In most things, the Ministry couldn't be trusted to find their collective arses with their collective hands tied behind their backs, but Harry couldn't help but be impressed by the sheer genius with which the Reconstruction Committee had been handling the reintroduction of the Mostly-Redeemed-Death-Eaters into Wizarding Society.
Blaise Zabini and Millicent Bulstrode had been assigned the tedious task of cataloguing 380 years of Wizarding legal decisions relating to gender and inheritance issues. Ernie MacMillan had been given a shovel and sent to Romania to clean up after Dragons. Stan Shunpike (who had, in fact, turned out to be slightly minionish) was assigned...well, to the Knight Bus, on the basis that there wasn't really a worse job.
And what about Severus Snape and Draco Malfoy? Harry grinned as he thought about how easy it had been to call in a small favor from Colin Creevey, the new chairperson of the committee.
"No, no, Mr Snape!" Harry could hear the shrill voice of the Hogsmeade Animal Shelter's supervisor halfway down the hall. "That's not...no, let's see you try again, and more smoothly this time, if you please!"
Harry stood in the entrance to the New Arrivals Room and watched in silence as Snape was taught the rudiments of kitten petting.
"Surely my...technique is acceptable by now, you miserable excuse for a...."
"Now, now...remember what I said about the kitties picking up on your mood. Smile, Mr. Snape."
"Mrow!"
"Mr Snape. Do not squeeze the kitten! And smile, please, as I asked you to do."
"I am smiling, woman!"
"Ah. Well, never mind then. Just...keep practicing. And what about you, Mr. Malfoy."
Harry frowned. He didn't know that Draco was...oh, there he was, buried under a pile of wriggling, licking, and...oh dear...peeing puppies.
"Take them away! They're evil! They're peeing bundles of evil
The supervisor shook her head. "Mr. Malfoy, one would think that you, of all people, would be able to distinguish between evil and puppies."
"Oh, for God's sake!" Snape screeched. "Get it off!"
Harry looked back at Snape, where a kitten had sunk its sharp little teeth firmly into Snape's nose.
"Gentlemen!" the supervisor said. "You have been assigned the task of learning to care for these babies, and you will learn to do so, or you will be sent to Azkaban!"
Immediately, Draco swallowed hard and even Snape looked moderately contrite.
"Good kitty."
"Much better," the supervisor said perkily. "You're almost ready to be introduced to the bunnies. Won't that be fun!"
"Well," Harry thought as he turned around and walked back toward the door. "It looks like my work here is done."
Draco hunched over a bit then, because the question was quite obviously rhetorical. The kitten looked like every other kitten Draco had ever seen, and Severus wasn't a moron, so clearly he knew what the creature was. "I thought-"
"Did you really?" Severus asked, his tone clearly indicating that this was novel, unexpected and unappreciated.
Draco looked up and snarled a bit at that. He used his brain frequently, and Severus had no call suggesting otherwise. (All right, maybe a little bit of call, seeing as how Draco's spectacular inability to kill just one barmy old man had landed both him and Severus in a bit of a bind regarding the Dark Lord. Or rather, Draco--Severus was only in the bind because he refused to give Draco up to said Dark Lord. So, perhaps a lot of call.) He lowered his head again.
Severus sighed. "Where did you find it, Draco?"
"Under the, er, porch." The "er, porch," was less a porch and more a few badly rotting boards leading up to the front door. Draco wasn't entirely sure to whom this decaying cottage belonged, and Severus hadn't bothered with saying. He felt certain the place was Unplottable, and possibly quite a few other things by the way of defensive measures and that would have to do for Draco. (Even if it was terribly cold when it rained, as it had done nearly every day since they had arrived, and Draco was sensitive to things like that. He sniffled.)
Severus pointed his wand at the kitten, which, admittedly, was wet and emaciated and bedraggled and not the most attractive kitten ever. Still, Draco's eyes widened in horror. Whatever spells Severus sent over the kitten silently, however, didn't seem to affect it much. It eyed Severus wearily, and then curled itself up tightly on Draco's lap and set to licking one of its paws half-heartedly.
