Good Girl Gone Bad [LIV BLACK]

January, 1994

IN NO TIME AT ALL, Hogwarts was back to its busy, loud, bustling self. Liv missed being able to walk down a corridor without being bombarded by lost first years who still hadn't managed to remember how to make their way around the castle after an entire term, but, Liv however, did not miss the absence of her friends. Her girlfriend. The people she didn't particularly like, but still tolerated. She missed them so dearly, and was now being overwhelmed by their presence at the Gryffindor table as everyone digged into breakfast.

Everyones Christmas was successful, a handful returning from home with a sniffle or, in worse cases, the full blown flu, but what mattered was everyone was smiling and everyone had a fun story to tell about their holidays.

As usual, the owls soon arrived with the morning post – more than usual, carrying the items which people had forgotten to pack for their return to Hogwarts. They swooped down from the highest window, and to Liv's surprise, very gently dropped a large box into her lap. A moment later, an identical box fell into Padma's lap beside her.

"What the bloody hell's in there?" Ron mumbled through a mouthful of toast, everyone else was staring, wide eyed in curiosity.

Liv looked at the box, mouth agape, wondering what the bloody hell was in there too, but then, to Remus, who could be seen smiling down  with Professor McGongal at her and the group of Gryffindor's.

"I think it's our Christmas presents," Liv said, begging to smile – tapping the top of the box in excitement. (Luckily, Liv hadn't frantically shaken the box like she did as a child, that probably wouldn't have ended well)

"Our?" Padma repeated, still looking nervously at the box that was light it felt as though it was empty.

"I guess Dad got you one too, he said they wouldn't arrive until the new year..." Liv replied.

Dean huffed impatiently. "Well, shit, open it!" He said.

"I'm dying to see," Hermione joined in.

"Come on!" Lavender stressed.

"Together?" Liv said to Padma, who nodded. Together they placed a hand on the top of their boxes. "Three... two... one..."

At the very bottom of the box was the tiniest baby kitten Liv had ever seen, fast asleep and unaware of the many faces staring down at him, swooning him with affection.

Remus had sworn he'd never let anything more than a fish into their house - and had made it clear Liv would absolutely not have a pet cat no matter how much she begged or batted her eyelashes sweetly. Yet, here was a cat, Liv's very own cat. She had to resist the urge to run the length of the great hall to Remus in pure joy.

Padma, with tears of joy pouring down her face – Lavender having to comfort her by rubbing her arm viciously, pulled her own kitten from her box and cradled it in her arm, careful not to let her cold, salty tears fall anywhere near its sleeping frame.

"Oh, how adorable!" Lavender purred, tickling the kittens belly. Ron, the only person at the table who wasn't fussing over the small animals, looked sour.

"I'm going to have to lock Scabbers away with two more of those beats running around," he grimaced – Hermione smacked him in the stomach.

"Oh, shut it, Ronald!" She hissed."Crookshanks will finally have some friends!"

"I'm so happy!" Padma sniffed, wiping away the last of her happy tears. "Oh, Liv, what should we name them?"

*

Liv and Padma decided on the names Dixie and Pixie, assuming they were sister as they both had the same soft grey hair and blue eyes. And, unknowing as to what to do with their new pets, had decided to bring them to their lesson as there was no way they were going to be able to put the kittens down anytime soon.