Chimera

Chapter 20

Halloween was on a Friday that year.

Mr Singh left the office early to take his daughters trick-or-treating before it got too late. Ellie rushed out shortly afterwards, dressed as the muggle idea of a witch - complete with talon nails and a warty nose.

"Have you got anything planned for the weekend?" Hermione asked Draco, who was still staring at the space Ellie had just bounced out of.

"Mother is hosting a dinner tonight," Draco said with a groan, tearing his bemused expression away from the empty doorway. "It used to be something she did every year, but this is the first time she's felt up to it since, well...for a while."

Hermione nodded. Draco avoided mentioning his father and his family's involvement in the War, but it was always there - bubbling away under the surface, the elephant in his mind.

"That sounds fun," Hermione suggested.

"It could be," he shrugged. "I haven't actually been to one since before Hogwarts, but as a child I hated those dinners. Having to get dressed up in stiff robes and pretend to be nice to people I didn't know? Ugh."

Hermione hid a smile. A slight whine had entered his voice, a reminder of his spoiled ways. He had grown up considerably since they were in school.

"She's invited the Greengrasses this year," Draco said. "As well as the Parkinsons and the Zabinis, so it shouldn't be too bad. What about you? Any big plans?"

"God no," Hermione said, forcing a laugh. "Not really my kind of thing. Besides, I'm not a big fan masked crowds in the dark. Me and Crookshanks just stay home and hand out sweets to the kids in our building."

"Want to trade places?" Draco suggested and grinned at Hermione's horrified expression.

"Even you, Draco Malfoy, do not have enough money to pay me to do that!"

That startled a laugh out of Draco, and Hermione smirked at him, mimicking his frequent expression.

"Are you sure? You'd make a very convincing Malfoy. You've got the facial expressions down and everything!" Hermione fixed him with a glare and he raised his hands in mock defeat. "Alright, alright, I give up. See you on Monday."

"Bye, have fun."

*****

It was well past dinner time when Hermione arrived home. The street lights pooled around the feet of trick-or-treaters as they splashed through puddles. The glow of the city reflected back against the rain clouds, turning them a sickly yellow in the darkness.

Hermione put a pumpkin outside her door to indicate she was happy to hand out sweets. The lopsided, orange face grinned blankly up at her.

Crookshanks hopped up onto the kitchen counter as she sifted through takeaway menus. He pawed at one of them, scooting it across the surface.

"Oh, you want us to have pizza, hmm?"

After ordering, Hermione flopped onto the sofa and flicked through the TV. She hurriedly clicked passed all of the scary films before settling on Hocus Pocus. It had just started and she laughed at Crookshank's disgusted expression when the onscreen cat mewed pathetically.

A gaggle of young voices grew louder outside her door and there was a hesitant knocking. Hermione jumped up and grabbed her bowlful of treats.

"Trick or treat!" The masked children chorused, slightly off-key and out of time with each other.

"Oh I love your costumes," Hermione gushed as she dropped a handful of sweets into each bag.

"Thank you," they each said, though some needed nudging by the bored-looking adults behind them.

"Happy Halloween!" Hermione said, waving as they skipped over to the next door down the hallway.

After three more interruptions, Hermione's pizza arrived. She pressed a chocolate bar into the tired teenager's hand, earning a smile that lit up his face.

The film credits were rolling when Hermione's phone pinged. Ginny had sent a photograph of her and Harry at the Holyhead Harpies Halloween party. Ginny was dressed as Poison Ivy, having recently discovered superhero films, and Harry was a short, skinny Batman beside her. Both of them were laughing, their arms wrapped around each other.

Love it! Hermione texted back, swallowing her loneliness. Everyone seemed to be having fun except her.

Crookshanks jumped onto her knee and rubbed his face against her arm. Hermione smiled and stroked behind his ears.

"You're right, how can I be lonely when I've got you to keep me company, hm?"

Crookshanks purred loudly in reply.

A knock at the door made Crookshanks jump down and sulk under the coffee table. Outside, a group of teenagers smiled sheepishly at her. Their costumes mostly involved them wearing all black, with a few capes and masks among them.

"Trick or treat!"

"Happy Halloween!" Hermione said, passing them each some sweets.

Across the hall, she heard her neighbour muttering about teenagers and how inappropriate it was for them to be trick or treating. One of the girls, no older than fifteen, drooped at the comments. Hermione flashed the girl a warm smile.

"I hope you have a great evening," Hermione said loudly, over the neighbour's comments about stealing sweets from children and being up to no good. "It was lovely to see you all. It's always wonderful to see people enjoying themselves! I hear too many comments these days about teenagers spending all their time indoors and trying to grow up too fast, don't you?"

Between the gaps in the group, Hermione saw her neighbour glaring at her. She smiled sweetly in reply.

"Thank you," the girl said, a little shakily. "We appreciate it."

Hermione tipped the last few sweets out of her tub and into the teenagers' bags. Their various cries of amazement brightened her mood, especially the ones about the full-sized chocolate bars she'd discreetly summoned from the cupboard.

"Thank you! You have a great evening!" They cried before shuffling away down the hallway.

Hermione waved after them before shutting the door. She sagged against the wood, all of the fight seeping out of her.

"Better hope she doesn't complain about us to the landlord in revenge," Hermione commented to Crookshanks.

The cat meowed, sniffing disdainfully. Hermione opened the door again to pull the pathetic pumpkin inside. Her neighbour had disappeared, as had the last of the trick or treaters.

As silence settled back over the apartment building, Hermione picked at one of the pieces of cold pizza. Crookshanks stole tiny squares of ham out of the box while she was distracted scrolling through the TV menu.

Another photo appeared on her phone, and Crookshanks hurriedly backed away from the pizza.

This time Ginny was sporting a huge, green moustache and Harry's Batman mask had been turned pink. The photo was blurry as both of them were laughing so hard. The many empty glasses on the table told the story of their liquid merriment.

Hermione sent back a photo of herself, pulling a thoughtfully confused expression. Crookshanks had hopped onto the back of the sofa, haughtily photo-bombing the picture. Hermione laughed and cleaned up the remains of her dinner before he could make himself sick.

Deciding she would rather read than watch any more TV, Hermione grabbed a book off her shelf and curled up onto the sofa under a blanket. Crookshanks crawled onto her lap, kneading the fluffy fabric with his paws before settling down, his tail twitched over his nose. Hermione scratched his ears absently as she became absorbed in the story.