"Open Doors", HP, DM/HP, PG-13
Title: "Open Doors"
Author: ZS
Rating: PG-13
Fandom: Harry Potter
Pairing: DM/HP
Disclaimer: Harry Potter and its characters are not mine, and no copyright infringement is intended.
Summary: for the contrelamontre Flash Forward fic. Harry Potter is dead. Or is he?
Draco opens the door. On his doorstep is a black cat. It is scrawny and pathetic looking. It shivers when Draco crouches down, and it growls but doesn’t bite when Draco pets it on the head. It has green eyes and a funny shaped scar on its forehead.
"Don’t think I don’t know exactly who you are, Potter," he says. "What, did you expect me to be surprised? It’s not like you coming back from the dead is such a novel thing. What is this, number three?"
+++
"Go ahead," he will say, as Potter licks the scraps from the bowl of tuna that Draco has set on the floor. "Transform back. Humiliate me. You know you’ve been waiting for the chance. Waiting a hell of a long time, if you ask me. Five years, is it?"
Potter will lick his paw, and then his other... bits.
Draco will scream and cover his eyes in a dramatic fashion.
Potter will not transform back that night. He will, however, curl up on Draco’s favorite chair and eye him warily.
***
Potter will not transform.
Draco will try everything. He will try the reverse Animagus spell he learned in seventh year. He will resort to threatening Potter.
Potter will lounge in the middle of his bed and blink at him.
Draco will come to the conclusion that Potter is stuck like that.
***
"At least cat food is cheap. I see your tastes haven’t changed one bit," he will say, and dump another can of generic cat food into Potter’s dish.
***
Draco will have a Dark Magic induced seizure, not the first and certainly not the last. While Draco lies slumped on the kitchen floor, saliva dripping from the corner of his mouth, limbs shaking uncontrollably, Potter will meow at him, touch a paw to his face, and sit in the crook of Draco’s arm.
***
Draco will make a trip to Diagon Alley, somewhere he hasn’t been in many months. He will dress to blend in, as a triple-crossing ex-Death Eater spy will not be welcomed there. He will visit the apothecary and purchase some Mandrake root, as well as other ingredients for the potion. He will return home and begin brewing immediately.
Potter will jump up on his table, and without thinking, Draco will pet his head while he waits the appropriate three minutes before adding the pounded newt livers.
***
Draco will administer the Mandrake potion.
Potter will throw up on his duvet, hiss, and hide under the couch for six hours.
***
Draco will make a decision.
He will go to the Ministry today. He will endure Weasel’s contemptuous stares and Granger’s icy demeanor.
He will tell them that Harry Potter showed up on his doorstep five years after defeating Voldemort. Oh, and being dead, too.
He will tell them that Harry Potter has been cursed into cat form, despite all his efforts to reverse the process.
Upon second thought, Draco will go to the Ministry tomorrow.
***
Draco will not go to the Ministry. He will feel guilty, something he will not be accustomed to. He will lie on his bed with Potter’s suffocating weight on his chest, petting him, and trying not to disturb his vital slumber. He will think about the day that Potter died, in a firestorm of green light and deadly curses with Voldemort. He will think about the part that he played in Potter’s death. Being too slow, being too late.
Far too late.
Potter will stir and nip at his fingers and knead at his chest.
Well, Draco will think, extricating sharp claws from his skin. Maybe not too late.
***
Draco will open the door six months after finding Harry Potter on his doorstep to find Harry Potter on his doorstep. He will look toned and healthy-looking, with just a touch of weariness around the eyes. He will look like a man who has been busy ‘finding himself’’, maybe climbing redwoods in Canada, or learning how to fish in the Arctic, or counting bees in the rainforest.
"Say something, Draco," he will say. "Do something. Hit me. Tell me I’m supposed to be dead. Tell me that I’ve been unbelievably self-centered for letting everyone believe I was dead, and just leaving."
Potter will wind himself around Draco’s legs at that moment, purring, and Draco will look up slowly.
"You’re supposed to be my cat."
Harry will not entirely expect the punch Draco will throw, but he will not entirely be able to avoid it either.
Draco will feel somewhat better at the sight of Harry Potter flat on his arse.
***
They will talk. Well, actually, Harry will talk. He will talk about being so tired, and overwrought, and depressed, and spread so thin, and tired of being Harry Potter; he will talk about backpacking across Europe, seeing ancient tombs, living in the desert. Draco will feel incredibly stupid for believing that Harry Potter was a cat.
"He has your eyes, and your scar," Draco will say, as if anyone could have made that mistake.
"Lots of cats have green eyes and scars," Harry will say, and not without a touch of amusement.
"Shut up."
***
Draco will have a Dark Magic seizure.
Harry will touch his face, and cradle his head, and not leave when Draco is incoherent and ugly and not in control of his shaking limbs. He will not leave when Draco can sit up on his own and drink a little water.
He will not leave, even when Draco is falling asleep against his chest.
***
Draco will try to explain about the seizures, and his life, and the cat, when Harry asks. And Harry will ask.
Draco will show Harry the cat dish, and the closet full of expensive imported cat food, and the cat brush, and the cushion by the sunniest window.
He will feel very stupid and embarrassed, and he will blush.
Harry will blink several times, like he has dust in his eyes, and will look at him. Draco will turn to show him the scratching post set up in the corner, and Harry will cup his face gently, kiss his cheek, and then his mouth.
Draco will not understand.
He will.
+++
"Fine," Draco says, exasperated, as the cat rubs against his legs. It is starting to rain. "You’d better come in, then."
