A/N: (stares at number of reviews received so far) I'm shocked I've reached the TWO HUNDRED mark! you people are great! Here's the update I promised. It almost never got written as life stepped in and tried to pry me away from my story but I held fast, like Devil's Snare! Yes, I'm evil for leaving you all like that but it had to be done!

Chapter Thirteen: The Cold Hard Truth and Giving Me Half of You

Draco didn't know what to expect when Pansy gave the signal but this wasn't it.

" Harry Potter is an Elemental Veela."

Veela. That was really the only word Draco heard from that point on. Harry was a Veela. Everything he'd felt since they saw each other five days ago wasn't what he felt. It was Veela induced.

Draco's thoughts suddenly turned dark. 'Potter probably had a right old laugh at it too. along with Granger and Weasley. Merlin, I'm such an idiot.'

Draco thought back to the day he got Potter's Aunt's letter. Even then, in the Hospital Wing, Draco felt attracted, almost insanely, to the boy-wonder. But his feelings never developed until Potter saved them that next day in Hogsmeade. They weren't even his feelings, just some hormone-produced hallucinations.

And then earliertoday! God he had laughed with the Gryffindor! Smiled at him and kissed him! 'Black was probably in on the whole thing.' Draco thought as he looked over at the innocent Azkaban escapee, who was red with rage. 'Not too sure about the werewolf but Black was for sure. Probably thought up the prank himself!'

Then the object of Draco's embarrassment and rage walked through the portrait hole and Draco hated himself for still feeling that tingle in his limbs when he saw him. Draco felt the temperature drop as Pansy 'dropped the bomb.' That was proof enough that Harry had lied to him.

Then Draco registered Pansy telling the Gryffindor Golden Boy she had broken into their rooms. Why would she do that? Draco hadn't really been listening when she had grabbed his hand earlier.

Another temperature flux and Harry and Pansy began yelling at each other. Draco stopped his thoughts to actually listen to what was being said.

"- an Elemental Veela! And someone here is your mate!" Pansy had yelled right back at Har- Potter. He was so back to Potter right now!

Turns out Harry had finally stopped denying the truth.

"So what? Yeah, I'm an Elemental Veela! And who my mate is, is none of your concern!"

Mate. Oh no. Ordinary Veela needed their mates to keep their beauty and in a witches or wizard's case, magic. When they came into their inheritance they would only touch their mate. Like what had happened between him and Harry earlier that morning.

Draco felt numb. So Harry was only doing this because he was being forced to. If this connection never came to be, they'd still be at each other's necks. Again, their feelings weren't real.

Suddenly, Harry was standing before him. Draco made himself listen as the boy asked to talk privately. 'Maybe I'll get some answers.'

Harry was nervous, Draco could tell, his body posture screamed nervousness. That's when the reality of the situation hit him. Harry would expect him to bond with him. Now. He was just sixteen, had yet to be in a true relationship! He couldn't commit like that!

He voiced his thoughts. Harry looked upset. Was it because he was stuck with Draco as a mate? But why didn't he at least tell him that they were mates?

"I just found out myself a couple of hours ago! With all the talking... and the...rain!"

Ah. So that thing between them was just a test run of sorts. But everything that was so pleasantly confusing a couple of days ago seemed to horribly fit into place. Draco didn't even realize he was talking out loud.

Harry's next comment was like a ray of hope and a thundercloud all in one.

"You don't have to do this, you know."

He had a choice? Harry looked so solemn. Or was this because Harry didn't want Draco? 'Of course he doesn't! He just found out a couple of hours ago that you were his mate. you two have been lying to each other for the last six years. Why would anything relationship between you two be welcomed?'

Draco felt torn. He was sure what he had felt the last few days was real but Harry had lied to him. Harry didn't want him. Why else would he tell Draco he had a choice? His non real feelings told Draco that he did want to be with Harry but so soon? Tied down with two more years of his childhood left? Draco wanted to travel, play Quidditch...have a one-night stand for crying out loud! He wasn't wanted and that hurt, buthe wasn't ready.

Harry's face closed off when Draco gave him his answer but the Veela put on a forced smile and walked over slowly. Draco could help but flinch when Harry gently touched his cheek. He was only doing this because he was a Veela. The gentle kiss was almost Draco's undoing but he stiffened his back and quickly left the room before he did something they both would regret. But as Draco walked away, he felt like, maybe, if Harry had wanted it, they could have been good together.

