AN: Thank you for all the support! It is very deeply appreciated!
Tail in the air, Crookshanks strutted in the room as if he was walking along a red carpet. Severus didn't look at him. Crookshanks leapt onto the bed. Severus continued to stare at the moon. The half kneazle let out a meow and pawed at the spirit, only to scowl when his paw went through Severus' essence. He meowed again.
Severus grunted.
Realizing, meows would not work, he let out something which sounded like a yowl.
"So you do not care for the Potters either." He turned to Crookshanks.
The half-kneazle huffed before walking around in a circle. After kneading the blanket for a few moments, he lay down.
"That about summarizes my emotions."
Laughter echoed from down the hallway. Severus shook his head as Crookshanks struck the bed with his tail.
"Perhaps I should join them." Severus mused. "They would not see me, but Hermione may take some comfort in my presence."
Crookshanks yawned.
"You're right. Hermione needs time with her friends away from me." Severus attempted to scratch Crookshanks' head, but his hand went right through him. "If I remain here I do not need to interact with Potter either. Things are complicated enough as they are. The last thing I need is for him to sense my presence."
The feline closed one eye.
"Then again, if your owner and I are romantically involved, it is inevitable that I will be in the same room as Potter. I best accept that fact if I wish to remain with her." He smirked. "Never would I have expected Hermione's love being enough of an incentive to spend time with Potter.
Crookshanks stretched before shutting his other eye.
"The night I see Potter again does not mean to be tonight," he concluded. "Right now, I am content to remain here and talk to a half-kneazle."
Crookshanks let out a small purr.
He chuckled. If anyone had told him he'd spent even a portion of his afterlife talking to an orange hairball, he would have considered them crazy. Then again, he never suspected he would get involved with Hermione or be locked in a Purgatory room with Sirius.
The afterlife was strange indeed.
If Harry hadn't inhaled its aroma and looked right at it, he never would've believed that cake existed. It was not burnt, nor did it smell like rotting eggs. It was as perfect as the one's Luna made.
"It's nice that you're learning how to cook," Luna began.
"Yes," Harry returned his attention to his hostess. "It's good to see you taking care of yourself."
"I feel much better now that I've started taking care of myself," Hermione took another look at the picture of a resting fetus in her hands.
"Yes, although I have to ask," Harry grinned. "How much food have you burned in the course of your lessons?"
"Harry," Luna scolded.
"Actually," Hermione put the picture in the center of the table with the other three. "I haven't burned anything yet."
"Nothing?"
"Nope." She smiled.
"Wow," he replied. "Then again, I shouldn't be so surprised given that you seem to pick up on things once you put your mind to doing them."
"That isn't quite true. I didn't pick up on cooking right away."
"No, but you never seemed to take an interest in it until now."
"True."
"What changed? Molly did everything in her power to teach you, and your mother seemed to have given up on you. What inspired you to learn how to cook?"
"I found a good teacher." Her lips curled upwards.
"Who I still haven't met."
Hermione swallowed.
"Now Harry," Luna turned to Hermione. "In time you will meet him."
"Yes, you will." Hermione swallowed.
"Fine, I'll be patient." Harry gave them a playful pout.
Luna giggled while Hermione relaxed.
"Mysterious boyfriends aside, I'm glad you have someone who is making you happy," Harry replied. "It's good to see you happy."
"You're just happy I'm not eating out and asking you for fresh food."
"No, I'm happy you're happy, even if it is with someone who refuses to meet me."
She laughed.
"In all seriousness," the playfulness evaporated from his expression. "It's nice to see you out of the rut you were in. You're finally being the person we all knew you could be."
"How so?"
"You're meant to research, to find cures instead of hoping someone else does so. You can take care of yourself, but you didn't want to. You aren't the kind of person to tell the world to bugger off, yet that's what you've been doing these last few years."
"I will admit to being a little more open with people lately."
"You are much more open to people." There was a twinkle in Luna's eyes. "And you finally have a chance to have what we have."
Hermione swallowed and blushed. "It's a little early to determine that."
"True, but sometimes you just know," Luna replied.
"Perhaps, but I'm not someone who just does things based on intuition alone."
"You should try. It does work."
"It does." Harry squeezed Luna's hand.
"Perhaps," Hermione muttered.
"Anyway, do we get a piece of that delicious cake?" Harry asked.
