A/N: Hey everyone, here is Chapter 8!

I would like to clear up a subject that I thought was a relatively minor issue, but apparently is larger than I thought. The Arkkien are not—in any way, shape, or form—related to Veela.

Draco has no Veela tendencies. In the 7 books, there is no mention of the Malfoy's having Veela blood (and if there is, I'm ignoring those statements.) For the intents and purposes of The Arkkien, Draco has no Veela blood in him.

I know a lot of you have commented on how you like the difference, but I thought I'd just clear it up anyway, because I know I wasn't very clear.

I hope you all enjoy The Arkkien.

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The storm had dissipated, the rain tapering off into a mist as Draco held Hermione in his arms. She was shivering slightly, but he couldn't tell if it was from the cold or the confusion, guilt and sadness radiating off of her in waves. He stroked her wet hair with his hand, trying to sooth her.

His Arkkien side was purring, content that its mate was being sheltered by their wings. After the days of emotional and mental torment, it was content to just hold her.

"Draco." She said, her voice muffed by his skin.

"Yes?" He said, basking in the moment.

"Get your wings off of me."

His wings snapped back immediately. He looked down at her in confusion, wondering what this strange woman was going to do now. Her face was tear streaked, and yet her eyes held a fierce determination as she gazed into his now soft gray eyes.

"I'm still not just going to accept this." She said bluntly. Draco let out a soft laugh. This woman was going to be the death of him. He thought it best not to point out the fact that she protested their mating, and yet she still remained firmly entrenched in his arms.

Realizing this at the same moment that he did, she backed away hurriedly, blushing slightly at the previous close contact.

"For one thing," she continued, looking around at the misty sky, "I want to know everything about your Arkkien heritage. I don't think its fair for you to ask me to drop everything and just go with it. I've never been a 'just go with it' person, and I think you can appreciate the fact that I'm not exactly eager to start now." She began to look more confident, the stating of the obvious seemed to be doing wonders to her emotional stability.

Draco began to smile slightly. This was the Hermione that he had known in school. Factual and precise, willing to embark on a journey as long as she knew absolutely everything about the destination.

Noticing his grin, she stopped mid-sentence. "What?" She said, her voice defensive. "Going to tell me that as your mate I can't know anything sensitive about you? Because let me tell you—

Draco interrupted her before her rant got into full swing. "I'm not smiling about your requests, Hermione. I think they're fine. I just find it amusing that you seem so very worried that I'm going to keep you in the dark. You think I want the smartest witch of her age molding in a corner, unable to help me? I don't know what the hell I am. I know only what a bunch of half-assed books have been able to tell me. I know I can control storms—but I would be hard-pressed to tell you if I could control anything else. I can feel your emotions," At this, Hermione straightened her spine and glared at him accusatorily, "…to an extent…" He added hurriedly. "But I don't know if it's a permanent thing, or just a symptom of the mating process. I don't know what the hell's going on with me, Hermione. And so I want to tell you all about this. I don't want you in the dark, because odds are you'll know more about me than I will."

Draco stopped talking, aware that Hermione had stopped making protesting noises long ago. She had simply stood, and listened. There was not even a single readable expression on her face.

They stood there in silence for a couple minutes, the smell of the earth after a fresh storm permeating the air around them. Draco looked up and smiled at the sight of the rainbow that greeted him in the sky. He wasn't sure if the rainbow had been of his own design (because he was feeling rather happy at unloading his thoughts) or if it was just a natural miracle.

After a minute or so of quiet, Hermione sighed. "I don't know whether to kiss you because you're so flattering, or to smack you senseless for reading my emotions."

Draco laughed, a barking laugh that broke the tension in the easy quiet of the post-storm woods. "If you're really in a stalemate, I vote for the kiss."

Hermione smiled and reached for his face with her right hand. He grinned back and leaned in, closing his eyes and anticipation.

And so it was with great surprise that he felt the smack connect with his cheek.

"Ouch! What the hell was that for?" He yelled, grabbing his cheek with his left hand.

"I voted for a compromise." She said, smirking. That same hand that smacked him wrapped around the back of his neck, pulling his bemused head down to meet her awaiting lips.

The kiss this time was just as hungry as the previous one, the two of them intent on climbing into each other's very essence. Their tongues battled for dominance, and it was with great surprise to Draco that he felt his Arkkien side growl in appreciation of the dominant, fiery woman at his lips. Instead of wanting submission, Draco found that his instincts were basking in the presence of Hermione's no nonsense attitude.

