More Ways to Kill A Weasley

The Better Man





Stealthily prowling through the halls on his way to the entrance hall, Crookshanks faithfully made his nightly rounds. Since the rat-man had managed to fool the humans with such disastrous consequences, the half-Kneazle felt it was his duty to be on the alert now that he had returned to Hogwarts. The humans needed his wisdom. He was, after all, the only one who wasn’t duped by the rat-man’s disguise. He tried to tell them, but they couldn’t understand the powerful and majestic language of Felis Catus. It was irritating, but he knew they had their limits. They were only human, after all.



The cat had just secured the area behind one of the suits of armor that stood besides the large oak entry doors when his sensitive ears caught the sounds of footsteps so light that no human could hear them. His large orange eyes glared in anticipation at the spot where the staircase led up from the dungeons. Moments later he was rewarded by the billow of a black cloak and soon the tall, lean Dark-tom stepped into view.



Crookshanks padded over, his tail held high, and began rubbing himself affectionately on the Dark-tom’s legs, all the while purring madly.



The Dark-tom looked about cautiously, making sure they were not being observed. Satisfied that they were alone, he crouched down so that one knee rested on the flagstone floor, the fabric of his cloak flowing in inky folds around him. Using long, sure fingers, the wizard scratched that special spot behind his ears that drove Crookshanks wild.



All too soon the Dark one stood and intoned in his low, silky voice, “Let’s go.”



The cat was instantly alert and ready.



It was time to patrol the castle together, as they had done almost every night for the last two years. It was a Friday night and since there would be no classes over the weekend their prey would, no doubt, be especially active, but the Dark one knew the art of the hunt.



The young mischief makers wouldn’t stand a chance tonight.



~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~



Two hours later Severus sat in his quarters in his favorite chair in front of the fireplace. The wizard was reading ‘Pride and Prejudice’, one of his favorites, while sipping occasionally from a glass of Firewhiskey that sat on the table to his right. On his lap a large ginger cat was dozing contentedly.



Severus had gifted the cat with a dish of fresh fish from the kitchen when they returned, which was his customary reward for having accompanying the wizard on his nightly patrol.



After Severus had read for about an hour, he marked his place in the book and put it down on the side table. He started petting the cat while he started pensively into the fire.



“Do you have any idea of how lucky you are, my friend?” he finally said to Crookshanks, who responded by arching up into the stroke of his hand.



“You have the heart of the most lovely, most gentle woman in the world. Her heart is the thing that I want most dearly. Did you know that?” he asked gently.



Crookshanks rose up to place his front feet on the wizard’s chest and stared at him with his soulful orange eyes.



The wizard stared back into the cat’s intelligent eyes and smiled ruefully, “It’s true. But she’ll never want me, not like that. Not when she has that idiot Weasley.”



The feline butted his head against the wizard’s chin in sympathy.



Looking back into the fire, Severus asked sadly, “Why can’t she want me?”



~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~



Sunday afternoon found Crookshanks sitting on a deep windowsill in the living room of his quarters, soaking up the sun. On his sofa sat his kitten, Hermione, with the red-haired tomcat that the kitten called Ron.



Watching them interact, Crookshanks flicked his bottlebrush tail repeatedly in agitation. The red-tom was again initiating the mating dance, but had absolutely no finesse. He was pushing the kitten down onto the sofa, his ham-sized hands clutching at her body. It was clear that his kitten had no interest in mating with this male, as she was fighting off all of his advances. The red-tom was clearly dimwitted and didn’t understand the basic command of ‘No’.



His squashed face twisted in displeasure as the red-tom lowered his face to the scruff of the kitten’s neck and appeared to be attempting to assume a position conducive to mating. The kitten tried to bat him away, but he was much too large for her to dislodge.



Crookshanks quietly jumped from his perch and padded toward the couple. After pacing around the sofa did nothing to quell his growing irritation, he decided to take his annoyance out on the wizard’s new cloak that had been conveniently thrown over a nearby chair.



After a few satisfying swipes of his sharp nails to test the fabric, the cat settled down and began to vigorously take his displeasure out on the offending garment. He seemed to recall that the Muggles had a term for this. Oh, yes, ‘target practice’, he thought smugly as his nails took another deep swipe into the ruined fabric.



It was when his kitten cried out loudly in pain and fear at the red-tom’s roughness that Crookshanks froze, abandoning the remains of the cloak. As his eyes bored accusingly into the wizard’s back, a red film clouded his vision. He could take no more. Nobody would hurt his kitten with him on watch.



With a loud hiss, he sprung into action and charged at the red-tom. It took only a few leaps for him to cross the space between them and land squarely on the red-tom’s back, claws extended.



“Bloody hell, cat!” the red-tom yelled as he rolled off the sofa onto his feet. He spun wildly as he tried to remove the enraged half-Kneazle.



“Ron, leave him alone! Don’t hurt him!” Crookshanks heard his kitten shriek in his defense.



“Oi, geroff me! Shove off!" the tom demanded as he spun unsuccessfully in circles around the room.



Finally Crookshanks felt his right hind leg being roughly grabbed and he was forcefully ripped off the tom’s back.



Next he felt himself being hurled through the air and had the fleeting impression of a wall approaching before everything faded to black.



~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~



“Crooks!” screamed a sobbing Hermione as she rushed to her injured familiar’s side. She picked him up carefully and cradled the cat in her arms.



Having no interest in the animal’s condition other than to hope he was finally dead, Ron had rushed to a mirror hanging on a nearby wall to access the damage to his person.



“How could you?” she screamed, her eyes full of accusation as she looked up from her cat to Ron. “He was only trying to protect me. You could have killed him!”



Angrily brushing back a lock of hair, the wizard bellowed, “The cat’s a bloody menace, Hermione! I told you he was a monster the first day you got him. Look at what he did to me!” shouted Ron as he turned to her and he lifted his shirt to show dozens of bloody, ragged scratches.



“He wouldn’t have attacked you if you hadn’t hurt me. You’re always so rough. I have nerve endings, you know!” the witch shouted back.



Losing his temper, Ron unfortunately let his mouth speak before his brain could catch up. “It’s not my fault that you’re too frigid to respond to a man like a real woman,” spat out Ron hatefully.



Hermione gasped. She stared at him for a moment and then he watched her eyes turn hard. “It’s time for you to leave,” she said coldly, “and don’t come back.”



~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~



Ron knew the second he had said it that it was a mistake, but it was too late. He did try his best to apologize, but Hermione had her wand in her hand at that point and didn’t look like she was in any mood to listen to anything he had to say.



