A/N: I'm getting excited now. Almost got twenty chapters! This should end at around thirty five or forty, but I'm not making any promises. Thanks for the reviews! Still hadn't have time to write any replies on my on-line journal though. This week is going by so fast! Good news though! I'll be seventeen in a week! Thought I'd be a bit more mature when I hit seventeen though. Hmmm.

Chapter Eighteen: Not So Bad?

Harry tried to keep his eyes from straying over to the Slytherin Table as him and his friends talked about their summers. He did, he really did. But he couldn't get Draco off his mind. Amazingly, no one had mentioned the Slytherins at all yet.

Ginny suddenly scanned the Head Table and her eyes widened.

"Is that Professor Lupin and Sirius up there?" she asked excitedly. Ron whipped his head around to look at the table as well.

"Bloody hell! It is! Are we getting a proper Defense teacher this year?"

Harry nodded. "Dumbledore gave them and Mrs. Malfoy the two remaining Hogwarts positions here when Fudge came to investigate Trelawney's death."

Hermione also scanned the Table. "Malfoy? Draco Malfoy's mother? Along with Sirius, Remus and Professor Snape, it's a wonder many parents let their children come this year."

Harry smiled. "Actually many parents wrote asking for Remus to return. It seems he became quite popular despite his...uniqueness. Sirius will be filling in when he's out howling at the moon."

The four Gryffindors waved at the two men who waved back. Many were whispering about this years selection of teachers, Voldemort and the lack of Slytherins this year.

Ron grinned at Harry. "Malfoy doesn't have a Quidditch Team at all this year."

Harry frowned at his red head friend. "They were spies Ron. I'm sure you heard about it before I did."

Ron looked at Harry in surprise. "But..you don't really believe it...do you?"

Harry opened his mouth to reply that he did indeed believe it as he was swapping spit with the Slytherin Ice Prince on a regular basis, but was stopped by the arrival of Professor McGonagall and the First Years.

The batch this year was actually a bit smaller than normal. With Voldemort back and Trelawney and Cedric's deaths, many parents felt Hogwarts was unsafe and home schooled their children.

Hufflepuff ended up with seven new students, Ravenclaw nine, Gryffindor had ten while Slytherin only got six, two of which were siblings of some of Harry's Slytherin friends. Blaise's little sister, Carmen and Terence Higgs little brother Henry were sorted into Slytherin.

Dumbledore stood and the Hall had quieted. Only Snape had that kind of reaction on students but this was a respectful silence while Snape's was usually one of terror.

"Another year," Dumbledore's voice rang out strongly in the Great Hall as he looked over every House. "Has come. For those of you who are new, welcome, for the old, welcome back. I have just a few start of Term notices to hand out before we can feast. The Forbidden Forest is Forbidden to all students old and young and some would do well to remember that."

Ginny smirked at Harry, Ron and Hermione. Harry had been in the Forest the most but not because he had wanted to. That place was freaky.

"Our caretaker, Mr. Filch has a list of one thousand magical contraptions that are not permitted in our walls. Many of these come in the form of pranks from a delightful shop called Weasley's Wizarding Wheezes. Prefect have been given a complete list of all items forbidden to remind them of their duties."

Ron huffed. "I had to repack my trunk after I read that list. Couldn't take anything with me."

"And finally, on a more serious note, we invite three new professor this year to teach at Hogwarts. Back by popular demand is Professor Remus Lupin, who will be aided by his assistant and close friend, Sirius Black for Defense Against the Dark Arts."

Someone outside the castle might have thought a bomb had exploded by the amount of noise the students made for Harry's guardian. Remus blushed and nodded at the Hall. Even many from Slytherin had clapped for his return and Harry was happy to see Draco, Pansy, Blaise and Theo were among them.

