A/N: I'm so excited about writing this chapter, I'm contemplating staying up all night until it's done. Tomorrow I'll be a freaking zombie to get this one out. I must, it has been prophesied! Meh, not really but whatever.
Thanks for all the reviews. They really inspire people to write and post faster you know.
Chapter Twenty-Seven: A Gryffindor's Loyalty and Bittersweet Cures
The sun had barely risen out from its hidden bed of clouds when Hermione Jane Granger rose from her own warm bed and dressed quietly. It was early on a Saturday morning so the Gryffindor Prefect knew that not even the more studious Ravenclaws would be in the library this early.
Fighting with her conscious all the way, Hermione took an important trip to the kitchens, as many muggle studies have shown breakfast is the most important meal of the day, before heading toward the library. If any teachers were to see her the only one who would give her any grief would be Professor Snape. Possibly Professor Malfoy as well, Hermione was still reserving judgment on her and her husband.
Madam Pince was no where to be found, thank Merlin. She was awfully attacked to some of her books and what Hermione was looking for would be hell to get out of the library. The brain of the Gryffindor Trio still had the biggest timetable since Percy in Hogwarts and had begged McGonagall to give the girl a year pass to the restricted section. Turns out that Sixth and Seventh Year are given permission to go to the restricted section anyway, their learning material having become more complex and darker.
Heading straight for the back of the library, Hermione didn't stop until she reached the book shelf decorated with an elegant 'S' on it's side. The shelf itself was huge, a ladder resting against it for those who needed to reach the top. Hermione hoped she wouldn't be one of them.
"Soul Mates. I'm looking for information on Soul Mates. Or Soul Magics or Soul Bonding." Hermione muttered to herself as she began checking the book spines for anything to do with her topic.
It just so happened that books on Soul Mates were not as popular as Hermione had thought they were and the poor girl found them forty minutes later on the very top shelf. There were only two.
It took the Gryffindor another ten minutes to get herself down off that blasted ladder before she settled down at a corner table with with 'Twin Flames: What is a Soul Mate?' and ' Made in Heaven: Finding Your Other Half'.
Pulling out some parchment to make notes (Honestly, she wouldn't be Hermione if she didn't make notes on the situation), the Gryffindor flipped open 'Twin Flames' and began to read. The introduction was boring, even to Hermione so she bit her lip and felt like she was cheating as she flipped to the chapter on 'Romantic Soul Mates'.
'The most popular but rarely occurring types of soul Mate is, as he title states, a Twin Flames Soul Mate. With this type of soul mate relationship, there is no moderation. Everything is passionate. Everything is connected. The two people often feel as if they are two halves of one whole. Soul mates are drawn together from their first meeting. Often, when a physical relationship is unlikely at the time soul mates feel a tension between each other, rarely resulting in rivalries until a certain time in their lives when a relationship is made possible. If one were to die before this could happen, the other will follow in close order, the connection already being that strong.
A twin flames soul mate has to complete the other, has to be the ying to their partner's yang. These types are so rare because each individual is the exact opposite of their mate and yet, is similar enough to be compatible with them. The last known Twin Flames Soul Mates were Helena Gryffindor and Rodolfe Slytheirn. Their love story was written about in Ima Sap's book entitled 'The True Romeo and Juliet: The Rodolfe and Helena Story'. True to historical facts, it tells the dramatic romance of the two heirs of Hogwarts' bitterly-rivaled houses and how they're love ended in tragedy. To this day, philosophers have hypothesized that the connection between Rodolfe and Helena was so strong that every century they are re-born to live the life they had always wanted. So far, no witch or wizard has been able to find Gryffindor's and Slytheirn's reborn spirits in a living witch or wizard.'
Hermione felt her eyebrows raise. Gryffindor and Slytheirn heirs were the last known Soul Mates? It made sense if she thought about it. Elemental Veela were a secretive group and their connections to their mates would not be on display in a such a prejudiced world, but Hermione was still a bit shocked. If Rodolfe and Helena could overcome their differences, then Harry being happy with a Slytheirn seemed more and more possible.
Ginny Weasley was lazy. It was Saturday and even though it was her OWLs year, the red head had every intention on procrastinating her homework until they very last minute. Which would probably be right before it was handed in.