With the threat of a well placed slicing hex looming over him, Ron made a hasty departure.



Hermione picked her cat up carefully from where she had placed him on the sofa while she got rid of Ron. Her heart sank when she saw that he still wasn’t moving.



Sick with worry, a tearful Hermione exited her quarters gently supporting the unresponsive Crookshanks in her arms.



She needed to get to Hagrid. He would know what to do.



She took the shifting staircases down from the third floor where her quarters were located to the entrance hall and was on her way to his Hagrid’s hut when Severus appeared from a nearby hallway.



Severus saw Crookshanks in her arms and her wild, teary appearance and hurried to her.



“Hermione, wait!” he called out. “What’s happened?” he asked with concern as he grew near.



She glanced at him quickly, “It was Ron. Ron threw him against the wall and now he won’t wake up. I need Hagrid,” she said brokenly, her voice taking on a frantic edge as she continued to walk toward the main doors.



“Hermione, stop, Hagrid isn’t there.”



Stopping and turning to face him, she exclaimed, “What? No, he has to be there! Crookshanks might die without proper care,” she cried.



“It’s all right. I know a bit about caring for wounded animals. Come with me,” he said as he gently grasped her elbow. He could feel that she was shaking. “The Great Hall is empty. We’ll use a table in there.”



The witch nodded and allowed him to lead her without protest. Crookshanks was soon lying on the Ravenclaw house table. Hermione watched apprehensively as Severus expertly cast diagnostic spells on him.



“He has a mild concussion and bruised ribs. Nothing is broken,” intoned the wizard as he continued passing his wand back and forth over the cat. “It seems he also has a severely strained right hip and leg. Probably from the angle he hit the wall,” he mused.



“Will he be all right?” asked Hermione anxiously.



Severus nodded. “He will be in a lot of pain. I’ll brew a potion for him to help with the pain and that will speed the healing process. He’ll have to take it three times a day for a full week. After that he should be just fine,” said the wizard reassuringly.



“Oh, thank God! I thought I might lose him.” In a heartbeat he found himself firmly enfolded in her arms as she cried, “Oh, thank you, Severus. Thank you!”



He hesitantly returned the embrace, mentally thanking the Fates for his good fortune while relishing the feeling of her pressed against him.



Not wanting this sudden connection they had established to end, he murmured in her ear, “Would you like to help me brew the potion for Crookshanks?”



The combination of his velvety voice and hot breath on her earlobe suddenly caused goose bumps to rise on her flesh. She looked at him with her eyes half-lidded. Severus felt himself responding to that look. He felt encouraged in that she hadn’t released him from her embrace.



After a moment of staring into his eyes, Hermione smiled brightly at him and said, “I’d like that very much.”



~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~



Severus carried Crookshanks down to his private lab. With the animal still in his arms, he wandlessly released the wards to let them in. Then Hermione followed as the wizard walked up to a tall wooden bookshelf and said the word ‘Furies’. The bookshelf moved smoothly aside to reveal a doorway leading into his quarters. Walking in first he wandlessly lit the fireplace as well as a few torches to cast some light. He bid Hermione to follow him inside where he had her grab a soft blanket from his bed to rest the injured cat on. Then he directed her to a large book about curative potions for animals that he pointed out in the many bookshelves around the room.



When Severus had lit the fireplace, Hermione caught a glimpse of ‘Pride and Prejudice’ sitting on his side table. Taking a fleeting look at his apartment, she found it to be tastefully decorated with rich fabrics and sumptuous Georgian style furniture. She thought it would be a lovely place to relax on the sofa while reading a good book and, in any other circumstances, would have been reluctant to leave.



Taking a longing look back at the room and the tempting books within it, Hermione followed the Potions Master back to the lab. They placed Crookshanks on top of Severus’ blanket on a large table.



They each took a few minutes to prepare with Hermione reading up about the potion they were to make while Severus busied himself with gathering the ingredients from his stores. Together they began setting up the equipment they would need to prepare the ingredients and brew the potion.



Once they had set the base to simmering, Severus led Hermione back into the living room of his quarters and ordered tea and cakes for them. They had forty minutes to kill until the base was ready. Sitting in front of the fire, the wizard sipped his tea and finally asked, “So, are you ready to tell me how Crookshanks came to be thrown into a wall?”



Hermione rubbed her temple and said, “Crooks was defending me. He thought Ron was hurting me and he attacked him.”



“Your cat is a very perceptive animal. Did you know that he follows me on my rounds almost every evening?”



“No, I didn’t. He’s been in the habit of heading out every night, but I thought he was just out chasing mice on the grounds.”



“No, he meets me in the entrance hall like clockwork. He catches more wayward students than I do most nights,” Severus said with a smirk. “Afterwards I treat him to a dish of fresh fish, and then he generally naps in my lap for an hour or two.”



“He’s a smart little guy.”



“Yes, he most certainly is, and a very good judge of character. Has Weasley ever injured him prior to this?” Severus pressed.



Hermione finished taking a sip of tea and said, “I’ve caught him kicking him twice and Ron’s backhanded him a few times. Crooks mostly stays away from him.”



The wizard shook his head. “There is something fundamentally wrong with someone who feels justified in harming an innocent animal. Did you know that it is a trait shared by most Death Eaters?”



“What? No. No, I didn’t,” she said, mildly disturbed by this revelation.



“As you know, I spent a lot of years in their company and knew most of them as boys. Most started out abusing pets, and then they escalated to their wives, and finally their children. It was a cycle of abuse I saw repeated over and over again.”



“That’s rather disturbing, Severus.”



“The Dark Lord himself abused animals in his youth. The fiend was born twisted and evil. You have no idea how relieved I am to know that he died in the Final Battle. I’m sure that if his reign of terror had continued, it would have spread to encompass the Muggle world eventually.”



Hermione shuttered, “I’m glad he’s dead, too. He caused so much misery.”



“Yes, I agree. But let’s forget about him. Hermione, you said Crookshanks was defending you.” The wizard leaned forward in his seat and said in a low, controlled voice, “Was Weasley hurting you?”



She glanced at him, then away into the fire. After a moment she stood up and slipped the topmost portion of the two piece sweater set she wore off her arms, leaving her standing there in the matching sleeveless tank top. Her arms were covered in finger and hand-shaped bruises.



Severus stood and immediately was at her side. Raising his hand, he allowed his fingers to trail gentle over one arm. He stopped when he saw her wince.



