Chapter 1

Hermione thought over what Harry, Ron and herself had tried during the winter break and kept wondering, where she had gone so wrong with the Polyjuice Potion. Sure it had been a good idea, but it had not done them any good, since Draco was not the Heir of Slytherin, nor did he know anything about it that was helpful. And they were almost caught so many times brew and when they used it, that is scared her a little.

Her thoughts then turned to her part in that plan. Which had not worked out in the slightest. She had, instead of adding a human hair, had added a cat hair by accident, thus causing her change to derail part way through, leaving her stuck part way between a human and cat. An anthro cat if she was to be precise.

Now according to Madam Pomfrey, who seemed to have guessed the cause of her change, though none of them had ever actually told her, Hermione should have been back to normal by now. But in spite of the treatment, which was still going, her tail, ears, nails, teeth and eyes, though those were now brown again, were not shifting back, or disappearing. And since it had been four days at least since the last of her fur had vanished, and other small changes been undone, Hermione was beginning to worry a little bit.

Hermione was so deep in thought about this, staring up at the ceiling of the Hospital wing, that she did not notice Harry walking over till he had sat down by her side. It was not until he touched her shoulder did he get her attention, though causing her to jump a little bit as she had come accustom to hearing him before he even enter the hospital wing.

"Oh! Hi Harry," Hermione said, staring at him, for a few moments as her heart rate slowed down again, "Did you bring my home work for today?"

"Hi, and no I haven't, it isn't even lunchtime yet, after all," Harry said with a small grin of amusement.

"But I need to keep with my work," Hermione said, looking at him a little annoyed.

But Harry just looked at her grinning and said, "I think your condition is more important than any homework you may have at the moment."

"No, it is not. Besides, my changes don't stop me from doing homework now do they?" Hermione said with a look that dared him to try and counter her logic.

Harry, knowing fully well he was not about to win this, switched tactics, and asked, "True, but as I said. It is not even lunch time yet, so no homework yet. Now, anyways, any news on when you are going to get out of here?"

"No," Hermione said, looking a little worried as she looked at Harry.

Harry nodded in understanding asking, "What has Madam Pomfrey decided to do?"

Hermione sighed, and looked at the wall instead of Harry, the worried tone in her voice showing more as she spoke, "She's not sure. Last night, after she gave me my potions, she started began running some tests and scans on my body. Then after that she left for her office, I have not seen her much since then. And only twice has she stopped by so far today. Once with my breakfast, and the second time to get a blood sample from me."

Harry seeing this places his hand on her own, and said in as reassuring voice as he could, "I am sure you will be okay. Madam Pomfrey has not failed yet and I am sure she will not start now."

Hermione smiled at this, replied more cheerful then she had before, "Thanks Harry."

Before anything else could be said though, the door to the ward was opened. Glancing about the saw it was Madam Pomfrey. But she did not have her normal look of impatient and irritation at people getting hurt all the time, but rather there was a small frown on her face as she spotted them and came over. And for the first time since Harry had met her, she actually looked worried.

"How is Hermione?" asked Harry.

Madam Pomfrey did not answer right away, but instead took out her wand and proceeded to waving it over Hermione a few times, muttering something as she did so. When she stopped, she sighed and looked from Hermione to Harry and back again. She seemed to be debating something in her mind before with a nod, as if assuring herself this was the best course of action spoke.

"I am not sure how it happened or what to do about it but, I cannot remove or reverse your body back to its normal human form. For some reason, your body, and magic considers your new traits to be part of you. Not even transfiguration will work on getting rid of them." Madame Pomfrey said, knowing full well Hermione was about to say next.

"WHAT!" Hermione yelled out, her voice filled with shock and fear. Harry just sat there stunned his hand still holding tight to Hermione's own. Hermione then began speaking quickly, as if trying to rationalize a way to change back, "But that isn't possible! Is it? It never was in any book I looked up. But, then again, there wasn't a lot I could find, and most people would listen to the warning. But still, there was a cure, I was taking it so I should have changed back! So why didn't I?"

Harry coming out of his own stunned shock stood up and drew Hermione into a tight hug. He knew her well enough by this point that a good distraction would keep her from panicking. And while a hug was not really a good distraction, it did the job in any case as Hermione stopped then drew him onto the bed, holding him close as the reality of what Madam Pomfrey had said sunk in.

