𝑆𝐴𝑉𝐼𝑁𝐺 𝐷𝑅𝐴𝐶𝑂 𝑀𝐴𝐿𝐹𝑂𝑌

𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝟐𝟐 - 𝐟𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐝𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐩 𝐦𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐚𝐠𝐞

╭────── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ──────╮

This is another long one. I don't know what's wrong with me.
Don't forget to listen to the song!

⎼⎼⎼⎼⎼⎼⎼⎼⎼⎼ ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ⎼⎼⎼⎼⎼⎼⎼⎼⎼⎼

𝐃

And so began our inevitable friendship.

The nights were growing longer as winter approached us but they were never long enough. So lost was I in our endless talks, that we would watch the moon rise behind the castle and then, in what seemed like a blink of an eye, it was slowly vanishing behind the trees of the dark forest behind us.

We were lucky that the rain had stopped for our walk. October had opened with a week of endless thunderstorms. Now, well past midnight, the forest smelled of sodden mud and wet leaves. The air was sour and tangled with the sweet smell of apples. Harvest was upon us, and Ophelia told me that Hagrid had found a few apple trees near his hut and had collected some for apple pies. Ophelia said that the pies weren't that good but our meadow smelled of apples and cinnamon for days.

"Did you have to bring the cat with you?"

I watched Ophelia holding her silver pinky-ring in the moonlight and Alaska was suddenly frantically trying to catch the light in her paws, her green eyes wide and round in excitement.

"Poor thing is terrified of thunders. I left her alone for two hours in the afternoon and she ripped a curtain apart. The other night she woke me up with her whining. She wanted a hug. So I wanted to treat her. She deserves some freedom after what she went through these days."

"I hate cats," I lied.

Ophelia's hazel eyes narrowed in disbelief.

"Are you a dog person?"

"I hate dogs, too." That was a lie as well.

Ophelia dropped her head sideways and masterfully planned a way to annoy me. She was reading me. She pointed the ring towards me and Alaska jumped on my leg lightly. The creature started tugging on my tie and scratching my chin with blade-like nails. Ophelia was pointing the light on my shirt on purpose.

"What are you doing? What are you – 3?"

Ophelia put her ring back on her pinky but Alaska was still on my lap – she was now interested in the snake ring – the one Father had given me when I was 12. When I twisted my hand, Alaska started sniffing my palm.

"I think she likes you."

And I liked her as well. Because even though I was never allowed a pet – a pet of all things! – I knew that I loved cats and dogs equally and nothing could change my mind.

"That's... enough..." I said silently. But Alaska was already comfortable on me and I was fully aware that she didn't understand my English and if she did, she was probably too relaxed and snobby to even care.

"She is going to shed her fur on me. This is a good suit!"

"It's a black cat on a black suit. Cry me a river."

And soon, I was petting the damn thing, feeling the purr on my stomach as she fell in something close to a slumber. Fuck, that thing was cute.

"Why do you always wear black?" asked Ophelia.

"Why do you always wear a white shirt and a sweater?"

"Because I like it?"

"No," I informed her. "You wear it because it's proper. You like it because it hides you. If people knew what you hide under your very tidy looks, they would get scared."