An Understanding: A Harmony Story from Harry Potter

Crookshanks could still remember the day Hermione Granger purchased him from Magical Menagerie because the young witch wouldn't stop cooing at him from outside his cage.

"Oh you don't want that old mangy fleabag" the saleswoman insisted "if you're looking for a cat I have some new kittens that are ready to be adopted"

"I want him" the thirteen year old insisted, "he's beautiful"

"Beautiful isn't really the word I would use but if you insist on taking him then I'll let you have him half price" the saleswoman said "at least he won't live the rest of his life in the shop"

Crookshanks growled as the young witch took him in hers arms and hugged him; he wasn't used to such affection. After all like the saleswoman said nobody ever wanted him so he had really internalized it. However sure enough he found himself leaving the shop with his new owner

"You brought that monster?" Ron asked wrinkling his nose in disgust

"He's gorgeous isn't he?" Hermione said proudly

"He's about as gorgeous as my great aunt Tessie's Christmas scarf" he replied

"He certainly is unique like you Hermione" Harry said

Hermione smiled as slight blush rose up under her cheeks

"Do you want to pet him?"

"Only if he doesen't bite"

Hermione giggled as she cuddled the reluctant cat who wasn't used to love

"Of course he doesn't isn't that right Shanks?"

"Shanks?" Ron asked frowning at the name "bloody hell kind of name is that?"

"Short for Crookshanks"

"Yup that's definitely your cat Hermione"

"Hermione they couldn't have gotten that far" Harry insisted running closely behind her as they both searched the school grounds.

"Shanks has never been gone for this long though" she said worried now

"He's always comes back" Harry insisted "Hedwig usually goes away for a few days at a time too"

"Crookshanks isn't an owl Harry"

"He's smart though just like his owner"

Hermione turned around to see the smirk on her friend's face and she knew he was only trying to make her feel better.

"Sorry" she said embarrassed "you didn't have to cancel your date with Cho to help me find my cat"

"Don't worry about it" he reassured "it's getting late looks like we aren't going to find either of them tonight; tomorrow is Saturday we can keep looking after breakfast"

Crookshanks pulled a long thorn that got stuck in his paw out with his teeth and immediately licked at the bit of blood that came out. Much to his annoyance a pair of talons came down and playfully grabbed at his bushy tail.

He hissed immediately and swatted at the trickster who annoyed him. Hedwig landed on a tree branch right above him with the mouse that they both had been hunting in her break.

The owl won the hunt this time and she was going to gloat about it. It seemed that owl always outsmarted him. Crookshanks swished his tail back and forth as he watched Hedwig consume her prize; a prize that should have been his. It wasn't his fault he couldn't fly and see prey from up above which was her advantage.

It was getting dark now and Crookshanks knew that his owner would be looking for him and he wanted to be cuddled up in her lap while she read the same book to him for the thousandth time.

Hedwig hooted at Crookshanks to get his attention once more what did she want now? The owl pointed one of her wings towards the direction of the castle. If that bloody bird thought he was going to follow her she must have a few loose feathers.

Hedwig blinked at Crookshanks as if waiting for his approval or something and the cat turned his back on her. He could certainly find his own way back to the castle thank you very much. The owl and the cat went their separate ways.

It was nightfall now and Crookshanks was getting tired, hungry, and cold. He swore it would be last time he'd follow that bird no matter how much she teased and played with him.

Crookshanks ears twitched and he took a moment to sniff the night air. There was something hunting him. The ground beneath him trembled. His tail went up as he looked behind and his ears flattened to his head.

Acromantualas!

The giant spiders were hot on his tail and hungry too. Crookshanks quickly sprinted away and the chase began. The cat found himself running and jumping over rocks, logs, and vines to get as far away as he possibly could.

It didn't help that the spiders began shooting wads of webs at him in hopes to catch him. Crookshanks swore if he ever got out of this alive he'd never think of eating another spider again; maybe this was his karma for doing so.

