Author's Note: Thank you all so much for reviewing and favoring this story. If you have read my work before than you know that I am a big Veela fan and therefore most of my story are veela based. I do try to write them differently so I hope this one is as well. I am a big Twilight fan as well and LOVE the imprinting concept. So I decided to write a story of the two together. Please let me know what you think of this idea.
Disclaimer: J.K.R. owns all recognizable characters and Stephanie Mayer owns 'imprint'. I am NOT making any money from writing this story.
90 reviews for two chapters. You guys are awesome!
How It All Began II
Chapter Three
~*~
"Lucius!" Narcissa called her husband anxiously, her voice echoing through the many rooms of the manor.
She had no idea why Lucius had Dobby, of all the crazy elves, tell her to meet him at the manor right away. All she knew that Lucius had better have a good explanation for making her look like a low class citizen. One second she was enjoying her apple tart dessert in the classy Velluto Vivanda, a family restaurant, and the next she was shouting to the waiter to put everything they have ordered on the Malfoy credit.
Unlike Lucius, Narcissa could not apparate home at will through a warded place, so she had to shoulder her way through the crowd of elegantly dressed witches and wizard to get outside so she could apparate away.
It was supposed to be a nice family evening, and it was – until that damn crashing sound. Employees of the restaurant had tried to see what the commotion was about but some kind of barrier prevented them from entering the mayhem area.
"I will check it out," was all that Lucius had said before shoving himself between the waiters that were unable to pass through the archway. Surprising himself and those around him, Lucius was able to get the head of his cane across the magical shield, before stepping completely through it.
That was the last time Narcissa saw her husband before Dobby gave her Lucius' instructions.
~*~
Narcissa touched the tip of her wand to her larynx and called "Lucius," in an amplified voice.
"Draco's chambers, darling," Lucius' own amplified voice rang throughout the house.
Narcissa quickly climbed the expensive marble set of stairs to the third floor of the manor. Making a right turn and a few moments later a left, Narcissa finally reached Lucius who was standing just outside the entrance of Draco's room.
"Lucius," Narcissa began. "What…?" She stopped immediately when Lucius placed his aristocratic index finger to his lips, shushing her effectively.
Immensely confused, Narcissa looked inside her son's room. Draco's room was dimly lit with a few floating candles and it vibrated with age-old magic. When her eyes finally fell on the four-poster bed, Narcissa felt her heart stop. She could easily identify her son's sleeping figure. Draco was not the reason for her momentary shock. It was the body he was spooning possessively, which made the lips of Lady Malfoy faintly tremble.
"It has finally happened," Lucius whispered hoarsely. "He found his mate."
"You are certain?" Narcissa asked dubiously.
"Of course I am." Lucius sneered at his wife. "Do you really think I would allow a mudblood to sully the air of our manor otherwise?"
"A mudblood?" Narcissa asked incredulously.
"See for yourself," said Lucius as he took his wife's hand and pulled her toward the bed that the young witch and wizard occupied. The rich carpet muffled their hasty steps.
"Is that…" Narcissa began, whispering in awe. "Hermione Granger?"
"The one and only," Lucius answered with a regrettable sigh.
Narcissa had no trouble identifying the witch because her pictures were always on one page or the other of the Daily Prophet. The reporters were pulled towards Hermione Granger, Ronald Weasley and Harry Potter like bees to honey. The only difference was that the Hermione in the photos looked like an un-kept rag doll, returning from one mission or another, where as the Hermione laying down on the Slytherin green sheets of her son's bed could pass for properly bred pureblooded witch.
Narcissa could tell that Hermione was dressed in elegant robes, which likely were expensive by the looks of the beautiful peach colored silk. Her bushy hair was pulled back in a bun, opening her face. The witch seemed to own blemish-free features. The touch of rosy color that stained her pouty lips looked like the only unnatural substance the witch possessed. With her high cheekbones and a stubborn chin, Hermione could have passed from the most aristocratic wizarding families.
