Well after a great period of being brain dead as to continue writing and the fact that morning shifts have finally changed my sleeping patterns I am finding it difficult to get any inspiration. I'll try my hardest to keep going and probably I'll reclaim my inspiration. I also thank those who where kind enough to review.

Note: Malkintongue is a word I made up. Malkin is a word that is usually associated with cats. I needed a word that I could use instead of having the said person say 'I can talk to cats.' Malkintongue seemed to fit. Thus, I figured there would be no harm. If I am wrong please inform me in review form so I could change it. Thankyou.

Disclaimer: The usual Blah Blah Blah.

Chapter 7: Hidden In A Different Perspective

By: Tojot

As the end of September came along so did Harry's worries. Gryphon had let slip to Harry that he would be at his weakest in the last month before his mother's charm wore off. Remembering that Wormtail had been sent to spy on Hogwarts, Harry kept the Invisibility Cloak and the Marauders Map in his bag at all times. He never went anywhere without his wand. At one late hour of a very stormy night, Harry was in his dormitory, scanning the Map when he saw the dot labeled Peter Pettigrew wandering the charms corridor. He pocketed his wand as well as the map and pulled the Invisibility Cloak over his head. Vengeful thoughts were running through Harry's head. Since it was Peter that betrayed Harry's parents by leading Voldemort to them that fateful Halloween night fifteen years ago. The corridors were pitch black except for a flash of lightning every now and then. Once and awhile he would pass a lit torch, he would take the chance to look at the map to see if Peter's position changed. He was wandering about the third floor corridor. Down one pitch-black windowless corridor he was met with a pair of glowing silver eyes looking at him. It was quite a scary sight.

"Reducto." Harry shouted. The blast missed the figure with the glowing silver eyes and hit the wall behind. When the spell hit, it lit up the large shape of the figure from behind. It was bent slightly to look him in the eye. But the light was gone as soon as it came.

"Fascinating cloak, Potter." Gryphon's whispered voice cut through the darkness. "Pity it doesn't work on me."

"Professor Gryphon?" Harry said.

"Ye made my job of retrieving thee a whole lot easier." Gryphon said. "The Headmaster seeks an audience with us. Close thy eyes and I will have us there quickly." Harry did as told. A strong hand clamped his shoulder and he felt a cool wind shift around him. The hand let go and Gryphon told him to open his eyes.

"Hello Harry." Dumbledore greeted from one of the four chintz chairs that were placed in the Room of Requirement where they were located. He saw that there were no windows, no doors, no holes whatsoever. Only sconces lit the room in a dim glow. "Please sit down."

"Professor, Peter's in the castle." Harry said he sat in an empty chair.

"Then we must make this quick." Dumbledore sighed. "Harry, our informants tell us that Wormtail's orders have been changed slightly. Voldemort is growing evermore impatient and has ordered Wormtail to eliminate you if he were to ever encounter you."

"Then we must find him and take him out." Harry said rashly.

"Tis not so simple dear lad, ye are suggesting to burn the bridges that have been built for thy future use." Gryphon cut in.

"What are you talking about?" Harry questioned.

"Harry, she is talking about the fact that Pettigrew is indebted to you for saving his life." Dumbledore explained. "So 'taking him out' is out of the question. But we have devised a way for you to be safe without taking you out of the presence of your friends, your only strength. Sort of hiding you in plain sight. But you must agree to it before we can do anything, because it won't be an easy experience.

"What must I do?" Harry asked.

"Thy last month begins tomorrow, so it must happen tonight. Tis our fortune that we have everything in place for the spell. And we have found someone willing to help hide thee." Gryphon told Harry as she looked pointedly to the fourth chair, the one next to Harry. In it sat Hermione's cat, Crookshanks. His bottlebrush tail swished and flicked calmly.

"How is Crookshanks going to help hide me?" Harry asked

"Within his own body." Gryphon answered. Harry's jaw dropped.

"So I am going to spend a month in the body of a cat, and not just any cat. The cat that belongs to my best friend?"

"Aye, he is willing and seems to be quite a match in personality."

"How do you know that?" said Harry curiously.

