Crookshanks

"And Ron and Harry had already left me alone in the hallway! I was so mortified. I can't believe they left me!" Hermione was sitting on the windowsill complaining about her horrible day to anyone within hearing distance. Of course the only living thing within hearing distance was her lovable tabby cat, Crookshanks, currently purring on Hermione's lap as she scratched his ear.

She could actually feel Crookshanks purring into her hand, and it was the best feeling in the world. He would just listen to her rant, rave, and just go on and on about nothing, interrupting occasionally with a light meow, or to shift his weight. Hermione loved her cat.

Finally tired of the eerie silence that had settled over the room, Hermione looked at her muggle watch. "Only ten forty, Crookshanks. There's still time for me to read a chapter in Ancient Wizard Curses and How to Ward Them." As Hermione talked to her cat, his yellow eyes widened slightly; Crookshanks stood up, stretched, and casually jumped off her knees, slinking towards the door.

"Well I'm glad my cat doesn't abandon me, like my best friends do!" she said sarcastically as Crookshanks' tail vanished behind the door. The full moon hung behind Hermione's head like a halo, warding off all the evil that could have been with her.

"At least I had a decent conversation with them this morning. And it wasn't about Quidditch!" Hermione's hand slid smoothly over Crookshanks' soft fur. She could feel his back arch into the intimate touch, as she lifted her hand. Crookshanks' wet nose and soft whiskers tickled her exposed stomach, affectionately hinting to keep the contact.

Hermione lay on her bed, all but one of the long curtains closed. Crookshanks could tell she liked it that way, isolated from the rest of the room. He loved spending time with Hermione, almost as much as the look on her face while she was reading.

She turned to look out the window, facing the side of her four-poster bed. The full moon was reflecting in her eyes, almost making her look like a cat. A very pretty cat, letting out a sigh, and letting those beautiful eyes flutter close. If only it could always be like this. But fate never lets wonderful things like this happen. All good things must come to an end.

Golden eyes glanced in the general direction of the bedside table, which just happen to be supporting a clock.

11:59

Shit.

Crookshanks suddenly leapt from the most comfortable place in the world and onto the cold wood floor, making a mad dash for under the bed. He looked around, almost sneezing from the teeny dust bunnies. If a cat could look scared, Crookshanks looked terrified.

"Crookshanks?" Hermione sounded surprised at the sudden retreat. Please don't let her go looking for her cat...

She never did, much to the relief of Crookshanks the cat. He liked to be alone at night, but only when he had to. Otherwise he would curl up on top of Hermione, hoping for time the next morning for a belly rub before she went to her classes. Crookshanks loved sleeping on Hermione's stomach. Crookshanks loved Hermione in general.

He tried to slip away from her grasp, but as soon as he tried her grip tightened, like she knew he was trying to leave again. She let out a soft moan. He should never have let it happen. He had risked both their safety just for another five minutes with her, and now it was too late to get away. All he could do was pray that she didn't wake until morning.

His body lay rigid on the bed, half on Hermione's torso, his other half falling over the edge of the bed. Her grip tightened over his back, making it hard to breath in his current position. After attempting to breath without a windpipe, since it was attached to the collar Hermione was holding on to, he began to relax into her grip. His arms wrapped around her waist, thinking what would happen if she woke up, his arms still around her.

Even with a thought like that in his mind, he couldn't help but think how wonderful the feeling in the bottom of his stomach was or how long he had waited for this moment. He had wanted so long to be with her like this, or even more intimate.

He would just savor this moment while he could, he decided. He would continue to idolize his beautiful master from a distance, knowing he should be more careful, never letting her know any of his dark secrets.