Important Author's Notes
I just thought you guys should know that I have been doing some grammar and spelling edits to improve The Hogwarts Delacour, but NOTHING plot-wise has changed EXCEPT that I have had to change the cast listing in chapter twelve where I said that Harry Potter was to play Paris in Romeo & Juliet, I realise now that wouldn't be possible because Champions aren't allowed to take part in the production so I have replaced him with Neville Longbottom.
I also need to explain that in this story events that happen in the books be not in the order that they were in cannon: the reason for this is that this story is an AU, with Hermione being raised by a different family, and I want to keep the focus on the veela storyline which means there will be changes to the original plot. However, with that in mind the events of Goblet of Fire are still taking place in the narrative and I want to give you a quick run-down of what's happened so far, since it has been awhile since I have updated. (I am very sorry that I haven't been able to update very quickly. The reason is I have had college work to deal with as well as a surprise holiday and a cold, so lots of things have slowed me down).
In this story, we've had the World Cup, and back at Hogwarts the Beauxbatons and Dumstrang students have arrived and the Triwizard Tournament Champions have been picked.
What has not happened yet is The Weighing of The Wands, Malfoy being turned into a ferret, and Harry seeing the dragons. These haven't happened yet because of what's to come in this story.
So with that said, I hope you like this chapter!
Chapter Fourteen – The White Dove
'You know that I can disguise myself most effectively.'
-JK Rowling
Hermione Delacour seeks out Harry Potter in the library. It isn't that hard to find him. After Madam Pompfrey mended her sprained ankle from rehearsals yesterday, she can move easily now and quickly search past the many bookshelves until she can see the familiar sight of messy black hair.
She smiles when she sees him studying hard when she sees him looking furiously through book after book on the library tables.
Finally, at least someone listens to me.
'Hey Hermione,' Harry says brightly, though his voice is muffled as he eats up some brightly coloured sweets.
'Hey Harry, what are you doing?' Hermione asks as she sits down beside him.
Harry shrugged. 'I'm trying to figure out about the first Task of the Triwizard Tournament.' Harry's face burns red as he sees Hermione's scowl at those three touchy words. It still angered her that this Tournament where people had died in the past was still going ahead. She knew that Harry understood her frustrations when it came to her garcon Cedric and her sister Fleur entering the Triwizard tournament as Harry hadn't entered the tournament for eternal glory or fame but had, somehow, been forced into it.
It's just sad that everybody else acts like this is something Harry wanted for himself. Hermione thinks to herself: ever since Harry had his name called out he lost almost everyone's trust. Even Ron Weasley, a fellow Garcon not to mention Harry's other best friend, has been ignoring him and Hermione has been trying her best not to take sides between them.
'And of course, eating the sweets Sirius sent me last night.' Harry said as he popped an orange coloured sweet that was the size of a tangerine fruit fully into his mouth like it was a gob-stopper.
Hermione flinches as she recalls how Sirius Black treat Ron when they first met and how badly he damaged her poor garcon's leg – no, I doubt I'll ever be able to trust him completely after that – 'Are you sure those sweets are safe, Harry? You don't know where he got them from.'
Harry lets the huge sweet fall unattractively from his mouth before answering her. 'Sirius isn't a murderer, Hermione, and he is my godfather, I trust him. He can easily get things and move around as an Animagus.' Harry explains nonchalantly in whispers.
'I know, Harry, and I am glad you have a godfather who you care about and who at least seems to try to help you, but I think you to exercise some precaution with him too.' Hermione says. She knows Harry writes to Sirius, and at times she thinks it is a good thing sometimes, as Black does seem know more than they do about what's going on; Hermione knows that Harry and she are teenagers
Hermione hears the dreaded but increasingly familiar sound of giggles coming from behind she and Harry.
'How many boyfriends does one girl need, Millie?' An annoying voice asks. Hermione looks over her shoulder to glare at the persons of Millicent Bulstrode, Tracey Davis, and Daphne Greengrass, who are perching on a table across from her.
'One.' Answers Millicent Bulstrode.
'Well, The Hogwarts Snow Queen here certainly has more than one. Isn't it weird how she parades them around the castle?' Tracey Davis remarks, much to Hermione's growing irritation. The Slytherin girls continue to stare at Hermione and Harry.
