DISCLAIMER: Only the Kanimas are mine…

HIDDEN CHANGES

Chapter 9

Hermione sat in the secluded hallway for quite a while before heading to lunch. She carried out the rest of her day not speaking much. She felt so guilty for what she said. Harry and Ron tried to snap her out of it but it was in vain. She didn't see Xavier at all during classes. All of her teachers seemed on edge during classes having heard what happened to the other professors. By the time dinner rolled around she was too tired and decided to retire early.

Hermione collapsed on her bed fully clothed and shut the curtains around her casting a silencing spell so she could cry in peace. Xavier appeared on the end of her bed in his usual human form sighing at the state of his new cub. He shouldn't have lost his temper and told her that. He mentally scolded himself for forgetting how sensitive she was to those kinds of things. Hermione felt the mattress dip from the weight and she looked up to him sadly. He gestured for her to come to him and she just crawled into his arms crying into his shoulder.

Xavier rubbed her back trying to calm her, "Shhh, it is okay."

She sobbed, "No it isn't. He must have hurt you."

Xavier pulled back so he could look her in the eyes, "that was in the past. I am better now, see."

She nodded and cried as he wiped her tears away with his thumb. He pulled her close and kissed her forehead.

"Sleep now cub."

"Stop calling me cub. I have a name."

He smiled and held her in his arms correcting himself, "Sleep now, Hermione."

Severus Snape was on patrol duty that night but he wasn't doing that. He was looking for a place that a student might brew a potion. He checked all of the extra classrooms and all of the abandoned dungeons. He even checked the shrieking shack but to no avail. Then he remembered overhearing that Granger brewed a potion in Moaning Myrtle's bathroom. Severus headed straight down to that bathroom to find that annoying ghost in his way.

"You're not supposed to be here."

"I was coming to check around for suspicious activities." Severus smirked, "I would check the prefect's but it seems that Mister Malfoy wanted a night bath."

Myrtle squealed and dove into the toilet without another word.

Severus tsked, "So predictable." Now that his obstacle was gone he could search in peace. He looked everywhere and was about to give up when he smelt something coming from one of the sinks. "Found you." Severus grumbled at the sink and made random hissing noises for about five minutes before yelling, "FOR MERLIN'S SAKE OPEN UP YOU PIECE OF DRAGON DUNG!"

Snape leaned up against the sink thinking about his options, he could go to the Dark Lord and ask him or he could obliviate Potter. He sat and debated for a while before he stood up and headed towards the Gryffindor common room.

Hermione woke up the next morning feeling very warm. She turned her head to find that she was still curled up in Xavier's arms. How do I get out of this without it being awkward? After a short time of debating she decided.

"Get off of me you fat cat," with that she pushed him off the bed and he landed with a thump groaning.

Xavier looked up blinking and realizing what had happened before he rolled under the bed mumbling. "Bitch"

Hermione heard a muffled, "Hermione, if you are gonna get up so early please be quiet. I need my beauty sleep."

"Sorry Lavender, I dropped a book."

"Must have been one hell of a book…"

Hermione sighed and looked under her bed whispering, "Xavier come with me, I need to talk to you."

"That wasn't very nice cub."

"We are back to cub again?"

"You pushed me off the bed. I was very comfortable."

"Just come with me to the bathroom"

"What?!" Xavier tried to sit up only to hit his head with a loud clunk.

"Hermione, what the hell are you doing!?"

"Sorry Lavender."

Hermione looked at Xavier who changed into his jaguar form and padded into the bathroom. Hermione followed him and shut the door behind them an placed a strong silencing charm on the room.

Xavier changed back into a human, "Why am I in the bathroom with you?"

"I need to talk to you and you can't look." Hermione took off her outer robe and started the water.

Xavier tensed up and turned away staring at the wall. "What did you need to talk about?"

"Where were you yesterday?"

"I was with some other pack members."

"Which ones?"