“What is the meaning of this? Why would he do this?” the wizard hissed.



Taking a deep breath she said, “He gets very physical when he gets randy. Even his kisses bruise me. He’s so rough that I don’t find anything arousing about being with him. It’s why I’ve never… never been… intimate with him.”



“He’s a brute, Hermione. A man should never force himself on an unreceptive woman. Taken to the extreme, it’s nothing short of rape,” he said with conviction. He looked at her piercingly, “Are there more? More bruises?”



She nodded and sat down as she shrugged her sweater back on, “Some on my thighs and on my… my breasts. He called me frigid, Severus, but how can any woman become aroused by being mauled like that?” she asked plaintively as she searched his eyes, looking for validation.



Severus sat beside her and took her hand gently. “Hermione, no woman should have to put up with that treatment. Has he always been like this?”



“Mostly,” she said softly, “If anything he’s becoming worse.”



“Do you intend to stay with him?” he asked, his tone becoming very serious.



“I honestly don’t think I want to. When he left I told him never to come back, but I know he will. He’s so pigheaded. I know he won’t just let it go at that. I wouldn’t be surprised to hear that he’s in the castle right now looking for me.”



“Hermione, if you want me to run interference between you and Weasley, say the word. I promise you I will never let him put a hand on you again.”



“I’d like that very much.” Hermione turned and hesitantly snuggled up against Severus. “Would you mind just holding me for a while, Severus? I’m not frigid or unfeeling, like Ron says. I need affection like anybody else and it would be nice to be held by somebody that isn’t pawing me, at least for a little while.”



Severus put his arm around her shoulder and drew her closer to him. He kissed her hair and murmured, “I’ll hold you whenever you want, Hermione, for as long as you want. I’ll be here whenever you need me.”



The witch sighed contentedly, “I like this. Too bad the potion will be ready for the next step in five minutes.”



Glancing up at the wall clock, he saw she was correct.



“Would you like to have dinner here with me while we finish the potion?” he asked.



“I’d like this. This room is so comfortable. And you make a nice pillow. I might have to cuddle up with you after dinner, too.”



“I look forward to it,” he purred, smiling slightly.



~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~



The potion was finished just before dinner and the couple was able to administer the first dose using an eyedropper before they went back to Severus’ quarters to eat.



They had just sat down at Severus’ dining room table when the flames flared in the fireplace and Dumbledore’s face could be seen.



“Severus, are you there?” the Headmaster called out.



The wizard got up and went to stand in front of the fireplace. “I’m here, Albus.”



“Severus, is Hermione down there? Mr. Weasley is here at Hogwarts looking for her. He appears quite frantic. He’s presently on his way to Hagrid’s hut to see if she’s there.” The Potions Master glanced anxiously over to the witch, and then back to Dumbledore.



“She is here and I do not want Weasley to know her whereabouts, Albus. Earlier today he manhandled her and almost killed her cat. Hermione does not want to see him and if he comes here looking for her I can promise you there is going to be trouble,” he said heatedly.



Albus cast worried eyes over at Hermione and could tell that she was on edge. He nodded. “I will simply tell him that Hermione appears to have gone to stay with a friend. Will that be satisfactory?”



Severus nodded, then said, “Yes, Albus, that will be fine. Her cat is presently still unconscious in my lab and he will need medication administered throughout the night. It might be better for everyone concerned if she uses my spare bedroom tonight, just in case Weasley thinks to pay another visit to her chambers.”



Dumbledore quietly contemplated the situation for a moment before saying, “I believe you are correct. If it’s all right with you, I’ll connect your quarters through the internal Floo network so that Hermione can discreetly go back and forth for her things. You are both excused from having to appear for meals for now, just in case Mr. Weasley chooses to look for Hermione at a time when he knows she should be dining in the Great Hall.”



After saying his goodbyes, Albus left to handle Ron and Severus returned to his meal.



“It seems Weasley is persistence,” the wizard stated as he retook his seat.



“He most certainly is,” she said with a sigh as she picked at her salad. “You might regret offering to run interference for me, Severus.”



The wizard smirked, “On the contrary, I’m eagerly anticipating the opportunity to hex Mr. Weasley. I’m on pins and needles waiting for him to do something stupid so that I’ll have the chance,” he said cheerfully.



Hermione brightened visibly at the outlandish image of the straitlaced wizard being on pins and needles about anything.



She smiled evilly, “You’re terrible! You can’t have all the fun. I want a little piece of him, too. I owe him for what he did to Crooks.”



“Very well, my dear, but if he pushes me too far, it might be a very, very little piece,” the wizard intoned threateningly, he eyes becoming hard.



Hermione was just going to reply when some pitiful meows were heard coming from the lab.



“Oh, Crooks!” she said as her eyes met Severus’. Tossing aside the napkins the rested on their laps, they both rushed from the table into the lab.



~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~



The big ginger cat was painfully trying to raise his head when they walked into the lab. Hermione’s heart sank when she saw how much pain the animal was in. They both ran their fingers gentle through his coat to soothe him.



“Perhaps I should get him some water and see if he’ll eat something,” said the wizard.



“It’s his dinner time, but I don’t think he’ll eat,” she had just finished saying as she heard the cat’s stomach grumble loudly. She smiled softly as she looked up at Severus, “Then again, I suppose it won’t hurt to try. Maybe he’ll eat a bit, but he only drinks milk.”



“I’ll ask the kitchen for a saucer of milk then. I’ll be right back,” Severus said as he headed back to his rooms.



Hermione turned back to the injured animal, tears in her eyes. “Crooks, I’m so sorry. I told Ron not to come back. I’m really going to try to break it off with him this time and Severus told me he will help me. I won’t let him hurt you again,” she promised as she stroked him carefully.



The half-Kneazle considered what she said. ‘Maybe it had been worth it to finally open the kitten’s eyes about the red-tom. The red-tom had hurt his kitten, to be sure,’ thought the cat.



Crookshanks hadn’t liked Ron from the first time he laid eyes on him on the day when the cat had picked out Hermione. The cat was an excellent judge of character, something that he considered Ron several lacking in. Well, character and brains.



Another thing that deeply troubled the cat about Ron, the thing that Hermione didn’t know, was that he had repeatedly smelled the scent of another female on the wizard. And worst yet, it was the scent of a female he had mated with.



As far as Crookshanks was concerned, he was a tomcat in the most offensive sense of the word. The feline knew instinctively that Ron would do Hermione wrong and so he did his best to keep the wizard from hurting her.