'She does. She even has a stupid nickname for them too, it's a really stupid one one as well, something only a French half-breed could come up with. Garcones.' Daphne Greengrass joins in sneering at Hermione as she spits out such horrid prejudice. 'I can't believe the professors cast her for the play with her lack of creativity.'
Hermione stands up, but Harry stays seated and grips her hand. He gives her a look that tells her to "let it go". Hermione glowers down at him at first, but then she realises that Harry is only trying to keep her out of trouble - how ironic!
'She obviously has her favourites though, Daph. The little tramp always keeps Potter by her side because he's the most famous one. That Hufflepuff Mudblood who's always following her about told me that she's making a t-shirt for her newest recruit, Draco Malfoy. She's probably going over designs with Potter right now!' Millicent Bulstrode comments to Daphne Greengrass, but her nasty eyes were locked on Hermione Delacour as she spoke.
Hermione sees red. Ever since second year Hermione knew that Millicent Bulstrode had hated her; it's so gapingly obvious after the Slytherin had put her in a headlock during a practice duel – but this is going too far.
Think, Hermione, think. What spell can I use to make them leave me and my Garcons alone?
She thrushes her hand away from Harry's and grabs her wand to point it at Millicent.
I know! I'll play them at their own horrible game.
'Rictusempra.' Hermione whispers at each of the Slytherin girls and each of them find themselves in a fit of uncontrollable and humiliating laughter on the library-floor as their bodies twisted in multiple and unflattering directions. Hermione quickly does the counter-course as just as the Hogwarts Librarian comes over to them.
'There is to be no foolish laughing in the library. Out!' The Hogwarts Librarian Irma Prince tells the Slytherin girls, who were so breathless that they couldn't even speak. Madam Prince goes so far as to pull the sprawled-out girls to their feet before escorting them out with the most annoyed expression on her face. As soon as they are gone, both Hermione and Harry let out sighs of relief.
'That was close. You shouldn't let gossip bother you like that, Hermione. Besides, it's obviously completely ridiculous that you'd fancy Malfoy.' Harry's says as he pops another one of Sirius Black's sweets into his mouth; Hermione's not sure why, but Harry's simple action of eating sweets causes her to have a light-bulb-moment. 'However, he seems interested in your sister Fleur though, and if I were you I'd be far more worried about that. In fact, I am worried about that for you, Mione. I've noticed Malfoy following Fleur about the castle, jogging with her, and it seems she's getting closer to him the more you push her away. It's really rather sad Hermione, if my parents had lived and I was lucky enough to have a sister I would try not to fight over petty stuff-'
Hermione interrupts him, determined to say focussed on the ideas flooding through her head rather than her detestable sibling. 'Harry – you once said about Sirius being an Animagus, please, remind me how long it can take to change into an Animagus form?' Hermione double-checks, thinking more and more about Malfoy and what happened yesterday when she chased him after he suddenly left the rehearsal for Romeo and Juliet.
'It can be really quick I think, seconds, if you're super good.' Harry answers. He's clearly confused by Hermione's eagerness for the answers to that question, as it is rare for her to double-check anything.
'Oh Merlin.' Hermione gasps.
Is it possible that the white dove I saw when Malfoy vanish in The Great Hall could be Draco in his Animagus form? Is it possible for male veelas, or at least part veelas, to become an Animagus too? Is Malfoy even smart enough to do that? The thoughts spin around in Hermione's brain.
A white dove landed on the window-ledge of an empty classroom. Within ten seconds the dove was replaced by a blond-haired teenager with pointy facial features.
Being an Animagus is not as difficult as people make it out to be. Draco thought to himself as he went over to the desk in which a pile of clothes had been stashed underneath. He pulled the pile of clothes out from under the desk and put them on. Draco knew that this classroom was abandoned, as shown by the dusty old tables, the broken chairs, and the lack of any kind of equipment inside, and so he had planned to use it for when he needed to land in his Animagus dove form, as he had yet to figure out how to transform and keep his clothes on – the very awkward and embarrassing side effect of being taught to be an Animagus by someone who isn't one themselves.
