Cock and Bull 18
Banner by herumtreiber
Title: Cock and Bull 18
Author: enchanted_jae
Characters: Harry/Draco, ocs
Rating: PG13
Warning(s): Suggestion, minor character death
Word count: 1240
Disclaimer: Characters are the property of JK Rowling, et al. This fic/drabble was written for fun, not for profit.
Written for: Birthday gift for felaine, who requested more of Cock and Bull.
Summary: Life on a farm isn't always pretty; best make sure the eggs are.
Harry had just finished milking the cows when Draco met him at the pasture gate. His face was pale, and his expression was stricken. Harry set down the pails of milk.
"What's wrong?"
"Millie is dead," Draco replied in a wooden voice.
"Bulstrode?!" cried Harry.
"No, my chicken," Draco snapped. "I found her beside the chicken coop, all c-cold and s-stiff."
Harry had a more pragmatic view of livestock, but he could see the loss of one of the hens had left Draco rattled. "She wasn't injured, was she?" he asked.
"Not...not that I could tell."
"Okay, then she probably died of natural causes," said Harry. His shoulders relaxed. "It doesn't seem as though we need to worry about a predator near the hen house. Let me dump the milk into the bulk tank, then I'll take care of her."
"What do you plan to do with her?" asked Draco.
"I reckon I'll just toss her over the hedgerow at the back of the property, into that little wooded area," Harry replied.
"Harry!"
"Well, what do you expect me to do?" Harry snorted. "Have a burial ceremony?"
"Yes!"
"No."
"How can you be so cruel?" Draco demanded. "Millie served you faithfully and provided eggs for your table."
Harry refrained from stating that, had he known she was going to die, she would have provided a nice chicken dinner for his table, too. He looked at the militant expression on Draco's face and decided that a chicken burial was a small price to pay for continued sex.
"Alright, Draco. We'll bury her in the hedgerow."
~*~
Harry dumped the last shovel full of dirt on the chicken's grave and patted it down with the back of the implement. Draco placed a flat stone he'd found at the edge of the fresh dirt for a marker of sorts.
"May I borrow your wand?" he asked.
Harry handed it over without comment, and Draco used it to write Millie's name on the stone in flowing script. Harry accepted his wand back and tucked it into his pocket. He and Draco walked back to the buildings in solemn silence. They separated to go about their various chores.
Harry didn't give the dead hen another thought, but Draco must have been mulling the situation over, considering the topic of conversation at lunch.
"I think we need to get another hen," said Draco.
Harry was too pleased at his use of the term 'we' to argue. "Okay, we'll get another hen."
"I want one of those fancy ones, like we saw at the festival," Draco insisted.
Harry's brow furrowed as he made himself another ham sandwich. "Any chicken we get needs to be a good laying hen," he said. "This is a working farm."
Draco's frown matched Harry's. "Don't all chickens lay eggs?"
"Yes, of course, but not all of them produce eggs that are large enough to sell," Harry explained. He took a bite of sandwich, chewed, and swallowed. "I'll ring Heidi Breedlove after lunch," he said. "She had some fancy hens at the festival."
~*~
Harry turned the Land Rover into Horace Breedlove's lane. They jounced down the rutted road until they reached the barnyard. Harry parked, and he and Draco got out of the vehicle. Heidi emerged from the house to greet them.
"The hens are out back," she said. "Come with me."
Harry and Draco fell into step beside her.
"Did you want another Leghorn or two?" asked Heidi.
"I wanted to ask you about some of the fancy hens you were showing at the festival," Harry replied. "Are any of them good laying hens?"
"To be sure," said Heidi. "Just because they're pretty doesn't mean they aren't productive. I have some Houdans for sale, and a few Golden-laced Polish hens."
She led the way into the barn, where various breeds of chickens were kept in spacious pens. "Some of them are in runs outside, but if they hear me rattling a pan, they'll come in," said Heidi. "I reckon it's easier to see them all when you're in the shed."
To demonstrate, Heidi rapped a metal pan, and clucking chickens dashed inside from their pens. As Harry discussed the merits of egg-laying, Draco wandered up and down the aisle, admiring the beautiful chickens. When he returned to Harry's side, he looked speculative.
"Did you decide which hen you want?" Harry asked.
Draco rocked back on his heels and stroked his chin. "I can't decide between the black and white speckled ones or the brown and black speckled hens," he said. "They both have what looks like wild hair, and they're both beautiful."
As Harry was about to ask which breed produced more eggs, Heidi spoke up. "Why not get one of each?"
Draco's eyes widened with delight, and Harry's rolled back in his head. If Heidi was a witch, she would have been in Slytherin.
"May we get two, Harry?"
"Yeah, why not?" Harry responded with a sigh.
"Of course, if you'd rather have fancy eggs than fancy hens, I have plenty of Easter Eggers for sale, too," Heidi interjected.
Draco perked up. "Easter eggs?"
Heidi nodded. "Some of my hens lay blue, green, aqua, or even pink eggs."
Draco gasped and turned to Harry with crup eyes.
Harry firmed his jaw.
Draco wetted his upper lip with the tip of his tongue.
"We'll take two of those, also," said Harry.
~*~
As they were loading the final crate in the back of Harry's Land Rover, Will Breedlove arrived, driving a small Peugeot. He hopped out of the car and ambled up with a smile on his face.
"Hello, Draco, Potter. What brings you to uncle Horace's farm?"
"We bought some new hens," Draco replied.
"Wouldn't you rather have a nice, big cock?" Will murmured.
Harry fumed, but once again, Heidi jumped in.
"Oh, Will!" she cried, smacking his chest with the back of her hand. "Do stop carrying on so. Go in and fetch a bottle of Dad's dandelion wine."
Will took his dismissal with good grace. He winked at Draco before heading to the house.
"Dad was going to give you a bottle of wine," said Heidi. "He's never made it with dandelions before, and he wanted your opinion."
"Always happy to help him out," said Harry.
Will returned with two bottles of wine. "Here's the dandelion," he said, handing one bottle to Harry. "This is the cherry," he added, giving the other to Draco. "I think you'll like this one."
Harry stepped forward. "What do we owe you for the wine?"
"Just bring some of your tomato sauce by some time," said Heidi. "Mum and I both love to cook with it."
Harry agreed with a smile, then he handed his bottle of wine to Draco. "Let's go," he said. "We have chores to do."
They got into the Land Rover, and Harry backed it around and drove slowly along the rutted lane.
"Thank you for buying all of those hens," said Draco. "I know we only planned to get one, but I didn't realize how fun it would be to have so many different kinds of chickens and eggs."
"I hope you have fun gathering all of those eggs," Harry said gruffly.
Draco chuckled. "Don't you worry about me and my chores," he said. "Besides, I plan to show you my gratitude when we get home."
Harry brightened. "Yeah?"
"Yeah."
Harry grinned and pressed down on the accelerator.
Cock and Bull 19