Hermione moaned lightly as she woke up to the sound of her alarm. After a moment she managed to turn it off. I don't want to get up… but, I really do need that shower and I have no idea how long it'll take for my fur to dry.

Again she regretted having not taken the chance to shower before leaving the infirmary with Harry. I would have missed dinner if I had. Nothing to do about it. She got out of bed, gathered her clothes for the day, and headed to the showers. It wasn't as if she hadn't had to wash with fur before, however during her second year Madam Pomfrey had insisted on no more than a sponge bath.

The shower itself took over double the time it normally did. Hermione frowned as she began to towel her hair off while using her wand to cast a drying charm on her fur. I will have to talk to Hagrid later about a good shampoo or soap for my fur. I don't like the feeling that my body wash left on it…

Twenty minutes later she was dry, brushed and dressed, and sighed. Her dormmates had been right to take their showers last night. She grabbed her bag making sure she had the books she would need and hoped she wouldn't be too far behind after her time in the infirmary.

Harry smiled as he looked up to see Hermione hurrying down the stairs he stood up and gave a proper formal bow. "My lady, may I escort you to breakfast?"

A blush colored Hermione's cheeks as she took offered arm it was dreadfully obvious to her that he had spent quite some time talking to her parents about him. This was like something from her favorite books. "Of course my Lord, I'd be honored,"

Gotta remember to thank Mrs. Granger, she was exactly right. Happily, Harry guided her from the common room and paused in front of the Fat Lady and placed his palm against her cheek, and leaned down to capture her lips in a soft kiss. "Good morning love, I love the smell of your shampoo."

"Thank you, Harry, come on let's go to breakfast?"

"Sounds good! I'm really hungry." He took her hand and grinned as she squeezed his hand with her's

"Oh! I talked to Lavender and Parvati last night. Harry, you got forty-five points! You and Cedric are tied for first place!" Hermione beamed up at Harry still getting to her shorter stature. However, it was nice to be able to look up at Harry.

"Damn, I had wondered why he had told me that it was a lock-in for a Hogwarts' victory." Harry shook his head. Soon they walked through the doors to the great hall and eagerly took their spots to see Ron already eating though he looked a bit out of it.

"Ron? What is it?" Hermione asked before she started to dish herself up.

"Oh, I just… I was thinking about what a total berk I've been." Ron held up a hand as Harry and Hermione spoke up. "No, guys seriously… I'm sorry. I haven't been the best friend. I mean…" He shook his head. "So, I'm sorry I wanna do better so. I'm happy you guys got together you make a great couple just… don't leave me behind?"

Hermione got up and quickly ran to the other side of the table before engulfing Ron in a hug. "Never! We're best friends Ron, you, me, and Harry. We'll always be best friends."

"Promise?" Ron's voice was quiet as he held Hermione just as tight he smiled as he felt Harry's hand come to rest on his shoulder.

"Yeah mate, promise. We're the Golden trio aren't we?" Harry grinned as the other two rolled their eyes at the oft-used nickname someone had given the three of them.

"Yeah, yeah we are." Ron agreed and let go of the hug before giving Harry a one-armed man hug. He watched as the two walked back across the table and took their normal spots. He saw his brothers and gave them a warning glare as the twins grinned back.

"Did you see anything Forge?"

"Fraid not Gred I must have been momentarily struck blind and deaf funny that you?"

"The same. It must be going around!"

Hermione giggled as the twins winked at her. Breakfast she hoped would herald the rest of the day as an easy one. And it did for the most part. Until her meeting with Madame Pomfrey that was.

Hermione sat on one of the beds in the infirmary as she waited for Madame Pomfrey to finish what she was doing. So far the day had gone well, her professors were understanding of her needing a few extra days to get caught up.

"Ah, Miss Granger I'm glad to see you just a moment!" She finished the inventory with a flick of her wand before turning to the teenager. She waved her wand over her and clicked her tongue.

"As I was afraid. My dear Miss Granger, what do you know about cats?" Madame Pomfrey took a seat in a chair in front of the baffled cat girl.

"Quite a bit, though obviously not as much as I now need to. Um, I know they are basically carnivorous and that I need to be careful what fruits and veg I eat." Hermione considered. "I know they normally have up to six nipples but I didn't…" She trails off

"Oh no my dear you only have two human breasts. A very relieving thing. However, it appears that you have gained a cat's reproduction."

Hermione blinked dumbly for possibly the first time in her life. Crookshanks had been fixed prior to her purchase of him so reproduction was never something she looked into.

"Ah, I see you are unaware. Well, let me put it like this. You won't suffer from the menstrual cycle monthly anymore."

"I… will I be able to have children…in the future?" Hermione interrupted her eyes a touch wild. She knew how important family was to Harry after all and she herself would love to be a mother in the future of course, not right now…

"Oh yes! Do not worry about that Miss Granger in fact if anything your fertility rate has gone up. " Madame Pomfrey watched as Hermione seemed to almost collapse in relief. "However, as I said you will not have a cycle anymore. Instead like any feline, you'll go into heat."

Hermione simply stared ahead in shock not noting as the healer placed a book in her hands.

"This will explain everything. If you have any questions please return at once and I'll answer all I can."

It took ten minutes before Hermione finally left the book clutched in her hand. I'm going to go into heat? She shook her head before she lightly bit her lip What is Harry going to say?

Harry in fact wasn't too surprised when she told him later at their table in the library. "Honestly Hermione, after all that time with Mrs. Figg and her cats. I probably know cats as well as any vet. So I know about a cat's heat I just…" He trailed off as he took her hand "I wish you didn't have to go through it… maybe" He considered as he got up "Would you be okay with my talking to Professor Snape?"

"Professor?" Hermione blinked in surprise as Harry shrugged.

"He's been pretty cool about this whole thing, I mean… He even came in to check on you. Not even Dumbledore did that." Harry shrugged "Plus, you being in heat would cause disruptions."

"Yeah, it really would…" Hermione admitted as she got up as well. "Alright, let's go talk to Professor Snape."

Snape stood cross-armed as he listened to the two plead their case and admitted that the two had a point. And anything to postpone another Potter from entering this school… "I see, so you were hoping for a potion to halt your heat? Something similar to a muggle birth control?"

Hermione nodded her head eagerly as Harry also nodded. "Exactly, Hermione is brilliant. I want to make sure she has the best future chances possible."

"An understandable position Mr. Potter, give me a few days I will have something before your first heat is to start. You have my word, Miss Granger." Snape turned back to the potion he had been preparing when the two entered silently dismissing them.

Harry bowed his head in respect and led Hermione out of Professor Snape's office.

"You have changed Harry." Hermione smiled as she looked up into his emerald eyes and giggled as he kissed her nose.

"Is that a bad thing?"

"Nah, in this case. I think it's a very good thing, Mr. Potter." And with that said she captured his lips in a rather impressive snog which left the taller boy rather tongue-tied in a good way as they headed back up to their common room. They did have homework to catch up on after all.