Disclaimer: I own nothing from the original harry potter stories.

Authors note: thank you to those that have added my story to their favorites or alert lists :), please keep continuing to read and review, they keep me going :D

The seduction of the Moon

It was the gentle stroking of her hair that woke her the second time that day, gingerly opening her eyes, Karina was shocked to notice by the suns position it was late afternoon. It was strange, she had noticed for some time now that when she awoke in this different country, that their mornings looked like the late afternoons back home, and their afternoons looked like morning. It was very disorientating, but she figured with time she would grow accustomed to it. Glancing to the figure beside her, her mouth tilted upwards halfheartedly in greeting.

"Ive brought you lunch, you need to eat to keep up your strength." Draco pushed the tray of fruits and cheese towards her, her mouth suddenly watered when she took in the colorful array of foods. He had even made her cut up chicken sandwiches.

"Thank you Dragon, you needn't go to all that trouble for me.." She spoke softly and smiled easier when she noticed his sudden uncomfortable demeanor, he coughed and spoke stiffly.

"It was nothing." He looked softly at her suddenly and grasped her hand. "Are you up for sitting outside?" Katrina suddenly felt such a rush of gratitude it made her throat close up. Even though she had been through something so horrible, she had ended up being lucky to have met such kind and wonderful people, even though she had lost a brother, she had then gained one too.

She realised she hadn't really spoken to Draco much lately, due to everything being so hectic with trying to get back home, then her parents burial. But even while she was still mourning that deep loss, she now knew she wasn't so alone, and that knowledge was so heart warming and a relief. Nodding her head she quickly began to devour all the food he had brought, her appetite was apparently coming back with a vengeance. Finishing up, Draco told her that he would let her get cleaned up and would be waiting in the main room. Standing and stretching out all her stiff muscles she quickly had a shower and changed to go get Draco.

She realised she was actually looking forward to heading outside, as they made their way out the doors she had briefly wondered where everyone was.

"The Weasel and Dork are playing Quidditch and Hermione is up at the library studding. I figured this would be a rare time for us to have a talk without the golden trio listening in." Katrina gave him a sharp look at the names but let it go, Draco had come astoundingly far from what he'd told her of their history.

"I'm sure you have questions for me?" The silver haired youth linked her arm with his and searched his face, she could tell from his emotions that he was wary,confused but also determined. That was one drawback, because everyone she had met was human, all this was new to them, it made her feel alienated and uncomfortable like suddenly she was changing everything in their lives from what was normal, although it appeared that even for wizards their lives were far from normalcy.

"Yes, I do. But I also want to get to know you more, I mean we do share this bond, and while the longer I have been around you, the more you feel like a sister to me.." he stopped and pulled at the neck of his shirt. She was expecting him to run a hand through his hair, but looking at the neatly pulled back strands she figured that only called for an extreme situation. "..and while I have this feeling of brotherly love towards you, my mind tells me thats impossible due to the fact I hardly even know you?..does that make sense?" He searched her face, maybe looking for something condescending or critical. Patting his arm she pulled them to a stop. They were overlooking a part of the lake. With the castle behind them, sitting down on the soft moist ground, the sight of the late afternoon sun was breathtaking. This land was beautiful, everything so green it looked almost like a scene from a fairytale.

"Its ok Dragon, its perfectly normal to feel conflicting emotions like this. Lets start from the beginning yes? I shall try to explain how the bond works." With a heavy breath she searched her mind for the right words. "...bonds for Veela's are a very normal and big part of their lives, we are extremely close to our family due to these bonds. Think of the bond as like a magical and spiritual cord that connects you to another individual. Through this cord you can connect to that person, feel their emotions, their presence and sometimes when the bond is extremely strong communicate with thought alone." She looked to him, letting this information sink in, he nodded, his expression serious.

"Even right now you can feel the truth of my words due to this connection, but also some things you wont be able to feel or decipher. Veela's being very much accustomed to these connections very quickly learn how to block certain things, to preserve privacy and such things. While all bonds are a gift and amazing, you are still your own person and entitled to your own private thoughts and emotions, you will have to learn to control this yourself though." Katrina splayed her fingers out in the grass, letting the spiky strands to tickle her fingers. Looking out the water appeared to be sparkling with the suns reflection bouncing off it, clumps of sparkling diamonds dancing across its surface.

"So I can feel what your feeling and pretty much be able to tell where you are?" Draco picked up a stick and began snapping bits off at short intervals.

"Yes, but you will only be able to feel what I'm feeling if I let you, or if I'm in a situation where I 'm not in control of my emotions." His eyes suddenly looked downcast and he paused with his hands hesitant on the now much shorter twig.

"...Like yesterday?.." His voice was soft and his eyes connected with hers, suddenly feeling a rush of empathy coming from him the backs of her eyes stung.

"Yes." Her voice was strained and she looked down to her clasped hands in her lap.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to upset you." His arm around her shoulders was a welcomed warmth and she shook her head.