Meanwhile, Madam Pomfrey just watched as Hermione calmed down, still trying to figure out why Hermione was stuck with her new feline nature. The best thing she could think of was that based off an old rule about why transfiguration was never focused at one's self until the last two years at school. It was that a child's magic was a lot more impressionable than that of an adult. Meaning magical transformations have a much greater chance of becoming permanent, which was likely the case here.

She thought over what Harry and Ron said when they had brought Hermione in. That they had messed up a potion and Hermione had been caught in the blast when the potion exploded. She knew better than to believe them, as there was no potion in the world that could explode and turn a person into part cat. Well at least none that Madam Pomfrey knew of, and she knew more than even Snape did. It had taken Pomfrey taking Harry aside and a promise not to tell anyone what had really happened to anyone to get the full truth.

But still even Polyjuice Potion, while not common by any means still followed most rules when it came to cures. A simple draft that was made from the mandrake leaves, was all that was needed to fix the change. The body was needed stronger potions, and would actually cause an over dose in Hermione's case. Well unless Hermione had wanted to be in a lot of pain as her body was forcefully returned to normal, besides she did not have the stronger of the two potions otherwise Miss. Noris would already be back to normal.

Harry having finally been able to calm Hermione down, looked over at Madam Pomfrey, and asked, "Is there nothing at all you can do?"

Madam Pomfrey shook her head before she spoke again, "There is nothing I can do to change her back, but I might have an idea to tell if this will ever be able to be lifted."

Harry and Hermione nodded as Madam Pomfrey waved her wand over Hermione a few times. Hermione felt a slight tingling feeling run through her body, before to her surprise her skin actually glowed green. Madam Pomfrey nodded as she waved her wand one more time, and the light and feeling vanished.

"What was that spell?" Harry asked.

"Well, it is a spell that shows how long a potion might effect a person. It is not prefect, but it does give a general idea. There are four colors that could show up have shown up; red means you have no potions current in effect. Yellow will be out to a month of effect, and blue is out to about a year."

Hermione listened to this and asked, feeling scared, "And green?"

"I have never seen it before personally and it depends on the shade of green to tell the amount of time. But it is for any period longer than a year. Though in your case it could be much longer. As I said this does not really help us currently," Madam Pomfrey said with another small sigh.

Hermione just sat back in shock as Harry held her close, as Madam Pomfrey continued on, "There are only two ways that might work, and to be honest I would not use them. The first would be to cut off said part, but that would be painful, and cannot help you with all your changes. The other would be to Seal off your magical core, at which point I could change you back fully, but you would be stuck as a muggle or squib for the rest of your life, and that is assuming the loss of magic did not kill your body from backlash."

Hermione could not believe her ears; everything about her life that she knew for sure, was most likely about to end. Her whole life had just changed and she was now part cat for life. And for the first time in years she wished she had her parents nearby. But she did not have them, but she did have Harry. As such, pulling him close she broke down as tears streamed from her eyes.

Madam Pomfrey thought over what she had just said to Hermione, sure she could have lied and say there was a chance but she was never one to give false hope. She sighed again at what had happened and what had caused this. Hermione's, Ron's, and Harry's plan she had to agree was a semi-good plan even if it did not work out. In fact, it was the reason behind the plan that she had not turned them in, and let them be dealt the punishment they should have earned. That and she felt that Hermione being stuck part cat was punishment enough.

But now that did not matter, she would have to talk with Professor McGonagall and tell her everything. After all this was not something that would be hidden for long. She walked over to the fireplace in her office and threw some floo powder into it saying out "McGonagall". Then she stuck her head into the fireplace and a few seconds later she was staring into Professor McGonagall's study. And on the desk was a cat that seemed to be snoozing at first glance.

McGonagall had been hoping for a day off since it was Friday and there were no more classes for her. She had just got around to getting some sleep in her cat form, when she heard a whoosh from the fire place. Turning her head, she saw Madam's Pomfrey's head and let out a growl of annoyance. Then getting off the desk she changed back as she landed on the floor.

"How may I help you this afternoon?" McGonagall asked.

Madam Pomfrey's gave her a worried look for a second before saying, "I need you to come down to the hospital wing. Right away if possible."