The problem with sleeping in, was the inevitable action of waking up starving. Breakfast had long ago ended and dinner was nearly over, making Ginny rush out of the Gryffindor Common Rooms in her casual clothing.Most of the population at Hogwarts had decided to take advantage of the last days of summer and frolic by the lake, leaving Ginny free to break the rules and run full speed down the corridors.
Turning a corner, the petite red-head saw a flash of black robes before she collide with and bounced off of the stiffly-squashy thing and cracked her head on the stone floor.
Stars appeared before her blue eyes as pain blossomed from the injured area of her head. Distantly, Ginny heard a curse before a body knelt beside her and she heard a deep musical voice.
"Hey, are you okay?"
Looking up, Ginny saw dark brown almost black eyes gazing at her under a mop of thick black almost blue hair and one word drifted through her mind and hovered on her lips.
'Rodolfe.'
Blaise Zabini was, not for the first time in his short life, bored out of his sly, cunning Quidditch obsessed mind. Draco was busy with Harry as usual, while Pansy was doing her homework and Theo was shamelessly flirting with Luis, leaving their best looking friend all alone to fend off the female species from his delectible body.
The girls were just busy eating dinner now was what Blaise told the voice in his head that pointed out that he was bored because he was alone and he was alone because there were no crazy fan girls after him.
Lost in thoughts about the beautiful fan girls, Blaise missed the signs of danger until a fireball wearing Hogwarts robes collided with his chest, knocking the air out of his lungs.
The fireball hit the stone floor with a crack that made Blaise wince as he gasped and cursed at the same time. Looking down, the Slytheirn noticed that what had collided with his totally toned from working out chest was a very pretty red-head who looked like her brain was dancing the rumba in her head.
Kneeling to ask if the girl was okay, all Blaise got was a pain-filled look from sparkling blue eyes. Something poked at his heart as one name drifted across his mind.
'Helena.'
Ginny shook off the feeling of longing she felt from looking in those eyes with a confused wondering. What had been that she felt deep in her heart? Hunger, said her mind but Ginny wasn't sure. That's when she realized the handsome boy had asked her a question.
"Sorry about that. I'm okay I just hit my head that's all. Bill says it'll take a lot to crack my head so no worries." Merlin she was babbling.
Instead of laughing, the boy gave Ginny a half-smile, half-smirk and held out a hand to her. Blushing, she accepted.
Standing up Ginny finally saw the crest on her, uh, victim's robes just as he looked at hers.
"A Slytheirn!" she spat, reminding herself of Ron and for a moment, andfelt like apologizing.
"A Gryffindor!" the arrogant little toadstool said, in a voice that told Ginny exactly what he thought of her house. All thoughts of apologizing vanished and a distant feeling of deja vu replaced them.
"Can't you Gryffindorks watch where your going? You're not even chewing gum and you still can't walk without attacking someone."
Ginny felt her cheeks go red, but with anger. "Well only a Slytheirn would hide out in the shadows of a corner. You're just asking for someone to push you to the ground!"
Trying to ignore the way the red-head blushed so prettily, Blaise grasped on to the suggestiveness of her comment and smirked.
"So you admit to wanting to push me to the ground? Shame little Gryffindor, where is your honor?"
Ginny glared at the Slytheirn, her stomach rumbling silently in hunger.
"Do you suffer from selective hearing? When in this conversation didI ever suggestI would like to push you to the ground? And the voices in your head don't count!" She added as Blaise's smirk grew wider.
Blaise frowned. "I do not have voices in my head. We save that for lonely, idiotic little Gryffindor First Years."
As soon as the words were out of his mouth, Blaise regretted them. The pretty rosiness that had come in the Gryffindor's cheeks had changed to a pale white at his words and he suddenly remembered where he'd seen that hair before. She was the youngest Weasley. The one who Draco's dad was forced to give the Dark Lord's diary to. Well shit.
Blaise was just about to open up his mouth to apologize when suddenly, he was the one seeing stars. Clutching his jaw, Blaise turned to see the Weasley girl with her fist still raised. She had just socked him in the jaw!
Her blue eyes were hard with anger as she spoke.
"That's right. I'd forgotten you guys like to pick on people smaller than you. Makes you feel superior. Well it's a good thing that us Gryffindors look out for our own. Rot in hell you git."
