With Wings, You Can Fly
A.N: Hello! :D I'm terribly sorry about not updating sooner. Life has been pretty hectic this month, what with swim season coming to an end and math pretty much ruining my life. Darn that algebra two...anyway! This is the normal eight pages, since I got several reviews saying that these were at a perfect length! (:
Thanks to everyone who's reviewed, and those who are reading this! It really means a lot (:
Chapter Three: Telling Your Best Friends Is Scarier Than Telling Your Parents
Draco awoke with a sleepy yawn. The first thing he noticed was that he wasn't in his common room, and that he was sleeping on his stomach. He absolutely LOATHED sleeping on his stomach, so why was he now? Then he remembered. 'Ahh yes, my new appendages.' He grimaced. 'What I wouldn't do for a decent cup of coffee.' A black mug appeared floating in front of him. Draco grabbed it, sniffed it, and then took a huge gulp of the steaming coffee. "Ahhhhh..." He sighed. Mornings weren't complete without his coffee. He finished the delicious brew, and flung the covers back. A fleeting thought crossed his mind, 'Where's Potter?' But then he dismissed it. Who cared anyway? He thought for a moment. A wardrobe appeared, as well as a huge mirror, a shower, and a sink. He let a smile grace his features, and then strode towards the wardrobe. He opened it to find all of his favorite things to wear: a charcoal grey set of robes that hugged him in all the right places, midnight black skinny jeans that also hugged him where it counted, a Slytherin green button up shirt, and soft dragon hide boots that matched the robe. His eyebrow lifted as a tube of eyeliner appeared. Apparently the wardrobe knew him too well. He didn't often wear eyeliner, but when he had an outfit such as this he almost couldn't resist. Draco set the clothes (and eyeliner) onto the bed and then stepped out of his pants. The shower was already running, and it was just the right temperature. He stepped in and let himself be rained on for a few moments before lathering up his hair and making sure that he smelled appetizing for the day with his peaches and cream body wash. Fortunately, the shower was big enough to accommodate his wings. 'I'll have to find a way to retract them somehow.' Draco thought. He concentrated on his wings, and then tried to focus on pulling them in. They slowly condensed before snapping shut onto his back and then retracting into his skin. Draco mentally slapped him self on the (now wingless) back in congratulations. He finished up his shower and spelled himself dry. Draco did a tempus charm and saw that it was only seven o'clock. Deciding to go to class, he thought, would be a good idea. Missing the second day usually wasn't a bright idea. Only one hour until classes started, but it would be enough time to look amazing as usual. He carefully adjusted each piece of clothing until it suited his taste, and then took the eyeliner over to the mirror. Putting it on was the tricky bit, but once it was on there he looked fantastic. Then to his hair! Draco loved his hair, and now that it was long he planned to leave it that way. He'd tell everyone that his hair grew fast over night, but no one would probably ask anyway. Except Pansy, who had to know everything. Draco spelled his hair dry and then grabbed a brush that was on the mirror's little ledge. He hummed while dragging the brush carefully through his almost-white locks and then when he was finished he set it around his shoulders until he was satisfied with how he looked. Congratulating himself on looking absolutely gorgeous, Draco strutted across the room and out the door. He then proceeded to the Slytherin common rooms where he was stared at on entrance, got his bags for school, and headed towards the Great Hall for breakfast.
On entering the Great Hall, Draco immediately noticed two things. One, everyone was staring at him, and two, Potter was no where to be found. Draco gave a sneer, and then sat himself down in between Pansy and Blaise.
"Draco! Where did you go last night?" Blaise said as soon as Draco sat down.
Draco reached for a piece of toast, and then spread some jam onto it. Taking a bite, he said, "My chambers, relaxing. Why?"
Pansy glared. "You disappear from the Great Hall, running as if your life depended on it, and now you tell us you were relaxing? We're not as smart as you, Draco, but we aren't fools."
Blaise nodded in agreement.
Draco sighed. "I'll tell you both later. Just not here..." He nodded in the direction of the other Slytherins sitting near them.
"Very well. You look superb, by the way." Pansy stated, inspecting Draco's face and hair. "How did you grow your hair out so fast?" She asked, her eyes narrowing.
"It's part of what I can't tell you right now. But it's a very interesting tale." Draco smirked, knowing that Pansy was going to go insane if she didn't find out soon.
Pansy huffed. "What class do we have first?"
Blaise answered. "Herbology, with the Gryffindors." He shuddered. "I hope we aren't working with mandrakes or anything of the sort."
