entrance Hall to wait for Draco to come up from the Slytherin dungeons. After ten minutes of waiting, the blonde head of Draco Malfoy appeared at the bottom of the stairs.
"Hi, D." Harry smiled at his lover.
"Hello, luv." Draco put one hand on Harry's left hip and the other one on his lower back and pulled him into a gentle kiss. They stood like that for a couple of minutes simply enjoying the taste of eachother before Harry pulled out of it.
"The other's are waiting for us in the Gryffindor commonroom, my sweet. We have to get going. You have the ingredients, I presume?"
"Yes. I have them right here." He indicated one of his pockets. "Let's get up there."
"Haven't you forgot something else, D?"
"What? I have the Redweed and the...I've forgot Blue!" He released his giggling boyfriend and ran back down into the dungeons. He reappeared only moments later with the black cat in his arms."Now we can go." He grabbed Harry's hand with the one of his that wasn't carrying Blue and they walked hand in hand up the marble staircase to the Gryffindor tower.
Parvati checked and added the two ingredients to the water herself and gave it to her cat, Cotton, but she let Hermione perform the actual spell.
"You, Parvati, stand here." Hermione pointed to her left. "And you, Draco. You and Blue, stand there." She pointed to her right. "Are you ready?"
Both the cat owners nodded.
"Okay," said Hermione as she whipped out her wand and pointed it at Cotton's belly. "Golden Bloodlines!" Cotton's belly glowed and a thin string of gold erupted from the glow. The string lengthened and then made contact with Blue. Hermione smiled and said: "Finite Incantatem!" The golden strings dissapeared.
Draco kissed Blue on the head and walked up to Parvati and scratched Cotton under her chin.
"So," said Parvati with a smile. "We're having kittens."
"Yeah." Draco smiled back.
"I've been thinking about how to split the kittens between the owers of the mother and the father, and I've got an idea."
The Slytherin nodded and motioned for her to continue.
"I think we should get half each or so. If there are a number of kittens that can be divided on two then we can take half each. You, the first half and me the second half or vice versa. And if there are an odd number of them, let's say five, you get three and I get two, if you agree on that? I only want the kittens to have good homes and as a catowner and obvious catlover, I'm certain that you will provide that for them." Parvati looked at Draco.
"That sounds like a very good idea." The blonde boy smiled. "Wil you please let me know, somehow, when Cotton goes into labour. I would like to be there when the kittens are born."
"I can do that. You know, Malfoy. You're not that bad for a Slytherin."
Draco smiled. "Call me Draco."
"Parvati." She held out her hand and he grabbed it. She smiled and petted Blue before she left the four friends.
Harry and Damien, who hadn't spoke a word during the ritual, got up. Damien petted Blue and Harry kissed his boyfriend.
"You're gonna be a dad, boy," purred the half-blood to the cat. "You're gonna be a dad."
Draco grinned. "This is so much fun! Uncle Sev'll be thrilled. It was like I said, you know. He did want one of the kittens. He said that he needed some companionship in his dungeons again. He has grieved Gabriel Angel long enough and now he wants a new kittie."
"So do I," said Damien. "If you don't want to keep the rest of them though."
"Hmmm... I want to keep at least one and, as I've said, uncle Sev is getting one, but if I get three kittens or more, you can have one. Deal?" Draco held out his hand.
Damien shook it. "Deal!" They both smiled.
"Shall we do our homework before dinner?" asked Harry. "So that we're done with it."
"Harry? Are you willingly doing homework before you have to?" Hermione looked at him suspiciously. "You never do that. What are you guys up to?"
"We're not 'up to' anything." Harry stuck his tongue out at her. "It's It's just that we," he made a gesture towards Draco and Damien, "are going to the Room of Requirement tonight. To have some male-bonding time."
Damien started laughing. "Or male bondage, if you ask Draco."
"It was a mistake." Draco pouted.
"We know, D." Harry smiled. "But we have to be allowed to tease you about it. It's funny." Draco snorted, and that made the two other boys laugh even harder.
Hermione chuckled as well. "Male bondage," she mumbled and chuckled more.
