Chapter Two
I awoke as dawn was breaking; a need came overwhelming me to see Scorpius. I got up and went into Scorpius's room. He lay upon the bed, his face full agony, his wings were open and he clawed at his pillows. "Love me, please love me." He said and I stared at him in shock, I settled upon the bed and looked down at him watching him in pain seemed somehow unbearable to me, I knew that I didn't love him yet but somehow he continually drew me to him.
I gently touched his hair and he shifted as if feeling my presence in his sleep. He sighed contentedly as I lay down beside him, letting out a gentle puff of air as I continued to stroke his hair. His wings were still out and I felt the urge to touch them again but I didn't. I sighed as I heard him softly breathing; somehow he seemed at peace now that I was beside him. I smiled, I had a certain power over him and that made me feel less helpless to the questions that my mind had come to yesterday.
I smiled and lifted myself from the bed; Scorpius actually mewled and clutched at my arm. I settled once more and he seemed to relax against the bed once more. I didn't know what he would do if he awoke to find me in his bed. I wasn't ready for that sort of commitment, that thought made me laugh, I was ready to have his child but not to share myself completely with him as he didn't with me. What was I afraid of him realizing, that I cared for him, that I cared when he was in pain? I didn't know but the deep slumber that he appeared to be in now, meant that he had not slept well before. From the way that he had appeared to me when I had entered his room it was very likely. I sighed and gently stroked his hair before standing, the moment I left his side the nightmare returned. I couldn't be seen with him however; I couldn't let him see me lying beside me so I left the room.
I went to my own and took out my clothes changing into them. "Knobby?" I called and the house elf appeared. "Wake Scorpius please, I think that he's having a bad dream." I said and Knobby nodded.
"Young Master is often given to bad dreams." Knobby said. "I will rouse him."
"Thank you Knobby." I replied and the house elf bowed. "Knobby? Tonight will you make sure that he won't awaken until morning?"
"Mistress Rose, why is you asking this of me?"
"Can you be silent?" I asked him. "Not tell the rest of the household."
"If it is helping Young Master I will."
"I know Knobby, that I-I am supposed to be Scorpius's mate. I am afraid, I don't know him and yet I feel drawn to him. I don't want to do something I feel unready for and yet I cannot bare his suffering." I replied and he nodded.
"I will do as Mistress Rose asks." Knobby replied. "Although is difficult for me, is helping Young Master."
"Yes, I understand. I want him to tell me of his own accord, not from his dreams, so please don't tell anyone." I repeated myself.
"I will not, house elves is good at secrets."
I nodded. "Thank you Knobby." I said and Knobby smiled before bowing.
"Mistress Rose is kind, she is." Knobby said. "She thanks Knobby, some of Master's friends forget." Knobby smiled. "But I is knowing that Masters love Knobby in their own way, Knobby is happy, does not need spit." I stared at him.
"Spit?"
"House elf liberation, Knobby is hating that. Knobby wants to serve master."
"Oh you mean SPEW." I said laughing lightly. "Don't worry Knobby I'm not my mother and I don't fight her battles." Knobby nodded bowing.
"I is waking Young Master now." He said. "He is sleeping soundly." I laughed again I liked Knobby, he was sweet.
"Are there more house elves here Knobby?" I asked and he nodded.
"There is three house elves here." Knobby replied. "House elves is needing wizard magic to survive. House elves is weak, without power we die. There be three house elves, three masters. Soon maybe other house elf come, house elf like Malfoys good family be fair in judgment to house elf. Masters do not punish us, I is allowed to punish self if I do wrong. I never go against family so I is never getting hurt. Unlike house elves that is living with other masters." I was fascinated by what the house elf was telling me.
"After you wake Scorpius will you take me to the library?" I asked and the house elf nodded.
"I is honored to serve mistress." Knobby said.
"I would also like to meet the other elves, perhaps help cook lunch?" I asked and Knobby stared at me.
"House elves is needing to be busy. House elves is needing to help wizards, house elves is not needing help." Knobby said and I held up my hand.
"Calm down Knobby, I don't think that you need help, its more that I like to cook then anything else. However if you wish to not have help then I will not." Knobby nodded looking relieved.
"I is going now." The house elf said and went across the hall entering Scorpius's room soundlessly. A few minutes later Knobby returned. "Master is not sleeping, I is taking you to library, then I is taking you to breakfast." I nodded and walked with the little elf through the hallways of closed doors until we came to the library, I had been focused before on only the large collection of books before but now I couldn't help looking up at the amazing ceiling. Tiny scrolls marked out the constellations as each was labeled. I realized that quite a few Malfoys had been named after stars, as was a Wizard tradition. Some believed that if a wizard was named after a constellation they were distained for greatness and luck for the rest of their lives. Doubly so the wizards that were named after their month of their birth I wondered if Scorpius had been born in November.
I looked at the bookshelves and found a book on veela bonding and sitting in the chair opened it. I smiled as I saw the single white feather stuck within the book. I wondered which of Scorpius's ancestors had left the feather inside the book, or if it had been Scorpius himself that had done so. Inside was a small rendering of the Malfoy family tree, it stopped with Scorpius but it was glowing slightly. I smiled gently touching the glowing pages in the book. We had not yet had our child, but there was the proof of its existence. I flipped to the first chapter still smiling, I was going to be a mother and I would bare Scorpius's child into the world. No matter how many times I had thought it in the last day the wonder of it did not go away.
