Alternate Reward
Even though Draco trekked on in hopes of finding a perfect place to sunbathe, coming across Harpy sprawled out in the middle of the paved dirt road startled her. Her mouth dropped open, and as she wiped sweat off her brow, Draco hurried over to Harpy and shouted her name.
Harpy panted, her eyes closed as if drifting off to sleep. Her shallow breaths, coming in as quick, deep gasps, pierced Draco's ears. Her voluminous hair was matted, each strand slick with sweat, and Draco made out pieces of flaky scalp in between Harpy's tresses.
Yet, it was the scorched red of Harpy's cheeks that made Draco's shock intensify. Harpy was always a pale girl with little color to her complexion such as how when she blushed, she became tomato red. The deep scarlet hue slathered to Harpy's cheeks and brow seemed unnatural to Draco, who quickly knelt by her.
She shook Harpy, stirring the songstress into making a faint, mewling chirp. The pitiful sound was enough for Draco's mouth to spread into a relieved grin, but she was knew Harpy was not well. She reached behind her qipao, telling Harpy that she had a beverage.
Harpy's eyes fluttered. She laced her fingers across her stomach, feeling the damp material of her dress cling to her knees and shoulders like she was wearing an ill-fitting smock. Spots pricked her vision, transforming bits of Harpy's body into a coiled mess. The bold crimson of Draco's outfit mingled her white gloves, forming a bubblegum pink hue to coat Harpy's vision.
Harpy's lips moved as she attempted to sing. She managed a feeble hum, her voice hoarser than usual. In her efforts to sing, she failed to notice the strained expression on Draco's face, who was fighting the temptation to cover her ears.
"Here, here, drink up," Draco crooned, unclasping a leather canteen from off her waist. The indented lines on Harpy's lips prompted Draco to lick her own.
Draco uncapped the canteen and set it to Harpy's mouth. Harpy's lips puckered as if she was going in for an inexperienced kiss. Draco gripped the back of Harpy's head, steadying her whimpering friend. Harpy took in long gulps, savoring the crisp water gliding along her tongue. Draco watched Harpy's throat bulge with every swallow, counting five gulps when Harpy leaned back, a sign ghosting past her lips.
"How are you holding up? Is that enough or do you want more? If you want more water, just tell me," Draco asked, rubbing Harpy's back in small circles and pulling back her canteen.
Taking in a few experimental breaths, Harpy gazed ahead. Her expression remained neutral as she took in her surroundings. The shoreline in the distance seemed like a dusty mirage, but saltwater mingled with the heat permeating in the air, confirming the ocean was real. Harpy blinked away her weariness and set her sights on Draco, who continued piercing her with wide eyes.
Smiling, Harpy flew into the air, her wings flapping a gust of cooler wind onto them. She clasped her hands, twirling in place and feeling like she had been reborn. The water soothed her entire body as if the liquid drowned the queasy impurities squeezing her belly and chest.
"Well, that's a good sign!" Draco proclaimed, setting her knuckles to her hips. Noticing Harpy taking a deep breath, she chuckled and added, "Oh! You're gonna sing me a song of gratitude, aren't ya? Yeah, yeah, do that! Gorgeous girls always can use praise!"
Harpy opened her mouth, but no song emerged. She hesitated, her fingers unclasping, and she rubbed her throat. She felt nothing bulging to block her airwaves. When she tried to sing again, only a muted squeak passed over her tongue.
Draco tilted her head, her tail slapping the ground behind her as she barked, "Hey, come on! I don't have all day. I have a tan to get while the sun's nice, hot, and low."
Harpy tapped her chin, supposing she was far more parched than she thought. She was unsure of how long she had been lying on the ground, but as a general estimate, she believed it had been around a solid half hour. The heat must have completely stripped Harpy of her innate musicality and even her speaking voice. With the dreadful sun nearly burning her to a smoldering crisp, she wondered if the lingering dizziness in her mind could have affected her natural singing.
"So? Anything?" Draco asked, half-lidded gaze narrowing into an irritated glare. She certainly did not have all day to wait for Harpy's gratitude. Despite being a self-proclaimed generous girl, her vanity continued shining through as her desire to tan itched her skin.
Harpy lowered herself to Draco's level. With her toes tickling the path, she grinned and nodded. She always had other ways of paying people back even if they could not be graced with her lovely singing.
As Draco's eyes widened, Harpy kissed the tip of her pointed nose. She pulled away, quickly holding her ruddy cheeks and suppressed a giggle. Fleeting embarrassment brushed against her heart as Draco yelped, pinching her nose as if she was trying to stop blood from dribbling out of her nostrils.
"Wh-wh-what the heck was that? Y-you're supposed to sing for me! You can't just, you know, kiss people so suddenly!" Draco blurted, but Harpy continued miming laughter. Fuming, Draco shook her fists as Harpy took flight. Demanding Harpy to return, Draco leaped up and down like a child throwing a tantrum.
As Harpy flew off towards the forest to seek comfort under the cool shade of a tree, she continued holding her face. She swooped low and high, engrossed in a girlish euphoria. Her grin felt natural staying into her cheeks.
Twirling in mid-air as she entered the forest, Harpy uncovered the song from deep within her soul and belted it. The off-key notes shot through the trees and harmed anyone who came near, but she was too blissful to notice little Panotty collapsing into a bush and covering his ears. As she flew and sang, Harpy relished in her merriment, and the thought of Draco's flustered expression kept her light and airy against the monstrous heat.
As Harpy sprung off, Draco rubbed her nose and glared at the ground. She grumbled under her breath, wondering why Harpy could not have normally praised her with flowery words and grand gestures. Even if she wanted appreciation, she realized her ears also would not have withstood Harpy's melodies. Draco cringed, imagining herself writhing on the ground as Harpy sung her praises. An icy shudder raced up from the tip of her tail to the top of her head, mixing poorly with the heat baking her. Shaking her head, Draco supposed getting kissed was better than listening to Harpy's shrill singing as the reverberations of Harpy's distant song pricked her ears.
"Well, gorgeous girls deserve to be kissed! Yeah! That's it!" Draco shouted, throwing her head back and laughing. "Especially heroic and kind ones like me! Beautiful and benevolent, that's me!"
Marching off towards the ocean, Draco's steps were like she was walking on air. She continued tapping her nose, the lingering warmth of Harpy's lips spreading to the rest of her face. Snickering, Draco pumped her fist into the air and vowed to get the best tan to really impress Harpy.