Creature Comforts (h.p.)

17

Pandemonium ensued. Harry shrank back down to become a phoenix and checked Fawkes for injuries. McGonnagall stunned Dumbledore immediately and people across the hall began to shout and cheer.

It started with Zabini, standing up and lowering his own glamours. A white streak grew in his hair, his eyes became red and his canines elongated into fangs. He looked over to the crowd at the Gryffindor table and offered them a rare smile, and a curt nod. Then all at once, pupils all throughout the hall lowered their glamours. Students of all ages removed the glamours hiding their true selves, and across the hall erupted deep sighs of relief. Lisa Turpin grew leathery wings and horns. Ernie Macmillan's skin became littered with scratches and scars. Draco was trying desperately to control his inheritances but he could smell his mate somewhere in the room and he couldn't keep it in.

With a flash, his antlers and wings were revealed. Gasps echoed through the hall - since when had the Malfoy line carried creature blood? Draco snarled as his hair grew to reach just past his shoulders, daring anyone to speak to him. He settled down between Blaise and Pansy, the latter having just sprouted canine ears and a bushy tail. She was watching Hermione intently. Draco could still smell the scent but couldn't trace it to anyone; the hall was now full of creatures. Across the hall, Harry raised his head.

Harry had been talking to McGonnagall intently, not paying attention to the students around him, when he smelled it. Of course, he'd neglected to read up on creature mates so he had no idea what was going on, but it stirred some deep animalistic instinct within him and he raised his head, inhaling deeply through his nose and groaning at the rush of dopamine it caused. His pupils dilated and contracted with his breaths and he scanned the room.

"Excuse me professor, but I never finished eating and I've grown quite famished," he excused himself politely to make his way back to the Gryffindor table. He was serenaded with cheers as he walked down. He collapsed into his seat next to Hermione, who was bristling.

"Parkinson, I can smell it," she mumbled. 

"You can smell it too?" Hermione turned to him immediately.

"What do you smell, Harry?" He inhaled deeply once more, closing his eyes.

"I... don't know. But it's good." He shivered. "Really good." Hermione shook her head.

"Harry, honestly. You should be reading up on all of this. You can smell your mate," she said exasperatedly. 

"Mate..." Harry hummed. He gasped. "Wait, you said - Parkinson?" Hermione immediately blushed, stuttering some kind of excuse, when a robed figure barrelled straight into her and knocked her to the ground. Hermione squealed. 

"Mate!" Pansy growled, nuzzling her face into Hermione's hair. Hermione stuttered.

"I-I--" She tried to fight against the part of her that was basking in the embrace but it was no use. Her eyes flickered shut and she hummed. She changed forms to become her lynx and Pansy joined her as a sleek, thick-furred wolf. Hermione wound around Pansy's legs and the Slytherin barked delightedly. Harry grinned.

He was about to comment, but the excited chatter died down and all attention was drawn to the door to the hall as Ron Weasley finally made an appearance.

"Honestly Harry, could've woken me up when you left-" He was mumbling under his breath, glaring at the ground as he scuffed the floor with his shoes. He was halfway to the Gryffindor table before it clicked in his head that not one person in the hall was making a sound. He paused in his tracks and raised his head very, very slowly. His gaze locked with Harry's. A large cat stood alongside his 'friend', hissing venomously.

"So nice of you to join us, Ronniekins," he spat. Ron was utterly bewildered.

"Harry, mate? Is that you?" Ron chuckled nervously. Harry snarled.

"The truth's out, scum. It's time to face what you've done." Harry threw a newspaper to the floor, which Ron scrambled to snatch up. He watched the picture on the front and his face contorted in horror. 

"M-Mione?" He whimpered and watched as the cat morphed into the girl he was infatuated with. Her face depicted nothing but loathing. A wolf positioned itself in front of Hermione, its eyes glowing. Ron gulped.

"Mione, y-you know what's going on, right? Surely you're not siding with him, are you? Dumbledore wouldn't-"

"Dumbledore's secrets have been unveiled as of today, and will no longer be headmaster at Hogwarts," McGonnogall piped up sternly. "You, mister Weasley, in-school suspension for a week, and you will be on probation for the rest of the year-"

"Professor!" Ron yelped indignantly at the thought of being watched constantly.

"I do not tolerate interruptions! This is not negotiable. Or would you like an extra week of suspension?" Ron shook his head vigorously and the wolf morphed into a rather smug Pansy Parkinson. ron's eyes narrowed.

"What are you doing here, death eater?" He hissed. Hermione glared.

"Don't talk to her like that!" Hermione scolded, causing Pansy to grin and tuck her head under Hermione's chin. Hermione blushed and huffed.

"Jealous, Weasley?" Pansy crooned. "Love potion doesn't look so good now, huh?" She cackled. "If there's one thing I've learned over the years, it's that you always get what's coming to you."

Ron was escorted from the hall as he had started to make a scene. Finally, Harry thought.  I can work out where the smell's coming from. 

But it was gone. 

Malfoy, not wanting any sort of scene caused, had slipped away from the bustling crowd and stole away to the forest.

(sorrynotsorry im pansmione trash)