Animal Instinct

By tawnyteaser

Disclaimer: Not mine never will be so don’t sue. Any
unheard of characters, namely none named in the Harry Potter books are mine.

           
School, Hogwart’s School of Witchcraft and Wizardry loomed in front of
Hermoine Grangers’ tired eyes. This was to be her last year here at this place
that she was to call home. Her eyes closed as she remembered her summer break.
‘Break is the right word for it’ she thought as she glanced down at her left
hand that was in a cast all the way up to her elbow. Hermoine’s life had never
been easy what with trying to balance normal life-muggle life with witch life
and since Sirius Black’s death the fragile balance was even thinner. To come
home and just forget had been what she wanted. Voldemort had different ideas. He
had somehow acquired a list of all muggle born students that were currently
attending all Wizarding schools. All in the family were slaughtered, not even
grandparents were spared.

           
What the wizarding world had yet to discover was that Voldemort had a new
arsenal at his supply. Werewolves. So simple to use a flick of the wand to
change the moon to full and turn loose a willing Death Eater to do your dirty
work. After all if anyone did manage to escape they would describe a large wolf
killing the people. How Hermoine had survived was a secret, one that she had
hoped that she would never tell anyone. Well maybe her husband when she got
married.

           
Hermoine had cat running through her. When she had failed her polyjuice
experiment and turned herself into a cat no one had thought that after a visit
to the infirmary that there would be any aftereffects but there had been. Her
height for instance. Her parents were only average, where as she had grown to be
2 inches shy of six feet. Her hair which had been bushy, frizzy basically
untamable had suddenly become shiny, every curl in place, the girls thought she
used magic but she didn’t. Her eyes at night turned to the tawny gold that one
usually saw in tigers and lions. Her nails were now always long, shiny and never
a hangnail.

           
 Hermoine glanced down at the
offending digits and looked around to make sure no one was looking and
stretched. Stretched and her index nail grew into a curved talon, perfect for
slashing or latching onto some poor person. It seemed pretty far-fetched which
is why when it was Hermoines’ turn to die she had actually injured the
werewolf by slashing its unprotected throat. Of course she hadn’t managed to
save her parents and for that she blamed herself. But now as the school year was
starting she was waiting for the second full moon since the death of her
parents. You see when she had slashed the werewolf’s throat it had been biting
her shoulder. And as we all know once bitten you become one yourself, but the
werewolf had changed back into a very naked man, one whose throat had healed and
had immediately tried again before Hermoine finished him off by using her new
found strength to strangle the Death Eater. She’d later found out that he was
a third cousin of the Malfoy family.

           
“Hermoine! We just heard, we’re very sorry, aren’t we Ron?” The
boy who lived said in a rush as he appeared beside Hermoine.

           
Hermoine glanced between her two best friends, their faces eye level with
hers. Surprise showed in both boys’ eyes as they took in her new height. Ron
had to just be shy of six two, whereas Harry was six even. “If you two don’t
mind I really don’t want to talk about this issue right now.” Hine ine said
stiffly before entering the great doors that led to Hogwart’s large entrance
way.

           
“Well, I hope she really means it.” Ron said anxiously.

Harry glanced over at his red haired troublemaker friend.
“ I think that maybe this year will be different Ron. Hermoine will just
continue to study.”

           
Ron looked at Harry and Harry looked at Ron. Neither of them was very
good at comforting the women. In fact Harry was having problems with Ginny,
something to do with what would Harry do after he graduated. When he replied
that he would of course become an auror, after all Voldemort had yet to be
defeated and there were battles to still be fought. To Harry’s puzzlement
Ginny had accused him of being of selfish, and had said that if there was to be
a future in their relationship then he had better think of a better occupation.
Since her saying that Ginny had been cool, treating him to the Ice Queen
routine. Ron was completely blissful, to immersed in Quidditch and the upcoming
year to be interested in what was old news-his sister was going out with his
best friend.

           
“Come on mate, she said she’ll talk later and good ole Herm will do
as she said.” Ron said.

           
Harry shook his head to erase any doubts and followed his friend into the
school. A chill September wind making the glowing school all the more welcome.

A wfirefire had been laid in the common room and Hermoine gave a sigh of
relief as she stepped through the fat lady’s picture to the much-remembered
warmth of the Gryffindor tower. A quick look around told Hermoine that Mc
Gonagall had been there before because a scroll with a note that read ‘mso-bidi-font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Blackadder ITC";color:black\">Hermoine
Granger’  was
sitting on the table closest to the girls’ dormitory. Hermoine grabbed the
scroll and broke the seal.

           
mso-bidi-font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Blackadder ITC";color:black\">Ms
Granger,

font-family:"Blackadder ITC";color:black\">               
It is with deepest sympathy that I offer you the use of a private room
and bath. With your head girl status this should not arouse suspicion and you
are welcome to roam the halls. The other teacher’s have been notified and will
respect your privacy.

font-family:t;Blt;Blackadder ITC";color:black\">               
With regards to your safety Professor Dumbledore has requested your
presence as soon as the feast is over in his office. The password is lopsided
lollipops.

               
Mc Gonagall

           
Hermoine was touched that the head of house was giving her a room all to
herself. Technically she should have one anyways but from the sounds of it the
room would be much more private. To Hermoine’s surprise and delight as she
climbed the stairs her room and bath took up the whole top floor of the tower,
which also had a stair leading to the room where it was enclosed with giant
turrets in the shape of griffins. The wind tugged her hair as Hermoine stared
out into the night sky. Her parents had loved nights like this. After the dishes
were done and everything put away they would talk softly over tea, and snuggle
in front of the tellie. Her mind flashed back to the gruesome discovery that had
awaited her when she went looking for her parents, praying that they weren’t
dead. A tear of remembrance slipped down her cheek before she brushed it aside.
A growl rumbled in her throat and her hands formed fists as she reached and
found the one thing that was going to help her get revenge on all those who had
helped in the murder of all muggle families, and if she had to start by hunting
down the werewolves responsible then so be it. Thanks to the feline touches in
her now changed DNA, killing the werewolf that had bitten her hadn’t stopped
her from changing into one herself. Instead she could become the werewolf but
with the additions that the feline DNA had added. It also allowed her to remain
in control. Every action was calculated down to the last detail.

           
Hermoine fingered the tiger’s eye that held her cloak on. It had been a
gift from her parents for getting Head Girl status. It was the largest Tiger’s
eye she had ever seen, about the size of a large egg. The secret was it could
turn into a necklace, with a special chain that had also been given to her by
her parents. Hermoine vowed that every time she went hunting souldould wear it,
not just to remember why she was hunting but also to let the Death Eaters know
what they were dealing with.

           
A small purr escaped from Hermoine’s lips and her normal brown eyes
suddenly flashed tawny as she went down the stairs to let out her newest
acquisition, Crookshanks having been killed with her parents. The Siberian cat,
with its black and white colouring looked like the tiger it was named after.
Tawny eyes, slitted with annoyance opened wide as its mistress let it out.
Purring together mistress and cat unpacked. The room echoing with the sound of
the pleasure of satisfied felines.

Finis of Part 1

Well what do you think? Plausible if you think the way I
do. Every comment welcome. Don’t hesitate review!