Disclaimer: No one has come to take me home so im still a hobo who owns nothing…..

Chapter 3 : Dearly Departed Felines

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As planned, I 'bumped' into Hermione the next day at the same time and at the same place. I arrived at the shop first so I took the liberty of ordering Hermione's panini for her. She arrived shortly after our paninis were ready and was surprised to see I had ordered hers.

"You didn't need to do that," she said as she carried her plate up the stairs behind me to one of the seating areas.

"Of course I didn't. But I decided to anyway because it would save time." I sauntered over to a table for two in the corner and sat down in a squeaky metal chair. After removing my coat and scarf, I grabbed my delicious sandwich by the middle and began my dinner.

We ate in silence yet again. It was refreshing to be out for lunch with a woman who didn't interrupt you from your food. As it was very vexing to try and speak while chewing. Afterwards, I again disposed of our plates, with a quiet thanks from Miss Granger.

"So Hermione, tell me about your bookshop." Good place to start.

"It's not my bookshop," she said bashfully.

"Ah, but knowing you, it will be someday."

"Did I ever tell you about my cat Crookshanks?" Hermione suddenly asked me as she fiddled with the end of her jumper of the day, which was not the horrendous green one, thank Merlin.

"No, Im afraid not."

"He was such a good cat. Although Ron and Harry never liked him much." Was?

"Was such a good cat?" Hermione nodded sadly. I could have sworn I saw a tear in her eyes. It was then I started praying to the great big intelligent being in the sky that she wouldn't cry. Im no good with crying women. I usually say something they don't want to hear and then it all gets worse and mascara gets all over my Dolce & Gabbana shirts and then I get angry and they get even more upset. It's just generally not good.

"He died the day we went to the pantomime."

"I assume he died happy." What a clichéd line, pity I couldn't think of anything witty.

"Yes, I hope so. He was so old, it was a miracle he lived that long. He was with me through Hogwarts, university," Hermione didn't continue because she had to do a sniff.

"Be glad he was around so long and that you had the chance to know him and love him." I said that from personal experience. I once had a pet owl that I was terribly fond of that died soon after I got it. That's what you get for wanting an aging black owl with personality, I suppose. Hermione nodded quickly as she wiped away a lone tear from her face.

"It was just so awful, coming home from a terrible day at work to find him dead on his favourite pillow," she nearly started sobbing but she contained herself, " still holding his favourite toy!" And then she finally let it all out. She covered her face with her hands, to hide her tears. Thankfully, there was no one in the room with us.

"Hermione," I said with as much tenderness as possible, "He is happy. Don't worry." Nothing. Just more waterworks. I put my hand on one of her hands that was covering her face and pulled it down to the table to hold it. Women seem to like that.

"It's going to be ok. You can get a new cat. You can even give Crookshanks a funeral if you want to."

"I don't want a new cat! I want Crookshanks!" She said pathetically as she wiped away a tear.

"Hermione, you can't have Crookshanks back. He's gone. But you'll always remember him. You can tell your new cat all about him and make them get so jealous that they might turn into Crookshanks." Hermione laughed a small laugh.

"You're right, Im being silly, aren't I?"

"No, you're not," and then I had to reach across the table and get the tears out from under her eyes with my thumbs, those little water deposits were bothering me ever so slightly, "I was upset when my old owl Barney died in 4th Year." That seemed to comfort her a bit, and she began to smile again. I prefer her smiling to crying any day. I removed my hands from her face and put them back where they belong, on the table.

"Tell you what," I said what I hoped to be an encouraging tone, "When you're ready to buy a new cat, Ill take you cat shopping and even buy it for you. Ok?" Hermione grinned at this little promise. If a cat makes her happy, then a cat she will get.

"Ok," she said weakly.

"Good."

"Draco?" she asked innocently with big eyes.

"Yes?"

"Thank you for not laughing at me."

"Why would I laugh at you?"

"Well, at Hogwarts, you-" I quickly covered her mouth with my right hand. I wasn't going to allow her to spill her thoughts on my days of being obnoxious.

"At Hogwarts, I was a pretentious little twit who had everything laid out on a platter for him and thought life was a breeze. I am most definitely not him anymore. Please don't ever mention how horrible or rude I was to you then because all it will make me do is feel even more regret." I looked Hermione right in the eye and got close enough to her face that I could see all the little details about her that one sees up close. I couldn't help but look into her eyes for a moment before pulling away from her, to see if she had anything to subliminally say to my rare confession.

A moment of simply staring at each other passed. And then another. And another. I didn't mind, I could look at her all day.

"I don't know what to say," Hermione confessed. There was a sight you didn't see every day. Although it seemed I was seeing it more often as of recent.

"Then don't say anything." Hermione looked in need of a tissue or a handkerchief to dry her face so I handed her my white handkerchief that I always carried. Hermione looked at it for a moment, as if she didn't know its purpose. But then she found it was indeed a handkerchief, not just a random piece of fabric with 'Draco' on it.

After cleaning herself up, I was returned my handkerchief and then found I had to get back to work. Hermione nodded and began to put back on her average coat over her jumper.

I couldn't just let her go off to work in such a sad mood, I had to do something to cheer her up. So, I did the first thing that came to my head.

"Would you like to go out to dinner on Saturday?" What was I saying, she wouldn't accept me.

"Sure." Or maybe she would. She seemed happier, which was good. We began to walk down the stairs and towards the exit.

"Ill meet you at your flat at say, 7?"

"Great!"

Once outside, I turned to her and gave her a rare hug, she needed it.

"See you on Saturday," I said as I walked off down the high street, back to the Ministry.

When I sat down back at my desk, I realised something very important. I hadn't the foggiest where she lived and I didn't know how to contact her.

Bugger.

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Hey there my loyal fans! I hope you enjoyed the chapter! Tis heartbreaking to write about Crookshanks dieing but all things come to an end, even dear old Crookshanks. Anyway, please review on your thoughts and things. Oh, and you don't have to review on chapter one, you can review on any chapter about that chapter! Ive noticed people have a tendency to review only on that chapter so please feel free to write your comments anywhere! Also, if you have my story on alert or in your favourites but you haven't reviewed, please do! You obviously like my story, so tell me why! Or you can just tell me you like Hermione's green sweater and wish to purchase it from her :P Anyway, please review and enjoy the story!