𝐃𝐄𝐒𝐈𝐑𝐄 𝐎𝐅 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐋𝐈𝐎𝐍

Chapter 2

Watch My Tail!

"Well, I can't see anything wron-"

"Nothing wrong! I've got bloody cat ears!" interrupted a furious blond, fists clenched at his sides as he glowered icily at the nurse.

The matron fixed him with a stern glare and the blond recoiled with a snort of disgust, ears pinned back indignantly, much to her expertly smothered amusement.

"I can't see anything wrong with your health" she finished, putting emphasis on the word. "As far as I can tell, these changes are not doing anything harmful and I'm not sure how to reverse whatever has happened, that may be a task for Professor Snape" she explained with a gentle but firm voice.

"Now, go and get your breakfast, I would like to know if there are any other changes" she stated before shooing them out of the ward. Reluctantly, the three males trudged down to the Great Hall where they were to meet their friends who had been made to leave the ward earlier.

"I think the ears look quite good on you, Draco" Theo complimented as the boy in question rolled his eyes. Harry smirked in amusement; it was quite entertaining to see Theo trying to win Draco's favour now that he noticed the boy doing so.

"If I didn't know better, Malfoy, I'd think you were gay the way Nott's after you" he commented conversationally. "After all, you haven't exactly been recoiling in disgust now, have you?"

A scowl twisted on Theodore's lips although the latter part of Harry's words seemed to appeal to the boy who was obviously trying to remain optimistic. Draco's eyes suddenly imitated sheets of ice which matched the cold sneer.

"Interested Potter?"

That wasn't the reply he expected and it was made far too obvious by his widened eyes and failure to come up with a proper response other than mouthing nonsense, after all, he hadn't expected Malfoy not to deny it! "Thought so" the blond drawled as they entered the hall, leaving the gaping Gryffindor behind.

As Harry had come to expect, heads turned to them as they entered the large hall and whispers began to arise among the tables, it was only natural for the word to have been spread somehow. The soft voices of rumours made the three sets of ears perk and twitch uncomfortably, but merely raising his head in a superior manner, Draco brushed off the attention and stalked towards the Slytherin table with Theo not far behind.

Joining his own table, sitting between Ron and Ginny, it didn't take long for the spectators to drift back to their breakfast and previous conversations. Harry's set his gaze intently on his rival, head tilted slightly to the side while his ears perked slightly now and again as he picked up snippets of conversation around the hall. He watched how Draco self consciously touched the ears with a grimace and Pansy scolded him for doing so, then how he carefully began to pick particular foods set out before him, either a picky eater or watching his figure. Knowing the vain git it was probably the latter. Or even more realistically, it was probably both!

His observation was distracted however by a hand suddenly touching his own ears. His hand shot out, sharply catching the wrist and turned to see a startled looking Ginny.

"H-Harry, you're hurting me" the redhead gasped, flinching when she spotted the small pricks of red glistening on her skin. Harry's eyes widened in shock and he quickly released her as if he'd been burned. The youngest Weasley inspected her wrist, turning a curious gaze on Harry who was inspecting his nails. No wonder he'd cut her, his fingernails had seemingly sharpened all of a sudden, thickened, they looked normal, other than the point on them, they were just missing the hook for proper claws.

"These changes are happening pretty fast, Harry" came Hermione's concerned voice from across the table as she cast a small charm to heal Ginny's wrist. Harry sent Ginny an apologetic look before sighing and sitting forward again to face Hermione. "I know, but Madam Pomphrey said they weren't doing any physical damage, we can only hope that these changes either aren't permanent, or Snape finds a way to get rid of them" he grumbled, realising he'd have to be a bit more careful.