Disclaimer : Harry Potter doesn't belong to me (sobs hysterically)

Timeline : October, in Harry's seventh year.

Warnings : Snogging, and slash. Don't like it? Don't read it!

Thanks for the wonderful reviews!

A/N: I'm sorry to all of you who have already read this story and just want it to go to Chapter 13 already, I'm sorry they have to be re-beta'd and that takes time. Other wise I wouldn't have a problem posting it up-to-speed somewhere else!

Behind the Masks

Part Four : Trouble with lifemates

Hermione was about at the end of her wits. How in the bloody wizarding world was she going to convince that stubborn jackass Malfoy to tell Harry?

She could just see where it would lead. 'Yeah, Malfoy, I think you should tell Harry you're, Calli, even though it puts you and Harry in mortal danger, it'd really help me out a lot.'

Just great. In frustration Hermione closed her library book and glanced around her. What the blood hell was she suppose to do now?

The library was deserted and quiet for the afternoon but then again Hermione usually choose this time because most students were in class. Most of her time lately had been used to avoid all human life and especially Harry. She really didn't have to worry about Draco for he seemed to be avoiding the trio at all costs.

Harry spent all his extra time when not studying annoying her to no end. 'Talk to, Calli yet?' 'When are you going to talk to her?' 'Do you want me to do something to help?' She was just about to strangle her poor pathetic friend.

With a little extra spare time she'd gotten a note from Professor Tonks for the restricted section. In the large dusty book 'Mating rituals for all Magic Creatures' Hermione skipped over all of the detailed pictures and description of Magic Creatures mating habits to find wizards and witches. It took her half an hour of blushing to come upon 'wizard lifemates'.

/…while many species chose their mate, very powerful wizards and witches are pre-warned. The Fates above destined long before the lovers met that they are meant to be. Lifemates are extremely rare and usually only appear before a time of great need. Only together is it possible for this great destiny to be reached, so it is very important that they find each other before this happens.

While species such a Veela (see page 430), Vampires (see page 392), Werewolves (see page 463) and Kylows (see page 180) sense their mates right away, wizards and witches cannot smell or sense their lifemate until they are able to look into the others eyes. The only way for the bond to be blocked is if the witches or wizards lifemate is being deceitful. ,

Once recorded in history, the great wizard Merlin of Camelot was unable to sense his mate in Lady Hathaway for her deceit caused a 'veil' (see index) over her eyes. Merlin was unable to tell their souls bond and they could not sense one another as bonded lifemates can do./

Hermione's eyes widened. This would explain why Harry doesn't know it's Malfoy. The deceit of him acting like he's someone else stops them from realizing it. They never really 'looked' into one another's eyes before. She realized.

"How did I get myself into this mess?" Hermione whispered into her hands as she rested her forehead on the table.

"You switched the tokens, remember?" A cool voice replied from behind her and she quickly sat up, spinning around in her chair.

"Malfoy!"

"SUSH!" He hissed and looked around before motioning for her to fallow.

Once they were hidden behind the 'Ancient Runes' section Malfoy glanced towards the end of the bookcases then back to Hermione.

"We never finished our discussion last week." Draco told her crossing his arms.

"I know," She replied with a pained expression on her face.

"You haven't said anything?"

Hermione found herself leaning against the sturdy book shelf. "You would know if I had."

Draco's heart calmed down quickly, he'd been paranoid the entire week since hearing Hermione knew he was Calliope. The very thought of Harry running up to him and demanding to know why he'd played a 'trick' on him was enough to keep him up at night. How could he possibly explain to Harry that…that he didn't want to live without him?

"Malfoy?…DRACO." Hermione waved her hand in front of his face. "Come back to the library! Hermione to DRACO! Come in Draco!"

He snapped out of his thoughts and scowled down at the fluffy haired girl. Her eyes were slightly laughing at him and it frustrated him to no end. How dare she laugh when I'm practically dying here!

"I know I promised I wouldn't say anything but I think you should know that, they know I know about you…I mean Calli."

Draco's eyes dramatically narrowed his mouth tightened. "They what?"

"Harry and Ron aren't dumb and I'm a bad liar. They know I'm aware of Calliope's identity." Hermione told him and when she saw panic in his face soon after she comforted him quickly. "Harry said it's okay though. He promised not to ask me who she is, he wants her to tell him."

"He wants me to tell him?" Draco asked confused.

"Oh, come on, don't you even realize Harry's personality? He's not going to go behind your back and try to figure out who you are. He wants Calli to tell him, he wants her to be comfortable. Don't you realize what you two are?"

Draco's face showed he had no idea.

"You're lifemates, Draco. Harry's about to face you-know-who it's the perfect time for the Fates to reveal you to the other." Hermione watched as he paled and stepped back.

