Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter or any affiliated characters. I just happened to come up with the plot for this ship. All credit to J.K for her amazing universe that she allows us to play in.

Warning: Rated M. Cursing, sexual innuendos, lemons and fluff ahead. Basically what you would expect from a romance novel nowadays.

Eternal love and gratitude to my Beta, Ihrin who is taking over this story for me. Thank you so much!

Music is my muse:
Song for this chapter: All We Are, Matt Nathanson
Lyrics: And in the end dreams just scatter and fall like rain.

Love of a Mate

Chapter Seven
All We Are

Hermione stumbled into her flat feeling dazed. Ginny wasn't waiting up, she had been out with Harry tonight and Hermione was grateful because she needed time in order to figure out how she was going to explain tonight to her best friend.

It had been... magical- the way he made her feel. And given they were witches, that sounded much too cliché but it was so true. It was as if some piece that had been missing inside of her- something she hadn't even realized she missed- had been returned and everything changed. She supposed that was how she had fallen for Draco in the first place, if being around him made her feel as she had tonight. She took a long sigh and hugged herself- she would have been lost.

It had been incredible- everything beautiful, something so real she almost thought she could reach out and touch it. Oh, he was still a bit much, and she wasn't saying she was madly in love with him, but he was hers. She knew that somehow.

She fell onto her bed and looked up at the ceiling, smiling softly as she replayed every moment of the evening. Reaching up, she touched the scar that was still tingling and shivered as she kicked off her boots and snuggled down into her blankets, not even taking off her jumper or slacks.

She pulled up the memory of how he had looked at her as he had rounded the corner and she had first saw him. His eyes... Merlin, she had gotten lost in them and all the emotions that churned inside of those grey depths. In the end, it had been a bit embarrassing but she had almost thrown herself at him. She still wasn't completely sure how much he remembered; Fleur hadn't been sure herself. He would at least know she was his mate. He would remember marking her as well, but if a memory charm had also been cast on him it was possible he could be as blind as she was about their past.

She frowned as she considered that. She didn't like either option, truthfully. If he didn't remember, that bothered her; she also didn't care to think that he had been left with the memory, knowing she would be oblivious all these years. She rolled over facing the wall and hugged herself, closing her eyes and sighing as weariness claimed her.

What was there to remember? How had they gotten to this point? And why had he waited for so many years? Why wait for her to approach him first? She had so many questions, but for now sleep claimed her.

oOOooOOooO

Hermione knew she was dreaming, but she had never dreamed from this perspective before. She was watching herself, not inside of herself, but third-person. She was sitting at a library table in Hogwarts, her table. It had been off to the side and well off the beaten track. Harry was packing up and leaving; Ron clearly had already done so. Hermione didn't even look up as he left, a small nod being her only acknowledgement that she knew he was gone.

She watched herself and tried to gauge what year this was. She found she could step closer and she realized that she was in sixth year because she could see her Potions textbook. Looking out the window, she found it was dark so it was hard to judge the season but she felt it must be before winter because she wasn't in her heavier robes. In fact, she had shrugged off her robes entirely and she knew she only did that in early fall or late spring. Judging by the fact the Potions book was open to the beginning and the length of her hair, it must be early fall.

The start of term then.

She looked around and then stopped, shocked because Draco Malfoy was standing just behind her; watching her, his eyes hungry and desperate. She winced at his expression- it was full of such sadness and such longing.

Slowly, he moved forward and she watched as a shudder went through him and he sneered. "At it again Granger? Haven't you read the entire book by now? It's three weeks into term."

She watched her younger self jerk up and then roll her eyes, not even turning around to look at the boy. She saw herself shudder and watched with interest as Draco did the same.

"I don't have time to spare on you tonight, Malfoy." She said softly but her quill didn't move over the parchment and she sat almost frozen.

He watched her and his eyes narrowed. "You feel it too, don't you?"

Hermione gasped as she watched her younger self seem to deflate and then she saw herself throw down her quill and turn on the boy, her eyes angry.

