"otherwise, I don't really exist." -- drabbled inspired sl sample.

written for: /goldenxboy

It had been a very long time since Tansy had made close contact with any sort of wizard. A very, very long time, and an even longer time since she had become attached to one. The last time she allowed herself to do such a thing it was with Merlin, and in the end, she only found herself hurt. She figured that every other wizard type had to be the fickle kind. It wasn't as if the fairies weren't fickle themselves, but Pookas were different, especially when they found that one person that they trusted enough to want to be around them for longer than just a couple of fleeting days. Although, her kind weren't very welcomed everywhere - unless they were being used for their special powers to tell the future.

Tansy had been traveling for very long - visiting different places on earth. Meeting new people. That's how she ended up here, although she really didn't know where here was until she met that very kind tall bearded man in the forest that she had been taking refuge in for the past few days.

"The Forbidden Forest." He said it was called.

What made it so forbidden? Tansy wondered. It didn't look very forbidden to her. It didn't feel forbidden either. Was it because it was so large and ominous? Dark and mysterious? But, it was full of so many wonderful creatures. Dangerous, but fascinating. People always feared what they couldn't fully understand. It was human nature.

"It's full o' alot o' dangerous things." The man explained when she had asked. "The students are forbidden to come in here, unless o' course they've got me to look after 'em."

Tansy thought this man was very brave. He didn't seem to fear the forest or the creatures living within its embrace. In fact, he was kind to them, engrossed by them even. Tansy admired it. She had decided then and there that she would befriend him then - following him out of the forest and straight into the tiny little hut that he lived in at the very edge of the treeline. She could tell that he wasn't a normal man. Far too big and tall for that. And he smelled much too different from a normal mortal. There was giant blood in his veins - he wasn't fully one, but Tansy could tell that it was there. He shushed her when she dared to speak the words out loud.

"Ya never know who's listenin'" He'd say.

Apparently, it was supposed to be a secret, and then he would change the subject on her and start talking about how he taught students from the school and helped them learn about magical creatures. Tansy found it offensive that he'd want to keep such a wondrous thing about him a secret - she found it offensive that he shushed her about it, but she figured everyone had their reasons to keep secrets. She had a few of her own. Nonetheless, she asked further questions about him, but he didn't seem to want to answer them - she was just curious to know about his life. Tansy wanted to hear his story, but he didn't seem inclined to share - perhaps he just simply didn't trust her yet, and so, she had decided to ask him about the children that he spoke about and the school instead.

"Hogwarts? What a delightfully silly name that is for a school! I don't even think hogs could get warts." She giggled, "Witches and wizards you say? I had a lover who was a wizard! I've yet to meet a witch, however. I'd like to meet them! I'd like to go! I've never been in school before!" Tansy exclaimed, jumping out of his bed and looking out of the hut's window at the towering castle that stood off in the distance. But, Hagrid - that was his name, had told her that she wasn't allowed to do any of that. Magical creatures were not allowed into Hogwarts, especially not any mysterious ones from the Forbidden Forest. They would get into a lot of trouble if she was discovered inside of Hogwarts, and it was uncovered that he had been allowing her to stay at his hut. It was reckless behaviour, but  it wouldn't be the first time Hagrid had concealed a magical creature. However, he was beginning to wonder if he had told her too much information, honestly, but this was always the sort of trouble that he found himself with whenever he'd be a little too friendly with strange little creatures from the forest. He couldn't be blamed with this one. There was something about her that swayed him to take a quick liking to her, and something that caused him to want to divulge all of this extra information to her. She was captivating, with her Cheshire grin and wild gaze. What could she do, really? She seemed small and harmless, she was human looking enough for him to make up a lie if she was caught living in his hut. It wouldn't be a problem keeping her around, for as long as she'd want to stay. Besides, he was curious about her and wanted to learn about the type of creature that she was. It was in his nature to want to learn about magical creatures, Hagrid couldn't resist.

This was how Tansy had come across Harry Potter. The messy-haired boy with the glasses that Hagrid constantly spoke about. He had caught her attention two weeks ago on the afternoon that she had seen him leaving Hagrid's hut. She had been out and about with Hagrid's dog, Fang, collecting special plants for Hagrid, she had promised to make him a very special Pooka tea in return for his kindness.

She had approached Harry then, she introduced herself immediately to him for what she was - The Pooka. There was no reason for her to hide it, but she kept her friendship to Hagrid to herself. She wasn't doing any one any harm, so there was really no need for Harry to know. He'd only tell Hagrid about her and Hagrid would get upset. There was no need for that. No need for that at all.

