Snuffles and Cocoa
By: Hedwig1991
Thanks to: My Language Arts teacher for editing this fiction, and to my dog, Sable. You both helped me along the road in different ways. Thanks!
Underneath a tree, lay Snuffles…the black, bear-like dog on a cool, colorful autumn day. He yawned and looked next to him. His girlfriend, Cocoa was half asleep. He gave a soft bark and nudged her shoulder. She opened her eyes slowly and half smiled at him. Her smile faded as she looked at the open cut on his shoulder. Her eyes met him in a look that gave him encouragement and loving. Cocoa turned on her back, stretched her legs, quickly turned over, and sat up. She started to softly lick his wound with her tongue, and he gave a whine of relief. Cocoa sighed and transformed into her human state, as did Snuffles. They looked at each other, and she finally collapsed on his shoulder, a muffled cry coming out of her.
The events of last night had been beyond the worst. Peter Pettigrew had betrayed one of his best friends, his wife, and almost their baby. When Sirius and Ella had gone to inspect the house only a few hours before daylight, Sirius had already been convicted a murderer. Thankfully, he hadn't been caught yet, and was in hiding at the top of a hill above his girlfriend's apartment complex. The only person they could trust now was Albus Dumbledore, who had in fact suggested this place until they found poor Sirius.
Ella, known to Sirius as Cocoa, had agreed to help him hide until the day he was found. Her unconditional love for him would never end, even if he went mad in Azkaban. She would try to owl him everyday, and if he escaped, she would provide different and diverse hideouts for him across the globe.
"Shhh…Ella…if you sob any louder you might attract your neighbors…" said Sirius softly, stroking her dark brunette hair.
"I wish they'd understand…" she said through a sob.
"Understand what, Cocoa?" he asked her, looking down at her with compassion on his face.
"Understand that you'd…you'd…never betray them…you'd die before you killed them…"
"You're right, Cocoa. But, there's no use crying over a spilled potion, now is there?"
"I know…but Lily was my best friend…"
"As James was mine…"
There was silence as she sobbed on his shoulder.
"I just…don't want you to be taken away by those…those…"
Sirius half-grinned, "You mean, the dementors?"
Ella sobbed even harder. "They're terrifying," she said, putting her hand on his other shoulder. He met her hand with his.
"You do know what this means, don't you?" he asked her with concentration.
"We might not ever see each other ever again…"
"Yes. I'll miss you, my Cocoa…" he said, lifting her head softly and pulling her up so she was sitting on his lap.
"I'll miss you too, Snuffles. I brought something for you…" said Cocoa, reaching into her purse and pulling out what looked like a year's supply of…dog food.
"What in the world do I need that for?" asked Sirius, his eyebrow's furrowed, and half-grinning.
"Well…what else are you going to eat? Besides this is for Animagi only…so when you're my Snuffles…it becomes dog food…and when you're my Sirius, it's chicken and beef…with some peas thrown in," she said, grinning.
"You're smart…did you invent this?"
"Yes…" she said humbly.
"You'll be famous someday…"
"As famous as you?"
He laughed, a real, true, bark-like, Sirius laugh. "Sure…like me…but you'll have to work your way up. I think you deserve something because of your brains…" he said slyly, and leaned in for a kiss.
"I love you, Snuffles…" said Ella, breaking away at last.
"When and if my name is ever cleared…" said Sirius, holding her close, "will you marry me, Ella Viona?"
"Yes, Sirius Black. When will your name be cleared?" she asked, half-sadly, half-eagerly.
"I hope it will…I want to…"
"What do you want, Snuffles?"
"I want a lot of things, but the thing I want most is for us to be…"
"Alone? Together? Married?" asked his confused Cocoa.
"No…just Cocoa and Snuffles."
