Chapter Four- Finishing and Starting
Harry stared at his reflection Friday morning at the silver horn that extended from his forehead. It looked to be about a foot and a half long, maybe even two feet. All in all, it was elegant, beautiful, and completed his change to a half-unicorn. He ran a hand along the horn's length, and imagined the attention this new feature would get. Today would be very interesting, despite having Potions class before dinner.
He trotted downstairs and received the comment his housemates gave him as he left the Common Room with his friends beside him.
"Awesome horn, Harry," Ron commented. "How long do you think it is?"
"Not sure. What do you think, Hermione?" Harry asked.
She studied it for a moment. "I'd say a foot, maybe a foot and a quarter long."
Harry nodded and felt his head dip a little lower. Whoa, I didn't notice the weight of my horn before. Now that I think about it, I'll need to put some distance between myself and people so I don't accidentally hurt them. I mean, the tip of my horn is pointed.
Harry scratched behind his ear. Something about Malfoy seemed…different today. They were sitting in double Potions class and while Harry worked on his assignment, he kept glancing at Malfoy. Maybe it was the dim lighting, but Malfoy's blond hair seemed streaked with silver. Harry shook his head slightly, mindful of the horn. He was imagining things.
Malfoy didn't understand what was going on. He woke up this morning to find silver hair mixed in with the blond. He knew it wasn't his imagination, so what was causing it? Perhaps his hair was aging prematurely. Yes, that could be it despite both of his parents still having all their hair blond. When the bell rang, Malfoy was out the door in a flash, dashed up to the first floor bathroom, and looked in the mirror. There seemed to be even more silver than before and his hair had lengthened to just past his shoulders! What is going on? What's happening to me? Draco thought, panic-stricken. He headed down to dinner, worried about the fact that his hair was changing color and length. His housemates hadn't noticed the silver this morning, but surely they would notice now. When he sat down, Pansy said, "Draco, what's going on with your hair? Did someone hex you?"
"You know, it could be. I'm going to ask Pomfrey to undo it after dinner." Malfoy was true to his word; once he finished eating, he headed up to the Hospital Wing. Pomfrey was closing the curtains when Malfoy strode in. "Madam Pomfrey, I believe someone hexed me. Is it possible for you to undo it?"
Pomfrey bustled over to Malfoy and examined his hair, running some of it through her fingers. She ran her fingers over his lower back and felt a familiar bump. "Mr. Malfoy, this isn't a hex. It seems you are a half-unicorn as well."
Malfoy recoiled at the news. "What? I'm half-unicorn, too? But, how?"
"Well, did you touch a unicorn recently or maybe Potter since he's half-unicorn? Either way would trigger your half-unicorn recessive gene."
"Potter did brush past me yesterday morning. When I woke up this morning, I had streaks of silver in my hair."
"I see; just a light brush can trigger it."
"Can you stop it?"
"I'm afraid nothing can stop it. It's part of you, Mr. Malfoy. I should add that your tail is starting to grow."
"Part of me? My…tail!?" Malfoy repeated. No! My housemates will think I'm a freak, like Potter.
"Come now, Mr. Malfoy. You're part of a rare group of people. Plus, the girls will love you."
"Well, Draco, is this a permanent hex?" Pansy asked upon seeing Draco with his hair still silver and a little longer as well.
"It's not a hex. Madam Pomfrey said I'm half-unicorn too."
Pansy's mouth dropped. "You are? But how?"
"Pomfrey said by either touching a unicorn or half-unicorn, it triggers my recessive gene. I told her that Potter brushed past me yesterday morning."
"So, it's Potter's fault."
"It would have been hard to not be in contact with Potter when we have classes together. Besides, I didn't know I was half-unicorn." He paused for a few minutes before adding softly, "You think I'm a freak now, don't you?"
"What? No way, Draco. I think it's cool you're half-unicorn." Pansy fingered Draco's now waist-length silver hair. "So silky; just like a unicorn's," she sighed happily.
Draco wanted to flinch away at first, but then he closed his eyes in pleasure. This is nice, he thought. Oh, this is really nice, he thought a few minutes later when he felt more hands stroking his mane. Being half-unicorn doesn't seem so bad if I'm going to get touched like this.
When Draco went to get ready for bed, he saw the silver changing to white and found his tail half-grown and pure white already. I'll probably have a full white tail and mane in the morning. He climbed into bed and fell asleep.
He awoke to something sliding over his pajama covered legs and craned his neck to see a white unicorn tail swishing across his legs, a hole in his pants where the tail had burst through. He leaned over and ran a hand down the tail; it was just as silky as his mane. He got up and looked in a mirror to see that his hair was white and he brushed his bangs back to join his mane before looking back to see his tail ended at his ankles.
I look kind of cool and cute, he thought as he used a charm to put tail holes in his pants before getting dressed. He soon left the Common Room after receiving compliments and pets and was heading up to breakfast. He strolled into the Great Hall where everyone stared at his mane and tail as he had dispensed with his robes as it was Saturday. He let his tail hang over the bench as he sat down before his gaze went to Gryffindor table, easily picking out Potter sitting there. He seemed stunned by Malfoy's looks. He stared at Potter and his heart started beating faster. Why is my heart beating faster, just looking at Potter? Am I…interested in him? Why would that be? I doubt Potter is interested in me.
