Four hours...and counting. It had been four hours of mingling, false smiles, thank yous and not enough alcohol. Though he'd intended to drink, something kept him from anything more than that first mug of ale. Probably the thought of pissing off Hermione further. Or doing something completely inappropriate, while drunk...and involving a certain blonde Slytherin.
Yes, it would be a sober night for Harry Potter.
Without the escape of alcohol, Harry decided he was warranted a break. Alone. A few minutes in his room, safe behind wards and he could compose himself. Gain a bit more tolerance and head back out into the fray again.
Harry bounded up the stairs, screeching to a halt once he reached the landing. He hadn't even made it to the bloody doorknob.
"Oh...Colin. Hi." Harry averted his eyes and searched the floor for an excuse. "I was just coming up here...forgot something..."
The sudden realization that he was in his own house and could go anywhere he bloody well wanted to hit him about the same time that the realization that Colin was carrying a dog in his arms...a dog that wasn't Jasper.
"You got another dog? Or have you always had this one?"
He hadn't even heard footsteps to let him know of one's presence, and it was Harry, of all people! Colin looked startled for a brief moment. With the bundle in his arms, he looked as if he was stealing something. The jacket had slipped a bit, revealing the pup's head. His own gaze lowered, looking sheepish.
"I, uh.." Colin started, rubbing the back of his neck with his free hand. "Well, I remember you mentioning that you were thinking of getting a dog, and.."
The boy stepped closer, gently removing the jacket from the pup. "Dogs.. They really do make great companions. They don't talk, yeah, but they always have this look of understanding. That's how it's like with me and Jasper." Colin didn't even know why he was saying this, instead of just giving the pup to Harry and wishing him a Happy Birthday.
"Hermione said you wouldn't mind, so here you go, Harry." He held out the young Retriever to Harry, smiling. "Happy Birthday. I thought it'd be all right to give it early. Felt kind of bad leaving him in there by himself."
The look of confusion seemed to be permanently etched on Harry's face. Even after Colin's words registered and Harry realized what they meant.
He looked down at the dog, back to Colin, back at the dog, and repeated. A few times. Brow furrowed, he reached out and silently took the puppy from Colin, holding him out a bit to look him over.
"You...got me a dog?" It was an expressionless statement, being that Harry's shock had run away with anything other than surprise and confusion remaining. Harry pulled the pup closer to his face, studying him as if he'd up and disappear at any second. The dog tilted his head a bit and studied Harry right back. Apparently finding him satisfactory, a tongue whipped out to cover the end of Harry's nose in slobber.
A slow smile spread across Harry's face as he repeated his words in a low whisper, a happy whisper.
The smile on Colin's lips grew broader with confidence, as Harry's expression was what he was hoping for. His hands had lowered back to his sides once the pup was in possession of Harry, and... It reminded him of the memory of when Jasper was given to Dennis for his birthday. Well, the gift was a bit delayed, since his birthday was in April. He was still at Hogwarts at the time.
Things got better when the pup approved Harry. Those two were meant for each other, boy and dog. Golden Retrievers were loyal dogs, both alert and eager. As hunting dogs, they were born to be hard working and active. Yes, he was perfect for Harry.
"I'm glad you like him," Colin said, folding his jacket and draping it over his forearm. "Oh, and --" He went back into the guest room, soon returning with a bag. "And here's a little puppy kit. It has his certification of ownership, a log sheet of his shots, doggy shampoo, ah.. wee wee pads.."
Colin soon pulled out a small book, which looked a little worn. "A 'How to Care for your Pup' book. This was the one me and Dennis used with Jasper." When he peered into the bag, he frowned slightly. "Oh.. I knew I forgot something.. The puppy food."
"I do, Colin...he's brilliant. Thank you." Harry pulled the pup up to his shoulder, where the dog decided Harry's ear looked like it might taste good. With a gentle hand, Harry nudged the dog's muzzle away. The dog obeyed...for about three seconds. Harry chuckled and shook his head. "Really. Thank you."
He watched as Colin pulled out a bag with - a lot of things in it. Puppy things. Including something called 'wee wee pads." Harry blinked twice, pulled the dog's face away from his ear again, and nodded.
"Don't worry about it, Colin. We've got to have something downstairs he can eat. Or I can send Dobby out. Or we can walk him down to town and pick something up."
Merlin, he was like a kid on Christmas morning who'd just gotten...a puppy.
It was just too cute to watch the pup nibbling at Harry's ear, too cute that he'd want to take a picture of it. His fingers did a slight twitch, but he restrained himself. Even though the flash wasn't as annoying as it used to be, Colin didn't want to ruin the moment.
He'll take pictures of Harry later on, perhaps when the birthday boys blow out the candles of the cake, or when they're too occupied to notice a small camera flash.
"Oh, okay," he said with a grin. "I have to say, you have a very nice place." It was probably one of the nicest homes he has ever visited in his life. "And the town must be nice, too. Mm.. Did you happen to see Jasper around? He kind of just disappeared on me, but I'm thinking he went off to play with Oliver's daughter. He's quite fond of that girl."
The puppy squirmed a bit in his arms, so Harry set him gently on the ground and watched as he sniffed about the landing. He'd pay particular attention to the space beneath a closed bedroom door, as if deciphering the room's contents from the scents seeping through the small space.
"Thanks, Colin. I think it's a bit bigger than we planned on, but we like it. Plenty of room..." for avoiding people. "...for a dog, that's for sure. The town's small, a village, really, but it's nice. Not that many people and no one knows me."
