The Manor was different. Lighter. Not like when Hermione had been tortured here. But she didn't get a proper look at the beautiful room, because all her attention was focused on the figure in the doorway. The blond man standing in the door looked just like she remembered from the countless times he had tried to kill her and her friends. She shrunk back a little, but he ignored it. He was motioning for her and Mrs. Malfoy to go up the the bedroom Draco was in. They rushed through marbled halls and expensive rooms, blurry from the speed of their travel. Hermione was a bit uncomfortable with having her backed turned on Lucius Malfoy, as he was walking behind her. However, she had a mission, and now nothing would stop her from getting to her patient.

They finally got to the bedroom. Mr. and Mrs. Malfoy made to enter the room, but Hermione put out a hand."I would prefer that I went in alone..." she said apologeticlly, yet firmly.

"Oh of course!" replied the Malfoys.

Hermione slipped into the room and quietly shut it behind her. When she lookedinto the room though, she was stunned. Malfoy looked terrible, and suddenly, she was unsure of what she really could do that the other Healers could not. She crept over to the bed and touched his face. He was so cold. At her touch however, there was a short intake of breath, and she could have sworn that he fluttered his eyelids. Expeirementing, she stroked his face again, and this time got a stronger reaction out of him. His eyes blinked open, and he moaned.

"Malfoy?" Hermione said disbelievingly.

His answer sounded between a grunt and a moan, and his eyes focused in on her. He jumped slightly.

"Granger? What in bloody hell are you doing in my bedroom?" he croaked.

"I'm your Healer, you've just come out of a coma."

" What! That's preposterous!" he replied dubiously.

"I'm going to go alert your parents that you are awake. And it's very true."

Hermione went over to the door and stepped into the hall, closing it behind her.

"He is awa-" she was interuppted by a high keening sound. It was a shriek of utter pain.

Hermione turned and dashed back into Draco's room. He was sitting up in the bed emitting the terrible noise. Thoughtlessly, she grabbed his face is her hands, trying to sooth him. Immediatly, he quieted, and pushed her hands off his face. Her hands felt like they were on fire where they had come in contact with his skin. Little did she know that his face felt the same way, if even more intense. His eyes darkened in color and as his parents rushed in, Hermione felt a hand grasp on to her arm and yank her backwards on to the bed. She was not hurt the slightest, just very surprised and slightly frightened. Malfoy's skin was glowing as he crouched protectively over her, growling ferally at the 2 people who raised him.

"Draco?" His mother questioned cautiously, with a note of panick in her voice, inching backwards towards the door.

His response was growl even louder. She was now quite frightened , but was sure to keep a handle on her sanity.

"Mrs. Malfoy, Mr. Malfoy," Hermione said softly, comfortingly,"I'm not sure what's wrong with your son, but he seems to think you are a threat, so back slowly out the door and don't make eye contact, and you both should be fine. Lock the door behind you so no one can get in or out. I'll be fine."

They proceded to follow her orders, backing out slowly, Draco's obsidian eyes following their figures. This left them alone in the room, him crouched above her still. Once the door closed, he relaxed his defensive pose. Hermione was petrified as to what would occur next, but what happened was completely unexpected. He relaxed back onto the bed and snuggled up next to her, his arms wrapped possessively around her waist. His face was in her hair, and he nuzzled her neck, sniffing her. She tried to wiggle out of his grasp, but his hold was tight. Realizing she was stuck there, she scanned through her brain for any illness that had these symptoms, but could think of none. But then it hit her. Veela's eyes turn dark in moments of intensity, and they glow when they transform. There were a few problems with this theory. One was that veelas are notoriously agressive to anyone other than their mate, and if he was one, it would mean that he would have killed or severely wounded her. The other problem is that being a veela doesn't explain the coma and illness. But wait! If veelas don't mark their mate by the time they turn eighteen, they become ill. So Malfoy was only part veela, because he didn't fully transform into the birdlike creature of a true veela. He hadn't found his mate yet, which was why he was sick. But this didn't explain why he hadn't hurt her. If he had been threatened by his parents, but not her, that would mean...

No! But it was true. Hermione Granger was Draco Malfoy's mate. She could tell he was releasing pheremones that were calming her down, and she was lulled into a deep sleep.

When she reawoke, Draco's hold had loosened. She wormed her way out of his arms and back onto her own two feet. Then she waited for him to awaken. When he did, she saw he was still in his part veela form, eyes black as coal. He whimpered when he saw he was alone in the bed. Then his eyes rose to meet hers. Quick as a flash, he was on the edge of the bed right next to her, and pulling back to him. She pushed him off a bit, but his arms were still around her, and he settled for playing with her hair as she whipped out her wand. She created her otter patronus and sent a message to the Malfoys explaining their son being a veela. She left out the part about her being the mate, feeling that was his news.

Just as she sent out the silver creature, Malfoy started his transformation back to normal. Disoriented, he looked down, saw Hermione in his arms and shoved her away, making her fall off the edge.

"Ouch!" She exclaimed.

"Sorry Granger, but it's really not professional to be cuddling your patients." He repied, smirking.

"So you don't remember? You don't remember that las t night you dragged me into your bed, growled at your parents, then this morning your grabbed me again, right after I managed to get away from you?" I ranted.

Malfoy paled.

"However, I have discovered your diagnosis. You, Draco Malfoy, are part veela, and the reason you were sick was because it is way past the time you should have found and marked your mate." Hermione explained. " I'm also sorry to say that after your little performance last night, you have made it abundantly clear that I am your mate."

"What!"Malfoy spluttered. "You can't be my mate! We hate each other."

"I know Malfoy, but if we don't bond, you will die, and not one of the patients I've treated has died yet."