Before Blaise could even register what she had said, Weasley had gone around the corner in a furious rage.
Draco stretched as he walked down the corridor toward the library. He had finally gotten Harry to attempt some of his Potions homework when the Gryffindor tried to weasel his way out of it by saying he needed a book from the library. Draco knew as soon as Harry stepped out of their rooms he was get distracted and their Potions homework would be forgotten
So in all his Slytheirn cunning, Draco had offered to go get the book. The look on Harry's face was priceless.
The books they needed were in the restricted section and Draco couldn't keep the grin of anticipation off his face as he got closer to the library. It had taken five years but he could finally use all of the library to its fullest potential.
Entering the library, Draco wiped his face clean of any emotion and nodded in greeting to a couple of Ravenclaws studying in the back.
The books he was looking for were in the 'S' section of the library. They were writing about the difference between compound poisons and solutions that were poisons and how they were compatible together. At the end of the aisle, Draco stopped when he realized that someone else was present as well. He knew that bushy head anywhere. Granger.
Draco must have made some noise because the Gryffindor Prefect suddenly whipped around, drawing her wand. The moment she saw him, a resigned look crossed her face and she reluctantly lowered her wand but did not put it away.
Smart girl. That thought crossed Draco's mind before he connected it with who he was complimenting and pulled a face.
Granger must have thought it was for her because she narrowed her eyes and looked annoyed.
"What now Malfoy? Am I in your way? Should I move for the all powerful Slytheirn Arse before he has to wait too long to get his books like a common person?"
Draco felt his eyebrows rise on their own violation. Was he really that bad? Then he glared at the muggle-born witch. She'd called him an arse. Harry's friend or not, no one called a Malfoy an arse.
"Well, if you are going to be so accommodating, please. Merlin knows we need less or your kind in here."
Draco winced mentally. Some habits died hard. Harry would flip if he found out about that comment.
Hermione huffed in anger and stuffed away the books she had been holding, not checking to see if they were in the right place. Swiftly she stomped back up the aisle but stopped just beside Draco.
"And Harry had said you'd changed. I guess its true what they say, a leopard can't change its spots. Or a Dark Wizard can't change his colors. He'll only ever get to be gray. Funnily enough, I actually think Harry would be disappointed in you now."
With that said, she walked away. Draco let out a low groan. Granger didn't even know he was Harry's mate and had already made him feel bad about his behavior to Harry's friends.
Shaking his head, Draco began looking for his books. When all this trouble with Dark Lords and bonding was over, Granger just might get an apology from him. Maybe.
Hermione felt like kicking something, then burning it and feeding the ashes to the giant squid. That something had white bond hair and a bad attitude.
I hate that pointy faced, arrogant, superiority-complexed git! He's tying with V- Voldemort right now for my 'Nastiest Git of the Decade' award! How could Harry think he's changed? How could Harry be his friend? That prejudiced, ignorant, evil ferret and sweet, fair, good Harry friends! They are exact opposites! I-
Hermione stopped her little rant suddenly, her eyes widening. Harry and Malfoy were exact opposites. Their families, their houses, how they see the world. Hermione watched Draco Malfoy leave the library and felt faint with shock. They were even physical opposites, Harry's ebony hair and emerald eyes actually complimented Draco's white blond hair and gray eyes. Together they looked like the joining of night and day. A sunset or a sunrise in perfect harmony. Both halves of one whole, completing a circle.
Everyone knew Hermione Granger was a stickler for the rules but at that moment, only two words came to mind that summed up the situation quiet nicely.
"Well shit."
Harry watched as Remus dutifully drank his foul Wolfsbane Potion and felt a stab of pity. He didn't deserve this. Not at all. Gods, they could give him his mind back but not his body. It was ridiculous!
Remus made a face before glancing at his audience.
"I know what you're thinking and you should stop it right now. This happened beforeI even knew the two of you. How could you have stopped it?"
Harry shrugged while Sirius kissed his mate, potions-mouth and all before smiling.
"Harry put it best when he said that a guilt complex was a prerequisite for being a Gryffindor, Moony. Harry blames himself for the rain that fell last year."
The Elemental Veela gave his godfather a dirty look.
"The pot has so called the kettle black, don't you think? In case you've forgotten in your old age, you was once a Gryffindor. Back when cauldrons had thicker bottoms."