Harry staggered into a coat of armor, his body shaking too much to support him sometimes. Although Harry felt cold, the parts of armor that he touched had melted and frozen quickly, becoming brittle. 'The Book' has said that the only known Elemental Veela to have died from rejection was observed throughout the whole process by the few trusted medi-witches of that time. The Veela in Harry was attacking itself with it two most used weapons, the cold and the heat because it deemed itself unworthy to live in the same world as its mate.

In rapid secession, the body was feverish and chilled, but since Harry wasn't even through his Transition Week, his body couldn't handle the changes as good as a fully Transitioned Elemental Veela could and was dying quicker.

Harry figured he probably had twenty four hours instead of forty eight. He'd already wasted an hour getting to the doors that guarded the Graveyards.

The magic of Hogwarts, sensing his distress, opened before Harry was completely before them. Instead of opening up to a peaceful nighttime setting, like Harry expected, the weather was stormy. The wind whipped the flower petals around and the rain that fell was drowning the flowers that were able to stay grounded. Nature was mourning the loss of an Elemental Veela.

Harry felt the earth magic greet him in a sympathetic embrace but the weather made his journey a bit harder, the rain and his blurry vision making him practically blind. Finally Harry got to the end of the rows of headstones where his parents lay.

Drained, he flopped down onto a patch of grass, the water around him freezing and them evaporating at different intervals. If Harry wasn't so sick, he'd've seen two flashes of gold and scarlet zooming around him before going out the doors.

Draco walked and walked and walked some more. The empty feeling he suddenly felt, just moments after leaving Harry, wasn't getting any better.

He felt pathetic. Here he was, a commitment-phobic, emotionally-handicapped Slytherin moping over what he could have had with an Elemental Veela-ized, Gryffindoric Saviour of the Wizarding World. Talk about ironic. 'Harry will probably move on in September anyway. Find another mate and be happy. Without him.'

Sighing Draco rubbed his tired eyes. He'd left Harry two or three hours ago and was emotionally drained. He was tired.

Turning, Draco made his way back to the Common Rooms.

Albus Dumbledore sat up as he felt the castle's magic shifting. The storm that was to have begun to tamper off was back with vengeance. Albus felt uneasy. Looking around his office everything seemed to be in order. Fawkes was sleeping, he had more paper work than was healthy and the portraits were quiet except for the scatter snore from it's inhabitants.

Albus rubbed his eyes. The last time he had felt like that, Lily and James Potter were attacked. With his eyes closed, Albus never saw the two flashed of red and gold enter his office and settle into Fawkes.

His eyes did open as his familiar suddenly awoken with a screech and took off from his perch. Over and over again, Fawkes sang a certain tune, one Dumbledore was sure he'd heard many times.

Standing, he attempted to calm his pet, just enough to pick out what it was trying to tell him. Fawkes landed on the floor and repeated the tune in a shrill note that made the hairs on Dumbledore's neck stand up.

The tune was one he and Fawkes used when they were talking about Harry Potter. Ignoring the late time, Dumbledore got the sudden urge to visit the castle's resident Elemental Veela.

Lightning flashed through the graveyard as Harry tossed and turned in a nightmare. All of his worst memories were coming back to punish him.

If he hadn't been so mean to Draco, if he hadn't beaten him at Quidditch, taken the House Cup away, got his father put in prison or let Voldemort come back maybe Draco would have wanted him then.

The thunder boomed, shaking the ground as Harry thought . Maybe.

Draco let his surprise show when he saw Dumbledore sitting as though he belonged there in the Slytherin Common Room. Everyone was still in the spots he and Harry had left them. Pansy came rushing forward to hug him. It was her way of apologizing and Draco accepted.

Dumbledore smiled at him before gesturing for him to sit down.

"I thought Mr. Potter would have been with you." he commented lightly but Draco understood the message. Where was the Golden Boy?

Sirius and Remus were looking at him strangely. Funny how just five days with Harry had gotten him calling the two men by their first names even in his head.

Draco sighed. "We talked and decided that it would be best if we just went our separate ways."

Sirius choked on the butterbeer he had been drinking while Remus just looked at the blond in horror. Dumbledore, who had been un-sticking two Lemon Drops, dropped them and turned his eyes sharply to Draco.

"What? Mr. Malfoy that simply isn't possible."

