A/N: Yes this part may be horribly clichéd but there are so many Veela/Mate! fics out there it's hard to be original! Hope it's okay!
Chapter Twelve: Choices
Harry had been pondering, during dinner, just how to tell Draco the truth about himself when Pansy came rushing in. She had a look on her face close to the one Hermione got when he found out something new and exciting. Her friends shot her some questioning looks but she just waved them off with her hand and a quick "Later!" before she began eating.
Harry sighed gustily. He had more important things to worry about. Like his mate. Like telling his mate he was his mate. Sirius and Remus gave their godson a look and Harry looked around before pointing to his nose and eyes and giving a thumbs up sign. Sirius gave Harry a mischievous smile and Remus grinned at the Veela while Harry rolled his eyes and mouthed "Figures!"
Dumbledore suddenly turned and spoke to the group. "Harry could you please come with me after we've all finished. I have something important I must ask you."
Harry nodded. He knew Dumbledore probably knew Harry knew who his mate was and was wanting some confirmation.
A sudden commotion from Pansy made everyone look at the Slytherin end of the table. The female Slytherin had dropped her fork onto her plate by accident, causing the noise.
"Sorry." she mumbled before she continued eating. Draco, who was sitting next to Pansy caught Harry's eye and smiled. Even with the uncertainty hanging around them, Harry couldn't help but smile back.
Before Harry knew it, dinner was over and he and Dumbledore were making their way toward his office
"You seem tense, Harry." Dumbledore said as he took his place behind his desk. "I have no discouraging news to give you. I'm just checking up on one of my favorite students. Please sit."
Harry smiled and sat down before he remembered why he was here. " I know what you want to ask me and yes I've found my mate."
Dumbledore beamed at the boy but Harry didn't smiled back.
"May I inquiry who it is?"
Moodily, Harry crossed his arms and swung his legs back and forth like a sullen child.
"You already know who. I don't know why you even ask."
"It puts people at ease to know I don't know everything, which is true, I don't. And there is always the possibilityI am wrong."
Harry rubbed his face with his hand. "It's Draco Malfoy."
Dumbledore nodded. "I suspected as much although you do not sound as happy as an Elemental Veela should after finding their mate. Is Draco being your mate a problem?"
Harry sighed. Since becoming an Elemental Veela he'd been doing a lot of that lately.
"It would just be so much easier if we didn't have all this...history, this baggage to sort through first. He has to decided in three days if he wants to spend the rest of his life with me or I die."
Dumbledore's gaze sharpened. "I hate to say this, but there really is no choice in the matter. He will never be as happy with another person as he will be with you. That is why you are mates. He is a Slytherin and one thing Slytherins do best is look out for their best interest and sometimes that of their own kind. I'm sure if you explain it to him, young Mr. Malfoy will come to see bonding with you is in his best interest."
Harry was silent before suddenly straightening up, remembering something.
"Sir, my scar. It burned a few days ago but nothing to bad. Will Voldemort ever be able to get into my head again , now that I've become an Elemental Veela?"
Dumbledore sat in thought for a moment. "Truthfully, Tom has never been about to get into your head and 'look around' like you could with his. He has no goodness left inside him while you are both darkness and light. I told youin June that you needn't have learned Occlumancy because it was your heart that saved you. With your new powers, you should be able to tell which visions are true and which ones aren't."
"So what can I do to make sure I kick his scaly arse in the end? I've really done nothing to train for this!"
Dumbledore smiled. "The best thing you can do is to live your life right now. There is no wizard dead or alive who could possibly have anything to teach you. When the time comes you will know what to do."
Fawkes chose that moment to glide over and stand on Harry's knee. With one musical sound, he made Harry feel better. Petting the Phoenix, Harry smiled. He was going to fix this, or die trying. Literally.
Dumbledore smiled and patted his knee. "Well it's getting late. Perhaps with a good night's sleep everything will work out, eh?"
Harry took that as a cue to leave. "Good night Professor Dumbledore."
"Goodnight Harry."
The trek back to the Slytherin Common Rooms was a peaceful one for Harry, and the Veela regretted finally see the portrait that guarded the rooms so soon. The serpents hissed their greetings to Harry as he said the password and the painting swung open.
Sirius and Remus looked pale in the silver light given off by the silver fires in the fireplaces. Most of the Slytherins were looking at Harry with a mixture of awe and distrust. All but one Slytherin. Draco's silvery eyes were dark with anger and betrayal.
When Harry and Dumbledore had left, all the Slytherins finished dinner quickly and retreated back to their Common Rooms with Sirius and Remus quick on their heels. Pansy had, for the first time in a long time, given the signal that she needs to talk to them all. Dropping her fork on her plate wasn't an accident.
Sirius and Remus seemed to find all the Slytherins leaving the Great Hall at once, a bit odd and asked Blaise what was going on.
