Disclaimer: I OWN NOTHING THAT YOU RECOGNIZE!
Disclaimer 2: This is my first attempt, and I want alll criticism! no holding back! i want to know if it totaly blows! Thanks! Da Goose
Ray, thanks, it always feels good to hear to someone likes my story, even if they've told be before.
Cupcakes, I'm sooo glad you like it!
Gentileschi read on! see what happens!
Pshycodemented, welcome! please read and review! please! ;)
Filthy x Gorgeous that's actually pretty much how I was feeling at the end of chapter i was thinking, "hmm, this could be fun...to write though, i'd never do it"
Sweetypi, thanks, you're a sweetie pie! I'm not sure how many chapters, whenever I finished I guess but probably around like 20ish I'll let you know when I"m heading towards the end!
twidaleedee , you used woot! that's soooo hott! I love that word!
Gothhottie, don't cry! and yes she is being quite evil isn't she? YAY!
When the class ended I gathered up all of my things and checked out A Guide to Catching Wild Ingredients in the Forrest. Without so much as a glance at Malfoy I walked out of the library heading toward the common room. Once I was there I dumped off my bags and was going to head down to dinner, but then I realized there was still twenty minutes until dinner even began and I could talk to the guys about the boxers. I searched through my bag to find the two notes that Malfoy had written me and put them away in my drawer, should anyone else find them...I would never hear the end of it.
I walked back into the common room to get some water from the kitchenette when I noticed something odd. There was a fire going in the fire place but the smoke was an ominous purple while the fire itself was shoots of blue and pink. 'Dumbledore?' I thought to myself. 'Maybe he's really trying to convince us about that unity thing.' I wasn't really sure what do and ended up just staring at the fire, mesmerized. I didn't hear someone enter the room, or even when that same person called my name but suddenly I was aware of another's presence and turned to find Malfoy staring at me, he looked almost concerned.
"Granger, is everything okay?"
"I'm fine. This fire's just really strange, it's blue and pink and the smoke is purple." Malfoy came and stood beside me staring at the fire, I watched his face to see his reaction. "Isn't it weird? I came out to get a drink and it looked like this. I didn't even start a fire, did you?"
"No I didn't." We both turned in unison to look at the fire. Suddenly the room span and once again everything went dark...this time though, no one was awake to say "Damn". When I opened my eyes I was lying on the couch again. I quickly looked down and let out a sigh of relief when I saw that this time I wasn't wearing my underwear, I was still in my school robes. "Awake already?" a female voice said.
I looked up in surprise but I didn't see anyone. I did a quick scan of the room. Malfoy lay on the opposite couch apparently still out cold. There really wasn't anything different...except the fire was out. I called out nervously, "Is someone there?"
"Yes, and don't be afraid, you were only out for about a minute. I promise you were safe all the while. What is interesting however," continued the disembodied voice, "Is that you have woken up before the wizard. No others have woken up so quickly. Oh, but how I go on. Let me introduce myself." A purple cloud began to billow out of the fireplace. "I," the cloud seemed to say as it began to shape itself, "am your guardian." The shape began to materialize and I gasped as it began to take the form of a panther. "My name is Gidea."
"Hello Gidea, I am Hermione." I feel like I'm going crazy yet, I don't feel threatened by this large animal. "What do you mean guardian? Are we in danger? And is it bad that I woke up more quickly than others?"
"Full of questions aren't we little one. I'll start with your first question. No, you are not in danger. I am the equivalent of a witch's familiar, however there are two of you and only one of me so Dumbledore has taken to calling me the guardian." I opened my mouth to ask about Dumbledore, 'I knew he was involved some how.' but Gidea continued on.
"Listen now, ask later little one. Once they've graduated most witches and wizards obtain a familiar. I'm here to get you used to a familiar before you receive one, all students in their seventh year receive a guardian. I am the Head Boy and Girl's guardian. Now, the familiar can come in any shape or size of animal. I once knew an elephant who was a wizard's familiar, thank goodness we were from Africa because and African Elephant in the middle of the city would look kind of odd, in Africa, not so much. Anyway, the familiars give advice and offer opinions on things that their witch or wizard is going through.
Now as for you waking up before others that simply means that you don't need as much guidance because you have so many people who can and do help you on a regular basis. This one over here though seems as if he doesn't he hasn't even started to stir yet, you did only a few seconds after the spell was performed. Oh, that's another thing. Familiars can do simple magic, but their specialty is the ability to become invisible so that they can be there for you even if they cannot be seen."