Sirius huffed. "I'm not old. I'm matured. Like wine and...ministry bonds. And cauldron thickness is a major health hazard today. People like poor Neville Longbottom are killing innocent bystanders with their lack of magical ability because of think cauldron bottoms."
Harry was about to retort when Draco came in looking distinctively guilty.
"Got your book." was all he said, not looking at the Elemental Veela be going straight to his work. Harry narrowed his eyebrows in suspicion.
"Is everything alright?" he asked as Remus and Sirius also looked at the Blond Slytheirn in confusion.
Draco waved off his question still not looking up from his work.
"Everything's fine. Peachy. Just a lot of people in the library."
Remus snorted. He was a professor and at the beginning of the school year students slacked off as much as possible.
Draco's leg had started to bounce and Harry grinned. Whether Draco knew it or not, he had a nervous habit. He was a leg bouncer. There was obviously someone in the library that Draco had spoken with. But who would Draco verbally spar with and not want to complain about to the first available ear?
Harry's friends. Ron wouldn't be caught dead in a library this early in the year. That left...
"Did you see Hermione in the library?"
Draco looked up in surprise and Harry had a feeling he was going after someone on Draco's behalf.
His mate looked back at his essay and shrugged. "When isn't she in the library? Bossy know-it-all."
Harry narrowed his eyes at that. Hermione was a know-it-all but only Ron could call her that and not get hexed six ways past Sunday.
"Did you two fight?" Harry's voice was calm and that seemed to break Draco's will.
"She started it! All I did was walk into the library and she got all snarky with me! So I got snarky back! And ...yeah." he finished somewhat lamely.
Harry shook his head smiling slightly. "Okay what did you say? I'll go apologize for you and try and smooth this over."
Draco bit his lip. Ah, another habit to look out for, before taking a deep breathe.
"I said something about there being too many of her people in the library."
Harry groaned and smacked his forehead with the palm of his hand. Sometimes, Draco was a downright idiot.
"Okay, this might take a while to fix. I'll be back by dinner." Grabbing his invisibility cloak and The Map off the coffee table Harry made his way to the door. Draco's voice stopped him.
"Hey, what about our potions essay?"
Harry looked at it balefully before giving Draco a look.
"I'm saving your ass here and all you can say is what about your potions essay? Hermione knows a lot of hexes. Be thankful you left the library with hands to carry those books back with. I'll see you at dinner."
The Map showed that Hermione was still at the library with only Madam Pince and a couple of Ravenclaws on its second level. She was probably using her anger to learn more or something of that line Harry thought to himself as he made his way silently under the cloak to see her.
They had all decided this morning that the only way Harry could travel alone was with the Map and under the cloak. That or Sirius threatened to tie his godson to his bed and watch him like a hawk.
The Map showed a clear route to the library, Neville Longbottom being the only person closest to him while up two floors as well.
Opening the library door, Harry attracted the attention of the tow Ravenclaws who were just leaving. Scooting around them Harry watched as they began to debate about the possibility of invisible spirits in Hogwarts versus the ghosts already here.
"Ravenclaws." Harry grumbled as he saw Hermione. He stopped. She looked like someone had just told her that Crookshanks had had kittens.
Maybe she just found out Luna was right and the ministry really did have an army of Heliopaths.
Catlike, Harry walked over to her and sat in the chair across from her. She hadn't noticed anything. Slowly, the elementals Veela bent close and whispered his friend's name.
"Hermione?"
He was rewarded when the brainy Gryffindor jumped about a foot int the air with a yelp.
Harry smothered his laughter as Madam Pince rushed over and hissed at Hermione to be silent while she was in the library or else she'd be banned.
"I was just excited! Book, books books! I love to learn!" she gushed as the librarian retreated. When she was out of ear shot Hermione kicked in Harry's direction form under the table.
"I swear, if you ever do that again...I'll curse the twigs off your Fireboly, got it?"
Harry showed Hermione his face as he nodded. That girl could kick!
Then he remembered why he even came here in the first pace.
"Hermione, I was just talking to Draco." The girl actually growled at him and he raised his eyebrows at this before continuing. "He said eh was sorry for what he said about 'your people'. And something about you starting it. Anyways, he's really sorry."
Hermione glared at him and for a second, Harry wondered if it was Draco or him she was angry with.
