White Knight
Suggested listening: John Frusciante - Song to Sing when I'm Lonely
[Image: A cat outside a door scratches, trying to get in.]
Hermione was so lonely. Crookshanks had passed. Her Ministry job was well paying, but it was too much paper work. Too much networking. Too administrative. Harry and Ron were busy with Auror training. Harry had Ginny, Teddy, and a newborn. After Ron and Hermione tried dating, Hermione thought they were better off as friends. It took a while for Ron to accept that, and now maintained a kind of distance from one another.
So her main source of friendship was her newly adopted cat that she named Lynx. [2]
Lynx reminded her of a blond wizard she used to know. Sassy. Dramatic. Barbed, but underneath it all a marshmallow. But of course, it was stupid to think of someone who never showed any remorse or talked to her or even thought about her after the War.
After a few blissful weeks of acclimating Lynx to her home, Hermione realized she was relying on him for too much of her emotional needs. So she finally relented and went on the date with Cormac that he'd been hinting at for months.
They went to a nice pub in Diagon Alley. She did her makeup and wore a pretty dress. She smiled and laughed at the right times.
After a couple of hours, she finished her drink. "Okay, we're both adults. Let's do this. Your place or mine?"
The sides of Cormac's mouth curled. "Yours."
When Hermione brought Cormac home, Lynx hissed at him.
"Oh sweetie," she pet and gave Lynx a tender kiss on the top of his soft, furry head. His grey eyes flashed at her.
"Stay in the living room tonight, okay?" She closed the bedroom door.
Oh no. Oh nonono. This couldn't be.
Cat!Draco couldn't—wouldn't let this happen. He started meowing loudly and crying.
When that didn't work, he pounced on the bedroom door, using his little fists to get Hermione's attention.
MEOW!
MEOW!
He had to save her.
[Video: Cat!Draco trying to get into Hermione's bedroom.]