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The restaurant was nearly empty, and the manager had passed by several times with pointed looks at Hermione and her date.
The last person she’d ever thought she’d be alone with, especially a third time, Draco Malfoy
The whole Department of Magical Law enforcement had conspired to set them up together. As Harry was his Auror partner, he’d been the chief conspirator, calling in Hermione from her office at every chance to force them in proximity. But both had still been too reluctant to say anything.
Then, about two months ago, they had been talked into a blind date by their separate friend groups-
And found themselves face to face again. And charmed stuck to their seats, also thanks to said friend group.
From that moment on, that had fallen hard and fast for the other. Hermione was curious and a little excited to see if the implications of a third date were the same in the wizarding world. She toyed with his leg under the table and received a smirk and an eyebrow raise.
Draco dropped an extra Galleon on the tip still left on the table when they said they ought to get going…about twenty minutes ago. The manager looked unimpressed.
“I think we really leave now before we get thrown out. ” Draco muttered, sliding out of the booth to stand with Hermione following.
“We could…go back to my place…” she hinted, locking their fingers together as he pushed open the door to the outside, where the crisp night air rushed in.
Draco looked away and seemed to hesitate. “I have to feed my cat, actually, but then I could meet you after or just apparate -”
Hermione scoffed. “Really? That’s what you're going with? Of all the half-baked excuses. If you’re not interested in me -”
He held up his hands defensively. “No, seriously, I have a cat, and he has a special diet. He’s not a typical house cat or a kneazle.” Draco seemed to have some kind of internal debate for a minute before speaking again. “You could come to mine and meet him if you’re comfortable with that, but I have to warn you, he can be an asshole.”
She blinked up at him. “I agreed to a blind date with you, didn’t I?” She poked his side playfully. “I love cats, and they love me. Crookshanks was particular, too; I’m used to it.”
“Alright, Granger, you’ve been warned.”
Hermione had been braced to land on the front drive of Malfoy Manor but was pleasantly surprised to be facing a modern-looking house in a spacious, upscale neighbourhood. Draco even had a car parked in front of the garage ( a detail wizards were forever overlooking when assimilating).
They passed through the protective enchantments together, and she could see their sudden rippling forming a shield well above the roof line.
“He’s an escape artist. And it keeps the birds out so he doesn't eat them all,” he said, answering her unspoken question.
“What in Merlin’s name - Malfoy, are you hiding a panther?”
“You’ll see. “
The lights came on automatically as Draco opened the front door. A moment later, there was a light thump and a jingle of a bell , and the largest cat Hermione had ever seen indoors came around the corner.
It was tall and lithe but obviously powerful. Its large ears were close together on its head and flicked independently, revealing the only white spots on its entirely black body. It stared at Hermione with orange eyes and a bored expression before looking at its owner.
“Granger, this is Hades. Don’t worry. He’s declawed, but he has been known to bite. Hades, this is Granger, be nice.”
Outrage brought Hermione back to her senses as she followed Draco into the kitchen. “Declawing is inhumane! Even for a cat this size…what the hell is he anyway? “ Hades was close at her heel, out of arms reach but clearly untrusting of the new person in his home.
“African Serval. Their normally tan with black spots, but occasionally they’ll turn out like this. I didn’t declaw him; I found him like that.” He spoke as he fished something out of a deep freezer. Hades’ ears zeroed in on the sound of it closing and sped towards it. “Do you remember that huge raid Potter and I led last year? Where they had been keeping all those smuggled dragon eggs, grindylow tanks and all that?” She nodded, taking a seat at the kitchen island to watch and listen. “They were also dealing in illegal muggle exotics. Large cats, snakes, birds and fish- all sorts. Absolute nightmare trying to find a proper place for them.”
Draco set a frozen bowl of something on a cutting board on the counter. Hades leaped up next to it and stared at the Slytherin. “It’s still cold. You’ll have to wait.”
Hades objected, licked it, and complained.
“What did I just say? Let me heat it up - not the wand! “
The cat had tried to swat Draco’s wand out of the way but had been thwarted and gave his dinner another sniff.
“I think it’s chicken.”
Another meow and a hiss.
“You ate all the rabbit, you need variety.”
Hermione cleared her throat to remind them she was there, as endearing as it was to watch. “Why did you take him in? Wouldn’t it be better to let him take him to a sanctuary or reserve?”
He didn’t answer right away, instead finished the warming charm on the premade portion of food and placed it on the floor where Hades devoured it. “I was the only Auror with space to take him in until they could find a place, and you know how slow the Ministry can be.” Hermione nodded in agreement. “But between being declawed and already attached to me, he only lasted a week at the rescue before they called and said it wasn't working. So I threw some money around, built the enclosure, modified a few counsel members' memories." He shrugged it off as if this was a normal way to get a pet.
Hermione looked around the house, which looked like it belonged more to Hades than to Draco, complete with several large sleeping spots, including one on top of a built-in bookshelf near the tv that had a well-loved dragon toy peeking out over the top.
“Are you saying that your cat was forced into life circumstances beyond his control, marred at the will of a cruel person in order to be more easily controlled, then was saved, but his own kind will always see him as an outsider?” Hermione surmised.
