"Hey, Harry, looking as sexy as ever." Seamus grinned and winked as he walked past and sat beside Dean.

Harry laughed and nodded at the Irishman. "You too, Seamus." They had taken up to teasing each other as such a year before when they had both found out that they shared a common taste in men. He turned back toward Hermione and Ron and smiled at their expressions.

Ron shook his head, knowing Harry was having a good time. "Why don't you and Seamus get together, mate? You two seem like you would work out pretty well." Ron suggested as his attention turned back toward his food. "You should hook up with someone in Gryffindor, it'll do you good."

"We're just friends." Harry shrugged as he tucked into his own meal. "Truthfully we did try out a relationship at first, but it didn't really work out, so we decided to leave it as friends."

"Besides, Harry already has someone," Hermione calmly put in.

The trio had met earlier that day when Harry had greeted his friends at the station, helping them with their trunks and the like back to Hogwarts. Hermione had remained with her lips tightly sealed against any of Harry's nervous inquiries, causing him to think that she hadn't any news to give him. They had sat through the sorting, Dumbledore's odd speech, and still nothing.

But for her to come out and say something like that to Ron of all people, Harry groaned. He didn't want to be there when Ron was told who it was that Harry 'had'.

The redhead choked on his mouthful of roast at the witch's casual words and Harry put his face in his hands with a deep blush. "W-what?" He spluttered, spraying the table with bits of food.

"Oh honestly, Ron, wipe your mouth and take a drink of your pumpkin juice," Hermione chided. "We'll have time to talk about all of this when we get back to Gryffindor Tower."

Ron turned toward Harry in question but the dark head shook in denial and Harry glanced away in embarrassment, he didn't want to spill any of his secrets in such a crowded environment.

He unwillingly found his eyes training on the familiar blond head across the Hall. Malfoy was back in his element and already had his usual crowd of Slytherins hanging off his every word. Harry grimaced, he hoped that the stupid prat wouldn't go blathering about their supposed 'bond' to his lackeys.

Just get through dinner and then I can go to sleep and try to forget any of this happened. Oh, he knew he would never rid himself of Malfoy – not unless Hermione had a solution – but he wanted to try and remain oblivious for a little while longer.

Malfoy suddenly laughed at something Zabini said and Harry grimaced as he sank lower into his seat. Merlin I'm going to take to drinking early in life. He swirled his goblet tiredly and knocked back his pumpkin juice, fervently wishing it was something stronger.

Harry managed to hold back his jolt of surprise as a tiny paper airplane appeared in front of his face and managed to swerve past his glasses to poke him in the eye. He winced and hissed in pain as he snatched up the annoying note. He angrily tore it open as it tried to escape his grasp and zoom around his head again.

Meet me in front of the Great Hall at midnight. I know you'll still be awake.

DM

The Gryffindor scowled and glared toward the Slytherin table. Stupid Malfoy, already he was interfering with his life. And how did he know he would still be awake anyway! He must have been following me all those nights. Just great, the Veela had taken to stalking.

Harry refused to acknowledge the note and chose instead to stand. His friends looked up worriedly as he looked down at them. He motioned for them to follow and under his breath he whispered to them. "I'll explain once we get to the dorm, let's go before it gets too crowded."

Ron seemed reluctant to leave the feast so soon but Hermione jabbed him into motion with her elbow in his side. "Come on, Ronald, this is going to be hard enough as it is without you dragging your feet."

The trio headed toward the exit, Ron grumbling about secrets being kept, and Hermione trying to explain. Harry was the only one to notice the glare following them out of the room, he didn't turn toward the Slytherin table though, nor to the grey eyes undoubtedly watching their departure.

Malfoy would have to wait.

--- --- ---

"He's stuck with who!" Ron screamed as he continued to rant.

Harry sighed in relief, he was glad Hermione had had enough sense to put a silencing charm around them. Their short-tempered friend was bound to have some sort of tantrum, and he was proving them to be right.

"Ron, it's not that bad." Hermione tried to reason with the temperamental redhead.

Ron spluttered to a stop, staring at the girl. "Not that bad?" He whimpered. "Do you understand what this means? What this means for Harry?" His hands were spread out pleadingly.

Hermione looked toward Harry with a sort of fear in her pleading gaze, they hadn't expected this much of a reaction. Harry inwardly chuckled, he didn't know how to answer that either.

