A Cup of Tea, Please

18 | Another Potter . . . for Now

Christmas shopping helped Harry keep his mind off things, though he really wished that someone could've came along with him. It didn't bode well for him when certain things reminded him of his ex-girlfriend; from broomsticks and Quidditch equipment in Diagon Alley to large posters depicting redheaded models in Muggle London, it felt like he couldn't escape her.

Hermione, Ron, Ginny, George, Percy, Charlie, Mr and Mrs Weasley, Luna, Neville, Dean, Seamus . . . Harry counted through the gifts, recalling which was for whom, but something felt off in his stomach. Somebody was missing . . . Draco.

Upon making this realisation, Harry was taken over by the overwhelming urge to buy Draco a gift but he was still hesitant. Were they really close enough for that? Would he mind if Harry got him a gift? Harry knew enough about Draco to differentiate between things he liked and didn't like, but would it be weird if he appeared in Draco's fireplace on Christmas Day, gift in hand?

Harry didn't know how much money he should even spend on a present for Draco, if he were to buy one. Although Harry was already standing by the exit to Diagon Alley under the ever-darkening sky, he decided that he'd still try look for a gift that Draco might like. It was the least he could do.

Alright, maybe Harry didn't know Draco that well. His eyes were drawn to a broom, similar to the one he'd bought for Ginny, but did Draco even play Quidditch anymore? He lived in a Muggle flat, of course not! But in the midst of this internal conflict, Harry suddenly remembered Draco's charm for fashion and . . . animals? Was it even possible to buy a pet for someone as a Christmas present?

To get it out of the way, Harry decided to head to Madam Malkin's and buy Draco a set of black robes embroidered with jewels. It wasn't a spontaneous decision, well, Harry didn't think so. The robes caught his eyes and immediately reminded him of Draco, so why not buy them? OK, maybe it was a little spontaneous. And maybe they were a bit too expensive as they cost him twenty Galleons, just for a Christmas present, but Harry had the money and he remembered what Draco said about not having anyone else except him to talk to. Again, it was the least he could do.

Thankfully Harry made it to The Magical Menagerie before it closed, and it didn't take long to find the perfect pet for Draco, either. Whilst the majority of the cats cowered in their cages, wary of an unknown stranger's sudden appearance, one kitten stood out from the rest.

Unlike the rest of her family, the kitten approached Harry's feet with a curious 'meow', willfully leaving her cage to greet the intriguing stranger. She peered up at him with large, jade eyes and gave him a few slow blinks, immediately capturing his heart. Harry bent down to run his hand through her silky black fur and he instantly knew she was the one.

"How much is she?" Harry asked, scratching behind the kitten's ears.

The proprietor peered over her heavy black spectacles at the cat, who was now wrapping herself around Harry's legs. "Nine Galleons."

Harry paid the price happily and ended up leaving Diagon Alley with a sack overflowing with Christmas presents, a bunch of cat food and a cage in his hand, which the proprietor had covered with a blanket in order to keep the kitten warm during the brief moment she'd be outside in the freezing winter air.

When Harry got back home, he realised that he still had over three weeks before he'd be gifting the kitten to Draco. Well, fuck. He didn't know much about taking care of a kitten, and he didn't want the kitten to think that he was her dad. Hopefully she'd understand, right?

"Hey," Harry said softly, unlocking the door to the kitten's cage in front of the fireplace. "I hope you—er—understand that you're not going to be living with me forever. It'll only be for a few weeks and—" The kitten let out a small 'meow' before wandering out of her cage and into Harry's lap. What was Harry thinking? Of course she didn't understand, she was just a cat!