Or maybe it's easy for you to be an Animagus because you're a male veela now, a less egoistical voice said in the back of his head. He remembered the first time his mother had taught him the skill…
They had rehearsed the theory throughout the last summer holidays and by the end of those holidays, he had found it remarkably easy to transform, feeling a slight tingly sensation as he morphed into the body of a dove, very much unlike the fear he felt when his arms became feathery. From what he'd read in the book that his mother had given him veelas were bird-like creatures, so it made a lot of sense to Draco that he could turn into a complete bird instead of just part of one very easily. Still it was a huge pain having to have that Mandrake leaf in his mouth for a month to achieve the goal, and not to mention having to spend the last few nights of his school holidays waiting for a lightning storm.
He recalled what his mother said to him about the ease of his Animagus transformation.
'Very good, Draco. I knew you would find it as easy as a slice of cake. Your great-great grandfather who was also a male part veela took on the form of a dove too. He used to it to seek out your grandmother to learn more about her interests so to seduce her properly. I whole-heartedly believe it was an effective method.' Narcissa Malfoy had told her son whilst he was still in his bird form.
When he turned back into a human, Draco was mortified at the fact he had just re-appeared without clothes and had wanted to die right then and there and he was so thankful that his mother had told him to transform back he behind the sofa… he realised later that she had asked that of him so that she couldn't see anything.
Nevertheless, when Draco let out a gasp of panic, Narcissa snapped her head away from view and had shut her eyes. She then pulled out her wand and casted a spell to put Draco's clothes back on his body without looking. Draco remembered thinking how talented a witch his mother was to be able to do that magic with her eyes closed and he told her so.
'Thank you. It's a spell that has saved us both from life-threatening embarrassment. I am not the greatest witch ever to teach you to be an Animagus, so there was bound to be problems along the way. However, I suggest finding at least one place in school, if not more, to find a place to keep spare clothes until you become more of an expert on Animagus transformations.' His mother told him.
'Don't don't you think it is a bit, er, wrong that I should become an unregistered Animagus to learn more about my Mate, mother, isn't that a bit deceitful?' Draco asked.
Narcissa looked her son in the eye. 'Draco, you have three years to get Hermione to accept that she is your Mate, and when it comes to a mother's son dying…morality doesn't come into it.'
Snapping out of the memory, Draco shuddered. He didn't want to think about all of that right now. He figured it was worth becoming an Animagus in the end because the speediness of his transformations made escapes from awkward situations, such as almost turning into a half-bird-half-man-creature during rehearsals a lot easier.
Draco didn't get to muse about his dove transformation much more as he walked out of the abandoned classroom and through the corridors of the Hogwarts Castle and entered the Slytherin Common Room, where he found Blaise Zabini staring at him the moment he walked through the door. Blaise was sat next to Astoria Greengrass, who was craning her neck over a book and scribbling down something.
'Blaise? What's a Disarming Charm again?' Astoria asked the wizard sat beside her. Draco realised then that she was doing her Defence Against the Dark Arts homework.
'Er – it's a charm which you used to disarm someone.' Blaise said. He sounded distracted as he glanced up towards Draco as he hunched over the book Astoria was reading.
'The Disarming Charm is used to force an opponent during a duel to release their wand or another object they are holding. The word the charm is "Expelliarmus".' Draco told Astoria. The second-year looked up and smiled brightly at him, though the light from the marble fireplace showed that her eyes were a bit puffy.
'Thanks Draco. And thank you too, Blaise. I would never have got this done without you. Moody confuses me so much in class and he really creeps me out. I don't know what to make of him.' Astoria said.
'No problem.' Both Draco and Blaise replied, before Blaise went on to say. 'Can you excuse me for just a minute, kid? I need to speak to Draco.' Astoria nodded as she wrote down what the two boys had told her. Blaise stood up from the table and walked across to Draco, who was at the other side of the Common Room.
'Helping second-years, Blaise? You're getting soft, aren't you?' Draco said quietly with a mischievous grin to wind Blaise up.