Snape, being his usual snarky self, just had to give his two sickles worth.

"Of course it is Albus. you can't force him into this. Potter will be fine without him. I'm sure this will do wonders to help his enlarged ego."

Sirius had unstuck the butterbeer from his throat and looked at Draco shocked.

"How could you do this?" he whispered before his face turned red with anger.

Remus grabbed his mate before he could kill the blond boy, but his anger was just barely in check itself.

Dumbledore took control. "Sirius, Remus go get the trusty map of yours and find him. Bring him to Madam Pomfrey, she can keep him comfortable while we sort this out."

Remus nodded and told Sirius to go get the map before turning back to Dumbledore.

"We have to hurry. He is probably going through the process much faster than normal. He went through his Transition Week in four days."

Dumbledore nodded before turning to Draco.

"Tell me, what did Harry say exactly?"

Draco was obviously confused at all the hurry.

"He told me that Pansy was right and that I was his mate. He said he didn't tell me because he only just found out himself that it was me.But that it was no problem becauseI had a choice. If I wanted to we'd have six months for something or that ifI didn't want this I could leave and he wouldn't stop me. What's wrong?"

Dumbledore had closed his eyes when Draco began mentioning a choice. He had had this conversation with Harry just hours before this and now he had a rejected Elemental Veela dying somewhere in his castle with a confused but just as much reject mate sitting in front of him.

"Draco were you upset to learn about Harry's uniqueness?"

Draco was silent for a moment. "He lied to me. Everything was a lie."

Dumbledore shook his head. "Did you ask him? There is a difference between out right lying and just withholding information until a later time. Although neither approach seems to work with Harry."

Draco shook his head in the negative.

"I didn't ask him myself but Pansy has been badgering him since he... changed."

Dumbledore looked at the female Slytherin who avoided his gaze.

"I mean this in the nicest way possible, but what happened to Harry was none of Ms. Parkinson's worry until Mr. Potter or yourself gave her the privilege of knowing. Now how else could he lie to you?"

Draco hesitated. He didn't really want to be giving out his feelings for everyone to see.

Dumbledore sensed his hesitation. "Perhaps the way he made everyone feel? The attraction he had everyone but the most strongest of minds under?"

Draco nodded but Dumbledore shook his head.

"Again, no. Harry is an Elemental Veela, he has always been one, he just hasn't shown it until his sixteenth birthday. He could not have lied to you about what he is because up until that time he did not know himself. And Elemental Veelas are extremely beautiful creatures. Everyone's lust for his physical appearance is real. Even yours."

Sirius and Remus came out of the rooms with a piece of old ratty parchment. Draco glared at the old man.

"What about all those other feelings? How can they be real?"

Sirius stepped in, out of breath. "We don't have time for this, Albus! We've got to find Harry!"

Dumbledore shook his head. "Draco must understand first, what has happened and why. Harry told him there was a choice involved in the matter. Mr. Malfoy did not just throw this chance away."

Sirius smacked his forehead and groaned about Harry being too noble for his own good.

Dumbledore continued his talk with Draco.

"I'll assume your talking about feelings of actually liking Harry as a person and not lusting after him, like many do for Veelas?"

Draco nodded, looking a bit pink.

"When did these feelings start?"

Draco avoided eye contact with everyone in the room.

"The day after the Hogsmeade attack. Look, it doesn't really matter! Any feelings we might have had for each other weren't real! Just the Veela magic working!"

"No it was not. Elemental Veela can control their Allure, the power of attraction, but it usually takes time! Since Harry was having an accelerated Transition Week he learned control during the Hogsmeade attack. Any feelings you had for him then weren't from Harry's Veela heritage confusing you but true, honest emotion. I said it before, Harry is an Elemental Veela. How he feels, how he reacts are just that, how he, Harry feels. Harry Potter the wizard and Harry Potter the Elemental Veela are the same person. As a Veela, he understands his need to be with the one person who could make him the happiest and who he could make the happiest more than any normal witch or wizard."

Draco looked thoughtful. "So he wasn't forced into it?"

"No," Dumbledore smiled. "It is something he now, as what he was meant to be, an Elemental Veela wants. I'm guessing he never told you this, wanting your decision to be what you wanted and not swayed by perks, but you will never be as happy with another person as you would be with Harry. The same goes for him. That is why he gave you that choice. He wanted you to be happy." Dumbledore sighed.

