Disclaimer: Nothing recognized is mine.

Let the story continue (sorry for the wait)....

It was three days before Draco would talk to anyone. He went to classes, ate, did his homework, rode his broom, and slept. He ignored all conversations except to glare at anyone who asked if he was all right.

The first visitors had been his parents, whom he did tell that he was "fine" and nothing besides that. It was a half hour of watching their' son stare out the window before they left worried. They knew every facial expression their' son had, and if they were correct, Draco was in a lot of trouble.

The next visitor was Snape. He ranted and raved that Draco wasn't paying enough attention in class, and finally asked what the hell was the matter when he realized nothing was getting through to his Godson. Draco didn't respond, just said he needed to think and would pay more attention in class. It shocked Snape badly enough that he left the room with out a word. Neither he nor Lucius had been able to accomplish anything.

Dumbledore was the latest visitor. He tried to access Draco's head but found himself brutally rebuffed. It seemed Severus' lessons had paid off a little too much. It was obvious to all the staff that something had gone wrong, and they knew it had to be with the boy's mate. Unfortunately Draco wasn't talking to anyone. Dumbledore only knew that Draco's parents were monitoring the situation carefully. For now he decided to leave it at that and make sure that Poppy monitored the boy's health.

XXX

Draco thought hard for three days, The first day he was pissed as hell at Harry, or Kyler, or Potter, whatever the hell he wanted to be called. He was mad as hell. He watched his father come home from the cruciatus curse night after night, watched his Godfather hurt day after day, all for the purpose of holding off the Dark Lord. All this only to find out that the prophesized one was sitting in Italy.

He had heard his father at night telling his mother that they would find an answer. That maybe the order would get lucky and they would find Potter, or a miracle would happen. It was on those nights when things had gone a little worse then usual, and the Dark Lord hadn't been pleased with his father, that Draco himself wondered when the "miracle" might finally arrive. His father always stopped that kind of talk after the healers got to him.

So he was angry, angrier than he had ever been in his life. For three days he thought about that. Even night didn't bring him relief. Sleep was filled with images of the young man in Italy. This time though Kyler wasn't laughing or joking around with his friends. He was thoughtful, deciding on a course of action, and each time Draco awoke, he awoke worried. He hated that feeling too, knowing that he cared about the man, when the man obviously didn't return his feelings.

The fourth day Draco started remembering exactly what he had said in that office. Word for word the sentences repeated in his head. His anger had been so unlike him that he didn't know where it came from. When he was angry he usually thought up a course of action and took it. He was never rash, a planner to the core.

He knew had been anything but a planner in that office though. Draco knew he had ranted and raved, not letting Kyler get a word in. That part made him grimace just a little.

That fifth day he realized his father didn't have much to do with it at all. It was the worst realization of all. That deep seeded in his brain had been the thought that there was no way he was going to allow Kyler to be the boy-who-lived, or any of that bullshit. In that office he felt like he was turning on his father. In the moment he realized who Kyler was, he realized that he was going to choose Kyler's safety over his own father's.

What kind of evil person did that make him?

On that fifth day Draco started talking again. Just some words here and there. Nothing resembling conversation though. It was the day he started wondering what the next move would be, or if there would be a move at all. It was quite possible Kyler would not have anything to do with him. Would go on with his life exactly as he had planned it.

With out Draco Malfoy the ass of a veela in, he thought sourly. Those words he spoke to Kyler still were haunting him, and for the first time he realized that when people called him an "arrogant ass" there might be a hint of truth to it.

That day he went to the library and looked up pictures of the Potter's. Kyler looked exactly like James Potter in so many ways. It was no wonder he had refused to come to Hogwarts. Hogwarts would have led him right to the Dark Lord, or right into the hands of the Headmaster and Merlin only knew which one was worse.

XXXX

It was on the seventh day at breakfast that the other shoe dropped. Draco was eating breakfast with Blaise and Hermione when the owls came in with deliveries. It took Draco several minutes to realize that one had been dropped right in front of him, and he looked at with a frown.

