Draco Malfoy knew exactly what had happened from the moment he realised he had landed up in the hospital wing. His mother and father were sitting next to him, Draco sat up slowly and turned his head towards the curtains separating his bed and the one next to his. And all his mind seemed to be doing was whirling the acknowledgement, finally after all those years of being told he had a mate, he had found her on his actual seventieth, his mate was in that bed next to him and their magic had bonded them. He was in so much trouble.
"I didn't mean to- "
"Hush now Draco, we know, Severus told us what happened in the Great Hall," his mother said calmly and softly. "We know that you both are not at fault, of course this is not how we imagined how your bonding would be, but the matter of the fact remains. It has happened."
"What happens now?" Draco asked his father.
"Discussions will have to be made," his father replied thoughtfully.
Draco could understand his fathers thoughtfulness, for in the bed next to him he knew was not a random girl, for Draco recalled who he had bumped into in the Great Hall. And for the first time since waking up he felt like he really should be panicking about who his mate had turned out to be - who his wife now was - oh he definitely was in so much trouble when she woke up.
The doors to the hospital wing opened up and Draco heard soft footsteps approaching and it sounded like more then one person. He wasn't wrong; Madam Pomfrey stepped past the dividing curtain, followed by Professor McGonagall who glanced at him sternly. The soft groan from the next bed brought all of their attention to it. His mate was awake. Professor McGonagall stepped around the curtain.
"Lay back down Potter, it may take some time to adjust."
Draco blinked at the screen, then shared a look with his parents, he had never known Professor McGonagall to sound so concerned before.
"Is that why I feel like I've been trampled over by a herd of Hippogriffs?"
A brief relief of breath escaped Draco, though her voice sounded soft, Draco at least knew she was conscious despite how she was feeling.
"Professor?"
Draco froze at the sound of Potter's questioning tone.
"You collapsed in the Great Hall -"
"I collapsed? What for? I only bumped into someone."
"It seemed that was enough." Professor McGonagall said.
"I don't understand."
"Potter," Professor McGonagall, and Draco heard her take a deep breath. If Professor McGonagall was unsure how Potter would react, then Draco himself felt like he had no chance.
"How familiar are you with the magic of bonding?"
"Not much, I know its binds two people together in the wizarding world - like a marriage."
"Yes in a sense, but what binds the two together is magic, Harriet. And that magic for a lack of a better word is irreversible. Usually the couple in question will have chosen to bind themselves, in your case, your magic reacted on its own accord."
"I'm m-married!"
"Bonded," Professor McGonagall corrected. Potter muttered a few choice words under her breath. "It will take some time for you both to adjust, and we are going to deal with it the best way that we can. And we know that next year when you return you'll both be fine as you'll be in close proximity to one another."
"Professor could you just slow down a little, and actually explain."
"It's important newly bonded spouses have access to one another during their relationship Harriet. You and Mr Malfoy-"
"Wait one second, you mean to tell me that the person I bumped into in the Great Hall was Malfoy, and that his magic and my own decided to bind us together, making - Professor I can't be married to Malfoy - what about his mate, surely she could reverse all this?"
Feeling slightly brave, and a little impatient of being left out of the conversation, Draco pulled the screens slightly open, ignoring Professor McGonagall.
"Our magic wouldn't have bonded us if you weren't my mate, and how-"
Potter raised her eyebrows defiantly.
"Harry!"
Draco also turned his head towards voice that called out as soon as they entered the hospital wing. Draco recalled seeing the plump red-haired woman that had just entered somewhere before and it took himself a second to figure out where.
"Mrs Weasley?" Potter said sounding astonished. Draco chanced a look at her, Potter looked surprised to see her to, though it seemed to be a welcome surprise.
"Pomfrey informed me, said you may want a - well that-"
"Thanks Mrs Weasley, I couldn't think of anyone better." Potter ended the sentence for her, and Draco wondered what Weasley's mother had been trying to voice across without upsetting his new wife.
"You've been told what happened with M-" Potter stopped looking at Weasley's mother in panic, "M," she tried again.
"P-" Draco went to address her, all he wanted to know was what was going on, why she was suddenly incapable of speaking.
"I see the bonding has starting to already have its affects." came the calm voice of his headmaster. "It seems you'll both have to refer to each other using first names.
"But I was able to say it literally moments ago," Potter exclaimed.
Draco looked towards his parents, bonding magic was old, one of the most ancient types of magic, one that had been used in arranged marriages, it wasn't until now had Draco realised why bonding was so important. Respect, that was what the magic required; from them both.
"And you will be able to refer to each other as such again," Dumbledore said calmly, "once the bond settles."
Potter glanced away unimpressed. Draco should tell she was trying to figure out her next move. And without looking at anyone, she asked, "What's going to happen now?"
"Usually the bonded couple live together." Draco heard his father state, "The Manor is now your home."
"I think that is unwise," Mrs Weasley spoke up, "Forcing a bond of this magnitude upon them both, your son may have been taught -"
"It's fine Mrs Weasley." Potter said sadly.
It was his mother who choose to act, stepping around his own bed, and his professors. Mrs Weasley stood her ground and opened her mouth to say something, Potter however had heard his mothers approach, and looked up, Potter held a hand up and Mrs Weasley faltered, nodding at Potter in understanding.
"The choice is yours alone, Harriet, we will not force you to live with us."
Potter gave her a thoughtful look, "It's crazy to think we could get on, your son and I - let alone live with each other and be bonded. But I know, well read that it's painful for bonded couples to be a part."
"Then you are in agreement then?" His father questioned.
"Arh," Professor Dumbledore said, "it is not as simple as that, there is Harriet's safety to think about."
"She's my wife," Draco found himself saying, adding, "you really think I'd let anyone hurt my mate. Neko's -"
"I am fully aware," Dumbledore interrupted, "Many Neko's have roamed these halls before you. It is not your wards I mistrust either, Mr Malfoy, indeed I know they are most powerful, I place them myself, that does not make them unbreakable."
Draco turned to his parents, mystified.
"I became a spy, because we had a incline, that you're mate would be Harriet, Draco." His father explained.
Draco caught Potter's eye, at least she looked as baffled by this news as he was.
"In any case as I was explaining, the wards are indeed powerful, but the ones surrounding Harriet's home are more powerful, she needs to return there first."
"Why?" Draco asked his hand fisting by his side, he was finding it hard to keep himself calm.
"The charms there keep me safe from anyone who has a Dark Mark."
"Not everyone," Dumbledore corrected, "If I guess correctly it is just those loyal, Harry."
"Well there is still two and a half weeks until the end of school," Mrs Weasley said, "You can always arrange something between now and then, take you're time and find the best plan. The bond will only work and let you separate for such a length of time as the school holidays if you work at it and spend time together." Mrs Weasley said, "We'll have to figure out a plan for you're seventeenth and next year, whilst you are both are at school."
"That won't be necessary," Professor McGonagall said, "usually, you both would be informed in a letter from the school, but considering the circumstances, it falls upon me to inform you both now, after much debate you have been chosen to be Head Boy and Head Girl."
So that had been what she had meant by next year not being a problem to build their bond, Draco thought. The Head Boy and Girl were giving rooms adjacent to each other, it wasn't a well kept secret amongst the pupils of Hogwarts.
"Once the blood wards fall, Harriet will come to the Manor then."
It had been his mother who had spoken and she looked directly towards Mrs Weasley and challenged, "Unless you can think of a better place that has more powerful wards, as what Malfoy Manor has."