The veela is a interesting and difficult creature to understand, unless you are one of them. They are exceedingly protective of their families and mates. It has been know for a veela to kill someone if their mate is threatened. Veela depend upon their mates for their very survival, they are creatures of passion and need love from their mates to survive. If they do not feel love from those they are mated with they will suffer from terrible night visions, humors of a millennially nature and ultimately death, if the pair has begun the bonding the death of the veela can result in the death of the mate from heartbreak. Their hearts minds and souls would be tied together after finishing the bonding process. If one does not bond with their mate, the veela can go insane and force themselves upon their mate, this circumstance is rare however and there was only four known reporting of this happening.
I closed the book before putting a shrinking charm upon it and putting it into my pocket. That was enough for now, this was more then pure knowledge for the sake of it, this was my life and the life of my child, lives that were dependant upon my ability to fall in love with Scorpius. No love could not be forced it would have to happen naturally. Perhaps that was why he had calmed when I had been within the room with him. She stood up and Knobby instantly appeared.
"Mistress Rose is coming with Knobby? Knobby is showing Mistress Rose the kitchens and the house elves that have supplicated for Mistress Rose's attention."
"House elves?" I asked.
"Mistress Rose is not going without a house elf. Mistress Rose will need our help she will, we can be teaching Mistress Rose the ways of a Malfoy as we did with the Young Master." Knobby smiled. "I is honored to be Young Master's personal elf. My magic is tied with his, is a great honor to serve Young Master Malfoy."
"Very well then take me to meet with the other house elves." I said.
"Knobby is happy that Mistress Rose so says. Knobby is taking Mistress Rose to the kitchens." I smiled and fallowed him to the kitchen, eleven house elves stood within the kitchen, nine that were nervous and two that were wearing the sacks that the Malfoys had given them. I smiled and bent down before the little creatures in the Malfoy pillowcases, a slight house mark was on the hem of their sacks.
"I am Rose, or Mistress Rose as Knobby appears to prefers to call me, I would like to get to know you better." The two house elves smiled.
"I is Blinky." The house elf replied.
"And I is Mooby."
"It is good to meet you both, may you always find contentment in what you do for this house and the people within it."
"We is always enjoying our jobs." Mooby agreed and I smiled looking at the other house elves. I smiled at them and they looked down at their feet.
"I am not certain if Draco or Scorpius would want me to choose one of you without them." I said and they nodded. "I will ask later after breakfast." I knew better then to ask their names as they were seeking employment and that would make them even more nervous and even more difficult for me to choose one above the rest. "Knobby will you take me to the dining room, I will wait for Draco, Scorpius and Astoria to arrive." I laughed softly to myself, I would never thought that I would ever call Scorpius anything besides Malfoy, however now I was naming them all by their first names.
"I is doing as Mistress Rose asks." Knobby replied and they walked together to the dining room. Scorpius was already there drinking tea from a goblet. I smiled and sat beside him.
"Good morning Scorpius." I said to him and he grunted before taking a sip of the tea. I smiled, I had always suspected that Scorpius wasn't a morning person no matter how much he tried to hide it. "Its a beautiful day today." Again he grunted swirling the tea in his goblet and the glaring look he was giving me made me laugh. His eyes met mine with the same adoration flickering for a moment before he hid it and made his features be unreadable once more. "Why do you do that?" I asked.
"Do what?" He replied.
"Close yourself off from me, I want to get to know you Scorpius if we are to be husband and wife I should know you shouldn't I."
"Very well, I will try not to control my emotions around you, I'll make myself vulnerable for your convenience." Scorpius replied.
"If its such a chore then don't bother, forget that I ever asked to get to know you, then we'll lead our lives as strangers within our own home. That's not what I want for me, or our child." I said my anger vanishing as soon as it had come. "Please Scorpius I want to get to know you."
"Very well what do you wish to know about me?"
"I want to know your middle name." I replied.
"Why?"
"It is easier then calling you Scorpius or Malfoy that seems too formal."
"Its Hyperion." Scorpius replied.
"Hyperion."
"Yes Scorpius Hyperion Malfoy." Scorpius replied and I smiled.
"Quite the mouthful." I said and he nodded. "My middle name is Luna, Rose Luna Weasley, I suppose it will be Rose Luna Malfoy soon."
"Luna it suits you well." Scorpius said. "A rose by any other name would smell as sweet." I blushed and he smiled. "Your beautiful when you do that."
"Do what?"
"Blush." He said and colored briefly himself, I smiled.
"So are you." I replied. "Although not beautiful more handsome then beautiful." Which made me blush even more as Draco and Astoria entered into the dining room, they looked at us both and then intently at each other as if using some sort of silent communication. Which I realized from what I had read this morning was exactly what was happening.
Knobby appeared with a crack along with the two other house elves serving several dishes. "So you have met Blinky and Mooby." Draco said smiling.
"Yes and there are nine house elves waiting in the kitchen." I replied. "Apparently they want me to be tied with one of them, I wanted to wait for you to accompany me."
"That was very smart of you, there are certain elves that will use your power and betray your secrets in return." Draco said nodding as he helped himself to the eggs as well as bacon and toast. I waited until the tongs were passed to me before taking a portion. "I talked with my private physician and he has agreed to see you today."
"Good, the more magical groundings a child receives the better." I replied. "I remember my Grandmum helping my uncles with the birth of their own children. She had been trained in childbearing magic after the birth of Charlie." I smiled at the thought of my grandmother.
"That sounds like Mrs. Weasley, a force to be reckoned with, I used to be frightened of her at school." He admitted and I chuckled. "Have you ever seen the woman in battle, she would make dead men come alive with the thought of her displeasure." This made me laugh outright before taking a bite of eggs.