The packaged box held a velvet green bag with draw string tie.

Foreboding warned Draco that what was inside wasn't going to be pleasant.

Opening it his heart felt like it was coming out of his body and dropping on the floor. A ring and collar fell out. The ring he had given Kyler thumped down onto the table, and Draco could only stare at it in shock. It rolled for a few minutes in circles on its side, before landing with the Malfoy crest staring him right in the eye.

He didn't even glance at Hermione and Blaise who had the most worried looks on their' faces.

Also falling out had been the Zeus' collar. After several long moments of staring Draco grabbed the ring up and held it in his hand. It took him only seconds to see the note attached.

Dear Lord Malfoy,

As I have heard nothing from the Order yet, I perceive that you have had said nothing of your discovery yet. I of course plead with you to hold off telling the world, if you haven't yet already. In return for your silence a meeting will be planned with the Order for reveal. In light of recent events you will find enclosed your valuables.

Sincerely,

Harrison Kyler

My valuables, Draco thought with an odd humorless laugh. You were worth more than anything.

It was Snape, sitting at the head table that moments later pulled Draco out of his own thoughts. Draco noticed that the man was trying to catch his eye. His Godfather was frowning at him and then down to a package he had received, and gave a sign to meet him in ten minutes.

Draco immediately gathered up his belongings and left.

He didn't know what to expect when he walked into Snape's office, but saw the man sitting behind his desk with a letter and small bottle of clear fluid lying in front of him. Draco sat down, not sure if he wanted to hear what was going to come next.

"Well." Snape for once didn't have a sneer or anything on his face. He actually seemed at a loss for words. "It would appear as though it was more than a fight Draco. I received a note and a vile. In it, or so the letter says, is the first batch of a mate weaning drug. Already prepared with instructions on dosage and storage. The letter informs me that the next will be sent in three days."

Draco saw Snape looking at him with a thoughtful expression, but he thought he might be in shock. He had pushed Kyler to dissolving the bond. A weaning potion was actually illegal in most countries. It had to be so precise that even a single turn in the wrong direction would cause a cauldron to blow up. The ingredients were rare and so expensive not many could afford it even if they wished to try. It was, almost a lost potion. Written out of textbooks as not being useful.

Made out of the heart cells of the mate, the cells were lessened each dosage until the veela was weaned per se. The veela would always know their mate was living somewhere, but Draco's body would store the heart cells in his own. The heart cells giving him a permanent but small link to Kyler. It meant he would never have to see Kyler in person again.

Kyler wanted him gone. So far gone that he brewed one of the most dangerous potions in the world.

And now here it sat. Right there in front of him. Kyler was asking for a way out, and giving Draco an out at the same time.

He stared at the potion for long minutes, before finally looking towards his Godfather, and was shocked to see tears in the man's eyes.

"What happened?" Snape spoke it so softly, he didn't even sound like himself.

"I can't say. I got a pretty big shock. And well, I had a melt down of an over reaction. This being the result."

Draco was still staring at the potion, with no idea what to do. For once his mind was blank of all options.

"I told him I didn't want the bond. That and then some," Draco whispered horrified. He had actually asked for this moment and Kyler was obliging him.

Snape looked even more horrified then Draco thought possible. For one of the few times in his life, Draco felt the burning in his eyes, and wetness collecting. He shook it determinedly away, and stared at his Godfather.

"I literally have no idea what to do."

Snape thought for a few moments and considered his answer very carefully. At the beginning he has assumed Kyler had hurt Draco and he wanted to murder the boy, but he now realized it was in fact the other way around. Draco had done a world of damage. He didn't want to tell his Godson that some hurts couldn't be undone. Some just went too deep. Instead he thought for another answer he could give.

"You think long and hard about what happened, and then you damn well fix it."

Draco only nodded, thinking that it was really no advice at all. He had not a clue how to fix what he'd done.

