Pretty Kitty (completed)

Chapter 12

A few hours later, the compartment door slid open. Harry looked up from where he was sat beside Fred, having escaped from George's lap. Fred's head was resting on his shoulder and the redhead appeared to be near sleep.

"Can I sit here? Someone else took my compartment when I went to the bathroom," a dreamy voice asked, and Harry looked up to see a dazed blond girl standing in the doorway, holding a magazine, a pencil behind one ear. Harry ogled at her strange earrings.

"Uh, sure," Harry told her, being the only one awake enough to answer. George had fallen asleep some time ago, cheek pressed against the window, and Lee was sprawled against George in a way that had made Fred smirk and order a passing by Colin Creevey to take a picture. Harry had just laughed.

"Thanks," the girl said, sitting down on the same seat as Lee and George, and opening her magazine. Harry noted, bemusedly, that it was upside down. This girl was... strange, but he didn't dare ask her name. She seemed rather engrossed in her upside-down paper, and he let her have at it. He was content to stare out of the window, occasionally running a hand through Fred's hair.

After another half an hour, Harry was snapped out of his light doze when Fred stirred, head moving and causing his hair to tickle Harry's neck. Harry chuckled and squirmed, and Fred lifted his head.

"Hey," he murmured sleepily, kissing Harry's lips softly. Harry smiled in contentment, kissing back before pulling away, aware of the crazy girl lowering her reading material to stare at them blatantly. Fred kissed his nose and lifted a hand to rub Harry's ears, unaware of the girl. Harry moved into the touch, blinking slowly at Fred.

"He just kissed you," the girl suddenly said, causing Fred to jump a mile high and turn to stare at her. He sighed, placing a hand on his heart.

"Oh, it's just you, Loony," he said. She raised an eyebrow and Harry lightly smacked Fred upside the head for the insult. Honestly, he had no manners.

"Anyway, you should kiss him back," 'Loony' told Fred, who looked very confused, but not really surprised. Harry didn't blame him, she seemed like the type to spout nonsense at inappropriate times. "When he blinked at you. It was like a kiss. You return it, and he'll do it again."

"Don't talk about me like I'm not in the room," Harry muttered angrily, crossing his arms. Fred rolled his eyes and turned back to Harry, catching his eyes and blinking slowly. Harry grinned and blinked back at him, before shaking his head.

"Wait, no, what? Stop that!" he snapped when Fred continued to blink at him. Fred laughed and wrapped an arm around Harry's shoulder, looking thrilled at the discovery, although Harry had no clue why. It was just a blink, not a 'kiss', like Loony said. Just a blink to show how happy he was...

"Thanks, Lovegood," Fred told the girl. Loony Lovegood, what an unfortunate name. Loony merely smiled at Fred, and fixed Harry with an intense gaze. He pressed back into his seat, feeling vaguely uncomfortable at those large, dreamy blue eyes pinning him to his seat.

"No problem, the Cattus Alio really interest me. My dad and I've been searching for them for years; they're mainly in hiding. We were both so glad to learn that Harry Potter had embraced his feline side, fighting for the rights of all the Cattus Alio out there who are oppressed by the Ministry," she said. Harry's eyes widened the more she talked. Dear Merlin, she was insane.

"I'm a... what?" he asked hesitantly, not entirely certain he wanted to know. Loony smiled at him indulgently.

"It's Latin for Cat Person, because that name sounds very crude, and the Cattus Alio are a regal race. I'm sure they'd be happy to welcome you into their fold," she told him matter-of-factly. Harry stared at her incredulously.