"What happened to them, Lucius?" Narcissa whispered softly. Lucius in turn pointed at Hermione's wrist that lay on the silk sheets. Narcissa gasped at what she saw. Hermione's hand was palm up and there was a silver tinge of a bite mark on the ivory surface. Automatically, Narcissa looked at her own wrist.
Not wanting to disturb the sleeping couple, Lucius gestured for Narcissa to fallow him out of the room. "All I know for sure is that Draco has claimed her." He answered warily.
Lucius looked so tired and old at the moment. Sighing, Narcissa closed the distance between them and hugged him gently, calming his veela in the process.
"What are we going to do?" She whispered, drawing circles on his back in soothing comfort. "You know we cannot keep her here forever. She will be greatly missed." Not to mention that Dobby will most likely crack on the spot about what had transpired between the Malfoys and Hermione if asked.
"I know." Lucius replied. "The sleeping charm I placed on the two won't stay forever either. Ms. Granger is one powerful witch," he chuckled. "It took me two tries before I knew she was completely under the spell. She kept throwing it off, even in her unconscious form."
"How are we going to get her away from Draco?" Narcissa was concerned. They could not just take a newly acclaimed mate from her veela. The unsteady creature would go berserk, attacking everything in its path.
"I will contact Severus immediately." Lucius answered decisively. "I am sure Snape still remembers the potion he made for me when my veela was on the verge of destruction back in Hogwarts."
"And what about Hermione?" Narcissa asked.
"We will have no choice but to obliviate the witch. You know that it is the only way to keep her safe for the time being." Lucius explained. "Whether we like who Draco's mate is, is moot at this point. Mudblood or not, the fact of the matter remains, Hermione Granger will be the next Lady Malfoy. "
"Yes," agreed Narcissa. Although Narcissa Malfoy always wondered how she would react knowing who would take her place as the Lady of the manor, relief was not one of the feelings she expected to feel. She felt no jealousy or threat toward the younger witch; instead, she felt pride and gratitude that her son had managed to secure the smartest witch of a century as his mate, so to speak.
They had to act fast and quietly. If the Dark Lord heard any of this, the Malfoys were sure they would be the end of their pureblooded line. They needed to contact Severus and then weigh their options. What could they possibly do to secure the future of this family?
~*~
Draco cracked open his eyes and a second later shut them tightly again. The morning light that penetrated his room was excruciatingly painful. Taking his time, Draco rubbed his eyes with his pale hands. Blinking a few more times, he got accustomed to the brightness.
Unsteadily, Draco stood up and wobbled to the loo so he could take care of his personal needs. He bent over the sink and splashed the cold water on his face. Straightening up, Draco looked at his reflection, watching the droplets of water lazily cascade down his face and neck. Even though he looked the same in the mirror, he felt somehow hollow. His mind felt numb and yet he somehow knew that his life could never be the same again.
Why? What has happened? He tried to remember something…anything, but it was all so hazy. All he remembered was having dinner with his parents, and then…nothing.
"What the hell is happening to me?" Draco murmured hoarsely.
After taking care of his business and dressing up in house robes, the wizard went in search for his parent. When he approached his father's office, he heard his parents talk to each other in hushed voices.
Even though Draco was a Slytherin by nature, he did not feel like himself. There was no drive in him to eavesdrop. Therefore, Draco did something that he had not done since he was a child. Draco knocked.
"Come in," he heard Lucius' aristocratic voice through the door. Turning the doorknob, Draco pushed the door open and walked into his father's study. "Draco!" Lucius' voice was full of surprise. He was sitting next to Narcissa on the leather sofa that stood again the far wall.
"Father," Draco croaked in return. He waited for Narcissa to come to him before acknowledging the stricken woman. "Mother," he whispered when the witch patted his pale cheek gently.
"You should not be up, my sweet." Narcissa said softly.
"What happened last night?" Draco asked, shaking his head.
"What you do you mean?" Lucius prodded.
