Searching for Harry
Title: Searching for Harry
Author: enchanted_jae
Characters: Draco/Harry
Rating: PG13
Warning(s): Suggestion
Word count: 730 (365 x 2)
Disclaimer: Characters are the property of JK Rowling, et al. This drabble was written for fun, not for profit.
Written for:
♦ Birthday gift for dadi with the prompts of elderflower, cat, tempest
♦ hogwarts365 Prompt No. 230 - unconventional Valentine, "You can't do that with your wand."
Author's note: From my Finding Harry verse, but can be read alone.
Summary: The gift may be unconventional, but it's perfect for Harry.
"Harry?" Draco called as he stepped from the Floo.
Mew?
"Shush," scolded Draco, frowning at the small, lidded box in his hands. A curious pink nose pressed against one of the holes at the end. Draco sighed. As Valentines went, this was rather unconventional, but Harry would be ecstatic with his gift. He did love collecting cats, and this one was in need of a good home. That would earn Draco bonus points in the reward category. He cleared his throat and reached down to adjust the front of his trousers.
"Harry?!" Draco tried again, louder this time.
There was no response. That meant Harry was likely in his Animagus form in the garden, mingling with the hundred other cats that lived there. Okay, so there weren't quite a hundred, but it seemed that way at times. Draco tucked the box under his arm and exited the house through the French doors. He stepped into the garden and took a deep breath of the chilly air. The first cat to catch Draco's eye was Ernie, the only ginger in the bunch. Ernie was stropping his claws on one of the elder trees, and Draco shooed him away from it. He enjoyed elderflower wine too much to allow Ernie to damage the tree with his claws.
Turning this way and that as he scanned the garden, Draco finally spotted a large, black cat sunning itself on the edge of the dormant fountain. He smiled and strode over, only to sigh again when he realized it was William. The collar gave William away; he was the only cat in the coven that wore one, simply because Draco too often mistook him for Harry. Draco absently patted William's head as he looked around the garden once more, searching for Harry.
There were several more black cats, as well as some striped tabbies and a few gray cats. Other than Ernie, there wasn't much color to Harry's ragtag collection of moggies.
Mew?
Until now.
"Harry, I brought you a gift!" Draco said, raising his voice to be heard.
"What is it?"
Draco turned his head to see Harry approaching with his eyes on the box in Draco's hands.
Mew?
Harry gasped and closed the distance between them at a sprint. "Draco! Did you put a cat in that box?!"
"It has air holes," Draco protested, handing the box over.
Harry lifted the lid, and the little calico's head popped up. Harry oohed in appreciation of her brilliant colors. She was black with bright splotches of orange, and her paws, throat, and belly were white. She even had a white tip at the end of her tail.
"Draco, she's adorable!" cooed Harry, lifting the kitten from the box. "Where did you get her?"
Draco felt his face grow warm. "Erm, well, you see, Pansy found her on the street near her home. The kitten was injured, possibly from an auto, and-"
"That's terrible!"
"Well, yes, but Pansy took her immediately to an animal Healer," Draco continued. "However, you know Pansy; she's not fond of cats. She asked around to see if someone would give it a good home, and when no one stepped up, she, ah, she foisted the kitten off on us."
Harry cradled the kitten gingerly against his chest, smiling as she purred loudly in appreciation. "Is she fully healed now?"
"Yes, the Healer gave her a clean bill of health, which is why you're getting a somewhat early Valentine's gift," Draco replied. "I must warn you, though, she's a bit of a terror. The Healer's staff took to calling her Tempest."
Harry snorted. "Tempest? That's ridiculous and too upper-crust," he declared. "I'll call her Valerie, since she was my Valentine gift from you."
Draco chuckled and plucked his wand from his sleeve. "I should have put a ribbon around her neck for you, but I can do that now." He pointed the wand at Valerie.
"You can't do that with your wand!" cried Harry, quartering away and hovering protectively over the kitten. "You may damage her!"
"Harry, I dare say I can control my wand."
"Not around me, you can't."
Draco's lips parted in surprise. When he saw Harry's sly grin, he couldn't help but laugh. "Fair enough," he conceded. "Why don't you get Valerie settled in the garden with the rest of the herd, and I'll go inside and...oil my wand."
