Chapter Six:
Someone Holds Me Safe and Warm
Summary: Four years after the war ended, Draco Malfoy now works alongside Harry Potter as an Auror. Along with others, they work together to track down and capture the last remaining followers of the Dark Lord. During one mission, Draco discovers that not only is he a Veela, but he only has until his twenty third birthday to find his mate.
Author's Note: PLEASE READ! Hey there guys! If you didn't vote already, can you please check out the poll that's on my profile? I'd really like to know your opinions of which Dramione story you'd like to see uploaded next. Also, there may be a slight delay between my uploading of chapters, seeing as I'm working a bit more now.
Featured Review: andherestograce: "I know it's coming...he's got to find out about Hermione being his mate soon! Excited for more! Also, I like the relationship building between Hermione and Narcissa :)
I can indeed confirm that it won't be long until Draco discovers the identity of his mate. Maybe two or three more chapters? I'm not sure yet, I don't think I can keep the suspense going for much longer. Thank you for the lovely review, I'm glad to see you're enjoying it and that I'm keeping you interested.
Special Mentions:
LazybyComparison – I did sent you a message concerning your review, and I do really appreciate your opinion. I am aware people may be concerned that Flora will be put in the spotlight, but I can assure you that she won't.
Chester99 – Seriously! Stop catching onto things early! But yes, your suspicions are correct, they haven't heard the last of Fenrir Greyback.
Hanable-13 – I'm glad I gave you that impression of Pansy, I was going for that.
. . . . . . .
Draco knocked furiously on the door of the Manor for what must have been the hundredth time. Why the hell was no one answering? His Mother was normally in, where could she have gone at this hour? After what seemed like an eternity, his Mother's house elf Jinx opened the door, an annoyed scowl spread across his lips.
"Master Malfoy, what a nice surprise. How can Jinx be of service?" The house elf asked huffily. For a creature that supposedly loved serving witches and wizards, Jinx sure seemed to contradict that statement. He looked like he absolutely detested it.
"I'm looking for my Mother. Is she in?" Draco inquired, looking past Jinx and into the Manor in hopes to catch a glimpse of his Mother. Unfortunately, he did not.
"Mistress Malfoy is out. She will not be back until later. Would Master Malfoy like to wait inside until she returns?" Jinx suggested, though looked as if he were desperately praying that Draco would say no. Draco was half tempted to say yes just to piss off the stubborn little elf, but he had other things he needed to do.
"No that's alright Jinx, I'll come back tomorrow. Thanks anyway." Draco sighed. Just as he was about to leave, a faint scent of cinnamon caught his nose. Looking back at the door, he raised a brow in curiosity, then looked at Jinx who was looking at him expectantly, probably waiting for him to walk away before shutting the door.
"Jinx, do you smell cinnamon by any chance?" Draco asked, just to make sure he wasn't going crazy. There was no way his mate could have visited Malfoy Manor. Was there?
"Mistress Malfoy was baking today. Mistress made many delightful treats. It is possibly Master Malfoy is smelling the cinnamon buns Mistress made." Jinx shrugged.
"Thought as much. Thanks anyway Jinx." Draco smiled, then descended down the steps and started making his way back home. He didn't know why he'd gotten his hopes up. For a moment he'd seriously thought his mate was just sitting within Malfoy Manor, waiting for him to arrive and claim her as his own. If only it were that easy.
As soon as he got home, Draco made his way to the library in search of J. Franks' book. It had proved very helpful and he still hadn't quite finished it. There was still a few things he wasn't sure about. One of them being what to do once he found his mate. Did he have to tell her he was a Veela? Or was there some special ritual he had to perform?
"Chapter Five: The Bonding Process. Upon finding their mate, a Veela has until their next birthday to complete the following tasks to claim their mate.
- Earn their affection. Like common relationships, it cannot work if the feelings are one sided. A Veela is required to have their mate return some feelings towards them before they are able to complete the bonding process. If mating is attempted while the mate does not have any feelings towards the Veela, the Veela will become sick for long periods of time." Draco read aloud to himself. Scoffing slightly, he figured that part was obvious. It wouldn't be that easy and he certainly was not going to try and force himself upon the poor girl. He wasn't a rapist for crying out loud. But it did make him wonder if some Veelas had tried to force their mates into something like that. The very thought made him shudder. He couldn't possibly imagine how a Veela could do that, they were meant to love their mates to the very core of their soul, weren't they?