"Alexander, Cassandra, Tanya, and Bobby."

"Are they still stationed in America?"

Xavier tensed up more as heard the light splashing of Hermione entering the bath."Yes, they were asking about you. Look instead of all of these questions why don't I tell you what happened."

"Go right ahead"

Xavier appeared in front of a small house in nice neighborhood. He walked up to the door and rang the bell three times. He could hear a squealing Cassandra run to the door.

"XAVIER!" A young six year old in a pale blue dress jumped him.

Xavier smiled, "You got a new dress! Model for me."

Cassandra smiled and spun around letting her long dark curly hair spin around her. Her small round face with bright brown eyes looked up at him and her cheeks just needed to be pinched. Xavier pinched her cheeks and walked into the house with her hand clasped.

As Xavier entered he heard Bobby and Tanya arguing. "Just do the dishes and then you can go out, Bobby"

"You're not my mom!"

"You are in my house, you live by my rules!"

Xavier walked in to see Tanya standing there with her hands on her hips. "Oh hello, Xavier! I have a meeting in the office today so I have to hurry. Cassandra doesn't want to go to school Bobby won't do the dishes and Alex is probably getting ready for work."

Xavier glanced at the 23 year old woman with long red hair and golden eyes who was dressed in a black business pant suit getting ready for work. She looked extremely frustrated with everything at the moment. Tanya was a motherly woman always trying to take care of everyone. She was one of the more powerful Kanima sub leaders. This unit was the most efficient group he had, they were excellent under pressure.

Xavier looked at the pouting boy of sixteen with his usual ripped jeans and black shirt, his short black hair sticking out from under his beanie as he played with his earring. He was usually brooding but he was very loyal and would risk his life for any one of his friends. "Bobby, do the dishes."

Bobby looked to him with his deep green eyes replying, "Yes sir"

Tanya turned to Xavier, "Well, you look pissed… Cassandra go find Alex and tell him that we have company."

"Yes Mam!"Cassandra ran up the stairs giggling.

Tanya looked to the kitchen to make sure Bobby wasn't listening and whispered to Xavier, "I need to talk to you about Cassandra, she is getting ridiculously strong. She isn't reacting to just people who commit murders she is reacting to attempted murderers as well. Her jaguar form is bigger than Bobby's and Alex's forms. I don't know if I can control her. She is maturing much faster than we expected."

"Tanya, you have to realize that she is the only known person to be born into the Kanima form. I am not sure what will happen to her. Her parents were the oldest and most powerful Kanimas around until they were killed. I have only been running this for 5 years. I have no clue of what to expect."

"Well she rips her clothes every time she transforms and Bobby's tail and ears just appear when he is ticked off that is why he has the baggy jeans and beanie on. Look!" Xavier turned to see a tail sticking out of the bottom of Bobby's baggy jeans.

"Bobby! Your tail! Keep your anger in check!" Xavier snapped.

"Sorry Sir!"

Tanya looked at Xavier and continued, "Alex's ears pop out when he is embarrassed or angry and his fur is still mostly white. He looks like a snow leopard. Is that normal?"

"He is never going to grow out of that fur, get used to it. What do you have him wearing?"

"He always wears that stupid hat."

"I look great in my cowboy hat! Plus I have to wear it to work." Alexander descended the stairs with Cassandra giggling on his shoulders wearing his hat and playing with his long blond hair. Alex set her on the ground and took his hat back twirling it on his finger.

Xavier looked at Alex, "Where do you work?"

"Well since you have us stationed in the Lone Star State of Texas."

Cassandra jumped up saying, "Yee-HAW!"

"I am working in a rodeo as a bull rider and I also do sharp shooting."

Xavier stared at Alex in disbelief saying, "What? Why? You are going to get yourself killed. You are only nineteen!"Xavier looked at Alex watching his grayish-blue eyes under long blonde eyelashes sparkle. "And your eyes are looking as girly as ever."