"You want to come along, 'Mione?" Harry asked, knowing she'd decline.
"Actually, I have plans allready."
"What kind of plans, 'Mione?" Damien asked in a childish voice.
"Yeah, Hermione. What kind of plans?" Harry adopted Damien's kiddie voice.
She smiled. "I'll tell you some other time." She checked the clock on the wall quickly. "But right now I have to get ready." She actuallt giggled and jogged up the stairs to the girl's dormitories.
"When did she become so secretive?" Damien was slightly taken aback. "I think it's she who's up to things, not us."
The other boys nodded in agreement, and all three of them sat down and co- operated on getting their homework done. By dinner time they had finished all of it.
Hermione hadn't come down from her dormitory by the time the boys left the Gryffindor commonroom and she didn't show up for dinner either. Harry looked around to see if there was an other person missing whom she might be with, but in the sea of dining students he could barely even recognise people.
As soon as they were finished eating, Harry, Draco and Damien headed up to the seventh floor. When they reached the tapestry of Barnabas they walked past the hidden entrance to the Room of Requirement, all of them thinking hard about a place of privacy.
Author's note: Here you go! This chappie wasn't that short, now was it? *Smiles* Suddenly Blue popped up and demanded to be re-introduced, and I can't deny him anything. (Yes, I know that he's only in my head, but I still love him!)
The name of Severus Snape's late cat is a tribute to my beta Josh and his kitties. Joshie, luv, I would have included Miss Bella too, but because of Bellatrix Lestrange I decided not to.. Hope she's not too offended. I'll make it up tp her on a later occasion. *Giggles*
Who do you think I should pair Hermione up with? I have a few ideas myself, but I'm always open for suggestions. My own ideas: Ginny Seamus Dean One of the Weasly twins (they are still there aren't they? They are only a year older than Harry, right?) Neville
Disclaimer: I own the Golden Bloodlines spell, the Memorium spell and the Gemini copying spell. Damien, Blue and Cotton is also mine. The rest of the wonderful characters belongs to JK. Rowling.
Summary: Returning kittie, spells, remembering and plans.
Warning: This is still a slash story! *Grins*
Author's Note: This chapter may contain some errors because it is un- betaed. It will be reposted when my beta has looked at it, but I don't think I can keep it unposted any longer.
~Chapter 17~
~Blue and Cotton~
The next couple of days went by without many surprises. Harry and his friends spent alot of time finishing their homework so they were sure they'd have the evening off on Friday.
Thursday afternoon, three Gryffindors and a Slytherin were sitting in sofas around a table in the Entrance Hall working on an essay of the use of Buckleaf flowers in potions for Herbology. The coming week they were to brew a potion with Buckleaf flowers as one of the ingredients in Snape's lesson. He hadn't told them which, but Harry was determined to be able to brew it no matter which potion the professor chose.
"This time I will be able to brew it correctly," said Harry in a slightly angry voice. "I'll show that git that I'm not a complete moron in Potions. I'm sorry Draco, but, as I guess you've noticed, he's been treating me like an irritating insect he would like to kill but is not allowed to step on. He's done that since our very first lesson." He looked at his boyfriend, who was sucking the top of his quill.
"I know," said Draco. "I can't stand watching it anymore. Would you mind if I have a little chat with uncle Sev before next Potions lesson?"
Harry shook his head, looking slightly puzzled.
"He's not a bad guy, and he told me that he really doesn't mean to be as mean to the students as he is, but he wants to seem intimidating and has a tendency to overdo it. I've noticed, though, that he treats you even worse than the other, and I'm planning on telling him to stop it."
"Will he listen to you then?" Hermione asked. "I mean, Snape completely despices Harry."
Draco sighed. "I don't know if he will. He's repected my wishes on earlier occasions, or at least taken my suggestion up to consideration. I hope he will do the same this time."
Harry smiled. "Thank you, D. Even if he doesn't change I know that you have tried, and that means alot." He leaned over to his boyfriend and as he was about to kiss him they heard a loud meow.
"Blue!" Draco lifted up his cat and hugged him. "Where have you been, boy?"
The large black cat meowed again.