"No, its fine." She let out a heavy breath and gazed back out to the lake, a bird in the distance caught her eye, it would swoop down to the lake then back up, a struggling fish in its mouth as it rose upwards and into the distance. She realised she was squeezing her fingers to the point they were turning red. "...I think its about time that I explained to everyone what happened, I have a feeling that the information I know will help in going up against this dark wizard, Voldermort."

"Are you sure you want to do that?" Draco anticipated her standing up and beat her to it, lending her a hand and hoisting her up. "I mean you only buried your parents yesterday." They didn't rush walking back, but strolled leisurely, enjoying the last warmth of the sun before it disappeared.

"I have already been staying with you for how long?..two months?, you all have been very considerate and patient. But I know Dumbledore is anxious to find out anything to anticipate Voldermort's next move...and now I have even more reason to want to put an end to this evil wizards plans, I have lost one family to his evil," She suddenly looked fierce and determined, her eyes glowed slightly. "I refuse to loose another."

Karina figured at dinner would be the best time to talk with everyone. They would all be in the one room and she knew she wouldn't have the energy to repeat the same story so many times. It was going to be painful as it was. The side effects from the potion were still in effect, making her feel fatigued and that her magic was slightly off. She knew within a couple of days she would be back to normal, and that the drastically heavy amount of sadness pressing in on her chest would lighten slightly. Draco had assured her that he would talk to Dumbledore and Severus, he appeared to look up to the potions master, while he appeared aloof and uncaring, Katrina had sense the fatherly affection he felt towards Draco.

When the two of them had got back they parted ways, Katrina heading straight to her room, she needed time to collect her thoughts and think of what she would expose and certain things she would keep to herself. Their were certain things she would only tell her future mate, and that was that, no amount of questioning would get her to divulge in certain information. The sun was in the last stages of setting, the moon was more full tonight, suddenly the Veela felt the surge of the moons power like a wave over her body. Looking out her window and staring at the orb only cast in half a shadow, she cursed under her breath. She had completely forgot about the up and coming full moon, which proved how distracted and the extent of the emotional rollercoaster she had been on.

someone with her circumstances always knew the cycle of the moon, it was in her blood to know, it was a necessity of life. Another wave and she gasped, staggering to the bed she grasped tightly at the solid wooden post, no matter how often it had happen she never thought she would become accustomed to the sensation, it started in her chest and in waves fanned out across her body, a sharp tingling sensation, to the point of almost being painful. Similar to when a limb falls asleep and the sensation of the blood rushing back through the veins. Then as sudden as it had occurred it stopped, and Katrina could then only hear the booming beats of her heart in her ears, pressing her hand to her chest suddenly a smell drifted to her. Slowly lifting her eyes to her bedroom door she was over to it and through it in a matter of seconds, standing in the hallway and deeply inhaling the most succulent of scents she had ever experienced.

MINE. Her Veela side screamed inside her mind. She looked to the door straight across from her own, disbelief startled her for a second, but her Veela was adamant she investigate further. Her astute hearing clarified the room was empty, slowly opening the door she stood in the open door way, suddenly gasping as the scent became even stronger, she had to slam the door close quickly, her senses becoming overwhelmed. She could feel her blood rushing through every vein, her heart frantic inside her chest as though trying to escape its protective enclosure, she looked to her hands to find them shaking uncontrollably, claws instead of her normal short nails and she knew if she ran her tongue along her teeth she would find her fangs had lengthened. With straining effort she moved away from the door and headed toward the living room, that was her first mistake, suddenly the scent in the room was nothing to the actual arrival of the owner of that smell, that smell that so clearly marked them as hers, and hers alone. Stopping and concentrating she managed to get her breathing under control and tried to reason with her Veela.

"we will scare our mate if he sees us like this, you must calm down." She felt her heart beat slow a little more and nodded. There was an almost whining from her Veela self.

"Ours! Ours alone, we shall have him!."

"only when they are ready to accept us, we cant rush this! He is human and delicate." She felt calm enough to enter the living room and as her eyes scanned the room she saw everyone was present. Suddenly Green met her own and she almost broke out into a sweat with the restraint.

"If we claim him he wont be weak, he will be strong, the strongest wizard. We would be helping him." The whispers from her Veela side were convincing but Katrina wasn't known by her family for having an iron will for nothing. She drank in the sight of him, a part of her wasn't surprised, it explain a lot about the attraction she had for him and her reactions to him, but with the full moon coming her magic was stronger tenfold, allowing her Veela side to be more dominant and exposing her mate.

She couldn't believe she had suddenly found him, that she had been lucky enough to have been in his presence all that time, maybe the gods had looked down on her with pity from what she had been through and had granted her the one thing in the whole world she would only want and need. If that was the case she was so grateful and happy she felt she could have burst into tears, and probably would have if she didn't already know this would make her future mate distraught and freaked out. She must tread careful with this one, but she would have him, this both veela and witch agreed on. Her eyes drank in his appearance sweaty and messy from his outdoor exercise, making his sent even stronger, it was intoxicating, he smelled of rain and wind, sunshine and freshly cut grass, but there was something else, a spicy sent mixed in with the others making it uniquely his.