Severus lowered his wand. "Well, it's neither an animagus nor bonded to any wizard. I suppose you can keep it."
"Oh," Draco said. He hadn't considered those possibilities.
"Indeed," Severus sneered.
"Sorry," Draco whispered. He hadn't said it for anything else, and it seemed silly to mutter it over this, but Draco wasn't good at apologizing so Severus would have to take what he could get.
"Clean it up," Severus said, and swept from the room.
*
Draco cleaned the kitten--which turned out to be female--up, and named her Gratia after his great-grandmother, whose animagic form had been a lynx. Severus' eyes filled with a cool amusement for the first time since they had fled the school when he heard Draco calling her that. Then again, that could have been because he'd said it in response to her falling off of the kitchen counter and nearly onto her head. Again.
Feeding her was a bit problematic, as it wasn't like Draco could simply walk into the nearest familiar shop and pick up some kitten food. For one thing, Draco had no idea where he was or where the nearest familiar shop might be. For another, Gratia wasn't magical as far as Draco could tell, so she might not even eat what a familiar would.
To his surprise, Severus solved the problem by showing up one afternoon with a bag full of kitten supplies and the news, "I think the Dark Lord has calmed down a bit, at least for now."
The way he said it, Draco knew he didn't want to know why. Particularly not when Severus wasn't moving as easily as he should have been. Instead he asked, "Where did you get all of this?"
"Somewhere they would never think to look," he said, and stumbled off toward his bed.
Draco hurriedly poured a bowl of food for Gratia, who set upon it ravenously. He then followed Severus, who had fallen completely clothed upon the covers. He said, "Come on," softly, and began using magic to strip Severus, at least of his boots and outer layers.
Severus muttered, "Leave me alone."
Draco ignored him. "Is there a potion?"
"Not here," Severus said, and Draco felt guilty all over again. He pulled the covers out from underneath Severus and laid them gently atop him. He then Summoned a chair in from the kitchen and sat down to watch over Severus while he rested.
Severus said, "Fuck off, Draco," but fell asleep before he could repeat it. Draco let him sleep.
Draco was still sitting by the bed when Severus opened one cautious eye. Draco was fairly certain he'd been awake for several minutes by that time, but it was hard to tell with Severus.
Gratia had found her way into the bedroom after eating and was currently purring under Draco's ministrations. Severus growled, "Can you not shut that thing up?" which seemed to be Gratia's cue to leap onto the bed and lick at Severus' face. Draco reached for her desperately, hoping he was in time to keep her from being murdered but Severus caught her first, rolling onto his back and holding her so that she dangled over him, her face to his face.
"Severus-" Draco began, but Severus simply asked, "Why'd you bring her inside?"
"Huh?"
"The day you found her, why didn't you just leave her?"
Draco blinked. "She would have died."
"You had just nearly killed a man, Draco."
For a moment, the blood rushed in Draco's head as he remembered the urgency, remembered thinking this is for father, for FATHER but even that hadn't been enough, not with Dumbledore standing in front of him, old and familiar and alive. "I didn't, though."
"Because you were afraid," Severus accused.
Draco looked at Severus, straight at him, and shook his head. "I was. But that had nothing to do with it."
Severus' gaze continued to hold Draco's for quite some time. Then, suddenly, his lips quirked into a small smile and he handed Gratia back. "I'm going back to sleep."
Draco cuddled Gratia to his chest but didn't move.
*
Draco made his way into the kitchen one morning, still half-blind with sleep, to find Gratia arching into Severus' palm. Severus looked up at him without retracting his touch.
Draco said, "Good morning?"
Severus said, "I procured some coffee."
Draco said, more confidently, "Good morning."
Severus asked, "Why did you come with me?"
Draco nearly poured the coffee on himself. "I couldn't stay there."
"Yes you could have."
"My father-"
"Was in the same amount of danger whether you followed me or not. Why did you come?"
Draco kept his back to Severus as he told him what was perhaps the stupidest thing he had ever admitted to aloud in his entire life. "At the end, even, Dumbledore still looked like he trusted you. You seemed like my best chance for safety."
