A/N: Hello lovelies! This little fic was inspired by a tumblr post. It featured cats hiding in sinks, cupboards, etc while at the veterinarian appointments. LOL.
Tumblr: chiseplushie
AU Featuring:
+ Everyone lives
+ No Voldemort
+ WolfStar side pairing (Remus x Sirius)
Walkies
Harry stood with one hand on his hip while the other gently pulled at the bright pink leash. He grunted and pulled just a little harder, being careful not to hurt the dog. Padfoot stubbornly laid on the floor underneath the waiting room chairs, nose tucked in between his large black paws. Harry crouched down, the fabric of his jeans pulled tightly across his thighs, and ignored the other patients who were watching him with completely unveiled interest.
"Padfoot! Come out from under there right now. You're being ridiculous." Harry whispered fiercely. He tugged a bit more forcefully on the leash, ignoring Padfoot's high pitched whine. "It's no wonder Remus didn't want to take you. I don't know how my Dad managed this last time." He groused.
Standing up, Harry glanced at the clock and noted he'd been trying to get Padfoot out from behind potted plants, pulling him bodily across the squeaky floors and now coaxing the dog out from underneath a row of chairs, for more than twenty minutes. He rolled his leather clad shoulders, the jacket a gift he received from his godfather on his seventeenth birthday. The same godfather who was stubbornly hiding his face behind one large paw.
Harry stood up, and brandished his wand at the wet nose that poked out from under the padded seat.
"Padfoot, you are a grown arsed man and you will come out of there right this instant or I will levitate you arse over tit. And," Harry said sternly, green eyes ablaze. He resolutely ignored a few quiet chuckles and misplaced coughs behind him. "I won't take you for a walk later."
"Black, Sirius?" A feminine voice called.
"Oh! That's us," he turned and automatically lifted the pink leash to signal the young woman.
Harry's cheeks bloomed pink in embarrassment when he laid eyes on the witch. He quickly hid the leash behind him, even though it was too late and he knew she'd seen it. His eyes widened slightly as he took in the woman's slim form, even in Healer's robes the witch was fit and shapely. Her curls cascaded over her shoulders like the softest milk chocolate, though there were a few flyaways that Harry wanted to run his fingers through. His heart stuttered to a halt as he exhaled. Merlin.
Her dark eyes followed the leash, to the dog which had emerged from his hiding place and was now sitting dutifully at Harry's side. Padfoot gave his hand a few warm licks.
"You've brought a dog," She said slowly.
"Er, yes he is. I mean no!"
"That's fine, I suppose. You are Sirius Black, aren't you?" She pursed her lips and opened the chart in her hand. Her name tag read Granger, but her voice lilted with barely there french cadences.
"Er, yes?"
She glanced at the dog again and shrugged, like this wasn't the oddest thing she'd seen today. Or in her life. It probably wasn't.
"Come along, then." She said politely.
"Er, right." Harry was a little breathless as he tugged at the leash gently and tried to follow. He stopped mid-step and looked down, wondering why Padfoot wasn't following. Padfoot was looking at him with that look.
How was it he could do that as a dog?
Harry's eyes narrowed and pressed his lips together. "Don't you dare say a word," He said quietly and tugged on the leash again. Harry looked up just as the Healer stepped through the double doors.
Padfoot finally stood up and allowed Harry to lead him through the hospital, and at the Healer's gesture, into an unoccupied exam room. The Healer closed the door, handed Harry a hospital gown and made herself comfortable in one of the empty chairs.
"You may sit, Mr. Black." She gestured for Harry to sit on the squashy exam table, but he didn't.
Harry stood, awkwardly ruffling his dark mop and then smiled hesitantly.
Padfoot sat his rump on the floor, pink tongue lolling out of his chops.
"Or do not sit." She paused. "I understand if you're hesitant, Mr. Black. Your regular Healer, Healer Preston is out sick today, but I assure you I'm very professional."
"Er, right. You see, I'm not Sirius. He is." Harry gestured to Padfoot with the pink leash. She raised a dark eyebrow. "Just one moment." He chuckled, feeling off balance.
Harry squatted down next to Padfoot, the rubber soles of his scuffed black trainers squeaked on the floor. The gown laid across his lap. He leaned in a little closer, gripping Padfoot's long face gently in both of his hands. Green eyes peered sternly into grey.
"It's just a check up, Pads. Preston isn't even here today, so there's nothing to worry about. I'm here for you. The quicker we're finished, the sooner you'll get to go home. All right?" Padfoot whined, licking Harry's face.