"- Mark them. A bite is normally applied to sensitive pieces of flesh. For male mates, it is commonly found on the neck or shoulder. Female mates will have bites found on their neck, breasts or the inside of their upper thighs. While a female Veela does not need to release any venom, a male does for the purposes of breeding.
- Mating. The final stage of the bonding process requires a Veela to consummate their bond with their mate. During the process, an additional bite must be applied to the mate, not in the same place as before, to symbolise that the bonding process has been completed. The bites normally heal into silver scars that only other Veela can see or feel. This is so a Veela can know that the individual has already been chosen as a mate, so therefore must not be touched. Failing to find or mark their mate before their next birthday means a Veela will perish within the next month. The process is slow and painful, as it destroys any bond the Veela may have had with their mate, and quite literally destroys their heart until they eventually die from heart failure." Draco continued. A chill travelled through his entire body after reading the final line. If he didn't find his mate, he'd die. His heart would be destroyed and he'd die a slow and painful death from that. Sighing softly, he closed the book and sat down on the floor. It had been a long and confusing day. The ache of his muscles was starting to catch up on him. Five minutes of rest wouldn't hurt, then he'd continue reading J. Franks' book. Making himself comfortable, Draco slowly closed his eyes and drifted off to sleep.
. . . . . . .
Waking up in the library once again, Draco stretched to remove the kink in his back. If this was going to become a habit, he figured it might be a good idea to bring in a sofa or some form of makeshift bed. While he knew it was important to find out as much as he could about his Veela heritage, getting a good nights sleep was also a vital necessity.
"Draco? Are you in there?" A voice asked, causing him to groan slightly.
"How do you keep getting into my house? I've ordered Mitzi not to let you in." He scoffed, getting up from the floor before striding across the library to open the door.
"I know how to twist her around my little finger. That house elf loves brownies more than you could imagine. And why wouldn't you want me in here. I'm delightful." Vincent Crabbe scoffed, pushing his way past Draco and waltzed into the library like he owned it. Growling softly, Draco slammed the door shut and brushed his messy hair back with one hand while following Crabbe with much hesitation and disapproval.
"Did you want the whole list of just the demo version?" Draco snarled.
"So I set your bathroom on fire and may have destroyed some precious family heirlooms. It was an accident. I paid for the damage." Crabbe shrugged.
"No, you wrote my an I.O.U which I'm still waiting on." Draco corrected.
"And you shall receive soon enough. Didn't your Mother ever teach you that patience is a virtue?" Crabbe asked, swaying his finger side to side while tutting softly.
"Yes, but she also taught me to rip people limb from limb when they don't deliver what they promised." Draco smirked, taking a step towards Vincent who backed away.
"That's what I came to talk to you about. I'm finally getting paid the money from the insurance company, so I'll be able to pay you next month." Crabbe stated hastily.
"Well if that's all you've come here to say you can consider me well informed. Now get the fuck out before I throw you out." Draco barked, pointing towards the library door.
"Just one more thing before I bid you farewell. Is it true that you're a Veela?" Crabbe asked, but instantly regretted it when Draco grabbed him by his collar and shoved him up against the wall. There'd been a time when the two used to be friends, but that was a while ago. After all the shit Crabbe had done, he was lucky Draco hadn't killed him.
"Get the fuck out of my house and never come back." Draco snarled.
"Jeez, I was just asking. No need to bite my head off." Crabbe scoffed, brushing down his shirt once Draco let him go, but didn't take too long to get off Draco's property.
Sighing softly, Draco headed up to his bedroom so he could have a shower and get ready for the day. He had work in a few hours and while he wasn't particularly keen on going in, especially now everyone would probably know about the whole Veela thing, it would probably help keep him distracted from the negative thoughts floating through his brain. Mainly the final stage of the turning process that was approaching, or the week of death as Draco called it. He wasn't exactly looking forward to spending a whole week writhing in pain, nor the possibility that he'd die from it either. As he climbed into the shower, he felt his muscles instantly relax when the warm water rushed over them. He hadn't noticed until now how tense he'd been. Then again, it was hardly surprising. His whole world had been turned upside down in the space of a day.