"You see, Avi is not quite normal." Dumbledore chuckled. "She has many abilities that make her very useful at times." Professor Gryphon rolled her eyes in annoyance but said nothing.

"Meaning one of them is the ability to talk to cats?"

"Enough about me!" Gryphon snapped, "Do ye agree to what we have set out for thy safety?"

"I am sure Crookshanks has some conditions set out?" Harry said looking at the cat.

"He does."

"Can I hear them now?"

"Not until ye are there."

"Oh well, if it is for my safety I might as well go ahead with it." Harry gave in.

"There are conditions that have been set out." Dumbledore said, "One, your friends aren't going to be informed of your location; Two, everyone will think you have been kidnapped; Three the spell will end when the time comes to repair the protection charm, and Four, only Gryphon and I will know where you are."

"So you are going to have everyone worry about me?" Harry said un-surely.

"Tis all for the best, young Potter." Gryphon reassured him.

"Okay, I am ready." Harry said and she gave a mischievous smile and pulled out her wand, closing her eyes to concentrate. Harry felt himself being pulled into unconsciousness.

Harry awoke in a sunny dormitory. He felt small. He looked around at his surroundings. This dormitory was decorated just the same as his dormitory. He remembered the events of the night. He then realized he was sleeping in the arms of Hermione. It made him feel completely uncomfortable.

'This must be the Girls' Dorms?' Harry thought to himself.

'You are correct.' An unfamiliar voice said in his head.

'They are not much different from the Boys' are they?'

'No. four Founders didn't spoil one gender over the other.'

'You sound a little like Hermione. My guess is you're Crookshanks.'

'Who else would I be in my body.'

'Sorry. It's just a little weird.'

'Could you control your self. Remember we both have control over this body. I am squirming in mistress' arms. She hates being scratched in the morning. And both you and I know how she is when she is in a temper.'

'I'm sorry, I'm just not used to being in this position with my platonic friend holding me while we sleep.'

'Get used to it. It's how I sleep all the time. Now, since we can't go anywhere until my mistress wakes up, I think this would be a good time to lay down my conditions just so you know. My mistress has many secrets, even ones she has kept from you, I doubt you'll hear them because she doesn't ponder over them often, if you do hear any of them just forget you did. Two is you need to keep on your guard.'

'Why?' Harry asked.

"There are things that could get quite embarrassing. This is a girls' dorm, you might accidentally catch my mistress in her underwear, or anyone for that matter. I try my hardest to take control on those instances but I figure that you should be warned. Another thing, there is an exhibitionist, as my mistress calls her, living in this dorm as well. She goes by the name of Lavender. She sleeps naked too. Anything that happens in here stays in here. You may be scarred for life after a month of this. Now the stairs only work on human males. Sometimes we will get shut in a room, don't worry the apparation wards only work on humans and I am half Kneazle so I can apparate.'

'You're half Kneazle? No wonder you are so smart.'

'There is much you still have to learn, Harry. My mistress will be very distressed at the news of your disappearance.'

"Good morning, Crookshanks." Hermione cooed. She had finally awakened and let go of the cat. She wore a nightgown, Harry was thankful for that. She slipped out of bed and disappeared into the bathroom.

'Every morning, at this time she wakes up and washes herself.' Crookshanks continued to explain. 'Though she may not be an exhibitionist she will still come into the dormitory in her towel…

Hermione dressed as her cat, Crookshanks, continued to sleep curled up on the covers of her four-poster bed. It was the first day of October. Before she could make it out the door a pillow came hurtling through the air at Hermione's head. She ducked it, since this always happened when Hermione didn't hurry quickly enough in the mornings.

"Lavender will you quit using my head for target practice!" Hermione yelled as she threw the pillow back at Lavender.

"But Herms it's so easy with all that bushy hair of yours." Lavender teased. Oh how did Hermione loathe the name 'herms'. It was worse than Hermy.

"Put on some clothes, Lavender."

"No. I am very comfortable this way thank you."

"But I am uncomfortable looking at you."

"Then don't."

"If you don't get dressed then I'll-"

"You'll what?" Lavender interrupted.