"At what time will the physician come?" I asked.
"At eleven, which should give us enough time to choose the servant you wish to bond yourself to. It is good that you are pregnant as the house elf will feel a special bond with the child." I smiled at the thought as I continued to eat, helping myself to a second and third helping as Scorpius's eyes widened.
"I'm hungry its you that made me this way so you can put your eyes back in your head." I snapped surprised at my sudden flare of temper.
"And so it begins, I do not envy you son." Draco said and Scorpius appeared pale, I felt a wave of humor overtake me and started to laugh, being unable to stop, for several minutes.
"Every time Draco bemoans that we are unable to sire more children, I remind him of my instability during Scorpius' pregnancy." Her eyes danced with merriment. I at once sobered and nodded at Draco.
"Perhaps we should go to the kitchens." I said and he nodded as I stood up and Scorpius took my hand we went to the kitchens together. Draco smiled at the house elves and pulled five younger ones forward.
"How old are each of you?" Draco asked.
"I am a hundred years old Lord as are my companions, we is cousins." Draco smiled at the young elf that had answered, however I felt myself identify with the one standing to the left of the one who had spoken. She seemed pretty and nervous, the others were staring strait ahead but she did not hide her fear. I gently lifted her face with my hand.
"I am Rose, what is your name?"
"Vinky, Lady Rose." The house elf replied and I smiled a curious feeling overtaking me, Vinky's eyes widened, she felt it as well. "Thank you Mistress, thank you." The small elf said. "I is so happy."
"You chose her?" Draco asked and I nodded.
"Was it wrong of me to choose, she seemed to call to me somehow, she did before I conversed with you as well.
"Then she is your elf, there would be no other reason for you to feel the bond so strongly." Draco said and smiled. "Perhaps you will all return after my grandchild is born within a few months."
"We is honored for your asking." The house elves all replied before disappearing.
"That was shorter then I have thought which is good, because the physician will be coming soon." Draco said and I nodded. "We will wait for him in the parlor." I fallowed behind Draco as he left the kitchens and Scorpius seized my hand, I couldn't help but take a glance up at him, his face appeared to be full of joy, I smiled. He was so beautiful like this, an angel among men and it made sense to me that the muggle legion had spread from male veela for the first time. The female veela had dark vulture like wings, while the males had the wings of swans, it was to attract their mate to them as they did not possess as strong as an allure. You did could not stay in a house full of veela over the Christmas holidays and not find a few things out.
We did not have to wait long, the physician appeared a moment later out of the fire. "Hello Mr. Malfoy, where is the young lady."
"Here." I replied. "Please call me Rose." The man nodded.
"Your babes are very strong, I can tell that already Rose. No one has ever called the magic of the Malfoy or Weasley family weak. Well, I can't tell as of yet whether or not your child is a boy, as is to be expected, or a girl. However I can give you some magical grounding and make sure you and the babes are healthy. May I put a hand to your stomach? It is necessary to ease the progress." I nodded and the man gently placed a hand upon my stomach. "Yes, your child is very strong, it's amazing to feel this much power this early." Scorpius beamed every inch the proud father and I couldn't help but smile. "Revenioliber." The man said pointing his wand hand at my stomach and he smiled as I saw a glowing sphere and a little dot within it. "That is your child Rose, so far it appears healthy. I will be back in two weeks time, I suggest that you also visit my collogues at saint mungos although they do not know all the spells I do, they still can assist with the delivery of your child." I nodded and smiled.
"We will see them on Tuesday." Draco pronounced.
"Very good, now if I may examine you Rose?" Again I nodded and he took out his wand again to perform diagnostic charms. "You are in good health, just be sure to do what your body and magic tells you, that's often the best way to insure a pregnancy without complications. Have you been drinking dragon milk?"
"I drank some last night." I replied.
"Good I am glad that my wife's dragons have benefited you."
"So it is you that raises the dragons."
"Yes, once you learn the mechanics of one species its not overly difficult that of another. The same spells work on magical creatures as well as they do on their female counterparts." The man smiled at me and I felt an answering smile, Scorpius's knuckles became white as he dug them into his palms, wow jealous much.
"That's fascinating, um could you undo the charm?" The man nodded.
"Decesignumliber." He said softly and the round orb hovering above her disappeared.
"Thank you." I said and he nodded.
"It is my duty." The physician said and I smiled at him, before faking a yawn. "If you are tired you should retire to your room and rest." I nodded, yawning once more.
"I am a bit weary although it is not yet even afternoon."
"It is as I have said." Astoria smiled. "You will become weary at odd hours." I nodded yawning once more.
"Knobby?" I called and at once Knobby appeared. "Could you help me back to my room?" I asked and Knobby nodded.
"I is happy to help." Knobby said. "But is Vinky, who should be showing you."
"She knows the house already?" I asked and everyone laughed lightly, but it was impossible to take offence at their amusement.
"She is bound to you and to the house as you will become a Malfoy, this is her home and you are her master, supplying her with your strength." Scorpius finally managed. "She knows the Manor as well as any of us now that she is joined with the manor's core and has a slight bond to my father through it." I could tell that it was infinitely more complex then he was explaining.
"Vinky." I said and the little house elf appeared, already dressed in Malfoy livery.
"What can Vinky do for Mistress Rose."
"Take me to my rooms please Vinky." I replied and she bowed.
"Vinky is happy to serve Mistress Rose." She said and I smiled taking her small hand in my own, she looked up at me with surprise and devotion in her eyes.
"Thank you for helping me Vinky." I said as we rounded the corner. "I hope that you are enjoying yourself.
