Disclaimer: None of it is mine. I only borrow them for a while and I'm not earning a cent. Frizzy writes marvelous fan fiction describing Draco as a veela. (Rowling: Harry Potter books 1 to 5, Frizzy: Magnetic Attraction)
Summary: DM/HP During the summer, before their last year in school starts, Draco Malfoy's Veela heritage is awoken. He's searching his mate and that leads him to the most unsuspected target. A hard and difficult one too.
************ The veela allurement ************
Ch9. Betrayal hurts more than other surprises & QA's
An owl swooped down and dropped a letter on Harry's plate. He looked after the owl funnily. He wasn't expecting any mail except from Sirius and Remus and had been a little worried as Hedwig wasn't back yet.
Ron was trying to look over his shoulder what the letter was about but then Hermione admonished him for his manners and there they started to argue again. Sometimes Harry wondered if they ever would stop it. But on the other hand occasionally it was for his benefit and you could always rely on it. Like when Ron had started to rant him more about Malfoy and the detention. It had ended the same minute Hermione had said she was appalled by Ron's way with words.
Harry abandoned his breakfast and opened the letter. It had two parchments, both half filled with fine spidery scribbling. The first was the schedule for his extra classes that Dumbledore had promised to deliver him this week and then there was a letter that invited him to a meeting at Dumbledore's office tonight. Harry stuffed them in his pocket and got up in his thoughts. Maybe the meeting was about the order and his vision. It couldn't be about his new classes because they seemed to be in order.
"Sorry! I wasn't looking..." He said absentmindedly over his shoulder when he accidentally ran into someone at the great hall doors. Harry never looked back to see the concerned eyes of Draco Malfoy.
**
"Ron, are you sure you want to try this one out this soon?" Harry pointed at the paper and was frowning. "We don't even know who the new chaser is going to be and this is going to be difficult even to Seamus and Andrew." They were carefully looking over Ron's new moves for the Chasers in Gryffindor common room later that night.
"But that's just it Harry. If we can pull this when everyone thinks we're playing it safe because of our new chaser, we will take them totally by surprise." Ron was looking exited and Harry was just about to comment when Hermione rushed in.
She looked anxious and ready to burst over something. Her cheeks were burning enthusiastically pink and her eyes were shining. It was immediately clear that she had again discovered something. She always looked like that, no matter if it was over a new way to use some plant or a variation of some spell.
Hermione was looking around the common room and finally noticed them. She bounced at their direction immediately and when she finally stopped at their table, she had to take few deep breaths.
"You won't believe - what I found out." She exclaimed and then looked around frightened that someone was listening. "Come on. Let's go to my rooms." She was wringing her hands and signed them to hurry.
Harry and Ron gathered their things quickly. It was no use try to argue with her when she was already going.
Hermione was leading them forward half running and every time Ron or Harry tried to ask something, she just hissed at them. Soon they gave up. When they finally arrived at the painting of Sir Cadogan, Hermione nearly pushed them in, locked the painting and cast a silencing charm. Then she turned to look at them, eyes shining.
"I know." She said in a conspiratory way. Clearly she was ready to burst now.
Ron looked at Harry and rolled his eyes and then turned to her. "What do you know Mione? Come on, tell us already. You haven't been like this since you figured out why that powdered asphodel, or something, reacted differently in your calming potion than sliced one."
Hermione seemed little taken aback. "Well, that wasn't in our school books and it didn't make any sense." Then she shook her head and the excitement was back. "But this is nothing like that. This is huge!" She took few hopping steps and dragged them to sit on the couch while she sat unceremoniously on the coffee table.
She took a deep breath like readying herself for something. "I know…" She looked from Harry to Ron. "What Malfoy is up to. Or more precisely, what's up with him." She smiled widely after that and looked highly pleased at herself.
"What! What is it and how did you find out? Is it a potion? Tell us now Mione!" Ron perked up and looked like Christmas had come early.
"I found this book while I was looking something for my transfiguration essay. First I thought nothing of it but it was really fascinating, so I read further. I had few questions that the author just passed, so I looked for a second book on the subject…"
"Mione make it short." Ron looked pleadingly and though Hermione first looked annoyed, she soon got over it and just smiled widely again.
"That was when few Slytherins walked in the library. They made me think about Malfoy and can you imagine the shock I got, when everything I just read seemed to fit at him." Hermione continued. Ron was nodding his head up and down while he was trying to make sense of what she was trying to tell.
Finally he grabbed his forehead and sighed. "Mione! What – was - it?!"
Hermione just smiled slyly and leaned closer to them. "The book I read." Harry and Ron both nodded eagerly for her to go on. "Was about northern magical creatures, mostly about the lives and the ways of the Veelas."
Hermione looked at them expectantly and Ron seemed like he was doing some quick thinking. Then Harry heard him take a sharp intake of breath and he could have sworn that Ron paled a bit.
"You can't be serious. M - Malfoy?!" The words came out of Ron's mouth with great difficulty and were filled with disbelief.
Harry was looking from Hermione to Ron. Clearly they both knew something that he didn't. "What? What has Veelas to do with Malfoy?" He sounded a bit annoyed but really, he didn't see the connection and even Ron had got it already.
"Oh Harry, it means that Malfoy is a veela." Hermione explained slowly. "Half-veela to be exact. One of his ancestors must be a Veela. It's not that unusual you know. Many wizarding families, especially old purebloods, have few drops of non human blood in them and Veela's are very understandable, they are human like and certainly attractive enough."
Harry was looking stupid and but he thought he had every reason to. True, he hadn't thought that Veela's fell into the creatures category when he saw them in the world cup and surely understood what someone might see in them. He had even heard Fleur Delacour say that she had a Veela as one of her grandparents but that Malfoy?! It was incomprehensible. Then something else clicked in his head.
"Most purebloods. So does it mean that there's some truth in Snape being related to a bat?" Harry suddenly got a very interesting mental image and Ron snorted.
"Bat is a little far fetched but vampires might hit closer." Hermione said like she was taking it seriously not that they could ever be totally sure that she was joking. Now it was Harry's time to snort and Ron was outright laughing.
After Ron had silenced down a bit, Harry though about another question. "Hermione are you sure about this? I mean absolutely, 'not ever been so sure about anything' -sure? I didn't even know there were male Veela's?"
"Yes there are and yes I am. Males are just more retrieving in nature than females and far less in numbers. Mated females also act much more drawn and prefer quiet surroundings so they are not seen often. Of course half-Veelas seldomnly have a need to close themselves off. I bet Malfoy gets his veela blood from his father's side. That would also partially explain why Lucius Malfoy is so high up in Voldemort's ranks." Harry decided just to stay quiet and wait for more. Maybe this would eventually made sense later. Ron still winced whenever they mentioned the name.
"Veela wizards have more stronger magic than normally. But they have the weaknesses of the Veela's as well as the benefits." Hermione was really getting to her lecturing mode but for once Harry and Ron didn't mind. "You see, Veela's life moves totally around their mate. Quite romantic actually. They would give and do anything for the mate. I think the mate is many times regarded as a weakness, especially in human world, but the magical power increase is definitely one of the benefits, no matter how you looked at it. It all fits to Malfoy. He must have come to his heritage this summer. The outward appearance he now has, the allurement effect that we have felt and I noticed he is doing exceptionally well in every practical classes. Plus, the potion that Snape made us do last week… it was a counter potion against the allurement." They sat in silence for a while after that.
