@drarrymicrofic | 551 words | prompt: wings
Harry had an itch. A terrible itch, one directly between his shoulder blades where he couldn't get at it. One where no matter how he stretched his wings, it was still there, bothering him.
He looked up to see Malfoy watching him with wide eyes. He was staring like a caught rabbit stares at a hawk.
Experimentally, Harry twitched a wing. Malfoy shivered. He stretched one, and Malfoy leaned forwards slightly in his chair.
Standing up abruptly, Harry crossed the floor of the library and jumped up on to the balcony with a few wingbeats. Malfoy definitely made a noise at that.
Draco watched him run one finger across the spines of the books, claws out just slightly. He'd seen those claws tear through leather. That was one of the things he dreamed about most often, that and flying... soaring through the air with Potter.
While Potter was up and distracted, Draco took his chance. Quickly, he slipped a letter into Potter's bookbag. He was back in his seat across the room before Potter had even turned around with a book in hand.
The book was on Harpy history, a book old and disused in the library. Harpies in the Wizarding World was blazed across the cover, the author's name scratched at an angle.
Draco had gotten out a copy, for reasons completely un-Potter-related. It had most interesting contents. Harpies tended to have irregular handwriting, due to them having to hold quills in the claws of their wings. It was only due to Potter's witch heritage that he had both arms and wings.
An extra chapter had been recently added to the book; one listing notable Harpy students at Hogwarts. Only one name was listed: J. Potter.
He scanned the opening text again: Harpies are birdlike, winged humanoids with wings instead of arms, dark eyes, dexterous feet, and beaklike noses. Oh, that explained it. Potter's nose was rather... notable, and Draco had to constantly resist the urge to pinch it.
Someone had crossed out '-oid' so the book said 'humans.'
Beware their claws and fangs! They live in houses built high in the tree branches. They are largely carnivores but have a strange weakness for sweets. Danger rating: XXXX
Yeesh, Draco thought. Four Xs? Someone at the ministry had a bad encounter with a Harpy.
He heard the soft rustling of feathers and hurriedly hid his book inside of a novel. A horror novel, because he was a big boy.
Potter was sitting down, pulling Draco's letter out of his bag. Draco watched as he had the audacity to show the hand-written love letter to Granger and Weasley! The nerve of him!
Draco silently did an Eavesdropping Charm just as Potter was finishing reading the letter. He was blushing somewhat as he read, "'From a secret admirer. Try and find me, I'll be waiting! <3'"
Draco was already regretting the heart.
"I don't know, I think I'd rather date a Harpy girl. Someone who understands what it's like to fly, you know? No one around here has really caught my eye." Potter's two friends were nodding along like everything was just wonderful and Draco's heart wasn't being mercilessly stomped on.
Draco snarled and shoved the Snitch-shaped candies back into his pocket. Caught his eye, huh? Well, he'd catch something all right!