"Oh yes, Vinky is helping to prepare lunch and dust the manner, Vinky is a happy elf." I smiled at her.
"I'm glad to hear that, Vinky, I will not punish you I would never do such a thing. However I would like someone to talk to, might I trust you to keep my secrets.
"Vinky is honored to serve mistress she is not telling a soul." I smiled again glad that I had chosen her I liked Vinky.
"If you would like some ribbon I have some in my drawers, its not clothes, just something pretty." I said and tugged lightly on the tunic, her eyes filled with tears. "Did I say something wrong?"
"Mistress is too kind." She replied and I smiled.
"Not at all Vinky I like you and hope that we can become friends as well as Mistress and elf, if that is permitted. I really don't know that much about house elves or the binding together of house elf and Mistress or Master if the case may be."
"I is obeying your orders, helping you in the upkeep of the house and the raising of your children if you is wanting. In return you is supplying me with a small amount of magic."
I nodded, I had thought it was something like that, although since my family hadn't bounded themselves to house elves in generations I was unsure of the technicalities. "That sounds fair, as long as it doesn't harm my child." Vinky smiled.
"Is not harming child, is helping child to bonded with house elf." Vinky replied. "Vinky is female, Vinky is able to help with childbirth." She leaned forward and giggling whispered. "The men folk do not like the technicalities, they too can help but they is somewhat poorer at it." I laughed along with the little elf. "They is not liking the way in which they is made, and human or house elf they is blushing at the news of your monthly cycle."
I smiled. "When I bled for the first time, I was at a Quidditch game with Dad and Hugo, they both were very pale and came rushing into my Aunt Ginny's tent at one o'clock in the morning with cries of Rosie's bleeding." The little house elf laughed at that and I smiled, I had been mortified at twelve years old and had never lived that down among the female Weasleys. Before the elf I had never told a soul about that experience, it most probably scarred me. Then another thought invaded my mind, if my father had gone pale over my bleeding what would he feel when I was baring my child? He would most probably faint, I loved my Dad, he was so brave about most things, but put him in front of a hormonal woman or a spider and he would make evasive tactics.
"Is you happy to have only one child?" The house elf asked.
"Who can tell with curses, perhaps they will overcome one another and I will have only a daughter although that is unlikely. More likely the curses would be broken with our union as the families would not want to burden their dependence. For a curse to hold the intent of the curse must still be with the dependence. Which means that my family and Scorpius's must truly hate each other."
"Maybe, but is not true likely." Vinky replied. "You is Malfoy, Malfoy is family, Weasley is family so no hate. Is very hard to hate family."
"Do you have your own language Vinky?" I asked and she nodded.
"House elves is speaking elfish when together, we is the last elves." She shook her head sadly. "There is once many, now so few. We is house elves, the lowest of the elves and yet we is surviving when the true elves, forest elves and river elves is gone. We is joining with wizards, we is needing help to survive. We is bonding with true elves before they is dying from humans. That is why we is turning to other elves until there is no more elves and we is turning to wizards. We is needing wizards to survive, we is asking wizards to let us take care of their houses. Wizards is saying yes, many years is passing but we is still serving true wizards. We is loyal to true wizards but not the ones who is liking humans. I is hating humans for what they is doing to humans." I stared at the little elf.
"I do not hate humans."
"But you is not likening them either." The house elf replied. "We is knowing if wizard is not liking humans." I nodded, I wasn't sure how I thought about muggles, and they seem a mix group. They are more willing to attack then others and more wiling to hurt the planet although we weren't doing anything to prevent it either. Perhaps if all the species worked together we could come to a solution but so many things had been lost when the muggles had turned on the rest of the magical creatures. I sighed sadly as we reached my door.
"Muggles are similar and at the same time different then wizards, I believe that they are capable of great good as well as great evil. As is any creature on this earth. I suppose we fear them because there are so many more of them then they are of us. They are more volatile then most species and they fear magic as much as they revere it. I suppose it is strange to love all muggles as it is as silly to love all wizards, house elves, or any number of magical creatures." Vinky nodded as I opened my door and went inside.
"Is you needing help with your robes?" Vinky asked and I nodded closing the door, it would be a good way to continue our conversation and build trust between us.
"Yes thank you Vinky, do you have any brothers or sisters?" I asked.
"I is having two brothers, they is twins and is only ten years younger then I is." I smiled at the little elf. "I is needing to find my own Master, my mother is helping me with magic, but there is only one wizard in house."
"Which house were you born to Vinky?" I asked her and she smiled.
"I is a house elf from the house of Shacklebolt, mother is so proud." She smiled at me. "She is saying 'I is always knowing Master is great. I is always knowing." I smiled in reply as she took off my robe.
"I liked Kingsley." I said. "The few times I met him with my parents he is a good man." Vinky nodded.
"He is not having a wife or children, his wife is dying in the war and he is not wanting another." I sighed with sadness as Vinky slid on my nightgown. "He is not knowing about Vinky, Vobby or Hobby, house elves is not sharing children with master if Master does not have place for them in house. They is fearing that the children is bonding with Master."
"I heard you tell Draco that you are a hundred years old, how old would that be in wizard years?" I asked and she smiled.
"I is your age in wizard years." She replied.
"Will you teach me elfish." I asked and Vinky stared at me.
"I is honored, that you is wanting to learn." Vinky replied. "I is learning English from mother." I smiled at the house elf, already I felt a kinship with her. I could imagine her with green clothing, standing next to a taller elf. I had read about the true elves in books, they had been beautiful creatures and I felt sadness that they no longer graced the world with their presence. By the time that wizards had thought to help the elves it had been too late.