"I still can't believe it. Malfoy is a Veela." Ron's voice and expression didn't walk hand in hand. He sounded stunned but looked relieved.
Harry had caught one clear thing from Hermione's explanations. "Malfoy has a mate?" He asked still somewhat dazed over this.
"From what I read about, yes. Though it's a bit different from what you might think. I'd say a soul mate is a better word. That is closer to the truth. Muggles have thoughts about them but with Veela's it is the actual thing. It's like a perfect match in every possible way. Like there has once been one soul that has for some reason divided in two and as far as I was able to found out, Veela's are actually the only creatures that can find those. Wizards have tried to make spells and potions for centuries in order to do the same but no one has come up with anything as sure and effective." Hermione explained it eagerly when she for once had so attentive audience.
"Why would they do that?" Harry asked, still in his thoughts.
"Men." Hermione said frustrated. "It's the perfect love Harry. You of all people should know the power of it." Then she realized what she had just said and looked at him carefully, clearly not sure how he would take it.
"I do." Ron said suddenly and both Harry and Hermione now turned to watch him. "When we were little our mother often told us these Veela stories. How they were the most wonderful beings on the earth and so faire. The luckiest wizards or witches might one day get to marry one and they would be loved until the end of their days. Or that's what we are told when we are children. I s'pose you don't know about it, being raised in the muggle world but basically every wizarding child in one time or another wishes to have a Veela spouse. They would get unconditional, perfect love forever. It's this childhood dream of many." Ron was looking dreamily ahead...
"Fairytales." Hermione slowly said. Then she frowned. "It's really annoying how much they leave out from those magical culture books. Not even once are children bed time stories mentioned."
"So Malfoy can't just choose any girl to marry and what did you say about those changes in him?" Harry asked and Hermione stopped frowning and got back into explaining.
"I just figured out that he is a half-veela but now that you mentioned it, there were several chapters about the mate searching period. Half-Veela's come to their heritage in the same time we others hit our puberty or a little later. Their magic can act weird during that time and they have no or very little control over it or over their allurement until they find their mate. That is the first thing they do. Then everything focuses around that person…" Hermione haltered and was looking pensive.
"You know, in the beginning of this school year, mainly during our first week, Malfoy hardly did anything in the classes and the allurement was affecting us heavily. But I don't feel it constantly anymore, at least not as compulsively. So would that mean that Malfoy has found his mate during that time…" Hermione looked up. "That Malfoy's mate is in Hogwarts."
"I told you that he has acted really weird but did anyone listen to me!" Ron exclaimed and got a glare from Hermione. "So the mate is here." Ron said hastily but was still grinning. "I wonder who it is?"
"Well..." Hermione started, looking to be deep in thoughts. "A veela would try to get the mate. Use the allurement maybe and Malfoy would certainly pay more attention to this person. If the mate was a Slytherin, we would have noticed it already. I'm sure they would already be together and you can't actually keep something like that a secret here or when the other is a veela."
"So that leaves only Hufflepuffs, Ravenclaws and us." Harry didn't mean that to get out like it did and added. "I haven't noticed Malfoy looking at the Ravenclaws any differently."
"Neither have I nor the Hufflepuffs but Malfoy has been awfully weird to us." Hermione said slowly and looked at them. Ron and Harry looked back at her shocked. There had been many situations when they had run into Malfoy or when Malfoy had purposely lingered around the Gryffindor table or something else. Now that they thought about, what they had just seen as the usual annoy-the-Gryffindors, clearly wasn't that.
"He hasn't hexed Neville even once," Said Hermione.
"Or bullied the younger," Ron added.
"Or took house points." Harry looked at them. It was really a wonder they hadn't noticed it before.
"I must be blind. It's so obvious." Hermione sighed loudly and looked really disappointed. Like if she had just gotten only a satisfactory from a test. "A veela would never hurt his mate and the way Malfoy has behaved around Gryffindor just screams that the mate is one of us."
"Don't be so sure Hermione. Remember what he did to Ron? Would he do that if the mate was here?" Harry suddenly said.
"You don't understand Harry. The mate is his life. He could never hurt him and Malfoy knows who it is when they meet. We." Ron pointed at them. "Clearly are not that person but I still think that he has been more careful around us too. Probably he has realized that it's not that smart to piss off the housemates of his mate."
"If Malfoy knows who it is then how come it's not news already?" Harry asked.
"Well he can't just waltz in here and grab the mate. Veela might know when someone is the other half of their soul but the mate doesn't. Not so easily." Hermione said.
"You know Mione, that's not exactly true." Hermione turned to look at Ron questioningly. "That he can't just come here. There are several laws that guarantee the most unbelievable things to Veelas, especially when their mate is in question." Ron continued.
"What? No law can agree with kidnapping or something like that." Hermione said stunned.
"There has been half-Veelas in high positions in the ministry and they have pushed through laws to ease their lives. I remember there was even once a case when a Veela had killed someone that had hurt her mate and she was not convicted. There is lots of stuff a veela can do when the mate is in question." Ron eagerly continued.
"Be serious. There can't be. Even the ministry can't be that biased." Hermione apparently had had some confidence left in wizarding laws, no matter how bad the house-elves or werewolves were treated or people pushed into Hogwarts or despite the numerous other injustices they'd witnessed.
"There is! You can just take my word for it." Ron said more upset. Hermione probably looked a little dubious because soon the two were fighting again. Harry decided to leave them to it and picked up his books and turned to go to his rooms. Then he happened to check the time and bolted out of the room.
**
'I'm late, I'm late… I can't believe I forgot the meeting with Dumbledore.' Harry was running the hallways and prayed that what ever it was Dumbledore wanted to see him about would be late too. He turned the last corner slowed his pace. Someone was standing in front of the gargoyle that led to the headmaster's office, as if waiting for something.
Harry recognized the blond hair and he was somewhat confused. What was Malfoy doing, just standing there and why. He walked closer and started to feel little nervous. Everything what Hermione had told him just moments ago came back. Malfoy was a veela and no one knew or at least not many knew. Harry had always assumed that very little could escape the headmaster. Was that why Malfoy was there.
Malfoy didn't notice him and seemed a little edgy and deep in thoughts. Slowly Harry walked closer and when he was only few feet away from the blond, the other finally realized that he was there and looked very surprised.
"Harry… what are you doing here?" Malfoy glanced at the gargoyle and then back to him. He sounded unsure and not only because Harry had sneaked up on him.
"Stop calling me that and what are you doing here?" Harry had a reason to be there but seriously doubted if Malfoy had one. That was if the other wasn't in some serious trouble he hadn't heard of.
"I'm waiting and you?" Malfoy sounded even more nervous and looked ready to jump any moment. Harry had never seen him acting like that. It was weird. Sure enough Malfoy had done odd things this year and even before but now he seemed so out of character that it was starting to make Harry nervous. Suddenly he had bad feelings about all this.
Harry was sure Malfoy was a veela. Hermione had been sure and that was enough for him, besides everything fit. The changed looks, the attraction, the potion, it all made sense. And the mate thing was interesting. Harry couldn't help but wonder who she was and why it wasn't public information already.
Ron had seemed so understanding, which was something Harry never though he would see. Ron understanding Malfoy. Scary. It still made Harry want to laugh. Pity they hadn't been able to pinpoint the mate out but definitely someone in Gryffindor.