XXXX

Harry Kyler had gone mostly silent in the past week. His friends knew what had happened, and silently offered their support. Kyler was not by nature a dramatic person. He didn't stop eating, he didn't become angry, he became quiet and reflective. Zeus was his constant companion following him around everywhere and making sure that his human friend laughed.

One the first through the third day Kyler was pissed at Draco. He expected too bloody much. They had only known each other a couple weeks, and the veela expected him to spill the biggest secret of his life? The man had to be mental. He went through possible options with Rose and Blaise but was too pissed to choose one.

The fourth day Kyler decided if Draco didn't want the bond then that was fine. He decided it was best that they realize now they weren't compatible. And Draco's meltdown seriously suggested they weren't compatible. Kyler had no desire to spend the rest of his life wanting to punch Draco because of his damned outbursts.

The fifth day things especially changed when Trighton told him that Draco's father was a spy for the light side. Now it was even more certain that Draco would spill the secret, if only to help get his father out of the battle. Or not. It depended, to Kyler's way of thinking, how long it took Draco to realize he had behaved like an ass, a moron, and several other choice things all rolled into one. Not the least of which was

temperamental. His still hadn't decided which road to take when dealing with the situation, but was getting there. It really depended on what Draco chose to do with the information he had. Kyler went to sleep that fully resolving to make a decision by morning. To much time was passing, and more time meant that more things were out of Kyler's control should what Draco do be making his identity public.

The early morning on sixth day Harry went to Trighton, to tell him his decision on how to handle the situation. There had always been a plan B when it came to Voldemort. If staying safe no longer worked or wasn't wanted, then it was the reason he trained physically so hard. Hours in Trighton's office weren't always for tea time and chat, but not even Nick knew that. Good genes certainly weren't the reason for his muscles and athleticism. Andhe certainly wasn't a number one dueler due exclusively to club practices.

It was probably time to put his training to use. Draco obviously had not said anything public yet, but it certainly didn't mean that he wouldn't. Kyler wasn't ready to make assumptions about Draco's character. Kyler thought enough time might have lapsed for Draco to realized what he had done, but it was time to find out.

Draco had been wrong about that point. Kyler wasn't a coward, he just chose his battles. Now he was going to choose offensive and find out where he and the moron veala stood. It was a risk though, and his plan meant giving Draco the option to do what he wanted. Discussing it with Trighton gave him clarity on that point.

XXXXXX

It was also the sixth day that Kyler's friends saw him staring at the ring Malfoy had given him, and at the collar around Zeus' neck. He stared for most the afternoon and eveing, and Rose became worried. She had tried to be quietly comforting for the majority of the week. Rose actually liked the veela, and wondered silently if there was a side to the story that was missing.

At midnight Nickolai watched Kyler get up out of bed, take the ring off from around his neck and walk over to a sleeping Zeus. Nickolai teared up as he watched Kyler remove the collar and place both objects in a satin bag that was sitting on the dresser. It told Nick that Kyler had been planning this all day. Had given himself till midnight, and it seemed to pain Kyler to do what he was.

Kyler turned back after wrapping up the objects with resolve. He gave a firm nod to Nick, and went to bed with resolve. Nickolai hated knowing his friend so well in that moment. The resolve in that shake of the head meant that Kyler had made his decision. The bond would probably be dissolved to Nick's thinking, but more so, he knew it meant that Kyler was ready to execute the plan.

Plans. Nickolai hated them.

XXXX

On the eighth day Draco woke up and read the note again, searching for hidden meaning. One thing was certain, Kyler expected him to tell the world, or at least the Order the secret. Draco winced at that. Kyler didn't know him well at all.

Well he was starting to, but Draco imagined, his blow up had caused Kyler to question everything about the relationship. Relationship, he thought with a harsh laugh, he'd had flings of less length.

It was eight am by the time the true meaning behind the letter sank in. Of course it was there in writing, but for some reason Draco didn't get it till that moment.