"The last thing I remember is ordering dessert. It is all blank form there." Looking back at his sire, Draco snarled. "Why do I feel that an important part of a memory was ripped out of my head?" Draco noticed the look Lucius sent his Narcissa and instantly knew they were hiding something from him. Looking at his mother he said, "I demand an answer."
Not paying her son any mind, Narcissa addressed Lucius who set behind his desk, looking thoughtful. "I thought Severus said that he won't remember anything. The potion should have taken effect by now." She did not mind talking in front of Draco because she was against this whole idea from the beginning.
"What potion?" Draco questioned, as a wave of nausea passed him.
Sighing gravely, Lucius said, "You might want sit down for this one, son." Once Draco settled, Lucius asked, "I need you to tell me exactly what you are feeling." If Draco started to remember the events of last night, Lucius thought it was better to do it front of his family instead of acting like a lunatic in front of his classmates when he was back at Hogwarts.
As odd as the question sounded, Draco felt compelled to answer honestly. "Empty. I know that there is something missing but I cannot understand what or why."
"Draco," Lucius began. "Last night, at the restaurant, you found and marked your mate."
After a moment of silence, "Who?" was the first word Draco uttered through his parched mouth.
"Hermione Granger," his mother supplied softly as she sat next to him.
Draco closed his eyes and shivered. He felt his skin turn to gooseflesh and palms start to sweat at the sound of the witch's name. His heart hammered inside his ribcage. He had a terrible urge to find Hermione that instance to make sure that she was safe and happy.
Shaking the crazy notion out of his head, Draco asked, "How could I have forgotten something as important as marking Hermione 'Know-It-All' Granger as my mate?"
"You do not sound as repulsed as I thought you would." Lucius smirked. "From what you have been telling me about Ms. Granger over the years, I thought you might throw a tantrum when you finally found out that she was your mate."
"Regardless of what my feelings toward Granger were in the past, she is my mate now." Draco stated, highly insulted. There was no point in denying the truth of the matter. Draco knew what he was and knew what that meant. "I still want to know why I do not recall marking her."
"You cannot remember because I blocked the time frame of you marking Ms. Granger, from your memory." Lucius answered thoughtfully. "I could not let you chain your mate to your bed until the end of the war, now could I?"
"Chained to my bed?" Draco asked bewildered. "You mean she was here?"
"Yes, I transported you and Ms. Granger to the manor last night. I thought it better not to let our little secret out to the public just yet." Lucius explained.
"Where is she now?" Draco asked in a hard tone.
"Once Severus arrived, he made you drink a potion to suppress your veela trait." Lucius explained. "Once you were sedated, Snape took care of Ms. Granger."
"How?" Draco prodded.
"By obliviating her and returning her to her parents' home for the time being." Lucius elaborated.
"You know where she lives?" Draco asked when he realized what that meant. His father nodded.
Lucius Malfoy was a death eater and yet he kept the information of the whereabouts of one third of the golden trio a secret. Why? Surely, he knew the rewards the Dark Lord would bestow on him if he decided to share the location.
"So, Professor Snape knows our secret?" Draco decided to change the subject.
"Yes, he used his potions to suppress my veela during my years at Hogwarts with your mother." Lucius smiled faintly. "The potion worked so well, it curbed my obsession and possessiveness toward your mother and allowed me to court her…normally, before I had a chance to tell her about my true nature."
"Why did you see the need to block my memory? Shouldn't the potion help with my desires?" Draco did not enjoy anyone pointing his or her wand at him.
"You cannot expect me to jeopardize this family by allowing you to get to Ms. Granger at anytime, do you?" Lucius yelled exasperatedly. "We are at war, boy! The master that we follow and obey hates everything that your little mudblood stands for!"
"Do not call her that, father!" Draco stood up sharply, raising his own voice. His heart hammered in his chest, his blood boiled like hot lava ready to burst. Draco seethed, "She is more important to me than that half-breed you kneel to."
