Every Guy has a Soft Spot for a Cat

"We're here!" Draco announced cheerfully.

Harry looked at the surrounding darkness with what little shred of optimism he had left.

Pansy's glower made her obvious disdain apparent in the silence.

"Ready to go?" asked Draco.

"Where are we going?" Harry mumbled. Caring simply wasn't worth the energy anymore. Even Pansy didn't seem to want to put forth the mental effort to exude hatred toward her friend.

"Lead the way," she mumbled.

Harry threw her a worried look.

She sighed. "Look...it doesn't matter where he takes us. He'll put us in just as much danger wherever we go."

Draco nodded. "If there's one thing that I've taught Pansy over the years, it's that I can make any situation worse than she can possibly imagine."

"It's true," she said. "Never thought I'd be washing Jell-O out of my hair after my cousin's baptism..."

"I'm a hazard," Draco piped happily.

Harry smiled. "I can see that."

The image of Hogwarts glimmered at them through the trees. Harry felt relief in the fact that they were heading toward a familiar building...one in which he knew where all the exits and fire alarms were located.

The relief quickly dissipated as their course veered toward Hogsmeade.

"Draco..." Pansy muttered warningly.

The blonde trotted out to the nearest road and thrust out his wand. "Bus stop. Bus goes. She stays. Love grows...under my umbrella!"

She frowned at him and looked to Harry. "He's far too fond of muggle oldies. He's very secretive about it though...Think of the scandal!"

"It's just a song," Harry said. "How controversial could it be?"

Draco proceeded to swing around the light pole Harry couldn't quite remember being there a moment ago. "OTHER PEOPLE STARED AS IF WE WERE BOTH QUITE INSANE..."

"That's because you are!" Pansy snapped.

"I stand corrected," murmured the Gryffindor.

Pansy yanked Draco away from the pole. "Stop this! The bus will be along any moment. People will see you!"

Draco drew a blank. "Bus?"

"The one you just flagged," Pansy explained.

That unsettling grin erupted on Draco's face once again making Harry subconsciously review all the healing spells in his repertoire.

"Oh yes...yes, the bus." The blonde giggled. "I'm brilliant."

Harry stepped forward. "Uh...Draco?"

The other boy clutched Harry by the front of his shirt, their noses smashed together. "This better be about how brilliant I am. I am in thought, Potter. You can't interfere when a great mind is at work!"

Harry sighed. "Er...yes. Great mind...of course." He pried Draco's hands from his clothing. "I was just letting you know that the bus is here."

"Oh!" Draco turned around and observed the purple monstrosity, unsure of himself. "What do we do?"

Pansy took him by the hand and pulled him up the steps. "We get on."

Draco gazed at the interior in awe. He reminded Harry very much of a tourist riding the subway for the first time who didn't quite understand why everyone on this enchanting form of transportation smelled like dog poop rolled in soggy cabbage.

" 'Ello," Stan greeted them cheerfully.

Draco convulsed at the sight of the acne infested youth. "Sweet Zandar!"

Pansy was on top of it. She instantly clamped a hand over her housemate's mouth and smiled. "Hi, we're going to--" She paused. "Where are we going to?"

Draco wretched free of her grasp. "SS Guns'n'Handcuffs!" he cried.

The bus driver looked alarm but started out on the road.

"Guns'n'Handcuffs?" Harry asked. He didn't like the sound o f such a place at all.

"Yes," Draco replied. He grinned stupidly as Pansy led him toward the back of the bus. "By the way," he blurted out as they passed Stan. "What happened to your--ow!" He pouted and rubbed his head where Pansy had pulled his hair.

"Draco, shut up!" she hissed.

He sulked. "But it looks like his face exploded or somethi--ow!"

"Behavior psychology is a lie," she said.

Harry followed his companions reluctantly. He paused, noticing a newspaper lying beside Stan's chair. "Could I borrow that?"

The other boy shrugged and handed it over. "Go ahead."

"Thanks."