Kyler was planning a reveal. Shit, that wasn't going to be a good idea. What the hell was that boy thinking?

Draco slipped on a shirt and pants, then sprinted all the way to the owlry. He was out of breath but barely noticed as he scratched out three messages. One to Kyler, one to Trighton, and lastly one to Nickolai.

XXXX

Harry and Nickolai sat in Trightons office. They were writing the note that would forever change all their lives. It was the hardest thing Kyler had ever done, but without a response from Draco it was time to advance the plan. This morning he had awoke expecting to feel the bond constraints gone. That little mental attachment to Draco, but it was still there. The blonde hadn't taken the potion. It was possible he was keeping it for outside reasons, thought Kyler hoped not.

For some Kyler was happy at that knowledge, that the bond wasn't destroyed yet. The potion had accomplished two things. One it would dissolve the bond and left that choice with Draco. He had walked out in such a beastly manner then he could walk out of the bond beastly and by himself as well. Well that was if Draco chose that route. It was part of the chance, and the possibility that he didn't know the veela as well as he thought he did.

So they sat now planning out the rest of Kyler's life. Draco obviously hadn't said anything yet.

"I think it should be more cordial" Nickolai objected to the latest phrasing.

Trighton looked over to Kyler, noticing that his favorite pupil's mind was far away.

"Kyler your feelings?"

Kyler looked over. "It's fine the way it is. Lets get it sent off and over with."

Trighton only nodded. He wouldn't be sending it off just yet, but Kyler didn't seem to care much about it anyway. This was going to change his life, so Trighton wasn't about to send it until he was good and ready.

The sight of three owls swooping into the room and landing on the laps of all three people was quite a sight. They all had identical looking paper, with each person's name scrawled.

All three looked at each other and simultaneously opened the notes. Nickolai was the first to break the silence.

"I am guessing all of the notes say the same thing. Am I right?" As he posed the question he held the paper up for both Kyler and Trighton to see.

It held only a simple message.

Tell Kyler his secret's safe.

There was no send off or anything else giving clue to the sender, though they all knew. Trighton held up his to show the exact same message, while Kyler still clutched his in hand. Finally he laid it on the desk and walked out of the office without a word.

It was Nickolai who finally reached over and picked up the paper.

"Stay exactly where and who you are. I won't ever tell anyone. For what it's worth, I'm sorry."

Nickolai took a deep breath and sighed. Things never went the easy route, did they?

XXXX

He was sorry. Kyler went to his special spot to think it all through. He needed some alone time, and had even foisted Zeus onto Rose for a couple hours.

He had no idea how he felt about the note. Well he knew how he felt he just wasn't sure what to do about it. The note wasn't part of the plan.

There were a couple different options open him, and it had taken days to sort through them all. One, he could have completely broken off all contact with Draco and let him suffer. Two, he could go to Hogwarts and hex the veela for being such a bastard. Three, he could in fact kill him. Though Rose had been against that one from the start. Four, he could try to work things out. Let the blonde grovel for the rest of his life.

Kyler liked to think his way went in between those. The potion had a tracking spell on it, and Kyler knew it was sitting in the Potions Masters office untouched. He was certain Draco had gotten a shock at that. Which was exactly what Kyler wanted to do to him. The idiot deserved to know he had crossed the line. Yes, the potion had definitely sent that message.

Kyler figured that coupled with the ring and collar would have made the blonde start doing some serious thinking. He had hated giving up that ring, but there was absolutely no reason for Draco to know that.

While Draco had railed at him, Kyler had noticed the blonde was lying his ass off through most of it. Part of the damn veela bond, and Kyler's training combined. The magic around his changed ever so slightly when he lied. It didn't matter in some ways though. Draco couldn't get away with having that kind of melt down, and not expect consequences. The words had hurt even if Kyler knew they weren't Draco's true feelings.

Draco had been more shocked then anything else. That combined with the extra veela testosterone, adrenaline, Draco's own arrogant personality, and the instant confrontation….well. KABOOM, Kyler thought with a smirk.