Draco was pouring them each a glass of wine. “I suppose you could say that.”
“And…you don’t see any parallels between that and anyone else you know?”
He glanced down at the cat, who was now trying to tear off the sleeve of Draco’s left arm with his teeth. “No. I don’t.”
“Interesting.” Hermione hummed in thought before giving up the subject. “What kind of wine is that?”
---
Life with Hades turned out to be an interesting challenge.
Like when their date did turn physical later that night, and they were under the covers. The Serval wandered in to see what the noise was about and decided Hermione's foot was prey and bit her. Hard. Draco scolded him and kicked him out of the room, escorting him out to the door to the enclosed garden ( complete with a charmed pet door so he could come in if he really wanted to.)
Hermione caught a glimpse of them, Draco in his shorts and Serval curled up like an oversized kitten.
“Biting is not how we get what we want.” Hades meowed mournfully in response. “ I really like her, alright? Be good, and we’ll go for an extra long walk in the morning.”
The cat must have thought it was a fair bargain and hopped down, sliding soundlessly through the door.
Draco may have really liked her, but Hades wanted to test her limits.
Every single hair tie she brought into that home went missing within hours and never resurfaced.
He constantly watched her from his bed on the top shelf, even if she was just trying to read or watch television. It was very hard to concentrate with a pair of large yellow eyes staring at you from the ceiling.
Once, he had jumped down with the dragon stuffy in his mouth and stared at her. Excited that he might want to play with her for once, she tried to tug it from his mouth and was met with a terrifying hiss and a battering from his paws.
The Serval also had a veritable wardrobe of jumpers with leash attachments and loved to go on walks - with Draco. Hermione tried it once and was left holding the tatters of a Burberry-patterned harness and a busted lead.
It was a good thing the beastie had been outfitted with a bell as well because it was often the only warning she had before he tried to use her as a springboard to get to more desirable places.
The blond would swear and scold Hades for misbehaving, but then hours later, they would be curled up somewhere together, with Draco lavishing him with praise and treats.
When she spent the night, he would wedge himself between them, and she would wake to cat arse in her face and him grooming Draco with an expression of great disdain pointed her way.
For all his complaints about the upkeep and personality of the cat, it was obvious that Malfoy loved him deeply, and Hades only had eyes for his daddy.
Even when Hermione had just come to the conclusion a witch must have mistreated Hades, and it would just take some time to heal the relationship, she was proven wrong. Draco employed a witch housekeeper ( house elves wouldn’t have been a good idea anyway) who was left well enough alone, and Luna Lovegood as a cat sitter when Auror duties called him away for an extended time.
Hades loved Luna. He moped for an hour by the fireplace after she left once because Hermione had offered to set out his pre-portioned dinner so she could go. He’d refused to eat and set up camp high in the tree in the garden for the entire night.
As the months passed, eventually changing into a whole year they’d been together; she thought she must really really love Draco because it was exceedingly difficult to tolerate his damned cat.
She knew how much she loved him when the worst happened.
An Auror mission had gone sideways unexpectedly, and Draco was missing. An entire day went by with no signs.
Feeling helpless and adrift with worry, Hermione apparated to his house and wandered inside, mind only replaying the cycle of thoughts that were stuck on a loop.
Hades appeared from around the corner with a curious trill instead of his usual grunt.
“He’s…he’s missing. I don’t know…if…no I don’t when he’ll be back.” Hermione said, tentatively reaching down to touch the tops of his ears. The Serval let her, still staring up at her with uncertainty. “I know we don’t get on, but I promise I won’t let anything happen to you. Daddy would want me to take care of you, so I will. I bet you’re hungry hm? Let’s see if you’ve any rabbit meals left for the month.”
Hades followed obediently and ate the food Hermione put out for him with no fuss, only curious observance. When she curled up in Draco’s bed in one of his Quidditch Jerseys, she was joined by the cat and his dragon stuffy.
She drifted off that night, stroking his pitch black fur.
"Well, there's something I'd never thought I'd see."
Hermione opened her eyes to a sunlit bedroom, with Draco standing over the bed, still in his Auror robes, looking a little battered but in good spirits. Hades was in her hair trying to groom it but with a look of irritation that her hair refused his direction.
"I'm so happy you're home. I was so worried!" She shot up from the bed into his arms. The cat gave a hiss as he was dislodged from his spot.
Draco kissed her deeply, pressing their bodies flush together. Hermione poured all the worry and stress of the previous day into the kiss until she had to pull away for air.
Malfoy reached down absently to pet his cat but was batted away. Hades glared at him and then head-butted against Hermione’s hip.
“What the hell? I didn’t leave on purpose!”
The cat blinked and hopped off the bed, sliding out of the room and outside as if he simply didn’t have the time for excuses.
“I think his allegiance has changed.” She whispered teasingly.
“Seems so. Well, that settles it, Granger; you’re going to have to move in with us.” He gave her a slightly wary look waiting for her response.
Hermione pretended to seriously think about it, enjoying making him uneasy for a moment.
“I suppose I will have to, but make no mistake I’ll only do it for Hades.”