INTERTWINING ROADS

CHAPTER 22: ITS RAINING CATS AND DOGS

"Get that hairy thing away from me... right now." Draco said, quite disgusted.

"But dad, come on! She won't bite you." Diane urged.

"Your mom had one of those before and trust me when I say this, that every time it looked at me, it would secretly plan how to murder me." Draco said.

"Does she look like that?" Diane asked, holding up the wet, drenched kitten in her arms.

Draco looked at the little creature. It sneezed.

Combine that with the pleading look on his daughter's face, it was enough to melt his tough exterior just a little bit.

"Alright. Give me the thing." Draco said, defeatedly.

"Thank you dad. And she is not a thing. She has a name." Diane said.

"And what is that?" Draco asked.

"Miss. Fluffy." Diane replied promptly, looking at the kitten with happy eyes.

Draco controlled the laugh that was threatening to burst out of his mouth.

Typical name for a typical cat.

"That's.... great. It really is." Draco said, trying not to laugh.

"Thank you. Now please dry her off dad. I don't know how to." Diane said, with a pout.

The cat meowed once he started to dry its fur.

"Where is your mother anyways? I havent seen her after you returned from the park." Draco asked.

"Umm.... she... umm, is bathing the puppy." Diane said nervously.

"There is a puppy too?!" Draco asked, quite surprised.

"Yes, there is. Presenting Mr. Waldorf. We call him waldo for short." Hermione said, smiling widely, as she came into the living room, holding a clean and cute puppy.

"We are?" Draco asked.

"Yeah. I named him." Hermione said happily.

"Yeah... honey? Pets? Now?" Draco asked.

"Well, they were abandoned at the park and it was raining outiside. I couldn't just leave them there." Hermione said. "Besides, now Diane has someone to play with." She said.

"Please? Can we keep them dad? Please? I will take good care of them. Promise. I will feed them and bathe them and play with them and put them to bed. I really will. So please?" Diane asked.

Draco looked at his daughter and then the two animals.

The puppy wagged its tail while looking at him from Hermione's arms.

"Fine. Ok. Sure. Why not?" Draco said.

"Yay!" Diane cheered and laughed.

Draco and Hermione smiled. Diane took the animals to her room once they were dry.

"Are you sure about this? We have to remain careful now. We may have to leave here any time. The last thing we need is extra luggage." Draco said.

"I am sure. She needs someone to play with her when we cannot. And I know that we may have to move elsewhere if things go out of hand. But I am pretty sure it won't." Hermione said, looking at Draco. "I won't allow it to go out of hand." She said with determination.

Draco smiled at her courage and placed a small kiss on her forehead.

"Today is potion day. Did you have any sudden magic outbursts today?" Hermione asked.