Discalimer: I don't own Harry Potter!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!

May Lose Everything

Present day: Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry...

Draco slowly walked back down to his godfather's bedchambers, resisting the urge to turn back around and run to the Infirmary. The Veela blood coursing through his veins was screaming at him to go back to... Draco didn't even know the man's name, but it did not matter. Draco knew exactly who he was, his mate.

Being part Veela meant that Draco was destined to be with one person- and one person only- for his entire life; however, since he was not a full-blooded Veela, it meant that finding his soul mate would be so much harder. Luckily, his godfather had developed a charm that could help him do just that. Draco reached up to hold the Dragonstone around his neck. It was so hot that Draco had believed it would leave a nasty burn on his palm when he had first touched it that morning, but he felt no pain upon contact, quite the opposite reaction had occurred. He found that the intense heat was addictive, causing a ball of warmth to settle in his stomach. Several times since he woke up that morning he had caught himself touching the stone, reveling in the feeling of absolute completeness it stirred within his soul. The small Dragonstone had lead Voldemort to the brunette in the Infirmary... If Severus hadn't had a cure to Nagini's venom, then Draco would have lost his other half before ever having a chance to know him.

Despite the warmth of the stone in his hands, Draco was stopped dead in his tracks as a dagger of ice stabbed into his chest, his heart. He clenched his eyes, desperately willing the pain to go away. How could such an intense feeling of anguish pierce him at the thought of losing someone he had never spoken to?

Acting on impulse, Draco gently tucked the Dragonstone back beneath his robes, settling the stone above his heart. The icy pain in his chest subsided, but only barely. Not caring about his Pureblood upbringing, Draco stepped over to the nearest wall before sliding down. He lay his head back against the wall with a soft thud and took a deep breath. Within moments his silver eyes closed to thoughts of the brunette, his mate...

An hour later, Severus would have assumed the worst as he approached a long pair of legs stretched across the corridor on his way to check on Draco were it not for the steady rise and fall of his godson's chest. He allowed himself a small smile before he knelt before the blonde. "Draco," he called gently shaking his godson's shoulder. "Draco, you fell asleep in the corridor..."

"Sev?" Draco asked as one silver eye finally cracked open.

"Draco," Severus smiled. "Your mate woke-"

But before he could finish delivering the news, Draco was standing. He broke off at a sprint to the Infirmary. Severus smiled, highly amused at the blonde's enthusiasm. He, however, did not run down the hall; he followed behind Draco at a more leisurely pace...

Farther Along the Corridor...

Draco's entire body felt as if it were on fire as he ran as fast as he could to the Infirmary. His legs could not carry him fast enough as his years of Pure-blooded upbringing were forgotten. Despite himself, tears of utter relief began to fall from his eyes against his will. He was crying over a complete stranger! No, he was crying for his mate...

At last, the Infirmary doors were within reach. In a vague attempt to seem composed, Draco paused long enough to wipe his eyes and brush the dust off of his trousers from his brief nap on the floor. He must have looked like a real fright, but he could not bring himself to care as he opened the large doors with trembling hands.

Immediately, a pair of stunning metallic eyes were upon him. The violet tint of those eyes was the most beautiful sight Draco had ever seen. Feelings of need, want, lust, love, and desire all battled for dominance within Draco until only a feeling of being absolutely complete overpowered everything. The brunette across from him raised a perfectly sculpted arm, leaving his palm outstretched for Draco to take. The blonde nearly tripped in his haste to get across the room. His entire world nearly stopped when their hands finally touched and he was pulled into the most intimate hug he had ever experienced- and with a man he didn't even know!

As he had already done multiple times that morning, Draco began crying. The tears streamed down his face of their own accord as his mate's arms locked around him. His own arms clung to the brunette as tightly as they could while he took in the scent and feel of his mate. The faintest scents of various healing potions marred the otherwise intoxicating scent of magnolia and ground mint- a bitterly sweet mixture that would be forever engrained into Draco's mind from this moment on.

The brunette inhaled the scent of lavender as he tried to take in everything about Draco at once. He exhaled a shaky breath, before pressing his lips to Draco's ear, "My name is William."