"No…no, it's not possible we can't be…"

Hermione flustered. How can he deny it? He's not even 'Malfoy' anymore, why hasn't he realized, Harry has!

"Come on, I know you're not that thick." She told him with a frown. "Hold on, stay here."

Draco watched the girl disappear as his thoughts were going a thousand miles per minute. Could it be? He and Harry were really lifemates? No, no they would have realized it in the past seven years…wouldn't they have?

Hermione reappeared with a large book open in her small hands. "Read this section here, it's about lifemates."

Draco took the book from her and held it close as he read. Hermione watched as he paled and then flushed around the middle of the page.

"My deceit?"

Hermione nodded. "I think it's because you try to act like someone you're not. Am I close?"

Draco said nothing. He'd spent his whole life trying to be someone his very being despised. How in less then a week could Granger tear it all down?

"I think you should tell him." Hermione whispered.

"Are you insane? Me tell, Potter? I can imagine how that would go. 'Hello, Scarhead, sorry my father's tried to kill you a few times. I know you think I'm a Death Eater in-training but really I'm your lifemate. Yep, that's right I was girl for one night and I'm Calliope'."

Even she flinched at that one. "Well it sounds bad if you say it like that."

"He won't accept me." Draco insisted and frowned. "As long as you don't say anything, we're good, if you do, Merlin help you.. and me." The blonde turned and left her standing there in confusion.

The more Hermione thought about Harry and Draco being lifemates the more it made sense. Why not? They are light and dark sided. Draco's perception and inside information could be what helps Harry defeat you-know-who. It was rather brilliant of the Fates in fact to make them lifemates. Harry needed it to survive, Draco needed it to live.

Draco's scared though, how can I make him understand that Harry's worth trusting? If I could have Harry explain to him, I could have him write a letter but no that's to impersonal. She would just have to think about it, it would come to her. Hopefully in time.

(Potions – The next week)

Harry had many, many talents. Potions, was not one of them.

He mauling over which choice of Lootwig to toss into his cauldron while his partner Hermione stirred. It was bubbling like it should but the next step would determine if his marks would be good for the day. Snape would waste no time giving him a detention if he blew up his potion one more time.

"Mione?" Harry whispered so not to draw attention to himself.

The brown eyed girl who was standing on tippy-toes looking into the cauldron turned and looked at her confused friend.

"Should it be powdered Lootwig, crushed Lootwig or chopped Lootwig?" Harry bit his nervous lip and unconsciously rubbed his messy hair.

This had started a few months ago, he wasn't sure why but it was becoming a habit. This caught Snape's attention much to Harry's chagrin.

"MR. Potter, you are ahead of the ingredients if you were not paying attention earlier it is not your partners fault! Ms. Granger keep stirring!" Snape ordered while passing them down the ill.

Harry flinched as Hermione gave him an apologetic smirk.

The boy-who-wished-he-didn't-have-potions-with-Snape moaned slightly to himself and was about to dub the day a complete disaster when a small PUFF popped into the air.

Harry looked up quickly between holding the crushed and powered Lootwig towards were Malfoy and Parkinson were trying to salvage their potion.

"MR. Malfoy, what in the world did you do?" Snape demanded looking over the remaining contents of the oily black potion that should have been crystal blue.

"I uh…." Draco started to stammer and to Harry's confusion quickly glanced over his shoulder towards where he and Hermione were. Looking away quickly he stumbled something nervously. "I got…distracted…I'm not sure what I did."

"Detention then Draco, you'll serve it tomorrow night at 8:00. Maybe you'll pay attention next time." Snape told them to clean the cauldron before it burned a hole through it.

The Potions Master refused to take away points from Slytherin but when he needed to Snape had no problem giving his own students detention to make sure they still feared him.

"That was odd." Harry looked over at Hermione who seemed to have a knowing grin on her face.

Oh, Harry he couldn't stop looking at you while you rubbed your hair. She wanted to laugh at him.

Harry looked back down between the crushed and powered Lootwig with a concentrated face. This was when Hermione had her idea, it was so perfect, she prayed Harry would forgive her one day.

Glancing up to see were Snape was she quickly turned and grabbed the powdered ingredients right out of Harry's hand and threw all of it into the cauldron. Holding her breath they didn't get a small puff like Malfoy's did but a BANGGGGGGG!

Hermione ducked under the table as it started to boil and smoke leaving Harry alone when Snape grabbed his collar, strangling him.

"WHAT did you do, Potter?" Snape demanded oncehe had frozen the contents of the potion from boiling over.

"Uh-uh-uh…" Harry stumbled. "P-powered Lootwig?"

"You idiot! The powder is suppose to be the last ingredient! I suppose you used ALL of it too did you?"

