Cock and Bull 27
Banner by herumtreiber
Title: Cock and Bull 27
Author: enchanted_jae
Characters: Harry/Draco, ocs
Rating: PG
Warning(s): None
Word count: 1070
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 asked for Cock and Bull
Summary: Harry and Draco deliver the dogs to their new owners.
The following morning, after cows were milked, eggs gathered, and livestock fed, Harry and Draco loaded the young dogs in their crates into the back of Harry's Land Rover and set out to deliver them to their new owners.
They arrived at Howard Threadgill's farm first. Threadgill's old dog, Dizzy, ambled out from under the porch and greeted them with a half-hearted bark. Threadgill took a moment to secure the lead of a horse he was grooming before he met them at Harry's truck.
Harry stepped out and shook Threadgill's hand. "I brought the dog you wanted," he said, going around to the back of the Land Rover. "The breeder sent a male and a female. You can choose which one you'd like."
"I'd best take the female," said Threadgill. "Dizzy might attack a strange male dog."
Harry nodded in agreement, and he and Draco opened the young female's crate. With only minor coaxing from Harry, she jumped down from the Land Rover, tail wagging in a friendly fashion. She and Dizzy sniffed one another, and the new dog tucked her tail in deference to the older, larger male.
"She's already trained," said Harry, "and I have her papers here." He retrieved them from the cab of the truck and handed them to Threadgill. "She's registered as Finnigan's Fancy Flossie, but I reckon you can call her what you like."
"She answer to Flossie?"
"Yeah," Harry replied.
"That's as good a name as any," said Threadgill. He went to the house to get payment for the dog.
Harry accepted the money and thanked him. "One more thing," said Harry. "I know Mrs Gilgenberry doesn't have much, so I'm quoting her a lower price for her dog and making up the rest myself. I'd appreciate it if you don't tell her how much you paid for yours."
"That's decent of you," said Threadgill, smiling a bit as Flossie capered around Dizzy.
"We need to get this dog to Mrs Gilgenberry," Harry said, stepping up into the Land Rover. He and Draco waved to Threadgill as they drove away.
Ten minutes later, they were turning into the Gilgenberrys' drive.
"May we buy some honey?" asked Draco.
Harry raised his brows. "Did you bring some of your money?"
"Yes."
"Then yes, feel free to buy some honey."
"Do you reckon she has some homemade bread?"
"You can ask her," Harry replied, grinning a bit at Draco's hopeful expression. As he pulled the truck to a halt and parked it, Harry was perplexed when no one came to greet them. He hoped the Gilgenberrys were home. Harry exited the vehicle and approached the house, knocking politely on the door.
"Come on in!" called a man's voice. "It's open!"
Harry hesitantly opened the door and poked his head in. "Mr Gilgenberry? It's Harry Potter. I brought the dog that Mrs Gilgenberry requested."
"Come in, come in," Mr Gilgenberry invited. As he spoke, he came forward slowly in his manual wheelchair. "Rosemary was out in the sheep barn, last I knew," he said, holding out his hand. "I'm George, by the way."
"Pleased to meet you," said Harry, shaking Mr Gilgenberry's hand.
"I'd love to come out and see the dog, but it's too difficult to maneuver this old chair through the doorway."
"My hired hand and I can help you, sir," said Harry. He stepped back to the door, cracked it open, and called for Draco.
"Help me lift Mr Gilgenberry's chair outside," Harry instructed. Between the two of them, and using a clever, furtive lightening charm, they carried the older man out to the yard, chair and all.
Mr Gilgenberry seemed delighted to be out of doors. He blinked in the relative brightness of the overcast day, and took a deep, appreciative breath of fresh air.
Harry went to the back of his Land Rover and released the young dog from his crate. He hopped down and began to sniff around. Mr Gilgenberry patted his chair and called the dog over. He approached with his tail wagging and nuzzled his new owner's hand. Mr Gilgenberry laughed, clearly pleased.
"It's been too long since we've had a dog here," he remarked.
By then, Mrs Gilgenberry was coming up from the barns. "George! What're you doing outside?"
"He wanted to see the dog, ma'am," Harry explained. "Draco and I helped get him outside, and we'll see he gets back indoors safely."
"Come see our dog, Rosie," said Mr Gilgenberry, still stroking the dog's head and ears. "Isn't he a beauty?"
Mrs Gilgenberry looked him over with a stern expression. "Come," she said. The dog came to her obediently and sat at her feet. Mrs Gilgenberry cracked a smile.
"He's fully trained to herd," said Harry, "and of course, he responds to the typical commands of sit and stay and such. He's named Finnigan's Fierce Flint, but Seamus just called him Flint. I'll get his papers from the truck." Harry retrieved the papers and returned, naming a price which was much lower than what Seamus had charged.
Mrs Gilgenberry nodded solemnly and said, "I'll get you the money." She turned and headed to the house, but Draco stopped her short.
"May we buy some of your honey, Mrs Gilgenberry?"
She turned and narrowed her eyes. "How 'bout we subtract the honey from what I owe you?"
Harry nodded his acceptance, and Mrs Gilgenberry adopted a calculating look. "Would ye be wanting some bread to go with?"
"Don't you dare open that until we get home."
Draco frowned and set the jar of honey on the seat next to him. "I feel bad for Mr Gilgenberry," he said.
"I do, too," Harry agreed. It was obvious the older man seldom got out of doors, if ever. "They probably can't afford to renovate to make things easier for him to maneuver in that chair."
"We should do something," said Draco.
Harry had already been thinking along those lines. "I'll check with Bert Funkhauser and see if he knows anyone who can make some updates to the house and build a ramp. We can ask for local donations, and whatever we're short, I can make up from my vaults."
"Good old Saint Potter," teased Draco. "Once a savior, always a savior."
"Yeah, well this savior thinks he deserves a reward for his good deeds."
"Sounds fair," Draco agreed with a nod. "I'll share some of my bread and honey with you."
Cock and Bull 28