Standing up as well, Lucius leaned over the expensive surface of his writing desk and looked down at his son, who was still shorter by a few inches at sixteen. "Do watch the way you speak to me Draco or you will make me regret…"
"Boys, please!" Narcissa shouted, pushing Draco back so he could sit down and then glaring at Lucius until he too set back in his chair. Placing her slim hands on her waist, she glared at the Malfoy men. "Lucius, you will refrain from making such vulgar comments regarding your son's mate."
"Yes, dear," whispered Lucius sourly.
"And Draco," Narcissa admonished her son. "You will not ridicule your father for trying to protect you and Hermione."
"Yes, mother," Draco, replied just as sourly as his father had.
"Now, Lucius, why do you think Draco knew that something was wrong the moment he woke up?" She questioned her husband. "You and Severus assured me that the potion and the memory charm would ensure that Draco won't feel any different than he did before our little dinner. There must have been a reason why your theory was proven false."
"If you would so kindly remove the memory block, I might remember something useful which you might have missed," the Slytherin suggested.
"I suppose that would be safe." Lucius mumbled as he took out his wand from its sheath. "The potion is still strong in your system and should prevent you from doing anything rash." Lucius flicked his wand at Draco and then watched his son carefully.
Draco's body froze the moment the charm was lifted from his memory. He leaned his head against the back of his seat and let his eyes roll to the back of his head of their own accord. His eyelids twitched spasmodically, projecting private scenes behind them. He was obviously remembering his encounter with Hermione.
A moment later, Draco opened his eyes and straightened in his chair. He looked more ill than before he came into his father's study.
"Well?" Lucius probed.
"Merlin, help me." Draco breathed heavily into his hands, causing his parents to worry even more.
"What is it sweetheart?" Narcissa asked gently. "What do you remember?"
"The reason I knew that something felt wrong this morning, was because another power was somehow overriding Professor Snape's potion and your memory charm."
"What could have done that?" Narcissa asked slowly.
"I believe my lycanthropy heritage had something to do with that." Draco answered uncertainly.
"What does that have…?" Lucius began to ask but stopped in mid sentence as the realization downed on him. Lucius stood up and walked around his desk. Kneeling in front of his son, he whispered with unshed tears in his eyes, "You imprinted on that witch, didn't you?"
"Yes," Draco answered calmly. "I imprinted on Hermione before my veela had a chance to mark her."
"Are you certain, dear?" Narcissa also joined her husband. It was very rare but not unheard of to be able to mark and imprint on the same mate. It may have only happened once before, centuries ago. This meant that the veela and the wolf had to work in harmony with each other to sustain their mate in health, happiness and prosperity.
Oh, how Narcissa wished that Lucius could have imprinted on her but alas, it was not meant to be so. Narcissa had always known that Lucius' imprint was out there somewhere and once the mystery witch would surface, there would be little to no room for Narcissa in Lucius' life.
"Do you know what that means, Draco?" Lucius asked hoarsely. "It means that the Malfoy family will prosper and grow. A Malfoy had not marked and imprinted on one mate for centuries. The veela would mark his mate for the most part while the wolf staid dormant."
"I know," Draco acknowledged in a whisper. Wiping the tears that slid down his pale face, Draco said, "This changes everything, father." Very carefully, the son measured his father's gaze. "At least it changes everything for me…"
Nodding in understanding, Lucius Malfoy hugged Draco to his chest and patted him reassuringly. "For me as well my son, as well as for the future of the Malfoy family."
~*~
That was how it all began, dear readers. That was the reason why the Malfoy family switched sides during the war. Their love for family and their desperate need for the brighter future meant everything to them, and a little muggle born witch named Hermione Jean Granger was the one who gave the Malfoy family a little push, sending them to the light side.
TBC…
Next Chapter: Courting Hermione Granger…(I think)
Hmm, So Lucius has his own imprint out there somewhere. Wonder who it is?
A/N: As much as I love that so many of you alert and favor this story, I would love it even more if you review it and let me know what you thought of it. I know they say that action is more powerful than words but in this case I believe your words would give me more power to write ;-)
So....Please review if you want to read more. :-)