Harry managed to nod not wanting to get Hermione AND himself into trouble. Why in the world had she done that? She must have known it was the wrong ingredient!

"Very well then, Mr. Potter. Detention in the Dungeons, 8:00 tomorrow. You'll be cleaning all the cauldrons by hand. Now CLEAN THIS UP." Snape barked at Harry releasing his collar.

Hermione covered her mouth with glee. I'm so sorry, Harry but maybe if you get left in the same room with Draco something good will come of it.

Miles and miles from Hogwarts the cold room moved with shadows as candlelight crept onto each surface of the dark area. There were only a handful of people in black capes in the room and the tension remand high as the shadow from the great dark serpent throne remained completely still.

The bravest, or perhaps the most arrogant of all the Death Eaters finally lifted his head trying not to flinch. "My Lord, what news do you bring us here tonight for?"

"Lucissss, I'm pleassssed you asssked." The pale creature hissed leaning back in the high backed chair.

Lucius Malfoy looked up quickly from his bow.

"By meansss of my sssourcesss at Hogwartsss I have dissscovered that Harry Potter ssseeksss the hand of hisss lifemate."

The Death Eaters murmured among on another for a moment until the Dark Lord raised his thin, white hand to silence them.

"My sssource tellsss me they overheard Potter and his little clique specking of this in Hogsmead." The Dark Lord hissed. "However, they seemed to have come in to late for they only heard part of the conversation."

"What can we do to help, my Lord?" Lucius asked in that normal arrogant tone.

"We russshed into a fight before only having heard part of the prophecy, that missstake ssshall not be made again."

Not wanting to be cursed Lucius decided not to mention to Voldemort that it had been "HIS" idea to go running after the Potter's.

"Would you be partial to us kidnapping Potter's err, associates?"

The Dark Lord glarred at Lucius. "No, this would not be well. I highly doubt Dumbledore would give up two of his students before I even get a chance to get my hands on Potter. My informant tells me one more thing, Lucius."

"What would that be, my Lord?"

"Your son was mentioned in the conversation between Potter and his mudblood friend."

"My Lord?" He looked up completely baffled but his face quickly changed so not to show any emotion.

An sinful smirk appeared on the ashen lips that hardly seemed even there on the Dark Lord. "It appears that your young son vies for the same girl."

Lucius was silent. How could this have happened, how in the world could Potter and Draco fall for the same girl?

"There is more." Voldemort spoke causing Lucius to look up startled. "It appears that during the school's masked Ball Potter looked into his lifemates eyes, the connection has been made already, they've just yet to bond completely. It appears she became afraid when she realized it was the boy-who-lived for she ran away leaving him unaware of her identity." He folded his long, bony figures across the snake that circled around his left wrist. "Your sneaky little son however, has found out the girls identity, Calliope, as it were. He's been hiding her from Potter."

"Draco's been…what?"

Voldemort laughed. "Don't sound so angry, it sounds as if young Master Malfoy knows how to play with his enemy. However, you will order him immediately to revel the girls identity to us. We will bargain her life for Potters."

Lucius didn't want to argue but he just had to ask what was on his mind. "The Headmaster will not allow the "savior of the wizarding world" to just waltz right out of school to save his little girlfriend…if I talk to Draco I think…"

"Crucio." With a simple wave of his hand Lucius was on his knees twitching as the curse racked through his body.

"Do you have any idea how powerful the call to your lifemate is?" Voldemort asked in a bored sounding voice as if explaining to a child.

Lucius eyes seemed to wonder. "Yes, my Lord. Before I married my wife I found my own lifemate." He said out of breath from the curse.

"Do tell, Lucius. What happened to her?" The sinful smile reappeared on his hideous face.

Malfoy's hands shock as he placed them quickly under his cape. "I killed her, my Lord."

The Dark Lord laughed. "Pray tell, Malfoy. Why would you kill your lifemate? I did not think it possible."

The second in command of the Death Eaters looked uncomfortable but did not falter. "I survive on potions, my Lord. Once someone has 'bonded' it is difficult to live without them."

"Do tell, Malfoy. Why kill her then? Surely she could have been your mistress?" Voldemort inquired as a goblet of some hideous potion was brought in front of him to drink.

Clasping the silver cup in his hand he was surprised, which said a lot for very little surprised him, to find that Lucius' eyes seemed…lifeless, void of anything but an indescribable pain.

"Because…" So unlike the Lucius most people knew he swallowed as though it was difficult. "…my lifemate was a muggle, my Lord."

Okay, I have this great, great idea how to help Draco and Harry be together. On top of that I just had this wonderful idea in my head about Lucius and his own lifemate. You'll like it I promise! I hope you review and give me warm fuzzy feelings!