"What did you do- some kind of a spell? Slip me something? Is this to get back at Harry-"

He cut her off and tossed up a silencing spell around them, walking over and grabbing her by the shoulders. Hermione saw herself go pale and her breathing almost stop.

"This has nothing to do with Potter."

She took a great gasping breath and her eyes went wide with fear. "What have you done to me? Why do I feel this way?"

He looked at her for a moment and jerked away, as if burned. He promptly rushed out, leaving her panting and looking after him with a terrified expression.

Hermione frowned and then gasped as the scene dissolved like in a pensive, and she saw herself lurking in a corridor. She was clearly waiting for someone or something. Suddenly, she saw Draco walk by with most of the sixth year Slytherins in tow. He seemed to freeze but then turned around saying loudly,

"I left my bloody favorite quill in the common room."

Pansy Parkinson gave him a simpering smile. "I will go back with you, Drakie."

She watched as Draco gave Blaise Zabini a look and then the boy stepped forward and pulled Pansy into him. "Let him troop back to get it himself, love. I want to tell you about my summer in Italy."

Pansy left but turned around to watch as Draco turned and made back for the way he had come. However, abruptly, he turned and moved into the hidden corridor and, before Hermione even had time to gasp, he had her pinned to a wall.

"How did you know I was here?" she whispered, sounding breathless.

Draco's nostrils flared and she looked him over.

"I think you are smart enough to start to piece this together, Granger," he said harshly.

Hermione seemed to shake and then she whispered softly, "Veela."

He didn't confirm or deny the accusation but instead took a deep breath, as if calming himself. "What finally tipped you off? I thought it would be another month at least."

Hermione shook her head, her eyes wide. "It couldn't be a love potion. It wasn't any kind of spell, because I checked, and you are just as affected as I am. That left, well, not many other options."

His lips quirked and then he shook his head. "And what option do you think this is?"

She seemed to steady herself and then she said, slowly, "I am your mate."

To her surprise, Draco stepped back as if slapped and his eyes narrowed. He turned and walked off, leaving her panting again and watching after him in confusion.

Hermione frowned after the boy too and then, as the scene dissolved, she gasped.

It would appear that Draco had been lying in wait for her this time because they were near Gryffindor tower. Again, she was pushed up against a wall with him in front of her, his eyes frantic.

She was glaring at him. "What? You've ignored me for a week. I won't give your secret away. Clearly I got the mate thing wrong-"

He cut her off with one look and she went pale as he shook his head. "You didn't."

Hermione watched herself deflate. "But we- I mean- what does that mean?"

Draco looked sick, his face far too pale. "It means that I will die."

Hermione gasped and then shook her head. "But why? Can't you just pick a different mate? I don't understand. Why me?"

He pushed off the wall and looked equal parts horrified and resigned. "I don't know, but no, male Veela cannot just pick another mate."

Hermione shook her head and then looked away from him, her shoulders slumping. "But you don't even like me. You hate me."

"I haven't hated you since third year," he said softly.

Hermione looked at him with curiosity and suspicion. "I don't believe you.

He shrugged at her but his face was earnest. "Why should you? I have a part to play here, Granger, and if I don't play it my mother will die, rather horribly."

She flinched. "Dumbledore can-"

He shook his head and his eyes went warm. "The old man cannot stop this. I cannot stop this, and neither can you. It's fated, I suppose."

Hermione looked at him, her eyes desperate. "You think you are going to die, don't you?"

He looked at her carefully but she saw it in his eyes. "I know I am, Hermione. If not by the Order's hands, then by the Dark Lord's. If by some miracle I survive those, I will die because I can't claim you."

Hermione watched herself grow angry. "So that's it? You're just going to give up?"

He gave her a sad small smile and then handed her a small book. "I know you have been searching the library but this is what being a male Veela means, Hermione."

She jumped as he used her name and took the book carefully. He let his fingers graze hers carefully and then said, "Read it, I had to when I was fourteen and was told what I am." With that, he turned and in a swirl of robes he was gone.

OooOOooOo

Hermione woke up with a start and looked around the room. It was early and she heard Ginny in their small kitchen.