"Pansy's just called a meeting." Was all he said as the all walked through the portrait-ed entrance to the Common Rooms.
Sirius and Remus both felt chills go up their spines at the word meeting.
"Well, don't let Remmy and me get in your hair. We''ll just go to our room and wait for Harry to come back." Sirius said and began to walk swiftly toward the door.
Pansy pulled out her wand and spelled the door closed.
"Actually I think it would be better if you stayed. You can shed some light on the situation."
Remus felt the wolf rise to alert as he and his mate sat down onto one of the comfy dark green couches.
Standing in the middle of the group, Pansy took and deep breath and just said it.
"I know what Harry is."
Sirius nearly choked on his own tongue and Remus gasped. The rest of the Slytherins began to ask questions drowning out each other. Remus spoke up.
"Pansy don't. This is Harry's to tell!"
Pansy shook her head. "Not if it affects my best friend!"
Everyone turned to look at Draco, who was pale.
"What affects me? And what are you going on with? 'What Harry is'?"
No one commented on Draco's use of Harry's given name, too curious about what Pansy would say.
"Does this have to do with Mr. Potter's mysterious illness?" asked Draco's father, his face calm.
Pansy nodded. Sirius looked about ready to hyperventilate. Pansy gave them a regretful look but continued.
"Harry Potter is an Elemental Veela."
The statement was met with silence until Matt Flint spoke up.
"Get outta town! Harry can't be! They've been underground for a century."
Pansy shook her head. "I did some research before dinner. Harry's mother was one as well."
"Sick with his mother's illness." whispered Blaise as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.
Everyone looked at the two Gryffindors still sitting on the couch.
Remus sighed. He knew Harry was going to hate him in the morning but it was bound to come out.
"Pansy is right. Harry came into his inheritance on his birthday."
Snape looked as if he had just walked in on Voldemort in the bath. Eww.
Sirius sighed as well, finally finding his voice.
"How'd you figure it out. Don't say the library, there aren't any books in there with Elemental Veela in them. I've had to look."
At this Pansy blushed. "I sort of went into your rooms and found it."
Sirius looked murderous. "You snook in our rooms? What alow, sneaky, evil, Slytherin thing to do!"
Most of the room bristled at the comment but Pansy beat them to her defense.
"He wouldn't have told us anyway! And we deserved to know!"
Sirius was furious. "What gives you the right to know? You see him sick and suddenly your best buds! And you would have found out by the end of the week since you obviously know the part about Draco!"
"What about my godson?" came Snape's voice, rough with worry.
Pansy turned to Draco at this part and grabbed his hands.
"One of the clues that helped me find out was that every Elemental Veela needs a mate-"
Whatever Pansy was going to say was cut off when the portrait sung open to reveal Harry Potter.
"Harry!" said Sirius cheerfully, too cheerfully. "How was your visit with the Headmaster?"
Harry raised his eyebrows. "Fine." He looked around the room, his eyes coming to rest on Draco. "Why are you all looking at me like I've just declared my alliances to Voldemort?"
"We know, Harry." said Pansy, her navy eyes bright with nervousness.
The beautiful Veela paled and the temperature dropped slightly because Harry felt threatened.
"Well, that's nice." Harry said, edging toward the door to his rooms. Pansy caught this and continued.
"You said that ifI guessed right you'd tell me. Is that deal still valid?"
Harry nodded. He vowed to never break his word and being a Gryffindor he planned to keep it that way. "But there's nothing to guess."
"I saw the book." she said and Harry tensed. "And the list on your fridge. You're an Elemental Veela."
Harry was shaking. This was not how he wanted them to find out! "You saw-?" He looked over at Remus and Sirius. Did they break their word and show them?
Pansy took a step toward Harry.
"Your godfather and Professor Lupin had nothing to do with it. I went into your rooms when you were gone with-"
The temperature quickly climbed as Harry registered what the blond had said.
"You went into MY ROOMS? Ron and Hermione have never done that and they're my best friends! What gave you the right-"
"They're Gryffindors, Harry. Just like you." Harry was trying to get her away from revealing too much.
"Don't go giving me all that crap about Gryffindors being stupidly honorable or foolishly trusting because-"
Pansy was finally fed up with Harry avoiding her questions.
"Stop avoiding the frickin' point here! Your an Elemental Veela! And someone here is your mate!" Pansy was yelling at a possibly dangerous person, but she didn't seem to care.
So Harry yelled right back at her.
"So what? Yeah, I'm an Elemental Veela! And who my mate is, is none of your concern!"
Pansy shook her head. The whole of the Common Room just watched the two argue.
"Harry, we know how much a regular Veela needs his mate! But an Elemental Veela! Merlin! Stories have been passed down in our families about how legendary your power is. Little pure bloodedwitchs always dream of being the mate of an Elemental Veela because it is supposed to be the most amazing thing!"
"Yeah? Well bugger off and let me fix this!"