"I'll levitate you down to the Great Hall as you are and stick you to the ceiling with the same jinx Professor Gryphon used on Malfoy."

"Why do you have to be such a Now-It-All?" Lavender sulked as she reached for her bathrobe.

"It's my calling in life." Hermione said.

"Tell me Hermione," Parvati yawned. "Why is it that you are always up at the crack of dawn?"

"To avoid looking at little miss nudist." Hermione said without falter.

"Is it really that or something else… or should it say someone else?" Lavender countered.

"Question is… Which one of them?" Parvati said to Lavender and they both broke into giggles.

"What are you talking about?" Hermione said.

"Which one are you in love with?" Parvati giggled. "Ronald Bilius Weasley or…"

"Harry James Potter." Lavender finished with an evil sinister grin that should be banned in Hermione's opinion. Hermione gulped. She saw Crookshanks ears perk up at the sound of Harry's full name.

"Come on Herms, who is it?" Parvati pressed. They said it again… that wretched nickname. If she was annoyed before, It couldn't compare to how much she was now.

"One, DO NOT call me HERMS!" Hermione yelled, "and Two, quit prying into my private affairs! Come on Crookshanks."

"Oh come on Hermione, don't deny that you have fallen in love with one of them." Lavender continued.

"Or is it that you like both and can't choose." Parvati teased.

"I don't like either in that way." It was a lie. You could tell it was a lie.

"Don't lie Hermione, we know."

"Know what?" Hermione said nervously. Damn!

"We know that you speak his name in your sleep."

"That you speak of him all the time."

"That you will never leave his side no matter what even when your own life is at risk."

Hermione's face had gone crimson. Never in her life had she felt so naked even when she was fully dressed.

"Don't! Don't say his name!" Hermione's outburst startled Lavender and Parvati. They hadn't realized that they had rubbed her so raw. But even more they were surprised when they saw that Hermione's wand was pointed straight at them. "If you say anything about this to anyone, you will end up regretting it." Hermione said in a low dangerous tone.

"We're sorry Hermione, we promise we won't say anything." Lavender said, in high alarm. Parvati nodded in agreement. Hermione lowered her wand.

"Come on Crookshanks." Hermione called. The cat leapt from the covers of her bed, into her arms and they left the room and went down the Girls Staircase.

Only Crookshanks heard Parvati's next comment. "She's just in denial. There is no way that she can do so much for that boy and ask for nothing in return unless she really did like him."

'Poor Hermione, is it like this all the time?' Harry asked Crookshanks.

"That's the worst coming from those two, it wasn't anything she couldn't handle. She usually keeps to herself and there are many who are inquisitive about my mistress' romantic affairs, of which those two are.

'But there are others who are more terrible to my mistress, over the point of goading and mocking.' Crookshanks continued

'Pansy?'

'There's her, then there is Cho Chang and a couple of others.'

'Cho Chang!'

'The confrontations my mistress has with her are highly unpleasant.'

'What happened?'

'The animosity is thick, it is very obvious they loathe each other. The first one was on the Hogwarts Express at the beginning of your fifth year.

"So Cho and Hermione hate each other. How come I didn't see this?'

'Girls have more than one side. It was all an act from Cho the whole time and my mistress knew about it.'

'But why did Hermione help me understand how Cho was feeling?'

' She had to bite her tongue from calling you a 'stupid moron' I do believe. She didn't tell you, she wanted you to figure it out for yourself as I know you did.'

'Did the fighting get worse after the failed date with Cho?'

'It did.'

'Why didn't Hermione tell me Cho was awful to her so I could've stopped it.'

'My Mistress would never bother you with problems of her own. Another thing is you are too busy most of the time. She hates to get help from others. It's about her fear of failure.'

'Don't you see it wasn't just her problem. It was mine too.'

'There is a reason why she never told you about that nasty scar across her chest that she received last year in the Department of Mysteries. She's taking it as her own personal failure.

'She has a scar from that! She should be blaming me, it was me who had us go.'

'She doesn't and would never blame you for that. She thinks you have enough on your plate to be dealing with than worrying about her problems even if they have to deal your jealous girlfriend.'