"Nevermind! I don't care where you've been, I'm just happy that you're back!" The blonde kissed Blue's black nose and released him to settle down beside his master, who kept petting him lovingly.
"Has he been missing?" Damien asked.
"Yes. I let him out four days ago and he didn't come back in at dusk like he used to. I didn't tell you," Draco adressed his boyfriend, "because cats are known for straying alittle and I didn't want you to think I was being paranoid."
"I would never think that just because you were worried about your cat." Harry scratched Blue behind the ears, causing the cat to close his eyes and purr. "I'm just glad he's alright."
"I think I know where he's been, though," said Hermione with a smile playing on her face.
The boys looked at her with questioning looks on their faces.
"I overheard Parvati and Lavender talking to each other the other day while I was studying. They were sitting at a table close by me and they're not exactly quiet."
"Can you get to the point, Hermione," said Harry with a small laugh.
"I'm getting there. Anyhow... Parvati was telling Lavender that her cat, Cotton, was in heat and that she had been away since around the time that Blue went missing, and yesterday they were talking about kittens at lunch so I think Cotton is pregnant. Blue might be the father."
Draco grinned widely. "Kittens. How sweet! Do you know if there's any ways of checking if Blue is the father?" He looked at Hermione.
"Hmmm...?" The boys could actually see her thinking, by the expression she wore. "When I think of it, I do recall reading something about that in a book once. I think I saw a spell for finding out such things. I'll go to the library now and collect the book right away. I'll be back in a few minutes." She rose to her feet and left them. Heading for the corridor leading to the library.
"She's got a superb memory," said Draco, his choice of words giving away his aristocratic past.
"I know," Harry replied. "You'll never catch 'Mione forgetting something she's read or even where she read it."
He was right. Only moments later, she emerged from the library corridor carrying a book called 'The Breeding of Magical Creatures'.
"I knew I'd seen it in here," she said while flipping over the pages. "It's in the chapter about the writing of pedigrees. Yes. Here it is." She cleared her throat and began reading aloud: "'If one of your females are pregnant un-planned, and you need the identity of the father for the offspring's pedigree, then you can preform this spell. Gather the males who it's possible could have fathered the offspring and the pregnant female. Then you let the female drink some water in which you've added some dryed Redweed from the Pacific Ocean and a crushed salmons eye. When the water is drunk, point your wand at the female's belly and say: Golden bloodlines, reveil! Not all spells are in latin," said Hermione befre she continued reading. "Then you will see thin golden strings stretching from the belly of the female to the male who inpregnated her. If that male is abscent, the belly will just glow golden for a second then go back to normal. No harm done to neither the female nor her offspring. Ps. This spell can also be used on non-magical creatures and even on humans.'" Hermione stopped reading.
"Then we just have to convince Parvati to let us do a spell on her cat." Harry sighed. "That won't be easy."
"Well, we'll bring her the book and the ingredients so that she can add them and preform the spell herself. I don't think she'll refuse. She seemed eager to find out who the father of the kittens were." Hermione shut the book, but had put a charm on the page of the spell so that it was a vibrant green instead of parchment colour.
"I hope they're Blue's. Then I will have a legal right to half of them. Don't misunderstand me, I would not dream of taking the kittens from Parvati and Cotton, but if she agrees..."
"We know, Draco." Damien smiled. "But shouldn't you wait until after we've found out if the kittens are Blue's or not? Before you start worrying about kittie-custody, I mean."
Draco smiled. "You're right." He turned and faced Hermione. "Can you ask Parvati if Cotton os with kittens or not, and if she is interested in doing the spell?"
"I can do that," she replied.
"Send me an owl when you've asked her, will you?"
Hermione nodded.
"Okay. Then I can go and ask uncle Severus if I can get the ingredients tonight and we'll be ready to perform the spell tomorrow if Parvati agrees." Draco grinned.
"I'm glad you can ask Professor Snape." smiled Hermione. "I wouldn't be able to steal from his storage cupboard again."