Tansy expected Harry to be fascinated by her - enthralled, but instead he seemed nervous, unsure of her. Tansy wasn't entirely sure what had pulled her towards him, besides her own curiosity, but there was just something behind his green eyes that entrapped her. Something tragic, troubling, and that oddly shaped scar against his forehead, from the moment she had touched it, she knew that it held something sinister behind it. It explained why he probably felt uncertain about her at first glance. Too many bad things happened to him. Too many bad people in his life. Tansy wanted to protect him, to take away the pain that the scar brought him. She could do that for him. She could do anything he wanted her to, as long as he offered her benevolence.

He had left her that day they had met, but it wasn't the very last time she appeared to him.

Behind Hagrid's back, Tansy began to follow Harry everywhere. Even into the school. She was there during his flying broom games, she was there as he ate, and she was there in between his classes. She was always there, but only to him for now. Tansy left him little gifts to wake up to, and played pranks on those who bothered him - even played a few pranks during his classes to make them a little less boring.

It wasn't her goal to make him scared of her, it was her goal to make him see that she meant him no harm. She wanted him to see that his good will towards her would result in good things from her towards him. She wanted him to see the nice and amazing things she could do. Tansy wanted Harry to trust her. To ask her for things. She wanted to be near him, and in turn, she wished that he wanted her to be near him as well.

On this particular occasion, she had awoken next to his sleeping form. It was morning, she could tell from the sound of chirping birds outside of his window, and the sound of shuffling and muffled voices from the little wizards and witches that were waking up from their slumber. Tansy felt cold and lonely last night, and Hagrid was far too big to cuddle next to - she could've cuddled with Fang, but she didn't feel in the mood to get drooled on, Harry seemed like the right person to go to at the moment. His body was so warm and inviting. She enjoyed sleeping next to him.Tansy was sure that he wouldn't mind. She was in the nude, but Tansy really didn't give it too much thought. This was natural and normal to her kind. Harry hadn't even noticed her there until her fingers were caressing his back, connecting the scattered freckles upon it, and the wild curls of her hair tickled his skin.

Once he had awoken, Tansy met him with one of her trademark impish grins - wide and bright. However, she didn't really have much time to greet him with a good morning, before another boy came into the picture. The curtain that surrounded Harry's bed was pulled aside and there he stood, Neville, there to wake him up.

Tansy knew who he was. One of Harry's friends. One of the boys that shared the room with him. He really loved plants. He also had a toad, Trevor - which by the way, was quite the prankster, he was always running off and disappearing on Neville, just to get a laugh. Tansy liked Neville, Tansy liked Neville's toad. But, this didn't mean she'd allow herself to appear to him. Thus far, none of Harry's friends knew of her existence. Tansy didn't full trust any of them yet. There was a big possibility that they'd run and tell and they'd ruin all the fun for Harry and herself. That wouldn't be very fair.

Nevertheless, she didn't think that Harry knew that she was invisible until she chose not to be. He was frozen to his spot on the bed, eyes as wide as saucers. He looked like a deer in headlights. Tansy could tell that his mind was running through so many thoughts, she could feel it and she giggled when he turned around to look at her - wiggling her fingers in a silent hello. Yes, she was still there, but he was safe. Tansy was a smart little Pooka.

Harry turned back to face Neville and finally give him a hurried answer. Neville nodded and dropped the curtains, leaving Harry alone again, with Tansy of course.

"Bloody hell." Harry uttered and Tansy brought her hand to press itself against his chest. His heart was beating loudly, good thing it wasn't a possibility that it would jump straight out of his chest. That would've been rather unfortunate. He needed it to live.

Again, Tansy giggled and bit at her bottom lip. Her brows raised. "That would've been messy if I couldn't hide as well as I seeked." She exclaimed, "I can only be found when I want to be found. I can only make a sound if I wish to be loud, otherwise, I don't really exist." She continued, leaning forward to place a soft kiss upon Harry's cheek. Her hand slid from his chest to his abdomen then, before swiftly ripping the sheets from his body and wrapping them around her own like a makeshift dress. Tansy stood on the mattress and starred down at him with a mad look in her eyes and a wide smile on her face. "What are we doing today, Harry?! Classes with serious snake, or monocle? Ooh! Or that one woman, Trelawney. I fancy her. A topsy turvy oracle, but still on the path..." She mused to herself. Trelawney was really the only one Tansy had bothered to actually remember the correct name to. Maybe because she also fancied the name? Maybe because it started with a T like hers did? There was really never an explanation as to why Tansy chose to like some more than others.

Tansy jumped on Harry's bed once, before dropping down to straddle his hips and lean forward, closing the space between their faces - she didn't really understand the concept of personal space and why people always stressed so much about it. "Let's do that first, Harry! I want to see what she has to say today!" She didn't understand how class schedules worked either.