Harry Potter and The Vanished Slytherin Prince

Chapter 16

Draco's perspective of his cat-year

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(DRACO'S POV)

Things are simpler, as a cat. Emotions are not as complex and thoughts so carefully worded. Maybe that's why, even when he's alone in a hidden place, Draco remains in that form.

Maybe he's not ready to face the empty loneliness of this new stage of his life, the one where he doesn't even have the company of his muggle friends - where he can't even talk to Celeste , his best friend in the world.

But being a cat does not mean he's impervious to hunger, which is why he's stalking around behind a muggle club, sniffing the air to scout out something. Anything.

And he's in luck. Draco silently lands inside the men's loo, shifts back back to his old body, paying careful attention to the noises coming from the cubicle before snatching up the fallen jeans and tshirt and slipping into the thudding music and flashing lights of the main floor.

Unused to the club scene, Draco's senses are overwhelmed even dulled as they are in this form.

He resigns himself to flirting with the broad shouldered man who's watching him with interest, in hopes he could coax him into buying Draco some fish and chips.

But then, his luck abruptly runs out.

Potter's here.

He turns away just as Potter's head lifts, like he instinctively knows Draco's only ten feet behind him.

Against the urge to stay. Stay with Potter. Draco turns and walks straight out the front door.

He's not sure if Potter saw him. Doesn't know if he's following Draco out. But if he turns... he won't be able to walk away a second time.

So Draco doesn't turn, he leaves the thumping and pulsing building behind, walking as fast as he dares without attracting attention to himself.

He's barefoot, too. His cold feet ache as he hurries along the street.

He passes by a muggle man leaning against the wall suspiciously, but Draco doesn't have time to deal with him - not here, not in full view of where Potter is undoubtedly only seconds behind.

Draco strips naked quickly, concentrating hard on the clothes to send them back where they came from - hopefully unnoticed. He could do it instantly if he had a wand, but he's foolishly stopped carrying his.

"Oi!" The muggle says blankly as he turns the corner, knife in hand, to find Draco naked and very clearly with nothing of value on his person.

"Obliviate." Draco says almost desperately. It doesn't work, the man only stares in bewilderment.

He approaches the man, who is still baffled enough to not try to slash Draco with his knife. Draco touches his forehead.

" Obliviate ." He tries again, hearing Potter's footsteps coming up quickly.

It works.

The man stumbles back slightly, and in that second of memories resetting, Draco shifts back into his cat form and jumps up onto the fence surrounding the alley, just in time to see Potter turn the corner.

Potter disarms the man easily before he realizes there's someone behind him.

"Excuse me sir, are you attempting to mug that cat?" Potter asks, sounding a little amused.

"Erm, no?" The muggle responds.

With all the skill of a boy hero and former auror to boot, Potter pins the man to the wall and examines the contents of his person, his pockets, hands, et cetera.