"You can be that kind of man."
Draco twisted his head over his shoulder to look at Severus questioningly.
"The kind of man whom someone you respect trusts even unto death. You could be an even better man, if you choose."
"I'm not-"
Severus cut off his denial. "You have the ability to care for things, both the large and the small."
"I don't want to be Him," Draco whispered, knowing that they would both know of whom he spoke. The only Him his father had ever suggested Draco would want to emanate.
Severus raised his hand, releasing his hold on Gratia, who scurried over to where Draco was, making the leap onto the counter so as to meow a greeting directly into his face. Draco gave her the best smile he could manage and mussed her fur a bit. Severus murmured, "I believe that's quite enough to be going on with."
The tiny scrap of creamy fur narrowed his eyes and hissed, his tail twitching as whe watched his prey.
He slunk silently through the labryinth of glass phials, his small nose and quivering whiskers reflecting huge in curves of liquid, red, blue, green, his black ears flattening as a tentacle slammed against the side of a murky jar, sending him skittering back on his small paws.
And then he stopped.
The beast sat in front of him, squat and iron and long, white tendrils of steam coiled up from its wide mouth.
This time...
The kitten's tail lashed again.
Another hiss, and a tightening of muscles in preparation for the attack, and then the kitten gave a furious yowl as he was picked up by the scruff of the neck and deposited sharply on the knife-scarred wood of a worktable.
"Not again." Severus scowled down at the kitten who glared back at him--Severus was always scowling at something or another--then he arched his back, meowed plaintively, and with an annoyed sniff began to lick his inner thigh calmly.
Severus sighed. "You will regret that in a moment, you realise."
The kitten blinked up at him, then slid to his feet and butted his head against Severus's hand. He smelled like vinegar and blood and cloves. The kitten rather liked that scent.
"Stop that." Long, stained fingers pushed him away. The kitten nipped at them, then licked the tips lightly at first, then dragged his tongue slowly across the callused skin.
Severus didn't move his hand.
A tail curled around his wrist and the kitten brushed up against his palm, purring softly. Severus rubbed his thumb over the back of the black ears and the kitten stretched beneath him happily, digging sharp tiny claws into the scuffed walnut.
Severus scooped up the kitten, his fingers firm on the tiny little body. "For Merlin's sake, you damned wretch, stop squirming. I should rather not be covered in your bloody fur--"
He pressed the kitten's mouth open, utterly ignoring the furious twisting beneath his hand, a rudeness for which the kitten gave a few annoyed swipes of claws against wrist, and a few drops of the potion--good God, could the man brew something that didn't taste like warmed-over piss--slid down the kitten's throat.
The tail twitched again and the kitten coughed.
"Swallow," Severus snapped.
The kitten swallowed, with a baleful look, then stretched again in Severus's hands. He felt his muscles tense and he meowed softly--and then the pain ripped through him, sending him tumbling to the floor, curled up on himself as his body twisted and writhed beneath his fur as he cried out with desperate yowls.
And then it was over.
Draco lay shaking on the floor, and the air was cold against his skin, bare and damp with sweat. He ached, and he could taste the salty tears on his lips and he knew he should be humiliated at that. Malfoys didn't cry.
But when Severus knelt over him, and his hands brushed over Draco's shoulders, turning him to face him, and Draco looked up into that face--dark and ugly and so very gentle at the moment.
Severus brushed Draco's hair back from his forehead. "Are you all right?"
Draco nodded and he buried his face in Severus's shoulder, breathing in the familiar scent of vinegar and wool and cloves. He sneezed.
"I told you," Severus said dryly.
Draco sneezed again. "Bad enough I get stuck in my own Animagus," he said, with another sharp sneeze. "Do I really have to be allergic to myself?"
Severus laughed softly and he pulled Draco onto his lap, his fingers stroking down Draco's knobbly spine--a light, gentle caress that caused Draco's stomach to shiver. "It does seem a bit much of a cross to bear." His breath was warm against Draco's temple.