"Gidea, does it matter that I have a cat, I mean you won't attack him or anything will you?"
"Gidea shook her head, "No, no of course not. I'm housebroken." 'I could have sworn she just winked...so that's good Crookshanks is safe...hmm..Crookshanks...he couldn't be...could he? I mean that would explain why Dumbledore let me bring him eventhough cats are not listed on the allowed pets list. And Sirius...I mean he knew he was good, he even helped Sirius to get to Wormtail.
"Um, Gidea...is it possible that I may have already found my familiar. I mean I do know that there are a lot of people I can turn to for guidance but just maybe, is there a chance?" Gidea looked thoughtful and then nodded her head.
"It is extremely rare that you would have found your familiar already, no one else has found their familiar before completing their training but there is a small minute chance that you did, after all, you did wake up before any one I've ever known. I mean look at that one, he must really be alone. Most are usually beginning to come out of it by now." I stood up and walked over to my door.
"If I showed you my cat, whom I'm beginning to believe is my familiar would you be able to tell?" Gidea nodded and I opened my door. I walked in and grabbed Crookshanks off the bed. Cradling him in my arms I walked back into the common room. Crookshanks saw Gidea but didn't hiss or go on the defense at all. Instead he just meowed at her looked back up at me.
"Oh Little One! Oh my!" Gidea said in awe. "You did it! I cannot believe it! No one has found their familiar this early! I cannot believe it! You seemed to already know he was your familiar, but how?" I sat down and told Gidea of Sirius and everything that had happened in the third year. "I do believe," she said after hearing the entire story, "that you found him so early because you needed him. Had it not been for Crookshanks here an innocent man would have become subject to a most horrible fate."
A sudden moan startled me and I twisted to Malfoy struggling to an upright position. He looked at me and started to smile, but then saw the large panther sitting on the floor. "Okay, Hermione back away slowly. Oh fuck! How did this panther get here?" Malfoy rose slowly from the couch watching Gidea cautiously.
"Watch your language young man." Gidea scolded Malfoy. Malfoy stared, disbelievingly at Gidea.
"You...you..you talk?" he said clearly amazed.
"Yes I do young man. Now why don't you sit back down and I'll explain what I've just told Little One here. Little One," apparently that was me. "Why don't you go out into the Great Hall, Professor Dumbledore is waiting to talk to you one on one to see how this goes. Each house is checked on by their House leader, Dumbledore is yours."
I stood up to leave placing Crookshanks on the floor and headed toward the door. Malfoy shot up from the couch and grabbed my arm. "Granger, please, don't leave. I don't know what's going on but I don't like it."
"Malfoy, it's okay." I said in soft soothing tones, trying to comfort him. He may be an ass but right now he was frightened ass. "Her name is Gidea and I promise you that you'll be safe. In fact, if she kills you, you can haunt me for the rest of my life." Malfoy laughed weakly but there was more confidence then there had been before. I left the room while Gidea sat down the couch where I had been sitting, across from Malfoy. I entered the Great Hall and found it empty except for the Headmaster who was sitting at the table beside the door.
"Ah, Ms. Granger. Everything went well?" he asked hopefully.
"Yeah it was fine. I was really scared at first but Gidea was really nice. So how long have you known that Crookshanks was my familiar." The Headmaster smiled and even laughed.
"Is he really your familiar? I wondered sometimes but never very seriously gave the chance much thought. I just thought you were a cat person." He laughed gaily. "So tell me how did it go?"
"Well I learned a lot. Did you know that I'm apparently very odd?" Dumbledore laughed again and shook his head. "How so Ms. Granger?"
"Well I am the first person she's known of who has come out of the trance so quickly. Although I'm willing to bet I didn't beat Harry and Ron by much. Apparently I have a lot of people who I can turn to for good advice and help when I need it. Also I have Crookshanks which makes me think that while Harry and Ron have the same people, I have a familiar already and I would have woken up quicker than them.
That's another thing. Did you know that I am the only witch or wizard to have found their familiar so early in life?" Dumbledore shook his head in surprise. "And I agree with Gidea when she said it was fated. Had I not found Crookshanks just before my third year began can you imagine what would have happened to Sirius that year? It was Crookshanks who saw both Sirius and Peter for who they were. But there is one questions I forgot to ask Gidea," Dumbledore arched an eyebrow. "Why haven't I heard Crookshanks speak?"
"Ah, that's a good question. It is to my understanding that familiars do not receive their voice until their witch or wizards has graduated, only then can they search for them. Crookshanks must have realized early on that while he couldn't talk you needed him anyway. What a clever cat."