"I have a meeting." Harry answered and looked Malfoy more closely. The blond was avoiding looking at him and now he seemed rather uncomfortable than just plain nervous. "What is it Malfoy? You're acting weird."
"I'm not. I'm just… just… you know. I have a meeting too." Malfoy had actually jumped a little and edged further away from him. Harry was fascinated by his behavior. Something definitely was going on and he was eager to know what before he went pass the gargoyle.
"You too? I wonder what's it about if we're both supposed to be there." Harry absently answered. Something was trying to come out from his head, something he remembered but couldn't quite see the whole picture.
'He could never hurt his mate… Malfoy's behavior… that's why I think the mate is a Gryffindor.' Hermione's voice repeated itself in his head.
"I was waiting here. On my way there but I thought you were there already." Malfoy actually stuttered a bit and still wasn't looking at him. Harry took a step closer.
'You don't understand Harry, the mate is his life. He could never hurt him…' Harry remembered what Ron had said. Now, if he just could see what was missing. He knew it but didn't get it.
"Yeah. I'm running late." Harry answered.
'Mate is a Gryffindor… Malfoy's behavior… never hurt HIM.' Ron and Hermione were talking together now. Then Malfoy's voice added 'I thought you were there already.' to it and Harry remembered the kiss. Suddenly it all clicked.
"You're a veela." Harry stated and could feel himself going pale. Malfoy's head jerked up and finally Harry saw his eyes. They looked exactly like the night when Malfoy had kissed him. Harry started unconsciously retreat.
"Gryffindor mate…" Harry just said and the books he was carrying suddenly dropped to the floor. He felt like ice was slowly frozing him from inside and Malfoy looked anguished.
"I'm ... I'm your mate?" Harry asked the question to no one and sudden trepidation filled his heart. This was not true. It couldn't be. It didn't make any sense. But then, in a way, it did. Everything fit and deep down he knew it was true.
"Harry..." Malfoy reached at him but Harry backed away. "Please, don't be frightened. I'm not going to..." he didn't get any further before Harry interrupted.
"You… I… WHAT!" Harry finally yelled and the clearness with what he had figured this all out fled him. He couldn't think straight. Harry only knew that Malfoy was supposed to be his soul mate, he was supposed to Malfoy's mate?! Someone up there had seriously fucked things up.
The gargoyle chose that moment to jump aside and reveal a worried looking Albus Dumbledore. Next to him was agitated Lucius Malfoy with his wand drawn. And behind them were a sneering Snape and McGonagall with pursed lips.
Dumbledore took one look around and then scolded his expression back to his usual cheeriness. "Harry, we have been waiting you."
Harry watched as the older Malfoy, who had tried to kill him with that very wand only few years back, now slowly put it away and was looking from his son to him. Harry turned to the headmaster. Everything felt like a huge mess. Why either Malfoy had to be there right now.
Harry stopped his thoughts at that one sentence. Malfoy had been there, waiting to be called in. He was supposed to be in there already with his head of the house, Snape and Lucius Malfoy.
"You knew." Harry heard himself say with oddly detached voice. Very calm. He looked at Dumbledore who was just looking back. The smile had left the old face but those blue eyes still twinkled. Then Harry looked at all the adults and finally, from McGonagall's face, Harry could read it openly. "You all knew, didn't you?"
Harry took a few steps back until he felt the cool wall against his back stopping him. He was feeling sick. They had all lied to him, made a trap ready and lured him here to agree to who knew what.
"What were you going to say?" He asked them, now hissing low. The anger begun to rose inside him. He was angry at Snape, who was standing there just like nothing had happened. Still hating him, probably more than before for doing this to his precious Slytherin. Like he had choice.
Harry was angry at McGonagall too. She had always been fair, his own head of the house. She had been honest and straightforward but now she had been there also. Just waiting for him to step in and be humiliated and forced to do something he certainly didn't want to. She made Harry feel a sharp pain of betrayal somewhere.
Then there was Lucius Malfoy. He belonged to Voldemort's inner circle and probably had several new plots how to kill him for doing this to his son. Just one more reason to delete his existence and the more Slytherin way he could come up to do that, the better.
Though the angriest Harry was at his headmaster. No doubt about it. The old man had tried to manipulate his life again. Kept knowledge that was directly linked to him. Harry couldn't understand why. Did they really hate him so much that they deliberately kept on doing this to him. Why didn't they tell this to him the moment they learned about it? He turned to stare at the younger Malfoy angrily.
"Harry. Please come up and we can have a cup of tea and hear out this all." Dumbledore turned and started to usher the others back upstairs.
"I'm not coming anywhere with ANY OF YOU." Harry finally yelled. Just to prove his point, he added more steps to the space that was between them and retreated further back to the hallway. "Why didn't you tell me?" Harry knew he sounded nearly pleading.
"Potter." Familiar cold voice said. "For once, act according to your age and get to the office. If you stop that panicking, we all might get this over with today." Snape was giving him one of his death glares.
It only made Harry more agitated. The man knew about this, kept it from him and now was assuming that he would just do what was told. This was his life, they had no right.
"Right." He suddenly laughed. "I'm supposed to act to my age. Well, it isn't that easy when it is your own life that is in question. I remember you acting very according to your age few years back and that was just over something that was done right when you wanted it wrong!" Some little voice inside his head piped in, oddly sounding a lot like Hermione, saying that he shouldn't be talking like that to one of his professor, not here and not now but Harry squashed it. Snape was looking furious. The man didn't take it particularly well when he was reminded about the happenings of the night when Sirius escaped the kiss.
"Be calm and reasonable and follow you blindly just like a sacrificial lamb. Stay quiet so that you can feed me more lies, if I don't agree maybe slip me some potion or spell that takes away my decision or put me in a position where I can't refuse?" Harry was half yelling while still taking steps backwards away from them all. "You promised not to do this anymore..." he half moaned and looked at Dumbledore.
Albus was looking stressed and apologetic. Lucius Malfoy's eyebrows were raised and he turned to look questioningly at the older man. Clearly thinking about all the references to spells, potions and manipulations that Harry had mentioned.
Suddenly everything seemed to be too much for Harry. He felt betrayed, manipulated and lonely. He thought he had proved himself time after time but obviously it wasn't enough. He was still treated as a child. They still didn't see him as nothing else than the savior of the wizarding world. They treated him like an object instead of a person. A chess piece that could voice out its opinion but still had to move where it was told.
"Did you think that you could just say, 'Harry you're Malfoy's mate. You will spend the rest of your life with him, after you have done your duties with Voldemort and we have no interest on you no more.'? His voice was as icy it got.
"Harry you know that is not true." Dumbledore tried to admonish him.
"Oh yes, you would have put more words into it." He spat, feeling the anger still course through his veins.
"Mr. Potter! Remember your manners and calm down. I know you figured this out in the worst possible moment but you are not being forced into anything. This matter just simply needs to be discussed." McGonagall corrected him in her usual stern way. The familiarity and reason there, made Harry calm down a bit but he was still angry and highly irritated.
"I am most interested Harry, how did you managed to put this all together?" Dumbledore asked curiously, trying to ease the situation.
Harry eyed him annoyed but finally answered, "Hermione."