"Wake up, you lazy cog! Get out here and tell me what happened!"

Hermione smirked and got out of bed, grimacing at her now wrinkled slacks. She quickly showered and got ready for the day before she joined a far too chipper Ginny in the kitchen.

"So?" Ginny asked, unable to hide her excitement.

Hermione sighed and poured herself a cup of tea. "It was indescribably beautiful, whatever it is between us."

Ginny leaned back against the counter. "Wow."

Hermione nodded. "And I am starting to remember. I had dreams last night like I was in a pensive, watching myself."

Ginny stood back up and almost jumped with excitement. "So?"

Hermione shook her head frowning. "Clearly, it started sixth year. I figured out what was happening and he gave me a book."

Ginny frowned. "That's it?"

Hermione shrugged. "So far." She sat down at the table looking into her tea. "I want to know what happened to that book. He said it was all I needed to know about male Veelas and that he had been given it when he was told what he is."

Ginny sank down. "Well, could it be in your rather vast book collection?"

Hermione frowned and then shook her head. "No, I don't think so. It looked very old and I think it was probably something that was passed down in his family."

Ginny nodded thoughtfully and then said, "So, owl him and ask to see it again."

Hermione nodded but then shook her head. "I don't know how much he remembers about all of this, Ginny. Remember how Fleur said there was probably a memory spell cast on him too?"

Ginny nodded and then sighed. "Well, the only way to know is to ask him."

Hermione snorted at her friend's direct answer. "He looked so angry about it though- not happy- and he was so sad. He seemed to accept that he was going to die. The boy I saw was not one madly in love with me."

Ginny paused, looking surprised and then said softly, "In the dreams you mean?"

Hermione nodded and sipped her tea. "It was confusing. I don't understand how we got from that to my other dream, nor how we ended up here if he was willing to just die."

Ginny nodded and looked away before she said. "Hermione what did you feel for him in the dream?"

Hermione thought it for a moment and said, "I couldn't really feel what was going on it was, more like I was watching it happen. I was very aware of him and he definitely had a physical effect on me. Mostly there was confusion and anger. I was very upset that he was so willing to just die."

Ginny snorted and sat back, looking like she had just solved the wizarding world's debt problems. "There you go. If you didn't want him to die- if that upset you- you changed it. That's how you are, Hermione."

Hermione looked at her friend and then laughed. "You're going to blame me?"

Ginny nodded and stood up. "Yep, now owl him and tell him what you remember. Communication is very important, you know."

Hermione rolled her eyes at her friends superior tone but bit her lip and then jumped as Ginny put parchment and quill down in front of her and then sat back down, raising an eyebrow.

"Go on then," she prodded.

Hermione snorted in shock. "You're going to sit there and force me to write him a letter about my dream?"

Ginny nodded. "Yep, because if I don't, you would sit on this thinking about it for days until you made yourself sick. Just tell him what you remembered and ask about the book. If he doesn't know what you are talking about, then you know he doesn't remember either and you two had better sit down and have a chat. If he does know, he will send you the book."

Hermione shook her head. " It's that simple?"

Ginny shrugged and sipped her tea. "Why shouldn't it be? Write, Hermione!"

Hermione smirked but did as she was told. Ginny at least had a point about her worrying over this for a tortuous number of days.

As she sent the note, she wasn't sure what she was hoping for. Did she want him to tell her he didn't remember what she was talking about or tell her that he did? And where was that book? What did it contain? How had she convinced him to not just give up? He had seemed so sure of his eventual demise.

She rubbed her arms, feeling a chill, and then rushed off to get to her day.

Notes:
So, she got some memories back. Thank goodness for Ginny, she will not let Hermione fester on all of this.
Up Next:
Draco has to figure out how to respond to her letter. And maybe, we see the book!

Just a warning. I am still healing and have two small kids that are on summer break. So if I don't update this next week please don't panic. I am not going to not finish the story, it just might be a bit slow over the summer vaca.
Thanks again for all the support for this story! You are simply wonderful for all the reviews, they always make me smile and I am so grateful.
Cjean