Draco shuddered at the deep, sensual tone of William's voice pressed so tenderly to his ear. "Draco," he said without lifting his head from William's chest. He just wanted to hear the brunette's heartbeat for a moment longer considering he had nearly lost it the night before. "It is a pleasure to meet you, William."

William let out a warm laugh and pulled Draco even closer to him. Before he could respond, however, a figure cleared his throat at the door.

Severus stood in the doorway with an eyebrow raised and a small smile as he watched the scene before him. Draco did not even turn around to acknowledge his presence, which he understood completely. The brunette sent a small smile to the Potions Master and bowed his head slightly. "Thank you, Healer."

"I am no Healer," Severus said as he approached his godson and his mate. "But I must say that it is very nice to see you awake, William." He patted Draco's back. "Draco, give him some room."

But before Draco could shake his head 'no,' William broke in. "He is just fine where he is. His presence is helping my recovery more than any potion or spell ever could."

Draco raised his head with a big smile. How could he have thought it wrong to be so taken with a stranger? "Good answer," he laughed.

William chuckled as well. "You have a beautiful laugh, Draco."

Severus scoffed and suddenly remembered about the Infirmary's other occupant. "Potter is still asleep it seems." He approached the Gryffindor's bed. "His Inheritance was very powerful. Though the Headmaster has yet to say anything- he never does- I believe that there is a prominent amount of creature blood."

"One of the Elder races," William said as he loosened his hold on Draco. He wanted to see his mate's face now.

"How can you tell?" Severus asked as he watched William lift Draco's chin with two gentle fingers- a gesture that was the exact opposite of how the Dark Lord had handled Lucius the night before.

"His magical signature is radiating from every pore of his body," William answered as he carefully wiped the tear stains from Draco's pale cheeks. "You are so beautiful," he whispered. Draco felt his cheeks heat up at the compliment. He felt like a bloody school girl...

"I suppose I'll just need a blood sample to confirm anything," Severus said as he pulled his wand from his robes. He figured Draco and William would need some time alone. "I'll head back down to the lab with the sample... If Potter starts to wake up, give him this," he ordered as he pulled another vial of gold liquid from his pockets.

"Yes, Sev," Draco said with a nod. Then, it was as if Severus had disappeared. Draco was completely taken with William and vice versa...

"They'll need their own room soon," Severus mumbled as he shut the curtains around Harry's bed. Retrieving a blood sample was easy if one knew the right spell. Severus called an unheard goodbye over his shoulder and headed down to his beloved dungeons before Dumbledore could find the time to send him on another errand. That morning had been enough of a hastle...

Earlier that Morning: Number 4 Privet Drive...

Severus frowned deeply as he stood before the mundane house on Number 4 Privet Drive. The entire neighborhood screamed Muggle, and it nearly sickened the Potions Master to be so close to the Dursley's. The fact that Petunia and Lilly were sisters is a fact that Severus always forgets when Dumbledore forces him into her company. Why did the Headmaster insist on sending Severus for his dirty work?

"No matter," Severus grumbled as he approached the front door. "The wench better be home," he added, and with a light knock, Petunia immediately came to answer the door. She paled at the sight of the sallow, pale Potions Master before her eyes grew cold.

"That little brat nearly got Vernon killed last night," she spat in her usual clipped tone. "Let him know that he is forbidden to step foot in the house ever again." Severus internally rolled his eyes, for it would have been beneath him to do so psyically, and watched as Petunia opened the door a bit wider. She waved a bony hand and Dudley emerged from the hall with Harry's trunk and belongings in tow, the whole while Petunia babbled on and one about 'freaks' and how 'disgusting' magic was. Severus nearly hexed the woman, but decided to grab the trunk from Dudley instead.

"Thank you, Madam," Severus said with a snarky bow. Just for a laugh, he pulled his wand from his robe pocket, making Petunia gasp an Dudley trip over his own two feet. With a quick charm the trunk was small enough to fit in the palm of Severus's hand. He bowed once more before disapparating away, Petunia mumbling and complaining all the while...