Title: So Easy to Break 1/?
Author: Pinkfangs
Rating: Eventual NC-17
Warnings: Language, sexual situations
Disclaimer: This story is based on characters and situations created and owned by JK Rowling, various publishers including but not limited to Bloomsbury Books, Scholastic Books and Raincoat Books, and Warner Bros., Inc. No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended.
Summary:So many things are so easy to break: Hearts, minds, dreams, lives. Years after the war the world is very different. Draco Malfoy is now an Auror, well respected and trusted while Harry Potter has turned hard and resentful, now a shadowy Private Investigator and bounty hunter. But when Tragedy strikes and one of their own is in danger the two rivals must again join forces to save the day.
Love & Puppies
The little cottage stood out against the backdrop of lush grass and sunflowers. It was the perfect setting for a romantic getaway. Laughter could be heard coming from inside. Something fell, something smashed, someone laughed, someone moaned.
"Fuck, you randy bastard," someone said in a voice that was deep and husky and full of desire.
"It's your fault," another man replied and there were more kissing sounds. "If you didn't look so bloody hot in those leather pants…"
Outside something shifted restlessly in the bed of sunflowers. A little black puppy rolled over onto his back and stretched. Opening it's jaws wide he let out a puppyish yawn and looked towards the cottage. All the noise had woken him before he'd finished his nap. He bared his teeth and let out a soft growl but it quickly turned into a whine when the door opened and a man came out.
The man had messy black hair and as he walked he pulled a pair of thick rimmed glasses out of his pocket and put them on. Soon after, another man followed. He was very different to the first man; his skin was pale and his hair was platinum blond. The two tussled and laughed and the one with the glasses swung and easy arm around the other man's shoulders.
The puppy tipped his head to the side. He let out a curious whine but didn't emerge from his hiding place.
The puppy watched the cottage and the men for a long time. When they emerged they were smiling when they went inside they were kissing. He noticed that they laughed a lot and touched a lot and smiled a lot. The puppy's tale wagged when they came out but he didn't bark. He remembered in his foggy picture memory another man throwing a shoe at him, a woman hitting him with a broom and the bristles stinging his ears… But he watched with wide grey-blue eyes.
Later the heat of the day began to cool and the sky became darker. Storm clouds gathered and the puppy looked up fearfully when the first roll of thunder vibrated in the earth below his feet. The puppy didn't like storms. He looked towards the cottage and could feel the warmth radiating from it. Something tasty was cooking and he could hear the faint sound of a fireplace. Another picture flashed in his mind of fireplace. His big warm mother licking his fur… He whined and looked longingly at the cottage.
A sudden flash of lightning and a crash of thunder made the decision for him. The puppy lunged from his hiding place and bolted towards the back door. At the door he barked and scratched at the wood.
"What on Earth?" The man said as he flung open the door. "Whoa!"
The puppy bolted into the cottage before the man could slam the door on him and hid under a little table beside a big overstuffed sofa.
"Hey, Malfoy," the man with the glasses yelled. "I think we have a little visitor."
"You what?" The one called Malfoy peaked out of the kitchen. "What are you on about, Potter?"
"I think it's a puppy," Potter said and knelt down to peak under the table. A pair of bespectacled green eyes peered at him. "Yeah, it's a puppy. He must be scared of the storm."
The one called Malfoy knelt down beside Potter and peered under. "So it is. But how did he get all the way out here?"
Potter shrugged then climbed to his feet. "Just a minute, I'll get him something to eat."
"Are you sure?" Malfoy called out. "I heard it's bad luck to feed stray black puppies."
"Bloody hell, Malfoy. We're not in the middle ages." Potter rolled his eyes and placed a two little bowls on the floor near the table. One smelt like meat and the other milk. "Come on, boy," he cooed to the puppy then backed away to sit.
The two men sat very quietly and after a long pause the puppy peaked out. He looked suspiciously first at the blond man then the dark hared man. Neither of them moved, they just watched with quiet curiosity.
The puppy dashed out, took a few quick laps of the milk and dashed back to his hiding place.
"I want to keep him," Potter said smiling as he peaked under the table again.
"What are you five?" Malfoy responded with a sarcastic edge to his voice, but he was smiling as he too peaked under the table. "Maybe he belongs to someone."
"Well then we'll check," Potter made a soft clicking sound and twiddled his fingers towards the puppy and chuckled when the puppy pawed at them. "If he's homeless then we'll keep him. If he's not we ask why the hell he's out and alone in a storm."
"You really want to keep him?" Malfoy asked.
"Well yeah." Potter showed Malfoy his own set of puppy-dog eyes. "Don't you want a puppy?"
"Ah, Potter." Malfoy leaned in and placed a warm lingering kiss on Potter's lips.
"I chose to take that as a yes."
They both laughed and slowly, tentatively the puppy crept out from under the table. He let them pet him and wagged his tale when Potter brought him more meat and milk.
Somewhere before he drifted off to sleep on the fur in front of the fireplace he heard Potter give him a name. Padfoot. The puppy liked the name and gave Potter a lick before settling for the night.
o0o0o
Malfoy emerged first in the morning. He gave Padfoot a scratch behind his ears then went to make something hot in a jug.
An owl arrived on the windowsill and dropped a letter into Malfoy's hand. He ripped it open but when he read the letter his face seemed to turn an even paler shade. The man sat on his chair heavily and he seemed lost in thought for a long time until Padfoot took it on himself to cheer him.
The puppy gave a little bark and ran in and out of the man's legs but though the man smiled a little he looked so sad the puppy almost wanted to cry with sorrow. He didn't understand. Malfoy lowered his hand to pet Padfoot and the puppy licked and sniffed and nuzzled his fingers.
Padfoot loved Malfoy. He and Potter and rescued Padfoot from the storm and hadn't hurt him or stung his ears with the broom.
"Oh, Padfoot," Malfoy lifted the puppy and hugged him gently to his chest. "I so wish to stay."
Stay. Stay. Padfoot barked and licked at Malfoy's face. There were salty trails now running down the man's cheeks.
"Now, you have to promise to look after Harry."
Padfoot tipped his head to the side and let out a confused whine.
"Keep him safe and make him smile."
Padfoot barked once and licked Malfoy's face again.
Malfoy laughed and nuzzled Padfoot's fur. But there was wetness again and Padfoot felt Malfoy's shoulders shaking. "I so wish I could stay."
Then all at once Malfoy grabbed up a piece of parchment and scribbled a note. He weighted it down with the pepper shaker then looked as though he might pick it up again. But he didn't. At the door Malfoy looked around the cosy kitchen with the kind of longing that Padfoot had felt sitting outside in the cold, watching the two men.
Then without further ritual he turned away, closed the door quietly and was gone.
Padfoot ran to the door. He whined and scratched but the door didn't open. When Harry emerged from the bedroom he looked barely awake but he smiling down at Padfoot.
"'ello, boy," Potter said tiredly and knelt down to give Padfoot a proper scratch. "Where did Draco get to then?"
Padfoot backed away. He ran towards the door and scratched at it. Malfoy. Malfoy gone. Love Malfoy. Malfoy gone.
"What? You want to go out?" But before he could let Padfoot outside Potter spotted the note on the table. As his eyes moved over the words his body grew very still.
Padfoot sat at the door, tipped back his head and gave a long, mournful howl. And by the expression on Potter's face as he slid down the wall to the floor, note in hand, he knew that Potter did the same.