McGonagall seeing the look asked, "What happened that you to need me so urgently?"

"It's better you see for yourself rather than for me tell you right now," said Madam Pomfrey before she pulled her head back letting the fire die back down to normal.

McGonagall, not really sure how to react to that, decided that since she had nothing pressing to do and the fact that Poppy was worried, she could spare a few minutes. So without waiting a second longer she left for the hospital wing to see what was going on. She walked quickly down the halls and over to the hospital and entered the wing to see Pomfrey waiting for her. Looking around McGonagall saw only one bed was fill and closed off. And to her knowledge that meant the only on here, besides the four already petrified, was Hermione. "What happened that you needed me so fast?"

Madam Pomfrey looked at her friend for a moment before bringing her to where she could see around the curtains. McGonagall stopped in her tracks when she saw the ears. She had known Hermione had been in the Hospital wing for a potions accident, though she did not realize just how bad it must have been. As this was no normal accident, not by a long shot.

As such McGonagall said the first thing that came to her mind, "Good gracious! What happened to her?"

Madam Pomfrey sighed, "I will explain in my office."

Professor McGonagall followed Madam Pomfrey into her office before locking the door behind them. Taking a deep breath Madam Pomfrey began telling McGonagall all that Harry had told her. As she got to the end of the story she saw McGonagall looking out of the doors window at Hermione was with worry and disappointment in her face.

"So her magic will not let the changes end and that is what is keeping her like this?" asked McGonagall clarify it to herself.

"That is the best answer I have for what is going on because no matter what I have tried I can't get rid of these last few cat traits." Madam Pomfrey said.

McGonagall nodded and asked, "So what have you tried to do?"

"Potions using the weaken Mandrake juice. I wish I had a true draft but this late, it might not even work anymore. I could try spells, but those would wear off in a week or so and we would be back to where we started. Which leaves us cutting them off, and while that could work for her tail, doing that to her ears though could risk hearing lost at best, balance at worse. Even then there is a chance her magic would grow them back, since it was a Polyjuice potion that caused the changes to begin with," Madam Pomfrey explained.

McGonagall nodded deep in thought as she spoke, "I should give them all punishments for what they did. But, as it was in the best interests of the school and the difficulty of the potion. I think a week's detention for Mr. Potter and Mr. Weasley, and nothing for Miss Granger, she is going to be dealing with this for a long time. Though I shall also give them each 15 points."

Pomfrey nodded in understanding, "May I take Mr. Potter's detention?"

"May I ask why?" Professor McGonagall asked.

"Because Harry, unlike Mister Weasley, has done everything that he can to help Hermione. He is also the only person besides us, currently, that knows what is going on. And with him in detention with me, I can help him and Hermione prepare for the life she might have to lead," Madam Pomfrey explained.

McGonagall considered Pomfrey's request before nodding in agreement, "You do have a point there. I will let you over see Mr. Potter's 'detention'. Though in the meantime we should work on getting Miss Granger back into the school."

Madam Pomfrey nodded, "Yes. We should. I am going to give her a full physical to make sure there are no other changes that we're not yet aware of. Then I shall update her records. Once that is done and we have a good way of keeping her changes hidden from others in the school, I don't see any reason to stay any longer."

"Very well, I will see what I can come up with," Professor McGonagall said.

Madam Pomfrey nodded and together the pair left the room. They came over to where Harry and Hermione were. Harry still comforting Hermione as they sat on Hermione's bed. The two students looked up as Madam Pomfrey and McGonagall drew near.

Harry noticing the look Professor McGonagall had known they were in trouble, "So, what is our punishment?"

McGonagall gave him a small smiled though before speaking, "Hermione you will not be punished any further because of what happened to you. Mr. Potter, you will be serving a week worth of detentions with Madam Pomfrey and Mr. Weasley will be spending his week with me. Also each of you will have earned Gryffindor House 15 points. While I don't approve of what you did, you have done more than anyone of us teachers have been able to do so far."

A ghost of a smile appeared on Harry's and Hermione's faces as Harry said, "Of course Professor McGonagall."

Madam Pomfrey spoke up at this point, "Okay, Miss Granger I am going to need to give you a physical. Harry you are going to have to wait outside or leave for a bit."

Harry gave her a blank look and asked, "Why? Don't you use magic to do that?"