Draco laughed, remembering the last time they worked with mandrakes. Blaise hadn't faired well with them. "Hopefully not. I intend to explain all of this to you." Draco swept his hand down his chest, sitting up a bit taller.
Pansy's eyes gleamed with interest. "Fabulous! It's just to bad all the fit ones are gay, isn't it, Blaise?" Pansy looked Draco up and down.
Blaise rolled his eyes. "Whatever you say, Pansy."
The rest of breakfast went by fairly quickly, and Draco saw that Potter never showed up. He silently shrugged, and then walked with Pansy and Blaise to Herbology. 'Potter has to show up, sometime or another.' Was his last thought before entering into the classroom.
Harry was still sleeping when he heard noise in another room. Momentarily forgetting where he was, he reached for his glasses. Finding them on the bedside table, he remembered that he was staying with Sirius and Remus. Blushing, he also remembered that Sirius and Remus were in a relationship, and now he thought he knew what was happening before he knocked on the door. 'That would explain the cursing and shuffling noises...'
He walked into the kitchen to find Remus making breakfast, and Sirius trying not to fall asleep while reading the Daily Prophet.
"Says here that apparently tiny elephant-like creatures, named Splighters, drift into our ears while we sleep." Sirius snorted. "What rot, this belongs in the Quibbler."
Harry chuckled. "It does sound like something Luna's father would think up."
Both men started as Harry entered the room. He smiled brightly.
"You seem cheerier." Remus smiled back.
"I thought about it, and it's probably just a big misunderstanding." Harry said with a hop in his step. Grabbing a cup of tea, he added: "This is all just a joke that Draco is trying to play on me, that's all."
Remus looked at Sirius and grimaced. He knew that Harry wouldn't adjust to this easily. When was anything easy with Harry? He had James' blood, after all.
Sirius snorted again. "Where did you get those markings from, then?"
Harry smiled. "A spell. It's quite simple, really. A prank."
Remus shook his head. This was worse than he thought.
Taking a piece of toast, Harry finished off his cup of tea and then said, "Well, I'm off to class. I'll talk to you later!" He walked out the door, leaving a stunned Sirius and Remus trying to figure out what had just happened.
Sirius blinked. "That was scary."
Remus gave a half smile and said, "He never did believe in anything that he didn't want to believe was real. Hopefully he doesn't figure out that this isn't a joke the hard way."
Out in the hallway, Harry quickly put a glamour over himself before he left the corridor that Sirius' and Remus' room was located in. Humming a tune, he walked to his common rooms, grabbed his books, and then walked to Herbology where he knew that he would find Hermione and Ron. They would probably have tons of questions for him, but he would try to avoid them as much as he could.
"...and so, that's what I am." Draco finished telling Pansy and Blaise all that his mother had told him.
"What about Potter? He was in pain as well." Blaise pointed out, being observant as ever.
"He's my...mate..." Draco paused and flinched, waiting for the impact of Pansy's fist into his arm. It didn't come.
Both of his friends were standing and staring, the mouths gaping like fish.
"You mean to tell me that you and Potter, your nemesis and rival, are mates? As in going to be married one day? As in we'll have to be nice to him?" Pansy screeched. Luckily, Draco had thought to put a muffling charm around them.
Blaise just closed his mouth, and then it dropped open again in astonishment.
Draco propped Blaise's mouth closed with his hand. "Yes, yes, and not exactly. Well, not right away at least." Draco answered Pansy's questions.
Blaise was about to say something, but Harry's sudden arrival stopped him in mid sentence.
Draco looked at his best friends. "You'd better act natural, and don't say anything to scare him off." He gave his scariest look.
They both gulped, and then sneered in Potter's direction so that he wouldn't think that something was off.
Draco nodded in approval.
"Can we see your wings?" Blaise asked.
"I'd been meaning to ask that!" Pansy's eyes lit up. "I bet you're even more gorgeous with them!"
"Maybe later." Draco couldn't take his eyes of Harry. He looked slightly disheveled, but sexy all the same. His hair was messy but good looking, and his shirt's buttons were one off, making the bottom rise up a bit and the top swoop down. Draco almost drooled at the sight of Harry's tan, taunt stomach, but he resisted.
He stared at Harry for the rest of Herbology, and Harry just sat with his back to Draco. He saw that Harry was arguing about something with the other two thirds of the golden trio, but he couldn't tell what it was about.