"Teach me some now?"
"As'alika someth enarku asilath." Vinky smiled. "May the tree of life bless you."
"A'aika somth enaru asilath." I said.
"Close, try again, As'alika someth enarku asilath."
"As'alika someth enarku asilath." I smiled I had always been alright at languages, and I never forgot a thing once I had learned it.
"Good, you is speaking well." She said as I took out a battered copy of Tales of Beadle the Bard.
"Do you know how to read?" I asked her.
"Not human script is you trusting me with your words?" I hesitated before nodding.
"I'll trust you if you trust me, that way we'll trust each other." I replied and she laughed.
"I is liking you."
"And I you Vinky." I replied smiling before writing out the alphabet on a piece of paper. I spent time teaching her four letters and letting Vinky write them out before I yawned. "I will teach you more later, just don't teach the other house elves alright? I am not sure if Draco would like this or not." I said and she nodded.
"I is not sharing what you is teaching me, if you is not sharing what I is saying. I is keeping your secrets and you is keeping mine as you wanted."
"Agreed." I smiled at her and drew a small amount of blood from my finger, from the small sharp necklace my Aunt Muriel had given me for my coming of age. "Do house elves have blood oaths?" I asked and she nodded her eyes filling with amazement.
"We is having oaths." She replied and I smiled as she did the same, I had not realized that house elves had carried oath knives on them.
"By my magic and the power that guides me I swear that I will keep the secrets of Vinky the house elf until my dying day." I smiled at Vinky who cut her finger.
"By my magic, the power that guide me and the tree of life I swear that I will uphold my Mistress's honor and make it my own as well as keeping her secrets until my dying day." I stared at the house elf in shock for a moment before pressing together our wounds and healing them, until only a small scar remained, an oath wound would always leave a scar.
I laid upon the bed and listened to Vinky softly singing to me, the singing was incredibly soothing. "As'alika someth enarku asilath, As'alika vinki'ania sarth asilath. As'alika knobianu Dobbianri asilath. As'alika asilath hobriana karia asilartharni venaikiana. As'alika asilath farsani veariki asanath, farsani veariki asari. Hobriana asilath vobaniaria esaria veskiniana, hobriana asilath vobaniaria. That is a lullaby of my people this is what it means in your language. "May the tree of life bless you, may the spirits guide you, may the branches protect you, may you always know your heat home, may you never need to wander, never need to fear. Know that you are loved my child, know that you are loved."
"It is beautiful." I said and the house elf smiled.
"Thank you mistress, rest now." She said and I nodded allowing my eyes to close and my breathing to calm into sleep.
When I awoke it was to the door opening, I had always been a light sleeper but had learned early how to feign sleep around my realities, they each had their own distinctive footsteps so I would 'wake' as my cousin Freddy or my brother came into the room. Like their namesake they had a taste for trouble, where as Roxanne and George would have a running joke. He would ask her sometimes 'are you sure your my daughter?" To which she would reply. 'are you sure you are my Dad, Roxanne had been sorted into Gryffindor like the rest of my family except me. They had been so proud of me when I had gotten into Ravenclaw, or more of my mother was. 'I always knew you were a risk taker like me.' Mother had of course the choice of going to Ravenclaw or Gryffindor. I smiled at the thought before someone sat upon my bed.
"Are you awake Rose?" Scorpius asked and I feigned sleep for a few minutes. I felt him beside me and he wrapped an arm around me cradling me to him, his fingers gently splayed over my stomach. "You have no idea how long I've wished to do this, hold you in my arms. My heart sings at the thought of you and my dreams are haunted by you. I haven't been sleeping well for the entire year, because of the thoughts of loosing you brings, I have terrible nightmares."
I sighed in my sleep and rolled over onto my back, Scorpius letting go of me as I did so. "You are so beautiful, Firemane, I agree with what you friends called you. Its so very beautiful, bright red Weasley hair, the kind of hair I want for my child. You turn heads, my Rose although you do not see your own beauty every other male does. This last year has been so hard for me, picturing you in another's arms, but somehow you chose me. True you were intoxicated at the time but you chose me all the same and that gives me hope. What you are doing now gives me hope as well. For you see dear Rose I am not just a wizard, I am a veela as well."
I turned my head and moaned softly in my 'sleep.'
"The veela never completely goes away, no matter how many generations pass, as long as you believe in it, when I was a small child, father used to fly me around the manor to get me to sleep. I was so proud of myself when at the age of eight my wings opened for the first time, they were fledgling wings, and unable to fly but the way father talked about them they sounded like the most glorious wings in the world. He had a small portrait made that day, and it still hangs in the office."
I couldn't help but smile and he sighed.
"Everything about you is so beautiful Rose, every part of my soul cries out for you. I cannot sleep, let alone do anything else without you, you make my heart soar. I can feel your presence at all times, even when I sleep. I hope that one-day, you might love me as I do you.
"Scorpius." I said a soft smile upon my face.
"Oh Rose I love you." He said and then gently kissed me on the lips. "I am so tired, I don't find myself caring if you awake to find me in your bed or not." He said and laid his head upon my chest. His arms curling around me, he was asleep within moments and snoring like the truly drained.
I smiled and opened my eyes, looking down at him. He had admitted to me his fears, even though he thought me asleep at the time he had done it. "Accio veela book." The tiny book zoomed into my hand and I gently extricated my hands from Scorpius as I enlarged it again and started to read.