Nickolai had asked him on the fifth day if Draco was walking around Hogwarts with the word "Asshole" on his forehead, and it took that moment to realize he didn't view his ex girlfriend's betrayal, and Draco's meltdown in the same category.

Kyler's ex had systematically lied straight to his face. She had turned what they had into something cheap, and showed everyone how little she respected him. It was a relationship that he was actually ashamed of. Meanwhile what Draco did was almost the opposite. It had been full of emotion. Shock and anger. There was caring written all over it though. It wasn't a betrayal, it was a volcanic meltdown.

The note meant that Draco was thinking. Mentally Kyler had let out a little breath when he received the note. It was nice to know he was actually on track with his own thinking, and the plan B was not going to be necessary. The veela was feeling plenty guilty.

It wasn't nearly enough though, and he had to figure out what steps to take next.

XXXXX

Merlin he was nervous. Draco, ran a hand through his hair and wished he'd looked in the mirror again before apparating. He wanted to look perfect for this meeting. Yesterday when and owl arrived he had torn open the letter with equal parts anxiety and hope.

Inside had been a simple note.

Draco, please meet for lunch at Lucifer's in W. Paris, France. Noon on Friday.

There had been no sendoff but he knew Kyler's hand writing enough. Wizard Paris was known for good restaurants, and Lucifer's, well it was known for privacy and top food. It was one of the busiest in the city.

Draco walked into the restaurant and up to the hostess, a cheery brunette with a wide aloof smile.

"Can I help you?" It was the common phrase around here. No one got in without a reservation, and each reservation was attached to a picture. Had Kyler set him up?

"Yes, I am meeting someone. Last name Kyler."

The brunette then gave an actual smile, and didn't bother to glance down at her list.

"Oh yes we were expecting you. Your dining partner is already here."

Draco followed her past all the tables in the main room and down a hall where several private rooms were attached, and solid cherry doors faced the hallway with a descreet name attached to the doors that were occupied. At the very end she opened a door to an airy, sunny, parlor where Kyler sat at a table sipping on a glass of red wine.

Kyler glanced at Draco, and his stomach did a flop. There was no smile or anything, not that he had deserved it though. Kyler just looked over to the hostess.

"Thank you, Amanda."

The hostess merely smiled serenely. "Pleasure is all mine. Luke asks that you stop in before leaving though."

Draco saw Kyler nod, and the door softly closed behind the girl. Draco took a big breath in and out, knowing that breathing would be the first step to getting through this meal whole. He then walked over to the empty chair across from Kyler, took off his jacket, and sat down at attention.

Come to think of it, Kyler was the one who looked relaxed. It was never a good thing to have the other person relaxed. Kyler looked good to Draco's eyes though. They sat for a few minutes in mutual silence before a waiter came in and quickly took their orders. Draco was then presented with a glass of the same wine Kyler had.

Finally, after the waiter was gone it seemed Kyler decided it was time to get down to business.

He sat straight up in his seat and pinned that green glare on Draco. It was well deserved but mighty penetrating. Frankly it made him a little nervous.

"You really are an arrogant moron, you do realize that, right?"

Draco winced. Yes, he knew it, but having it said so bluntly, well to say it was a little uncomfortable was mild. It made him start thinking that Kyler probably intended to force him to break the bond. Merlin, he didn't know how he could do that.

"Yes I know I can be, and—" Kyler cut Draco off with a raised hand.

"No, not can be. Most of the time. And there are a whole lot of other words to describe what you did, and none of them pleasant. It was, to put it mildly, completely unacceptable. Do you agree?"

Draco was certain he would have preferred ranting, but Kyler just sat there talking in a reasonable tone. Forceful yes, but with out any temper what so ever.

Finally Draco lowered his gaze away from Kyler's demanding one. "Yes, I agree."

"Let's get a few things straight, and I hope these are things you have already realized because if not then….well, you're a hopeless cause." Draco's eyes swung back up to Kyler's at that statement.