"Harry, just where have you been?" Hermione prodded Harry's arm as he sat down.
"With Remus and Sirius." He looked down and noticed that his shirt was off one button. He must not have noticed when he got dressed that morning.
Ron sighed. "We didn't know where you were, so Hermione made us look all over the castle. I slept like a log after all that searching."
"Sorry mate, I would have told you where I was going but it was pretty sudden."
"What happened in the Great Hall?" Hermione fired one question off after another.
"I'm not sure, I think it might have been a prank or something." Harry lied.
"It looked like you were having a bad vision." Hermione worried, her eyebrows slanting.
"Don't be silly, I haven't had one of those since old Voldie has been gone." Harry shook his head at her.
"Dumbledore didn't know either?" Ron asked.
Harry shook his head. "He said that Malfoy might have had something to do with it." It wasn't a complete lie, at least.
"I should have known..." Ron scowled. "I'm going to beat the living daylights out of him!"
Hermione put a hand on his arm. "You already have detention for a month after starting that food fight." She reminded him. "Don't be stupid and start fights."
"Oh..yeah..." Ron sighed again. "I try to stand up for myself, and look where it gets me."
Harry chuckled. "It was pretty amazing though. I've never seen a food fight happen since we've been in school."
Hermione took note of Harry's sudden change of mood. Before he seemed genuinely happy, but now it seemed as if he were forcing himself to be in a cheery mood. It might have had something to do with Malfoy...if she could just figure out what it was.
Hermione cleared her throat. "Erm, Harry? Malfoy has been staring at you this whole time.
All three of the trio looked back, but as soon as they looked Draco looked away.
Harry looked uncomfortable. "Maybe he's just wondering why I was late."
Ron glared. "Or he's plotting something evil."
Harry gulped. "Probably..."
Hermione noted that as well. Harry seemed to know Malfoy's plots. She would just have to keep an eye out for interaction between the two of them from now on.
Draco looked away just in time. Potter, Granger, and the Weasel had all been staring at him. He sighed in relief, and then turned back to Pansy and Blaise.
He listened for two seconds, and then sunk back into his thoughts. 'I have to get Potter alone to explain this better. Or at least give the book back...' Draco vowed to corner Potter sometime that day and force the book back on him. It was the only way that he would accept being Draco's mate.
The class was dismissed, and Draco stood quickly. He planned to corner Potter while he was coming out of the Herbology room and ask to talk to him privately. Weasel might kick up a fuss, but he'd stop him quickly so as not to draw attention to himself.
Harry sat staring at the front of the room until class was over, and when it was, he tried to run out of the room as fast as he could. However, Ron caught his arm and Hermione grabbed the back of his robe before he could even take two steps towards the door.
"Hey!" Harry exclaimed. "I'm trying to escape!"
"We noticed." Hermione sniffed. "You're not getting away that easily." She glared.
She started to march Harry to the door, and Ron followed. At the doorway, Draco was standing right outside of it ready to pounce.
Right as Harry was shoved out of the classroom by an angry Hermione, Draco stuck his arm out and caught Harry in his grasp.
"Right then, Potter. I'll be talking to you, so come along." Draco tried to have a friendly tone so that Hermione and Ron wouldn't be suspicious.
His plan failed. "Where're you taking Harry, Malfoy?" Hermione grabbed Harry's arm and tried to tug him back.
"None of your business, Granger. Now let go!" Draco tugged back.
"Get off, slimy git!" Ron started towards Draco, but Harry stopped him before he could punch Draco in the face. Somehow, that didn't seem like it would help anything.
"I'll just go, and I'll meet up with you guys in the common room later." Harry shrugged out of Hermione's and Draco's grasps.
Both Hermione and Ron stood with their mouths open, and then Hermione suddenly stood up straight. "Come on then, Ron." She looked at Draco. "You'd better not harm him."
"I promise not to do anything too drastic, Granger." Draco smirked.
Draco dragged Harry to the Room of Requirement, where they could safely talk. After walking past the door three times, a door appeared once more. It was almost the same kind of room from last time, but it had green and silver décor instead of red and yellow. Much better, in Draco's opinion.
He led Harry inside and then sat him down. He pulled out the book from his pocket, and threw it to Harry.
Harry caught it with his seeker's reflexes, and stared at it.
"I thought you might want this back, seeing as you're fairly hopeless without it." Draco glanced at Harry, hoping for a 'thank you'.
Harry laughed. "You're still carrying on with this prank?" He laughed again, but it sounded nervous this time. Harry sat the book on the side of the couch.
