Chapter 14: Draco

Draco wasn't sure where all the emotions he had been feeling were coming from, until that is, he felt the intense pain and then a couple of hours later, anger. It could only be coming from Hermione, and he knew that she knew. For the first time he wondered if maybe he hadn't been a little hasty, maybe he should have talked to her about it first and then used the law if all else failed. Decisively he shook his head. He had done what he had to. Hermione wanted nothing to do with him after he had hurt those boys, no mater that they deserved it, and the only reason she talked to him was because she needed him for information.

Soon she would need him for much more than that. And she wouldn't be able to stay mad at him; he would make sure of it. After all a woman in post orgasmic bliss could hardly want to kill the man who had made her feel that way. If there was one thing that he was sure that he would have the upper hand with in his bonding it would be the bedroom. He had taken enough girls to know that he was more than skilled in that area and that his veela pheromones would only help while conquering his mate; the great Hermione Granger.

He felt his teeth elongate at the thought of taking his mate for the first time, of marking her and binding her to him for the rest of their lives. He imagined their lives over the years; their first year as a bonded couple, her body filling out as she became pregnant, a handful of children running around the manor, and Hermione, always right there beside him. Their lives would be happy ones, more so than most even; he had the money and power to provide every little thing they could ever want and they would have each other to keep company and enjoy all of those things with.

Sometimes even a Slytherin could forget who they were dealing with though, sometimes even a Malfoy.

()()()()()

When Draco appeared beside his mate in their little garden with a swing he was not surprised to see that she was waiting. Her petite arms were crossed and her hair seemed to crackle with energy, if there was one thing that he loved about their dream meetings it was that she always appeared healthy with her body at the appropriate weight, while the rest of her stood as though she were made from stone. He could tell that even though she had went to sleep her feelings of anger had only intensified, he figured she only went to sleep because she knew that they would meet and there would lay her best chances of coming out on top in a fight.

"How long did you have to talk to Potter and the Weasleys to realize that it was me?" He was confident, walking closer to her until she had to look up to avoid staring at the hollow in his throat. The fact that she was so much smaller than him made him puff up with male pride, sure that even she could not ignore that he was a fine specimen.

Eyes narrowed and full lips pursed she glared, "Actually it was Ginny who figured it out. She was the one who realized that a veela would not hide themselves from their mate unless they already knew each other and he had good reason to believe that she would not accept him." Draco fought the urge to flinch, remembering every snide comment and cruel joke he had made about her as a child.

"Obviously I had good reason, look at you; you are so stuck on the fact that I didn't tell you that you can't be happy for what we have-"

"What do you think we have Draco?" He was forced to take a step back as her arms flung out, gesturing madly while she yelled. "We have years of taunts, of fights, of competition, and prejudice. You lied about everything. I am not so cruel as to sentence a man to die, even one that I hate. You have given me nothing but reasons to hate you, so what do you think we have?" Her eyes drifted shut for a moment, as though she were wishing herself away. For a second he didn't realize what she was doing then, with an animalistic roar he grasped her upper arms in his hands.

"You do not get to leave me. You are mine. We have a future mate, and underneath all of that hate you have for me you will find that you have love." He was wild, shaking her like a doll to punctuate his words trying not to lose himself in the self righteous anger of a veela whose mate scorned them.

Hermione tried to jerk away, more than just a little fear coming off of her in waves, "I am not a possession. You can not keep me locked in a cage. I have friends and a life, I have a job and you do not get to take that away."

"I will lock you in a cage if that is what it takes Hermione. I will force feed you and make you well again. I will tell your friends to leave if they hurt you, and they do hurt you, and I will make you leave your job. From now on I am your life, just like you have been my life for months."

"I hate you," she bellowed with incomprehensible rage, jerking herself away from with renewed energy.

"You keep saying that but I don't think you do."

"How can I not? You lied; you have taken what I would have given. If you had just talked to me Draco I would have accepted the bond willingly, but all you can do it take. You are like a child in so many ways." Already her voice was hoarse, and Draco wondered if it would be when she waked as well.

