A/N: I've been replying to almost all the reviews through private messaging, are you guys getting any of the replies? Just wondering. Also someone advised for me to make it 10 reviews for the next chapter instead of 20, but to whoever that was, I get what you're saying, and thank you, but I get at least 10 reviews on ONE day for this story, and ONE day isn't enough for me to write the next chapter.

Chapter 10

After attaining the books Hermione needed in the library, she headed to the Heads' dorm to work on her homework. Although, when she sat on the couch to get started, her eyes wandered on a note left on the coffee table in the middle of the common room.

Hermione

Meet me in the Quidditch field at 6. Bring a broom.

D.M

Hermione glanced at the grandfather clock positioned in the corner of the room. Her eyes widened when she saw that it was already a quarter to six. She ran up to her room to get ready frantically.

15 minutes to get ready! She thought as she rummaged to every article of clothing she owned.

With a pair of jeans in her hands, she stopped dead in her tracks. She didn't understand why she was so anxious about what to wear. It wasn't like she was going on a date with Malfoy, she thought. He just wanted to clear things up about her being his mate, she reassured.

After deciding that she didn't want to dress up for Malfoy, she threw on a pair of black skinny jeans, and a simple knitted sweater.

A while after Hermione fetched her Firebolt from her secret hiding place in her closet, she debated on whether she should walk there, or just fly out the window.

Realizing that she only had five minutes left to get to the field, she opened the latch to her window, and flew off.

Everyone thought that she disliked flying because of her lack of skills on it during first year, but in truth, she enjoyed how the wind blew in her face while she was flying.

In her opinion, flying was her way of meditating. Calm and relaxing.

She hovered over the Quidditch pitch, debating whether she should go to Malfoy alone, or flying over to the Gryffindor tower to fetch Harry and Ron for backup.

She figured she was a minute too late, when she heard Draco calling her name from down under her motioning her to land.

"Aren't we supposed to be flying?" She yelled as loud as she could. "That's what I'm doing!" Draco must've heard her, because he hopped onto what seemed to be the newest version of the Firebolt and took off to where Hermione was hovering.

"Hello there, Hermione." He smiled at her, eyeing her broom.

"Hello, Draco." She responded.

"How 'bout a lap around the field, then we can discuss the matter of you being my mate?" Hermione thought he was so straight-forward, but she reluctantly agreed.

She observed how Draco's face seemed to light up when his speed increased, the same with hers. It was a slow flight in the beginning. Hermione ended up winning the race Draco challenged her at the end, but she had a feeling, he lost on purpose to get on her good side.

They dove down to the bleachers to have their talk. It was awkward at first because neither of them knew how to begin the conversation.

"I'm part Veela." Draco blurted out. Hermione stared at him dumbfounded, wondering to why Draco was sharing this information with her. "My father informed me that I have to find my mate, and mark her before my next birthday, which is in less than nine months." He continued to explain. Hermione took a while to comprehend what Draco was trying to tell her was serious, and not just a joke. "Or else I will die." He sighed. "But I have found my mate, and that's you Hermione." His face lightened up.

If Draco thought she was going accept this right here, and right now, he was completely wrong. Sure, Hermione wanted to befriend him, but that didn't mean she wanted to be bonded with him for life. According to the books she read up on Veelas, she found out they were to mate before they turned eighteen. They were also very protective of their mate.

It was also impossible to resist a Veela bond without inflicting pain on yourself. The Veela gene begins searching for its mate once they are of age.

Hermione didn't want to be bonded with the boy who tortured her ever since they were ten years old. He might've changed, but it still didn't change the fact that he was one of Voldemort's followers.

"Sorry, Draco. I can't be your mate. There has to be a mistake. I'm not pureblood." She refused to accept Draco as her mate. She refused to be a Malfoy.

"There's no mistake, Hermione." He cried. "We're perfect for each other. Intelligent and magic alike." He explained.

Draco took her hands in his, "Please, Hermione. You can't let me die." She couldn't believe he was trying to use the guilt trick on her.

"How dare you guilt me into accepting you as my mate!" She stood up and snatched her broom from the bottom bleacher.

Just as she was about to take off, Draco grabbed her by the arm and pulled her into a kiss. Once their lips met, it was like they were both electrocuted, but that didn't stop Draco from kissing her.

Draco didn't know what possessed him to kiss her, but once he did, he didn't regret it one bit. He noticed how soft her lips were, and how she tasted like strawberries. His arms gripped her tighter when she tried to struggle. When she stopped struggling, Draco took this as a chance to lick her bottom lip, asking for permission to enter.

Hermione didn't know what she was thinking when she parted her lips, giving Draco full access. When Draco's tongue began making its way into her mouth as they kissed, Hermione somehow broke out of a trance, and she pushed away from him.

They both looked at each, panting for the lack of air. "Bloody hell." Draco muttered under his breath. He has kissed many girls in his many years in Hogwarts, but none of them compared to the spark he felt when he kissed Hermione.

"That was the second time you kissed me without my permission, you bloody prick." Hermione wanted nothing more than to curse him, but she didn't have the Gryffindor courage to do it.

"It didn't seem like you were complaining." Draco smirked.

Hermione was very frustrated with him. Their friendship was going better than they both expected, but Draco had to go on and ruin it for the both of them by declaring Hermione as his mate.

He would want her to accept, but she just couldn't. Although, Hermione felt very comfortable with him, they barely knew each other.

Even if Draco was trying to guilt her in to accepting, she knew what he said was true. She didn't want his death to be in her hands; however, she wanted to get to know him better too.

I'm going bonkers, just thinking about it. Hermione thought. She was tied with two decisions; denying him, and watch him die, or get to know him before accepting.

Despite the fact that Malfoy was Malfoy, she decided to go with the latter.

"I don't want to be your mate, Draco." She admitted. "But I'm not going to watch you die either." He let out a sigh of relief. "I propose a compromise." Draco stared at her dumbfounded, so she continued on. "Like you said, you still have nine months before you're deadline, so I propose we get to know each other better before we rush into things." She finished.

Draco didn't want to die, but he understood what Hermione was trying to convey. He found it unfair how she didn't choose him as her mate, so the least he could do was grant what she wanted.

"If that's what you wish, Hermione. But you have to give me an answer two months before my birthday." Hermione looked at him questioningly. "If I'm going to die, I would want time to prepare my funeral." He explained.

Hermione smiled at his fail attempt to ease the seriousness. "You've got yourself a deal, Draco." And with that, Hermione took off on her broom to report to McGonagall about what just happened.

Draco got on his broom also, and made his way to their common room to write a letter informing his mother and father about Hermione's compromise.

A/N: What did you guys think?

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