Harry shoved at the large black dog, sputtering and laughing. "Alright, alright. But not a word!" He admonished.
He stood and opened the hospital gown around the animal. Harry couldn't help himself, he glanced over his shoulder at Healer Granger, who was watching them with an amused look of curiosity on her face. He turned back to Sirius just as he transformed into a man once more, easily slipping into the thin fabric. Naked except for the thin hospital gown, Sirius grinned wolfishly and shook out his long hair.
"Oh," she snickered, dark eyes sparkling. "I see what Healer Preston meant by 'uncooperative.' He neglected to mention in his notes that you're an animagus, Mr. Black." She tapped the chart with her wand, setting the quill to work.
Sirius' barking laugh filled the room as he unclipped the pink leash from his neck. The loose collar he wore looked more like a wide leather necklace, decorated with shiny moon and star pendants. Still grinning, he handed the leash to Harry.
"Have you had the pleasure of meeting Preston, Healer-" Sirius glanced at her name tag. "Granger?"
"I have had the pleasure of meeting him once or twice. Unfortunately our busy schedules don't allow for more than few quick passing hellos in the hallway. Are you going to have a seat, Mr. Black?"
"Please, do call me Sirius." Sirius gently sat down on the squashy exam table, making sure to keep his bits covered. "I have a duty to warn beautiful witches such as yourself, that Healer Preston is a shameless womanizer. Healer Preston has a hard time understanding that I am a happily married man." He leaned forward and stage whispered. "And he has extremely cold hands."
Granger pursed her lips, dimples winking out as she tried to hold back a smile. "I see. Thank you very much for the warning. Now, what I can help you gentlemen with today?"
Harry had made himself comfortable in the seat next to Granger, the chart and quill hovering in the air between them. Her dimples were going to be death of him.
"Just a routine check up for me, I'm afraid. Harry is my-"
"Dog walker, keeper, warden?" Harry supplied.
"-godson."
Granger glanced at Harry, her lips lifted in a brief half smile. "No complaints then? Joints aren't bothering you?" she paused as she flipped through Sirius' chart. The chart hovered again as she released it into the air. "Fleas?"
"I'll have you know that despite shedding occasionally, I'm very clean. I haven't had fleas except for that one time. The prescribed cream helped immensely." Sirius nodded solemnly. "Other than not going on daily walks," he gave Harry a pointed look. "I don't have any health complaints."
"You're a grown man, Sirius. You can take yourself on walks. Or better yet, have Remus go with you."
"Harry. How are you supposed to find a nice witch to take on moonlit strolls without my help?"
Granger interrupted Harry's almost reply, his mouth closing with a clack.
"Mr. Black, if you don't mind I'll run through the routine examination spells?" she asked, holding her wand at the ready.
"Oh, yes of course. I apologize, I tend to get side tracked." Sirius smiled warmly. "And call me Sirius."
Harry palmed his heated face as Healer Granger proceeded with the rest of the exam. Merlin, it was enough that his parents were always trying to set him up on unwanted dates; he really didn't need Sirius 'help' too.
He was so glad Granger seemed to be taking the odd situation in stride. She was professional, if a bit brisk as she finished up the exam, but Harry didn't get the impression that she was judging him or Sirius. He hoped she was much more amused than she let on.
"You're in great health Mr. Bla- Sirius. Just keep doing what you're doing, and you'll have a long life ahead of you. All good things in moderation, yes?"
"Indeed. Thank you for seeing me today." Sirius replied as he stood.
Granger shook his hand. "Not a problem."
Harry got to his feet as well, while Sirius transformed into a dog once more. The hospital gown pooled on the floor around his paws, getting partially tangled up between his legs.
"Er, sorry about that." Harry crouched down to untangle Padfoot, but the gown vanished as he reached for it. He smiled at Granger. "Thanks."
Granger flashed her dimples at him. "I'm Hermione, by the way."
"I'll just -" he fidgeted with the leash, trying to decide if it would be impolite to ask her to coffee. "I'm sure you have a lot of appointments. We'll just get going, and free up the room. It was nice meeting you, Hermione."
"Are you going to take him on a walk?"
Harry felt the back of his neck heat as he moved to clip the leash to Padfoot's collar instead. "Yeah? Might as well since we're out already."
She hummed. "My shift ends at six tonight. We could take him together?"
His green eyes blinked in delight. "Uh, yeah. Yes! Absolutely. And, er, have dinner?"
"It's a date."