Disclaimer: I own nothing.
A/N: This chapter is much, much shorter than the other chapters, but I needed something to bridge. I've tried many many ways, but this was the best thing that came out of it. So forgive how long it's been, and forgive its length. I'll try to make it up to you in the next chapter.
It wasn't that Hermione had wanted a quiet night. Marta was actually worn out by the time she was ready to head up to the dorm anyway. No. It was that she wanted sometime with Crookshanks.
She still loved him very much, but he was feeling like as small child does when a new sibling is born. But with small children, there are usually two parents so one can stay with the older child. Crookshanks had no one – only Hermione and Marta. Hermione had never wanted Crookshanks to feel out of the loop on anything.
That's why she unloaded Marta with Ron for a night.
Just as long as he didn't have enough and throw her up the girl's dorm stairs, the night was for her and Crookshanks. There was no little growling black fur ball involved.
When Hermione came back upstairs from dropping Marta off, her human roommates were already asleep. Crookshanks was curled up in his corner, halfway there as well. He was facing the wall, which meant that while he was choosing to sleep in the same room as Hermione, he wasn't about to forgive her.
Hermione sat down next to him, and began to stroke his ginger head. She felt him startle at her touch, but he refused to purr at first. But he was enjoying himself, so after a few minutes he gave in and purred. Hermione smiled.
"I knew that you liked it." She wrapped her arms around him and picked up the protesting cat. She carried him over to her bed and placed him on his favorite pillow. He didn't stay there, like she suspected, but she knew that he would be back as soon as she crawled all the way into bed. She quickly donned her PJs and made herself comfortable. And for the second time that night, she was right. Just as she was beginning to feel one with the bed, she felt a slight thud on the other side.
Two beds away, Lavender moaned and rolled over. Hermione couldn't help but be amazed about how Lavender had fallen asleep almost instantly with out Marta in the room. She wasn't a bad kitten, she was just…energetic. Yes, energetic was the word she was looking for.
She didn't touch him right away. She knew that if she reached to pet him at this moment, Crookshanks would leave and the process would either end or begin again. It wasn't until that the weight at the end of the bed shifted that she knew he was coming to her.
"Hey Buddy" She cooed. He curled up underneath her arm, purring as Hermione stroked his silky head.
She knew that any mention of Marta would send him flying off the bed; but she knew that he needed a speech. Being half-kneazle, he understood everything she told him, even though he sometimes pretended not to. Honestly, whoever said that cats weren't intelligent had never met Crookshanks, and it would be better for the speaker's sake never to do so.
"Hey Carrot-Top, we need to talk.' Hermione said gently. Crookshanks didn't budge.
"I know you're awake. And I know you understand everything I'm saying. So stay there. She is here to stay. And I was hoping that you could be a little bit more supportive of her." Crookshanks didn't lift his head.
"It's not like I don't love you anymore. Because I do. You are still my Carrot-Top, King of the Dorm, and my Buddy. But we have a new addition to our small family, so please please please be a supportive uncle. I really want this to work.
Crookshanks lifted his head again. His eyes were still narrowed menacingly. But then he nudged his head against Hermione's hand, asking for the attention he used to always receive.
"So we're civil with each other again?" Hermione asked?
Crookshanks just purred and stretched, falling asleep draped across Hermione.