After a veela is born, it will resemble a beautiful human child for the first eight years of its life. Then the first change happens, children with veela heritage can often be quick to anger at this age, as the veela within them wants to be recognized. At eleven years of age the first molting happens and they are given the wings more or less that they will have for the rest of their lives. Although, these wings are the size of the child as a child would be unable to support the weight of the adult wings. After the first molting, the veela will molt every six months for the rest of their lives. From the age of sixteen to the age of twenty-four veela search for and court their mates, once a mate is found they have a year before the first feelings of despario hit them. The desperio as mentioned above comes in three stages if the veela is feeling as if their mate does not love them, or bond with them.
I skipped over the next few chapters as it listed the anatomy of the veela and not the relationship as I wanted. The bonding could be taken in any order, but most commonly first there is the confession where the veela admits of their heritage, where their mate has the ability to listen. Second is the acceptance of the veela, where the mate allows the veela to court them. Third is the courtship this is often the longest portion of the bonding. Then their is the declaration of love, where the veela and their mate admit that they love each other and wish to be together for the rest of their lives. Finally in most cases there is the mating, after a veela mates for the first time it seldom does not result in a child or children as is more likely with the first mating.
I stared at the page I had never even thought of the possibility that there could be more then one child growing within me. I smiled at the thought, why not? My family was given to twins, in my generation alone there were two sets, Molly and Lucy named after the mothers of Percy and Audrey, as well as Fred and Roxanne, George was given to names that did not sound alike for twins, where as I thought it would be sort of sweet to have similar names for twin children.
Scorpius shifted in his sleep and started to drool upon my nightgown. I smiled at the thought of his horror upon awakening to find drool upon my nightgown, and his loud protests that 'Malfoys don't drool.' I gently stroked his hair and he muttered in his sleep something about not wanting to be a house elf, I laughed softly before returning to the book and skipping over more pages, not needing to know all the details, later I would return to the book if I needed to, which was unlikely, it was more of a guide for the veela then for the mate. I smiled at the thought of Scorpius reading it and wondering who his mate would be, or if he already knew thinking about me.
I heard footsteps coming from the hall and saw my door opening I quickly shrunk the book as Astoria came inside, staring at the two of us as she walked to my bedside. I smiled at her and she smiled in reply. "We can talk if you like, he's asleep lets preserve his male dignity by allowing him to believe that he sleeps like a dragon." Astoria laughed at that.
"I came here to talk to you about Scorpius." Astoria said and I nodded, if my son was a veela he would do the same.
"I know, he's told me, in his sleep or when he's thought that I was asleep, but told me all the same."
"What will you do?" Astoria asked.
"Well if he ever gets around to asking me I would most probably accept, although I'm not sure if I want to rush into anything with him and weaken the bond. I like Scorpius but I can't say yet I love him, I care for him deeply and a part of me cries out for him, I suppose that's the start of the bond." Astoria nodded.
"It is, Draco didn't tell me about being a veela until after we were married, I suppose it's different with everyone." I nodded looking at my stomach.
"How many people do the last stage first for example." I smiled at the thought of a baby, my baby.
"Not many." Astoria replied. "But then again not many have your family history."
"Ah you mean that wonderful hate/hate relationship that we have with your family?" I asked and Astoria stared at me astounded. "What, I'm a Weasley, we wouldn't know subtitle if it danced naked in front of us."
"I think that you know subtitle better then you let on." Astoria said.
"Perhaps, the hat was tempted to put me into Slytherin." She gasped at my admission and I smiled. "It didn't even consider Gryffindor even then I was slightly different then my family. I wanted to know others opinions which set me apart from my family, its a bit my way is the right way at home. They don't even really recognize that there are other ways of being a wizard that could be equally valuable. That's why I want the child to be raised with the beliefs of both families not matter how contradictory." Astoria smiled at me.
"You are a very astute woman Rose, I am honored to soon call you my daughter." I smiled at Astoria.
"Thank you." I replied. "I'm learning so much here, the knowledge you have about the wizard world is amazing."
"You mean that you're amazed by how dark it is."
"I consider myself a white witch with a grey philosophy although I would never use dark spells myself as it goes against my nature, I could see the advantages of using them."
"Why then are you holding yourself back, you know my opinion and Draco's on the matter already."
"Yes well its a bit different if you've been raised in a muggle supporting family, my grandparents are muggles and I couldn't think of harming them."
"Not all dark magic causes harm, just like not all light spells are unharmful. Dark magic is more misunderstood then light magic because others fear it." Astoria said and I nodded.
"maybe its not the spell, but the intent of the spell that matters, like the unforgettable, they don't work unless you really mean them."
"Exactly." Astoria smiled at me. "So if you can justify your reasons, in your own heart its never truly wrong to use a spell. If you believe in what you are doing and that it is right then you shouldn't have to explain yourself to others. If you feel that need to justify it to others you must first examine yourself and see if you believe what you are doing is right."
I nodded I liked Astoria, her logic was different from my own but at the same time I found it to be very strong. She wasn't afraid of admitting her beliefs like some. "If it is the intentions that matter, when does it start to get out of hand? We can all agree that the war was terrible and lost its reasons becoming nothing more then a struggle for power."
"The thing is about such wars, no matter their intent they always wind up harming others, for something that could be avoided if people were willing to talk. We can all be stubborn sometimes and unyielding I suppose its a part of wizard nature." I smiled at her in reply.
"Yes, I agree with you." I replied and she nodded. "I'm sorry about all of this, I feel as though I have forced myself into your lives. You know if I was muggle I wouldn't even find out about being pregnant until after a month."
"Really they have to wait a whole month before knowing that they're pregnant? It's so easier to know right away in some ways. Its a bit hard to miss with wizards, for one thing you have that glow." I smiled at her.
