A/N: Hello everyone! Welcome back to another fic :) Admittedly, this was another instance of "Oh, let me write on this topic. I'll plan it on pen and paper first, then go and transcribe it" and then when I sit down at my computer, this came out instead XD
This one is for Round 3 of The Houses Competition, where I'm a stand-in for Slytherin House and writing for Charms. This competition, we have to write a Drabble (500-1000 words) as well as a Standard or Themed (1000-3000 words). This fic is the Drabble of the two. I've chosen the prompt [Dialogue] "Leave the cat alone."
Thank you kindly to StoryPlease and Charlie9646 for betaing this.
Word Count: 982
Disclaimers/Warnings: None
Summary: Before Crookshanks ever chose her as his human, Hermione's favorite thing to do outside was to get a cat to like her.
"One Day"
Hermione Granger was a genius. Her parents didn't mind, for it meant that their daughter was quiet and absorbed in her books, making her an inquisitive and well behaved child, which worked well with their busy schedules at the dental office. Oftentimes, Dr. and Dr. Granger had to bring a primary-school-aged Hermione with them to work when off from school. She would just sit in a corner in the waiting room all day, reading her books and doing logic puzzles.
And so the Grangers were happy with this sedentary arrangement, but Hermione was a lonely child and longed for companionship. She hid it well with books and no one questioned the routine they had settled into.
When Hermione's father had a heart attack shortly before Hermione's ninth birthday, their routine, and their world, drastically shifted.
"Come along, Hermione!" her mother called out to her daughter, who currently had her nose stuck in a book. Things were cleaned up from dinner, and Mr. Granger–for they were Mr. and Mrs. while away from the office–had gone to the hall closet to grab his walking trainers. After his heart attack eight months ago, the doctors had warned him to get more exercise to strengthen his heart, otherwise he might suffer another debilitating heart attack before Hermione made it into secondary school. Taking the advice to heart, the adult Grangers decided that they would walk, rain or shine, every day after dinner, in the attempt to get the whole family healthier.
Hermione resisted attempts at getting her outside. Dragging her out for their daily walks was almost like pulling teeth, no pun intended. She often started their walk with a book, which would always get confiscated by the time they reached the park to walk the paths.
Today was no different. With a barely concealed scowl, Hermione joined her parents outside. Mr. Granger grinned widely before taking off, always happy for his walk. He claimed the exercise was great for his mental health, and who was she to judge how her husband derived joy from life? Mrs. Granger strode down the road at a more leisurely pace, keeping her daughter in view, a quick hand at the ready to prevent Hermione from walking into lamp posts and post boxes as she read.
Mr. Granger waited for them at the edge of the park, bouncing in place with a large smile on his face. Mrs. Granger grinned back at him as they approached.
"Alright, save your spot in your book, it's time to hand it over," Mrs. Granger stated. For the past eight months of daily walks, it had been a struggle to get Hermione to engage with the outside world. Taking her book away was the only thing they could do to make her experience their walks. Her daughter grumbled but dutifully marked her place with her newest bookmark, a slip of paper covered in cartoon cats.
"They just opened up a new walking path down by the river!" Mr. Granger exclaimed. "I want to go take a look at it!"
"Mum, I just have three more chapters to go until I find out who owns the carriage that nearly ran over Mrs. Danbury!" Hermione complained, causing Mrs. Granger's eyebrows to nearly disappear into her hairline even as she waved her husband off on his adventure.
"My my, my daughter, reading dramatic novels? Perish the thought!" she teased, tossing her head back dramatically with the back of her hand pressed to her forehead in feigned shock.
"Mum!" Hermione whined. Mrs. Granger dissolved into a soft giggle as she straightened herself.
"My dear, you can find out once we leave the park," she replied, continuing her stride. It was several paces later, when Mr. Granger doubled back around after scouting out ahead that she realized something was amiss.
"Where's Hermione?" he asked, and Mrs. Granger looked behind them. Their daughter was crouched on the ground next to a bush, her hand extended towards the roots of the shrubbery. Having had this same situation happen the past four days, Mrs. Granger signed as she started towards Hermione.
"Darling!" she called out, completely ignored by her daughter.
"Here kitty kitty!" nine-year-old Hermione said loudly, leaning forward, not understanding why the stray cat hunkered in the bush leaned away from her.
"Hermione," Mrs. Granger stated. "Leave the cat alone."
"But Mum!" Hermione replied with a pout, looking towards her mother and standing for a moment. The cat took that opportunity to dash out from the bush, sprinting past Hermione's feet and taking off down the path. "What? Oh, no! Come back, kitty!"
"Hermione, you can't bring home every stray cat we find," her mother lectured in a stern voice, making Hermione frown.
"But I want a pet!" she exclaimed. Mrs. Granger pulled her daughter in for a hug.
"When you're a little older, okay sweetie? Perhaps when you get into secondary school," she told her daughter, and she felt Hermione deflate in her arms.
"Okay," she replied dejectedly, and Mrs. Granger hugged her tighter.
"I'm sorry sweetie, but we just can't have a cat right now," she added. Hermione nodded against her shoulder.
Mrs. Granger let go of the hug as her husband stepped up.
"Found another one, did you?" he asked, and Hermione brushed past him.
"It was a calico," she replied, keeping her eyes away from her parents. Mrs. Granger felt a pang at Hermione's avoidance.
"Perhaps we should start bringing the camera. You can take pictures of the cats you find, and make a photo album of them all. I'm sure there's enough stray cats here to fill an entire shelf!" Mr. Granger continued, his tone light and teasing. Mrs. Granger looked to see Hermione smiling slightly, and she relaxed as Hermione started chatting with her father as they walked.
"One day, I promise," Mrs. Granger murmured. "One day you'll get a cat who will adore you."