"Ah, I should have known. Ms. Granger's intuitive deduction abilities always seem to take us by surprise. And Professor McGonagall was telling the truth Harry. We haven't known about this for long and the only reason you weren't told before was because Mr. Malfoy wanted to do it himself. But he didn't seem to find a good moment and finally asked help. This isn't actually what we planned…" Dumbledore pointed around the corridor where they were still standing. Harry was starting to feel little embarrassed but then shook his head. He knew Dumbledore had a way with words.
"Fine. Now I know. Can I be excused?" Harry said warily, trying to swallow his emotions to deal with them later.
"I am afraid that there are few more details that we need to discuss about." Dumbledore said looking at Draco. Harry followed it and suddenly noticed that the silent blond was still there and was looking him achingly. "Maybe we should get back to my office?" Dumbledore was again ushering the others back up.
Harry didn't move to follow and neither did Draco. They just looked at each others. Draco pleadingly and Harry without any emotion or expression.
"Boys?" Someone asked and when nothing happened it was repeated. Dumbledore had turned back after few steps had sighed audibly. "Harry this isn't the best place to have this conversation. We will explain to you more about half-Veelas or Mr. Malfoy can do it if you prefer it that way. There are also few things we needed to ask you if you'd be willing to do." Harry looked up sharply and Dumbledore hastily rearranged his words. "You were right that you are the mate and we just need to make sure you understand the situation. There are a lot of ..."
"Benefits and disadvantages." Harry filled the sentence for him.
"Ms. Granger again?" Then Dumbledore shook his head and smiled. "She was right. But I doubt she had the time to explain you about the effects this has on the person that is the mate." Harry's look of surprise gave away the answer. "As the bond is finished, the souls seek to be more equal. Usually this means that some of the allurement transfers to the mate as well as some of the magical power. And likewise Mr. Malfoy will be in the receiving end of some of your abilities. And there are many things even before that."
Harry looked doubtful. He really didn't see what was so good in that. He didn't want to attract any more attention nor did he want to even think about finishing any bond with Malfoy. Dumbledore seemed to sense this.
"If you don't regard this as beneficial, you may find that you need this eventually Harry." The old man said gently but Harry noticed that he was, at least a little nervous about his extreme reactions to this whole conversation. "Voldemort is increasing his forces and powers any ways possible and he is after you. You should consider this turn of things to be good. You get more power and more secure hold of your magic..." Dumbledore haltered there and took a sharp intake of breath when he, too late, realized that he had messed up again. This clearly wasn't one of his best days.
Harry's face had darkened while the old man spoke and now he looked totally enraged, again. Ready to yell but he seemed to be so angry that the words had left him. Finally he got it. "You think... How dare you suggest... I AM NOT LIKE HIM!" He roared. Then he looked around at them all, turned on his heels and marched away seething, leaving the others standing there more or less stunned.
After he had turned the corner, Snape took a step down and turned to Albus. "I really must admire you headmaster." The dark man leaned to look at the direction where Potter had stormed before continuing, "even when you botch things up, you certainly do so with your usual thoroughness." Then he turned back and started to walk back upstairs.
**
*quote: The idea behind Snape's last line wasn't mine. As soon as I remember where I saw it, I'll tell you about it here.
A/N. the chapter wanted to end here. I had more to say but it seems that there will be many more chapters to come than what I have anticipated, at least at this rate.
UPDATE: 87% probability in two weeks, definitely on a Friday.
Thanks to all who reviewed. You must know the effect of that :) I considered following the example of few authors and take the time to write your names down here but it would be just a list and not convey the gratitude I feel towards you. I'll probably keep on mailing you if I feel the need or find a way. Questions though are always welcome. I hope I have chosen some of the most beneficial ones to answer thus far.
Q. You have messed up with the potion class. All those students you mentioned couldn't be on the newt group.
A. So true, they aren't. The war has changed some things, one is that all the students now must take some subjects no matter if they got the owls or not. The newt classes are still valid and those include a small number of the most gifted students. The others just deepen their knowledge and practise. Harry isn't on potion newt class, nor is Ron or Neville or Dean.. The assignment forces them to make several small groups, all including one student from the newt class and one/two/three from the normal class.
Q. I hope you have a new way to let Harry know he is the mate. Not the normal meeting at Dumbledore's office.
A. It seems that I'm not that clever *sighs* I wish I was. I thought it could've been announced at the great hall or that Draco would have done it. Or that Harry would accidentally hear about it, one scenario even held a scene where Harry drops in the lake, but none of those felt right. I like to have some reality involved in this and in a school the headmaster is the one that does these things. He can also make them share rooms like I want and Draco needs to. Headmaster's office though isn't necessary but I like the gargoyle.
Q. You aren't planning to make Harry fall for Draco immediately, aren't you? You better not..
A. Nope. Never really saw the point doing it that way. I hope this story will have many more aspects than just Harry – Draco things.
Q. Will Severus like Harry and other OOC things.
A. Snape is such a huge character but he just doesn't like Harry. The man is too stubborn and proud. I would like to think that some of these people are like they're suppose to be and if they aren't… Don't stress about it, I don't. This happens two years after Ootp, they have time to change. And about Draco being just plain weird.. well I try to do it so that he's weird just towards Harry and still a Malfoy we know to the rest.
Q. You damn copycatter you..
A. Thanks for the review in any case. I've read dozens of stories and some little things just stay in my head. I try not to put them here consciously, though the first person I admit using is of course JKR. I like to give the credit where it is due, only the way I write and move this story on is mine. If the plot feels too similar, please leave the name of the other story. Maybe I haven't read that one yet and it's bound to be good. If the plot is too dull and feels like nothing happens.. damn, I've failed as a writer. *mentally cursing all the adrenaline junkies out there.* .. just kidding :) (I'm not really in a right to mode to write these things today. 0,1% sarcastic and having too much fun.)
Q. Have you forgotten the animagus part. I hope Harry is a Griffin, it would fit.
A. No, I still remember. It will play an important part later. I admit, Griffins have beneficial sides in them but you'll see.
Q. The Dursley's? You aren't letting them get away just like that, are you?
A. No. :) I have this little evil, evil part in me that's charcoal black and enjoys plotting all the marvellous things that a wrath of a Veela can do. You are welcome to suggest things though I believe I'm currently going at number 102 on my list 'how to torture the Dursleys'.
Q. Snogging? .. snoGGing? SnOgGiNG? Any.. coming soon?
A. I'm a little lost here.. .. Ah, you mean snogging! I'm so slow today but if you are talking about that thing where Draco's eyes finally manage to catch Harry's undivided attention so that he can't look away. Then Draco would perhaps lean a little closer so that Harry could feel his tickling breath in his neck and close his eyes, only concentrating on that particular feeling. Then Draco would lightly follow Harry's jaw line with his fingers and then that little innocent touch would suddenly sent sparks down their spines, making Harry open his mouth just that one crucial bit. Then Draco would lift his head and close the final little distance and press his lips on Harry's. First, ever so lightly and sweetly. Then finding the courage to add more pressure and maybe lick his lower lip some. Then let his hand ascend to Harry's hip and hear the breath hitch momentarily when he would take a firmer grip and draw Harry in a tight embrace. Harry would realise the moan had come from him when Draco would suck his neck, just there where his pulse throbs. Then they would take.. Yeah, THAT would be coming soon. I need to practise first though and find more educational material to read from here ;)
Q?. I love your story.
