The Cat's Meow

A/N: Well, here's the next chapter. =) I hope you like!

Hermione woke up the next morning with the feeling of both great relief and great apprehension coiled together in her stomach. Last night, she had obediently gone to the infirmary, but Madam Pomfrey had given her a clean bill of health--at least as far as the potion was concerned. It was "just an odd reaction, that's all, dear," the mediwitch had told her. Hermione wasn't sure she believed her, but didn't really have a choice. It's not like she knew what the consequences were of drinking random potions when you had cat DNA swirling around inside you.

The emotions weren't from the potion, though, she was sure of that. Or at least, they weren't from the potential side effects of the potion.

What am I going to do about my feelings for Professor Snape? she asked herself bluntly as she got out of bed, dressing on auto-pilot. It was almost becoming second nature to enfold her tail in her skirt and put the hood carefully on over her ears. At least she had a room all to herself this year. It was a spare room in the dormitory, off to one side. She had asked Professor McGonagall for it as soon as the term started. Originally, it wasn't because of this, but because she wanted to be able to study later without having to be down in the common room. Professor McGonagall had thankfully agreed, so it had already become fairly routine to the other Gryffindors by now that Hermione had her own room. It was small--barely larger than a closet, but it gave her privacy, and that was enough.

There was a light tap on her door and she jumped, spinning around with her wand automatically in her hand.

"Yes?" she called, feeling a flush of embarrassment for her trigger-happy wand-hand. But she still remembered what it had been like when Voldemort was still around--if you couldn't defend yourself, you would be dead very, very fast.

"Hermione, it's me, Ginny," the muffled voice came. Hermione relaxed, but only slightly.

"Okay, come in," she said. The door creaked open and Ginny edged her way in, always mindful that she didn't accidentally reveal Hermione's secret. She didn't have to worry now, though; Hermione was fully dressed and concealed.

"Professor Snape wants to see you as soon as possible," Ginny stated, her freckled features creasing with worry.

"Even before breakfast?" Hermione asked, surprised. Ginny shrugged but gave a hesitant nod.

"I think that would probably be a good idea, yeah," she told the studious cat-girl. "He sent a message via the portraits. The Fat Lady sounded like it was serious."

I wonder if he came up with the solution to my problem? flashed through Hermione's mind, bringing a fresh wave of apprehension and excitement. But she kept her voice level as she scooped up her books, stuffing them in her bag along with more parchment and a newly sharpened quill.

"Then I guess I better hurry up and get down to the dungeons," she said calmly. Ginny's wide green eyes watched her, worry shimmering in their depths, and Hermione gave the younger girl a little reassuring hug.

"It's not like he's an ogre, Ginny," Hermione assured her lightly. "He can't do anything to me. It probably has something to do with yesterday's class or something."

Ginny nodded, but still looked a little nervous for her friend. Oh well, Hermione mentally shrugged. She'd tried.

The common room was still deserted. Hermione got up an hour before it was necessary, and not many others in Gryffindor Tower preferred the early morning hours like she did. Ginny had been up because she liked to practice self-defensive moves in the common room before anybody woke up enough to mock her.

For that matter, Hermione noticed as she clambered out of the portrait hole, most of the castle seemed deserted. Well, it was only seven o'clock, she reasoned. And there wasn't really any point to wandering around the castle beforehand when you could stay nice and cozy in your dormitory. Still, a little twinge of unease raised the hairs on the back of her neck (and made her have to really concentrate to keep her claws in), so she kept a cautious grip on her wand.

It still didn't help.

"Hello, Granger," a cold voice drawled behind her. She whirled, dropping into a defensive posture.

"What do you want, Malfoy?" she asked, relaxing marginally. After the defeat of the Dark Lord, Draco had mostly turned into a civil human being, but he still had a nasty, unpredictable temper, especially around those of a Gryffindor bent. Or a Muggleborn bent. Or a female bent. It all depended, really. Hermione was about three-quarters sure Draco was gay, but she also bet that he would never, ever admit it.

"Where are you going?" he asked--well, demanded, really. His wand wasn't out, but that didn't mean anything.

"Professor Snape has requested that I see him immediately," Hermione answered, seeing no real reason not to tell him. What could he do? She turned to go, momentarily relaxing her guard, and in a moment's blink, she felt a rough hand yank at her hood, pulling it down around her shoulders. She froze in shock and horror, feeling her ears adjust to the freedom.

"Well, well, will you look at that," Draco crowed maliciously. She turned back around, crimson with humiliation. "Wonder where those came from..." His darkly insinuating look made Hermione's hackles go up. Could he be the one who had jinxed her in the first place? The look on his face practically shouted it.

"Malfoy," she spat angrily. Her voice had a plaintive hissing edge to it that made her cringe inside. Damn, would the cat inside never leave? Apparently not. And she had no doubt that by breakfast time, everyone in the castle would know Hermione had cat ears.

"Have fun with godfather," he smirked before turning and strutting off. Hermione didn't know whether she wanted to curse him or beat him up the old-fashioned Muggle way. What was she going to do now?

"Maybe Professor Snape will know what to do," she mumbled, uncharacteristically unsure of herself.

At least she was pretty close to the dungeons.