"Prank?" Draco's eyes grew wide. "This isn't a prank, Potter. I think this is proof." Draco pulled off his shirt and flexed. His wings, white and majestic, exploded from his back and left Harry in a daze.
"Still think it's a prank?" Draco's eyes narrowed.
"Of course." Harry sat forward and put his elbows on his knees. "You couldn't possibly want me to be your mate."
Draco sighed. "Is this a prank, then?" He stood up and walked towards Harry, who was sitting across from him. He jerked Harry out of his seat by his arms, and pulled him into a rough embrace. Then, he let go slightly and looked at Harry's face. It looked like someone had slapped him.
"What in the hell was that for?" He slapped Draco's hands away. He looked shaken.
"I was attempting to prove myself, but apparently it's going to take more." Draco grabbed Harry again, and forced his mouth over his mate's. His lips fit perfectly over Harry's, and he tried to get Harry to respond by locking his arms around his waist, but Harry would have none of that. He shoved Draco away, and wiped his mouth. He looked even more shaken than before, but before he ran from the room, he grabbed the book that was still sitting beside him.
Draco ran his hands through his hair, and closed his eyes. 'Damn!' He sat back down. 'At least he took the book. I succeeded in that, at least...' He retracted his wings, and then walked back into the real world, where Pansy and Blaise were waiting for him.
Harry ran all the way to his room in Gryffindor, and shut himself into his bed by locking the curtains and throwing a silencing spell up. Breathing hard, he touched his lips.
'What the...? Malfoy kissed me? Not that it was horrible or anything...' He remembered the soft feel of Draco's lips on his. Harry mentally slapped himself. 'Of course it was horrible! It was Malfoy! You don't even know where those lips have been!' He thought. 'But why?' He slipped off into a fitful sleep, and woke when it was nearing the end of the day.
Hermione and Ron were in a state of wonder. Wondering where Harry was, wondering what Malfoy could have done to him, and wondering why their best friend was acting so weird.
"Do you think Malfoy killed him, then?" Ron asked Hermione.
"I should think not!" Hermione slapped her knee with her fist. "But where is he? He said that he would meet us here, in the common room!" She and Ron were seated in two of their three favorite arm chairs by the fire.
Just as Ron was about to reply, the stairs to the boy's common rooms creaked, signaling that they had a visitor. They glanced over, and saw that it was Harry.
"Harry!" Hermione yelled, as Ron exclaimed, "Mate!"
Harry muttered, "I'm no ones mate.." under his breath, but no one heard him.
"Did you say something?" Hermione asked.
"I just asked how long you guys have been sitting here." Harry tried to flatten his hair. Since he had been sleeping, his crazy hair was worse than normal.
"Forever!" Hermione answered. "What did Malfoy want?"
"Sorry. He just wanted to talk about the Great Hall. Dumbledore made him apologize." Harry quickly made up a lie that might seem believable.
"Did he apologize?" Ron sneered, as if he couldn't see Malfoy apologizing for anything.
"In not so many words..." Harry grimaced.
"So then, what's happened with the prank then? What did he do?" Hermione asked, her arms crossed.
"Uhh, he just put a spell on me that would give me weird tattoos." Harry found no reason to not tell them now. "Oh, and my hair grew too."
"Let me see!" Hermione looked harder at Harry, as if they would just appear.
Harry undid the glamours, showing his midnight black tattoos and long hair.
Hermione gasped, and Ron just gaped.
"Mate?" Ron asked. "What's this?"
"I just told you. Draco's prank..." Harry looked uncomfortable, and Hermione noticed.
"This isn't a prank. I've seen this before somewhere..." Hermione racked her brains. "Aha! I need to go to the library, I'll see you guys later!" Hermione sprinted off towards the door, and disappeared with a final shout of, "You should have told us sooner!"
Ron shrugged. "What's her deal?"
'I think I'm screwed...' Harry thought as he imagined Hermione searching through piles of books, just steps away to figuring out his true identity.
A.N: Aha, oh Harry, if only you knew! Just to add one more quick thing that I couldn't put at the beginning! I imagine Harry in this chapter as trying to convince himself that Draco is pulling a prank on him, but he knows that it's all real inside! I see him as slightly discheveled and confused, and in the scene with Remus and Sirius, I see him with one of those really scary-happy grins that says, "I'm not really happy, but I'm going to pretend to be!" :D it made me laugh when I re-read it. I'll try to upload soon! (: