Christmas Card Competition
Gift from: enchanted_jae
Title: Christmas Card Competition
Summary: Harry wants to send the perfect Christmas card to friends and family.
Word Count: 560
Rating: PG
Contains: (Highlight to view) *Cats*
Notes: All the thanks to subtlefire, who beta-read this on short notice.
"It will never work, Harry."
"Yes, it will," Harry said with a scowl. "Everyone else sends Christmas cards featuring photos of their children, and I will not be outdone again this year."
"It's not a competition, Harry."
"Yes, it is," growled Harry.
"You're scaring the cats."
Harry took a deep breath and let it out. Their cats, Jasper and Jazz, did appear a tad frightened by Harry's intensity. Harry spent a moment fussing with the holiday backdrop he had created for the photo, in an effort to relax. This year, he was determined to send out Christmas cards with a photo of Jasper and Jazz. It was only fair, after all.
Once Harry had calmed himself sufficiently, he stepped back and surveyed the scene. He had draped a red table cloth over the sofa, added some festive garland, a string of lights, and a few baubles for decoration. Harry nodded to himself in satisfaction. All that was missing were the cats.
"Draco, you set Jazz on the sofa, and I'll put Jasper next to her," Harry directed.
Draco rolled his eyes, but he refrained from argument. He picked up the black and white spotted cat and set her down among the decorations. Harry quickly scooped up Jasper, the orange and white spotted one, and placed him next to his sister.
Harry raised his camera and snapped a shot immediately. He looked at the digital display and frowned. Jazz had her eyes closed. Harry aimed the camera at the cats again, only to see Jasper begin batting at one of the ornaments.
"No, Jasper." Harry sighed in exasperation. He pushed the bauble out of Jasper's reach and took another photo. The result was worse than the first attempt. Jasper had his head turned away, and Jazz was moving.
"Would you two sit still for thirty seconds?!" Harry grumbled.
"Shall I perform a Petrificus Totalus on them?"
"..."
"That was a joke, Harry."
"The suggestion does have merit," Harry muttered.
Jazz hopped off of the sofa, and Harry went rigid. Draco swooped in and grabbed the cat before she could escape. He returned her to the scene.
"Harry, why don't I stand behind you and snap my fingers to get their attention?"
"That's a good idea," said Harry. He raised his camera as Draco moved behind him. Draco snapped his fingers, both cats looked, and Harry took a photo.
"That one is lovely, Harry."
"They're not centered," Harry said, frowning at the display. "Let's try another one."
"I think you should quit while you're ahead."
"Don't be ridiculous," said Harry. "It has to be perfect. We can do this." He aimed the camera again. "Get ready to snap your fingers," Harry whispered. "On the count of three. One, two-"
Jasper pounced on Jazz, and they began wrestling on the sofa. Two of the ornaments fell to the floor, and one of them broke. The garland was yanked out of place, and both cats ended up tangled in the strand of Christmas lights.
"Gah!" cried Harry, appalled at the devastation happening before his very eyes.
Draco grabbed the camera from Harry and snapped a photo of the feline fracas. He handed the camera back.
"There you go, Harry. It's perfect."
Cross-posted to hd_owlpost
Title: Christmas Card Competition
Summary: Harry wants to send the perfect Christmas card to friends and family.
Word Count: 560
Rating: PG
Contains: (Highlight to view) *Cats*
Notes: All the thanks to subtlefire, who beta-read this on short notice.
"It will never work, Harry."
"Yes, it will," Harry said with a scowl. "Everyone else sends Christmas cards featuring photos of their children, and I will not be outdone again this year."
"It's not a competition, Harry."
"Yes, it is," growled Harry.
"You're scaring the cats."
Harry took a deep breath and let it out. Their cats, Jasper and Jazz, did appear a tad frightened by Harry's intensity. Harry spent a moment fussing with the holiday backdrop he had created for the photo, in an effort to relax. This year, he was determined to send out Christmas cards with a photo of Jasper and Jazz. It was only fair, after all.
Once Harry had calmed himself sufficiently, he stepped back and surveyed the scene. He had draped a red table cloth over the sofa, added some festive garland, a string of lights, and a few baubles for decoration. Harry nodded to himself in satisfaction. All that was missing were the cats.
"Draco, you set Jazz on the sofa, and I'll put Jasper next to her," Harry directed.
Draco rolled his eyes, but he refrained from argument. He picked up the black and white spotted cat and set her down among the decorations. Harry quickly scooped up Jasper, the orange and white spotted one, and placed him next to his sister.
Harry raised his camera and snapped a shot immediately. He looked at the digital display and frowned. Jazz had her eyes closed. Harry aimed the camera at the cats again, only to see Jasper begin batting at one of the ornaments.
"No, Jasper." Harry sighed in exasperation. He pushed the bauble out of Jasper's reach and took another photo. The result was worse than the first attempt. Jasper had his head turned away, and Jazz was moving.
"Would you two sit still for thirty seconds?!" Harry grumbled.
"Shall I perform a Petrificus Totalus on them?"
"..."
"That was a joke, Harry."
"The suggestion does have merit," Harry muttered.
Jazz hopped off of the sofa, and Harry went rigid. Draco swooped in and grabbed the cat before she could escape. He returned her to the scene.
"Harry, why don't I stand behind you and snap my fingers to get their attention?"
"That's a good idea," said Harry. He raised his camera as Draco moved behind him. Draco snapped his fingers, both cats looked, and Harry took a photo.
"That one is lovely, Harry."
"They're not centered," Harry said, frowning at the display. "Let's try another one."
"I think you should quit while you're ahead."
"Don't be ridiculous," said Harry. "It has to be perfect. We can do this." He aimed the camera again. "Get ready to snap your fingers," Harry whispered. "On the count of three. One, two-"
Jasper pounced on Jazz, and they began wrestling on the sofa. Two of the ornaments fell to the floor, and one of them broke. The garland was yanked out of place, and both cats ended up tangled in the strand of Christmas lights.
"Gah!" cried Harry, appalled at the devastation happening before his very eyes.
Draco grabbed the camera from Harry and snapped a photo of the feline fracas. He handed the camera back.
"There you go, Harry. It's perfect."
Cross-posted to hd_owlpost