"Normally, yes, but with something like this I'd rather be thorough. And magic can tell me what I want to know, but those spells take a lot longer than what I can do with a normal physical." Madam Pomfrey explained before leading Harry out of the Hospital Wing.

Harry, seeing that he was not going to get back in decided to head down to the Great Hall for a bite to eat. Plus, even if he could he did not wish to embarrass himself or Hermione by seeing her naked. Especially when she was still emotional delicate after that last bit of news.

Down in the Great Hall, Harry found lunch had already begun. Passing the other house tables, Harry came the Gryffindor table. Looking up it he soon spotted Ron and sat down beside him. Ron finished his mouth full of food before speaking.

"Where's Hermione? I thought you said you were going to check and see if she could leave today," Ron asked, glancing about for Hermione.

"Effects have shown to be more resistant than Madam Pomfrey thought. It will be a while before Hermione is back to normal," Harry said filling up his plate with some food.

Ron looked worried hearing this before losing some color as he spoke, "That's not good. We could get caught and thrown out if she realizes what really caused those changes. I don't want to deal with my mom if that happens."

Harry nodded knowing full well Ron's mother would not be happy. Molly Weasley, while kind and sweet, could make each one of her sons, all of which stood taller than her, cower in fear. Harry was also afraid of her to an extent, though she had never been mad with him, yet. Yet, Harry knew they would not have to face her down, but rather more than likely have to worry about another howler.

Harry smiled as he said, "We have seen no side effects before now, and Hermione did say that the potion was not meant for animals."

Ron nodded at this now less worried then he was before, though he still worried but Hermione staying in the Hospital Wing. Ron knew his grades were already starting to slip, and without Hermione it was likely that they could continue to do so. He knew he should not depend on her like that, but without her to check his work, or him to sneak a peek to copy some information he was going to start failing in his classes. And he knew that while his mother was mad about him breaking rules, if he got held back. Well he might as well start digging his own grave now. That being said, Ron would never let Hermione, or even Harry know this last part.

"Yeah you are right. So has Madam Pomfrey figured out a reason for why she is still stuck like that?" Ron asked keeping his voice as level as possible.

Harry shrugged, "I already said they are turning out to be more resistant than she had predicted."

"Oh yeah, but how is that possible," Ron said and wondered.

Harry shrugged, "It could be any number of things. I mean I don't know how all the ingredients interact so who knows."

"Oh," Ron said nodding absently, and then eating what was left of his food. "Hey! Want to have a chess match before we go to our next class?"

Harry shook his head, "No, I'm heading back up to the Hospital Wing to see Hermione before I head to class. She has been feeling a little lonely up there lately."

Ron just shrugged at this, "As you wish."

With that Ron walked out of the Great Hall and went up to the Gryffindor Dorms. Harry just shook his head and then finished up what was left of his lunch before heading back up the Hospital Wing where he found Madam Pomfrey and Professor McGonagall talking to each other. As Harry closed the door to the Hospital Wing they called him over.

"We have just finished with Miss Granger. So if you would like to talk with her, you may do so now," said Pomfrey.

Harry nodded and went to peek in around the curtains that hide Hermione's bed from view. He saw her sitting on the edge of the bed, holding her tail and looking a little dejected. Harry moved across and placed a hand on her own. She looked up and gave him a weak smile. Harry drew Hermione into a hug for a few moments before sitting down beside her.

"So what have you found out?" Harry asked, his hand holding her own.

Hermione did not answer right away, but rather tightened her grip on his hand, as if it was a life line. Harry waited patiently for her to speak, he did not care if he was late for class today. Something Harry was sure Professor McGonagall would for once agree with, even if she was the strictest teacher in the school.

Hermione when she spoke though, her voice was not dull or toneless, but her normal business like tone, "Over all my body is mostly the same as before. Only a few things have remained changed. My eyes, ears, teeth, nails, and tail. I also found I can purr, and my tongue is now grooved like a cat's own tongue."

And though Hermione did not say it, Harry could tell there were one or two other things. But what these were Harry knew he would not be finding out for a while. As it was, that list was not too bad.

"That's not so bad, now is it Hermione? We can hide all of those traits if we try hard enough," Harry said giving her a grin, before he added, "After all this is magic, and magic can do anything."