AN: So here is the next chapter. Chapter 9 is twice as long, but I am not sure when I will post it. I want to get chapter 10 written first, but I have been so busy I have not had the time. Do not be too disappointed that Pansy is not mentioned in this chapter or the next, but I want to think of something good for her, and have not been able to choose an idea yet. As always, thank you for reading and reviewing!

CHAPTER 8

Hermione and Draco were getting ready for bed when she decided to bring up the question about his parents again. "Draco, why were you against saying goodbye to your parents?"

The blond sighed as he sat on the bed and took off his shoes. "Many reasons actually." He finished undressing and pulled on some pj pants before he continued, "Firstly I did not know if I could handle seeing my father in the same room as you after he tried to seriously wound you. Secondly, as you know both of my parents are Veelas. That causes problems because they both strive for the other to be completely happy. Imagine two people in one relationship who would literally do anything to make sure the other is safe and happy, even if that means ignoring what would make themselves happy. It creates a loop in the relationship because it is impossible to always be able to make your mate happy if they are also striving to do whatever makes you happy. There is always a hint of despair because they know they can never truly make their mate 100 percent happy and so neither are 100 percent happy. And when one does something stupid, like my father today, which brought my mother to tears… their pain is shared and they both have to work really hard to get over it. It's not true that a Veela can't hurt their mate; it is just so painful to the Veela emotionally, that it is top priority to never hurt them. That brings me to the third reason: You now know how a Veela can ease their pain by being with their mate; let's just say I don't think I want to be around my parents for a day or two." Draco finished with a grimace.

At this point Hermione and Draco were lying in bed facing each other as they talked. Her mind tried to wrap around the thought of the emotional turmoil Draco's parents were constantly living in. "That must be a very difficult relationship to be a part of."

"It is, but they are each other's mates… they don't want it any other way, and they are happy together. Their relationship just causes the Malfoy Manor to have drama running high, all the time."

"But they will be okay?" Draco was amazed by Hermione's caring heart.

"Eventually." Draco paused trying to figure out how to explain what exactly had happened. "I am my parent's only child. While they will always put each other first as mates, they love me and have a desire to protect me nearly as strong. My mother was hurting because she thought you 'rejected' me, and caused me extreme pain. Therefore my father was attempting to protect her by looking at you as a threat." Draco sighed, "The relationship between my parents and I has always been… unique. It's best we don't see them for a while and correspond only through owls for now."

She gave a faint smile. "Goodnight Draco."

"Goodnight love" He replied as he pulled her closer. He felt at peace when she was in his arms. His mate.

The next morning Hermione awoke before Draco and ran to use the loo before crawling back into their warm bed. He was lying on his back, still asleep when she returned. She lay on her side and couldn't stop herself from tracing the scar on his chest. It was very faint, but present all the same. She was startled when Draco spoke, "What is it? I can feel a question is dying to be asked, but you aren't actually focusing on it."

Hermione blushed

When Draco cracked an eye open to look at her his face morphed into amused curiosity, "Now I really want to know."

"Well…" Hermione glanced at him and then shook her head, "Never mind"

"No really, what is it?" His voice gentled, "You can ask me anything, Hermione."

"I was just wondering how exactly my… my elixir can heal you."

Draco smiled, "Ah the elixir of life…"

Hermione gave him a skeptical smile. He kissed her nose and continued. "It's not so much your love juice that-"

"Can we just stick with elixir please?"

He shook his head at her embarrassment but did as she asked. "It is not so much your elixir as it is the motivation that comes from it."

Hermione fought her smile as she gently slapped his arm. "Enough puns"

"Still embarrassed about sex huh? We will need to work on that." His eyes flashed silver for a moment before changing back.

"Just please answer the question, Draco"

"Alright, alright. My Veela will heal quickly because we want to be able to protect you and because we live for you. So when we join (he knew she still hated the word 'mate') or you give a part of yourself to me as you did, my Veela will do anything to heal as quickly as possible to be able to be there for you. I guess you could say that when a mate willingly gifts a part of themselves to their Veela, their Veela heals in order to thank them by being around to love and protect them."

Draco glanced at Hermione to see her looking at him with aw. "Draco, that is actually really sweet."

"I guess it is, isn't it." He said as he tucked a piece of hair behind her ear and kissed her smiling lips.

"Somewhat disturbing, but sweet none-the-less"

Draco kissed her again. "Veelas are sexual creatures, Hermione."

