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Draco sighed as he gazed out of the window. It had been drizzling on and off all day. Draco knew this because he had been sitting in the window ever since Harry left for work that morning. It was how he’d spent the majority of his days since he’d been put on sick leave. He wasn’t sick, he was injured and he was bored. He couldn’t do anything while Harry was at work, and it grated on him. Harry insisted that he didn’t mind coming home and having to clean up or make the dinner, but Draco felt useless. He didn’t like feeling useless. He wanted something to occupy him while he was alone in the house and he’d made up his mind to discuss it with Harry when he got home. Glancing at the clock, he sighed again. Only four hours to go.
*
“I’m home!”
Draco looked up as Harry called out from the hall and he smiled through a sad sigh. “In here.”
“I’m sorry you’re stuck here,” Harry said, reaching Draco’s side. “It won’t be forever.”
“How do you know that?” Draco asked. “It’s been four months now and I’m still no nearer to being able to walk normally. I don’t think it’s going to happen.”
“How’s the pain today?”
“Same as usual,” Draco muttered. “It’s fine while I’m sitting here.”
“The Healers will figure it out, I’m sure they will,” Harry said, patting Draco’s knee.
“I can’t wait forever for that though, Harry. I need something to take my mind off it,” Draco replied. “I want you to take me to that Battersea place tomorrow. I want a cat.”
“What?” Harry asked, surprise evident in his voice.
“A cat. I can’t walk a dog, can I? So a cat is the only real option,” Draco said. “I’ve looked into it. I’m going to adopt the cat that’s been in the shelter for the longest and it will come and live here with us.”
“Alright,” Harry said slowly, nodding. “Alright, we’ll go tomorrow morning.”
“Thank you,” Draco replied, covering Harry’s hand with his own and squeezing it gently.
*
The next morning, Harry and Draco walked into Battersea Cats & Dogs home and, after explaining what they were after, were shown through to the cattery by an employee called Alice.
“This is Mr McGregor,” she said as she led them to one of the pens. “He’s only five years old, but he’s been with us for over a year.”
“Why is that?” Draco asked, gazing through the glass window at the cat who was staring back at him.
“Because he’s a black cat. A lot of people think black cats are bad luck omens,” Alice replied. “Something to do with witchcraft. It’s rubbish, of course.”
Draco exchanged a look with Harry.
“Of course,” Harry replied, nodding. “So is there anything else we should know about him?”
“He’s perfectly healthy, and he’s been microchipped and vaccinated,” Alice continued. “He’ll be better off as an indoor cat after not being outside for so long.”
“That won’t be a problem,” Draco said softly, still gazing into the pen. Mr McGregor had moved closer to the glass now, looking at them curiously. “I’m rather housebound at the moment myself, thanks to this leg of mine.”
Alice smiled. “Alright, do you want to follow me through to the meeting room and I’ll have Mr McGregor brought out to meet you?”
Draco and Harry exchanged another look before nodding.
Alice led them along to the meeting room, letting them get settled before leaving the room to fetch Mr McGregor.
“Are you sure about this?” Harry asked, looking across at Draco.
“Absolutely. Did you see his eyes? They remind me of yours,” Draco said with a smile. “Well, the colour, anyway.”
“He is a gorgeous cat,” Harry admitted, smiling.
Before Draco could say anything else, Alice walked back into the room with her arms full of soft black fur.
“Here he is,” Alice said as she deposited the cat into Draco’s lap. “I wouldn’t usually do that with a cat, but he’s quite happy to meet prospective owners like this.”
“I see,” Draco said quietly, gazing down at Mr McGregor. He lifted one hand and carefully ran it along Mr McGregor’s back, smiling as the cat purred happily and leaned into his touch. He looked up at Harry. “We have to have him.”
Harry smiled and also reached out to stroke Mr McGregor gently. “He’s so soft.”
Alice hovered in the doorway for a few moments until Draco looked over at her. “We’d like to take him, please.”
Breaking into a smile, she nodded. “I’ll go and get the paperwork and you should be able to take him with you today. Have you got a carrier?”
“No,” Harry said, frowning slightly. He hadn’t imagined they’d be allowed to take him there and then.
“That’s not a problem,” Alice said. “We can lend you one to get him home, and you can bring it back to us.”
Harry nodded. “Okay.”
“Excellent. I’ll only be a minute,” Alice replied, still smiling as she pulled the door open and disappeared through it.
Draco looked up at Harry again. “Thank you. For agreeing to this.”
“Anything that helps you feel better,” Harry said with a smile. “I don’t want you being bored anymore.”
Draco smiled and Harry leaned across to give him a kiss.