"Perhaps." Draco turned his head, his mouth brushing Severus's jaw. He could feel a soft, steady pulse against his cheek. He sneezed again. "And did you miss me?"
"Dreadfully." Severus smiled down at him, and he tucked a stray lock of blond hair behind Draco's ear. "And you?"
The kitten's ears perked up. Hermione tucked her feet up into the chair so they wouldn't obstruct its view. She couldn't see who was walking around, but she hoped they wouldn't scare the small white kitten who'd appeared on the library carpet twenty minutes before.
After a few moments, the kitten returned to batting a ball of fluff around the floor. Hermione looked at her book, sighed, and then closed it quietly. NEWTs were important, but she could give up a few minutes to watch a cute animal, right? She pushed a load of curly hair behind her ear; the kitten looked up, oddly grey-eyed, then returned to its play.
Behind a table, Hermione saw a black puppy's nose, and then the rest of it as it crawled on its belly. The kitten was facing away and didn't seem aware of it. The puppy crept forward, nose to the ground, quieter than Hermione thought possible.
One of the puppy's nails caught on the carpet. The cat turned quickly and started to run just as the puppy leaped and landed on top of the cat. With an ungodly yowl the animals turned into a pile of teeth and claws, a spinning ying-yang of pure rage.
Hermione blinked.
All of a sudden the fight stopped. The kitten, none the worse for wear, licked the puppy's nose and walked away, tail held high. A few moments later, the puppy scampered off.
Hermione sighed and opened her book again. A few minutes later, Snape's voice said, over her shoulder, "That will go more quickly, Miss Granger, if you realize that erumpent bile is not what you're looking for."
"Thanks," she said distractedly. He appeared in front of her as he walked across the library, joined at the far side by Draco. It was good to see that they'd worked things out, she thought, turning the page.
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bethbethbeth) wrote in ![[info]](http://l-stat.livejournal.com/img/community.gif?v=92.2){kind=small}
hpshortfics,
May 19 2006, 02:45:31 UTC 6 years ago
Blaise Zabini and Millicent Bulstrode had been assigned the tedious task of cataloguing 380 years of Wizarding legal decisions relating to gender and inheritance issues. Ernie MacMillan had been given a shovel and sent to Romania to clean up after Dragons. Stan Shunpike (who had, in fact, turned out to be slightly minionish) was assigned...well, to the Knight Bus, on the basis that there wasn't really a worse job.
And what about Severus Snape and Draco Malfoy? Harry grinned as he thought about how easy it had been to call in a small favor from Colin Creevey, the new chairperson of the committee.
"No, no, Mr Snape!" Harry could hear the shrill voice of the Hogsmeade Animal Shelter's supervisor halfway down the hall. "That's not...no, let's see you try again, and more smoothly this time, if you please!"
Harry stood in the entrance to the New Arrivals Room and watched in silence as Snape was taught the rudiments of kitten petting.
"Surely my...technique is acceptable by now, you miserable excuse for a...."
"Now, now...remember what I said about the kitties picking up on your mood. Smile, Mr. Snape."
"Mrow!"
"Mr Snape. Do not squeeze the kitten! And smile, please, as I asked you to do."
"I am smiling, woman!"
"Ah. Well, never mind then. Just...keep practicing. And what about you, Mr. Malfoy."
Harry frowned. He didn't know that Draco was...oh, there he was, buried under a pile of wriggling, licking, and...oh dear...peeing puppies.
"Take them away! They're evil! They're peeing bundles of evil
The supervisor shook her head. "Mr. Malfoy, one would think that you, of all people, would be able to distinguish between evil and puppies."
"Oh, for God's sake!" Snape screeched. "Get it off!"
Harry looked back at Snape, where a kitten had sunk its sharp little teeth firmly into Snape's nose.
"Gentlemen!" the supervisor said. "You have been assigned the task of learning to care for these babies, and you will learn to do so, or you will be sent to Azkaban!"
Immediately, Draco swallowed hard and even Snape looked moderately contrite.
"Good kitty."