Dumbledore smiled. "Yes, perhaps the 'Defense Curse' will be broken with Professor Lupin's return? And lastly, Mrs. Narcissa Malfoy has accepted the post of Divination Professor this year. I hope everyone at Hogwarts will show her the best of Hogwart's hospitality."

The Slytherin and Ravenclaw tables clapped the loudest while Harry, Hermione and a few others from Gryffindor clapped. Ron had stubbornly refused to acknowledge Draco's mother as his professor.

"Now, I'm sure your all starving and eager to begin another wonderful school year so tuck in."

The plates filled with food and the Hall with noise as people began talking and eating all at once. Ron had eaten three times as much food as Hermione before he was satisfied and began getting involved into the chatter.

"I dunno what Dumbledore is thinking, having a Malfoy teach at Hogwarts. Everyone knows that they are still a Dark Family. Malfoy's father a spy? He obviously just wanted out of Azkaban."

Hermione tutted at Ron. "Then why would Dumbledore go along with it? Don't you see that the true Dark supporters have gone to Drumstrang? Victor told me that his brother has to bunk with two extra boys in their dorms this year to cope with the surplus."

Ron rolled his eyes and mumbled something that sounded like 'still talking to old Vicky' before looking back at the bushy haired witch. "The Malfoys have always been evil. They are the spawn of evil. They marry evil. It's just evil all around! If they are good enough to trick You-Know-Who then who's to say they're not tricking us now?"

Hermione glared at him but it was Harry who answered. "That's twisted logic Ron. If they were tricking Voldemort-" Ron flinched- "then that would say that they are spies and if they are spies then they arenot evil. You're mixing up the words 'dark' and 'evil'."

Ron looked at Harry incredulously. "What is with you tonight, Harry? This is Malfoy we're talking about here. You, know, the git who insults my family ever chance he gets! We hate him just as much as we hate Snape!"

Harry nearly winced, but held it in check, at Ron's words. He did not hate his mate! And while he could happily skin Snape most days of the week, the man was family. His life was just too complicated.

"Ron, I've spent the last month here. With them. They're not all that bad."

"NOT ALL THAT BAD? HARRY, YOU'VE GONE MAD!" Ron exclaimed as he stood up and looked down at his best friend in shock. All talk in the Great Hall stopped as it's occupants looked at the Gryffindor Dream Team. Ginny and Harry quickly pulled Ron back in his seat. Ginny telling the Hufflepuffs at the table behind them to 'bugger off!'

Talk resumed and Harry caught some amused looks form the Slytherin Table before Hermione looked around and whispered at them angrily.

"Let's talk about this later. It's too crowded here."

Harry and Ron nodded and Harry ate in ice cream in silence. The year wasn't off to as good as a start as Harry had hoped.

Making sure Ron or Hermione were looking elsewhere, Harry snook a peek at Draco. The blond boy raised an eyebrow at him and Harry gave him a slight roll of his eyes. Draco mouthed 'Told you!' at Harry who narrowed his eyes at his mate. Smug brat.

The person sitting on Harry's left cleared their throat, making Harry jump slightly. Ginny raised one ginger eyebrow at the Veela, looking a lot like of one the Slytherins Harry had spent his summer with.

"What?" Harry whispered, trying to look confused. Ginny gave him a look before whispering back.

"Why are you rolling your eyes and glaring at the Slytherin Table after just telling Ron that they're 'not thatbad'?"

Harry shook his head in denial. "You're seeing things Gin. And they aren't bad."

Dumbledore rose from his seat again and Ginny let it go.

"Now that we are all fed and watered, the night is late. Go and rest up, because tomorrow we begin."

Ron and Hermione had to help with the First Years so Harry told them to meet him and Ginny in the Room of Requirement and discreetly handed them his cloak. Harry had recently found another power of his, invisibility, but the cloak was still useful.

They quickly made their way to the special room, not wanting to get caught on their first night back,and required a room.

It was small but cozy, sort of like the Gryffindor Common Room but done in cream and a dark chocolate color.