The boys laughed. "Harry told me about the Polyjuice Potion and what you had to do to pull it off. I still can't believe that you thought I was the heir of Slytherin, but nevermind that now." Draco giggled. "I won't let you try that again.I think he's put up sopme wards around that cupboard now."
"Do you think it'll pose a problem getting the professor to give you the stuff you need?" Damien lookeda t Draco.
"Nope. If I tell him why I need it I know he'll be happy to give them to me. He's a cat person himself, but he hasn't had a cat since his cat, Gabriel Angel, died four years ago." Draco sighed. "I loved that cat. However... He might want one of Blue's kittens. I think uncle Sev has grown quite fond of Blue lately. My little kittie here has been visiting his dungeon rooms often these past couple of weeks." The slender Slytherin grinned and pet his cat. The three Gryffindors all grinned back.
Harry, Hermione and Damien sat by the fire in their commonroom later that day when Parvati Patil entered the room accompanied by a gang of friends.
Hermione rose quickly and approached her. "Parvati? Can I talk to you for a minute?"
The other Gryffindor girl looked quite puzzled, but said "Sure" and followed Hermione away from her friends.
"Am I mistaken by thinking that your cat's pregnant?"
"No, you're actually quite right, but how do you know?" She looked even more puzzled.
"I overheard you and Lavender talking."
"Oh. I see." Parvati smiled understanding. "But why do you care about whether my cat is pregnant or not?"
"Because I think that Draco Malfoy's cat, Blue, might be the father of her kittens. He has been away at the same time your cat was gone."
"But we can't find out who the father is before the kittens are born though." Parvati looked at Hermione for confirmation of her statement.
"Actually, we can. I found this spell you can perform to find out while they are still in the womb."
"I see. Are there any risk of hurting Cotton or her children? I won't do anything that hurt them."
"No no no! I wouldn't ever get myself to hurt an animal. It's a very simple and harmless spell, and all Cotton has to do is drink water with some dryed Redweed from the Pacific Ocean and one crushed salmons eye added to it to trigger the spell. So that it won't reveal if anyone else in the area is pregnant you know. Draco is getting those ingredients from the potions master tonight. You can perform the spell and add the ingredients yourself if you want to." Hermione looked Parvati straight in the eye.
"Okay," said the other Gryffindor girl. "I know that those things are harmless. When can we do this? It would be nice to know if Malfoy's cat is the father, because I would like to reach an agreement with the father's owner about who'll get what kittens before they are born so that there won't be any arguements over them. Malfoy's cat is that beautiful black one, right? The one with the blue eyes?"
"Yes. That's Blue. Draco wants to agree about things like that too. We can do it tomorrow after classes if that's alright with you that is?"
"That's fine with me. Where shall we meet?" Parvati asked.
"We can meet here, can't we?" She answered the other girl's question with a question. "I mean, we are mostly Gryffindors and Draco is actually allowed in here. He can bring Blue here."
"Fine. Here it is then." She smiled.
"Good." Hermione smiled back and went to join Harry and Damien. She told them what Parvati had said and wrote a short message to Draco. Instead of owling it, she summoned a house elf and asked him if he could deliver it to Draco for her. The house elf bowed and stuttered "yes off course, young mistress" before he disappeared with a lound crack. Only minutes later he reappeared, carrying a note from Draco.
Hermione read it aloud to the boys. "This is what he writes: 'That's good, 'Mione. I just talked to uncle Sev. He said I'll get the ingredients tomorrow at breakfast. See you there. -Draco. Ps. Say hi and goodnight to the boys from me.'" Hermione folded the note together and tucked it into her bag. "Good," she said and pushed her hair out of her face. "I'm going upstairs to take a shower now, and then I think I'll go to bed, so I'll just leave you guys to it. Goodnight, boys." She smiled at them.
"Goodnight, Hermione." Damien rose to his feet and gave her a hug.
"Goodnight," said Harry and did the same.
"G'night," she said again and left them.
"Harry?" Damien asked carefully.
"Yeah."
"Have you finished my drawing yet? Or.. Not MY drawing, but the drawing of me... I've been meaning to ask you earlier, but I haven't got around to it. Because of everything with Bl... You know." The day walker's eyes were suddenly very busy examining the floor in front of the fireplace.