Author: ZS
Rating: PG-13
Fandom: Harry Potter
Pairing: DM/HP
Disclaimer: Harry Potter and its characters are not mine, and no copyright infringement is intended.
Summary: for the contrelamontre Flash Forward fic. Harry Potter is dead. Or is he?
Draco opens the door. On his doorstep is a black cat. It is scrawny and pathetic looking. It shivers when Draco crouches down, and it growls but doesn’t bite when Draco pets it on the head. It has green eyes and a funny shaped scar on its forehead.
"Don’t think I don’t know exactly who you are, Potter," he says. "What, did you expect me to be surprised? It’s not like you coming back from the dead is such a novel thing. What is this, number three?"
+++
"Go ahead," he will say, as Potter licks the scraps from the bowl of tuna that Draco has set on the floor. "Transform back. Humiliate me. You know you’ve been waiting for the chance. Waiting a hell of a long time, if you ask me. Five years, is it?"
Potter will lick his paw, and then his other... bits.
Draco will scream and cover his eyes in a dramatic fashion.
Potter will not transform back that night. He will, however, curl up on Draco’s favorite chair and eye him warily.
***
Potter will not transform.
Draco will try everything. He will try the reverse Animagus spell he learned in seventh year. He will resort to threatening Potter.
Potter will lounge in the middle of his bed and blink at him.
Draco will come to the conclusion that Potter is stuck like that.
***
"At least cat food is cheap. I see your tastes haven’t changed one bit," he will say, and dump another can of generic cat food into Potter’s dish.
***
Draco will have a Dark Magic induced seizure, not the first and certainly not the last. While Draco lies slumped on the kitchen floor, saliva dripping from the corner of his mouth, limbs shaking uncontrollably, Potter will meow at him, touch a paw to his face, and sit in the crook of Draco’s arm.
***
Draco will make a trip to Diagon Alley, somewhere he hasn’t been in many months. He will dress to blend in, as a triple-crossing ex-Death Eater spy will not be welcomed there. He will visit the apothecary and purchase some Mandrake root, as well as other ingredients for the potion. He will return home and begin brewing immediately.
Potter will jump up on his table, and without thinking, Draco will pet his head while he waits the appropriate three minutes before adding the pounded newt livers.
***
Draco will administer the Mandrake potion.
Potter will throw up on his duvet, hiss, and hide under the couch for six hours.
***
Draco will make a decision.
He will go to the Ministry today. He will endure Weasel’s contemptuous stares and Granger’s icy demeanor.
He will tell them that Harry Potter showed up on his doorstep five years after defeating Voldemort. Oh, and being dead, too.
He will tell them that Harry Potter has been cursed into cat form, despite all his efforts to reverse the process.
Upon second thought, Draco will go to the Ministry tomorrow.
***
Draco will not go to the Ministry. He will feel guilty, something he will not be accustomed to. He will lie on his bed with Potter’s suffocating weight on his chest, petting him, and trying not to disturb his vital slumber. He will think about the day that Potter died, in a firestorm of green light and deadly curses with Voldemort. He will think about the part that he played in Potter’s death. Being too slow, being too late.
Far too late.
Potter will stir and nip at his fingers and knead at his chest.
Well, Draco will think, extricating sharp claws from his skin. Maybe not too late.
***
Draco will open the door six months after finding Harry Potter on his doorstep to find Harry Potter on his doorstep. He will look toned and healthy-looking, with just a touch of weariness around the eyes. He will look like a man who has been busy ‘finding himself’’, maybe climbing redwoods in Canada, or learning how to fish in the Arctic, or counting bees in the rainforest.
"Say something, Draco," he will say. "Do something. Hit me. Tell me I’m supposed to be dead. Tell me that I’ve been unbelievably self-centered for letting everyone believe I was dead, and just leaving."
Potter will wind himself around Draco’s legs at that moment, purring, and Draco will look up slowly.
"You’re supposed to be my cat."
Harry will not entirely expect the punch Draco will throw, but he will not entirely be able to avoid it either.
Draco will feel somewhat better at the sight of Harry Potter flat on his arse.
***
They will talk. Well, actually, Harry will talk. He will talk about being so tired, and overwrought, and depressed, and spread so thin, and tired of being Harry Potter; he will talk about backpacking across Europe, seeing ancient tombs, living in the desert. Draco will feel incredibly stupid for believing that Harry Potter was a cat.
"He has your eyes, and your scar," Draco will say, as if anyone could have made that mistake.
"Lots of cats have green eyes and scars," Harry will say, and not without a touch of amusement.
"Shut up."
***
Draco will have a Dark Magic seizure.
Harry will touch his face, and cradle his head, and not leave when Draco is incoherent and ugly and not in control of his shaking limbs. He will not leave when Draco can sit up on his own and drink a little water.
He will not leave, even when Draco is falling asleep against his chest.
***
Draco will try to explain about the seizures, and his life, and the cat, when Harry asks. And Harry will ask.
Draco will show Harry the cat dish, and the closet full of expensive imported cat food, and the cat brush, and the cushion by the sunniest window.
He will feel very stupid and embarrassed, and he will blush.
Harry will blink several times, like he has dust in his eyes, and will look at him. Draco will turn to show him the scratching post set up in the corner, and Harry will cup his face gently, kiss his cheek, and then his mouth.
Draco will not understand.
He will.
+++
"Fine," Draco says, exasperated, as the cat rubs against his legs. It is starting to rain. "You’d better come in, then."