Severus returned carrying bowls containing fresh salmon and milk, which he placed next to Hermione. He then walked up to a nearby brewing station and picked up two lab stools, and then carried them over to the table that held the cat for them to sit on. Hermione picked up a few flakes of salmon with her fingers and brought them up to the animal’s mouth. Crookshanks sniffed the offering a bit before his tongue darted out several times to tentatively lick the morsels. The witch and wizard were glad to see him then take a bit of the fish and chew it delicately.



“He’s probably in less pain because of the dose of potion he had. It’s time for a second dose. I’ll get it ready,” the Potions Master said. The cat’s eyes followed him as he walked over to a table across the room, and then shortly returned carrying an eyedropper which he put down beside the bowl of salmon.



Hermione continued to hand feed the cat until he decided he’d had enough. Severus then administered a dose of the healing potion they had made. When Crookshanks refused to drink milk from the bowl, the wizard used the eyedropper to put some into his mouth so that the cat wouldn’t become dehydrated.



Now that Crookshanks was awake, Hermione didn’t want to leave her familiar alone in the lab and was prepared to stay there with him. A dark, cold laboratory was hardly the place where the Potions Master wanted the witch to be. Instead, Severus carefully picked the animal up and carried him back into his quarters. Once there, he sat down on the sofa with the cat on his lap. Hermione sat next to him and leaned comfortably into Severus as she pet her cat, an activity he joined her in. Both humans spent a relaxing night talking quietly in front of the fire.



Crookshanks was comforted by the heat of the fire and the attention he was receiving. He cast appraising glances at the humans throughout the evening, his mind working furiously.



In the ginger cat’s opinion, the Dark-tom was a much more worthy mate for his kitten. He was intelligent, gentle and calm, stroked and held the cat expertly, and always offered up the freshest fish. And he had proved to be a fine hunter on their nightly patrols. He had also confessed his honest desire for the kitten.



Best of all, he had never thrown the cat against a wall.



The half-Kneazle purred loudly as the wizard’s long talented fingers found those spots behind the cat’s ears that he just loved to have skritched while his kitten softly caressed his belly.



‘Ah, paradise,’ he thought contentedly.



Yes, the Dark-tom would make a far better mate, Crookshanks decided as he reflexively kneaded the wizard’s leg with pleasure.



But there would be problems, the cat considered. The red-tom would be incensed that the Dark one had infringed on his territory. The red-tom was a hothead and would be ready for a fight.



The red-tom would have to be encouraged to back down before someone got injured by one of those wands they carried.



And if the red-tom didn’t back off, Crookshanks would just have to step in to help him take the hint. His ears pointing backwards as the half-Kneazle twitched the tip of his tail angrily. ‘If that happened,’ he thought with something approaching an evil grin on his squashed face, ‘red fur was going to fly.’



~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~



At eleven in the evening, Severus left Hermione lying on the sofa reading with Crookshanks curled up on her stomach while he did his rounds through the castle. He gave the cat another dose of potion before he left, hoping it would allow the animal to sleep comfortably through the night. The witch offered to accompany him on his rounds, but he insisted that she stay and watch over her familiar.



The Dark wizard padded silently through the halls, intent on completing his task quickly and returning to his quarters where Hermione waited. The corridors seemed exceptionally cold and silent, and he realized wistfully that he was unconsciously missing the padded steps of his little companion.



Approaching the shifting staircases from the second floor corridor, he heard one of the big oak main doors to the castle creaking on its hinges. Instantly on alert, he quietly walked closer and silently watched the staircases moving, bringing a solitary figure up to the landing of the third floor. Using the stationary stairs along the wall, the Potions Master wasted no time ascending up to the next floor and, concealing himself in the shadows of a niche cut into the stone wall, he watched the figure move swiftly to Hermione’s door and observed as the intruder pounded insistently on it for several minutes.



Drawing his wand, Severus noiselessly stalked closer to the individual. He was about twenty meters away when he heard a spell being muttered and saw the door to Hermione’s quarters open. In the light which spilled out, he fleetingly saw the face of Ron Weasley before the wizard hurried inside and closed the door behind him.



When Weasley hadn’t emerged after ten minutes of waiting, Severus summoned a house-elf to attend him. After a moment, Dobby appeared in front of him. At first the wizard was exasperated as he looked down at the cringing creature. When his eyes drifted over the mound of knitted hats balancing precariously on the elf’s head, he remembered how fond it was of Hermione and thought their connection would be an advantage in this situation.



The wizard cast a silencing spell around them and was able to quickly ascertain that Dobby was aware of Ron’s abuse of Crookshanks and that the elf was highly offended by his mistreatment of the animal.



After explaining that the red-head had forced his way into Hermione’s quarters and was now inside, an indignant Dobby immediately agreed to the wizard’s request to keep watch outside the witch’s chambers and to notify him when Weasley left.



The elf eagerly slipped into the shadows to begin his surveillance as the wizard hastily returned to his dungeon quarters.



Upon entering, he noticed straight away that the witch and her familiar had vacated the sofa. He then strode purposefully over to the open door to his guest room and became concerned when he looked inside and found it empty.



Immediately becoming concerned that the witch had Floo’d back to her quarters for the night and could now be facing off with Weasley, Severus rushed to the fireplace and grabbed a measure of Floo powder from the flow blue dish on the mantle. As he made to toss it into the flames, an errant flicker of light stopped him.



Returning the powder to the dish, the wizard quietly crossed the room to stand in the doorway of his bedroom. A single candle burned on the night stand, its light dancing over the occupants of his bed. Hermione was curled up on her side with her body protectively spooned around Crookshanks. He could see that she was still fully dressed, but had removed her outer sweater and, thankful, had kicked off her shoes before taking over his bed.



‘Well, I have wanted her in my bed,’ Severus thought with a smirk as he unsnapped the clasp of his cloak and hung it on the hook beside the door.



The wizard walked into the bathroom to complete his nightly ablutions. When he exited, he was wearing the silk, chocolate colored pajama bottoms that he favored.



Waving his hand at the room’s fireplace, he wandlessly cast a spell that made the waning flames flare back up.



The bed dipped as he climbed in and lay down behind the witch. He allowed his arm to wrap around her waist and pull her gently into his body. Hermione snuggled reflexively back into his embrace.



With a smile on his lips, he laid his head on his pillow and allowed sleep to claim him.



~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~



The first rays of light coming through the bedroom’s enchanted windows woke Crookshanks up and he decided it was high time to wake his bedmates up to feed him. After all, he was feeling quite peckish and had a taste for fish.