Ginny sat down on a cream colored chair and whistled at the room smiling. "Nice, Harry. Did you get some fashion sense over the break?"

Harry blushed before mock-glaring at the youngest Weasley.

"Are you saying I had none before?"

Ginny laughed at his expression. She seemed to not be affected by his charm, thank Merlin. It would have been very embarrassing if she had.

"Yeah, actually I am. You'd come to class in a violet and neon green jump suit if you owned such clothes and if it was comfortable. But I guess you're not giving any hints until Ron and Hermione show up huh?"

Harry grinned, shook his headand sat down on a one of the brown arm chairs.

A few minutes later the door opened and Hermione pulled Harry's cloak off of them.

"We've got some sharp Gryffindor this year." Hermione beamed with pride. "Took them no time to get used to the castle."

Ron grunted. "They're still midgets in my book. One little runt kicked me!"

"That's because you keep calling them midgets Ron!" Hermione said, looking frustrated.

"But they're so short and twitchy. Like mice."

Harry and Ginny laughed at this, making Hermione glare at them all.

Ron flopped down on a cushion and looked over at his best friend. "I'm beat. So are you going to explain why you look so...different and are spouting 'Slytherin Rules!' everywhere?"

Harry took a deep breath. "Well, yeah I have changed. But I've changed into me. The real me. The meI should have been, I mean, the me I am."

Three confused faces stared back at him. Harry ran a hand through his unruly hair and smiled, uncertain. "I'm not really sure where to start."

Ginny grinned. "The beginning? Clichéd, I know but very workable."

Harry stuck out his tongue at her before beginning.

"Well, this all started a week before my birthday. One week exactly. While you guys were gone, I got sick. Very sick."

Hermione grabbed his hand, looking worried. "Are you Okay now? It's not bad news is it?"

Harry patted her hand and shook his head. "I'm fine now and it was god that I got sick, because on my birthday I came into my inheritance."

Ron looked totally baffled. "Harry, you're not of age until you're seventeen."

Hermione bit her lip. "Sixteen is a very important number in both Ancient Rune and Arthimancy. Witches and wizards witha magical being's blood in them come of age at sixteen."

Ron and Ginny looked at Harry who nodded. " You really are too smart for your own good, Hermione. But yes, I do have magical being blood running through my veins, but I got it from my mother."

"Lily Potter?" Ginny asked. Every pure blooded child knew Harry's name, it wasn't a shock that they knew his parents as well.

"Actually Lily Evans she was before she married by dad but technically she was a Farrell. My aunt is really my half aunt. My mum was an extremely rare occurrence really."

Hermione tapped her chin. "What could you be? You're not a werewolf or vampire because werewolves do not experience a change of their human bodies until the full moon and if you were a vampire, we'd probably all be dead right now."

Harry nodded. "Keep going. I will be pretty impressed if you get this right actually."

Hermione got a glazed look in her eyes as she thought out loud. "Rare magical being. No, I've been listing what people consider magical creatures. Your grandmother was a muggle though, so it'd have to be Veelas, Sprites, Faeries, Genies or a Ceasg that could pass on a physical change like yours."

Ron looked at his friend and squinted. Harry ignored him and smiled at Hermione. Ginny was silent.

"You're very close actually. What do you know of Elemental Veela?"

Ginny yelped, Hermione gasped and Ron slipped off of his cushion.

Silence followed everyone's reaction and Harry could hear his heart pounding. Please let them understand, please...

Hermione recovered first, somewhat. She looked at Harry, really looked at him and gasped again.

"Wow. You're serious? This is amazing. There hasn't been a known Elemental Veela in almost a century!"

Ginny looked at Harry and he was relieved to see no hate, fear or disgust in her wide eyes.

"That's amazing." She copied Hermione before jumping up and hugging him. "So your mother was one as well?"

Harry nodded before turning to Ron.