Harry glanced down the stairs, with no real reason why outside of reflex when asked if he'd seen someone...or some dog. "Sorry, Colin, I haven't seen him around. Did you want to go look?"
Moving to where the puppy was heading down the hallway, a bit farther than Harry's protective instincts thought was all right, he picked the puppy back up, turning him on his back in his arms and patting his stomach. "We can have the puppy here sniff him out."
Colin watched the pup do a bit of his own exploring, and his lips remained curled into a smile. If he knew that Harry has been.. troubled lately, or something of the sort, he would be positive this pup could be one of those cheering-up medicines.
"He grows to be about... twenty-something inches at the withers," Colin said. "He's one of those medium-sized dogs, so it should be all right." He grinned, folding his arms for a moment. "Yes, lots of space. Golden Retrievers like that."
"Well, I'm not too worried about Jasper, but I think I'd like to see what my buddy's up to."
Yes, it would be a sober night for Harry Potter.
Without the escape of alcohol, Harry decided he was warranted a break. Alone. A few minutes in his room, safe behind wards and he could compose himself. Gain a bit more tolerance and head back out into the fray again.
Harry bounded up the stairs, screeching to a halt once he reached the landing. He hadn't even made it to the bloody doorknob.
"Oh...Colin. Hi." Harry averted his eyes and searched the floor for an excuse. "I was just coming up here...forgot something..."
The sudden realization that he was in his own house and could go anywhere he bloody well wanted to hit him about the same time that the realization that Colin was carrying a dog in his arms...a dog that wasn't Jasper.
"You got another dog? Or have you always had this one?"
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"I, uh.." Colin started, rubbing the back of his neck with his free hand. "Well, I remember you mentioning that you were thinking of getting a dog, and.."
The boy stepped closer, gently removing the jacket from the pup. "Dogs.. They really do make great companions. They don't talk, yeah, but they always have this look of understanding. That's how it's like with me and Jasper." Colin didn't even know why he was saying this, instead of just giving the pup to Harry and wishing him a Happy Birthday.
"Hermione said you wouldn't mind, so here you go, Harry." He held out the young Retriever to Harry, smiling. "Happy Birthday. I thought it'd be all right to give it early. Felt kind of bad leaving him in there by himself."
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He looked down at the dog, back to Colin, back at the dog, and repeated. A few times. Brow furrowed, he reached out and silently took the puppy from Colin, holding him out a bit to look him over.
"You...got me a dog?" It was an expressionless statement, being that Harry's shock had run away with anything other than surprise and confusion remaining. Harry pulled the pup closer to his face, studying him as if he'd up and disappear at any second. The dog tilted his head a bit and studied Harry right back. Apparently finding him satisfactory, a tongue whipped out to cover the end of Harry's nose in slobber.
A slow smile spread across Harry's face as he repeated his words in a low whisper, a happy whisper.
"You got me a dog."
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Things got better when the pup approved Harry. Those two were meant for each other, boy and dog. Golden Retrievers were loyal dogs, both alert and eager. As hunting dogs, they were born to be hard working and active. Yes, he was perfect for Harry.
"I'm glad you like him," Colin said, folding his jacket and draping it over his forearm. "Oh, and --" He went back into the guest room, soon returning with a bag. "And here's a little puppy kit. It has his certification of ownership, a log sheet of his shots, doggy shampoo, ah.. wee wee pads.."
Colin soon pulled out a small book, which looked a little worn. "A 'How to Care for your Pup' book. This was the one me and Dennis used with Jasper." When he peered into the bag, he frowned slightly. "Oh.. I knew I forgot something.. The puppy food."
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He watched as Colin pulled out a bag with - a lot of things in it. Puppy things. Including something called 'wee wee pads." Harry blinked twice, pulled the dog's face away from his ear again, and nodded.
"Don't worry about it, Colin. We've got to have something downstairs he can eat. Or I can send Dobby out. Or we can walk him down to town and pick something up."
Merlin, he was like a kid on Christmas morning who'd just gotten...a puppy.
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He'll take pictures of Harry later on, perhaps when the birthday boys blow out the candles of the cake, or when they're too occupied to notice a small camera flash.
"Oh, okay," he said with a grin. "I have to say, you have a very nice place." It was probably one of the nicest homes he has ever visited in his life. "And the town must be nice, too. Mm.. Did you happen to see Jasper around? He kind of just disappeared on me, but I'm thinking he went off to play with Oliver's daughter. He's quite fond of that girl."
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"Thanks, Colin. I think it's a bit bigger than we planned on, but we like it. Plenty of room..." for avoiding people. "...for a dog, that's for sure. The town's small, a village, really, but it's nice. Not that many people and no one knows me."
Harry glanced down the stairs, with no real reason why outside of reflex when asked if he'd seen someone...or some dog. "Sorry, Colin, I haven't seen him around. Did you want to go look?"
Moving to where the puppy was heading down the hallway, a bit farther than Harry's protective instincts thought was all right, he picked the puppy back up, turning him on his back in his arms and patting his stomach. "We can have the puppy here sniff him out."
Reply
"He grows to be about... twenty-something inches at the withers," Colin said. "He's one of those medium-sized dogs, so it should be all right." He grinned, folding his arms for a moment. "Yes, lots of space. Golden Retrievers like that."
"Well, I'm not too worried about Jasper, but I think I'd like to see what my buddy's up to."
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