A. Thank you, so do I. (I know I'm egocentric and selfish .. shell fish. Heh! Contrary to what must be the popular belief by now: No, I am not drunk and Yes, I know I'm not that funny. That's why I'm stopping now.)
Summary: DM/HP During the summer, before their last year in school starts, Draco Malfoy's Veela heritage is awoken. He's searching his mate and that leads him to the most unsuspected target. A hard and difficult one too.
************ The veela allurement ************
Ch9. Betrayal hurts more than other surprises & QA's
An owl swooped down and dropped a letter on Harry's plate. He looked after the owl funnily. He wasn't expecting any mail except from Sirius and Remus and had been a little worried as Hedwig wasn't back yet.
Ron was trying to look over his shoulder what the letter was about but then Hermione admonished him for his manners and there they started to argue again. Sometimes Harry wondered if they ever would stop it. But on the other hand occasionally it was for his benefit and you could always rely on it. Like when Ron had started to rant him more about Malfoy and the detention. It had ended the same minute Hermione had said she was appalled by Ron's way with words.
Harry abandoned his breakfast and opened the letter. It had two parchments, both half filled with fine spidery scribbling. The first was the schedule for his extra classes that Dumbledore had promised to deliver him this week and then there was a letter that invited him to a meeting at Dumbledore's office tonight. Harry stuffed them in his pocket and got up in his thoughts. Maybe the meeting was about the order and his vision. It couldn't be about his new classes because they seemed to be in order.
"Sorry! I wasn't looking..." He said absentmindedly over his shoulder when he accidentally ran into someone at the great hall doors. Harry never looked back to see the concerned eyes of Draco Malfoy.
**
"Ron, are you sure you want to try this one out this soon?" Harry pointed at the paper and was frowning. "We don't even know who the new chaser is going to be and this is going to be difficult even to Seamus and Andrew." They were carefully looking over Ron's new moves for the Chasers in Gryffindor common room later that night.
"But that's just it Harry. If we can pull this when everyone thinks we're playing it safe because of our new chaser, we will take them totally by surprise." Ron was looking exited and Harry was just about to comment when Hermione rushed in.
She looked anxious and ready to burst over something. Her cheeks were burning enthusiastically pink and her eyes were shining. It was immediately clear that she had again discovered something. She always looked like that, no matter if it was over a new way to use some plant or a variation of some spell.
Hermione was looking around the common room and finally noticed them. She bounced at their direction immediately and when she finally stopped at their table, she had to take few deep breaths.
"You won't believe - what I found out." She exclaimed and then looked around frightened that someone was listening. "Come on. Let's go to my rooms." She was wringing her hands and signed them to hurry.
Harry and Ron gathered their things quickly. It was no use try to argue with her when she was already going.
Hermione was leading them forward half running and every time Ron or Harry tried to ask something, she just hissed at them. Soon they gave up. When they finally arrived at the painting of Sir Cadogan, Hermione nearly pushed them in, locked the painting and cast a silencing charm. Then she turned to look at them, eyes shining.
"I know." She said in a conspiratory way. Clearly she was ready to burst now.
Ron looked at Harry and rolled his eyes and then turned to her. "What do you know Mione? Come on, tell us already. You haven't been like this since you figured out why that powdered asphodel, or something, reacted differently in your calming potion than sliced one."
Hermione seemed little taken aback. "Well, that wasn't in our school books and it didn't make any sense." Then she shook her head and the excitement was back. "But this is nothing like that. This is huge!" She took few hopping steps and dragged them to sit on the couch while she sat unceremoniously on the coffee table.
She took a deep breath like readying herself for something. "I know…" She looked from Harry to Ron. "What Malfoy is up to. Or more precisely, what's up with him." She smiled widely after that and looked highly pleased at herself.
"What! What is it and how did you find out? Is it a potion? Tell us now Mione!" Ron perked up and looked like Christmas had come early.
"I found this book while I was looking something for my transfiguration essay. First I thought nothing of it but it was really fascinating, so I read further. I had few questions that the author just passed, so I looked for a second book on the subject…"
"Mione make it short." Ron looked pleadingly and though Hermione first looked annoyed, she soon got over it and just smiled widely again.
"That was when few Slytherins walked in the library. They made me think about Malfoy and can you imagine the shock I got, when everything I just read seemed to fit at him." Hermione continued. Ron was nodding his head up and down while he was trying to make sense of what she was trying to tell.
Finally he grabbed his forehead and sighed. "Mione! What – was - it?!"
Hermione just smiled slyly and leaned closer to them. "The book I read." Harry and Ron both nodded eagerly for her to go on. "Was about northern magical creatures, mostly about the lives and the ways of the Veelas."
Hermione looked at them expectantly and Ron seemed like he was doing some quick thinking. Then Harry heard him take a sharp intake of breath and he could have sworn that Ron paled a bit.
"You can't be serious. M - Malfoy?!" The words came out of Ron's mouth with great difficulty and were filled with disbelief.
Harry was looking from Hermione to Ron. Clearly they both knew something that he didn't. "What? What has Veelas to do with Malfoy?" He sounded a bit annoyed but really, he didn't see the connection and even Ron had got it already.
"Oh Harry, it means that Malfoy is a veela." Hermione explained slowly. "Half-veela to be exact. One of his ancestors must be a Veela. It's not that unusual you know. Many wizarding families, especially old purebloods, have few drops of non human blood in them and Veela's are very understandable, they are human like and certainly attractive enough."
Harry was looking stupid and but he thought he had every reason to. True, he hadn't thought that Veela's fell into the creatures category when he saw them in the world cup and surely understood what someone might see in them. He had even heard Fleur Delacour say that she had a Veela as one of her grandparents but that Malfoy?! It was incomprehensible. Then something else clicked in his head.
"Most purebloods. So does it mean that there's some truth in Snape being related to a bat?" Harry suddenly got a very interesting mental image and Ron snorted.
"Bat is a little far fetched but vampires might hit closer." Hermione said like she was taking it seriously not that they could ever be totally sure that she was joking. Now it was Harry's time to snort and Ron was outright laughing.
After Ron had silenced down a bit, Harry though about another question. "Hermione are you sure about this? I mean absolutely, 'not ever been so sure about anything' -sure? I didn't even know there were male Veela's?"
"Yes there are and yes I am. Males are just more retrieving in nature than females and far less in numbers. Mated females also act much more drawn and prefer quiet surroundings so they are not seen often. Of course half-Veelas seldomnly have a need to close themselves off. I bet Malfoy gets his veela blood from his father's side. That would also partially explain why Lucius Malfoy is so high up in Voldemort's ranks." Harry decided just to stay quiet and wait for more. Maybe this would eventually made sense later. Ron still winced whenever they mentioned the name.
"Veela wizards have more stronger magic than normally. But they have the weaknesses of the Veela's as well as the benefits." Hermione was really getting to her lecturing mode but for once Harry and Ron didn't mind. "You see, Veela's life moves totally around their mate. Quite romantic actually. They would give and do anything for the mate. I think the mate is many times regarded as a weakness, especially in human world, but the magical power increase is definitely one of the benefits, no matter how you looked at it. It all fits to Malfoy. He must have come to his heritage this summer. The outward appearance he now has, the allurement effect that we have felt and I noticed he is doing exceptionally well in every practical classes. Plus, the potion that Snape made us do last week… it was a counter potion against the allurement." They sat in silence for a while after that.