The tall red head looked at Harry before grinning.

"You do look better." he said before frowning in thought. "But how come we're not attracted to you? People did seem to notice you more this year, why not us?"

Hermione was grinning like she had just found the spell to bring back the dead.

"From what I've read about them, which is very little mind you, Harry would have gained control over his powers of attraction by now. Can you really control the elements?"

Harry nodded, overjoyed that they were taking this so well. He pointed a finger at the fire blazing in the fireplace. his finger glowed red for a moment and the fire morphed into the rough outline of a person and began to dance. A quick twitch of Harry's finger and another glow later, it was back to normal.

"That's just some tricks. I haven't learned it all yet."

Ron suddenly jumped and punched air with a cry of 'Yes!'. Harry turned to look at him.

"Can't you just see the look on Malfoy's face when he finds out your an Elemental Veela? Pure blood children are told fairy tales about you, Harry! You're considered the best of society!"

Harry bit his lip. "He already knows Ron."

Ron's smile faded. "Before us? Why tell him? He can just crawl back to his master and rat you out!"

Harry shook his head. "No, Ron he won't! I've gotten to know them, all the good Slytherins. They're different. They really truly hate Voldemort for what he's done!"

Ron snorted. "What are you all friends now? These are the ones who made fun of you and insulted your parents! Mate, I sympathize for you having to go through a whole month with them but Malfoy is bad news."

Hermione looked torn. "Dumbledore wouldn't have them here if he didn't trust them, Ron. I know it's hard to forgive them but Harry does have a point."

Ron looked at Ginny. "Come on, sis! Not you too! Lucius Malfoy put that diary in your book during your First Year! Can you forgive that?"

Ginny bit her lip in thought. Harry looked at her, his dark green eyes pleading. He wanted so bad to tell them about Draco, his mate but Ron was just so damn unforgiving!

Ginny finally looked up. "I can't forgive Malfoy's father for what he's done, but I can't condemn his son for his actions, Ron. I'd be just as bad as Snape is with Harry. And Hermione's right, Dumbledore went to the Ministry and vouched for them a his spies when they got arrested. You've got to trust Dumbledore!"

Ron looked at his House mates like they had lost their minds. "He's been wrong before! And it cost Harry his parents!"

That reminded Harry of Trelawney's murder. This debate could wait for another day.

"We'll drop it for now Ron." Harry said as Hermione went to open her mouth again. "I've got some morebad news."

Ron looked like Harry saying Slytherins weren't bad as the end of the world but sat back down. Harry continued.

"Dumbledore kept me here to find my mate, but that's for later. I was here when someone killed Trelawney...but she wasn't there target. My tea was poisoned and she accidentally drank it when I saw her in the kitchens."

Hermione looked horrified, Ginny was pale and Ron a mix of both.

"They were after you? Who do you think it was? V-Voldemort?" Hermione asked, her voice shaking slightly.

Harry shrugged. "Probably not in person but on his orders. And before you can say it Ron, all of the Slytherins check out." Ron was just about to open his mouth and glared at Harry.

Harry closed his eyes for a moment and then opened them.

"Guys, this person knows me. Knew my favorite kind of tea. That I liked to go to the kitchens.It would have to have been a Gryffindor."

Ginny shook her head, her hair flying. "Impossible! No one in our House would do that to you Harry!"

"Ron just pointed out that not all Gryffindors are perfect. And it would take a lot of balls to try and kill me in Hogwarts right under Dumbledore's nose. And so violently."

Hermione nodded and sat up straighter.

"Well, we'll just have to keep a better eye out on you. Starting out right now. We should go back to the Common Room."

Harry nodded but smiled sheepishly. "I have my own rooms now, with Remus and Sirius by the Tower. He, Dumbledore,also doesn't want a repeat of last year."

Ron looked at bit jealous but nodded, understanding. He knew Harry had felt horrible after Sirius had died.