'I see.'

Hermione found that a lot of people where gathered in the common room round a tall figure. It was Professor McGonagall. A very tired looking Professor Gryphon was with her.

"It pains me to say that a student from Gryffindor has gone missing in the night." McGonagall announced, her face was pale and her expression worried. "New precautions have been set in place in order of your protection. There will be no quidditch for any team until this student is found. You need a teacher escort to go anywhere in the castle and you must be in the common room by six every evening. No excuses."

"Who is the student, Professor?" Colin spoke from the crowd.

The Deputy Headmistress paused then spoke four syllables quietly. "Harry Potter." Though spoken quietly, the words seemed like a shout in the room. All eyes were wide in shock at the announcement

"No!" Hermione gasped, accidentally dropping Crookshanks. Everyone turned their heads in her direction. "It can't be true it just can't."

"I am afraid so, miss Granger. Now will you and Mr. Weasley accompany Professor Gryphon and myself to the Headmaster's office. He wishes to meet with you since you knew Mr. Potter best." McGonagall said. Crookshanks jumped into Gryphon's arms. And they went out the portrait hole together.

"Why is that cat coming." Ron grumbled.

"Is there really much of a problem with it?" Gryphon said. "Is it so much of a problem if he wants to be there for his mistress."

"Then how come he's in your arms then and not Hermione's?"

"I think he may not want to get dropped again."

"Can you read cats minds?" Hermione asked Gryphon.

"I speak Malkintongue if ye must know." Gryphon said irritably. Her creepy eyes were glaring straight at them "I shall not go any further in speaking of my abilities."

The rest of the walk to the headmaster's office remained silent except for when McGonagall gave the password 'Ice Mice' to the stone griffin.

"Ah, yes. Thank you Minerva and Avi, you may return to your duties. I'll send them back by Floo." Crookshanks leapt from Gryphon's arms to the floor and watched as the two professors left the room. "Please sit." Dumbledore motioned at two chairs. "And maybe I can answer some questions for you."

"Do you have any clue where Harry might be?" Ron asked.

"No. All I know is that he is alive. We found a few items that belong to Harry." Dumbledore said as he indicated the Invisibility Cloak and the Marauders Map lying on the desk.

"Does…" Hermione croaked as she looked at the cloak. "Does he have his wand?"

"I am sure he does, Miss Granger. There is evidence of a struggle, there wasn't a wand with the items he left behind.

"Did someone kidnap him?" Ron asked.

"May have done. If that intriguing map is correct, it just brings the rumors my spies have been hearing to fact."

"What did the Marauder's Map show you?" Hermione asked.

"That Peter Pettigrew is within the castle." Dumbledore answered. "But there is a problem."

"Problem, it's obvious that Pettigrew did it." Ron said bitterly.

"I'm not so sure." Dumbledore said patiently. "That map shows that Peter is alone, that Harry isn't on the map. But my pocket watch says that Harry is alive and well for the time being. So until we can find him, I ask you to be calm and patient and to be careful what you say. Important things are being relayed back to Voldemort. Now, Ronald, why don't you gather up the Cloak and go back to Gryffindor Tower? I believe I must speak with Miss Granger alone. I will inform you both if there is any news on Mr. Potter's whereabouts."

Ron left through the Floo. But Hermione stayed behind on Dumbledore's prompting. Right now all Hermione wanted to do was cry. She didn't want to break out in tears in front of the headmaster but her body didn't obey her and the tears spilled forth.

"Miss Granger, I know how you're feeling, being as close as you are to Harry. I know you know very important things about him and I want you to help us try to find Harry. You would basically know where to start." Dumbledore said as he led her back to her chair. Hermione's eyes widened.

"As in important things you mean…" Dumbledore nodded before she finished the sentence. She was about to say the prophecy.

"We must insure his safety." His cornflower blue eyes where staring straight at her, the intensity of his stare was just as creepy as Gryphon's silver gaze. "For now the extra lessons with McGonagall will be postponed due to the fact Minerva will be busy with the search."