"It means he's stuck with that bloody prat for the rest of his life!" He continued when no one chose to answer. "He'll never have children, never have a wife, just Malfoy," he started up again with his loud opinion.

"Now, Ron, there are contraceptive potions that one of them could take, I'm sure – "

"That's not the point Hermione! Harry doesn't have a choice in the matter, I'm sure as hell he doesn't want to be stuck with that git either!" He turned toward his friend to prove his point.

Harry shifted uncomfortably under both of their accusing gazes. "Er…right?" He tried to placate his best mate.

Ron nodded. "You see?" He took up his pacing again, shaking his head and watching his feet. "Poor Harry won't have a chance to live out a happy life. He'll be controlled, forced into submission and fucked like a whore."

"Ron!" Hermione gasped as Harry flushed in embarrassment. His friend wasn't that far from the truth, and that was a scary thought.

"Well it's true, Hermione, you know how Malfoy is." He grumbled as he reproachfully looked toward the witch. "He's a selfish bastard who likes to pick on people. Harry doesn't deserve that, he deserves to be loved."

Hermione huffed in exasperation. "Merlin, you boys are hopeless." She pointed a strict finger toward both of the wizards. "Don't move an inch. I'm going to go get my book that I found about Veela." She turned and headed toward the stairs. "I'll be back in a moment."

The two remained silent, the only sound breaking through the tense air being the crack and pop of the burning logs within the fireplace. Harry crossed his arms restlessly, chancing quick glances out of the corner of his eye to gauge Ron's mood from beneath his fringe.

A heavy sigh had him unwillingly turning toward the redhead, Ron was frowning and looking deeply into the fire, his eyes seemed to stare right through the flames. "You know I just want the best for you mate." He looked at Harry and smiled slightly. "We both know Malfoy isn't the one for you."

Harry mentally heaved a sigh of relief, he had thought Ron would hate him for something he couldn't control. "Right." He smiled.

"I'm sure Hermione can find some solution to this," he waved his hand with a grimace, "thing."

"Yeah, we just have to keep thinking positive." Harry nodded eagerly.

"Alright boys, I hope you have come to an understanding and haven't ripped out each other's eyes." Hermione interrupted their moment as she returned down the stairs, a large tomb in her hand along with a strange, lumpy looking pouch. She tossed the odd item toward Ron with a roll of her eyes. "You left your stash in my trunk," she explained as she took a seat.

Ron's eyes lit up happily as he tore open the material. "Brilliant, Hermione! I was looking for this!" His greedy hands tugged out a bar of chocolate, at Harry's questioning look he blushed. "Sorry about that, I've been looking all over for this since we've gotten back. I bought a whole month's supply of candy from the trolley on the train."

Harry gave his friend an odd look. "It doesn't look like it could hold that much candy," he pointed out, and the bag truly was only the size of the other wizard's palm.

A loving pat was given to the tiny pouch. "This is a bottomless pouch, it can hold anything and everything," Ron informed proudly. "Fred and George sent it to me, thought it might come in handy."

"Wow," Harry's eyes widened in appreciation, "that's brilliant."

Hermione cleared her throat with a raised brow as the two boys turned their attention onto her. "If we can get down to business gentlemen?" She tapped her book.

"Sorry." Harry smiled sheepishly as he watched her flip through the pages, seeing an array of different magical beasts.

Ron wasn't so polite, and began to loudly unwrap his treat as he silently imitated the witch. "We were sharing a common interest, Hermione, that's what best mates do." He wadded up his trash and tossed it onto the ground beside him carelessly. "Maybe if you brought out something interesting we would share a common interest with you too, something besides school."

"Oh, Ron, shush and eat your candy." Hermione chided as she lifted the book onto her lap and showed a moving image of a female Veela. "This is a full-blooded Veela, you've seen them before boys, and felt their effects." She tapped on the picture, sending the creature within into a flurry of feathers and wings.

There was a loud crack as Ron snapped a chocolate bar in half, stuffing the end into his mouth. "Not Harry though." He pointed out. "Harry's got a knack for ignoring mind control and the like."

Hermione stared at him as though he were a bug on her shoe, Harry leapt to his friend's defense. "He means I can shake off the Imperius and pretty much anything else that can affect my free will."

"True," she conceded. "Which is why it won't be too horrible being with Malfoy, his Veela powers will have no affect on you. In fact, it will be like you're normal boyfriends."

Yeah right! Harry inwardly gagged.