"Much better," the supervisor said perkily. "You're almost ready to be introduced to the bunnies. Won't that be fun!"
"Well," Harry thought as he turned around and walked back toward the door. "It looks like my work here is done."
May 19 2006, 02:48:38 UTC 6 years ago
I think the funniest bit was when Draco said, "Good kitty" and the remark about Stan already having a horrible job.
May 19 2006, 02:52:05 UTC 6 years ago
But...waah! I didn't get to say goodnight!!!
*waves*
May 19 2006, 02:58:49 UTC 6 years ago
Full of Grace, part 1
"What," Severus demanded, "is that?"Draco hunched over a bit then, because the question was quite obviously rhetorical. The kitten looked like every other kitten Draco had ever seen, and Severus wasn't a moron, so clearly he knew what the creature was. "I thought-"
"Did you really?" Severus asked, his tone clearly indicating that this was novel, unexpected and unappreciated.
Draco looked up and snarled a bit at that. He used his brain frequently, and Severus had no call suggesting otherwise. (All right, maybe a little bit of call, seeing as how Draco's spectacular inability to kill just one barmy old man had landed both him and Severus in a bit of a bind regarding the Dark Lord. Or rather, Draco--Severus was only in the bind because he refused to give Draco up to said Dark Lord. So, perhaps a lot of call.) He lowered his head again.
Severus sighed. "Where did you find it, Draco?"
"Under the, er, porch." The "er, porch," was less a porch and more a few badly rotting boards leading up to the front door. Draco wasn't entirely sure to whom this decaying cottage belonged, and Severus hadn't bothered with saying. He felt certain the place was Unplottable, and possibly quite a few other things by the way of defensive measures and that would have to do for Draco. (Even if it was terribly cold when it rained, as it had done nearly every day since they had arrived, and Draco was sensitive to things like that. He sniffled.)
Severus pointed his wand at the kitten, which, admittedly, was wet and emaciated and bedraggled and not the most attractive kitten ever. Still, Draco's eyes widened in horror. Whatever spells Severus sent over the kitten silently, however, didn't seem to affect it much. It eyed Severus wearily, and then curled itself up tightly on Draco's lap and set to licking one of its paws half-heartedly.
Severus lowered his wand. "Well, it's neither an animagus nor bonded to any wizard. I suppose you can keep it."
"Oh," Draco said. He hadn't considered those possibilities.
"Indeed," Severus sneered.
"Sorry," Draco whispered. He hadn't said it for anything else, and it seemed silly to mutter it over this, but Draco wasn't good at apologizing so Severus would have to take what he could get.
"Clean it up," Severus said, and swept from the room.
Draco cleaned the kitten--which turned out to be female--up, and named her Gratia after his great-grandmother, whose animagic form had been a lynx. Severus' eyes filled with a cool amusement for the first time since they had fled the school when he heard Draco calling her that. Then again, that could have been because he'd said it in response to her falling off of the kitchen counter and nearly onto her head. Again.
Feeding her was a bit problematic, as it wasn't like Draco could simply walk into the nearest familiar shop and pick up some kitten food. For one thing, Draco had no idea where he was or where the nearest familiar shop might be. For another, Gratia wasn't magical as far as Draco could tell, so she might not even eat what a familiar would.
To his surprise, Severus solved the problem by showing up one afternoon with a bag full of kitten supplies and the news, "I think the Dark Lord has calmed down a bit, at least for now."
The way he said it, Draco knew he didn't want to know why. Particularly not when Severus wasn't moving as easily as he should have been. Instead he asked, "Where did you get all of this?"
"Somewhere they would never think to look," he said, and stumbled off toward his bed.
Draco hurriedly poured a bowl of food for Gratia, who set upon it ravenously. He then followed Severus, who had fallen completely clothed upon the covers. He said, "Come on," softly, and began using magic to strip Severus, at least of his boots and outer layers.
Severus muttered, "Leave me alone."
Draco ignored him. "Is there a potion?"
"Not here," Severus said, and Draco felt guilty all over again. He pulled the covers out from underneath Severus and laid them gently atop him. He then Summoned a chair in from the kitchen and sat down to watch over Severus while he rested.