"Professor where is it exactly that you found the Invisibility Cloak and the map?" Hermione asked.

"Third floor Corridor near where we had Fluffy when we where protecting the Philosopher's Stone."

"That's the windowless corridor?" Hermione sniffed, still crying.

"Correct. Now I think you must go back to the tower. If you wish, I can excuse you from your classes today, if you don't feel up to doing them. You can stay until your tears have dried up for enough time until you can be alone for a while. " Dumbledore said as he stroked the head of Crookshanks who was still in Hermione's arms.

"Thank you Professor." She sobbed. Dumbledore flicked his wand where a mug appeared on the desk.

"Here, drink this. I find that this may help a little bit." He said as he handed her the mug of hot cocoa. A sad but thankful smile appeared on Hermione's tear stained face. Even though she had questioned his motives a few times, she found it so easy to trust Dumbledore. Hermione looked around the room, stopping at anything that had caught her interest. Portraits of headmasters before Dumbledore, various instruments that rested on the tables clinking and ticking. But the thing that grabbed the most attention of her gaze was the Sword of Gryffindor. The long silver sword with its large rubies glittered in the morning light sitting next to the Sorting Hat. She had memories of how Harry recounted the tale of how he pulled it from the Sorting Hat. Hermione couldn't help but feel that Harry might end up using the sword again, for who knows what. She had once read in Hogwarts: A History that the sword was lost soon after Salazar Slytherin left the school. But she thought that Godric hid it for future use, just in case something happened and someone needed it. The sword itself was comprised of great magical materials that didn't come from Earth. But the book wouldn't give any more details to the sword.

"Professor Dumbledore, could I inspect the Third floor corridor and underneath the trap door on my own?"

"If you take this with you, and…" Dumbledore held out the map. "Do try to avoid Wormtail. The wards that were placed there before to protect the Stone are gone, but be careful. I will inform the staff that I have given you permission in that area of the castle." He pointed his wand to himself and muttered 'sonarus'

"All staff please come to the Headmasters office immediately." Dumbledore spoke, his words were amplified. "Quietus." He whispered with a wave of his wand. Within five minutes the Teachers and Staff came pouring into the office: Filch, Snape, Flitwick, Sprout, McGonagall, Gryphon, Hooch, etc.

"I have given special permission to Miss Granger to search the third floor corridor and the passageways that connect to it." Dumbledore announced. Hermione felt that she was very small in this room full of professors.

"Is that a very wise decision Headmaster?" Snape questioned. "She is just a student, and a friend of Potter's."

"Which is the very reason why I am letting her do this, in a past meeting I mentioned that Miss Granger's capability to sense Mr. Potter's growing power is becoming more potent as well. She understands more than we may ever know due to the fact that she is Mr. Potter's friend. She is also of age, so she should know how to take care of herself." Dumbledore said firmly.

"Just don't ask me to baby-sit." Snape replied coldly. Crookshanks hissed. Gryphon rolled her eyes irritably.

"Now, now Severus." Dumbledore said. "I said that Miss Granger can take care of herself. But I ask all of you to keep an eye out for Peter Pettigrew or any rat you come across and blast them. Avi, will you please escort Miss Granger to the corridor? You are all excused."

Hermione's face was pale as she followed the Professors out of the room. Crookshanks looked at Dumbledore, as if asking a question.

"Follow your mistress." Dumbledore told the cat with a mischievous twinkle in his eye. "Keep an eye out for her." And the cat left with his bottle brush tail held high.

Author's note:

I had a little fun with this chapter. Iknow was outright evil to make Lavender a nudist.

Iknow there is a story out there where Harry wakes up in the body of Hermione's cat, but I found it after I wrote this. And believe me it was a total creep out when I did read it. I thought it was a nice change to write things from more of Hermione's point of view. I am also very surprised no one has asked me about Professor Gryphon, yet. Oh well. Can't blame me for trying.

Well anyway, I kindly ask all of you to please review. I would like to know what you thought of it. I also have chapter 8: Mirror's Images ready for posting, but I feel it is too soon for it. So please review and I may reconsider and put it up sooner. Thank you.

Tojot