She & Him

Part 33: Mornings With You

I feel something tickling my face.

Gentle hairs brushing my face.

The odd pattern of its movements pulls my eyes open.

Gingered hair.

Squished face.

Long whiskers.

Deep orange eyes.

"Fuckin' Hell! What the Hell are you?!" I jump up and out of bed- onto the floor with a thud- all the while startling Hermione awake. Her hair is everywhere and her face is contorted in a tired- shook way.

"What? What is it?"

"Do you see it? Tell me you see that thing!" I point and back up. She looks around and then spots the red haired little demon creature on my pillow.

"Crooksy?! You finally came out of hiding! Oh baby, I've missed you." She picks it up and a deep meow comes out of its serious squished face.

"That's a bloody cat?"

"Well half. He's half kneazle as well." She says and kisses his deep fur. The cat lets out another deep meow and looks at me. "His name is Crookshanks. Isn't he so adorable?"

Honestly....no...but knowing a kneazle, I wouldn't say that.

"Yeah...he just scared me is all." I say and climb up off the floor and back in the bed. The cat watches me, his orange eyes tracking my movement and as I get on the bed, he hisses loudly.

"Crooksy, be nice." She says and strokes his ears. "Sorry. He's a little on edge- he never got along well with Ron- abhorred him actually. He usually hides when visitors are over. I'm actually surprised he's out like this"

Slowly reaching out to pet the damn ugly cat, he watches me closely and just as I'm about to touch him, he strikes.

"Ow!" He gets me in the space between my thumb and pointer finger and little droplets of blood comes out.

"Crookshanks!" The cat meows as if saying 'what Mum? That Ugly thing tried to touch me'.

"It's alright. I'm in his house. I'd hit me too." I say and sit back against the headboard. "Little bugger. Got a good hit."

I grumble and the cat pulls from Hermione and comes towards me.

"Be nice Crookshanks." He comes up and sniffs me- any slight movement I make earns me a powerful hiss and a jump backwards. I try to remain still as the cat taps my leg with his paw- as if testing to see if I'll swat back at him. When I don't he climbs on my lap and looks deep into my eyes. I don't say anything of course, or even touch him. I just let him examine me intently. After a minute or two of him just staring, turns away from me and curls up in my lap, but he makes not noise of pleasure or of content. He just lays there on me. "Good boy! That's Mummy's good boy!"

She says and strokes her finger under his chin. The cat purrs and opens and closes his claws on my lap.

"I think he likes you. You can pet him if you want." The cat quite literally glares at me and I awkwardly smile.

"I think I'll hold off on that for now. Best let him get used to me first. Wouldn't want some random git touching you- now would ya." I say she smiles.

"I guess you're right." Leaning over, she kisses my cheek and crawls out of bed. Heading to the bathroom, she closes the door and I just watch Crookshanks closely.

"Hi...Sir. Nice home you have...nice Mum too." He just stares at me with that serious face. "I really like your Mum...I think maybe she likes me too. Do...do you think that's okay?"