Go figure. Having spent his whole life looking for a meek woman, the very thing he craved most now was the spitfire woman who had just smacked him.

Needing air, Hermione broke the kiss, laughing into the moist air. Draco backed his neck away from her face, gazing into her eyes with a surprised smile. He laughed with her. "I think you'll be the death of me, Hermione Granger."

Hermione winked at him.

"I think I will, Draco Malfoy. Now, remove your hands from my waist. There's someone I want you to meet."

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Zoe gazed in shock at the man Hermione had led by the hand into her apartment. This was the man that Hermione had left in England, unwilling to commit to a relationship with?

He was fucking gorgeous.

She gave Hermione an expression that said as much. Hermione just rolled her eyes and smiled at her. She grabbed Draco and drew him closer to her, a gesture that clearly said "he's mine." Zoe just raised her eyebrows.

"I thought we were having commitment issues." She said, maintaining a complete deadpan expression.

Hermione laughed. "Well, its surprising how much your opinion can waver when you've got a guy like this doing the pleading." She jostled Draco playfully, and he just gave her a smirk. "Zoe, this is Draco Malfoy."

Zoe eyebrows shot up at the mention of his name. "Draco Malfoy? As in the Draco Malfoy that runs Malfoy Medical? You're famous." She said the last comment with surprise, giving off the impression that she was surprised that Hermione had kept that from her.

Hermione gave Draco a quizzical look. "Malfoy Medical?"

Zoe whistled. "Well, I'm beginning to see your commitment problems, boyo. If you don't tell the woman anything, she's not exactly going to love you. Malfoy Medical is a drug company. It manufactures some of the most cutting edge medical drugs in the business right now. I just did a freelance article for the GR Press about it a couple of weeks ago."

Hermione continued to look at Draco, letting him know that he was definitely going to be explaining why he ran a perfectly normal Muggle franchise as well as a burgeoning potions company. And neglected to put the Muggle company on his registration forms for her clientele sheet.

"Well, enough awkward standing at the door. Come on in, gorgeous. And Hermione, you can come in too, I suppose." She ushered the two of them in, noting with interest that Draco watched Hermione's every move on their way into the living room.

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The three of them spent the rest of the Saturday talking, switching from topic to topic with relative ease, especially given the fact that the three of them had only just met within a week for all three of them. Hermione and Zoe spent a long time detailing their adventures in Grand Rapids, and Draco laughed at their antics. He noticed that the two of them were completely at ease with each other, and they acted almost like siblings.

He felt a pang of sadness at the thought of Hermione leaving Zoe behind.

After a relaxed dinner spent in the apartment, Draco motioned for Hermione to talk with him in the hallway, away from the singing Zoe in the kitchen.

"Hermione, you know we have to leave, right?"

She looked at him, her expression puzzled. "Why do we have to leave so soon? If you have to hurry back, go ahead. I don't mind hanging back for a couple days."

Draco sighed. "I have to get back, Hermione. I left a lot of stuff going on back home. And I need to take you with me."

Hermione expression grew stony. "Is this how it's going to be? Because I refuse to be treated like your own personal lap dog, Draco."

"Hermione, you don't understand."

"What don't I understand? I think I understand everything." She glared at him.

Draco just sighed. He turned around and showed her the tattoo on his back, spelling his shirt transparent. Hermione gasped at his wings. They weren't a luminous blue anymore. They were now gray on the edges, and on the very tips, white.

"Draco! What's wrong with your wings?" Hermione gasped, her anger forgotten.

Draco turned around, his expression somber. "The Arkkien power is going to fade the longer I am apart from you."

Hermione reached out and grabbed his hand. "but I'm right here. I'm touching you!"

Draco shook his head. "It's not the same thing, Hermione. My Arkkien heritage won't recognize you until we complete the mating bond. It won't matter how close we are until we complete it."

Hermione's face turned ashen gray. "Is your mating rituals similar to other magical beings' mating rituals?"

Draco nodded.

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A/N: I'm just a-updating like fire now xD. Hope you all enjoy this chapter. I thought I'd leave a little cliffie about the mating rituals. It's a little different for the Arkkien than what you're thinking.

Something's going to happen to Hermione during the process, as well. : )

Any ideas as to what? (Oh how I love seeing what you guys guess! : ) I know it's my inner evil side coming out, but I can't help it…..)

Until next time,

TLA

Please R & R with your thoughts! : )