The last of my loverly Summer school stories. I really love this one. :jumps up and down: Read it, read it, read it! I wike it

Large droplets of rain pattered against the window, the sheets of water obscuring the sight of Hogwarts' grounds. Hermione traced a line down the pane of glass, following the trail of th droplet until it reached the bottom and puddled on the brick. She sighed heavily, laying her forehead on the glass, shivering at the cold. She could just barely make out the huge black clouds that overrun the sky.

"One...Tw-"

A bolt of lightening traveled swiftly to the earth, right across the grounds. She watched dully as sparks spattered around on the grass for a few moments, then got doused by the rain.

"Meow-!"

Hermione sighed again, looking over at Crookshanks.

"I can't help it! There's nothing to do!" She bent over, picking him up and placing him on her lap. He looked up at her expectantly, and batted a paw against her cheek.

"Meooow!"

"Sweetie, we can't go outside today, the storm is way too close."

As if to emphasize her point, another crash of lightening lit up her room, sending shadows skittering everywhere.

"Besides, cats aren't supposed to like water."

Another bat to her cheek.

"Crookshanks, I'm serious." She turned her view back to the window, trying her best to ignore her staring cat. It worked, quite well too. Well...at least until...

Bat.

"Oh fine! But if we both get fried, I'm telling Dumbledore its your fault."

Crookshanks jumped off the chair, watching her smugly as she pulled on her heavy winter cloak.

"And you can wipe that look off your face, as well, buster. C'mon." She held out her hands, catching Crookshanks as he jumped against her chest. She quietly made her way down the stairs, wincing at the noise. It seemed nearly everyone was in the common room, and they'd come up with an excuse to have a party. The joyous bumble of noise and activity, however, made it quite easy to slink out unnoticed. She almost laughed as they got outside, turning her head up to the pounding rain. The large pellets of water stung her skin, leaving it flushed and itchy, and she was already soaked. Crookshanks clambered up onto her shoulders, in favor of this perch because there, there wasn't much to block the rain from reaching him. Once Hermione had gotten bored of standing she stared meandering around, choosing to walk down the gravel path towards the quiddith pitch.

Her hair clung to her face in curly tendrils, and she had to squint her eyes both to protect them from water, and in an attempt to see. Looking ahead of her, she would have sworn she saw someone flying around the pitch, but quickly brushed it off. You'd have to be brain dead to be stupid enough to fly in a storm this bad. It was practically asking to get electrified. But, as she got closer it only confirmed that it was indeed a flier.

She made her way into the middle of the field, waving her arms above her in an attempt to flag him down. Crookshanks dug his nails into her shoulder slightly to keep from falling off from her movements, letting out a hiss of irritation.

After what seemed like an eternity, he finally saw her, and she gratefully let her arms fall. Even as he landed, she couldn't see who it was, the rain was so thick.

"What in the world do you think your doing?"

"What?" She could barely hear him as he moved closer in an attempt to hear her better. Their noses were almost touching now.

"I said, what in the world are you doing? Are you daft? You could get killed up there!"

Again, as an emphasis to her words, lightening hit right at the edge of the pitch. Unfortunately, it was behind him, so she wasn't able to see who it was in the light that it emitted. He, however, had to have the perfect view of her.

"We could die down here too, whats the difference?" He yelled back, and a voice in the back of her told her that she knew that voice.

"Whats the point in flying now anyways? You can barely see."

"I could ask the same of you. Why are you walking?"

She was silent a moment.

"Because it feels good." She pointed to her shoulder. "And my cat made me."

"Well, thats my reason, too!"

"Your cat is making you fly?"

"No, nimrod! It feels good!"

"Its still dangerous."

"So do you want to join me?"

"What! How does that work? I'm the one trying to get you to -stop-!"

"Yes, but its not going to kill you to try."

"It very well might!"

"Well then try it out for yourself! You can tell me if its dangerous or not after you try it."

Bat.

Hermione glanced at Crookshanks. He wanted her to do it.

"You're going to kill me one day..." She mumbled to Crookshanks, then turned to the boy. "Fine."

"What?"

Oh yes, she had been mumbling still. "I said alright!" She yelled.

"Brilliant!" He nodded his head. "Jump on behind me!"

She did as she was told, screeching and wrapping her arms around his waist as he suddenly took off.

"I wasn't ready!" She whined into his ear. His hair tickled on her face as the wind blew it, and there was that voice again saying she knew him.

"You seemed pretty ready to me."

Her grip tightened.

"I hate flying!"

"Just relax. Its no fun if you're all tense!" She didn't know why, but she listened, and looking around, and exhilarating feeling filled her stomach. He was an incredible flier. It was the smoothest ride she had ever felt. On a sudden urge, she threw her hands out, letting out a "whoop!"

She felt light as she put her hands back around him. She rested her head on his shoulder, breathing fast from the exhilaration.

She snapped up, however, as she heard thunder roll. She wanted to see who he was. She stared intently at his face as the lightening struck.

"Malfoy?"

he turned his head. "Finally figure that out, Granger?" He was silent for a few minutes. "You want me to let you down?"

She looked at the back of his head for a long time, considering her options, then simply lay her head down on his shoulder.

"Guess not, huh?" He smiled a little, placing one hand over hers on his stomach.

On Hermione's shoulder, Crookshanks gave a smug smirk, settling down more comfortingly on top of Hermione. A cats job well done.

:ebil chuckle: Oh yes, Crookshanks always did know what was best when lovely Hermione was involved. So what do you guys think?