"I didn't have time to woo you. When I found out the war was almost over, and when it was you didn't look at anyone twice even after the Weasel left. And then I found out that you were sick, and that no one would admit it least of all you. What would you have done? If had told you the truth things would have only gotten worse."

"Worse than this Draco? Please let me go. I just want to sleep for a night without hearing your voice. I don't want to come back to this place again. Please?" Hearing her beg was the one thing he never wanted to hear from her lips; the screaming, the crying, even the silence he preferred to the sight of his proud mate begging.

Pulling her to him Draco moved his arms to embrace her, easily lifting her slight weight, smiling into her hair when she naturally wrapped her legs around his waist in order to feel more secure. With one hand he tilted her head up searching her pained brown eyes for something other than hurt and anger. Just because he could understand were she was coming from did not mean that he believed she was right. With out the law Hermione would have never fully committed to him, that law would make them both very happy people in the future. Cupping her chin Draco tilted Hermione's face brushing his lips across the freckles on her nose, then her slanted cheek bones and the wrinkles on her forehead before finally meeting her lips.

At first it did not seem as though she would return his kiss, and when she sucked in a shuddering breath he took advantage deepening it and tasting her for the first time. With a pang he realized that it was not real, that it was only a dream, and that made him move his lips more forcefully along hers slipping his tongue into her mouth to brush her own. Slowly she began to participate gently nipping his lower lip and clinging to him more tightly when he returned the gesture.

Carefully he pulled back his hands resting on her legs where ass met thigh while her own were wrapped around his neck. Her face was flushed, lips plump from kissing and her hair a little more wild than normal; she was lovely. Pressing one last kiss to her forehead Draco let her fall back into a deep slumber, knowing that things were far from good but confident that she wouldn't be able to keep saying she hated him.

()()()()()

As a Malfoy one is always collected, cool and unrelenting. Which was the crux of the problem today, one of the parents was so upset that outside of minor fines and the loss of his job Draco could not be touched that she was insisting on a public apology. Most would have given up an hour ago, when that was the only thing keeping them in the room with the obnoxiously perfumed woman who wore an entirely too tight dress suit. But Draco was a Malfoy and Malfoy's did not publicly apologize for anything, at least not after the apology his father had made at the end of the war.

"If you want me to make a public apology for putting your disrespectful son in his place then I would like to see him make a public apology to every teacher whom he has mistreated or slandered. He admitted to making threats against another teacher, I would insist he be expelled except for the fact that I doubt he will ever have the mental or magical capacity to carry any of his threats out." Draco kept his icy gaze on the plump woman, smirking with a self satisfied air when her eyes darted away from his own.

"He was forced to say that. The mudblood has it out for anyone not in her own house and her teaching methods are unorthodox to say the least-"

"Mrs. Randle, that attitude is what got your son in trouble in the first place. After the first week none of Ms. Grangers other students complained and she is highly qualified for her position. Those methods of hers have caused the students comprehension levels to skyrocket, and muggle studies show that these unique set-ups work better. Your son was not forced to admit the things that he said about Ms. Granger and he was not forced to say them in the first place." McGonagalls accent sounded a little thicker than normal to Draco, likely because she did not like dealing with pompous Purebloods or people who insulted her brightest student.

Draco was glad that his father was there along with the family lawyer, if not for the binding spell that Lucius had placed on him he would have flown across the table to throttle the woman who sat across from him.

"I am greatly surprised that you have decided to take a public avenue to exact your petty revenge when most of our status would handle these things privately. Of course I did hear about your sister's unfortunate choice of a husband and their divorce a month later…" Draco smirked as his father trailed off; he remembered hearing about the pureblood witch who had married a Halfblood. He also remembered that a month later the woman had been forced to get a divorce due to her family's pressure, her then husband left the country for America in the hope that such prejudices did not exist there.