Severus said, "Fuck off, Draco," but fell asleep before he could repeat it. Draco let him sleep.
May 19 2006, 02:59:26 UTC 6 years ago
Re: Full of Grace, part 2
Draco was still sitting by the bed when Severus opened one cautious eye. Draco was fairly certain he'd been awake for several minutes by that time, but it was hard to tell with Severus.Gratia had found her way into the bedroom after eating and was currently purring under Draco's ministrations. Severus growled, "Can you not shut that thing up?" which seemed to be Gratia's cue to leap onto the bed and lick at Severus' face. Draco reached for her desperately, hoping he was in time to keep her from being murdered but Severus caught her first, rolling onto his back and holding her so that she dangled over him, her face to his face.
"Severus-" Draco began, but Severus simply asked, "Why'd you bring her inside?"
"Huh?"
"The day you found her, why didn't you just leave her?"
Draco blinked. "She would have died."
"You had just nearly killed a man, Draco."
For a moment, the blood rushed in Draco's head as he remembered the urgency, remembered thinking this is for father, for FATHER but even that hadn't been enough, not with Dumbledore standing in front of him, old and familiar and alive. "I didn't, though."
"Because you were afraid," Severus accused.
Draco looked at Severus, straight at him, and shook his head. "I was. But that had nothing to do with it."
Severus' gaze continued to hold Draco's for quite some time. Then, suddenly, his lips quirked into a small smile and he handed Gratia back. "I'm going back to sleep."
Draco cuddled Gratia to his chest but didn't move.
Draco made his way into the kitchen one morning, still half-blind with sleep, to find Gratia arching into Severus' palm. Severus looked up at him without retracting his touch.
Draco said, "Good morning?"
Severus said, "I procured some coffee."
Draco said, more confidently, "Good morning."
Severus asked, "Why did you come with me?"
Draco nearly poured the coffee on himself. "I couldn't stay there."
"Yes you could have."
"My father-"
"Was in the same amount of danger whether you followed me or not. Why did you come?"
Draco kept his back to Severus as he told him what was perhaps the stupidest thing he had ever admitted to aloud in his entire life. "At the end, even, Dumbledore still looked like he trusted you. You seemed like my best chance for safety."
"You can be that kind of man."
Draco twisted his head over his shoulder to look at Severus questioningly.
"The kind of man whom someone you respect trusts even unto death. You could be an even better man, if you choose."
"I'm not-"
Severus cut off his denial. "You have the ability to care for things, both the large and the small."
"I don't want to be Him," Draco whispered, knowing that they would both know of whom he spoke. The only Him his father had ever suggested Draco would want to emanate.
Severus raised his hand, releasing his hold on Gratia, who scurried over to where Draco was, making the leap onto the counter so as to meow a greeting directly into his face. Draco gave her the best smile he could manage and mussed her fur a bit. Severus murmured, "I believe that's quite enough to be going on with."
May 19 2006, 03:18:20 UTC 6 years ago
He slunk silently through the labryinth of glass phials, his small nose and quivering whiskers reflecting huge in curves of liquid, red, blue, green, his black ears flattening as a tentacle slammed against the side of a murky jar, sending him skittering back on his small paws.
And then he stopped.
The beast sat in front of him, squat and iron and long, white tendrils of steam coiled up from its wide mouth.
This time...
The kitten's tail lashed again.
Another hiss, and a tightening of muscles in preparation for the attack, and then the kitten gave a furious yowl as he was picked up by the scruff of the neck and deposited sharply on the knife-scarred wood of a worktable.
"Not again." Severus scowled down at the kitten who glared back at him--Severus was always scowling at something or another--then he arched his back, meowed plaintively, and with an annoyed sniff began to lick his inner thigh calmly.
Severus sighed. "You will regret that in a moment, you realise."
The kitten blinked up at him, then slid to his feet and butted his head against Severus's hand. He smelled like vinegar and blood and cloves. The kitten rather liked that scent.