He was talking with the others, laughing and she watched fascinated as his mouth moved and his chest shook. Her heart beat was so loud inside her ears she thought everyone else might be able to hear it. She realised Draco was walking towards her and she once again calmed herself down, she instead focused on his scent, apples and it calmed her.

"Hey, you ok, you look all flustered." She nodded stiffly, then a thought occurred to her. The full moon was soon upon her, her Veela would be at its strongest and she would be at the mercy of it, she had to keep away from him as much as possible, otherwise she would do something she might regret, like claim a mate that wasn't ready to be claimed and would end in rejection. The thought alone sent a spear of fear through her. "Whoa...Nina whats wrong?, your sending out some intense emotions right now." Grasping his arms she must of appeared frightened because he immediately looked concerned and grasped her arm.

"Dragon, I need your help," Hearing Hermione's voice she became calmer, another ally, she could trust Hermione to keep this a secrete, and she would need all the help she could get. "Please get Hermione and meet me in my room."

"What is it Nina?" He was already stepping away to get Hermione's attention. She waved him off, her throat was so dry she needed water. "I'll explain in my room, quickly get Hermione, but don't allow Ron or Harry to come or realise whats going on." He paused looking at her. "Go Dragon!" she hissed, he must have seen the desperation in her eyes because he took off to subtly get Hermione's attention.

Not wanting to draw attention to herself she walked into the kitchen area and struggled to steady her hands to fill a glass with water. It was down her throat in seconds and she sighed feeling calmer and now her hands had stopped shaking. Turning to exit her nose drifted across a well toned chest, she told her self to hold her breath but too late, she breathed deeply and couldn't stop the slight muffed moan escaping. He must of taken it as a sign of being startled because he immediately stepped back, relief and misery conflicted within her.

"Sorry Nina..." He was embarrassed, his cheeks going a delicious pink colour "Wouldn't want you to be too close at the moment with me being all sweaty." Her response was something alone the lines of, "mmnerhph." He gave her a quizzical look, but she had to move before she would do something that would not end well. "Ill see you at dinner." With her head ducked down she almost ran from the kitchen and reached the safe haven of her room.

Both Draco and Hermione looked at her both clearly concerned and confused.

"Whats going on?" Hermione's voice was soothing on her frazzles nerves and she smiled crookedly at them to relieve some of the fear. They both reached her and lead her to sit on the edge of the bed where she was able to get herself completely under control, well almost completely. And to think it's only going to get worse, the next week was going to be a nightmare!

"Don't worry no ones in trouble, I'm sorry if I startled you, but I was quite startled myself." She paused to take in their faces. "Ok, what I'm about to tell you cannot leave this room, you must swear to me that you will not breathe a word to anyone or anything under any circumstances, are we clear?" Her expression was stern, their was no messing around when a Veela's mate was involved.

"Merlin Nina, what on earth is this all about!" Draco grasped her hand without thought. Katrina figured he could feel her agitation and nerves.

"Promise me Dragon," She looked to the witch beside her. "Hermione, promise me." Looking a bit out of sorts Hermione nodded.

"Yes, I promise Nina." Looking back to Draco he nodded and swore as well. She let the breath she hadn't known she was holding go and relaxed.

"Well, I have some amazing news. And while I'm completely overwhelmed about this discovery and you can't imagine how happy I am," At this the other two seemed to look if possible even more confused, "but it also comes with complications"

"By moaning myrtles underwear, spit it out girl!" Draco's patients was wearing thin, she could feel it let alone see it.

"Ive discovered who my mate is." Stunned silence met her statement and she looked between the two of them trying to figure out their expressions, the mixture of emotions ranged from, confusion-shock-realisation to finally settle on happy.

"Oh my god!" was Hermione's first words she then proceeded to babbler out so many questions that Katrina could not keep track. When did this happen? How did you know? Who is it? What are you going to do about it? Do I know them? How did you meet them?..on and on until Draco slapped a hand over her mouth to stop the stream of words.

"I think you have a little explaining to do Nina, and I think you better make it snappy." Swallowing hard and nodding, she had never been so nervous, for a fraction of a second she didn't want to say, as though saying it out loud would expose her mate to scrutiny amongst other things.

"Well, I'll start off by telling you how I know." They both nodded and Katrina recognized a duo curiosity and eagerness in their eyes. "Whether a Veela's mate is human or Veela they will always recognize them first by smell, the smell is like no other aphrodisiac imaginable, and draws us in, its almost mouth watering to us. And because they are our mate and our mate alone they will only smell so attractive to that particular person. At first I didn't know, I thought I was just mildly attracted to them which should have tipped me off straight away, Veela's are only ever attracted to their mate and their mate alone. No one else will do. And because the full moon is approaching my magic and Veela are even strong then usual, so it became clear who it was." She paused and watched with what would have been amusement if the situation hadn't been scrambling her brain so much. Both of them were leaning forward hanging onto every word and both raised their eyebrows and looked impatiently at her to get to the point. "Its.....its..." Should she really tell them? What if something happened and others found out, and he got hurt, or worse.

"Nina!" They both yelled at her making her jump.

"My mate is....Harry Potter."