Once he was in a pristine condition, Draco climbed out of the shower and dried himself off, then headed to the wardrobe so he could get dressed. He was interrupted when the sound of someone knocking on his front door halted him in his tracks. Knowing Mitzi would get it, Draco quickly grabbed some clothes and shoved them on so he wouldn't keep his visitor waiting too long. After making himself presentable, he rushed down the stairs and headed towards the front door. He was quite surprised to see the Minister of Magic standing in the hallway conversing with his house elf.
"The Minister of Magic would like to speak with Master Draco. Mitzi will make some tea." Mitzi announced before disappearing to the kitchen.
"You have a lovely house elf Draco, she's very sweet." Kingsley chuckled.
"Thank you Minister, please, come into the living room so we can sit." Draco smiled then lead Kingsley through the house until they arrived within the living room.
"I suppose you're wondering why I'm here?" Kingsley smiled, sitting down on the sofa.
"I'm guessing it's something to do with me being a Veela." Draco shrugged.
"Indeed. With the situation having been leaked to the press, there's hardly anyone around who doesn't know about your condition. Several people within the Ministry of Magic have voiced concerns about your newly discovered heritage. While I have declared my full confidence in you, I must also be a fair and unbiased leader. So, a compromise was made. You will continue working for the Ministry of Magic. But for the time being, you will not be coming into work. You will return once the turning process is complete." Kingsley explained, his voice as calm and official as always.
"Hold on, how do you know about the turning process?" Draco asked.
"Who do you think planted the book in your library? That book belonged to my great grandmother. She was obsessed with Veelas and tried to learn everything she could about them. So much so she ventured out with a man named J. Franks to live with a clan of Veelas. She's the one who drew the illustrations in the book." Kingsley stated.
"I-I...thank you Minister. That was very kind of you." Draco stuttered.
"You're quite welcome. I probably understand better than most what you're going through. But this stage leaves you very vulnerable and exposed, not to mention unpredictable. I must consider the safety of my staff. Once your gene has settled, you're more than welcome to come back to work. I'll make sure you're still paid while you're on leave." Kingsley nodded, pulling out a small notebook, then handed it to Draco who took it with caution and curiosity. Scanning the notebook to see there was nothing on the cover, he slowly opened it to see what was written inside.
34B – SECTION 176LK
0978
"I'm sorry Minister, I don't quite understand. What is this?" Draco asked.
"That is the location and combination access code to my personal collection of Veela books. You're welcome to help yourself to them any time you like." Kingsley smiled.
"O-Oh! Thank you Minister! That's very gracious of you!" Draco gasped.
"It's no problem at all. Now I must be off, please apologise to Mitzi for me, seeing as I won't be staying for tea." Kingsley stated, standing up slowly.
"She won't mind. Though if it happens again she won't be happy." Draco chuckled.
"I'll be sure not to disappoint the lady a second time. Have a good day." Kingsley smiled, then left through the front door without saying another word.
"Minister Kingsley didn't stay for tea!" The shocked voice of Mitzi suddenly gasped.
"He said he's sorry. He is the Minister of Magic Mitzi, he does have important things to do. I'm sure he'll make sure he stays longer next time, if there is a next time that is." Draco explained, watching the disappointed look on Mitzi's face fade to understanding.
"Minister Kingsley had better stay for longer next time or Mitzi will be forced to do something that Mitzi does not want to do." Mitzi stated, nodding softly as she placed the tea down on the table. Chuckling softly, Draco picked up his cup and sipped slowly.
"You're welcome to join me Mitzi." He offered, gesturing to the seat beside him.
"Mitzi would love to have tea with Master Draco!" Mitzi smiled, practically beaming. It brought him a lot of joy when Mitzi took him up on his offers. Sometimes he worried the elf worked way too hard and he enjoyed seeing her relax. Smiling softly, he poured Mitzi a cup of tea while talking to her about any little thing that popped into his head.
. . . . . . .
Hermione sighed, looking at the clock before continuing to read the folder that rested upon her desk. She loved her job, but there were days where she'd rather be curled up in bed and reading a good book. Days like today where she had seven files to approve of and six meetings to attend was never a day she would look forward to. Taking a sip of her tea, she continued to read the fine print of the first document, making sure there were no loop holes at all for the contractor. They were finally making the distribution of Wolfsbane potion to werewolves mandatory. She'd fought for years to get that law enacted and now it was finally becoming a reality. She just had to make sure that the producers of the potion weren't getting some kind of leverage over the werewolves.