"First of all that information was not your business yet. It may have been in a month's or year's time, but only when I chose. However, the part that concerns me was you reaction. Utterly childish, and stupid! If that is how you react to anything that doesn't go your way or you feel denied, well then, I know of several good anger management therapists. Second, you ever behave like that again I will whip you ass. You realize I am quite capable of that right?" Draco nodded, knowing he wasn't meant to do anything else, and Kyler barreled on.

"Third, you need to stop assuming that everyone should go along with your plans when you decide. People doing things on their own time table. The world does not revolve around Draco Malfoy. We should be clear on that. And lastly, expect you will damn well be held accountable when you say hurtful things. Whether or not you mean them, once you say them they are out and have an effect on people! You seriously need to take a good long look at yourself and think about that. Now, are we clear on those points?"

Draco nodded his head again. Merlin, Kyler definitely had an effective way of turning the knife in the guilt. Everything he said was true, but it was so much more effective with Kyler just sitting there, saying it all so reasonably. Draco knew he wasn't forgiven by a long shot. He still wasn't even sure if it was possible Kyler would attempt to forgive him.

"I am sorry." Draco said it low, but felt his heart clenched when Kyler merely cocked his head at a different angle, and said "Sorry is not good enough in most instances. People only pretend it is, and there is no bloody way I am affording you that luxury."

Draco went back to nodding his understanding. He was doomed.

Kyler was about to say something when the waiter arrived with food. They sat silently eating for a few minutes. Draco was so unsure of how this was going, and what the purpose of the meeting was.

Finally Draco glanced up from his nearly empty plate, and found Kyler looking at him intently.

"So," Draco started, "What now? I don't want to take the weaning potion, but if that's what you want then I'll do it." Draco punctuated it all with a nod. He certainly didn't want to break the bond, but he finally realized that Kyler had rights too. Kyler deserved to be free of him if that's what he wanted. And he was starting to see just how badly he must have hurt Kyler. It was un-excusable. His purpose as a veela was to protect his mate, not be the one causing the problems.

Kyler didn't say anything, and so Draco felt it was an excellent time to try to explain, not that much was explainable or any of it justifiable.

"I really didn't mean what I said, just so you do know that. I was angry and hurt, and other things that I can't begin to describe. It's no justification, and I understand that. It's just what it was." Draco gave a negligent shrug.

Finally Kyler spoke.

"Draco I don't know what the ending result will be yet." Kyler's serious look definitely said that he meant that. "I've gone over it in my head from all angles and the conclusion is that there is not enough information available. I also realized that with two different schools and countries, well, there really is no way for either of us to know each other."

Draco agreed completely. The traveling got exhausting, and there was so little time to meet even when they managed to block out some time.

"And so my idea is that you should, for a short time, transfer to Crescenzo's." Draco mouth dropped open in shock at that, and he didn't realize that he had started sputtering.

"I'm afraid those are my conditions to even trying this out. We were both joking ourselves that anyone can actually get to know a person based on a few hours here and there. So, the decision is yours to make. I am willing to consider starting to move passed your hellish and childish meltdown if you join Crescenzo's for the time being." Kyler then smiled a bit, for the first time during the lunch.

"Besides, it will give me time to figure out if you really have any redeeming qualities that balance off those you displayed."

Kyler got up from the table at that point, and Draco realized that at some point their empty dishes had been cleared. He watched Kyler put on his own jacket, and push in his chair. Then he handed Draco a paper, but Draco didn't dare take time to glance at it.

"On there you will find an apparition time and date. If you are late I will assume you have decided to break the bond and expect that with an hour of not showing up at the appointed time I will feel the bond broken. Otherwise I will see you then. I don't think you expect to be forgiven yet, and its possible that even I have a little of my own apologizing to do. I haven't sorted that out yet though. It's your move now. You decide."

With that Draco watched his mate walk out the door. He looked down at the paper and realized that there really wasn't any decision to be made.

TBC....