Alex blushed murmuring a shut up as white ears popped up out of his hair.

Xavier rubbed his temples, "You need to learn how to control your emotions."

Tanya picked Cassandra up, "Time to go to school!"

"I don't wanna go! I wanna stay with Xavier!"

Xavier looked to the young girl and said, "I promise to bring Miss Mione by soon if you do as Miss Tanya says."

"MISS MIONE!!! Where is she?"

"She is at school. She would be very happy to hear that you were going to school too."

"Miss Tanya! We gotta go to school now! Bobby, come on!" Cassandra pulled on her guardian's arm excited to get going.

"Keep your dress on shorty!" Bobby yelled. "Bye Xavier, I need to talk to you next time you're here. Don't let Miss Tanya hog you."

Cassandra looked up at Bobby looking him over, "I could take you in a fight."

Bobby glared, "Alright you prodigy time to go." Bobby threw a giggling Cassandra over his shoulder and walked out the door.

Tanya looked to Alex, "Make sure to lock up before you go and can you pick up Cassie and Bobby at three?"

Alex nodded, "Get going."

"Bye guys," as she shut the door they could hear her yelling, "Don't throw her in the air like that Bobby," followed by a "wheeee!" from Cassie.

Hermione looked at Xavier expectantly as she wrapped herself up in a towel, "Well what did you and Alex talk about?"

Xavier looked at her, "None of your business, but since he is to ashamed to tell you himself, he told me to tell you what he always speaks to me about."

Alex looked over at Xavier saying, "How is my family?"

Xavier looked to the young man irritated saying, "Alex, you need to stop caring about them, you are a squib. They disowned you. Get over it!"Xavier sighed, "I am sorry. I am in a bad mood at the moment. Hermione is being difficult."

Alex raised his eyebrow, "What did you do to make her be difficult? She is rarely a problem when you don't provoke her."

"I hexed my stupid half-brother and said some nasty things."

"You never told her the whole story did you."

"Nope."

"Just apologize for whatever dumb ass thing you said. Has she figured out who I am yet?"

"I am surprised she hasn't figured it out yet, she seems to know everything else about everyone."Xavier grumbled.

"Just tell her, I have to head to work now. The horses need to be brushed," Alex sighed.

Xavier looked at him, "Don't lie, I know you shovel shit all day."

Alex punched Xavier in the arm with an amazing amount of speed, "Shut up."

Xavier smiled, "I let you hit me."

"Sure you did." Alex smirked, "See you around."

"That little shit left a bruise. I am just glad he punched me and not Cassandra." Xavier mused.

Hermione finished dressing and dried her hair, "So he is a squib huh? Who is he related to?"

"For the brightest witch of the age you sure are slow sometimes. Let me list the features and see who they match in your grade, ridiculously pale, flowing white blonde hair, grayish-blue eyes… do I have to continue?"

"No way…"

"Yes way…"

"He is too nice to be a Malfoy."

"He wasn't raised by them. I found him when he was eight wandering in the brazilian jungle, they just left him there. He does have some similarities though..."

Hermione hummed to herself, "I guess you are right. He is able to charm any lady like Draco can. Does Draco even know about him?"

Xavier washed his face in the sink, "Most likely, they are only two years apart. By the way, we have to visit them soon or Cassie won't trust me."

"How will I leave?"

"Get Red Head and Four eyes to cover for you."

Hermione giggled, "don't call them that."

Xavier grumbled, "I am hungry, I am going to the kitchens. What class do you have first today?"

Hermione looked to him, "Care of Magical Creatures, with Hagrid."

Xavier turned into a jaguar and waited for Hermione to open the door, I will meet you there later.

Hermione nodded and left for breakfast.

How do you like it? I will let you learn more about Tanya, Bobby, Alex, and of course little Cassandra in the next chapter. Let me know who you like best out of the four so far. Please Review.