"An apology means a lot more when it comes from the actual person who wronged you! And I did not start it!"
Harry gave her a look and she sighed.
"Okay maybe i did but he's just so irritating! He makes me want to smack him!"
Harry felt the Veela in him stir at the threat and he let out a low growl which surprised them both.
"Didn't you already do that?" he asked, trying to distract her from his weird animalistic urges at the threatening of Draco Malfoy.
Hermione suddenly looked like she was on the verge of crying.
"Oh, Harry. Stop it, just stop. When were you going to tell me he was your mate?"
Harry felt his heart stop. This was it, she knew. He figured if anyone found out it would be her and now she was going to tell him just how disgusted she was with it all.
She seemed to be waiting for an answer from him. Should he lie and deny it or come clean and face the music? He glanced up and saw one tiny tear fall down her cheek and slumped down, defeated.
Instead of pushing him away, Hermione grabbed his hand and squeezed it.
"Oh, Harry don't worry. I'll support you if he is. You're like a brother to me and nothing, not that evil little- sorry, sorry." she amended at the look on Harry's face before continuing. "That Slytheirn will ever come between us."
Harry finally nodded. "It's true. He's my mate. I wanted to tell you so bad but I just found out about this Elemental Veela thing and then someone murdered Trelawney and Ron's whole outlook on Slytheirns is enough to make you want to just keep it all a secret."
Hermione nodded but looked anxious. "Will you tell Ron? He knows your an Elemental Veela-"
Hermione stopped when the sound of a book hitting the floor nearby reached them. They held their breathe and waited but no one came out. Harry covered his face again.
"It's not safe to talk here. Come on."
He quickly made room for Hermione under the cloak and they both set off.
"Where are we going?" Hermione whispered and Harry cast a silencing charm around them.
"The Room of Requirement. We can talk freely right now for a bit."
Hermione sighed. "So Malfoy's okay with this? You being his mate?"
Harry nodded. "He's not really prejudiced, it's just an act and a hard one to drop." The elemental Veela grinned. "And he can't use that on me anyways. I'm more pureblooded than him."
Hermione's eyebrows frowned. "How? Your grandmother was a muggle."
Harry nodded. "yes but once an elemental Veela receives their magical inheritance the go through a change that purifies their blood. I lost all my muggle blood the week prior to my sixteenth birthday. All Elemental Veelas are just that, pure Elemental Veelas."
Hermione still looked puzzled. "So there are no crossbreds. I mean like there's no half-vampire half-Elemental Veelas out there at all? Are you still a wizard?"
Harry nodded. "It seems the magic of a wizard or witch is compatible with that blood. All elemental Veelas are either a witch or wizard. As for the half-vampire thing, it's not possible. The moment Elemental Veela blood comes in contact with 'tainted' blood, it purifies it."
Harry paused for a moment, thinking quickly.
"That's it." He whispered before suddenly throwing the cloak of himself and running back down the corridor they had just came from.
"Harry! Where are you going?" Hermione yelled but Harry wasn't stopping.
"Come see me after dinner. You know the portrait. That password's haven. I'll explain everything!"
The Elemental Veela was gone then, leaving Hermione with his cloak hanging off one of her shoulders and utterly confused.
Harry used his powers to move swiftly down to the dungeons, barely stopping to wave to Pansy who looked at him in confusion.
Harry kept running until he came to his potions classroom and knocked.
"Enter." came the reply and Harry quickly pushed open the door and shut it.
Snape looked a bit surprised and began to stand. "Potter what in-"
"Not now, Professor. I have an important question."
Snape raised an eyebrow in question. "If it's not about Potions I don't see how i could help you. And if it is, i don't see how you could possibly understand the answer."
Harry shrugged off the insult looking excited.
"Sir, is it legal to use a magical being's blood in a Potion?"
Snape furrowed his finely shaped eyebrows at such a question.
"Yes, Potter but only if it is given freely. What does this have to do with anything?"
Harry couldn't stop the grin from surfacing on his face, even in Snape's presence.
"What would you say, if I told you I just might have found a cure for lycanthropy?"
A/N: Oww, my back. I'm getting too old for this. Read and Review please. It's almost five in the morning here. Sleep. I need sleep. It'll be a Ginny/blaise pairng too! YAY!
S.Tangerine