Pansy didn't take too well to being told to 'bugger off' and was about to open a major jar of tongue lashing on Harry when Lucius spoke up.
"It's Draco, isn't it?"
Snape looked at his friend as if he had suddenly grown an extra head.
"And just how do you figure that one out Lucius? The two of them have hated each other since day one!"
Blaise nodded. "I've felt it too. The connection. It was weird."
Pansy glared at Harry. "So why didn't you just tell him? Would it have been such a bad thing?"
Harry was bloody sick and tired of Pansy always throwing questions at him. He wondered distantly if he should write and ask if Hermione had died, since Pansy here seemed to be channeling her spirit.
"You know what? This really is none of your business!" Harry spat at the girl before turning to Draco. He had been silent throughout the whole thing.
"May I please speak with you? Somewhere private?" Harry was nervous. He had seen the look on Draco's face when he first came in and the pale boy was wearing his mask at the moment.
Everyone probably thought it was pretty stupid to ask for privacy now that everything was out in the open but Harry didn't care. What he was about to say needed to be said in private.
Draco nodded and stood up. Snape stood also.
"Your not going anywhere with Draco! God only knows what-"
"It's okay, Sev." Draco spoke for the first time, his voice emotionless. "I just need some answers."
Before Snape could answer, Draco turned and followed Harry out of the Common Rooms.
Both boys walked the halls in silence. Harry was close to panicking but held it together. From what Harry knew, Draco usually had a very dramatic temper, and this quiet fury scared him.
They finally reached the place Harry wanted. The Room of Requirement. Inside it was done almost like the Gryffindor Common Room but with different shades of blue. Both wizards ignored the chairs and stood. Draco broke the silence.
"So...an Elemental Veela."
Harry chuckled nervously. "Yeah. It was quite a shocker for me as well."
They lapsed into another silence.
"Was she right?" Draco finally asked. "Am I your mate?"
That was the question of the hour. Harry thought before nodding.
Draco exhaled shakily and finally showed some emotion by running a hand through his hair.
"Gods, just when I think I'll finally have some control over my life..."
Harry hated seeing him like this. No matter what had happened earlier, Draco Malfoy did not want Harry Potter. He saw that now.
"I know you're mad at me-" Harry began but was cut off.
"Why didn't you tell me? Why didI have to find out from Pansy?"
Harry threw his hands up in the air. "I just found out myself a couple of hours ago! With all the talking... and the...rain!"
Draco ignored the last part. " Everything just makes so much more sense! How your looks changed, the... thing in Hogsmeade, why everyone felt attracted to you."
Silence. Harry was pulling in all of his courage to do what had to be done.
"You don't have to do this, you know."
Draco looked at him, eyes wide. "I have a choice?"
Harry put on a mask of his own. This was his gift to Draco. If he truly didn't want him, did not want to bond with him, Harry was NOT going to force him.
"I'm giving you a choice. If you want you can stay and we'd have six months to properly forge three bonds. They would be unbreakable. But if you don't, you can walk right out that door andI won't do a thing to stop you."
And that was the deal. Draco looked torn. Harry was tempted to tell him, he'd die if he said no, that he, Draco could never be happy with another like he was with Harry, but knew that this decision had to be made without biased ideas like that. It had to be about what Draco wanted.
"I'm just...not ready for this." Draco said quietly, almost too quietly. "We barely know each other. We still don't even get along all the time!"
Harry felt himself grow cold. Rejected. Draco was rejecting him.
"I"m sorry." Draco Malfoy was actually apologizing to someone.
Harry shook himself but the cold was getting worse. Looking at Draco, he smiled. It was fake but his mate, no his ex-mate, looked like he was afraid of something.
Harry walked over and put a cold hand on Draco's cheek. The boy flinched and Harry understood. He's afraid of me.
Gently, showing Draco he wouldn't harm him, Harry looked into those sad, silvery eyes and said "It's okay." before kissing him gently on the cheek. That kiss was not enough to establish a bond because it was a sign of leaving,not loveand not participated in by both parties.
Turning Draco walked out of the Room and down the hall. He needed to go for a walk. To think.
Harry still stood in the room, his vision was blurring already. He was going to die soon. 'The Book' said his health would suffer quickly after rejection, but Harry guessed that with him being so powerful the whole process was accelerating like his Transition Week.
Harry didn't want t die in the Room of Requirement, lost until someone came to start up the DA and found his body. He wanted to be in a place where he felt safe and loved.
Slowly, Harry made his way to his family graveyard. This was the right decision. He just hoped Sirius and Remus forgave him and that Ron and Hermione could, someday understand. And that Draco Malfoy found the happiness he deserved.
A/N: Yes I'm evil! I'm leaving it there until tomorrow! Then I'll be showing Draco's POV on the whole Elemental Veela thing and why he rejected Harry.
Thank a bunch for the reviews!
S. Tangerine