"I know, and actually I put the finishing touch on the drawing of you last night before I went to bed."
"Nice! Can I see it?"
"Sure. I'll pop up to the dormitory and get it." Harry left Damien while he thought: 'It's safe now, 'cause we are not alone in the commonroom.' He fetched his drawing pad and the book in which he had drawn the picture of Draco. He felt like showing Damien that particulat drawing and even some of the others. He hesitated for a moment, his fingers caressed the book's back before he took a deep breath and pushed the memories aside He went back down to the commonroom.
"What's that?" asked Damien when Harry put his sketch pad on the table in front of them, still holding the book.
"Well..." His fingers stroked the book again. He drew his breath. "It's my Book of Ramblings. By ramblings I mean feelings put into mostly drawings, but also into words. It's drawings in there from my life with the Dursleys. Nothing of the bad, only things that made me happy. There are also stuff from after I came here. Draco. But first. The drawing of you." Harry put the book down and opened the pad to reveal a highly detailed black and white drawing of Damien.
The model in person grinned widely. "I still love it! It's a good thing I don't keep them hidden all the time, isn't it?" He pointed at his drawn self's fangs.
Harry smiled. "You're right. It's a pity actually. If it was up to me you wouldn't hide them at all."
"Oh? You like them?" Damien raised one eyebrow and smiled playfully.
Harry shook his head. "You're back to your old self again, I see." He laughed."And yes, I like them. They're... Er... A nice feature."
"Yeah, right." The other boy laughed as well. "Speaking of nice features, are you saving?"
"Saving what?"
"Your hair. I've noticed you haven't cut it at all since I got here."
"Er... Not really. I just haven't thought of cutting it because now, when it's longer, I can manage it. Why do you ask? Do you think I should cut it?" Harry pulled self-consciously at a lock of his raven black hair.
"No" For God's sake, no. I love long hair on a guy. The feel of it running through my fingers. And, by the way, you look both older and better with your hair long." Damien grinned. "There's only one more thing I would like to change about you."
"What?" The green eyed boy was curious.
"Your glasses. Or how about loosing the glasses all together? Ever considered contact lenses? It's not fair to hide your eyes with those horrible glasses."
"Actually I have. I really hate my glasses, but it's just that I've never worried about my looks before." Harry shrugged. "I think I'll look at some new glasses next Hogsmeade weekend. Or maybe I should consider contacts. I'll have to think about that."
"Nice. And don't worry about your looks. You're looks are great. So are you drawing skills." The blue eyed halfblood changed the subject smoothly.
"Thank you. You can have a copy of this if you like?" said Harry, happy that they were not talking about his looks anymore. He pointed at the drawing of the vampire.
"I'd love that actually."
"Okay." Harry took out his want and touched the drawing with its tip, and said "Gemini!" An identical drawing appeared next to the original. The only difference was that the copy had a tiny 'G' in the bottom left corner. Harry handed it to Damien. "The 'G' works as a copyright mark that stops any type of copying spell. It's not that I think you'll copy it or anything, but it's the only copying spell I know."
"It's okay. I don't know any at all." He fell silent for a moment. "Harry? Can I see some of your other drawings?"
Harry nodded and opened the book on its very first page. It was the drawing of a spider. I can start by telling you how I got this book.
The other boy nodded.
"I was walking home from school one day because Dudley, my cousin, had stuffed me in a broom cupboard so that I missed the bus.I think I was nine. On my walk to get to my aunt and uncle's house I saw a bottle at the side of the road. For no reason in particular, I picked up the bottle and put it in my bookbag. And then I saw another one and another and another. There were so many along the road that by the time I reached a super market where I could exchange them for money, I had my arms full and I left the store with a handfull of coins. More money than I had ever had. I carried them around in my pocket for weeks before Dudley pushed me in the cupboard again and I had to walk home. I took a different route that time and passed a bookstore. I had never been in a bookstore and decided to go inside. I was in awe and stayed for as long as I dared, in fear of getting beated by my uncle when I got home for being late. I left with a pencil and eraser of my own, not just something I got at school. I also bought a cheap drawing pad. I have always loved to draw, but never got much of a chance to. In addition to those items I bought this book. It was meant to be a journal, but I've never actually used it as that though. The drawing pad got used up quickly due to late night drawing in my cupboard under the stairs and since I didn't have any money so I moved on to using this to draw in. I didn't draw quite as much after that since I didn't know how long I had to use it." Harry smiled. "It lasted me until I got here. After that I've been magically expanding it everytime it needs it. I've also begun to using it for other things besides drawing."