"True, I can't believe some muggles though, they leave their children sometimes, or don't tell the man about the child."
"It's difficult, but muggles are sometimes unfaithful, where wizards never are. Its impossible to be unfaithful after you take your blood vows." I agreed.
"Muggles have vows as well, although theirs are based upon only trust, it seems less meaningful to me in some ways." I said and she nodded. "They can vow all they want, but really what it comes down to in either case is love." I smiled at the thought of the vow with the house elf, vows were not to be taken lightly, if a wizard knew within their heart that they had broke their oath, they would slowly loose their magic until they were only able to brew potions or the most rudimentary of magic. Such wizards would be shunned for what they had done, that was why entering into an oath with someone was considered sacred.
"Very true and some wizards attempt to circumvent their oath by making others and it does slow down the process of magical infirmity although such people are never truly trusted." Astoria said and I nodded, thinking of Severus Snape, who had managed to somehow keep all of his magic, I suppose that you could make an oath and not truly mean it within your heart, then it wouldn't be classified as betraying the person you made your oath to. "Perhaps we have debated the finer points of wizard philosophy enough for now. Every time I speak with you Rose you amaze me with your knowledge. Draco is uncomfortable talking about his beliefs with you, for the very reason that you seem to know how to ask exactly the right questions and know the give and take of debate very well."
"Thank you." I said. "I was in the debate club at school and found it fascinating."
"Scorpius wanted to join, but I convinced him that he would be better accepted if he tried out for Quidditch instead."
"We would have welcomed him." I said. "Or at least I would have, there were no Slytherins in the club, or people with other views then ours."
"Perhaps because they wished not to be discriminated against more then they already are."
"True, but I wonder, if we discriminate against Slytherins, or if they discriminate against us. That's why I like to open my mind as much as possible to other possibilities." I said and she nodded.
"You are wise beyond your years Rose, a true Ravenclaw."
"Thank you Astoria." I replied and she smiled nodding.
"Dinner will be served soon." She said and I nodded as she left my room closing the door behind her.
"Scorpius?" I asked, before gently shaking him, he didn't stir. "Scorpius?" I asked again somewhat louder, before shaking him again. I sighed and called Knobby.
"How is Knobby helping Mistress Rose?" Knobby asked looking at Scorpius.
"How do you wake him?" I asked Knobby and he smiled.
"Young master is ticklish." Knobby replied and I smiled.
"Thank you Knobby." I said and Knobby bowed before disappearing with a stream of smoke. I tickled Scorpius' sides lightly and after several minutes, he sleepily swatted away my hand.
"Stop it Knobby." He mumbled.
"Dinner is going to be soon Scorpius, which means you need to get up." I said gently.
"Few more minutes, Mother." Scorpius said and I couldn't help but laugh lightly.
"Come on Scorpius, what's this I hear about Malfoys being light sleepers?" I asked him and he seemed to rouse at once.
"Rose?" He asked me.
"Who did you expect, you fell asleep on my bed after all." I replied. "Come on, get up."
"Very well." He replied sitting up and stretching yawning slightly. "I wanted to see if you and the child were alright, it seemed so peaceful in here that I must have dozed off." I allowed him to make his half-truths, if he had simply dozed off why was his head upon my chest?
"Its a very peaceful room, isn't it?" I asked him smiling.
"Yes, it is, its one of my favorites, I almost chose it when I turned eleven and father said I could have any room I wanted in my wing of the manor."
"The manor is very beautiful not how I imagined it." I said and he smiled.
"There is darkness as well as light to any place." He replied.
"Very true, now Rion could you return to your own room?"
"What did you call me?" Scorpius asked his voice curious not angry.
"Rion, its a lot shorter then Scorpius and it suits you." I replied. "Its a shortening of your middle name."
"Your family is rather fond of shortening long names." Scorpius said grinning.
"Or making short names longer." I agreed. "My family calls me Rosie, as we are to be family as well you may if you wish.
"I would be delighted, Rosie, I have something to ask you."
"Yes?" I asked him in reply.
"Would you accompany me to Diagon Ally for the day, we need to get you a wardrobe befitting a Malfoy." He quickly added.
"I would be delighted." I replied. "It would give us an opportunity to get to know one another."
"You want to get to know me?" He asked.
"I do, yesterday, that was just a bit of Malfoy baiting, you can be a very different person Rion when we are alone."
"Yes, you will need to learn how to be dignified, you aren't a completely hopeless case like some of your family."
"Scorpius Malfoy," I said playfully. "Was that a complement I just heard?" Scorpius blushed and I smiled. "I believe that it was, Rita Skeeter would kill to report of the day, but lets not tell her shall we?" I asked and he laughed.
"Yes, lets leaf the beetles out of it." Scorpius replied and I smiled.
"Ah yes a Malfoy cracking a joke a rare occasion indeed and don't tell me that Malfoys aren't amusing if they want to be. There seems to be a lot of Malfoys are not and not enough of what they are." I reached behind me and took out a pillow. "This sir is war." I declared and hit Scorpius with the pillow. Unfortunately it was griffin down and old fashioned in that it was not sown in. Feathers went flying all over Malfoy and I couldn't help not laughing as he spit out one feather, before reciprocating with a pillow of his own. We beat each other with pillows for a few minutes before our weapons were exhausted and the room was covered in feathers.
"Rosie you appear to have a feather in your hair." Scorpius said and gently removed a feather from my hair, I felt my cheeks color.
"As do you Rion." I replied and removed five feathers from his tousled blond hair. "Now perhaps you should get ready for dinner in your room as I need to change." He nodded and smiled.
