Hermione and The Magical Black Cat.

What started as a doodle became a short story for a bit of fun! Thanks Mira for being the perfect model for Hermione.

Warming herself in the morning sun as she slept in the garden at Androula’s cottage, the sound of someone crying interrupted Hermione’s nap. Lazily, she stretched and nimbly jumped through the rosemary hedge to find a small girl sitting on a rocky outcrop overlooking the sea below. The sun was sparkling like diamonds on the turquoise blue waters of the Mediterranean Sea. What could possibly be wrong?

The little girl sat with her head buried in her hands, sobbing. Hermione waited patiently, not wanting to startle her. But the little girl had heard the rustling of the hedge beside her. She rubbed her eyes, looked down at her feet. To her surprise, she saw a black cat sitting next to her. Her sad, tear smeared face looked at Hermione and she asked gently, “Oh hello, where did you come from?” and held out her hand to the cat.

“What could such a sweet girl be so sad about?” Hermione asked.

“Oh, you can talk!” the little girl replied with surprise.

“Oh, you can hear me!” Hermione replied and chuckled. “Of course you can! I am Hermione. I live with Androula in the cottage over the hedge.”

“Oh!” the little girl gasped, “No! Really? Your name is Hermione?” she asked in disbelief. “That’s my name, too!” The small black cat smiled knowingly at her. Androula had said they would have a visitor that day.

“And what could such a sweet little girl be so sad about on such a beautiful morning as this?” Hermione, the black cat, asked.

“Oh, umm,” the little girl did not know what to say, and tears welled up in her eyes. “My Mumma and Daddy are so busy. Too busy to listen to me. They work all day and I am left on my own. Mumma makes me breakfast, but I have to make my bed and lunch before going to school. When I come home, I have to get the vegetables ready for dinner, as they are not home until it is dark. I get lonely. And then there is school…” her voice faded, and she looked sad again.

“What about school?” Hermione, the black cat, enquired. The little girl looked at the cat with hesitation and then blurted out, “It’s my name. Everybody teases me, and they make jokes about Harry Potter. Do you know the story? Hermione is one character in the books, and my Mumma and Daddy named me after her.”

“Hmm, no, I don’t know of these books. But, I do know that my human named me Hermione after the great Greek God Hermes, he was The Messenger. Do you know of Androula?”

Little Hermione looked nervously at the black cat and whispered, “Isn’t she a witch? That’s what the kids at school say.”

“Well, yes, and no. Yes, in the truest sense of the word witch – she is a healer and a very good one. She can heal anything!” Hermione sits up proudly and added, “And I am her assistant. And no, she is not that kind of witch who people think of as bad or weird.”

Hermione, the black cat, snuggled close to the little girl, who stroked her soft coat, and smiled. “Thank you kitty, I mean Hermione. I feel much better now. Wow, now I know someone else called Hermione, a magical black cat. You have made me feel so much better.”

“Would you like to meet Androula? She is a wonderful baker and I am sure there is a treat for you to eat, if you’re hungry?” Hermione offered. The little girl nodded her head, “Mmm, I am hungry! There is no school today, and I went for a walk because I didn’t want to be home by myself this morning. My Mumma and Daddy are both working today.”

“Come now, Androula is waiting for us,” Hermione said as she walked along the hedge towards the gate leading into Androula’s cottage garden.

“But how would she know?” the little girl asked, running after her. Hermione just smiled at her and walked through the gate, down the stone pathway towards the back door of Androula’s cottage.

“Oh! This is beautiful!” Little Hermione exclaimed, seeing all the pretty flowers. In Androula’s cottage garden was every known herb and flower, as it was a medicine garden. The little girl was excited now, and she was not afraid at all. Standing at the open door watching the little girl and the cat, was an old lady, not very tall, dressed in a long skirt and a woollen jersey. Her long, silver hair, twisted into a loose bun, sat on top of her head, and wisps of hair curled softly around her face. Her beautiful smile made the little girl feel at ease. “Hello Hermione, we have been expecting you,” Androula greeted her.

“H-how did you know my name?” the little girl asked, and Androula tapped her finger against the side of her nose, winked at her with bright blue eyes that sparkled with magic.