Damien smiled back at his housemate, but looked sad. "I didn't know it was that bad while you were with your relatives. You actually lived in a cupboard under the stairs?"
"Yes, I did. Until I was eleven. I got my cousin's second bedroom the summer before I came here. But that was because of Dumbledore, not because my uncle and aunt became soft with me."
"I see, but none of that explains the spider." Damien looked at the page of the book.
"While I was still living under stairs I had only spiders to keep me company. Therefore I drew spiders. I have a whole folder of them in my trunk upstairs. Not only spiders off course, but alot of the." Harry smiled at the thought of his old drawings.
"May I turn the page?"
"Sure," replied Harry. He guided Damien through several drawings of spiders and landscapes before they reached the ones from after he came to Hogwarts. The first one was of the castle. "I did that one only a couple of days after I arrived here. I know it has flaws, but it was the first building I ever drew."
"I can't see any flaws, but I guess you know where they are." Damien studied the drawing carefully.
The second one was of a snitch gleaming in the light from an invisible sun, surrounded by the words 'Quidditch', 'Seeker' and 'Snitch'.
The half-vampire smiled. "Ah.. A young boy's first love..."
They both laughed alittle before they continued flipping the pages. Past pixies and scarlet engines, Hagrid and Fang, Fawkes on the shoulder of his master, and Professor McGonagall standing next to a cat.
"Does McGonagall have a cat?" Damien asked.
"No. That cat is her. She is an animagus, but I guess you haven't seen her change. She stopped frightening us with that in our second year." Harry smiled.
"Too bad. I've never seen an animagus change." He sighed.
"It's actually quite fascinating."
When Harry turned the page, he revealed the recently finished drawing of Draco. Damien asked for no story to go with the drawing, but as though he knew what had gone through Harry's mind when the drawing was concieved, he said: "He's beautiful, isn't he? He was then too. Because he was younger when this was drawn?"
"yes, he was. Both younger and beautiful. It was in my fourth year here at Hogwarts. But I've just recently finished it."
"You're talented," Damien said, and he repeated that alot while they went through the drawings. Ron, Hermione, Hedwig. Damien was especially surprised by one of Hermione that Harry had drawn right after the ball during the Triwizard Contest.
"She should really get a permanent straightening spell put on that bushy hair of hers. Normally she's just avarage, but like that – and I know you haven't corrected anything about her, I can see that – like that she's beautiful. I think so, and I'm gay! It's the hair that does all the difference."
"I know. She's actually quite attractive for a girl, but her hair sorta hides it." Harry looked at the drawing of his friend.
"Has she ever had a boyfriend? Just wonder. Never heard her mention anyone."
"I don't think so. Not serious at least. She got very comfy with Viktor Krum – yes THE Viktor Krum – while he was here for the Triwizard Tournament, but that didn't get any further I think. She hasn't told me if it did. Then she and Ron was fooling around, but Ron ended it because there weren't any feelings beyond friendship between them. I don't think either of them were that upset about it. This was early last year." Harry's eyes filled with tears at the thought of his dead friend.
"You really miss you, don't you?" Damien put a hand on Harry's shoulder.
"Yeah. I know I haven't shown it much, but there has been so many nice things happening this semester that I haven't been able to mourn him in public, but I've mourned. At night." Harry stopped talking and wiped away the tears that clung bravely to his eyelashes. "I just wish I knew why. He didn't even leave a letter." He sniffled.
"I know. We all wish that. Even I would like to know that, and I know him that well." Damien let his thumb gently stroke Harry's shoulder while he spoke. "Did you draw him too?"
