Disclaimer: This story is based on characters and situations created and owned by JK Rowling, various publishers including but not limited to Bloomsbury Books, Scholastic Books and Raincoat Books, and Warner Bros., Inc. No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended.
Harry and Draco had been living at Malfoy Manor for five years. Draco’s parents had moved to France after the war, preferring to leave behind the bad memories and staying in the family chateau instead. Harry had wanted to have children but Draco didn’t know if they could handle it. So instead they decide to get a pet.
Harry and Draco apparated to the Manor with their little fluff ball, one pedigreed baby Samoyed. Of course, Draco had insisted the dog would be pedigreed with papers to prove it to their friends. Harry was just happy Draco was willing to try. As soon as they got home Draco took the puppy outside to play with it. Before long he had named it Prince. Harry shrugged even though the name seemed a bit silly for the little white fluff ball. He sat on a nearby bench and watched Draco playing with the puppy. It seemed to be going fairly well and Harry was rather tired from the whole ordeal so he went inside to lie down on the nearest couch.
“Harry?” Opening one eye Harry saw Draco was holding the puppy at arm length. “Oh good you’re still awake, Prince made a mess. He needs a bath now.”
Seeing the look of disdain on Draco’s face Harry rolled his eyes, mentally. He got up and bathed the bundle of fur before handing it back to Draco to fuss over as he went to clean the grounds. With a sigh he went to lie back down.
“Harry?” This time he’d not even gotten to close his eyes.
“Yes love?” Harry asked in what he hoped was not an irritated sound.
“Prince is whining what should I do? He’s wiggling a lot too. Is he sick?” Before Harry could even say anything Prince had managed to jump down and whiz on the side of the furniture.
“NO!! NOT THE DIVAN! HARRY DO SOMETHING!” Draco screamed. Shaking his head, Harry muttered the cleaning spell on the divan, the oriental carpeting and the dog.
“Anything else, love?” Draco pouted a minute and Harry’s tone then took the dog and walked away.
This sort of behavior went on for days, anytime the dog made a mess, Harry was to clean it, and feed it. He had to walk it, brush it and handle anything Draco found distasteful. All in all, the experiment was a flop. Harry had come to realize Draco was not ready for a child and never would be. The only way they’d ever have children would be with a Nanny in tow from day one or Harry would have no rest. Day and night Draco yelled for Harry like he was a house elf. The screams filled the Manor. “NO NOT THE MING VASE!” “NOT THE FABREGE EGGS!” “NOT THERE!” By the end of the week he had enough.
“Draco?” Harry called out to the blond who was trying to teach Prince how to fetch. “We need to talk.”
The blond instantly stopped. Anytime Harry said that, it was not good news. “What is it Harry?” Draco gathered the puffball up in his arms.
“I think we should take Prince back to the breeder.” Harry said flatly, too tired to sugar coat it.
“NO!” Draco held the puppy tighter. “Not my cute little baby Prince!” Draco nuzzled the fur of the white puppy. “You just don’t like him!”
“I do like the dog Draco but I never get to spend anytime with him unless it’s to clean up his messes. You spend all the fun time with him. By the time I’m done bathing, feeding, cleaning up his messes, puppy puddles and repairing furniture, I’m shattered. Then you come and wake me up all the time to do it again. If you’re going to be this way with a dog I don’t want to think of you with a kid!”
“You’re just jealous of my time and relationship with Prince!” Draco whined.
“Draco the dog has to go! I’m shattered!” Harry yelled back.
“Look, I promise I’ll be better. You get some rest and I’ll take care of Prince all day. I can do this you’ll see.” Draco pleaded.
“I’m too tired to fight, if you can’t make it through the day, he goes back tomorrow.” Harry said firmly. Draco nodded. Turning on his heel Harry went to go get some rest he was so exhausted that even if Draco wanted sex he’d turn it down. Harry frowned that was something else the dog had taken away. Grumpy from lack of sex and sleep Harry flopped onto their bed falling instantly asleep. His last thought was that perhaps they should have started with a goldfish, instead.
Draco fought calling for Harry all day. Eventually, Prince settled down and went to sleep. Tired himself after playing and actually taking care of the puppy all day Draco went to go lay down. Maybe he could make things up to Harry. Draco had really fallen in love with Prince and didn’t want Harry to take him back. But he realized that Harry had been right, even more he didn’t even mention that they had not had sex all week.
Slowly he crept into the bedroom to find Harry was sound asleep on the bed. He slipped into bed with him, spooning up against his bond mate. Draco smiled as Harry instinctively rolled over and curled up to his chest. After a bit he fell asleep too. When Harry woke up it was too look into the gray blue eyes of his lover.
“Where’s Prince?”
“Out back sleeping, how are you feeling?”
“Like I’m dying of exhaustion.” Draco frowned, he’d taken care of Prince all day and wasn’t this tired.
