Protection, Possession

A/n: Hi peoples! Happy New Year to ya! I'm sorry I've been out of commission so long, but school is hell as I'm sure you all know... especially around exam time... and I've been working since I got home for break, so this is my first chance to rest in a while and I thought I'd dish out something quick for you guys. This chapter is only a filler and something to introduce new ideas and new things that will be happening in the next chapters to come... basically I'm going to get back to the actual plot. I'm going to try and get out another chapter this week but I don't know how well that's going to go. Either way, reviews and constructive comments and criticism would be greatly appreciated. Thanx for putting up with me, all of you who still like this fic... and a special thanks to MysticSam for ALL her help.

Happy Reading^^

Chapter 8: Hogwarts Abound!

Ah, yes, King's Cross Station.

It was here, that Hermione Granger stood on platform number 9 3/4 saying goodbye to the Weasley's and her parents, who were given the okay to come and bid their daughter fare-well for another year at Hogwarts.

While looking for a compartment after boarding the train, they happened upon Dean, Seamus, and Neville. They all greeted them with the sincerest of friendly gestures and the expected Quidditch-based conversation for the lads.

It was only Neville who noticed the rather large animal at Hermione's side.

“Er... Hermione... that's some big bloke you've got there. Where'd you get him?” Neville inquired nervously, effectively drawing everyone's attention to the pair standing so casually by the door.

Bast, who had been observing the group before-hand, noticed that the males' eyes, including Ron, were settled on Hermione's slender form. He knew those looks, those not-so-subtly roaming eyes `appreciating' HIS Mione's finer features.

He snarled, loudly growling his displeasure as he fixed them all with a look that spoke the promise of gouged eye-balls and mauled bodies. Of course, the human side of him was well aware that none of them had any idea why he was acting that way, but that didn't matter now that their attention was gathered elsewhere.

His hardened glare was ruined, however, when Hermione began to scratch behind his ears in a soothing manner. 'I swear she knows me too well.'

Hermione smiled to herself as the boys watched her tame the `ferocious beast', who was purring rather loudly at her attentions, fully relaxing under her touch. Oh the fun she would have teasing Harry about this later.

“I apologize boys, he's just a little irritable because he has to stay cooped up in this train for so long. This is Bast, by the way. Professor Dumbledore had me take care of him during the summer.”

Just as Dean was about to inquire as to why the old Headmaster would want her to do such a thing, the train's whistle blew shrilly as one last warning to all lingering passengers on the platform before it pulled off moments later.

“Come on Hermione,” said Ginny, who was rising from her seat next to her brother, “We've got that prefect meeting up front about now.” Wonderful, isn't it? Another Weasely has been added to the long list of Gryffendor prefects. The family had been thrilled upon finding out, but none of them were truly surprised.

Ron, however, had sulked that entire day after the Hogwarts letters came, his being devoid of last year's Prefect badge. Clearly, those at Hogwarts thought him incapable of continuing his duties as a prefect, but he supposed, pitiful as it might sound, that this was one thing he could say that never happened to his brothers; he was the first of them all to get booted from the position. How bloody wonderful...

He watched with thinly veiled disdain as Neville rose as well and followed the girls out of the compartment, joined by Collin Creevey- he was Gryffendor's fifth year prefect along with Ginny--in the hall before they made their way toward the front compartment.

Bast trailed beside Hermione, eager to see what actually went on in a prefect meeting, or rather, for lack of anything else to do. His `enthusiasm' was dashed on the rocks, however, when he heard a sneering voice just behind them, one that he had hoped could be avoided.

“Why, Granger, I'm shocked. First Weasley, and now Longbottom? I dare say that Potter will feel rather left out, don't you think? We all know he deserves a turn more than anyone.”

“Why, Malfoy, is that jealously I hear in your voice?” Hermione asked a bit too sweetly. “Honestly, Draco, I'm flattered but your just not my type. Although, if you're really that much into Gryffendor girls, perhaps there's one who better compliments your... personality,” she said suggestively, stiffling her laughter at the blonde Slytherin and a certain red-head who couldn't seem to keep the heat from rising on their faces.

Before he could stop himself, Bast stepped out and in front of Ginny, growling low and menacingly, not at all liking the way the ferret was looking at his little sister.

Draco began backing up defensively, shaking with trepidation and slight fear as the memory of bared teeth and massive jaws flashed through his mind.

Gathering his wits, he spoke when he felt he could trust his voice. “This is far from over, Granger,” he grumbled as he moved to walk past them.

It was an empty threat, he knew, but one had to say such things for the sake of reputation.

Just as he was walking by them, the over-powering scent of ferret bombarded Bast's nose, causing him to sneeze. Unfortunately for Draco, it wasn't interpreted quite that way, for when the great beast's head jerked forward, it looked for all the world like he was trying to bite the poor lad's leg off. This little mishap caused the blonde jump and shriek-like a girl might I add- and run towards the compartment where all the prefects were settling down for their meeting.