The woman pursed her lips before standing in a huff and storming out, leaving her husband to trail behind her. "We will accept the agreed to terms; he will be banned from teaching within Hogwarts, including guest lecturing or demonstrations. Have a good day."

Draco almost felt bad for the man, but figured that any man who allowed his wife to lord over him as he did deserve what he got. Once his father extinguished the binding spell he stood stretching his neck and back, ignoring the reproachful look from Lucius.

"Professor, I can be gone today and I am sorry for how things turned out. The agreement allows for me to come to the school to see my mate unless you would prefer to set up a floo network that will allow Hermione to commute from the Mansion to Hogwarts." Both of the Malfoy men ignored the knowing look on McGonagall's face, instead allowing themselves to look around the room with practiced indifference.

It never failed to shock her how much the father and son looked alike, it wasn't to say that Narcissca's own features hadn't softened Draco's just that the men looked enough alike to be brothers. Some how McGonagall knew that the younger Malfoy was likely the reason that Hermione had not taken a teaching job at any of the other schools that had been looking for staff. She wasn't sure what to think of these men who seemed to land on their feet and she certainly wished her favorite student the best of luck with her mate. "I think that we should ask Hermione how she feels about this, after all this is her life we are talking about."

Draco clenched his jaw, turning away from the searching eyes of his onetime Professor. They all seemed to forget that it was not just her life anymore, the moment she had been born she had been his and their lives had forever tied. As far as he was concerned, the veela were concerned, and even the damned Ministry was concerned their lives were one and the same.

"I'm sure that while we decide the remaining business of Draco's retirement that he and his mate can confer and come to a decision as to their living arrangements." Lucius seemed untouched by the Headmistresses challenging words, his commanding and rather passive aggressive response slipping smoothly off his tongue. Needing no further encouragement Draco left the room thankful to have a reason to move, moving a little more quickly than his father would approve of.

He knew that he would have little time with Hermione face to face before his father and mother would arrive to help move her things into the manner. Once they got there the unpacking would be delegated to a house elf and the interrogation would commence; every little detail about her life, her family, her friends, and her plans for the future would be exposed and debated. Draco had no doubt that his mate would quickly erupt into a fit of temper, already on edge from losing the battle that was about to occur.

Knocking smartly on the door of her chambers Draco idly ran a hand through his hair, noting that he would have to get a trim soon as it was starting to get in the way of his sight. The Hermione that answered the door was reminiscent of the one he remembered from school; hair haphazardly held back by a quill, sleeves pushed up over her elbows, ink stains on her face from chewing on the end of her quill and a few others on her hands. Glancing behind her he noticed a cup of tea and half a sandwich sitting on a tray by a table overflowing with books and parchment.

"What do you want?" Her curt words cut him a little more than he had thought they would and his eyes darkened as she looked him over unconsciously.

"We need to talk Hermione, you knew that this was coming." Though his words seemed equally short the tones of warmth and caring were clearly noticeable to them both.

"Fine, you can come in. I'm assuming that you were fired?" Hermione swiftly stepped back to allow him in, shutting the door so quickly that his robes almost got caught.

Ignoring the snide comment Draco looked over what she had been studying, rubbing his brow when he saw old law and veela behavior books he sat heavily in her chair. "You are going to move into the manner, tonight. Father and Mother will be maybe half an hour and will help us to pack up the things that you will need. Judging by these books you already know this. Once we are bonded we will have to be close to each other and you may have to take some time off from work."

"Why can't you stay here? I am the one with a job; it's not fair that I will have to commute to work every day so that your life will be easier." There was enough fire in her voice that he knew the subject would inevitably arise over and over in the future.