"As the lady desires." He replied and gently kissed my knuckles. "I look forward to tomorrow.
"As do I." I replied smiling as he left my room. I put on some nice robes and combed out my hair before coming out into the hall. Scorpius was waiting for me smiling softly.
"You look beautiful Rose." He admitted and I nodded.
"Thank you Scorpius." I replied and he took my arm in his own as we walked to the dining room. Draco and Astoria were waiting for us and both were smiling as they saw us come in together.
"Did you have a good rest?" Astoria asked and Scorpius nodded.
"It was pleasant mother." He replied. "I will be accompanying Rose to Diagon Ally tomorrow."
"Good." Astoria said as the house elves appeared and started to serve the food. "How was your day?"
"I spent some time in the library, father have you been studying veela lately?" Scorpius asked.
"I have." Astoria replied with a smile. "Veela are so fascinating, you can never truly learn enough about them." She winked discretely at me and I fought back the urge to laugh.
"They are quite interesting, especially the way in which they find love." Scorpius replied as the elves filled his bowl with soup. I waited for a minute before realizing that he wasn't going to admit anything to me that night, I saw Vinky and smiled at her. She answered my smile with a hesitant smile of her own.
"Yes and the courtship." Draco said and looked lovingly at Astoria who smiled back, I felt completely out of it. At least I knew more then I let on, but here they were having an entire conversation without me and it was a bit maddening. As the house elves finished serving the soup I took a mouthful to disguise my irritation but it burnt my tongue.
"Ow." I said forgetting momentarily where I was.
"What is the matter?" Scorpius asked concern unmistakable in his voice.
"I burnt my tongue." I replied and laughed. "I haven't done that since I was a little girl." He smiled in reply as I took another mouthful, this time careful to blow upon it. The Malfoys continued to talk about veela physiology throughout dinner and although I learned a few things I found it highly annoying that they appeared to be having a conversation without me. I finished the bowl and filled another from the serving dish that the house elves had left behind. I suppose because I was 'used' to the idea of house elves they would be serving us now.
After dinner we had fruit tortes for desert, I passed up mine in favor of some more dragon's milk. "Did you enjoy the soup?" Astoria asked and I nodded.
"It was very good." I replied and she smiled.
"Vinky prepared it, its traditional for a new house elf to prepare the meals for the family for a week after being bonded." Astoria said.
"I didn't know that, are there any books on house elves in the library."
"No, mostly it's ingrained." Draco said. "I don't think that there are any books about house elves anywhere." I nodded, finishing off my milk, I smiled as I saw Scorpius's eyes grow heavy and I yawned.
"I'm tired." I admitted when really I wasn't. "May I be excused to go to my room?"
"Yes, Scorpius looks a bit tired as well, poor child his NEWTS wore him out." I nodded we had, had NEWTS the week before and had gotten our results back the next day. People by now knew better then to keep Ravenclaws waiting on grades, too many people had driven themselves to the hospital wing in intensity.
"They were rather difficult." I admitted as I got up. "Goodnight Draco, Astoria, Scorpius." I nodded to each.
"Wait, do you need help finding the way?" Scorpius asked. "I am going to go to my bed chamber as well." I smiled at the old fashioned use of the word.
"That would be appreciated, thank you Scorpius." I replied and he nodded.
"You are most welcome Rose." He replied and bowed slightly, I smiled and allowed him to take my arm in his. We walked together to my rooms where he bid me goodnight. "I will see you in the morning? Have Knobby wake me if need be." He said and I nodded.
"I look foreword to it Scorpius." I replied and he smiled before leaving me at the door to my room. I went inside and changed into my nightgown, waiting for ten more minutes before going across the hall, Scorpius was already asleep, moonlight illuminating his face through the two tall windows that stood on either side of his bed, overlooking the grounds as mine did the walk up to the house. He looked ethereal and then I laughed lightly to myself before closing the door softly behind me. Of course he looked ethereal muggles had thought that veela were gods messengers, or perhaps they were, the thought of Scorpius being a fallen angel sent among mortal men seemed likely to me. Had I actually just thought that? About Scorpius, then I had to admit to myself that he was beautiful and ethereal.
I got into the other side of the bed, wondering why I was doing this. It must have been the bond between us and I almost gagged it sounded so incredibly corny. I believed in love, it was sort of impossible not to with my family. I wondered what attracted me to Scorpius, was it the way he needed me, the way a part of me needed him. I was severely questioning if male veela had no allure because something within Scorpius called to me. Then again veela bonds were complex and it sort of made sense that I didn't want him to be harmed, I was too nice, that was my problem, as well as being too afraid to even be considered for Gryffindor.
I sighed and looked at Scorpius, the blankets weren't even pulled up on him all the way. I smiled and gently tugged them up to his shoulders, he was wearing traditional night clothing, a nightshirt and pantaloons. I smiled at the thought, pantaloons had been very popular in wizard culture, still were for that matter much like a pair of muggle jeans, except a wizard wouldn't dare wear them with anything and everything. Sometimes I wondered at the muggle fashion sense.
Scorpius smiled in his sleep and started to snore more softly, he appeared more relaxed now somehow. I felt an answering smile growing on my face, he looked younger somehow, he wasn't smirking but then again, I hadn't seen him smirk in several days. I wondered if they were taught from an early age the Malfoy smirk, because whatever else they did not do, Malfoys did smirk. I laughed quietly to myself at that and Scorpius shifted as if he somehow knew of my humor. I laid down beside him listening to his breathing somehow lulled me into sleep.