Once on his feet, he began rubbing himself insistently against Hermione and over Severus’ arm, which was still draped over her, until the witch finally started to stir.



“Good morning,” the wizard whispered into her ear, his voice husky from sleep.



“Hmmm,” was her only reply as she stretched, much like her cat, causing her back to arch against him.



“I could get used to this,” he purred as he slowly kissed her neck.



She laughed and rolled over so that she was resting with her head on his chest, “So could I. Let’s cancel classes and stay here today,” she suggested as she snuggled against him.



The wizard smiled, “As tempting as that sounds, Minerva would have our hides if she found out.” He was gratified when he felt Hermione smile against him in response.



“Okay,” she said with a sigh, “I suppose I do have to Floo to my quarters and get ready. Would you like to have breakfast together?”



Suddenly Severus remembered that he should have heard from Dobby. Was Weasley still in her chambers?



“Yes, let’s have breakfast here. But, Hermione, I don’t think it’s wise to go to your chambers yet.”



“Why not? I need to shower and get ready for the day. All my clothes are there,” she said as she eyed him curiously.



Severus turned them so that they were both on their sides facing each other. “Last night I saw Weasley entering your chambers when I did rounds. I left Dobby there with orders to inform me when he left. Since Dobby hasn’t come, I can only assume that it is because Weasley is still there.”



She drew in a deep breath as her eyes bore determinedly into his, “I’m not going to live my life in fear of him, Severus. I have to face him. As far as I’m concerned it’s over between us. I won’t miss work because of him.”



“No, I’ll go. You stay here. There are a few things I want to discuss with Mr. Weasley,” he said darkly.



Hermione made to protest, but he placed a finger on her lips to silence her, “I want you to use my shower and get ready here. I’ll bring back a few things for you after I remove Weasley. Agreed?”



She rolled her eyes in exasperation, “I’m a big girl. I can take care of myself. Don’t I have any say in this?” she said stubbornly.



“No. Not when he is capable of using brute force against you,” he said as he ran his hand over the soft skin on her arms and noticed the bruises on them starkly contrasted against her pale coloring.



“I won’t allow him to hurt you again. He obviously is looking for a confrontation. Well, he’s going to get it in spades, I promise you. When I am done with him, you won’t have to worry about running into him. He will be out of your life, Hermione, I promise you.”



Crookshanks chose that moment to head butt her. The cat stood over her looking into her eyes as if awaiting a decision.



Looking into Severus’ eyes, she saw that same look of anticipation.



She sighed, “All right, I’ll stay here. But I still have to attend my classes. I mean it; I won’t allow him to keep me from doing my job.”



Severus seemed to relax, “That’s fine, and I’ll escort you to and from your classes.”



“Are you always so protective, Severus?” she asked as she looked at him in wonder.



“Only with people I care about. Does it bother you?” he asked as he used one hand to move the curtain of her curly hair over her shoulder.



Hermione couldn’t suppress a smile. “No, I kind of like it,” she said as she brought her lips up to meet his.



~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~



Severus was a bit put out that their snogging session was interrupted by a persistent Crookshanks. He was quite encouraged that the witch had been responding so ardently to his tender kisses and gentle caresses.



The cat had meowed and nudged them insistently until they finally reluctantly broke apart to take care of him. They gave the cat a dose of potion and then the wizard had retrieved a bowl of fresh fish from the kitchen. Judging by the way the animal dove into the bowl, he was obviously hungry.



Severus used the bathroom and then threw on some clothes. He bid Hermione to go on in and take her shower. He was going to her chamber now and would take a quick shower when he returned.



Taking a moment to make sure that his wand was easily accessible, he Floo’d directly into Hermione’s quarters.



He stepped into the living room and took a glance around. The room was empty. Could Weasley have left?



No such luck, it would seem, as the red-head had apparently heard the sound of the Floo activating and rushed through the doorway from the bedroom.



Ron’s eyes narrowed when he saw him. “What are you doing here, Snape?” he shouted angrily.



“I could ask you the same, but no matter. Hermione sent me to retrieve a few things for her, if you really want to know,” he said with a smirk.



“Why are you here? Why didn’t she come herself?”



Severus shrugged. “Hermione wanted to get a little more sleep. She was quite tired out after last night,” he said, a slight grin on his lips.



“Since when did you start calling her Hermione? You always call her Miss Granger,” Ron asked suspiciously.



“Seeing as how she spent the night in my bed, I believe I’m entitled,” the Dark wizard responded smugly.



Ron’s face turned beet red. “You’re lying!” he spat out. “I want to see her NOW!”



Ron was moving toward the fireplace when Severus caught his arm in a firm grip to stop him.



“She does not want to see you. She told you not to return and she meant it. It’s over between the two of you,” Severus hissed. “Leave now before I call for the Aurors.”



Snatching his arm forcefully from the Potions Master’s grasp, the red-head declared, “I am an Auror!”



“Not in this situation. Right now you are nothing but a stalker who broke into a woman’s apartment last night,” Severus snapped back.



Ron’s eyes widened as he glared at Severus. The Potions Master had him dead to rights.



The older wizard smiled wickedly. “Oh, yes, you were observed. What do you think your superiors will think about that?”



Ron cringed visibly at the threat. He had really screwed up and could get fired at any hint of impropriety on his part. “I… I was just checking up on her. That’s all!”



“Yes, checking up on her because you had a chance to think about your reprehensible actions and were possibly concerned about your treatment of her cat and of her person, as evidenced by all the bruises you left on her. Possibly concerned about that, were you?”



“I don’t know what you’re talking about. How would you know if Hermione has bruises?” he asked, his nostrils flaring.



“Did you, perhaps, miss the part about her spending the night in my bed? We had a long, intimate discussion of your treatment of her. Let me warn you, leave her alone. Come need her again and you will answer to me,” the Dark wizard declared with a snarl.



Ron stepped back as if struck, his eyes growing cold, “Been in your bed, has she? That explains a lot, like why she wouldn’t let me touch her. She’s been whoring for you all along,” he yelled nastily in accusation.



Enraged, the Dark wizard’s face suddenly took on a menacing look. “Why you little…,” whatever else Severus would have said was lost since Albus chose that moment to Floo into the living room and step between them.



Albus felt as though he could cut the tension in the room with a knife. He looked at Ron crossly. “What are you doing here, Mr. Weasley,” Dumbledore demanded.



“I’m waiting for Hermione,” Ron retorted sullenly while looking from the Headmaster to Severus angrily.