He had to make it though his owner needed him just as much as he needed her.

Just before one of the spiders was able to weave him in his web; Crookshanks felt the familiar sharp sting of talons grip the scruff of his neck.

He found himself being lifted from the ground into air above the spiders. It was Hedwig who had come back to save him; never in his life had Crookshanks been so grateful for the owl.

Hedwig flew high into the trees gathering all of her strength to get them both to higher ground. Once the owl found a sturdy enough branch she placed Crookshanks down and sat beside him. The two of them then watched the spiders run off into the night.

Still hungry and still searching for prey.

Hedwig proceeded to give Crookshanks a scoldful peck at his ears; as if she was saying I told you so. Crookshanks whipped his tail back and forth in annoyance but he did owe the owl is life so he reluctantly gave a low growl of thanks.

Hedwig decided to gloat by teasing him a little playing with his tail until Crookshanks shook his fur telling her to quit rubbing it in. However this time he did agree to let her lead the way back to the castle.

It was better than being chow for the spiders.

As Crookshanks exited the forest at sat on a nearby boulder; Hedwig landed on the branch next to him. It was morning now and some of the students were out and about enjoying the lovely Saturday.

"Shanks!"

"Crookshanks please come back!"

The cat's ears twitched when he heard Hermione calling him there was a hint of sadness. He felt guilty it wasn't the first time he went off to hunt but never for that long so obviously his owner was concerned.

Crookshanks looked over at Hedwig who gave him a wink. What the hell did that even mean? He swore she was a human in her past life never the less he ran over to his owner.

"Oh Shanks!" Hermione exclaimed happily as the cat leapt into her open arms "where have you been?"

He gave a warm meow in response

"Look at you!" she laughed pulling a stray leaf out of his fur "what were you doing chasing a mouse or a unicorn?"

"I told you he'd come back," Harry said as Hedwig landed on his arm

"Thanks Harry" Hermione said and then nodded over to Hedwig "I think Shanks might have had a bit of help too"

"Good job Hedwig" he patted the owl's head "I never pegged those two as friends"

"Looks like they are now"

Hedwig hooted happily as Crookshanks purred. Okay so maybe they were friends. That damn sneaky owl.

"….she was feisty too"

"How so?"

"If I fed her some of my leftovers she wasn't shy about letting me know that it wasn't good enough for her"

"I always knew she was a smart owl"

Crookshanks heard the two quiet chuckles coming from the living room of the Burrow. It was late and the cat got up when he felt Hermione wasn't in the bed anymore and was curious as to what was going on.

He slowly padded in on his owner and her friend on the couch laughing and talking to each other.

"Looks like we woke somebody up" Harry smiled

"Shanks come here" Hermione called to him patting her lap for the cat to come over.

"You're lucky to still have Crookshanks" Harry said scratching the cat behind his ears

"I am" Hermione replied "considering he's all I have right now since I had to….well my parents-"

"Hey as soon as the war's over we can both go down to Australia to find them"

"Oh you don't have to Harry"

"I want to Hermione"

Crookshanks jumped from Hermione's lap to the coffee table and the two friends grew silent. The cat noticed Hedwig's feather and was constantly sniffing and smelling it now to reassure that it had really belonged to his snowy owl companion.

"Oh no" Harry whispered

Crookshanks let out a sad meow as if he were asking them where Hedwig was now

"She's gone Shanks" Hermione explained "but like I told Harry she'll always be here"

Crookshanks reluctantly swished his tail back and forth as if he didn't believe her. This was the same owl that saved him from giant spiders even though he treated her poorly; she seemed invincible to her.

The cat returned to Hermione's lap and curled up in a ball as single tear managed to fall from his small eyes.

"It's okay Shanks" she whispered again "it's okay"

Crookshanks spent the rest of that evening on the couch snuggled between Harry and Hermione.