"I still can't believe it. Malfoy is a Veela." Ron's voice and expression didn't walk hand in hand. He sounded stunned but looked relieved.
Harry had caught one clear thing from Hermione's explanations. "Malfoy has a mate?" He asked still somewhat dazed over this.
"From what I read about, yes. Though it's a bit different from what you might think. I'd say a soul mate is a better word. That is closer to the truth. Muggles have thoughts about them but with Veela's it is the actual thing. It's like a perfect match in every possible way. Like there has once been one soul that has for some reason divided in two and as far as I was able to found out, Veela's are actually the only creatures that can find those. Wizards have tried to make spells and potions for centuries in order to do the same but no one has come up with anything as sure and effective." Hermione explained it eagerly when she for once had so attentive audience.
"Why would they do that?" Harry asked, still in his thoughts.
"Men." Hermione said frustrated. "It's the perfect love Harry. You of all people should know the power of it." Then she realized what she had just said and looked at him carefully, clearly not sure how he would take it.
"I do." Ron said suddenly and both Harry and Hermione now turned to watch him. "When we were little our mother often told us these Veela stories. How they were the most wonderful beings on the earth and so faire. The luckiest wizards or witches might one day get to marry one and they would be loved until the end of their days. Or that's what we are told when we are children. I s'pose you don't know about it, being raised in the muggle world but basically every wizarding child in one time or another wishes to have a Veela spouse. They would get unconditional, perfect love forever. It's this childhood dream of many." Ron was looking dreamily ahead...
"Fairytales." Hermione slowly said. Then she frowned. "It's really annoying how much they leave out from those magical culture books. Not even once are children bed time stories mentioned."
"So Malfoy can't just choose any girl to marry and what did you say about those changes in him?" Harry asked and Hermione stopped frowning and got back into explaining.
"I just figured out that he is a half-veela but now that you mentioned it, there were several chapters about the mate searching period. Half-Veela's come to their heritage in the same time we others hit our puberty or a little later. Their magic can act weird during that time and they have no or very little control over it or over their allurement until they find their mate. That is the first thing they do. Then everything focuses around that person…" Hermione haltered and was looking pensive.
"You know, in the beginning of this school year, mainly during our first week, Malfoy hardly did anything in the classes and the allurement was affecting us heavily. But I don't feel it constantly anymore, at least not as compulsively. So would that mean that Malfoy has found his mate during that time…" Hermione looked up. "That Malfoy's mate is in Hogwarts."
"I told you that he has acted really weird but did anyone listen to me!" Ron exclaimed and got a glare from Hermione. "So the mate is here." Ron said hastily but was still grinning. "I wonder who it is?"
"Well..." Hermione started, looking to be deep in thoughts. "A veela would try to get the mate. Use the allurement maybe and Malfoy would certainly pay more attention to this person. If the mate was a Slytherin, we would have noticed it already. I'm sure they would already be together and you can't actually keep something like that a secret here or when the other is a veela."
"So that leaves only Hufflepuffs, Ravenclaws and us." Harry didn't mean that to get out like it did and added. "I haven't noticed Malfoy looking at the Ravenclaws any differently."
"Neither have I nor the Hufflepuffs but Malfoy has been awfully weird to us." Hermione said slowly and looked at them. Ron and Harry looked back at her shocked. There had been many situations when they had run into Malfoy or when Malfoy had purposely lingered around the Gryffindor table or something else. Now that they thought about, what they had just seen as the usual annoy-the-Gryffindors, clearly wasn't that.
"He hasn't hexed Neville even once," Said Hermione.
"Or bullied the younger," Ron added.
"Or took house points." Harry looked at them. It was really a wonder they hadn't noticed it before.
"I must be blind. It's so obvious." Hermione sighed loudly and looked really disappointed. Like if she had just gotten only a satisfactory from a test. "A veela would never hurt his mate and the way Malfoy has behaved around Gryffindor just screams that the mate is one of us."
"Don't be so sure Hermione. Remember what he did to Ron? Would he do that if the mate was here?" Harry suddenly said.
"You don't understand Harry. The mate is his life. He could never hurt him and Malfoy knows who it is when they meet. We." Ron pointed at them. "Clearly are not that person but I still think that he has been more careful around us too. Probably he has realized that it's not that smart to piss off the housemates of his mate."
"If Malfoy knows who it is then how come it's not news already?" Harry asked.
"Well he can't just waltz in here and grab the mate. Veela might know when someone is the other half of their soul but the mate doesn't. Not so easily." Hermione said.
"You know Mione, that's not exactly true." Hermione turned to look at Ron questioningly. "That he can't just come here. There are several laws that guarantee the most unbelievable things to Veelas, especially when their mate is in question." Ron continued.
"What? No law can agree with kidnapping or something like that." Hermione said stunned.
"There has been half-Veelas in high positions in the ministry and they have pushed through laws to ease their lives. I remember there was even once a case when a Veela had killed someone that had hurt her mate and she was not convicted. There is lots of stuff a veela can do when the mate is in question." Ron eagerly continued.
"Be serious. There can't be. Even the ministry can't be that biased." Hermione apparently had had some confidence left in wizarding laws, no matter how bad the house-elves or werewolves were treated or people pushed into Hogwarts or despite the numerous other injustices they'd witnessed.
"There is! You can just take my word for it." Ron said more upset. Hermione probably looked a little dubious because soon the two were fighting again. Harry decided to leave them to it and picked up his books and turned to go to his rooms. Then he happened to check the time and bolted out of the room.
**
'I'm late, I'm late… I can't believe I forgot the meeting with Dumbledore.' Harry was running the hallways and prayed that what ever it was Dumbledore wanted to see him about would be late too. He turned the last corner slowed his pace. Someone was standing in front of the gargoyle that led to the headmaster's office, as if waiting for something.
Harry recognized the blond hair and he was somewhat confused. What was Malfoy doing, just standing there and why. He walked closer and started to feel little nervous. Everything what Hermione had told him just moments ago came back. Malfoy was a veela and no one knew or at least not many knew. Harry had always assumed that very little could escape the headmaster. Was that why Malfoy was there.
Malfoy didn't notice him and seemed a little edgy and deep in thoughts. Slowly Harry walked closer and when he was only few feet away from the blond, the other finally realized that he was there and looked very surprised.
"Harry… what are you doing here?" Malfoy glanced at the gargoyle and then back to him. He sounded unsure and not only because Harry had sneaked up on him.
"Stop calling me that and what are you doing here?" Harry had a reason to be there but seriously doubted if Malfoy had one. That was if the other wasn't in some serious trouble he hadn't heard of.
"I'm waiting and you?" Malfoy sounded even more nervous and looked ready to jump any moment. Harry had never seen him acting like that. It was weird. Sure enough Malfoy had done odd things this year and even before but now he seemed so out of character that it was starting to make Harry nervous. Suddenly he had bad feelings about all this.
Harry was sure Malfoy was a veela. Hermione had been sure and that was enough for him, besides everything fit. The changed looks, the attraction, the potion, it all made sense. And the mate thing was interesting. Harry couldn't help but wonder who she was and why it wasn't public information already.
Ron had seemed so understanding, which was something Harry never though he would see. Ron understanding Malfoy. Scary. It still made Harry want to laugh. Pity they hadn't been able to pinpoint the mate out but definitely someone in Gryffindor.
