Chapter 118
Chapter 118
How much damage could a catgirl inflict after losing all reason?
Suer knew from painful experience. He had not looked, but he knew his waist must be covered in dark bruises, and there was certainly a deep bite mark on his shoulder…
If Madam Pomfrey had not arrived with medicine in time to save him, Suer might have met with disaster.
As he watched Hermione finally calm down, Suer stole glances at her while rubbing his waist through clenched teeth. It really hurt…
Still, feline Hermione was adorable. Worth it. Entirely worth it.
The witch named Millicent must own a black cat. Just look at Hermione’s black ears and black tail.
I’m dying of cuteness…
Hermione seemed to have given up all resistance. She simply pretended not to notice Suer’s occasional sidelong looks.
“Serves you right.” She gave a soft huff, stuffed a biscuit into her mouth and crushed it viciously between her teeth.
“What does being a cat feel like?” Suer finally asked after a while. Hermione gave him an exasperated look and replied in an irritated voice.
“Try it yourself and find out.”
“So Polyjuice Potion even works with animal fur.” Suer rubbed his chin and sneaked a glance at Hermione’s upright ears.
“It works, but not completely. Otherwise, you’d be looking at a cat rather than someone half human and half cat. It’s rather like a failed Animagus transformation.”
“Hmph.” Hermione snorted, though her cat ears twitched quietly.
“By the way, what did your investigation uncover?” Suer asked.
“Not much.” Hermione curled her lip. She had suffered all this for nothing, while Harry and Ron failed to complete their task. A disastrous loss all round.
Seeing her displeased expression, Suer wisely changed the subject. He told her about the holiday and his experience with Hagrid in Hogsmeade the previous day.
When she heard that Professor Flitwick had invited Suer to the advanced class, she openly showed her envy.
“I’ll take good notes and bring them to you,” Suer said.
“That would be brilliant. And the Patronus Charm too,” Hermione emphasised. Every unknown form of magic fascinated her.
“Well… if I learn it, I can teach you.” Suer nodded, then gave a mischievous smile. “After doing so much, it wouldn’t be unreasonable to ask for a reward, would it?”
“Hmm?” Hermione tilted her head in confusion. This was the first time she had heard Suer ask for anything, but she agreed readily. “What do you want?”
The dagger was finally revealed!
“Ah… I’ll have to think carefully.” Suer quietly moved a little closer and pretended to ponder deeply.
“I’ve got it!”
“What?” Hermione asked. “As long as it’s something I can give you, you may have it.”
“It’s very simple for you.” A smile played at the corners of Suer’s mouth. “Extremely simple. You only need to close your eyes.”
“Close… close my eyes?” Hermione suddenly looked uneasy. “Why do I need to close them? That’s strange.”
“Only for one second,” Suer said. “That’s easy, isn’t it? Just close your eyes for one second!”
Hermione thought about it, unable to guess his intention. But one second was not enough to do anything, was it? Kisses in storybooks went on for ages.
Goodness, what are you thinking, Hermione? Shameless girl.
“A-all right, if that’s what you want.” Hermione fidgeted for a long time before reluctantly agreeing. “You’re not allowed to do anything strange!”
She drew several deep breaths and warned Suer one last time.
Then she closed her eyes. Only one second.
One second passed in a flash, no more than a single breath, but it was long enough for Suer to touch Hermione’s cat ear.
Aha, satisfied at last.
Smiling, he fled the scene before Hermione’s eyes could widen, realisation dawn and her temper erupt.
“I’ll visit you again next time, Hermione.”
Steam seemed to rise from Hermione’s head in embarrassment. She watched Suer race away like the wind. After a long while, she unconsciously raised a hand and rubbed the ear atop her head, a faint smile tugging at her lips. Then she gave a soft huff.
The curtain fell again and hid her completely.
Suer kept his hand concealed inside his robes, rubbing his fingers together. It was not as though he had never stroked the ears of Hermione’s Crookshanks, but a real catgirl and a real cat did not feel the same.
Heh…
If only Hermione’s Animagus form were a cat. Suer began fantasising uncontrollably, but unfortunately an Animagus could not choose their form at all.
Thinking about it, he headed towards the Great Hall. It was almost time for lunch.
After eating, he would visit Myrtle and retrieve the diary. Then he would learn the Patronus Charm from Professor Flitwick that afternoon. Tomorrow, he could visit Hermione again and, if he was lucky, touch her ears once more. A perfect day!
He had touched them only once, yet Suer was already addicted.
Once Hermione was cured, touching them would become impossible. Unless Suer tricked her into drinking a bottle of Polyjuice Potion mixed with cat fur.
No. That would be wrong!
He had reached the Great Hall. Time to eat! Suer threw the wicked idea out of his mind. Food was more important now. He had scarcely eaten properly the previous day.
“Suer, can you come to the Gryffindor common room with us later?” Harry blocked his path, accompanied by a sour-faced Ron.
Suer looked at Ron before replying, “Why? It doesn’t seem appropriate for a Hufflepuff to enter the Gryffindor common room.”
“It’s fine. There aren’t many people inside,” Harry said hurriedly.
“Just take Hermione’s cat away,” Ron said. “It chases my Scabbers all day. Scabbers has been frightened thin!”
“Crookshanks? And who’s Scabbers?”
“Yes, Hermione’s huge ginger cat!” Ron said through clenched teeth. “Scabbers is my rat. I have to carry Scabbers with me so that stupid cat can’t eat it!”
Ron pulled a patchy grey rat from his pocket. “Look. Here, and here. Crookshanks clawed off all that fur.”
Suer narrowed his eyes at the rat. Oh, yes. One toe was missing. This was that rat…
Aha, but the time had not yet come…
Ron’s description of Crookshanks still annoyed Suer.
“First, let me make one thing clear, Ron,” Suer said. “Crookshanks doesn’t eat rats. And Hermione left Crookshanks with you because she trusted you. Is that how you refer to a friend’s pet? A stupid cat?”
Seeing tempers beginning to flare, Harry hurriedly stepped between them.
“Ron didn’t mean it that way, Suer. You know cats and rats are natural enemies. The main problem is that Crookshanks sneaked into our dormitory last night. If Scabbers hadn’t hidden under Ron’s quilt, Crookshanks would certainly have succeeded.”
“Exactly–” Ron did not believe he had done anything wrong. Protecting a pet was what an owner ought to do. He muttered, “I’ve rescued Scabbers from Crookshanks’s mouth several times.”
Suer narrowed his eyes, looked at Ron and gave a quiet huff.
“Fine. After lunch, I’ll go to the Gryffindor common room with you.”