“I’m worried about you Harry, are you coming down with something?”
“Maybe, can’t say I have much of an appetite.” Okay, now Draco was really concerned. Harry without much of an appetite was like saying a bird was fasting. Draco then hung his head, he’d spend so much time with the puppy that he hadn’t noticed. Hell, they hadn’t even been having meals together. It’s a good thing this was their practice run at having kids. Running a hand down Harry’s face Draco gave Harry a gentle kiss.
“Can I get you anything? “ Draco asked. But Harry shook his head and just curled up into his chest instead. “Love, really we have to see if you’re coming down with something will you at least let me call the Healer?”
“No, I’ll be okay. I’m just tired really.” Harry yawned.
“Then let’s have the elves bring some food up,” Draco smiled. Harry nodded but Draco wasn’t convinced that Harry had an appetite. He walked outside their bedroom to talk to the elves. “Master Harry isn’t feeling well, so just a bit of his favorite foods only, nothing too heavy. After that notify the Healer that Harry isn’t feeling well but is throwing a tantrum again.” The elf nodded. It seemed Master Harry never liked to see the Healer. Anytime he’d been sick Master Draco had gotten the Healer to the Manor on other pretenses. Draco went to go check on Prince who was now playing tag with a few house elves. So he turned to go back to the bedroom. Harry had fallen back asleep! The elf appeared with dinner trays then left.
Draco spent the next half hour trying to get Harry to eat something. But he either wanted to sleep, feed Draco or cuddle. It was like trying to feed a rag doll. When Draco realized Harry was running a light fever he could feel a panic fill him. “Come on love, let’s get you into the bath, maybe it will make you feel better.”
Draco went to go draw the bath, and then went to check on the puppy again.
He ran into the Healer coming up the hall on the way. “Good day Healer Graham what is our excuse this time?”
“Did I just see a dog at the Manor?” the short older man asked in shock. Draco laughed and nodded. “Glad to know I’m not seeing things Draco. Then let us just say that I came to see the puppy. What is its name?”
“Prince, but I’m worried about Harry. He’s not eating, sleeping all the time and now he’s running a fever. I was just drawing a bath for him,’ Draco said in a rush. The Healer took one look at the concern in Draco’s eyes and was surprised. The last time he’d seen the blond this nervous was on their bonding day.
The two men went in to see Harry only to find he’d fallen on the floor. Mr. Graham surmised he’d fainted. “But he’s never fainted!”
“Might just be the lack of food. Tell me about why you got a dog while I look Harry over,” Enervate.”
Harry groaned and Draco slipped behind him on the bed raising him up against his chest. “So why the dog?” Healer Graham asked knowing he needed to keep the young Lord’s mind busy or he’d be imagining all sorts of things.
“Right, well as you know Harry and I have talked about having kids for a long time now. But I didn’t think we could handle being parents so we bought a dog as a test subject.”
“Mmm-hmm,” the Healer said while examining Harry. “And I see the dog lived.”
“Yes, Prince is fine. It took a bit for us to figure out that we both needed to take care of him. Well, it took me a bit really. I had Harry doing everything at first. Is he going to be okay?”
The Healer laughed. “Oh yes, well boys you got the dog and the dog lived, but the rabbit died about 3 months ago.”
Harry smiled happily but Draco said, “Huh? What rabbit? How does a dead rabbit have anything to do with this?”
“I think it’s time for me to go. But I’ll be leaving some medicine with the house elves and directions for their use. Harry I’ll see you in two weeks.” Mr. Graham left looking very amused but Draco was fit to be tied. As soon as the bedroom door closed Draco began to rant and rave.
“…honestly leaving without even telling us what is wrong! The old man has gone senile that’s all. But don’t worry I’ll get another healer Harry. Only the very best!”
“Draco love calm down and I’ll tell you what the Healer meant,” Harry curled back into his bond mate and looked up. “Draco the muggles have a saying that comes from an old way to do a test. Saying the rabbit died means that someone is going to have a baby.”
“What?” Draco whispered. “After all these years, a baby? Us? You’re pregnant? With my baby?”
“Why do you think we suddenly got a dog?” Harry smiled.
“Because I wanted one to practice since I didn’t think we were ready for …” Draco’s mouth dropped. “You knew didn’t you?”
“I suspected,” Harry smirked. “But I had to convince you that we were ready. Besides it was good practice.”
“You have become a Slytherin my love,” Draco smirked nuzzling into Harry’s hair while one hand rubbed. “Maybe we’ve been together too long?”
“Never long enough my Dragon. Are you happy?” Harry asked nervously.
“Yes, my love how could I not be and my parents will be thrilled!” Draco beamed.
Harry grinned wickedly. “Well before you contact them it’s time to teach you about Mother Goose.”
“Mother who?” Draco laughed as he pulled Harry in for a kiss.
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Puppy Love by Keikokin [ - ]
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