Archive of Our Own ^beta

"Okay, just try it once more, Draco," Harry encouraged. "You're so close."

Draco shot the other boy a doubtful look - Harry had been saying that for the last twenty minutes - but assumed the meditative pose anyway. Harry still wouldn't reveal his own form until Draco mastered the animagus transformation too. He took a deep breath, focused on his magic, and concentrated.

With a sudden pop, the transformation finally happened, and Draco was startled by Harry's laugh. He opened his eyes, and to his amazement, the world seemed to glow. Harry conjured a mirror, and Draco saw the magic before it emerged from his wand. He looked into the mirror, and found a small, yellowish bird looking back at him.

He stretched out his arms and two wings emerged from his back. As Draco twitched experientially, his wings rotated and swept down, and he lifted an inch off the ground. Shocked, he recoiled, and his wings snapped back in, causing him to drop back down. Harry giggled again, and Draco did his best to give him a birdish glare.

Harry waved his wand again, and Draco recognized the spell as a photograph appeared in the brunette's hand. "Try to change back now," Harry coaxed.

Draco was tempted to try flying again, but Harry had warned him about pushing his animagus form too hard too quickly. So, only a little disgruntled, he closed his eyes, slipped back into the meditative mindset, and focused on his human self.

There was another pop, and Draco found himself back in his human form as Harry tumbled into him. Harry kissed his boyfriend passionately and Draco returned his affections.

He had done it!

oOo

"Okay, so this was a bust." Draco growled, tossing aside Harry's copy of Fantastical Beasts and Where to Find Them. "Why do so few of these entries have pictures?"

"I don't know," Harry said for at least the fourth time that night. He looked up from his Ornithology for Wizards book and sighed. "It's possible that you're not a fantastic beast."

Draco struck an arrogant pose. "Potter, I'll have you know that I am fantastic in any form!"

Harry chuckled, and slid another book over to Draco. "I forgot, your Malfoyship. Let me rephrase then; it is possible that you are a fantastic Muggle animal," he said.

Draco sniffed at the idea that he would be Muggle in any way, but he picked up the book anyway. "The Sibley Guide to Birds?"

"Hermione got it from her parents," Harry replied without looking up.

Draco looked at the book askance again before opening it with a sigh. This was going to be a long night.

oOo

"Arg! We've looked everywhere!" Draco complained, slamming his book closed. Harry followed a second later with a frustrated sigh.

"But I know I've seen it before somewhere!" The brunette complained. He picked up the photograph again and studied it. "I just can't remember where!"

Draco looked around him at their overflowing table. "Well we've tried all the logical books. Time to try someplace illogical?" he offered.

"Maybe we can help with that?" said a voice from behind them.

"Yes, Ron's good at the illogical," Hermione added, following her boyfriend into the Head's common room that she shared with Draco.

The group chuckled as Ron and Hermione came over to their book-laden table. "What are we looking for?" Ron asked.

Draco and Harry exchanged a quick look before the blond waved the 'go ahead.' "We're trying to identify a bird," Harry began.

"The book from my parents didn't help?" Hermione asked. Both boys shook their heads. "Well, what does it look like?"

Harry passed over the photo and both she and Ron studied it. Quickly Ron began to frown, just as Harry had. "I recognize this, mate," he began.

"But you don't know from where." Harry finished for him.

"Yeah!" Ron looked up at the other boys. "You too?"

Hermione looked at the picture again and then grabbed a piece of clean parchment. "Well, we just need to list its identifying characteristics. That might help us narrow down where you recognize it from."

"Well, it's small, and round," Draco began.

"Unusually flexible wings," Harry added. Draco shot him a look, but Harry was focused on the photograph.

"It's yellow," Ron said helplessly.

"I'd say more of a golden, in real sunlight," Hermione mused.

Harry felt his jaw drop as realization hit him. Looking up, he found Ron mirroring his expression. "What? What is it?" Hermione asked.

"Oh Merlin!" Draco gasped, his own jaw dropping as he got it.

"What?!" Hermione frantically studied the picture again. "When did we study it?"

"We didn't," Harry said softly. "I'm not sure, but..."

"There aren't many pictures," Ron confirmed, "but it has to be."

"What?" Hermione practically begged.

"A Golden Snidget," Draco whispered.

oOo

"How did it feel?" Harry asked as both boys collapsed, panting, onto the pitch. Draco had zipped all over the sky as Harry did his best to keep up. It seemed that the Golden Snidget was actually faster than a Snitch, and Harry's esteem for the original Quidditch pioneers grew.

Draco considered the question. "Flying is fantastic," he finally declared.

"Better than on a broom?"

"Totally."

They were silent for a long moment before Harry asked. "How did you move sideways like that? Do your wings rotate all the way around like a Snitch's?"

Draco frowned. "I'm not sure. I was going so fast it didn't really feel like flying. Almost like apparating."

Harry rolled up onto his elbow. "Really?"

After another moment's consideration, Draco nodded. "Yeah. It really did."

"Huh." Harry lay back down.

"We should write to Kennilworthy Whisp and have him revise Quidditch Through the Ages." Draco said after a moment.

They were silent again, staring up into the night sky for eons before Harry chuckled. "We should talk to the twins - make prank wands that zip away from you."

Draco chuckled too before stopping abruptly as a thought hit him. "Wait, that would mean ripping out all my feathers for cores." He complained.

Harry smirked and met his boyfriend's eyes. Draco could see powerful flames in those green depths. "Don't worry," Harry whispered smugly. "I can heal you."

It took Draco a long moment to realize what Harry was saying, but finally it clicked. "You're a-"

Harry's smirk widened. "Turns out we're both fantastic birds."