Harry nodded and flipped the pages of his Book of Ramblings past some poems, a drawing of a large black dog and a Firebolt racing broom to the drawings of Ron. Four pages were filled with the frecked face. He was smiling in all of the drawings. A few of them were in colour.
"Magically coloured?" Damien asked.
The other black haired boy nodded.
"They're nice. They portray Ron like you want to remember him?"
"Yes." Harry pointed his wand at the bottom right corner of the first page of Rons. "Memorium!" The words 'In loving memory' appeared where the wand tip had touched the paper. "He deserves it."
"He does."
Harry yawned.
"Should we look at more drawings some other day, Harry?" Damien's thumb stroked again. "It's getting a little late."
Harry looked around. The commonroom was emptying, and the clock on the wall told him that it had gone tow and a half hours since Hermione had left them. "I think so."
"I'm getting a little tired myself and we have a lot to do tomorrow." He took his hand of the other boy's shoulder.
Harry nearly moved after the retreating hand, not wanting to lose the touch, but he was able to restrain himself. "You're right. Let's get to bed." They both got up and climbed the stairs to the dormitories together, but parted outside the door to Harry's dormitory.
"Goodnight, Harry."
"Goodnight."
Damien turned around to go to his own dorm.
"Damien?"
He turned and faced Harry again.
"Can I have a hug?" Harry sniffled.
"Off course you can." The blue eyed boy put his arms around the small frame of the boy in front of him.
"Thank you," whispered Harry.
"Your welcome," Damien whispered back.
~ ~ * ~ ~ ~ ~ * ~ ~ ~ ~ * ~ ~
The following mornig, Friday morning, Harry, Hermione and Damien arrived at the Great Hall for breakfast quite early, but Draco had still beaten them to it. He was sitting at the end of the Slytherin table talking to Severus Snape. After a couple of minutes, the Gryffindors had sat down and their potions master was on his way back to the teacher's table. Draco caught Harry's attention and held up two very small glass jars. Harry grinned at his boyfriend, and even gave Snape an appreciative smile. He only got a scowl in return. It wasn't even his cat, but he was still excited about the kittens.
The classes of the day went good. Harrt got some homework, but most of the teachers gave the students the weekend off. When the last class ended Hermione went up to the Gryffindor tower with Damien to meet with Parvati, while Harry walked down to the Entrance Hall to wait for Draco to come up from the Slytherin dungeons. After ten minutes of waiting, the blonde head of Draco Malfoy appeared at the bottom of the stairs.
"Hi, D." Harry smiled at his lover.
"Hello, luv." Draco put one hand on Harry's left hip and the other one on his lower back and pulled him into a gentle kiss. They stood like that for a couple of minutes simply enjoying the taste of eachother before Harry pulled out of it.
"The other's are waiting for us in the Gryffindor commonroom, my sweet. We have to get going. You have the ingredients, I presume?"
"Yes. I have them right here." He indicated one of his pockets. "Let's get up there."
"Haven't you forgot something else, D?"
"What? I have the Redweed and the...I've forgot Blue!" He released his giggling boyfriend and ran back down into the dungeons. He reappeared only moments later with the black cat in his arms."Now we can go." He grabbed Harry's hand with the one of his that wasn't carrying Blue and they walked hand in hand up the marble staircase to the Gryffindor tower.
Parvati checked and added the two ingredients to the water herself and gave it to her cat, Cotton, but she let Hermione perform the actual spell.
"You, Parvati, stand here." Hermione pointed to her left. "And you, Draco. You and Blue, stand there." She pointed to her right. "Are you ready?"
Both the cat owners nodded.
"Okay," said Hermione as she whipped out her wand and pointed it at Cotton's belly. "Golden Bloodlines!" Cotton's belly glowed and a thin string of gold erupted from the glow. The string lengthened and then made contact with Blue. Hermione smiled and said: "Finite Incantatem!" The golden strings dissapeared.
Draco kissed Blue on the head and walked up to Parvati and scratched Cotton under her chin.
"So," said Parvati with a smile. "We're having kittens."
"Yeah." Draco smiled back.
