Magical Menagerie || Drarry

Part 2

Harry landed right inside the door of Ron and Hermione's small shared flat. Calling out, "Sorry, I'm late!" as he shucked his work boots.

Hermione came out of the kitchen and engulfed him in a hug, "Harry, I was starting to worry! Ron just took the shepherds pie out of the oven."

Harry smiled, he loved Ron's cooking and it only got better every time he tried it. It seemed like out of all the Weasley children, Ron was the one to have inherited Molly's knack for cooking.

"Hey, mate!" Ron said, floating out the steaming shepherd's pie and a basket of buns, giving Harry a quick one-armed hug and pulling him along with the food to the small square table.

Conversation fell to the wayside as they all sat and the food was dished out still steaming and too hot to eat.

"Why were you late?" Hermione asked, "You're still doing foot patrol so it wouldn't be work."

"Could be with the amount of paperwork we have to do," Ron bemoaned dramatically.

Harry nodded and picked up his fork, toyed with it between his finger and thumb. He was tempted not to tell them. The day had almost felt like a dream he wanted to keep all to himself, even if he had been turned down at the end.

Harry told them anyway, "I was at Magical Menagerie."

"Oh!" Hermione said excitedly, "You finally went? Did you pick out something?"

"Not this again," Ron groaned faintly, "I mean, nothing against pets but..."

Hermione rolled her eyes, "Just because you've had a few bad experiences-"

"A few? A few?" Ron's eyebrows shot up in disbelief, "My first pet turned out to be a murderous rogue animagus!"

Hermione grimaced.

"My next was an owl so annoying other owls loathed him and he was so small he was utterly useless!" Ron went on.

"Well, he is an inter-city mail owl," Harry said, "So he really wasn't suited for Hogwarts or Burrow, they're too far away."

Ron and Hermione stared at him.

"Where'd that come from?" Hermione asked in surprise.

"That's the thing," Harry said, "from Draco Malfoy."

"What!?" Ron blurted.

Hermione blinked rapidly, leaning back slightly in her chair.

"He owns Magical Menagerie now and he's-" Harry floundered slightly, spreading his hands to try and encompass how mind-blowing the whole experience had been, "-Everything's different. There's light from big windows and all the little wire cages have been replaced with muggle glass tanks with extension charms on and he has rooms for the cats and an aviary full of stuff and and he's- he's- He knows everything about the animals and making them comfortable and happy and wouldn't sell a creature unless he knew it would be treated well-"

Ron held up as hand to stop him, shaking his head, "Malfoy? Poncy arsehole Malfoy?"

Harry nodded, "Apparently, he lectures up at Hogwarts once a fortnight with Hagrid."

Ron sounded like he was in pain, "Ferret-face? Helping Hagrid? After the whole Buckbeak thing?"

"I wouldn't believe it either if I hadn't seen it myself," Harry said with a rueful smile, "It's really something and... animals really like him. It's hilarious the way they flock to him and the way he talks to them like they're people..." he trailed off not even sure how he could explain.

"An aviary and a room for the cats." Hermione repeated thoughtfully, "and the tanks with extensions charms, how many do you think he has?"

"Thirty or so, I'd reckon," Harry guessed, "Has a massive folder of permits for them."

Hermione tapped her chin thoughtfully, "He'd have to. They can make a mess if not handled properly, especially that many and so close to muggle London."

"This is too much for me," Ron said, taking a huge bite of pie and huffed frantically when it was too hot.

Hermione's brow was furrowed, "I just don't understand why. The Malfoy's didn't lose much in war reparations, certainly not enough to ever need to work. He doesn't need the money so why does he care?"

Harry set his fork down, "Maybe he just understands what it's like living in a cage."

Hermione blinked.

"Or maybe he just likes animals," Harry shrugged, tearing a roll open and spreading butter on the warm bread.

Hermione looked down at her plate, her mouth pinched in a way that reminded Harry of McGonagall.

Ron paused his fork halfway to his mouth, "It's a tricky thing, you know?" He looked from Harry to Hermione and realizing they weren't following, he elaborated, "Realizing Malfoy's a real person. He's always seemed a bit..." he squinted, "like a cheesy comic book villain."

Hermione couldn't help but start smiling, "Do you remember when we snuck out for that midnight duel?"

Ron snorted into his glass of water.

Harry grinned, "Or when he climbed a tree just to mock me?"

Hermione laughed.

Ron pointed at her with his fork, "When you walloped him and he ran off with his tail between his legs?"

"And the badges!" Harry snickered, "They made me so mad but they were just ridiculous!"

"There were at least a hundred," Hermione gasped, "Can you imagine how long it took him to make them all?!"

They all looked at one another and burst out laughing, settling into snickers and easy smiles. Ron had turned red as his hair and Hermione brushing tears of laughter from the corner of her eyes.

Harry's smile turned nostalgic and distant, "That would have nice, I think... Growing up with stupid fights and petty arguments and not what it all became."

Hermione echoed his smile, "We all had to grow up far too fast." She sighed and wiped her eyes again.

Harry ruffled his hand through his hair.

"Come on," Ron groused lightheartedly, "are you lot going to eat or what?"

"Yeah alright, mate," Harry laughed. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Crookshanks sleeping all stretched out on a threadbare cushion. The old cat sighed in his sleep and rolled onto his back, curling into a half moon.

Harry blinked as a thought entered his mind and slowly grew. He was afraid to even breath lest he lose hold of it. He ducked his head and ate a few bites of the pie before venturing, "Have you ever thought about getting another cat?"

Hermione narrowed her eyes, "You are not subtle at all, Harry James Potter. What are you up to?"

Harry widened his eyes, the picture of innocence, "There's just a cat I think you ought to meet."

"I'm in," Ron said round a mouthful of bun and potatoe.

"You are?" Hermione smiled incredulously.

Ron nodded, "See Malfoy tending shop with all his wee birdies? That's an image to keep a man warm on a cold winter night."

"You're awful, Ron," Hermione said.

"So you'll come?" Harry asked.

Hermione sounded resigned but smiled faintly, "Yes, we'll come."