"Stop that." Long, stained fingers pushed him away. The kitten nipped at them, then licked the tips lightly at first, then dragged his tongue slowly across the callused skin.
Severus didn't move his hand.
A tail curled around his wrist and the kitten brushed up against his palm, purring softly. Severus rubbed his thumb over the back of the black ears and the kitten stretched beneath him happily, digging sharp tiny claws into the scuffed walnut.
Severus scooped up the kitten, his fingers firm on the tiny little body. "For Merlin's sake, you damned wretch, stop squirming. I should rather not be covered in your bloody fur--"
He pressed the kitten's mouth open, utterly ignoring the furious twisting beneath his hand, a rudeness for which the kitten gave a few annoyed swipes of claws against wrist, and a few drops of the potion--good God, could the man brew something that didn't taste like warmed-over piss--slid down the kitten's throat.
The tail twitched again and the kitten coughed.
"Swallow," Severus snapped.
The kitten swallowed, with a baleful look, then stretched again in Severus's hands. He felt his muscles tense and he meowed softly--and then the pain ripped through him, sending him tumbling to the floor, curled up on himself as his body twisted and writhed beneath his fur as he cried out with desperate yowls.
And then it was over.
Draco lay shaking on the floor, and the air was cold against his skin, bare and damp with sweat. He ached, and he could taste the salty tears on his lips and he knew he should be humiliated at that. Malfoys didn't cry.
But when Severus knelt over him, and his hands brushed over Draco's shoulders, turning him to face him, and Draco looked up into that face--dark and ugly and so very gentle at the moment.
Severus brushed Draco's hair back from his forehead. "Are you all right?"
Draco nodded and he buried his face in Severus's shoulder, breathing in the familiar scent of vinegar and wool and cloves. He sneezed.
"I told you," Severus said dryly.
Draco sneezed again. "Bad enough I get stuck in my own Animagus," he said, with another sharp sneeze. "Do I really have to be allergic to myself?"
Severus laughed softly and he pulled Draco onto his lap, his fingers stroking down Draco's knobbly spine--a light, gentle caress that caused Draco's stomach to shiver. "It does seem a bit much of a cross to bear." His breath was warm against Draco's temple.
"Perhaps." Draco turned his head, his mouth brushing Severus's jaw. He could feel a soft, steady pulse against his cheek. He sneezed again. "And did you miss me?"
"Dreadfully." Severus smiled down at him, and he tucked a stray lock of blond hair behind Draco's ear. "And you?"
Draco answered him with a kiss.
May 19 2006, 05:46:45 UTC 6 years ago
The kitten's ears perked up. Hermione tucked her feet up into the chair so they wouldn't obstruct its view. She couldn't see who was walking around, but she hoped they wouldn't scare the small white kitten who'd appeared on the library carpet twenty minutes before.
After a few moments, the kitten returned to batting a ball of fluff around the floor. Hermione looked at her book, sighed, and then closed it quietly. NEWTs were important, but she could give up a few minutes to watch a cute animal, right? She pushed a load of curly hair behind her ear; the kitten looked up, oddly grey-eyed, then returned to its play.
Behind a table, Hermione saw a black puppy's nose, and then the rest of it as it crawled on its belly. The kitten was facing away and didn't seem aware of it. The puppy crept forward, nose to the ground, quieter than Hermione thought possible.
One of the puppy's nails caught on the carpet. The cat turned quickly and started to run just as the puppy leaped and landed on top of the cat. With an ungodly yowl the animals turned into a pile of teeth and claws, a spinning ying-yang of pure rage.
Hermione blinked.
All of a sudden the fight stopped. The kitten, none the worse for wear, licked the puppy's nose and walked away, tail held high. A few moments later, the puppy scampered off.
Hermione sighed and opened her book again. A few minutes later, Snape's voice said, over her shoulder, "That will go more quickly, Miss Granger, if you realize that erumpent bile is not what you're looking for."
"Thanks," she said distractedly. He appeared in front of her as he walked across the library, joined at the far side by Draco. It was good to see that they'd worked things out, she thought, turning the page.