DISCLAIMER: I AM NOT GETTING MOOLA FOR THIS. TIS ILLEGAL

Enjoy!

Draco blinked hazily. Sunlight was streaming over him, and it was almost painful in against his sleep-dilated eyes. Confused thoughts swirled around his head, questioning his location and how he came to be there. Something prodded his shoulder, and he turned his head to look at a person he recognized as Ally after a few seconds of thought.

"So. You're awake," she said cheerily.

"Not completely," he grumbled back. His mind was still laced with sleep, but there was also a certain heaviness about it. It was likely that a spectacular headache would be coming soon. Draco squinted at the gypsy woman.

"How long have I been unconscious?"

"Almost two hours." This surprised him, he felt like he'd been sleeping for days.

"What happened?"

She ignored him, pouring a mug of water from flowery pitcher and holding it in front of him. He took it, as she expected. As he drank, he looked around.

"This is your trailer?"

"Yes. Don't be getting any ideas."

He smiled, although it was a reminiscent of a grimace. After he finished drinking, he sat up. He had been placed on a top of the quilts covering a double bed that was situated directly under a window. Everything in the room was painted bright and joyous colors, but for some reason none of them clashed and a garish effect was avoided. There was a sink in the corner, as well as a washbasin. Ally sat on a stool at his side, looking intense, a rather large difference from her usually serene countenance.

"So, Mister Malfoy, how long have you known your family had Veela blood?"

A scowl overtook his features fast as lightening. "How did you know that? That is the best-kept secret of the Malfoy family. Who has told you?" he asked harshly.

She merely raised an eyebrow, unperturbed by his anger. "No one has told me. I simply recognized your symptoms."

"Symptoms?"

"Yes. Your body went into hibernation to prepare itself. It's something Veelas do after finding their…mates."

Any color in his pale face immediately vanished.

"Mates?" he whispered hoarsely.

"Mates. After a Veela finds their mate their body goes into an unconscious state in which the raw Veela magic begins to work changes that enhance your body so that it can protect and care for it's mate to the best of it's abilities. In someone like you, with dominant Veela genes, the same change takes place."

"Merlin and Morgana," he breathed. "You're telling me…that that tempestuous and pompous Mudbloodis my destined…soul mate?"

Her blue eyes hardened and her usually listless tone became stern. "Yes. And I would advise you not to speak of her that way. She may be ignorant of it's meaning, but others are not. And I can tell you that there will come a time when you require her simply to sustain life. It would be wise of you not to do things that will cause people to get in your way at this time."

He groaned. "Merlin's knickers. This is the worst damn timing of any bloody thing ever."

"I realize that with your current status as a double-agent, this may be a minor inconvenience."

He was incredulous. "Inconvenient? You think that this is merely a minor inconvenience? You said yourself what the mating process does to people. I've seen it happen. I will need her like I need food and water. My body will be physically incapable of being away from her for more than a few days. You call me dependent like a newborn on the thing Voldemort is trying to exterminate a minor inconvenience?"

She sighed, and her agelessness suddenly slipped away. He saw how old she really was, what she had endured, and most of all, what she had learned. A twinge of regret dared show itself, but he swiftly squashed it. This was about his life. Everything he had every been taught and believed was at stake.

Draco Malfoy had never thought he would find his mate. He was aware that his blood was less pure than the public believed, that his great-grandmother on his father's side had been a Veela. It had been mentioned to him several times in utter secrecy. It had been explained that he was in no danger of revealing this, unless he stumbled upon the girl that was his mate. The Veela in him would recognize her, and wake from dormancy. He had been reassured that this was very unlikely, there were millions of people on the planet, and only one of them would appeal to the Veela in such a way. At the time, it had disturbed him profoundly that he may have no choice at all in who he would be obligated to spend forever with. Now it was like all his worst nightmares had come to life.

"I believe that the mating process will be slower than the kind that happens with Veelas, since you are only part Veela. And because you and Miss Granger are hardly on friendly terms, both of you will be resisting the pull."

"How long?"

"How long have you got till the process is complete? I would estimate…anywhere from six months to a year." She could see the thoughts flitting about behind his silver eyes as his hand came up to run through his platinum hair. She worried for the boy, much the same way she worried for Harriano. To have to endure so much at such a young age.

He turned to her abruptly, his face back to his cold and impartial mask. "You will tell no one," he barked. "Not her, not a soul."

Looking at him solemnly, she slowly nodded.

