Disclaimer: I don't own HP. I wish I did because then I could bring Fred and Severus and Hedwig back but ah well. I guess I'll just die of a broken heart.
Author's Note: I hope you like this. I thought it was cute. It's sad but it's got a very sweet ending. Enjoy! :)
Thank you Liz (Liz Jean Tonks) for beta reading. Means a lot. :)
Harry, Ron, and Hermione walked out into the busy streets of London. They were on a mission, a somber one, but a mission nevertheless.
The week previously, Hagrid's beloved boarhound, Fang, had passed away. The trio had bene incredible saddened by this news for they remembered fondly all the times they had visited Hagrid in his hut and Fang had always licked their hands or slobbered on their robes, always happy to see friends.
Now, a week later, the trio was in Muggle London to buy something special for Hagrid, for earlier that morning, they had received a morose letter from their friend.
He had asked them for tea the next day and the trio had replied quickly, saying that, of course, they would be there. Knowing Hagrid so well, though, and also seeing the tear stains on the parchment, Harry, Ron, and Hermione knew Hagrid was lonely and that he needed a companion.
And so they left Grimmauld Place early that morning, going out and starting to scour every pet store they came across for the perfect partner for the gamekeeper.
Eventually, Harry, Ron, and Hermione stepped inside the ninth store, growing tired and annoyed now, but determined not to give up. They had seen plenty of beautiful, kind, adorable dogs but none of them had the same charisma as Fang. They knew that it was probably silly to look for a dog that looked like Fang and behaved like Fang and loved like Fang, but they couldn't help it.
As they looked around the shop, the clerk stepped out from behind the counter. "Can I help you?" she asked kindly.
Hermione smiled. "Hi, yes, we're looking for a dog. Um, we're not really sure what kind, but . . . we think we'll know it when we see it."
The clerk nodded and smiled. "Right this way." She led the three of them into a back room where multiple cages sat, all of a different size, holding different types of dogs and cats everywhere you looked.
The trio looked thoroughly. They smiled at the dogs and spoke kind words to them, but they didn't see a dog that jumped out at them until they were just about to leave.
It was Ron who heard it. He was near the back of the room when an apprehensive whine reached his ears. He turned, and in the corner, there was a big cage in which sat a large black puppy.
"Hey, Harry," Ron called behind him, bending down and smiling at the dog.
"What is it?" Harry asked, him and Hermione coming over.
"What about him?" Ron said softly, gesturing to the big pup. His fur was ebony black except for a little pink nose, and his paws were as big as teacups. The big flappy ears on the side of his head almost covered his eyes which gleamed with an adorable cuteness, not unlike Harry's godson, Teddy.
"Aw!" Hermione said, grinning broadly. "He's adorable!" she said happily. "Ma'am?" she called to the clerk.
"Yes, miss?" the woman said kindly, bustling over.
"What about this little guy here?" Hermione asked, looking back at the puppy.
"Oh, now, that's Pumpkin," the shopkeeper said fondly. "Poor thing's been sitting there for a year. He's so big, you see? Don't get many customers in here wanting a dog that large," she said sadly.
The trio exchanged a look. "He'll be perfect for our friend," Hermione said. A few minutes later, Ron had wrapped a thick leash around the puppy's neck, who was jumping and yowling happily, eager to be freed from his crate.
Harry had gladly handed over the proper amount of Muggle money for Pumpkin, as well as a new leash and collar and some big chew toys. The trio left the shop happily, Pumpkin gambling around their feet.
And an hour later, the trio found themselves being crushed by one of Hagrid's massive hugs, while Pumpkin lay curled up happily, snoozing on one of Fang's old blankets.