“Do we really have to study, Hermione? Cat and I already did all our homework this morning. Besides, we’re in completely different years,” Kade groaned as Hermione tugged him over to the library by the sleeve, Cat walking next to them while holding his other sleeve. “If we don’t study, we won’t be able to pass our exams and get into the third year.” Cat said, tightening her grip on Kade’s sleeve when he attempted to escape, Harry and Ron were already in the library waiting for them. “I’m not even going to ask,” Ron mumbled when she had to tug down hard on Kade’s sleeve when he tried to escape yet again.

   He stopped trying to escape and sat down, Cat sitting next to him, as he looked out the window and had found another reason to start whining. “Can’t we go outside, it’s so nice out today.” She looked out the window and imagined what Kade would be doing if they were outside. “If we go outside we’re going to study.” Cat said as she looked back down at her books. Kade stayed silent the rest of the time they studied.

   Cat had looked up from her books before Ron had even said, “Hagrid! What are you doing in the library?” She got up and went to Mrs. Norris, who was following Hagrid, and held out her hand. The old cat rubbed her head against Cat’s hand and that’s when she knew that she was allowed to pet the small cat. “Why do you always pet her when she comes by?” Kade whined as he attempted to pull his sister away from Mrs. Norris.

   “Hagrid, what’s behind your back?” Cat said as Mrs. Norris climbed into her lap and began purring. Hagrid ignored Cat’s question and said, “Jus’ lookin’.” She then looked up at him and saw something black behind his back but she couldn’t tell what it was. “An’ what are you lot up ter? Yer not still lookin’ fer Nicolas Flamel, are yeh?”

   “Never even wanted to.” Cat mumbled. Right as she said that, Ron said, “Oh, we found out who he is ages ago. And we know what that dog’s guarding, it’s a Sorcerer’s St —” Kade had covered Ron’s mouth, Hagrid was shushing him. “Don’ go shoutin’ about it, what’s the matter with yeh?”

   “Apparently everything.” Kade mumbled quietly, Cat sniggering when she heard him.

   “There are a few things we wanted to ask you,” Harry started to say, Cat could smell Draco nearby so she gently pushed Mrs. Norris off her lap and went over to him. “Hello Draco, lovely meeting you here,” she said when she got close enough to him. He jumped and turned around to find Cat with Mrs. Norris by her heels before he walked closer to her and said, “You scared me.” She stared into his cold grey eyes and said flatly, “What were you doing spying on me and my friends?” He froze in his spot as she bent down to pick up Mrs. Norris, whispering, “He should know better than to try to spy on Harry when I’m there.”

   “Did you just meow?”

   Cat looked at Draco curiously and said, “Didn’t you hear what I said?” He shook his head while saying, “You were picking that cat up and you meowed. It was quiet but I know it was a meow.” Mrs. Norris then meowed, “I have no idea what or who you’re talking about.” She stared at the cat for a while before pretending that she didn’t just hear a cat speak. “Back to the reason I’m here instead of over there with them,” Cat said, looking directly into Malfoy’s eyes again.

   “Why were you spying on my friends?”

   He froze again and she took a step towards him. “I’m not going to hurt you, I just want to know why.” Cat said calmly, Mrs. Norris purring in her arms, as she took yet another step towards him. At this point their faces were only inches away, but she kept moving closer to him. She finally stopped when her nose was practically touching his. “Why should I tell you?

   “What if I was just keeping an eye on you so that no one would do anything to make you uncomfortable.” Draco finally answered before adding, “You might want to step back if you don’t want me to kiss you.” Cat blushed slightly but didn’t back away and instead put her hand on his shoulder and pushed him away gently. “I love it when you get embarrassed.” He mumbled, walking closer to Cat again. Mrs. Norris jumped out of her arms as Draco wrapped his arms around her.

   She hugged him back, squeezing him so much that she could almost hear his back cracking. “Can’t breathe!” He gasped, letting go of her. She released him and smirked as he regained his breath. “Don’t hug me without permission again unless I’m upset. Next time I might not let go,” Cat said as she bent down to his face.

   “If you don’t mind, I’m going back to my friends now,” she said as she walked past Draco and over to Kade. “We’re going to Hagrid’s hut later. He has something to tell us,” he said as they exited the library.

   A few hours later, they all knocked on the gamekeeper’s hut, the curtains were closed, making Cat wonder what exactly Hagrid wanted to keep a secret. Hagrid then called from inside, “Who is it,” before letting them all in and quickly shutting the door behind them. Cat could barely breathe because it was so hot in there. Even though it was really warm outside, Hagrid had lit a fire in the grate. Hagrid then made them stout sandwiches, which only Kade and Cat ate, and some tea. She quietly drank her tea, keeping an eye out on the fire before she started hearing very faint footsteps outside somewhere near the castle, deciding to use that as an excuse to go outside.

   Kade stopped her before she could open the door and forced her to sit back down. Cat continued to keep her senses on whoever was outside, meaning she wasn’t listening to Hagrid or her friends, even when Kade told her not to. They weren’t close enough for her to tell who it was, but they were slowly getting closer. Kade could now hear the footsteps too and allowed Cat to go through Hagrid’s garden door. She quickly turned into her fluffy white cat and snuck around somewhere near everyone inside. She made sure that she was well hidden and stuck her head around the corner.