"Uh, Hermione, I think that's the problem." Ron nudged her hand down to get a better look at the picture in the book. "Violent things aren't they?" he muttered. "Anyway, like I said, Harry's into blokes. That's all good and well, and Malfoy may be the hottest piece of arse at Hogwarts – "

Harry and Hermione stared at him in shock. He spluttered and waved his candy at them to ward off any straying thoughts.

"I don't think of him that way!" he protested. "It's what I've heard!"

"Of course Ron," Hermione squeaked, cheeks flushed.

Harry laughed and nodded toward the redhead. "He was trying to prove a point somewhere in that speech." He grinned. "What Ron was trying to say is, I like boys, but Malfoy is a jerk."

Hermione cleared her throat and adjusted her collar. "Yes, yes, we know. Everyone knows in fact. He's a Slytherin prat who needs to have his ego deflated." She turned toward Harry. "But you can't tell me you don't have even the tiniest of crushes on him."

"I may have had a few fantasies." Harry cleared his throat embarrassedly. "The point is, I don't want to be Malfoy's mate, he's given me no reason to want to be!"

"Are you actually thinking about this, or are you absolutely refusing to give him a chance?" Hermione asked curiously.

"Of course he's not thinking about it! Malfoy is a bastard who deserves to suffer." Ron exclaimed.

Harry nodded in agreement. "It's not as though he'll die if I decide not to be his mate."

"True, but he will be under intense pain." Hermione replied as she flipped through her book, she pointed to a passage. "It will be as though his heart was literally broken." She hummed at the finding. "I suppose that's where Muggles get the saying 'they suffered from a broken heart', for Veelas that's what truly happens in a psychical sense."

"So his chest will tweak a bit," Ron spoke up through his mouthful of chocolate. "He can take a pain potion."

Hermione smiled with a shake of her head. "But he can't, his Veela blood prevents any outside source from affecting the bond to their mate. Or believe me, there would be a lot of Veelas taking that potion."

Ron shrugged. "Well it's not like he doesn't deserve it after everything he's done to you mate." The paper crinkled as he opened another sweet and popped it into his mouth. "Plus it's like you said, he hasn't keeled over yet."

"You two are unbelievable." Hermione huffed. "We're talking about another human being, it doesn't matter how he's treated Harry in the past, what's important is now." She turned toward Harry. "You said you spent part of summer with him, did he go out of his way to hex you?"

Harry shifted uncertainly at the images that came to mind. "Er, not really," he admitted, well it was slightly true, raping him didn't have anything to do with wands...in a sense. "But that doesn't mean he wasn't being a right bother." That's putting it lightly.

Hermione waved that off. "It doesn't matter, I think perhaps Malfoy has turned over a new leaf." She leaned forward eagerly. "Or at least he will now that he's with you."

"Hey!" Ron protested, throwing his ball of trash at the witch's head. "I thought we were trying to find a way out of this situation. I don't want Harry stuck with that prat!" Harry nodded in agreement.

"It's not as though you can change fate." Hermione scowled at the redhead as she threw the offending trash ball into the fire. "There is really nothing we can do for Harry." She turned toward the green eyed boy apologetically. "You either accept it or not. Either way someone's going to be hurt." She sighed.

Ron sat up, a frown on his chocolate smudged face. "What's that supposed to mean?"

Hermione sent him a look and then lifted her book for emphasis. "Veelas only take one mate throughout their life." She inclined her head at a sudden thought. "In fact you only have one soul mate at a time, and it's a very rare thing to find them, if at all."

"So this isn't just a Veela thing?" Harry asked curiously.

The witch frowned indecisively. "Well to a certain extent, everyone has a soul mate you see. Veelas need theirs in order to live a somewhat normal existence. A witch or a wizard for example, could go on living without ever interacting with their soul mate and none would be the wiser." She shook her head sadly. "Veelas on the other hand need their mate to sooth their emotions and power."

Ron scoffed. "You're saying that without Harry, Malfoy will be like a girl?"

A pillow to the face had him spluttering apologies to Hermione, who was a girl, of course, and took offence to his rude comment. Harry laughed and relaxed into the couch, at least he could have a moment of normality before he was forced back into his hectic life.

"Harry, aren't you going to help me?" Ron choked as Hermione became overzealous with the pillow and continued to hit him over the head.

Harry grinned before leaping into the fray, he wished life was always this carefree.