“It was Miss Granger who sent me here. I will not turn a blind eye to an abusive relationship going on in my school, Mr. Weasley,” he began in his most authoritative voice.



Ron struggled to reply, but the elderly wizard held up his hand to stop him.



“Hermione quite adamantly told me that it is over between the two of you. She told me that you have been told not to return to Hogwarts, yet despite that you broke into these quarters last night. You have no business here and you are to leave immediately,” Albus stated firmly with no room left for discussion. The seemingly perpetual twinkle was conspicuously absent from his eyes.



Ron opened his mouth to speak, but Albus again held up his hand, “There will be no discussion; my school, my rules, Mr. Weasley. Now… get… OUT,” he said unpleasantly.



Seeing that there was no winning this, Ron huffed and stormed past the two older men to the entry door while saying, “All right, fine, I’ll leave.”



Pausing in the open doorway he looked back at the two men who watched him tensely. His face contorted with a scowl. “Tell Hermione that this isn’t over,” he spat out darkly as he slammed the door shut behind him.



~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~



Severus Floo-called Hermione to tell her that Ron had left. In moments Hermione came through the Floo into her quarters. She thanked both men effusively before hurrying away to get ready for the day.



Albus gave Severus a pat on the back before he rushed away, stating that he needed to get to the Great Hall for breakfast where he intended to inform the other staff members about the situation with Ron Weasley.



The Potions Master was left standing there in the living room alone while he listened to Hermione rushing about in her bedroom.



With nothing better to do, he took a seat and willed himself to relax as he began to examine the room; it was light, airy, and comfortable. It was a soothing mix of almond walls, white woodwork, and shabby chic furniture with various shades of blue and white or subtle floral fabrics provided seating. A few simple wooden pieces in various shades of white dotted the room and provided a surprising complement to the bookcases that lined the walls. Instead of the heavy drapes that most at Hogwarts favored, simple white shears on the windows provided a softer, billowy feeling. The rich hardwood floors were scattered with soft white rugs. The room reminded the wizard of a photo he had once seen in a Muggle magazine of beach style homes.



The room was warm and inviting, and very different from the way his quarters were decorated. He leaned back and closed his eyes as he tried to calm down a bit before his classes started.



“Severus? Severus!” he heard a voice calling.



He opened his eyes to find an amused looking Hermione staring down at him.



She smiled and said, “You were having a little nap. If it wasn’t for classes I would have let you sleep. You looked so peaceful.”



He smiled sheepishly up at her and mumbled, “I was just resting my eyes.”



“Uh-huh. Do you normally snore when you rest your eyes? I only ask because you have been for the past ten minutes,” she said with amusement as she sat on his lap and kissed his cheek softly.



“You must have been mistaken. Perhaps it was my stomach growling that you heard. I’m famished and would like that breakfast you promised me,” he purred as he wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her near.



She glanced quickly at the clock on the wall, “I have twenty minutes until my first class starts. I had some toast while I was waiting in your chambers, but let me up and I’ll order something from the kitchen for you,” she said as she struggled to standup.



The wizard shook his head, refusing to release her, “No, there’s not enough time for that. I was thinking about devouring something entirely different,” he said silkily as he leaned in and claimed her lips in the first of a series of toe curling kisses.



Nineteen minutes later, a dazed and disheveled Professor Granger was being pushed unceremoniously into her classroom by a very smug looking Professor Snape.



When she cast a last look at him, he had the temerity to wink at her before he billowed away.



‘Merlin,’ she thought, ‘if that was breakfast, what would he do for lunch?!’



~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~



The rest of the week was blessedly absent of Ron Weasley. Life for Hermione had mostly gone back to normal in that she felt free to walk the corridors of Hogwarts and attend meal in the Great Hall again. What had changed was that although Severus continued to walk her to and from her classes, and now to meals, she was now convinced that this was because they seemed to have moved into the start of a relationship, rather than anything to do with Ron. That, and the way he always managed to steal a kiss when he was with her. The scamp!



The two professors were often seen taking sunset walks along the shore of the Black Lake by curious students. In fact, students had quickly noticed a change in the dynamics between their two professors and this led to a great deal of speculation in the common rooms about what it could all mean. The most popular theory was that Professor Granger was just using Professor Snape to make her wayward beau, Ron Weasley, jealous. After all, what else could it be? Bets were being taken.



The staff had got wind of the gist of the rumors being bandied about the school and took great pleasure in relating them to Hermione and Severus under the pretence of making innocent conversation during meals. Severus, especially, was so easy to get a rise out of. He could be counted on to cast a jaundiced eye over the assembled students and looked like he would do more than take points if he found the little nosy parkers responsible.



Two weeks after the incident with Ron, Severus made plans for them both to leave the castle for an outing. Hermione was quite putout when he refused to disclose any details about their… well, their date, no matter how much she cajoled him. His only helpful comment was to dress nicely in Muggle clothes.



When Saturday came, they caused quite a stir when they both arrived at lunch wearing Muggle clothing. Hermione noticed some of older girls giving Severus the once over. She covertly allowed her own eyes to rake over him appreciatively; he did look fabulous without all those layers of clothes he usually wore.



Severus had also noticed that the older boys were eying Hermione with interest. He scowled blackly at them at every opportunity. The sooner the little buggers figured out that he had staked a claim on the witch, the less detentions they would see.



The couple quickly ate their meals and took their leave, both anxious to get away from all the curious eyes that watched them. Hermione grasped the arm Severus offered and shot the female students who were staring at them a smug look as they departed.



They walked arm in arm out of the big oak doors of the castle and down the path away from Hogwarts. After passing through the gates of Hogwarts the wizard Apparated them into a windowless stone room. Smirking at the witch’s look of confusion, he took her hand and led her toward the room’s only exit, a closed door.



While his hand was reaching for the doorknob, it suddenly stopped. Instead he turned and grasped her waist, pushing her against the door as his mouth hungrily descended onto hers. Her arms snaked eagerly around his neck as his hands ran seductively over her back and down to knead her buttocks. He pressed his hard body tightly against hers, eliciting a moan from her.



They allowed passion to take them over for a few minutes before they reluctantly broke away from the kiss.



“What is this magic you have worked on me, witch?” Severus murmured against her lips.



“Severus,” the sloe-eyed witch breathed while attempting to recapture his lips.



Abruptly they both froze when they heard voices on the other side of the door. Severus stepped away from her and straightened his suit while she did the same with her little black dress.



“We should go before we are discovered,” he said hoarsely as he offered her his arm.