'She came to me crying about how she'd fail her homework if I didn't help, alright.' Blaise said dismissively, before looking Draco dead in the eye: 'are you crazy, Draco?' Blaise whispered. 'You storm out of the rehearsal, flying away as a dove? A dove that Hermione Delacour has seen and told all of her friends about after the rehearsal by the way. She was "whispering" about it so loudly that even I could hear her. If don't want people to know something is up about you then you don't go about doing stuff like that Draco!' An expression of anger and concern washed over Blaise's face.
'It's better for her to have seen a white dove fly away than a man with wings from arms flying off in the presence of loads of other potential students. Besides, I think being an Animagus is far easier than becoming a full veela with wings.' Draco rationalised as he whispered back, despite the fact that he has never fully grown veela-wings yet.
Blaise just sighed. 'You have to learn to restrain yourself, mate.' Blaise's voice had slipped out of being hushed and was at a normal volume; he was clearly getting more frustrated with his friend.
The door to the Slytherin Common room opened and closed with a noisy slam as Blaise spoke.
'Couldn't have said it better myself, Blaise.' Daphne Greengrass said as she walked in and sat down on the sofa nearest to where the two boys were standing.
Daphne looked at Draco. 'Your sappiness towards your unrequited love is touching, but it completely clouds your acting skills – I mean Hermione Delacour's acting is worse than yours, but you could so much better if you just had more chemistry with the lead.'
Draco felt his fists clench and his stomach tighten as Daphne insulted his Mate.
'You're treading on some very thin ice here, Daphne.' Blaise growled at her.
'What's your problem, Daphne?' Asked Astoria Greengrass who slammed her quill down on the table. She had been so silent whilst they had been talking that Draco had forgotten Astoria was there. But it seemed impossible to ignore the second-year's presence now that she glared at her older sister with such anger.
'Nothing, Tori, you just be a good little girl and finish your sorry excuse for an essay.' Daphne said to Astoria.
Draco watched Astoria's face burn a bright red.
'You're just jealous of her aren't you, Daph? You're the one who's been spreading rumours around the castle about Draco fancying her. I knew that something was up when you started talking to Millicent Bull or whatever her name is. I couldn't believe you wrote in your diary that you think "she's dumb and fat and ugly" and yet you were suddenly friends with her. I know now you did it so you could spread lies about Draco! You're jealous that Hermione Delacour got a leading role while you're just the understudy! You're just jealous because she got what you wanted and now you're punishing Draco for it.' Astoria shouted so loudly that any students sleeping in the dorms at that moment would have been awakened by her voice.
Daphne Greengrass' face was a mixture of fury and disbelief. 'So, you're not as thick as Mother always says you are then, Astoria. Yeah, okay, so I might have said a few things to some people about Draco and the Snow Queen, but so has everyone else. I thought that maybe she would drop out if the gossip threatened her relationship with Nott. I worked hard for that role and just because they had the shock-value of being the unlikely casting, they got the bloody role that I needed to impress Mother, and show her that I am not the stupid, under-achieving, moron she thinks I am!' Daphne shouted back. She seemed so unhinged whilst she was speaking, but then, to everyone's surprise, Daphne Greengrass then started to sob pitifully and fled up the stairs to the girls' dormitories.
Astoria looked surprised for a moment at the doorway where her sister had left, but then she turned back to Draco.
'I'm so sorry Draco. I'll write to Mother about how wicked Daphne has been to you.' Astoria said apologetically.
'That might not be the best plan.' Blaise Zabini said as he pulled out an envelope addressed to Draco. He looked at Draco with trepidation. 'Snape told me to give you this since he couldn't find you himself.'
Draco took the envelope from Blaise and his heart sank to the bottom of his chest when he saw the crest on it. He opened the letter with a sinking feeling in his stomach.
Draco,
I have received a frightful word from one of your house-mates about a scandal which involves you having a romantic attraction to one of the Delacour daughters.
I realise my visit to Gabriel Delacour last summer must have confused you terribly about the sort of people you are supposed to be mixing with.
I apologise for this confusion, Draco, but I can assure you that, whilst it is true that I have to mingle with all kinds of people because of the importance of my work,
That does not mean that these half-breeds are suitable companions or courtships for the heir of the Malfoy line.
Make no mistake that the Delacour daughters are half-breeds Draco; their grandmother was full Veela and Veelas aren't human, no matter how beautiful they are, and to put it simply they cannot be trusted.