   She could just barely see the top of the person’s head, which meant that they still had quite a bit of ways to go before they got to the hut. Cat flicked her tail back and forth to keep herself from falling asleep, never taking her eyes off the head of the person. After a while, Cat was able to see who was walking to the hut. She could see Draco’s face more clearly as he continued to get closer. Cat turned into a human and peeked around the corner to find that he was almost at the door. He didn’t stop and knock, however, and instead he walked up to the window closest to everyone inside.

   Cat snuck up behind him and gently tapped his shoulder, making him jump. “Why do you keep scaring me?” Draco said in a hushed whisper. “You shouldn’t be here.” Cat said, inching closer to him. He stared at her until he was able to breathe steadily again.

   He then put his hand on Cat’s face and pulled her even closer to him. She jerked her head out of his hand when he tried to put the other one on her other cheek. Her folded ears and tail popped out and she growled quietly at him. “Since you told me not to hug you without permission, I thought I’d do something else. But apparently you don’t trust me enough for me to even do that.” Draco whispered as he walked around Cat and backed her against the wall.

   She tried to keep herself calm as she started to worry about what he would do next. “I could do anything I wanted with you right now but I won’t since it’s more fun to tease you.” Draco quietly whispered into the fold of her furry ear. He then grazed his finger on her cheek before gently pressing his lips on the same cheek. Cat couldn’t keep herself from turning a bright shade of red as Draco looked back into her bright green eyes. “You're so easy to embarrass, Cat.

   “Maybe I should tease you more often just for fun.” Draco said in a whisper, one hand on Cat’s on the wall. She could barely breathe and kept thinking about how badly she wanted to get away from Draco before she said, “I’d rather you not. It may be fun for you, but it’s not for me.” He stared at her for a moment before looking, taking her hand and pulling her back up to the school. Cat heard Harry bolt to the door, and after hearing it open, she knew that he had seen her and Draco.

   “Why exactly did you —” Cat interrupted Kade with a, “Shh,” as they walked down the corridor a few weeks after visiting Hagrid. She walked past her brother and over to Draco. Grabbing his ear first, she pulled Draco into an empty classroom nearby. “Ow! Let go of me! Cat!” Draco shouted until she had closed the door and let go of his ear.

    “What’d you do that for?!” 

   “Why did you run away with me last week? I don’t remember you asking if you could just pull me away and run,” Cat said, crossing her arms, glaring at him. Draco answered her as he rubbed his ear. “Maybe because I didn’t want you to get caught. You should really be thanking me right now.”

   “Why should I thank you if you're the one that is making my friends ignore me. They all think that I was helping you,” Cat growled, her arm hurting from how hard she was squeezing it.

   “You mean the people you hang around because you think they’re your friends. Be real, Cat, Muggle borns and Purebloods can’t be friends. And those that are, should be locked up,” Draco said as he advanced closer to her. “Who says they can’t? I think everyone and everything should at least try to be friends with one another. And I don’t even know if I’m a Pureblood, so how would you,” Cat said as she stepped forward towards him.

   She glared at him as he continued to get closer, a smirk forming on his face as he said, “My father knew your parents. Your father was over at my place during Christmas.” Harry then opened the door to the classroom they were in and Draco looked away from her as she stood rigid with shock. Father’s alive? But— that’s not possible. I thought they both— she thought, still glaring at Malfoy as Harry whispered, “Ron’s been bit, you or Kade might have to fill in for him.

   “If you don’t know what I mean, ask Kade when you’re sure you're alone.” He then left and Draco looked back at her. “What did he want?” He asked a bit forcefully. “Nothing important to you.” Cat retorted as she finally stopped glaring at him.

   He had grabbed her chin and brought her closer to him so forcefully that her eyes started to water. “If it’s about them taking that dragon to the tallest tower on Saturday then I already know about that.” Cat didn’t understand what he was saying. “What dragon? And what are you talking about? My friends have been ignoring me all week so they haven’t told me a thing.

   “Kade won’t even talk to me around or about them.” She felt her eyes start to sting as she remembered when her twin had pushed her away the day before because Harry was walking towards them.

   “I didn’t —”

   “Didn’t what, Draco?! Didn’t mean to make my friends and my own brother hate me?!” Cat said as tears had started streaming down her cheeks. He let go of her chin and gave her a hug, gently squeezing her. She didn’t push him away and instead rested her forehead on his shoulder. Cat had stopped crying after a few minutes but he didn’t let her go just in case she started crying again.

   “I didn’t mean to make them hate you or make you cry.” Draco said, still holding her close. “It’s ok, they’ll start talking to me again sooner or later,” Cat mumbled into his robes. Draco then let go of her and looked into her eyes, which were still a bit wet. It was hard for her to look at him so she instead looked down at her feet. “Cat, look at me.

   “I don’t want you to go anywhere near Hagrid’s dragon. Whatever it is that Harry wanted from you, it could get you into trouble.” Draco said as he gently lifted her head to look at him. Cat nodded and he pulled her into another quick hug before they both left the classroom and headed to class.