Author: enchanted_jae
Characters: Draco/Harry
Rating: PG13
Warning(s): Suggestion
Word count: 730 (365 x 2)
Disclaimer: Characters are the property of JK Rowling, et al. This drabble was written for fun, not for profit.
Written for:
♦ Birthday gift for dadi with the prompts of elderflower, cat, tempest
♦ hogwarts365 Prompt No. 230 - unconventional Valentine, "You can't do that with your wand."
Author's note: From my Finding Harry verse, but can be read alone.
Summary: The gift may be unconventional, but it's perfect for Harry.
"Harry?" Draco called as he stepped from the Floo.
Mew?
"Shush," scolded Draco, frowning at the small, lidded box in his hands. A curious pink nose pressed against one of the holes at the end. Draco sighed. As Valentines went, this was rather unconventional, but Harry would be ecstatic with his gift. He did love collecting cats, and this one was in need of a good home. That would earn Draco bonus points in the reward category. He cleared his throat and reached down to adjust the front of his trousers.
"Harry?!" Draco tried again, louder this time.
There was no response. That meant Harry was likely in his Animagus form in the garden, mingling with the hundred other cats that lived there. Okay, so there weren't quite a hundred, but it seemed that way at times. Draco tucked the box under his arm and exited the house through the French doors. He stepped into the garden and took a deep breath of the chilly air. The first cat to catch Draco's eye was Ernie, the only ginger in the bunch. Ernie was stropping his claws on one of the elder trees, and Draco shooed him away from it. He enjoyed elderflower wine too much to allow Ernie to damage the tree with his claws.
Turning this way and that as he scanned the garden, Draco finally spotted a large, black cat sunning itself on the edge of the dormant fountain. He smiled and strode over, only to sigh again when he realized it was William. The collar gave William away; he was the only cat in the coven that wore one, simply because Draco too often mistook him for Harry. Draco absently patted William's head as he looked around the garden once more, searching for Harry.
There were several more black cats, as well as some striped tabbies and a few gray cats. Other than Ernie, there wasn't much color to Harry's ragtag collection of moggies.
Mew?
Until now.
"Harry, I brought you a gift!" Draco said, raising his voice to be heard.
"What is it?"
Draco turned his head to see Harry approaching with his eyes on the box in Draco's hands.
Mew?
Harry gasped and closed the distance between them at a sprint. "Draco! Did you put a cat in that box?!"
"It has air holes," Draco protested, handing the box over.
Harry lifted the lid, and the little calico's head popped up. Harry oohed in appreciation of her brilliant colors. She was black with bright splotches of orange, and her paws, throat, and belly were white. She even had a white tip at the end of her tail.
"Draco, she's adorable!" cooed Harry, lifting the kitten from the box. "Where did you get her?"
Draco felt his face grow warm. "Erm, well, you see, Pansy found her on the street near her home. The kitten was injured, possibly from an auto, and-"
"That's terrible!"
"Well, yes, but Pansy took her immediately to an animal Healer," Draco continued. "However, you know Pansy; she's not fond of cats. She asked around to see if someone would give it a good home, and when no one stepped up, she, ah, she foisted the kitten off on us."
Harry cradled the kitten gingerly against his chest, smiling as she purred loudly in appreciation. "Is she fully healed now?"
"Yes, the Healer gave her a clean bill of health, which is why you're getting a somewhat early Valentine's gift," Draco replied. "I must warn you, though, she's a bit of a terror. The Healer's staff took to calling her Tempest."
Harry snorted. "Tempest? That's ridiculous and too upper-crust," he declared. "I'll call her Valerie, since she was my Valentine gift from you."
Draco chuckled and plucked his wand from his sleeve. "I should have put a ribbon around her neck for you, but I can do that now." He pointed the wand at Valerie.
"You can't do that with your wand!" cried Harry, quartering away and hovering protectively over the kitten. "You may damage her!"
"Harry, I dare say I can control my wand."
"Not around me, you can't."
Draco's lips parted in surprise. When he saw Harry's sly grin, he couldn't help but laugh. "Fair enough," he conceded. "Why don't you get Valerie settled in the garden with the rest of the herd, and I'll go inside and...oil my wand."