"What's going on? What happened to me? Why am I in the hospital wing?" Draco began flooding them with questions which the professor silenced with the flick of her hand.
"Mr. Malfoy, I am Professor Zimbaya, the new potions instructor. And you have been transforming for the past three days, give or take a few. Before you ask any more questions, were you aware of this?"
Draco shook his head.
"Okay, I'll lend you some books later. The just of it is that you seem to be a magical creature, a veela They are very sweet, romantic creatures that live to satisfy their mate. Their mate is whom fate has deemed to be their soulmate. It is someone who completes them, compliments their character, and will help them be the best version of themselves. Once a veela's blood has awoken they begin to seek out their mate. Their life is now tethered to that person. That person whether they agree or disagree holds that veela's life in their hands. Speaking of which, you have about a year to find them"
Draco waited till she finished and asked calmly, "Is this some sort of joke? Do you have a twisted sense of humor?"
Professor Zimbaya looked questioningly to McGonagall before shaking her head no.
"Right." He put his feet to the side of the bed and got off the cot. "You all are batshit crazy I am leaving now."
"Mister Malfoy stop we have to continue discussing this" McGonagall scolded.
He turned sharply and raised his finger. "We have nothing left to discuss her Headmistress unless you want to tell me that both of you found Dumbledore's secret stash in a drawer. I know for a fact that I am 100% a pureblooded wizard. Even if my lineage is questionable; it's certain. It's documented!"
"Draco Malfoy!" McGonagall shouted. "You will do well to remember that I am the reason you're allowed to be here. I do not have all day."
"I don't care if you're the headmistress, and I don't care if she's my head of house!" He snapped back. "There's no way in this bloody world that I am some magical creature doormat!" His face started becoming red and his blonde hair stood up all around. "I refuse to believe that everything I prided myself on as a child wasn't real! Or that I suddenly woke up here and transformed into a bloody bird!"
The two older witches looked at each other and held their wands cautiously. Professor Zimbaya stepped up. She patted her dark blue robe nervously.
"There's nothing to be worked up about young Malfoy. This is your chance at true happiness. You are one of the few people that will be able to find a soul mate and live happily. The person you were going to meet one way or another, but now you will be certain and never let them go."
He stared at her intensely breathing hard. Slowly the red faded from his face, and he stood straight. He clenched his left fist but other than that he visibly calmed. "Even if I did believe you, why on earth would I want this life?"
The headmistress patted Zimbaya's shoulder to take the lead. "For as long as I've known you, , you have always been self-preserving. Not cowardly, not courageous, but smart, observant. I don't think you'd let something as little as this change that."
He dropped his fist and stuck one hand into his pocket. He looked at his feet thinking of words to say then looked up at them. "So, what now?"
The professor sighed exasperatedly, "I have other affairs to check on, a fourth-year has been skipping classes. I believe Professor Zimbaya can guide you the rest of the way."
Her heels clicked on the floor as she left.
He turned to follow out the door when the professor called him. "I'll lend you some books to help ease the idea young Malfoy. Is there anything right now you wish to ask?"
His brows crinkled closer and he looked off toward one of the windows. "Do you think I'll make it to the end of the year?"
She twiddled her fingers before straightening and looking him dead on. "Without a doubt."
.
He was as surprised as anyone when the ministry let him continue his education at Hogwarts. Truth was that they were too busy dealing with major death eaters that they just wanted to move past him quickly. Since he was a minor when he first joined, and under the authority and guardianship of his parents, he had relatively no choice. Being on parole of sorts and under the eyes of the Headmistress herself, he should count himself lucky.
At least he got to the room with his best friend. Since McGonagall couldn't keep her eyes on him at all times, she thought who better than the head boy and head girl.
Their room was the same size as his room in the dungeon, with fewer beds. He and Blaise split it down the middle his being on the left and Blaise's on the right. The color scheme was on key with Slytherin house colors. The walls were an ash grey and their bedposts black. All their furniture was dark wood. They both had emerald green beds with green and silver pillows.
He shook his head and pulled open a drawer of his desk for parchment. He wrote a letter detailing all his knowledge of what happened. It wasn't much, but it was something. Once he sent the owl off he trudged downstairs. As he made his way down, he heard the portrait swing open and bags being shuffled across the floor.
"Granger." He sighed as he got off the stairs and stopped on the side of the couch.
It's one thing to have to see a person in all your classes it's another to live with them. He couldn't say much seeing as how he hasn't been here…but he was sure it would be horrible. He had barely spoken a word to her since the war. What could he say? Sorry I bullied you all these years and that my aunt tortured you in my home. Truce?
As she walked toward him she mumbled something similar to a 'Malfoy'.
He acknowledged it with a nod "Granger."
His breath caught the minute she stepped past him. Time stilled. His heart pounded and he dug his nails into the couch. He opened his mouth to speak but just clenched his teeth.
Hermione looked at him confused. He was standing there frozen, eyes wide, mouth agape, looking like he was going to hurl. "Are you alright there Malfoy?"
He gave the smallest shake— if you could even call it that and bolted for the door.
His speed lessened, but not his pace. He hadn't even checked the time before he left. The hallways were filled with students just getting out of class. Had there always been this many students?
Draco slowed down even more for a normal if not a-bit-clumsy walk. There were so many voices talking right in his ears. So many footsteps. He started blinking heavily. His vision felt like a camera focusing and refocusing the lens. Where was he heading toward anyway? Did he check the time? So many figures. He wanted to plug his ears and scream till his lungs dried. Je made a sharp turn into the nearest hallway leading out.
It was significantly quieter.
The only other students were a gaggle of girls hanging outside of a classroom whispering. Their voices were as tolerable as stabbing your finger on a needle. He strolled right by them without a glance. Then the hairs on the back of his neck stood up. He realized with a wave of nausea that their conversation had stopped. He looked over his shoulder slowly and saw all ten eyes focused directly on him. He swallowed the lump in his throat. Merlin, could this day get any worse? The girl in front took a step toward him and he decided yes, yes it could. He ran out of that hallway into a corridor that leads him to the quidditch pitch.
He stumbled on the uneven ground and bent over.
"Drake!" Blaise shouted lifting him with a grin. "Thanks for finally joining the land of the living." When he set him down he noticed he had to raise his eyes to look at him. He dropped his smile and took a step back to examine his friend. "I knew you were in there a few days but I didn't think it warranted a second puberty."
Draco sighed and looked at him with dull eyes. "Neither did I."
Blaise sucked in a cheek and looked around the grounds. "Let's take a walk around the pitch. I'm tired of riding my broom."
A/N: A bit of a shorter chapter this time but I'm playing with word length so please forgive me also this is a bit of a slowburn not a lot, but its not going to be an instant smash ya know? Hope you're enjoying! ~UnconsciouslyReading