"I have a meeting." Harry answered and looked Malfoy more closely. The blond was avoiding looking at him and now he seemed rather uncomfortable than just plain nervous. "What is it Malfoy? You're acting weird."
"I'm not. I'm just… just… you know. I have a meeting too." Malfoy had actually jumped a little and edged further away from him. Harry was fascinated by his behavior. Something definitely was going on and he was eager to know what before he went pass the gargoyle.
"You too? I wonder what's it about if we're both supposed to be there." Harry absently answered. Something was trying to come out from his head, something he remembered but couldn't quite see the whole picture.
'He could never hurt his mate… Malfoy's behavior… that's why I think the mate is a Gryffindor.' Hermione's voice repeated itself in his head.
"I was waiting here. On my way there but I thought you were there already." Malfoy actually stuttered a bit and still wasn't looking at him. Harry took a step closer.
'You don't understand Harry, the mate is his life. He could never hurt him…' Harry remembered what Ron had said. Now, if he just could see what was missing. He knew it but didn't get it.
"Yeah. I'm running late." Harry answered.
'Mate is a Gryffindor… Malfoy's behavior… never hurt HIM.' Ron and Hermione were talking together now. Then Malfoy's voice added 'I thought you were there already.' to it and Harry remembered the kiss. Suddenly it all clicked.
"You're a veela." Harry stated and could feel himself going pale. Malfoy's head jerked up and finally Harry saw his eyes. They looked exactly like the night when Malfoy had kissed him. Harry started unconsciously retreat.
"Gryffindor mate…" Harry just said and the books he was carrying suddenly dropped to the floor. He felt like ice was slowly frozing him from inside and Malfoy looked anguished.
"I'm ... I'm your mate?" Harry asked the question to no one and sudden trepidation filled his heart. This was not true. It couldn't be. It didn't make any sense. But then, in a way, it did. Everything fit and deep down he knew it was true.
"Harry..." Malfoy reached at him but Harry backed away. "Please, don't be frightened. I'm not going to..." he didn't get any further before Harry interrupted.
"You… I… WHAT!" Harry finally yelled and the clearness with what he had figured this all out fled him. He couldn't think straight. Harry only knew that Malfoy was supposed to be his soul mate, he was supposed to Malfoy's mate?! Someone up there had seriously fucked things up.
The gargoyle chose that moment to jump aside and reveal a worried looking Albus Dumbledore. Next to him was agitated Lucius Malfoy with his wand drawn. And behind them were a sneering Snape and McGonagall with pursed lips.
Dumbledore took one look around and then scolded his expression back to his usual cheeriness. "Harry, we have been waiting you."
Harry watched as the older Malfoy, who had tried to kill him with that very wand only few years back, now slowly put it away and was looking from his son to him. Harry turned to the headmaster. Everything felt like a huge mess. Why either Malfoy had to be there right now.
Harry stopped his thoughts at that one sentence. Malfoy had been there, waiting to be called in. He was supposed to be in there already with his head of the house, Snape and Lucius Malfoy.
"You knew." Harry heard himself say with oddly detached voice. Very calm. He looked at Dumbledore who was just looking back. The smile had left the old face but those blue eyes still twinkled. Then Harry looked at all the adults and finally, from McGonagall's face, Harry could read it openly. "You all knew, didn't you?"
Harry took a few steps back until he felt the cool wall against his back stopping him. He was feeling sick. They had all lied to him, made a trap ready and lured him here to agree to who knew what.
"What were you going to say?" He asked them, now hissing low. The anger begun to rose inside him. He was angry at Snape, who was standing there just like nothing had happened. Still hating him, probably more than before for doing this to his precious Slytherin. Like he had choice.
Harry was angry at McGonagall too. She had always been fair, his own head of the house. She had been honest and straightforward but now she had been there also. Just waiting for him to step in and be humiliated and forced to do something he certainly didn't want to. She made Harry feel a sharp pain of betrayal somewhere.
Then there was Lucius Malfoy. He belonged to Voldemort's inner circle and probably had several new plots how to kill him for doing this to his son. Just one more reason to delete his existence and the more Slytherin way he could come up to do that, the better.
Though the angriest Harry was at his headmaster. No doubt about it. The old man had tried to manipulate his life again. Kept knowledge that was directly linked to him. Harry couldn't understand why. Did they really hate him so much that they deliberately kept on doing this to him. Why didn't they tell this to him the moment they learned about it? He turned to stare at the younger Malfoy angrily.
"Harry. Please come up and we can have a cup of tea and hear out this all." Dumbledore turned and started to usher the others back upstairs.
"I'm not coming anywhere with ANY OF YOU." Harry finally yelled. Just to prove his point, he added more steps to the space that was between them and retreated further back to the hallway. "Why didn't you tell me?" Harry knew he sounded nearly pleading.
"Potter." Familiar cold voice said. "For once, act according to your age and get to the office. If you stop that panicking, we all might get this over with today." Snape was giving him one of his death glares.
It only made Harry more agitated. The man knew about this, kept it from him and now was assuming that he would just do what was told. This was his life, they had no right.
"Right." He suddenly laughed. "I'm supposed to act to my age. Well, it isn't that easy when it is your own life that is in question. I remember you acting very according to your age few years back and that was just over something that was done right when you wanted it wrong!" Some little voice inside his head piped in, oddly sounding a lot like Hermione, saying that he shouldn't be talking like that to one of his professor, not here and not now but Harry squashed it. Snape was looking furious. The man didn't take it particularly well when he was reminded about the happenings of the night when Sirius escaped the kiss.
"Be calm and reasonable and follow you blindly just like a sacrificial lamb. Stay quiet so that you can feed me more lies, if I don't agree maybe slip me some potion or spell that takes away my decision or put me in a position where I can't refuse?" Harry was half yelling while still taking steps backwards away from them all. "You promised not to do this anymore..." he half moaned and looked at Dumbledore.
Albus was looking stressed and apologetic. Lucius Malfoy's eyebrows were raised and he turned to look questioningly at the older man. Clearly thinking about all the references to spells, potions and manipulations that Harry had mentioned.
Suddenly everything seemed to be too much for Harry. He felt betrayed, manipulated and lonely. He thought he had proved himself time after time but obviously it wasn't enough. He was still treated as a child. They still didn't see him as nothing else than the savior of the wizarding world. They treated him like an object instead of a person. A chess piece that could voice out its opinion but still had to move where it was told.
"Did you think that you could just say, 'Harry you're Malfoy's mate. You will spend the rest of your life with him, after you have done your duties with Voldemort and we have no interest on you no more.'? His voice was as icy it got.
"Harry you know that is not true." Dumbledore tried to admonish him.
"Oh yes, you would have put more words into it." He spat, feeling the anger still course through his veins.
"Mr. Potter! Remember your manners and calm down. I know you figured this out in the worst possible moment but you are not being forced into anything. This matter just simply needs to be discussed." McGonagall corrected him in her usual stern way. The familiarity and reason there, made Harry calm down a bit but he was still angry and highly irritated.
"I am most interested Harry, how did you managed to put this all together?" Dumbledore asked curiously, trying to ease the situation.
Harry eyed him annoyed but finally answered, "Hermione."
"Ah, I should have known. Ms. Granger's intuitive deduction abilities always seem to take us by surprise. And Professor McGonagall was telling the truth Harry. We haven't known about this for long and the only reason you weren't told before was because Mr. Malfoy wanted to do it himself. But he didn't seem to find a good moment and finally asked help. This isn't actually what we planned…" Dumbledore pointed around the corridor where they were still standing. Harry was starting to feel little embarrassed but then shook his head. He knew Dumbledore had a way with words.