“Let’s,” she said simply as she grasped his arm and smiled up at him.



He leaned forward and placed a last chaste kiss on her lips before opening the door and leading her through it.



Hermione looked around excitedly. “We’re at the Tate! Oh, Severus, this is my absolute favorite museum! Thank you!”



He smiled down at her; the Tate was also one of his favorite places.



“Oh, the sculptures are down there,” she said, pointing to her left. “I love the neo-classical works here. The way that the masters transformed stone into flesh always gives me goose bumps,” she began as they headed off toward the first exhibition.



They were still taking animatedly about the exhibits when they were seated at a secluded table at La Licorne Noire, a trendy new French restaurant that had opened a few streets away from the Tate. Severus had planned ahead and made reservations for them for seven in the evening.



After looking over the menus, they both decided to have a bowl of lobster bisque. For entrees Hermione ordered Coquilles St. Jacques et Crevettes Lorraine and Severus finally decided on Filet Mignon aux Champignons. Handing back the menus, Severus instructed the waiter to bring them a bottle of a William Downie Mornington Peninsula Pinot Noir for Hermione and a Fortant de France Cabernet Sauvignon for himself.



The evening was simply magically. Their meals were outstanding, the wine was excellent, the desserts were sinful, and the conversation engaging. Hermione was delighted when a band started playing and Severus led her out for several turns on the dance floor.



After that, they took a short walk on the cobblestone pathway along the Thames. Severus was showing her a side of himself that she had never seen and she wanted to see much, much more.



It was nearly midnight when they returned to Hogwarts. They walked into the dimly lit entrance hall and found Crookshanks there to greet them, meowing loudly. The cat rubbed itself insistently against their legs as they started up the stairs together, arms around each other’s waists, talking softly.



Crookshanks followed them, still meowing persistently. He even attempted to block their stepping off the stairs, but the couple just walked around him while eying him curiously. Now on the darkened third floor landing, they were almost at Hermione’s door when they were suddenly disturbed.



“You’re out late,” a cold voice said accusingly from the shadows.



Hermione gasped and spun to peer in the direction that the voice had come from. They watched as Ron Weasley walked out of a nearby alcove, his wand in his hand.



Severus immediately moved in front of the witch, drawing his wand protectively. ‘So much for a nice romantic evening!’ he thought.



“Ron, what the hell are you doing here?” Hermione yelled, obviously not happy to see him.



“Yes, Weasley, good question. Dumbledore was quite clear,” Severus growled.



Ron didn’t acknowledge the Dark wizard; instead he spoke directly to Hermione. “We need to talk. Let’s step into your place so we can have some privacy,” he said as he inclined his head toward her door.



The Potions Master stiffened visibly, “She’s not going anywhere alone with you, Weasley. You were never particularly bright, but even you can’t be this dense. Have you been Confunded that you can’t understand that it’s over between the two of you?” he asked condescendingly.



“Stay out of this, Snape,” the red-head billowed, raising his wand threateningly.



“I don’t think so,” Severus taunted. He had slowly moved so that he and Hermione were now at her door.



“We have nothing to talk about,” Hermione dismissively as she moved forward to stand at the Potion Masters’ side. “I would have thought my Howler was quite clear, Ron. It’s over between us. Leave me alone and stop coming here!”



That Howler was quite nasty. Hermione made sure that it was delivered to the Burrow during the family’s dinner on Sunday. She was sure it must have caused quite the uproar.



The three of them continued to shout accusations and insults back and forth. Unseen, Dobby emerged from a nearby niche in the castle walls. Hermione had asked him to keep a watch on her familiar while she was out of the castle with Severus, which he had enthusiastically agreed to do.



While watching Crookshanks, Dobby had seen Ron sneakily enter the castle, while obviously trying to make sure he was not seen, and then conceal himself near Hermione’s quarters. Guessing that Ron was up to no good, the elf had decided to watch the wizard’s movements as he had previously been instructed by the Dark wizard.



Now Dobby quietly moved to stand beside Hermione and Severus. A hissing Crookshanks appeared at his side, back arched and in full battle mode. Ron had done Crookshanks wrong and now the cat was itching for some payback.



Footsteps and voices could be heard coming toward them. The shouting must have awoken some of the staff. Torches were starting to come to life down the hall.



“You greasy git, get away from her!” shouted Ron.



“I’ll do what I want. You have no claim on her.”



“Oh, and you do, I suppose?” Ron yelled. Turning to Hermione he said, “It didn’t take you long to find a replacement for me. I suppose you’ve been doing Snape all along,” he said nastily.



Hermione sputtered indignantly, but Severus beat her to a reply.



“That’s enough!” the Potions Master bellowed. “Hermione’s life is no longer any of your concern. Don’t try to twist the blame here. You are the one who didn’t know how to control your temper or your abusive behavior. You didn’t know how to treat a lady and now you’ve lost her because of it.”



“Shut the hell up!” shouted Ron, raising his wand and taking a dueling stance. He had moved now so that he was standing in front of the staircase, effectively blocking it so that the two professors couldn’t use it to get away from him.



Severus also moved into a dueling stance, his wand pointing straight at the red-headed heart.



“Get over it, you dimwit! Leave now or I’ll hex you into the next dimension!” Severus threatened.



“You bastard, you stole my girl!” Ron yelled angrily, his face twisting with rage. Sparks of uncontrolled magic were emanating from his wand.



Filius Flitwick and Rolanda Hooch appeared on the fourth floor landing, listening and watching the confrontation from above as the staircase shifted to retrieve them. They glanced at one another with raised eyebrows. Snape was doing Hermione? They knew the two were friends, but this? They didn’t know the wizard had it in him. Well, well, now this was news!



Dobby moved forward to stand between the two wizards, arm raised and palm out toward Ron, ready to defend the two professors.



Ron glanced at the house-elf hesitantly. He had heard about what Dobby had done to Lucius Malfoy and didn’t want to tangle with the elf. House-elf magic was just too strong.



“Stay out of this Dobby,” he said angrily. “This is between me and Snape.”



“Dobby, please, I don’t want you getting hurt,” Hermione called out anxiously to the elf.



Dobby took a moment to glance back at the witch and Ron used the diversion to draw back his wand in preparation to casting a spell.



Crookshanks had seen Ron’s wand movement and knew that the wizard was going to attack. Wasting no time, the cat dashed toward him and launched himself at the wizard with a spine-chilling growl.



“Bloody hell!” Ron shrieked as he got a face full of enraged half-Kneazle.