"That is why, at this very moment he is dying."

Draco paled and the other Slytherins gasped.

"Dying? Why?"

Dumbledore leaned in. "You rejected him. A rejected Elemental Veela dies within forty eight hours of its rejection. But with Harry being so powerful, the process is going too quickly."

Draco looked around wildly, thinking. Harry could die! He would die if Draco didn't accept that he was Harry's mate. No one but Harry could make him happy!

"What are we just sitting around here for? We've got to find him!"

Sirius, who had been standing by silently, suddenly bounced forward as if he was being held back by an invisible force. He touched his wand to the parchment and mumbled something no one could hear. Lines spread out, taking the shape of the castle.

"Where did you leave him?"

Draco looked for the place on the map. It was just an empty space.

"The seventh floor. He called it the Room of Requirement."

Remus scanned the place.

"He's not there. He must have moved from there. Where though?"

"There!" pointed Pansy, right at the center of the map. Sirius looked at the place squinting.

"I don't remember ever being in that room. And the Maurders have been everywhere!"

Blaise looked at the black-haired wizard funny. "Maurders?"

Dumbledore shook his head, his beard looking rumpled.

"Perhaps another time. Will one of you children please inform Madam Pomfrey we are bringing Harry in? I need Sirius, Remus, Severus, Lucius and Draco to follow me. I know where he is."

"Where?" demanded Sirius quickly rolling up the map.

"With his parents."

The heat had stopped. Now Harry was just cold again. Like when he first became an Elemental Veela but with a darker intent to it. His arms and legs felt stiff as he fought the darkness trying to envelope him. Once he fell into that, only his mate could awaken him. Harry wanted just a few more minutes inside Hogwarts. Inside his home.

Although his head was fuzzy when it came to the outside world, Harry wondered where he'd go when he died. Harry had never been a religious person, talks of God and the Devil seemed like something normal people did and Harry wasn't normal. Dumbledore had said that 'to the well-organized mind, death was the next great adventure'. Would he become a ghost? Or become a presence, like his parents, comforting those he loved?

Harry was sent the memory of Sirius, after he'd come back from the dead,telling how he had been put on trial by the spirits in the veil and found innocent then he fought his way back to the living. Would Harry have to face his past mistakes and sins?

When Harry had found out the truth about how his parents had died he vowed to live his life with no regrets. But as he sunk below the darkness, Harry couldn't help but regret not ridding this world of Voldemort.

Dumbledore walked swiftly for an old man, Draco thought as he puffed to keep up with him. He also didn't recognize where they were headed but Dumbledore did. When he had said the words 'With his parents', Draco's heart stopped. But Dumbledore assured everyone Harry was still among the living, no pun intended.

Reaching a beautifully carved door, the Headmaster stopped.

"I, Albus Dumbledore ask that these doors be opened to the Gryffindor Graves. My company includes Severus Snape, Sirius Black, Remus Lupin, Lucius Malfoy and Draco Malfoy."

Draco felt the magic come out and wrap around him, like the castle was shaking his hand before the doors cracked open with a groan.

The group had to brace themselves against the storm that was raging inside the graveyard. Flashes of lightning kept the place lit as well as any Lumos spell could and Dumbledore shouted above the wind.

"Right at the end. Only Draco will be able to touch him. Hurry."

They quickly fought their way against the wind. Draco kept his eyes at the end of the rows. A flash of lightning lit the place up and Draco saw a huddled figure lying on the ground by the graves.

Draco broke away form the group and sprinted toward the figure, thinking the worst. Reaching out a hand, Draco rolled Harry over slowly. Even to Draco the Veela felt cold but was still breathing, even though it was shaky and uneven.

Just having Draco touch Harry made the fierce wind died down a bit. Quickly, Draco scooped up the precious bundle and watched in awe as the storm calmed. In his arms, Draco felt Harry slowly begin to warm up and watched as his pained face rubbed against the soft material of Draco's robes.

Draco looked up at the group, his father had a surprised look on his face as he saw the extent of Harry's power. Sirius and Remus looked worriedly at Harry in Draco's arms while Dumbledore just smiled, that bloody twinkle in his eyes. His godfather, however had his attention else where. He was looking at one of the headstones behind Draco.

As the group finally left the graveyard, Draco turned and looked at the names on the stones. His silver eyes widen as he read Rachel Potter-Snape before they were too far away to read.

