Hermione had once again taken the form of the tabby cat as she slunk around Malfoy Manor. She had watched Crookshanks to learn cat behavior and mimic it as well as possible. She had also learned that Lucious HATED cats and they only reason that he allowed them was because Narcissa loved them.
Tonight there were no parties, so she hoped that Lucious would get down to business. She sauntered down the hall to the doorway of his private library. He was the only one inside, but she heard him speak, so she stopped to investigate.
"Master, all is going as planned," she heard him say. "No one has a clue. Project Isaac will proceed as planned. No, Master, I would never question you."
"Yes, Master, I am prepared to make any sacrifice for the cause."
Hermione was about to make a move into the library to hear the other side of the conversation when Narcissa came from nowhere and scooped her up.
"Aw…what a sweet pumpkin kitty," she cooed.
Footsteps came from the door, Lucious peered out, "Stupid woman, stupid cat!" and he slammed the door behind him.
SHIT! Hermione thought, there went my best lead yet. Narcissa proceeded down the hall with Hermione still in her arms.
Hermione wracked her mind. Project Isaac? What could that mean? The Death Eaters had taken to naming their sinister plots from names in the muggle Bible. The story of Isaac… she had heard it as a child, but could not to save her hide remember what it was about.
The rest of the night was fruitless. Narcissa was planning parties. Lucious was getting drunk and belittling the family and the help. Draco was off somewhere lurking in the shadows. What, Hermione thought, couldn't find a slut dumb enough to bring home tonight?
She curled up on the hearth trying to be cat-like. Her mind wandered again to Hogwart's. Seventh year, she and Draco had been Heads. For a short time, Draco had almost seemed human. Being forced to spend as much time together as they had, you learn a lot about a person and can't help but care about them. She remembered an evening before they were to return home for a weekend, Draco had seemed particularly moody. She had tried to ask what the matter was and he had bit her head off. Bit by bit, she learned that his home-life was hell and he hated his parents. "I am not Lucious, damn it, Granger," he had screamed. "I hate him. I hate what he stands for. I hate myself for being a Malfoy." Yes, by the end of the year, she had no longer hated Draco, she had actually liked him. He had almost been the downfall of Ron and her. Shortly before the end of the year, she had been sitting in the common room reading late into the night when Draco burst in the door. Unaware that she was awake and present, he had burst into tears. "I don't want to get the fucking mark," he cried into his hands. He had cursed his father, his mother, Voldemort. Finally, Hermione couldn't stand it any more and she went to him. Realizing that she had heard everything and seen him cry, Draco didn't even try to regain composure. They sat on the cold stone floor in each other's arms as Draco had cried himself dry. When he finally looked up, he caught Hermione's cheek and kissed her. She was in such shock that her mouth had been slightly open. Draco seized the chance and slipped his tongue inside. The attraction had been undeniable. Before the year was over, Hermione found herself waking up in Draco's bed more often than her own. He was a drug, an addiction to Hermione. He was the cure to being the Gryffindor Bookworm. After their last night together at Hogwart's, Hermione had broken all contact with Draco. She returned his owls, she wouldn't answer her phone. He had broken down and used a muggle phone to try and reach her. But she swore off Draco and gave herself heart and soul to Ron, never to stray again.
A door slam on the far end of the house brought her back to reality. She went to investigate. The commotion came from Draco's room. He was hollering something at his father, when Hermione rounded the corner, she saw Lucious backhand Draco with such force that he stun around and crumpled to the floor.
"Don't you ever try to break free again, do you hear me you piece of filth? What are you now, some muggle-loving trash?"
"No, father, but…"
"But nothing. I said never again. I have been generous to let you live. But my patience with you is coming to an end."
"No, please," Draco pleaded.
"Look at you, begging, just like a mudblood, nothing more than a bug to be exterminated."
Lucious spun and around and left. Hermione could not get out of his way fast enough. His dragon hide boot caught her in the ribs and she skidded across the room. She would be bruised when she returned home tomorrow. When Lucius was gone, Draco remained crouched on the floor. It reminded her of the night at Hogwart's. She wanted to go to him once more but he was not the same person that he had been years before. He couldn't be. She had seen how he treated that girl that night in his room and how he boasted about the dark lord at his parties. But there with his father, he was the same Draco that she had known at Hogwart's. And what had Lucious meant break free? Let you live? She had to talk to Lupin and soon.
Across the room, Draco broke into tears again. She cautiously padded across the stone floor and came within inches of Draco. This was the closest that she had been to him in years. Even in her cat form, she felt drawn to him. She expected another hard blow like she had received a moment before. But it never came. Instead Draco reached out and stroked her back of fur. Strange, he thought, I don't remember this one. She nuzzled his leg and purred quietly.
"Well, at least everything doesn't hate me," he said. He picked himself off the floor and scooted back against the bed. He scooped the cat into his lap and sat there for the longest time. That night, Draco slept in his bed with an orange tabby cat curled up to his chest.
The next morning, Hermione was woken up just before Draco. She felt like old times waking up beside him, never mind the fact that she was a cat! He stretched and his hand came to rest on her side.
"Filthy fucking beast, get out of my bed!" He threw her out of the bed; of course she landed on her feet. That wasn't the reaction I was expecting, she thought. "Get out, get out!" Draco chased her out the door. Hermione ran out of the house and was a safe distance away before she retook her human form. Cat, especially magical ones, had a great talent for sensing differences in people under the influence of magic. She could be wrong, but she didn't think she was. She had to get to Lupin and the Order, NOW!
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