His Guardian Angel

Chapter 15

“Why won’t you tell me about what-or where-these feathers come from?” Tom was absolutely relentless now that they were halfway through their seventh year. He was clearly doing research to find out what would have feathers like the ones Harry had taken to giving Tom. It had become sort of a tradition. Every birthday and Yule Tom would receive another one and anytime Harry had to pluck a particularly unruly one he’d leave it on Tom’s pillow late at night while he was sleeping. Harry was wearing thin around the edges when it came to this particular question-he had hated keeping secrets in the first place. But now that his general attraction to Tom had become a full-blown crush, he was worried about how Tom would take the idea that Harry had been hiding this part of himself for so long. 

He sighed and Tom perked up the slightest amount. 

“What...what would you say if you found out that someone was hiding something from you. Not really lying but not really telling the truth either.”

“If we’re talking about you then I’d be disappointed that you thought you couldn’t tell me and I’d be disappointed in myself because clearly you’re afraid of my reaction, then.” Responses like this from Tom never failed to make him proud of the man he was becoming. 

He thought back to when Tom was just a little kid and smiled before blurting out, “Do you remember when you first met me?”

“Of course I do, how could I possibly forget?” Tom seemed intrigued then, completely interested in whatever Harry was about to say. 

“A long time ago, I was given a potion that altered me physically. And no, before you ask, I’m not going to say when or why. It’s irrelevant now anyways. The feathers come from me.” Tom looked like he was ready to burst with questions and before Harry could blink he started firing them off. 

“But where do they grow? They do grow on you, don’t they? Why did you need them in the first place? Was it an accident? On purpose? A side effect from a potion? A stray spell? Or did you purposefully make a spell or potion to achieve feathers? Do you just conjure them? I’ve seen you conjure things before and while they tend to last, I’m certain you wouldn’t be able to put in enough power to make them that beautiful for that long without them disintegrating-”

“Tom!” Tom stopped chattering and looked up at him with big sapphire eyes. Had Harry even noticed their colour before? He felt like he could drown in them. 

“I can’t answer any of your questions if you’re rapidly firing them at me like that. And besides, I’m not really ready to talk about it yet.” That, Harry surmised, would be enough for Tom to back off of the subject for a little while. Tom may be impatient for knowledge but he was more than considerate when Harry needed a bit of space to sort out his own feelings. 

The two went back to their chess game. 

Hindsight was really an amazing thing. Harry knew he should have waited until Tom was safely holed up in the library before taking a shower but he just didn’t think that far ahead and he had to retract his wings rather violently back into himself before the curtain moved to reveal Tom. 

His eyes raked over Harry’s torso and would have traveled further had Harry not cleared his throat. They snapped back to his face. 

“Really, this is getting to be quite the habit of yours. Do you interrupt everyone’s showers, or just mine?” Tom smirked. 

“That depends, what happens if I admit it’s only you?” The two stared at each other for a long, silent beat. Neither one could believe what Tom had just said and they weren’t quite sure what to do about it.