At the Hospital Wing, Theo was waiting for them. He said he was drafted to report any news on Harry's condition as Draco was unlikely to be returning tonight. Draco told him to tell the others everything would be fine now and to get some sleep.

Madam Pomfrey was outraged when they finally arrived. Ordering Draco to put Harry on the bed, but still keep contact with him, she rounded on the 'adults' of the situation and nearly sent them running. Dumbledore skillfully reminded her she had a patient and just smiled at the death glare she sent his way.

"I have to give him a potion to wake him up. I must access how much damage was done to his brain, if any."

She poured a light blue almost glowing potion down the Boy-Who-Lived's throat and waited. Harry's eyes fluttered and opened. The room must have been too bright because the first words out of his mouth were:

"Am I in heaven?"

Madam Pomfrey bent over his head, into his line of sight and replied, " I'm flattered Mr. Potter, that you think me worthy of being a Supreme Being but no you are not dead. Now, what is the date?"

Harry couldn't grasp that he was still alive.

"I'm not dead? How is that possible?" He looked around and spotted Draco. "Oh. That's why."

Madam Pomfrey must have been very upset with that answer.

"Mr. Potter. Answer my question or I will give you a potion that will keep you in her until the start of term. What is the date?"

Harry sighed and looked away from Draco to the ceiling.

"August fourth unless it's past midnight then August fifth."

"It's the fifth now. What is your full name?"

Harry gave her a funny look. "Wouldn't that have been the first question? Harry James Potter." He quickly answered the question when the medi-witch gave him 'the look'.

"What House are you in?"

"Gryffindor."

"Where are you?"

Harry growled. "I"m stuck in the Hospital Wing of Hogwarts being asked stupid questions by the crazy school nurse!"

Madam Pomfrey smiled. "He's fine." While thinking, 'works every time.'

She then pulled out a bottle of Sleeping potion and put it on the table near his bed.

"Now I want you to drink that in five minutes time. You need your rest."

She gave Dumbledore a look. He smiled at her.

"Can the potion wait a few minutes? Mr Potter and Mr. Malfoy have somethings they need to clear up first."

Madam Pomfrey began to shake her head 'No', but stopped and looked between both boys quickly, understanding the situation more.

"Fine! But everyone else out!" She quickly drove the adults out, but Remus came over and un-shrunk a book from his pocket. He gave it to Draco.

"You might want to read this later."

Draco nodded and studied the cover of the book until the Hospital Wing was empty, Madam Pomfrey having gone into her office.

Harry was tense, Draco could feel that in his hand. But he had to know.

"Why didn't you tell me?"

Harry turned to look at him. "We've been through this already.I only found out today, well yesterday about the whole us being mates thing."

Draco narrowed his eyes. "That's not what I meant and you know it."

Harry glared right back at him. "I could ask you the same question. Did you say you weren't ready for this?"

"I didn't know you wee going to die, if I was scared."

Harry looked back at the ceiling. 'What was so fricking interesting about the ceiling!' Draco thought.

"I don't want your pity. You said you weren't ready. I gave you the option of being stuck with me or living your own life and you chose the latter."

Draco sighed, frustrated. "You just forgot to mention the part where you died if I said no? Or the bit about us being mates because no one could makes us happier than each other? Why'd you choose to leave that out?"

Harry sat up. "Why? I was saving you the trouble of having to deal with ...this! It's not what you want!"

Draco was angry now. "How do you know what I want when I don't even know! All I know is I don't want you dead!"

Harry looked at him, his face grim.

"To do that you'd have t bond with me. Completely. Do you know what that means?"

Draco shrugged.

"Not completely but if it keeps you from dying...:"

Harry closed his eyes for a moment before opening them and Draco saw a sadness in them he had never seen before.

"You told me your weren't ready. I don't want you giving me half of yourself just because you don't think it would be right to refuse me or whatever other reason your conscience some up with!"

"Harry I-"

"Read the book before you commit to anything Draco. I won't be used."

Draco tried to grab Harry's arm but the boy pulled away from him and rolled on to his side, his back toward his mate.

"I'm tired. Goodnight, Draco." He said and downed the potion before Draco could say a word.

A/N: Things still aren't resolved! I know Harry's being a jerk but he truly wants what's best for Draco.I swear! Now review and I shall write more!

Thanks for the reviews I got so far!

S. Tangerine