“Now, would you like a cup of tea made of flowers from the garden, or a hot cocoa, hmm? You are just in time as I have baked fresh cranberry scones,” Little Hermione took off her shoes and stepped inside the cottage, and gasped with delight.

The stone building looked so small from outside, but once inside, the kitchen was much bigger than she had imagined. Warmed by the wood-fuelled stove, and the sunlight coming through the window, with the delicious smells of fresh baking and hot cocoa, all made her feel very welcomed. Little Hermione felt safe and for the first time that day a huge smile danced across her face.

Looking around her in delight, she saw all sorts of the interesting things. It was like nothing she had ever seen before. On the table were cups and plates. Bunches of dried flowers and herbs hung from the rafters, and on every wall were shelves with bottles and jars of produce from the gardens, and dried herbs.

The three of them sat at the table and shared cocoa and scones. After, Androula cleared the plates from the table, and sat down opposite Little Hermione. “Do you know, that my Hermione is a special cat?” Androula asked.

“Oh yes, she can talk!” the little girl replied.

“And so much more,” the old woman said quietly, “so much more… I have something for you, Little Hermione. Come this way.” Androula walked through the heavy velvet curtains into another room. Little Hermione hesitated, but the black cat tapped her knee with her paw and leapt playfully after Androula, “Tip, you’re it!” she called to the little girl. Curious, the little girl followed her. As she stepped through the curtains, Little Hermione felt a tingle ripple through her whole body and she smiled excitedly at what she saw.

The room had a large window that overlooked the blue sea below. The sunshine sparkled on the water like flashing fairy lights. A crystal hung in the window, catching the sunlight and casting tiny rainbows across the walls and the ceiling. On top of the big table under the window were stacks of books and crystals of every colour. Rows of brown bottles of all sizes lined the shelves on the wall. There was magic in the room and Little Hermione felt it. It made her heart smile.

“Hermione tells me that your mummy and daddy are very hard workers, that they are away from home a lot. What, more than anything in the world, would you wish for right now?” Androula asked. The little girl thought deeply, and her answer was clear. “I wish… I wish,for things to change. I wish for them to read me a bedtime story each night. They are always too tired and, well, that is a start.”

Androula asked the little girl to close her eyes, and said, “Now, Little Hermione, image being in your bed, your mummy is sitting on one side and daddy on the other, and that they are sharing a story with you. All of you are taking turns at reading a paragraph from a big book.” The little girl stood so still, as she imaged this.

“How does it feel?” Androula asked. “Oh, it is just right!” Little Hermione replied. “Now, keep your eyes closed and hold your hands out in front of you, palms up,” said Androula. The little girl did as the old woman asked, and Androula place a story book into her hands. She clicked her fingers, and a handful of sparkles fell upon the book. “This might help,” she said.

Little Hermione opened her eyes and could not believe what she saw. In her hands there was a beautifully illustrated book, of a black cat in a purple witches’ hat, The words on the front cover read, ‘Hermione And The Magical Black Cat.”

The little girl looked up at Androula, surprise and delight sparkled in her eyes. She was so excited. “Th-this is for m-me?” she stuttered. Androula nodded her head and smiled warmly. “Oh, oh, I beg your pardon, um, thank you!” Little Hermione replied, remembering her manners.

Androula instructed her, “You are not to read it until bedtime. Take this home, place it on your pillow, and make a wish for your mum and dad to come home early. Then you can share with them what has happened today. They may not believe you at first, but don’t listen to that. Remember to think only of what you are wanting, for them to read a story with you. The book is magic, Little Hermione, and it will do the rest.”

Little Hermione hugged tightly the old lady, who was not much bigger than herself. The warmth of her hug made Androula’s heart sing, and she sniffed away a tear.

“Right, now, I think this Magical Black Cat had better walk you home. Your mum and dad will be there soon! And you have vegetables to prepare.“

Androula kissed the top of the little girls head, as Hermione the black cat ran out the back door and up the path to the gate, calling out, “Tip, you’re it!” Giggling, Little Hermione ran after her, calling out over her shoulder, “Thank you Granny Androula!”

Androula smiled as she watched the two new friends run through the gate and along the stony path. “Ahh!” she sighed contentedly. “Magic and healing go hand in hand, and come in so many different ways.”