Flitwick and Hooch had stepped on the staircase and were now both leaning over the railing, trying to catch all the action as the stairs shifted downward.



Hermione, Severus, and Dobby were also watching the confrontation with a mix of amazement and morbid fascination. It had been inevitable and only a matter of time before Crookshanks snapped and took his pound of flesh from Weasley. The wrongs that the wizard had inflicted on the animal and its mistress were just too grievous for a cat as clever as Crookshanks to simply ignore. Now that the clash between the two was finally happening, it was like watching a train wreck and simply being unable to turn away.



As Crookshanks bit and scratched the red-head like a cat possessed, Ron was screaming to high heaven and spinning wildly as he desperately trying to dislodge the pissed off pussy.



Unfortunately, the wizard couldn’t see because of the ginger muff attached to his face that was practically smothering him. As he whirled about unseeing, he edged nearer and nearer to the spot that the staircase had vacated. Taking one more step his foot encountered air and he pitched over the edge, his wand falling from his hand.



Everyone watched as if in slow motion as both the wizard and the cat seemed to hang in the air before they suddenly began to plummet.



Flitwick and Hooch frantically tried to retrieve the wands that they had both stuffed into the pockets of their bathrobes when they had hurried from their respective chambers.



Wand forgotten, Severus rushed forward and literally dove toward the opening, his arms extended as he reached out desperately. He landed on his chest and continued to slide forward, momentum sending him toward the lip of the landing.



Hermione followed after him a heartbeat later, throwing herself on top of the wizard to stop him from going completed over the edge.



Dobby stood there in horror watching the staircase descend ever closer.



In a desperate attempt to save himself, Crookshanks coiled his muscles tightly and, in a Hail Mary effort, he leapt outward while emitting a soul piercing yowl that would have done a jungle cat proud. His eyes closed, feeling nothing but air as it rippled over his fur, the cat sent a silent entreaty to his Kneazle forebears to reunite him with his sweet kitten in the next life.



Hermione managed to stop Severus’ forward motion just as he felt himself starting to teeter over the ledge and was glancing apprehensively into the waiting abyss.



In that moment the Dark wizard felt something drop into his open hands. Looking up, he was amazed to see them filled with a wild-eyed, frazzled feline.



His smirk of satisfaction was short lived as the next thing he registered was the stone staircase barely a meter from his head and closing fast. He felt Hermione desperately trying to yank him back to the landing, but perceived with a tinge of regret that he was just too heavy for her to manage it in time to save him from being crushed.



Closing his eyes to block out the approach of the object of his imminent demise, he tensely waited to be ground into a blood pulp. How ironic that his life would be snuffed out so soon after finally meeting the woman of his dreams, he reflected.



About five seconds later he was fairly confident that he was still alive, although not sure why. He warily cracked open his black eyes to find that the staircase had docked with the landing that was now directly underneath him and that he, Crookshanks, and Hermione were all hovering midair and in the process of being returned to the safety of the landing. Pivoting his head to look around him, he saw that the house-elf, Dobby, was their unlikely savior.



“Wow, did you see that jump! That’s quite the cat you have there,” commented Hooch excitedly as she scrambled onto the landing.



Flitwick hurried after her and gallantly helped Hermione up from the floor. “That is the most intelligent cat I’ve ever seen,” he gushed in agreement, nodded vigorously.



“Yes, you’re not the first person to say that,” Hermione responded as she straightened her disheveled clothes.



Severus stood and promptly received several head butts in thanks from a madly purring Crookshanks who he still held protectively in his arms.



Hooch looked over the railing and grimaced. “Ewww! Too bad for Weasley that neither of you went for your wands,” she said as she walked up to them and handed each of them the wands she had retrieved which had been dropped in all the excitement.



Hermione and Severus took them silently and shot sheepish looks at one another. They each just shrugged as if to say, ‘Ah, well, the heat of the moment and all that.’



Relieved that they were all safe, Hermione wrapped an arm around the wizard’s waist and used the other to reassuringly caress her familiar.

Severus sighed in contentment and pulled her further into an embrace, pressing a kiss on her head.

“Oh, Crooks, I thought I lost you,” she whispered in the cat’s ear.



She looked up at Severus, meeting his eyes, and whispered, “I thought I lost you, too. That was quite the save, you know. You’re my hero.”



He smirked, “Really? Do you suppose I’ve earned a kiss for my heroism?”



She nodded her head and looked at him meaningfully while snuggling closer. “I think you’ve earned a lot more than that,” she murmured for only him to hear.



Severus gifted her with a full smile. It seems this day hadn’t turned out too bad after all!



In the meantime, Filch had reached the entrance hall just in time to watch Ron Weasley fall like a sack of potatoes and land with an ugly splat in the middle of the cold flagstone floor.



Filch had never really cared for the red-head since that episode when he had damaged the Squibs beloved Whomping Willow in his second year.



The caretaker had always suspected Ron would come to no good. The wizard was just too impulsive. It seems he was right.



Looking down at him now, Filch just shook his head. “Who’s going to clean this up?” he groused.



~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~



Down in the dungeon, Crookshanks sat alone in the comfortable chair by the fire kneading its upholstered arm contentedly. Two weeks had now passed since he had vanquished the red-tom. The kitten had been sad at first, but the Dark one had stepped in to help her through it.



The two had been engaged in the ritual acts prior to mating for weeks, but it seemed that all was well now.



The cat looked back toward the bedroom with a knowing smirk on its squashed face. From all the caterwauling and groaning going on in there, it seemed that the first mating was going on quite successfully.



He had known that the Dark-tom would be a fine mate for his kitten. He was sure that their future litters would produce fine little hunters.



‘Yes,’ the feline thought smugly, ‘I seem to have quite the knack at matchmaking.’



Crookshanks considered how Mrs. Norris was trying unsuccessfully to arrange a mating between her tom and that dragonfly-eyed female who was so fond of wearing all those bangles and scarves. Perhaps he could lend her his expertise. The great cat-goddess Bast herself would need help making a match of those two!



He looked back at the bedroom door; the noise in there seemed to have hit a fever pitch.



Making up his mind, he stretched expansively before jumping off the chair and heading toward the small pet door at the base of the fireplace.



Mrs. Norris was usually up on the fifth floor at this hour. He would lend her a paw. It was obvious she couldn’t handle something this delicate on her own and could use the help of someone with experience in these matters.



‘Yes,’ Crookshanks thought confidently as he stepped through with tail held high, ‘with my talent, this should prove no problem at all.’



~ Fin ~