"We're all just happy you're finally where you belong, with Sirius and Remus, Harry." said Ginny. "Mum made a cake the day it was in the papers about his innocence or that's what Fred and George said."

Hermione smiled. "You still have to tell us about your mate. Do you know who she is?"

Harry put on his best put-out face and sighed. "Not yet. Dumbledore said he has a feeling they're at Hogwarts and he's right. I can feel them."

It wasn't an outright lie. Harry could feel Draco. But even Hermione thought his mate would be female.

Ron slapped his back smartlyand Harry glared at him.

"Don't worry. You'll find her. Now let's get out of here. I'm dead tired."

Harry yawned. He was tired as well. "You guys wear the cloak. Give it to me tomorrow."

Ginny looked at him oddly. "And just how are you getting around without being seen?"

Harry grinned devilishly and sort of 'misted' out of sight. Ron whooped.

"Awesome!" he said as Harry re-appeared behind Hermione.

Quickly the group made their way back to the Tower. Harry walked them to the bottom, said his good nights and quickly walked over to the painting of Merlin.

"Elemental Veela." was the password and the portrait opened up at a coll stone staircase which Harry quickly went down. The stairs had been magicked so that the trip from the second tallest tower at Hogwarts to the dungeons underground wereonly two flights of steps.

Meeting the door, Harry knocked and listened. a soft voice whispered 'come in' and Harry pushed open the secret door.

Draco sat waiting for himon the couch, looking tired but relieved.

"What took so long? Were you giving them your life's story?"

Apparently a sleepy Draco was a grumpy one. Harry smiled at his mate.

"Nope, it's a shit sad one at best anyways. Me, Ginny and Hermione were trying to convince Ron you Slytherins aren't so bad."

Draco snorted. "What Weasel didn't take to the idea of being my buddy?"

Harry smacked Draco's arm lightly. "First off, if you're going to call him by his last name it's Weasley and no he didn't."

"Big shocker there."

Harry sighed. "It's just, when I tell him about us, and I am going to tell him soon, I don't want to have to chose between the two of you."

Harry sat down on the couch by the blond who sighed and ran his hand through Harry's hair. Damn, being an Elemental Veela gave him great hair.

"I won't make you do that, Harry. Ever. I accept that you like Weasley and all of the school of red-heads they have. My friends actually like you, oddly enough."

Harry grinned and purred as Draco ran his hand through Harry's hair again. Harry did odd things like that. He liked to lay in the sun and stretch out by the Common Room fire. The only feline attribute he did not share was the dislike for water. Harry loved it.

"Come on. It's late. You just had to talk to your friends on the first night back. I will be dreadfully tired tomorrow." Draco slowly got up from the couch and pulled Harry up beside him.

"I don't remember asking you to wait up anyway Draco. You're already playing the worried spouse."

Draco glared at the Veela then turned to walk away like some prince.

"I was going to ask for a good night kiss, but if you'd rather I-"

Harry grabbed Draco's sleeve and pulled him back into his arms.

"But Draco I like good night kisses." he said before touching his lips to Draco's.

Neither hesitated in opening their mouths to the one another's tongues. His mate's familiar taste filled Harry's mouth, driving all thoughts of sleep from his mind.

Draco was an amazing kisser but Harry could somehow always end up dominating him. Harry bit at Draco's lower lip softly, kissed each corner of his soft lips and memorized his mouth with his tongue.

Finally they pulled back, slightly out of breath but happy. Draco had his head resting on Harry's shoulder but said, so Harry could hear.

"I think I like good night kisses as well."

A/N: Some Remus and Sirius fluff next chapter. Promise. Harry sort of glossed over the mate part of his summer but if we all know Hermione she'll get it out of him. Sorry to all you who wanted Ron to not be a jerk but that's just not Ron. He will be jealous and selfish and stubborn but he's a good guy. I think.

Thanks again for the reviews!

S.Tangerine