"Living in the manor will make both of our lives easier, you will have to get used to it eventually; our children will be raised there. Not only that but we will have more privacy and you will not feel as vulnerable about treating your PTSD when your students can not see it happening. Your life living at Hogwarts is over. You are an adult, you are going to be married and soon you will have all the responsibilities that come with being Lady Malfoy. I know that you did not ask for this and I wish I could honestly say that if I could change it I would. But that's not true because either way I wouldn't have you; I would either have a different mate which even if it were possible I would hate or I wouldn't be a Malfoy or veela, also keeping you from me." Draco wasn't sure what made him speak so frankly it wasn't in his nature to tell the truth so fully or to show his emotions. She was his mate, his other half, and, though she would deny it, he loved her.

"We can raise them in a normal house, like normal children. I think that they will need it with us as their parents else wise they may turn out worse than you. And I don't have PTSD- I just have trouble eating. That doesn't mean that I am sick or weak or need a bloody doctor. I love Hogwarts; it is home, and if I don't live here I will move back in with Harry and Ginny. She could use the extra help with her pregnancy and fixing the house. You don't get to make my decisions." Hermione's words were frantic, it was clear that she needed sleep; she couldn't even formulate one of her logical arguments.

"Hermione, you are going to move into the manor. Our bonding will not take place in some musty castle and I will not live here when I have a perfectly good home to offer you. I am veela and you are my mate. I provide for you, I protect you. Nothing you say will sway me. You do not want me to get started on the subject of you living with Potter or any of the other inane things you just said. Sit down, eat that sandwich and finish your tea. Now." Carefully Draco let the power of his dominance wash over her, it didn't take much with her guard down and her being tired already. Keeping a careful eye on her as she ate, he only moved away to let his parents in when they arrived and to start packing her things.

()()()()()

Once they had managed to get Hermione and her things to the manor Draco cast a silent sleeping charm over her and laid her down on his, rather their, bed to rest. His mother had tutted over her wardrobe, secretly pleased that she had an excuse to do something with her future daughter in law one on one. The one thing that Lucius had never been able to give her was a second child, a daughter, though it was no fault of his. His father had marveled over her collection of books, surprised at some of the rare tomes she had sitting on her many book shelves. If nothing else it assured him that his son had a mate who matched him in intelligence, reiterating all of the rants his son had as a student about the girl who was always just a few points ahead of him.

Though Draco would deny it his parents opinions of his mate mattered to him and he knew that they were both still unsure of her as a person and of her bloodlines. Pouring himself a small glass of fine whiskey he sat in his green winged chair that was positioned so that he might watch over her. The sight of her in his bed, where she belonged, made him eager for their bonding. It would ultimately be his choice but if it would make her feel better he decided that he would wait the full time limit to complete seal the bond. If nothing else it would give her a little time to get used to the idea and him before sex was thrown into the mix.

He wondered if her lips would be as sweet as or sweeter than they had been in their shared dream. How he felt for her would change nothing. He couldn't bring himself to regret forcing the law because she was laying in his bed, days away from being his forever. He was a selfish man, he always would be, and even Hermione couldn't change that.

()()()()()

If you can believe it this basically wrote its self once I had the time to sit down and get it all out. Had a mind of its own it did, deviating from my initial plans. I think that it is for the better though, you got to see a softer side of Draco if you didn't notice. He really seemed to have only what was best for in mind, even if the bit about the manor was slightly selfish he did have some good reasons for it. As you can tell we are getting ever closer to the much anticipated bonding scene and I have been hinting that Draco will be dominate in every area so don't be too surprised about it. This is also were the rating changes, so far I would say that we have had a very PG-13 content going on but the sex scenes will be smutty. (If we are all honest that is half the reason we read these M rated stories.) Finally, I have surpassed 150 reviews, 160 favorites, and 350 alerts. This is the first and the last time I will say anything about this but if everyone who bothers to alert or favorite would review one time I would have more than twice as many reviews as I do. A lot of people pick stories biased on how many reviews they have, so if you enjoy this then review. A few of you review every chapter or almost every chapter and I thank you for that, these reviews are motivators and they help me to get an idea of what you do and don't like. That being said, I hope you have enjoyed this installment of I Will Have You.

~relentlesslybrash