1Hermione emerged out the other end of the tunnel into the narrow alley. Thankfully, the sun was long gone so it didn't hurt her eyes, but it left her in a position for many of the weirdos to take advantage of her being alone and unarmed save for her wand. She scampered down the streets, hurry along side the empty stalls. Cars with no headlights would pass her, as would the occasional man. It wasn't natural for her to be out this late, as she was female and all. The quicker she got back inside the walls of the hotel the better.

She didn't even know how long she had really been gone. Surely, it wasn't too long she thought, not knowing that in fact she had been away for three days.

She ran as fast as she could while still being able to breathe. The moonlight lit the road for her so she was able to jump over any broken pottery or boxes that had been left by the careless shoppers from the morning. She sure looked a sight, a single white teenage girl in an orange Sari running down empty streets in the middle of the night. She felt this sharp tinge in her chest, that only caused her to run faster. Something kept telling her in the back of her mind she needed to be at the hotel now! As the roof of the building came into view, Hermione began an all out sprint.

Her legs were killing her and she tried to change that feeling, to stop it, but nothing happened. Concentrating on them only seemed to make it worse. The pain intensified with each step, until she was beyond the gate and running through the door. As soon as she stepped in, she doubled over, panting. Hermione's lack of air had been unnoticed until she was safe inside. Shutting the door with one hand, and not able to look up she heard two pairs of feet come running down the stairs to her.

"Hermio!" The caretaker's little girl, Kumuda, shouted as she raced towards her, "Come! Quick! Come! Crookshanks not well!"

Hermione looked up sharply, her eyes wide. Suddenly, she couldn't bring anymore air through her lips and her chest got tight. She couldn't move her tongue, she couldn't open her mouth. Nothing worked and she felt dizzy. Kumuda's words kept replaying and replaying as time froze. It was as if someone has pressed the pause button just to taunt her.

When she found her voice, somewhere deep in her throat, she choked out, "What? Where...where is Crookshanks?"

Shashi, the mother, came from the stairs and walked over to Hermione to place a comforting hand on her shoulder.

"Crookshanks sick. I came down and he was lying on floor and howling like a wild beast! Kiran took cat to room and is making Crookshanks better," she said, sounding serene.

"Kiran, the merchant?"

Shashi nodded.

She meant to soothe her, yet, her words only upset Hermione more. She could only think about what the silent man who didn't seem to like her would do to her cat. His presence in the building no longer felt like it belonged, like it was okay. The comfort Hermione found in the routine disappeared.

The shy little boy, Abhaya, took her hands and with the help of his sister, helped to pull the still breathless Hermione up the stairs. The little girl was shouting something frantically. It was English, but Hermione no longer could pick the words apart and mentally add the spaces, comas, and punctuation needed to understand. The door to Kiran's room was open, and as soon as she heard the meowing of her beloved cat, she found her legs and stepped inside. After the second step she froze again. Blood was on the floor and she could see Kiran's figure hunched over in a corner. What was going on, she couldn't tell because the bed was in the way. Kiran stood, and turned around, looking as grave and tightlipped as ever. All down his front was blood and on his hands, too. He walked towards Hermione and looked her over once. Hermione wanted nothing more then to move. To get away from him and get towards Crookshanks. She could still hear that weird meow that must have been in dying pain. She knew if she could get to him now she might be able to save him. But her feet just stayed rooted to that spot.

Kiran just grabbed her arm and pulled her so that Crookshanks came into view. There her orange baby was, laying on one of Kiran's blood soaked shirts. It was sure that there was no Muggle way to clean that off. As she got closer, she noticed rather strange bumps on the stomach of Crookshanks. Crookshanks, was fine, he just looked a little sleepy. What were those bumps? They hadn't been that way when Hermione left.

"Did you know," he said, his voice deep and drenched with an Indian accent, "You're cat was pregnant."

"No! That's impossible! Crookshanks is a male. He can't get pregnant!"

Hermione bent down towards her cats and found that the bumps were really three little kittens, nursing! Crookshanks wasn't a he. Crookshanks was a she! How could Hermione over look this? Crookshanks had been getting fatter, but Hermione assumed he was just getting lazy and eating too much. The fur had kept her from seeing any real sign that things were not what they seemed. Immediately Hermione felt a wave of guilt. She had thought Kiran had done something horrible to Crookshanks in reality he had not only ruined a shirt of his for her, but helped deliver her kittens. When she looked up to thank Kiran he was gone from the room. Hermione sighed, still feeling pained that she would think that about him. She went to her room and conjured a basket. She was about to go back into Kiran's room to carry Crookshanks to her own, but Kiran was standing in the door way, Crookshanks and her kittens nestled in the shirt he held. Silently he walked to the basket and set them down and handed her a bottle of what looked like milk, but smelled sweet, a bit like lavender.

"Thank you," Hermione said softly.

Kiran just turned and left after a slight nod with his head. Hermione turned to care for her cat...well cats now. Stroking the exhausted mother, Hermione pondered over what had just happened. She felt a new bond to him, a new tie. His hard, tan face with the changeless stern expression wasn't that of a silent loner anymore, but more of a lonely, familiar friend. Hermione pour the milk into Crookshanks's bowl and nudge it to her, encouragingly. The tired cat lapped lazily at the milk. After a few minutes, Crookshanks finished her meal and began grooming the sleeping kittens. Hermione smiled and yawned.

"You've got yourself a little bit of a handful, don't you?" Hermione giggled as the cat meowed in response.

That night she went to sleep laying next to the basket in case the new mother needed anything.

The next morning, Hermione left, after making sure all three of the kittens where well. As she shut her door, Kiran shut his.

"Namaskar," Hermione smiled as she waited for him to turn around without a word.

He didn't smile. He didn't speak. He just nodded and that's as close as Hermione got to a 'hello'. And that's all she needed.

A/N: Short. Sorry. And I won't update for the next few days so be happy with this. I'll have a great update for you when I get back though. Really. I'll make it at least three pages long at least. And I'm sorry for every one who wanted Crookshanks to stay a boy. I needed a mama cat.

Thanks to Really-a-Dopey: I don't think anyone likes fudge. Thank you for all your reviews.

Thanks to Varcolaci: You're really encouraging me to write better. Tell me if you think this chapter is lacking.

CareBearErin: Well the main reason is I love Yoga, and yoga originated in that area. Plus, some of the things Rahu told Hermione were borrowed and mixed with the teachings of yoga.

Thanks to all my reviewers.