Work Text:
The meeting of Crookshanks and Draco was a tale that was retold for years, with great glee, by Ron and Harry. It did not surprise anyone that Crookshanks and Draco did not get off on the right foot. Both had strong personalities and Draco did not have a reputation for being good with animals. Though in this case Draco was absolved of all wrongdoings and all agreed that the blame rested on Crookshanks.
A group had gathered at Hermione’s for game night and Draco had been very willingly dragged along by his friend Theo who worked with Hermione in the Department of Mysteries. They had only just arrived and Draco made his way to the kitchen to present Hermione the bottle of wine he had brought. ‘Thanks for the invite.’
‘Thank you! You didn’t have to bring anything.’ Hermione took the bottle with a smile.
‘My mother raised me never to come to a dinner empty handed’ Draco leaned against the counter as Hermione bustled about the kitchen putting the wine in to cool. He continued ‘I am eager to try some muggle games. Harry has been regaling me with tales of Monopoly all week.’
‘Harry does have quite a knack for Monopoly. He may have exaggerated its excitement though. It is the only game he has consistently beat Ron in, so it quickly became his favorite.’ Hermione responded with a laugh.
‘Yes, Ron has Ouch! What was that?’ Draco exclaimed as he felt a sharp pain across his right calf. ‘Hisssss’ came from under the table.
‘Oh Crooks! How did you get out? Come here sweetie.’ Hermione scooped up a rather large orange cat. ‘Sorry Draco, Crooks can get testy when he hasn’t been fed. Are you alright?’
‘Yes, just a scratch. I’m sure he didn’t mean anything by it’ Draco reached out to rub the cat resting in Hermione’s arms only to receive a swipe and a growl.
‘Gosh Crooks! I am so sorry, he normally behaves much better. I am just going to pop him in my room.’ The cat continued to glare at Draco over Hermione’s shoulder as she walked away. And Draco wandered off to join the others in the living room where they were conducting a heated debate regarding what pizza toppings to order.
Later, everyone was sitting around the magically extended dining table chatting and eating. Ron was in the middle of a dramatic retelling of the latest case he and Harry had worked on. Draco felt pretty confident that he was making up half the story. Suddenly, the orange fur ball from earlier jumped up on the table, stole the remains of his slice of pizza from his hand, and ran off. Draco was too stunned to say anything, but the table burst into laughter and Hermione cried out, chastising Crookshanks, and went chasing after him. ‘Looks like you have made a new friend’ Theo clapped his friend on the back laughing heartily.
‘More like a new enemy, he scratched me earlier and hissed’
‘Always knew Crookshanks had good taste’ Ron teased Draco.
Hermione returned sans cat and sat back down. ‘I am so sorry, sometimes Crooks is too smart for his own good. It is very hard to contain him.’
‘All good Granger’ Draco responded.
Ron started in on telling the table about Crookshanks’ exploits in their second year and the incident was quickly forgotten as everyone finished up eating and games were pulled out. Harry talked everyone into playing Monopoly and soon players were bartering (and sometimes bribing) trying to attain property cards. Harry was cleaning up and enjoying rubbing it in Ron’s face. However, Draco thought Harry and Ginny were colluding and he could have sworn he just saw Hermione slip Harry cash. He quirked an eyebrow at her and she blushed and lifted a finger to her lips. Internally laughing he could understand why the group enjoyed these gatherings. An orange flash burst in, ran across the table, and hopped up on the back of the sofa. Crookshanks sat proudly holding Draco’s marker. ‘Hey! That’s cheating!’ Draco made a grab for the cat who quickly disappeared. Draco wasn’t about to lose to a cat three times in one evening so he chased Crookshanks down the hallway. He thought he had him cornered in the bathroom, but Crookshanks slipped past him lightning fast. The mischief maker then headed back to the living room where he was promptly caught by a laughing Hermione.
‘I am so sorry. Here is your piece.’ Hermione struggled to get out through a fit of laughter, handing the piece back to him.
‘I might be more inclined to believe your apology if you weren’t laughing so hard,’ he replied, shaking his head and grinning. ‘I think your cat has it in for me Granger.’
‘Told you Crookshanks had good taste’ Ron guffawed.
‘Mate, I think you have finally met your match,’ Theo added.
‘A kneazle knows a competitor when it meets one’ Luna said with a penetrating look at Draco.
‘If Draco is done with his dramatics, shall we return to the game?’ Harry grinned at the rude gesture Draco made at him.
They did get back to the game, but only after a protracted debate regarding the placement of Draco’s piece. To no one's surprise Harry won. Hermione then pulled out a deck of cards and the group played a couple rounds of poker betting candy. Luna and Ginny showed themselves to be quite a pair of card sharks and soon cleaned out the others, but were kind enough to share their spoils as the group sat about chatting and finishing the last of the alcohol.
The group was in the midst of an argument about the best lineup for the Falmouth Falcons to use against Puddlemere United when Draco noticed Hermione slip away. He followed her to the kitchen where she was washing some glasses. Placing a couple more glasses on the counter he remarked ‘you do know there is a spell for that, right?’
‘Oh, I know, but sometimes I find doing things the muggle way grounding. Is it weird that I find washing dishes comforting?’
‘Not at all. When I was upset when I was little the elves would let me help them make a cake. I sometimes still bake when I need comfort.’
‘You bake?’ Hermione said, turning to him, drying her hands.
‘Yes. I am not particularly good, nothing compared to Molly, but I make a passable lemon cake.’
‘That is sweet. I didn’t have you pegged for a baker.’
‘I will have to bake for you sometime to prove myself.’ He met her eyes and hoped she could tell his invitation was genuine.
‘Hermione! You shouldn’t be cleaning up on your own!’ Ginny burst into the kitchen with a stack of plates bumping into Draco. ‘Oh! Hello Draco’ She glanced between Hermione and Draco then handed the plates to Draco grinning. ‘Hope I wasn’t interrupting.’
‘Ginny!’ Hermione whisper yelled blushing.
Ron appeared with more glasses and Hermione was called into the living room to help put away the board games.
‘She was glad you were coming tonight’ Ginny said as Draco scurgified the dishes. He glanced up at her, but didn’t respond. Sighing Ginny left to go grab the remainder of the dishes.
As the clean up wound down people began to trickle out the door. Draco was the last to go, having finished up the dishes.
‘Thanks for hosting Hermione, I had a lovely time.’
‘I am glad you came.’ Hermione seemed to want to say more, but she didn’t.
‘Goodnight then.’ Draco stuck his foot in his shoe only to immediately retract it. ‘Merlin! My shoe is wet!’
They looked down and Hermione groaned. At some point that evening Crookshanks had managed to hairball in Draco’s shoe.
‘I am so sorry Draco. Here let me.’ She cast a quick, strong scurgify on his shoe. ‘Crookshanks really does seem to have it in for you.’
‘Crookshanks made the evening interesting.’
‘That is a euphemism for him ruining your evening. I am so, so, so sorry.’
‘Hermione, really it is fine. I would do it all again if it meant seeing you cheat at Monopoly to pull one over on Weasley.’
‘Hey! You have no proof I cheated!’ Hermione protested with a laugh.
‘Alright, then next time how about you sit next to me, so I can monitor you.’
‘It’s a deal,’ Hermione said with a smile.
‘Goodnight then Hermione, again’ He had finally managed to lace up his shoes and they were now standing in the doorway.
‘Goodnight Draco.’ She started to shut the door, then appeared to change her mind, pulled it back open and gave him a hug. It was over before Draco even registered what had happened and the door was shut. He smiled to himself as he walked to the apparition point; it had been a good evening.