"Sorry, but this is for my dad."
"Oh come on," his eyes were agleam. "He won't know if we have a piece."
"He will if I take the whole tray to him and there's a big piece missing."
"You can just put it in a smaller pan."
"Or I can give you a piece when I get back."
"Promise?"
"It'll even be frosted by the time you get it."
"I can't argue with that then."
"No," she replied. "You can't."
No matter how long his existence lasted, Severus could not break his spying habits. Although the voices had gone quiet, he refused to leave his spot. For all he knew Potter was in the restroom, or his wife had finally convinced him to reduce his volume. Years later and the boy was still as loud as he was at Hogwarts. How did Luna manage to think long enough to accomplish anything?
Then again, Luna was in her own world half the time. Perhaps Potter talked loudly because that was the only way to turn his wife's focus onto him.
Severus glanced at the clock. A few minutes had passed since the last audible word. It might serve him well to take a peek outside. He began to rise.
Crookshanks growled without opening his eyes.
Severus raised an eyebrow and continued to ascend.
Crookshanks' growls were louder.
"Touchy," Severus returned to his spot.
The half-kneazle relaxed.
"Severus?"
"Yes?"
"You can come out now. Harry's gone."
He stood again. Crookshanks barred his teeth.
"Severus?"
"I would come, but I fear your pet is not happy with my departure."
Hermione's footsteps drew closer.
Severus glared at the half-kneazle. The sleeping animal let out a soft snore.
"How exactly is Crookshanks keeping you in place?" Hermione opened the door. "He can't even touch you, can he?"
"No, but he can growl." Severus stood. As expected, Crookshanks let out a sound. "I have no idea why he has become attached to me, but the more I want to leave, the more he demands I stay."
"That sounds like Crookshanks."
"It's bloody annoying." Severus mumbled.
"He must like your warmth," Hermione noted. "Or perhaps he just likes you."
"He would be the first non-human creature to like me."
"He's used to you, and sees that you make me happy." She sat on the other side of Crookshanks. She rubbed his head. He let out a small purr.
"Did you have a nice visit with Potter?"
"It was very lovely." Her eyes sparkled. "His unborn son is so adorable. I can already tell he's going to look just like his father."
"Oh joy, another clone of James," Severus muttered.
Hermione's voice softened. "Do you only see James when you see Harry?"
"No," he admitted. "When I see Harry I see a young man who has done little but complicate my life."
"He didn't mean to complicate anything. He couldn't help who he was."
"I know, and I should not hold it against him."
"Yet you do."
Severus' glow dimmed.
"Do you still see Lily when you look at him?"
"No, and even if I did," his glow intensified. "It would not matter because I would be too focused on you to care."
She swallowed.
"He's complicated my life in other ways."
"Do you dislike him because he cleared your name?"
"Among other things."
Hermione stroked Crookshanks.
"He had no right to release my private information as he did," he continued. "Even if I was dead, those memories were for him and him alone. He had no right to broadcast them all over the world."
"He thought you deserved to die with some dignity. Your name had been falsely dragged through the mud enough. He wanted to set things right."
"Misguided Gryffindor loyalty," Severus muttered.
"He was trying to behave justly and treat you with the respect you deserved."
"He was playing God and deciding what I did and didn't want."
"Listen," Hermione held up a hand. "I've had a pleasant evening. Can we please end it by frosting the cake instead of arguing?"
"I would love nothing more than to move on from this topic."
"Good." She got up, but he remained where he was.
"Please understand," his voice was soft. "I know you are friends with Potter. Understand that my feelings towards him will always be complicated."
"His name is Harry, not Potter."
"Harry."
"Thank you."
He stood.
"Also, I understand your feelings are complicated towards him. If I were you, mine would be too."
His glow brightened.
"Still, he is my friend. I know you would not ask me to choose between you two, but I need you to try and be respectful towards him."
"That I can do."
"Good." She held out her hand.
He grasped it.
It never ceased to amazing him how much love overtook his essence when he touched her, or how her face betrayed her ecstasy. It was as if her touch was all the heaven he would ever need.
"If you don't take me to the kitchen we'll never get this cake frosted." She moaned.
"We cannot have that, now can we?" He led her out the bedroom.
Crookshanks awoke and snarled.
Why did all the warm spots go away?