This gossip of you having romantic feelings for albeit a Pureblood witch of Veela heritage, whilst slightly better than one of lesser blood, is nonetheless still nothing short of humiliation and scandal in the most important circles these days, and I will not stand for it!
The future Lady Malfoy MUST BE a full human pureblood witch of good standing.
No exceptions.
Do what you must to squander these lies, or your punishments will be as severe as necessary for the time it takes for this talk to vanish.
Do your duty, Draco.
Sincerely, your Father,
Lucius Malfoy
Draco's eyes had widened to a large degree at his father's hand-written words and for the first time it wasn't his own veela-hertiage that was making him feel physically sick. He felt himself tremble at what this could mean for him, and not only that but for my Mate too, a small voice in his head reminded him; it just made him feel worse as he scumbled up the disdainful and demanding letter in his hand.
'Daphne Greengrass will pay for what's she's done.' Draco snarled.
He needed to walk. Well, actually, Draco would have preferred to fly again, at least then he'd be away from all people and left to think things through on his own if he became a dove, but after his father's letter it wasn't possible. He couldn't risk it. It was not worth his father finding out that he was a veela too and destroying his life. He went up to his dorm and put on a warm cloak and went out walking along the outer edges of the castles and dodging the prefects and professors as he did so.
Surprisingly, he managed to have a long walk that evening without being bothered by Filch or the Professors, for breaking the rules. The walk allowed him to think. He knew he had a lot of decisions to make. Draco knew one thing for certain – he did not want to die. And in order for him to definitely survive he needed Hermione Delacour and bite her to seal her as his Mate. However, in order to do that Draco needed to make her love him, at least enough to let him live, but even that was hard to accomplish when she insisted on referring to him as "Malfoy" and nothing else. It wasn't like the rational part of him didn't understand her somewhat, after all he knew what he was offering her wasn't what most people would call "real love".
But then again, what's "real love" anyway? You can't control love as it's an emotion that just comes out of nowhere, even to regular witches and wizards. One day people just think to themselves that they person the boy they have been dating because of all the fuzzy feelings that have been building up inside them, right? Some couples my age aren't even together two days before they are declaring they in love. Well this weird veela love is just like that, isn't it? Except it happens a lot faster and you wind up with someone you never ever should have fallen in love with and somehow veela magic should make it all happily ever after?
It may not have been the best rationalisation in the world, and it was one that was filled with bitterness in Draco's mind, but it still provided comfort that maybe this wasn't as messed-up as it seemed. But then his mind went into the uncharted territory of actually thinking about this "happily ever after".
He pictured Hermione walking down the aisle with her greying-haired father a few years from now. Draco smiling to her as they met to take their vows, only to turn to see his father standing up with a menacing face and aiming his wand at the bride…
No more. He stopped his thought right there. It would be comical, if a part of Draco didn't see that the scearnio could possibly happen.
I've got to forget about the Mate thing for now, at least until the gossip goes away and father doesn't believe it anymore. I know if Hermione decides to be my Mate then I my father will find out, but I would rather prolong the time it takes for him to realise the truth. I don't want him stopping me before I even have the chance to survive…
He looked up into the night sky, as if it had the answers feeling lost as what to do next.
If only there was a way that I could get back at Daphne Greengrass and convince my father that these rumours aren't true at the same time.
The autumn breeze chilled his face and left only the condensation of his breath and the sound of crickets for company, and he kept walking, that is until she came along.
One-minute Draco was walking by the Broom Shed and looking around aimlessly until his eye fell on the roof of the shed and then the next minute a beetle had caught his eye. What was weirder still, it was like the beetle was trying to catch his eye too. Creeped out by this idea passing through his head, Draco walks a few feet away, before an older witch with crispy blonde and curly hair appeared in front of him.
'What is a young school boy like you doing out here at this time? Are you lost?' The older witch asked, her eyes shimmering with an emotion Draco couldn't quite make out underneath her jewelled spectacles. Her tone of voice had a gossipy quality to it, and at this point, Draco had more than enough of gossip.
'Er, yeah, I guess I am lost.' Draco said the answer he thought was least likely to get into trouble. 'But what are you doing out wandering about the Hogwarts Castle?' He knew she couldn't be a professor.