"I've been thinking about how to split the kittens between the owers of the mother and the father, and I've got an idea."
The Slytherin nodded and motioned for her to continue.
"I think we should get half each or so. If there are a number of kittens that can be divided on two then we can take half each. You, the first half and me the second half or vice versa. And if there are an odd number of them, let's say five, you get three and I get two, if you agree on that? I only want the kittens to have good homes and as a catowner and obvious catlover, I'm certain that you will provide that for them." Parvati looked at Draco.
"That sounds like a very good idea." The blonde boy smiled. "Wil you please let me know, somehow, when Cotton goes into labour. I would like to be there when the kittens are born."
"I can do that. You know, Malfoy. You're not that bad for a Slytherin."
Draco smiled. "Call me Draco."
"Parvati." She held out her hand and he grabbed it. She smiled and petted Blue before she left the four friends.
Harry and Damien, who hadn't spoke a word during the ritual, got up. Damien petted Blue and Harry kissed his boyfriend.
"You're gonna be a dad, boy," purred the half-blood to the cat. "You're gonna be a dad."
Draco grinned. "This is so much fun! Uncle Sev'll be thrilled. It was like I said, you know. He did want one of the kittens. He said that he needed some companionship in his dungeons again. He has grieved Gabriel Angel long enough and now he wants a new kittie."
"So do I," said Damien. "If you don't want to keep the rest of them though."
"Hmmm... I want to keep at least one and, as I've said, uncle Sev is getting one, but if I get three kittens or more, you can have one. Deal?" Draco held out his hand.
Damien shook it. "Deal!" They both smiled.
"Shall we do our homework before dinner?" asked Harry. "So that we're done with it."
"Harry? Are you willingly doing homework before you have to?" Hermione looked at him suspiciously. "You never do that. What are you guys up to?"
"We're not 'up to' anything." Harry stuck his tongue out at her. "It's It's just that we," he made a gesture towards Draco and Damien, "are going to the Room of Requirement tonight. To have some male-bonding time."
Damien started laughing. "Or male bondage, if you ask Draco."
"It was a mistake." Draco pouted.
"We know, D." Harry smiled. "But we have to be allowed to tease you about it. It's funny." Draco snorted, and that made the two other boys laugh even harder.
Hermione chuckled as well. "Male bondage," she mumbled and chuckled more.
"You want to come along, 'Mione?" Harry asked, knowing she'd decline.
"Actually, I have plans allready."
"What kind of plans, 'Mione?" Damien asked in a childish voice.
"Yeah, Hermione. What kind of plans?" Harry adopted Damien's kiddie voice.
She smiled. "I'll tell you some other time." She checked the clock on the wall quickly. "But right now I have to get ready." She actuallt giggled and jogged up the stairs to the girl's dormitories.
"When did she become so secretive?" Damien was slightly taken aback. "I think it's she who's up to things, not us."
The other boys nodded in agreement, and all three of them sat down and co- operated on getting their homework done. By dinner time they had finished all of it.
Hermione hadn't come down from her dormitory by the time the boys left the Gryffindor commonroom and she didn't show up for dinner either. Harry looked around to see if there was an other person missing whom she might be with, but in the sea of dining students he could barely even recognise people.
As soon as they were finished eating, Harry, Draco and Damien headed up to the seventh floor. When they reached the tapestry of Barnabas they walked past the hidden entrance to the Room of Requirement, all of them thinking hard about a place of privacy.
Author's note: Here you go! This chappie wasn't that short, now was it? *Smiles* Suddenly Blue popped up and demanded to be re-introduced, and I can't deny him anything. (Yes, I know that he's only in my head, but I still love him!)
The name of Severus Snape's late cat is a tribute to my beta Josh and his kitties. Joshie, luv, I would have included Miss Bella too, but because of Bellatrix Lestrange I decided not to.. Hope she's not too offended. I'll make it up tp her on a later occasion. *Giggles*
Who do you think I should pair Hermione up with? I have a few ideas myself, but I'm always open for suggestions. My own ideas: Ginny Seamus Dean One of the Weasly twins (they are still there aren't they? They are only a year older than Harry, right?) Neville