Draco sneezed. He shivered and snuggled deeper into his blanket beside the fire in the Hospital Wing, glaring at a satisfied-looking Prosper.
"I want to kill you," he hissed at the cat. (Draco swore he grinned. He KNEW that cat GRINNED at him!)
He stuck out his tongue and crossed his eyes. Childish, yes – and yet it made him feel so much better. Shaking his head at his own stupidity, Draco barely registered when Prosper crept up beside him and snuggled close. He absent-mindedly scratched the cat, who purred contentedly.
He sneezed again and suppressed a curse. Damn that cat…
FLASHBACK
"Prosper? Pro-osper…where are you?" Draco called, looking around the Entrance Hall. No sign of the tiny kitten. The thunderstorm raged outside in full fury, lightning flashing and thunder crashing.
"Prosper? Where are you? C'mon, you stupid cat, it's almost dinnertime!"
He looked around the hall again before registering the crack in the doorway. Not large enough for a full-grown cat, but for a half-sized kitten…
Draco cursed creatively before opening the doors and dashing off into the raging winds and the icy rain.
"Prosper! PROSPER!" he screamed. He had been out here for half an hour now, with no sign of the kitten. He was frantic. Harry wouldn't be stupid enough to go to the Forbidden Forest, would he? Damn these grounds and damn that kitten!
"PROSPER!" he cried again, his voice cracking from the strain. He collapsed in the mud on the road. He tasted salt and bitterly noted that he was crying. "God dammit, Prosper, you idiot!"
He struggled to his feet, forcing his way forward through the gale. "COME HERE NOW! PROSPER!" he yelled. He froze. A mental image…?
Yes! There! Prosper was sending him an image – it was weak, but it was there! He stood perfectly still and waited…until…
Ha!
He set off at a run, the wind now pushing him forward, to find the tiny kitten.
He finally reached the spot. The kitten huddled in the mud beneath bushes stripped of their leaves by the storm. He shivered wildly, eyes wide and full of fear.
Draco tenderly picked him up and hugged him close, trying to share what little warmth he had with Harry. He knew that cats were more delicate than humans and more susceptible to certain illnesses – and he didn't want to be called "Murderer-of-the-Boy-Who-Lived-As-A-Cat".
He fought his way back through the storm, taking comfort in Prosper's closeness.
END FLASHBACK
Draco sneezed again. Idiotic cat.
He felt something soft and warm nuzzle his cheek gently. Prosper pressed his cheek against Draco's and tenderly licked the Slytherin's cheek. Draco fought down a blush and cuddled the kitten closer.
This was actually kinda nice…
Sneeze.
Nice moment gone. This sucked.
"Why isn't anyone asking about Harry?"
Remus looked up from his papers, glasses low on his nose. "What was that, Draco?"
The Slytherin boy settled into a chair across from the DADA professor. "Harry's been a kitten for five weeks now, and not one person has asked where he is."
"Ah, yes," said Remus, pulling off his glasses and rubbing his eyes. "I believe Dumbledore told them he was going to visit a wizarding school in America and whatnot – something about 'Foreign affairs to do with the war' – that kind of crap."
"Ah." Draco idly toyed with Prosper's ears. "And Sirius?"
"Well, barely anyone knew that he was here in the first place. Those who did simple assumed he had left – excluding Dumbledore, you, me, Harry, and Snape, of course. You've gotten over your cold, then?"
"God, that woman gave me so much Pepper-Up potion I was likely to burst into flame at any given moment!"
Remus chuckled and replaced his glasses on his nose. "Yes, Poppy does tend to fuss a bit too much over her patients sometimes. Aren't the Christmas holidays nearing?"
Draco paused, then nodded. "I'm not going home this year," he decided then and there, voicing the thought aloud.
"Really? Why not?"
"You-Kn – Voldemort. I'm afraid he'll take advantage of Harry while he's in the state."
Prosper looked at Draco as if to say, 'Dude, he couldn't beat me, even as a kitten. He's that pathetic.'
Draco rolled his eyes. He was getting way too good at reading Potter's emotions.
"Draco?"
He looked up, startled. Remus chuckled. "I asked you a question. I said, do you know the exact date when Harry will change back?"
"Um…well, he changed on September 25…I guess he'll change back on…aw, man! He changes back on Christmas!"
Remus chuckled. "Yes, I thought so. Wasn't too sure, but still…"
"Aw, man. This ruins my holiday plans."
"…What exactly were your holiday plans?"
"Eat, sleep, and open presents."
Remus chuckled. "Yes, I can see how pissed off you are at him interrupting your oh-so-important schedule."
"Yes! Finally, someone who understands!"
A/N I apologize for the shortness of this chapter...I'm a bit preoccupied. I am trying to stophvaing a life and attened to your every whim, but it's harder than you think...
Hugs and kizzes,
Kanna