The woman smiled. 'Sharp boy, aren't you? I like that. I am Rita Skeeter. I work for The Daily Prophet and I am looking for the next big story.' Her smile grew wider. 'Lots and lots of things have been happening at Hogwarts this year, haven't they? The infamous Triwizard Tournament taking place again, The Boy Who Lived getting chosen for it, not to mention the rumours about male Veela being responsible for the death of a student. Tell me, you wouldn't know anything about that, would you?' The older witch eyes were glimmering in the dark.
Draco's heart skipped a bit. He had to be careful not to show that he had stopped breathing when she had mentioned "male Veela".
The VERY last thing I need is a journalist confirming that my life is ruined and I am a monster to my father.
'As if I don't have better things to do than to gossip about Potter.' Draco sneered, doing his best to divert the attention away from the subject of veelas. The older witch's smile just continued to grow and grow and Draco began to wonder if it would eventually work its way up to her pencilled-on eyebrows.
'You're not friends then?' Rita Skeeter asked him.
Draco had to snort. 'No. He thinks he's so special and so much better than anybody else.' Draco then had an idea. 'But then again all the boys that are a part of Hermione Delacour's little group are like that.'
'Harry Potter hangs around with just one girl?' Rita Skeeter looked like Christmas had come early at the idea. Draco went to answer her but she put her index finger up at him. 'One moment dear, you don't mind if I use a Quick Quotes Quill, do you?'
He shook his head.
'Lovely.' Said Rita as she pulled a muggle legal pad out of her crocodile-skin handbag. Draco couldn't help but wince at the very idea of a witch using a muggle notepad. A quill then lifted up in the air and Rita said again. 'Interview with, who are you again, dear?'
'Um, Draco, but I wish to remain anonymous. By the way, if you're Animagus then how can you keep your clothes on?'
Rita looked appalled as her pencilled on eyebrows narrowed and she lips became thin. 'I don't think that's an appropriate question for a boy of your age, Draco. Let's keep the focus on you; you were going to tell me about Potter and this Delacour girl?'
Draco smirked. 'I am not sure I see the appeal with her to tell you the truth, with all those guys around, even Potter struggles to get her attention. Most guys at the school adore Hermione Delacour because she's part-veela.'
'Do you adore her in the same way the other boys do?'
'No. People think I do as I was persuaded by the professors to audition with her in a play of Romeo and Juliet, but no she's a bit too much of a, er, package deal for me with all her boys around her. Plus, there's this nasty girl called Daphne Greengrass who told everyone I fancied Miss Delacour simply because she thought that if she could create a rumour then Delacour would drop out of the play and she could take her place. Greengrass is obsessed with me really.' Draco said. Rita Skeeter looked thoughtful and then muttered something quietly to her quill.
'I see. Well, that's a bit more that I have on Potter now, thank you Draco.' Rita Seeker said and Draco made a move to walk past her. 'Wait!' Rita called. Draco stopped. 'You wouldn't know any information about the rumour that a male veela is at –'
'No.' Draco said quickly.
'I see…well, this isn't a lot to go on for The Prophet, but I am sure the people at Witch Weekly would be interested in this little piece of juicy gossip.' Rita's voice became high-pitched and annoyingly girly with excitement. 'I'll be sure to stay in touch, Draco. Have a nice walk.' Rita said.
As she said the words, Draco wasn't sure he wanted to walk anymore, and he didn't know for certain that talking to the journalist was a good way of getting rid of the rumours.
Author's Notes: I hope you liked this chapter, and if you didn't for any reason then please leave some constructive criticism to tell me how I can improve. I would love to read your feedback, especially if you have any thoughts about how I portrayed Rita Skeeter because I have never written a character like her before.
Special thanks to Hermione Lyra Malfoy-Riddle who has reviewed many chapters of this story, and to BinBerries, who also reviewed chapter thirteen, your encouragement gave me a push to write this chapter so I thank you so much for that.
I will hopefully be posting the next chapter very soon as I had to cut this one short because it was getting too monstrously long to be a single chapter.
In the meantime,
Happy Reading!
Love,
Fantasticlavendercrystals xx