Draco sat in a far corner of the library his feet propped up on the desk in front of him, a book open in his lap. He had managed to give Crabbe and Goyle the slip by coming here. They had been simpering over him ever since they found out that the manticore hadn't finished him off. They were gratified when he told them that he didn't mind that they left him to die. And in their turn, they believed his story of fighting the beast off single handedly. Their sycophantic nature did start to wear on his nerves though, and needing a break from their constant apologies, he had darted into the library, a place that he knew they wouldn't follow. He didn't really hold them responsible for running off on him though, he probably would have, that's one good reason to not have true friends, no responsibilities to them. He had decided that since he was in the library, he ought to take advantage of this opportunity to look into manticores. The table in front of him was now covered in every book that he could find that mentioned them. The large tome that he held casually contained a great deal of information on the beasts. He had to admit that they were quite extraordinary. Draco turned a page and began to read.
"The manticore, a fierce and deadly beast, is known to inhabit Greece and the surrounding islands. Some have been known to migrate farther south into the Middle East; however, their progress westward into Africa was halted by the presence of the sphinxes in Egypt. (Manticores and sphinxes have long been natural enemies.) There are no living manticores in England, their ferocious nature, powerful magic, and taste for human flesh has made it illegal to own one in the British Isles."
At this passage Draco paused and then chuckled mirthlessly to himself, "there is one now."
Manticores possess a strange type of magic that allows it to sooth it's would be prey into a state of docility. The creature is able to sense what its prey wants and then emanates those feelings and thoughts to the prey. (They are very similar to the Boggart in this aspect of telepathy. For further Boggart information: pg. 120.)
Draco stopped here, realization forming in his mind. In the past several days since the incident, he had tried to understand what had made him open the cage. He had known perfectly well what it was and what it was capable of. But as he had looked into it's eyes, he had felt peace. He had been lulled into an unnatural fit of trust simply because that monster could see what he wanted. But the feelings that it had shown him were those of warmth and friendship, he didn't care about such laughable things. Draco wanted power. Draco considered that to be the one redeemable quality of the Dark Lord, he had power, and Draco could respect that.
Draco had become deeply immersed in the book when he became aware of someone moving slowly through the aisles near his table. He raised his eyes from the pages before him to watch the figure through the shelves. The figure paused at the section where he had gotten the books on manticores, with a sinking feeling, Draco knew who it was. Granger emerged from the aisle looking slightly putout.
"Looking for these Mudblood?" Draco drawled and gestured to the books in front of him.
Granger gave him a dark look, "No, I was just waiting for Professor Vector."
Malfoy casually looked at his watch. "An hour and a half early? I hadn't realized that you actually lived in the library. But then again, I'm sure that almost anywhere would be preferable to a common room full of Gryffindors."
"You were here first," Granger said simply.
Draco looked at her, she was refusing to rise to his taunts, which was somewhat of a shame, fighting with Granger was fairly entertaining. But now as he studied her, he noticed how tired she looked. Her normally warm, brown eyes seemed somewhat dull, defeated.
"Here," Draco marked his place and then extended the book to her.
Granger looked at him suspiciously and then reached out to it, but paused before taking the text.