So far, everything was looking in good condition. She had found one or two things that would need to be amended, but other than that it was completely fair on both sides. Glancing over at her tea, she noticed that the cup was now empty and knowing full well she wouldn't be able to get through the day without another she stood up and left her office to go make another. When she arrived in the break room, she noticed a small group of women sitting on one of the tables, whispering something to one another. Now, normally Hermione Granger was not the type of woman who would pry into other people's conversations. But for some reason, on this instance, she couldn't quite help herself. So, while she was making her tea she turned her head slightly so she could hear what the women were talking about without making it obvious she was listening.
"I can't believe Kingsley didn't fire him. I don't feel safe knowing that...thing, will be coming back here in four months." A brunette woman shuddered.
"I know what you mean. They're worse than werewolves. Completely unpredictable. You never know when they may pounce." A blonde woman scoffed, scowling slightly.
"I heard that they can mark any poor unsuspecting woman as their mate. Whoever they deem attractive they just bite and boom, you're stuck with them forever. You're not allowed to leave." A red head added, fear filling her voice and her eyes. Unfortunately for them, that was the last straw for Hermione Granger. She'd heard enough.
"You should all be ashamed of yourselves! It's unjust opinions like that which make me ashamed to call myself human. Did any of you actually think to research Veelas? Did it not occur to you that since you're going to be working with one it might be a good idea to find out the facts rather than take the word of mere gossip? Well let me tell you this. A Veela is not unpredictable. They're completely stable unless their mate is threatened. And they can't randomly pick a mate based on appearances. It's a connection of the very soul, someone they were destined to be with! And they can't mark them unless the feelings are returned, so I suggest you take a long look in the mirror and ask yourselves what kind of person you actually are. Because when I look at you I don't see respectable women, I see pathetic school girls judging people based on rumours, not facts." Hermione scoffed, then grabbed her tea and left the room without giving the three women any time to respond. It was people like that who really got on her last nerve, people who jumped to conclusions without even investigating further.
"Wow Granger, you really told them." A voice chuckled, making her jump in shock slightly. A small amount of tea slipped out of her cup and landed on the floor. Looking up, she noticed the smirking face of Cormac McLaggen and rolled her eyes.
"What do you want Cormac?" She asked, heading back to her office.
"Greyback escaped from Azkaban, again. He's been spotted in London. Potter wants everyone on high alert, so pass the message on to everyone you can." Cormac stated. Her eyes went wide in shock. Greyback? If he was in London, that put him in dangerously close range of the Malfoys. He knew Narcissa Malfoy's Veela gene was dormant, but the Prophet had all but sent him a personal owl letting him know there was a Veela ripe and ready for the picking just a few minutes away. Draco.
"I've got to go." Hermione stated, forcing her cup into Cormac's hands before running away from the now very confused looking wizard. She had to find a fireplace and use the Floo Network to warn Draco about Greyback. There was a chance that he'd try and attack Draco now that he was exposed. Rushing into a free fireplace, Hermione grabbed some Floo Powder and threw it to the floor, yelling where she wanted to go.
. . . . . . .
Narcissa Malfoy was a refined woman who never let people see they got to her. She believed that the ability to control one's emotions and hold back anything that would show a weakness was truly a powerful ability indeed. It was for that reason she was not letting Fenrir Greyback see that she was absolutely terrified by his presence.
"Where is the boy, Narcissa?" Fenrir growled, mere inches away from her face.
"He's beyond your reach." She scoffed, hoping that Greyback would become under the impression that Draco was no longer in the country and go searching for him.
"No matter where he goes, I will find him. You can spare his pain by telling me where he is now and I promise no harm will come to any of you." Fenrir chuckled.
"Do you think me stupid, there's no way I'd take your word." Narcissa spat.
"So be it." Fenrir growled, raising his clawed hand as if he were about to strike Narcissa down. Closing her eyes, the woman prepared herself for her inevitable death.
"Impedimenta!" A voice suddenly yelled, followed by a brief flash of turquoise. Shock filled her face when she saw Greyback's hand instantly slow down to an almost non moving pace and Hermione Granger running out of her fireplace.