"Fine. Now I know. Can I be excused?" Harry said warily, trying to swallow his emotions to deal with them later.
"I am afraid that there are few more details that we need to discuss about." Dumbledore said looking at Draco. Harry followed it and suddenly noticed that the silent blond was still there and was looking him achingly. "Maybe we should get back to my office?" Dumbledore was again ushering the others back up.
Harry didn't move to follow and neither did Draco. They just looked at each others. Draco pleadingly and Harry without any emotion or expression.
"Boys?" Someone asked and when nothing happened it was repeated. Dumbledore had turned back after few steps had sighed audibly. "Harry this isn't the best place to have this conversation. We will explain to you more about half-Veelas or Mr. Malfoy can do it if you prefer it that way. There are also few things we needed to ask you if you'd be willing to do." Harry looked up sharply and Dumbledore hastily rearranged his words. "You were right that you are the mate and we just need to make sure you understand the situation. There are a lot of ..."
"Benefits and disadvantages." Harry filled the sentence for him.
"Ms. Granger again?" Then Dumbledore shook his head and smiled. "She was right. But I doubt she had the time to explain you about the effects this has on the person that is the mate." Harry's look of surprise gave away the answer. "As the bond is finished, the souls seek to be more equal. Usually this means that some of the allurement transfers to the mate as well as some of the magical power. And likewise Mr. Malfoy will be in the receiving end of some of your abilities. And there are many things even before that."
Harry looked doubtful. He really didn't see what was so good in that. He didn't want to attract any more attention nor did he want to even think about finishing any bond with Malfoy. Dumbledore seemed to sense this.
"If you don't regard this as beneficial, you may find that you need this eventually Harry." The old man said gently but Harry noticed that he was, at least a little nervous about his extreme reactions to this whole conversation. "Voldemort is increasing his forces and powers any ways possible and he is after you. You should consider this turn of things to be good. You get more power and more secure hold of your magic..." Dumbledore haltered there and took a sharp intake of breath when he, too late, realized that he had messed up again. This clearly wasn't one of his best days.
Harry's face had darkened while the old man spoke and now he looked totally enraged, again. Ready to yell but he seemed to be so angry that the words had left him. Finally he got it. "You think... How dare you suggest... I AM NOT LIKE HIM!" He roared. Then he looked around at them all, turned on his heels and marched away seething, leaving the others standing there more or less stunned.
After he had turned the corner, Snape took a step down and turned to Albus. "I really must admire you headmaster." The dark man leaned to look at the direction where Potter had stormed before continuing, "even when you botch things up, you certainly do so with your usual thoroughness." Then he turned back and started to walk back upstairs.
**
*quote: The idea behind Snape's last line wasn't mine. As soon as I remember where I saw it, I'll tell you about it here.
A/N. the chapter wanted to end here. I had more to say but it seems that there will be many more chapters to come than what I have anticipated, at least at this rate.
UPDATE: 87% probability in two weeks, definitely on a Friday.
Thanks to all who reviewed. You must know the effect of that :) I considered following the example of few authors and take the time to write your names down here but it would be just a list and not convey the gratitude I feel towards you. I'll probably keep on mailing you if I feel the need or find a way. Questions though are always welcome. I hope I have chosen some of the most beneficial ones to answer thus far.
Q. You have messed up with the potion class. All those students you mentioned couldn't be on the newt group.
A. So true, they aren't. The war has changed some things, one is that all the students now must take some subjects no matter if they got the owls or not. The newt classes are still valid and those include a small number of the most gifted students. The others just deepen their knowledge and practise. Harry isn't on potion newt class, nor is Ron or Neville or Dean.. The assignment forces them to make several small groups, all including one student from the newt class and one/two/three from the normal class.
Q. I hope you have a new way to let Harry know he is the mate. Not the normal meeting at Dumbledore's office.
A. It seems that I'm not that clever *sighs* I wish I was. I thought it could've been announced at the great hall or that Draco would have done it. Or that Harry would accidentally hear about it, one scenario even held a scene where Harry drops in the lake, but none of those felt right. I like to have some reality involved in this and in a school the headmaster is the one that does these things. He can also make them share rooms like I want and Draco needs to. Headmaster's office though isn't necessary but I like the gargoyle.
Q. You aren't planning to make Harry fall for Draco immediately, aren't you? You better not..
A. Nope. Never really saw the point doing it that way. I hope this story will have many more aspects than just Harry – Draco things.
Q. Will Severus like Harry and other OOC things.
A. Snape is such a huge character but he just doesn't like Harry. The man is too stubborn and proud. I would like to think that some of these people are like they're suppose to be and if they aren't… Don't stress about it, I don't. This happens two years after Ootp, they have time to change. And about Draco being just plain weird.. well I try to do it so that he's weird just towards Harry and still a Malfoy we know to the rest.
Q. You damn copycatter you..
A. Thanks for the review in any case. I've read dozens of stories and some little things just stay in my head. I try not to put them here consciously, though the first person I admit using is of course JKR. I like to give the credit where it is due, only the way I write and move this story on is mine. If the plot feels too similar, please leave the name of the other story. Maybe I haven't read that one yet and it's bound to be good. If the plot is too dull and feels like nothing happens.. damn, I've failed as a writer. *mentally cursing all the adrenaline junkies out there.* .. just kidding :) (I'm not really in a right to mode to write these things today. 0,1% sarcastic and having too much fun.)
Q. Have you forgotten the animagus part. I hope Harry is a Griffin, it would fit.
A. No, I still remember. It will play an important part later. I admit, Griffins have beneficial sides in them but you'll see.
Q. The Dursley's? You aren't letting them get away just like that, are you?
A. No. :) I have this little evil, evil part in me that's charcoal black and enjoys plotting all the marvellous things that a wrath of a Veela can do. You are welcome to suggest things though I believe I'm currently going at number 102 on my list 'how to torture the Dursleys'.
Q. Snogging? .. snoGGing? SnOgGiNG? Any.. coming soon?
A. I'm a little lost here.. .. Ah, you mean snogging! I'm so slow today but if you are talking about that thing where Draco's eyes finally manage to catch Harry's undivided attention so that he can't look away. Then Draco would perhaps lean a little closer so that Harry could feel his tickling breath in his neck and close his eyes, only concentrating on that particular feeling. Then Draco would lightly follow Harry's jaw line with his fingers and then that little innocent touch would suddenly sent sparks down their spines, making Harry open his mouth just that one crucial bit. Then Draco would lift his head and close the final little distance and press his lips on Harry's. First, ever so lightly and sweetly. Then finding the courage to add more pressure and maybe lick his lower lip some. Then let his hand ascend to Harry's hip and hear the breath hitch momentarily when he would take a firmer grip and draw Harry in a tight embrace. Harry would realise the moan had come from him when Draco would suck his neck, just there where his pulse throbs. Then they would take.. Yeah, THAT would be coming soon. I need to practise first though and find more educational material to read from here ;)
Q?. I love your story.
A. Thank you, so do I. (I know I'm egocentric and selfish .. shell fish. Heh! Contrary to what must be the popular belief by now: No, I am not drunk and Yes, I know I'm not that funny. That's why I'm stopping now.)