The small group of Gryffendors, who had been standing there, momentarily dumbfounded at what they'd just seen suddenly burst into helpless fits of laughter as they followed the Amazing Bouncing Ferret into the compartment.

*****

Cho Change was considered to be a very popular person. She was, indeed, quite beautiful in that exotic sort of way that captured the attention of all. She was athletic, star seeker and captain of her house Quidditch team, and she was also very intelligent and intuitive as well. And now, she was the new Head Girl for Hogwarts.

You would think that with all this, the pretty Ravenclaw would be content with her lot in life. You'd be wrong in your assumptions, being that there was one thing Ms. Chang felt was missing from her arsenal of popularity. It was the one thing that could truly put her over the top and could quite possibly burn her name into the minds of students at Hogwarts and the wizarding world around for years to come. Or rather, shall we say, one person...

Now, knowing this, it could be gathered that Cho is quite the ambitious person, one who would go to any lengths to obtain what, or whomever it is she so desired, correct? Do you think this perhaps constitutes listening in on the conversation of two supposedly insignificant underclassmen? Well of course!

Ginny Weasely and Luna Lovegood- both prefects for their own houses-came strolling in behind the others, locked in what looked to be a heated conversation about something or other that didn't really matter. Normally, the dark-haired Ravenclaw could care less about such irrelevant things, especially when it had nothing to do with her. But then she heard names, those of the `Golden Trio,' and it almost immediately sparked her attention.

“I'm telling you Luna, now's your chance! Ron's a free bird now, and I think you should make your move. I know this sounds bad, but he's vulnerable right now, and with the right amount of coaxing, he could be yours quicker than you can say Crumple-horned Snorkack. Besides, there's no chance of him and Hermione getting back together, she's with Harry now.”

Cho froze at those unexpected, dreaded words, but continued listening in, trying to get the full story in the hopes that maybe she'd heard wrong.

“How does Ronald feel about this?” Luna asked dreamily, though her concern was evident to anyone who knew her well enough.

“That's what I'd like to know. He seemed fine with it, and he even apologized to Hermione for acting like a total prat over the summer. Somehow though, I get the feeling he wasn't being sincere. But anyway, that's not you problem. What your interested in is getting the stupid git to notice you, though Lord only knows why you would want to.”

Outside the front compartment, Pansy Parkinson smirked and turned away, continuing on her way back to her own compartment. The Dark Lord would be very interested in hearing of this new development. Potter and his precious Mudbood, finally together... even Pansy had seen that one coming. And the look of jealousy and rage on Cho Chang's face when she heard the news... Oh yes. A malicious grin blossomed upon her face as she took her seat across from Millicent Bulstrode. Her Master would be very interested in what she had to report...

*****

The rest of the journey was uneventful, the time passed with games of exploding snap, girl talk, and much sweets to be had from the passing food cart.

When they arrived at Hogwarts that evening, Hermione and Neville split up and went about their duties, one of which was a new safety precaution presented in the prefect meeting on the train. It was only something as simple as making sure the younger students got into their carriages all right while Hagrid took care of the first years, but Hermione figured it must have had something to do with last year's events. Otherwise, she never would have agreed to this bit of babysitting.

The whole process took little more than twenty minutes, however, must to the relief of Hermione who stood watching the last of the carriages strode away, all except the one that awaited her to board. She wasn't alone though, being that there was a rather enormous black kitty standing diligently at her side.

She reached down and rubbed behind his ears. “Alright, love, there isn't anyone left out here save you and I. Shall we have change in or outside the carriage?”

Lazily he opened one emerald eye-both of which he had closed in bliss during her ministrations- and regarded her for a moment before he gave her a good swat on the bum with his tail and trotted off towards the lone prefect carriage.

Hermione rolled her eyes, though smiling the entire time, following along behind. That boy... what was she going to do with him.

Upon arriving at the carriage, she thought at first that it was empty, but looking more closely, she didn't know how she could have missed the tall figure of the one and only Harry Potter. She shook her head and grinned. He was sitting there with this legs crossed, hands folded in his lap and looking for all the world like he was the cat who'd just eaten the canary.

“What're you thinking, Potter?”

That supposedly innocent look melted into a small, mischievous grin, and he held out his hand for her. When her hand was in his, he gently pulled her into the carriage and right onto his lap.

“Just thinking how wonderful it is to finally have you all to myself for once today, Ms. Granger. Nothing out of the ordinary, I assure you,” his grin melted into a warm smile as he pulled her closer to himself, just basking in the feel of being able to do so.

Whatever indignant reply she was going to make about her current position was lost before it could even fully process at the tenderness in his touch and in his voice.

This didn't bode well.

Each and every time she went to scold him or reprimand him from now on, all he had to do was touch her, speak to her in that way where his voice dropped a few octaves and it became this rich, deep, velvety low tenor that could instantly make her toes curl... Well, let us just say that she wouldn't let him know he could do that to her... nothing would ever get done that way.

Yet, before she could open to her mouth to reply at all, it was covered with Harry's and she was swept into a rather magnificent snog session.

Alright, perhaps talking could wait for until they got to the castle.

TBC