"I've noticed" she said dryly as she felt his growing erection through his pj pants.

Draco smiled deviously as he flipped her on her back and pinned her hands above her head. Draco wandlessly divested them of their clothes.

Hermione gasped, "Those were my favorite pjs Draco. They better still be in this room."

"I've gotten better; they are on the chair over there, see?" He allowed Hermione to lean up a little to see that their clothes were in fact in a messy pile on a chair in the corner. Draco quickly captured her attention again with a searing kiss. Draco caressed her body into a frenzy and when he finally entered her, they both groaned in appreciation. It turned into a groan of frustration though when they heard a tapping at the window. Draco only paused for a second before he began moving again, "ignore it."

"Draco, owls don't usually deliver mail to rooms; it could be important."

"It will be there in a few minutes."

"But-" She lost her argument when Draco hit a particularly wonderful spot inside her and sealed his lips over hers. He was right it would be there in a few minutes.

A few minutes later the owl's tapping became unbearable. Draco made sure they both found completion before he marched over to the window and wrenched it open. The owl swooped in and landed on a small table where it dropped the letter. When the owl waited for a treat for delivering the letter, Draco growled at it causing it to startle before flying back out the window affronted.

Hermione gave a quiet giggle at the scene in her blissful state.

Draco opened the letter to read, and Hermione watched his facial expressions change from curiosity to anger to disbelief to uncertainty.

"Who is it from?"

He scratched the back of his neck as he answered, "My mother."

"What does she say?"

"She apologized, for both her and my father. Then she talked about some irrelevant gossip before she inquired as to when she could start assisting with planning our wedding." Draco looked uncertain as he finished.

Hermione leaned back in the pillows, "Oh." While she understood that Draco and she were getting married (it was inevitable) Hermione had wanted the wedding in about eight months in order to give herself time to acclimate to it first. She figured it would be a smaller affair and she would start planning it about a month before it happened, but she realized that was wishful thinking… it was a Malfoy wedding after all and she figured the Malfoys never did anything small.

"We can change that. It's your wedding; it can be whatever you want it to be." Draco said as he lay on the bed and held her through the sheet.

"It's our wedding." She replied as she stroked his arm and leaned into the crook of his arm. "What did you picture your wedding like when you were younger?"

He frowned, "Honestly I tried not to picture my wedding. I knew my mother would want it to be some huge, grand affair at Malfoy Manor with over 300 guests and a social standing show, but I never really wanted anything more than to just be married to my mate. I honestly don't care what our wedding is like, Hermione, so long as you are standing by my side."

Hermione rolled her eyes and smiled, "What is with you turning all romantically sweet this morning?"

"Hmm, must have been something I ate last night. Or it could be the sex."

Hermione scoffed so much for that.

"Then again the 'romantically sweet' only started after I found you."

"Were you always so crass?" Or it could be the sex… then again the 'romantically sweet' only started after I found you. The words replayed in her head. Hermione knew that Draco had a reputation for indulging in females before her, but it made her wonder how many girls he had actually been with. She wasn't sure if she actually wanted to know the answer.

When Draco saw the facial expression change on Hermione, and felt the touch of inadequacy, Draco listened into Hermione's thoughts. When he heard what she was thinking about, he cringed before choosing his words carefully. He would not lie to her. "It is true that you were not my first. I was a hormonal boy, a Veela, a sexual creature that knew that once I reached 17 I would never want to sleep with someone other than my mate whom I would have to wait up to eight years for." Draco grimaced, "Let's just say I made a stupid choice to try and 'get it out of my system' before I turned celibate waiting for you. You just happened to come along quicker than I had anticipated; something I am very grateful for."

Draco decided to change the topic of conversation back to the letter, "So what did you dream for your wedding?"

Hermione was actually glad for the change in topic, "I pictured a smaller wedding with my parents, closest friends, groom and his parents and closest friends. I of course pictured a muggle wedding, but I think that was only because I've never been to a wizarding wedding. I pictured about 25 guests with a small ceremony and reception with the people who I truly care about with me to celebrate the night away."

"That sounds nice." Draco tried to picture it. It looked perfect… too perfect. Their friends and family could be in a small room without killing each other for one night… right? Maybe a bigger wedding wouldn't be so bad. No, Hermione wanted small, so they would figure out a way to make sure everyone kept the peace for one night. Now he just had to convince his mother.