He nodded in return, and made to stand up. A wizened hand landed on his knee in warning. "Be careful. You may feel a bit strange." She pulled her hand back, and he stood up, straightening his long frame unhurriedly. There was an odd throbbing on his back and an awkward sensation in his head. He noticed he was only wearing his shirt, his jacket lay folded on the bed. He stretched, reaching his arms high above his head. As he moved, the ache increased and he groaned softly.

The old woman's cool fingers touched his back. "Let me see," she demanded.

Without thinking, he took of his shirt. He felt her tracing something on his back. "There is a mirror in the main room, Malfoy. Go look in it."

Slightly unsettled but unwilling to show it, he went to the living room, Ally trailing behind. There was indeed a human-sized mirror with ornate frame a jagged crack running through half of it. He twisted himself so his back was visible, catching half a glimpse of what appeared to be runes in a foreign language. The jet black and gold tattoo ran from the middle of his right shoulder blade to mid-back. After a moment of shock, he cursed vehemently in French.

"I quite agree, Mister Malfoy."

Hermione dashed back to her the caravan she shared with Ginny. It had become like a second home, and she did not bother rapping on the door before entering. A sigh escaped her after she closed the door. After resting for a by leaning against the wall, she straightened out and called for her friend.

"Ginny? Gin, are you home?"

"Yes. Come here, 'Mione. I've got a surprise for you!" Ginny shouted with barely contained excitement.

Slowly and slightly wary, Hermione walked in the direction of Ginny's room in the caravan. She was suitably shocked when there was a new door next to Ginny's. The door was painted a soft green, and a few seconds after she had seen it, her friend leaped out from behind.

"Surprise!" she said, grinning ecstatically.

"What is this?"

"This," she proclaimed dramatically, "is your new room."

"My room?" she asked warily.

"Yes," Ginny said as she tugged her inside.

It was as large as Ginny's room. In a the corner stood a brass double bed with brightly colored patchwork quilts and afghans heaped upon it. Under the round window, there was a washbasin. The other corner of the room was occupied by a rickety red wardrobe with large blue knobs and a dark brown armchair.

"This is…so thoughtful," Hermione said, tears coming to her eyes. She turned around and threw her arms around her friend.

"You're welcome," Ginny laughed. "Me and the twins made it for you this morning." She pulled Hermione to sit down on her new bed. "But why are you back so early? I didn't expect you for another few hours at least…"

Hermione colored. Ginny squealed again. "Merlin, Hermione," she breathed. "What happened?"

She sniffed. "Well…." Ginny squealed again, and Hermione scowled. "Don't make such a fuss, Gin. He didn't steal a kiss or anything remotely like that."

The redhead's face fell slightly, but she brightened again. "Well, something happened, and I demand that you tell me what!"

She started recounting that afternoon's events, slightly unsure. "We were just starting, you know. And he was acting so…so arrogant! He infuriated me," she said vehemently. "I sort of exploded on him. After that, something happened to him. I think I struck a nerve, and he got all quiet and threatening. Then he started walking toward me, and I was walking away from him, and somehow I ended up against a tree. And he was whispering in my ear for me to be careful…he was frightening, almost unstable." She looked up at Ginny, wringing her fingers. "And then…he just collapsed."

Even Ginny did not know what to make of this story as she sat opposite Hermione, a thoughtful expression on her face.

"And then…I ran and got Ally. She said he's going to be all right and she'll take care of him, and I should come back in an two hours to resume practice. I believe she took him to her trailer. And then I came here…"

"That is strange…"

"Yes."

Ginny then brushed it off, her excitement about Hermione's new living quarters setting back in. "Ah, well. We'll get all your things from the trunk in the kitchen and set them up, and then we'll go see what's happened to him, alright?"

Hermione nodded in agreement, and they meandered to the kitchen. Ginny took out her other dress from the trunk, as well as her male suits, and handed them to her. She took out her knapsack, and was about to hand it to Hermione as well. It slipped out of her fingers, heavier than it looked.

"Oh, I'm so sorry. Here I'll go get it…" she trailed off in confusion. Hermione could only stand in silence.

Ginny stared at the large silver and black orb that had rolled out of her bag, her brows furrowing.

"Hermione…what is that?"

Another cliffie. Sorry.

Review, pretty please? I've tried to be original and such. STILL, ANY IDEAS ARE WELCOME.

Tonks will be making an appearance, soon. :D