"Potter wait!"

Malfoy's voice rang down the corridor, making everyone turn to look at him. Even Harry turned, against his better judgement, to stare at the blonde who was hurrying down the corridor after him.

"Potter I need to talk to you," Draco exclaimed when he got closer. "In private. Please Potter, it's really important."

Harry had been going to tell him to fuck of but he had said please after all. Sighing, and mentally berating himself for being such a soft touch, he pushed open the door of the nearest classroom. The rooms on this corridor where all deserted this term so he knew they'd be alone.

He strode into the room, then backed out again and shut the door as quickly as he could. Apparently they weren't as deserted as he'd thought.

"Let's try this one," he said, pointing to the next door along and desperately trying to get the image of Snape's sex face out of his mind. Snape and McGonnagal, who'd have thought it?

The next classroom was blissfully deserted and Harry stepped back and allowed Malfoy to go in first. He followed him in and pulled the door shut behind them. Without thinking about it he took a tight grip on his wand, ready for any wrong move from Malfoy. True he'd been acting oddly recently, almost nice, but that didn't mean he could be trusted.

"What do you want Malfoy," he growled, getting impatient when Malfoy said nothing.

"Merlin, give me a moment Potter," Malfoy muttered. He was rubbing at his left wrist, something he only did when he was nervous. Not that Harry had been watching him or anything. "Look Potter, I didn't want to tell you this but... well I don't have much choice. My hand is being forced so I'm going to come clean and reveal all."

"All as in why you've been acting so weird recently?" Harry asked, intrigued.

"Exactly Harry, I mean Potter. The secret to why I've been acting so strangely recently. You see the truth is..." Malfoy paused and struck a dramatic pose. "I am a Veela and you are my one true mate. You are the other half of my soul, the one person in the world who completes me."

"Wha?"

"Yes Potter, it is true. I know what you think of me..." here hung his head and his voice took on a touch of desperate sadness. "I know you can never love me. I know that you despise me. But the truth is I can't live without you. If you don't agree to be mine I'll wither away and die."

"You'll what?"

"Die Harry. It's happening already. I've resisted it too long. I knew what agony my admission of undying love would cause you. I knew that having to choice between letting me die and being mine for all time would cause you untold heart ache. So I resisted all that I knew to be right and true and didn't approach you. I chose to die rather than cause you even the slightest pain. But now I cannot bear it any more. You see I truly am dying now Potter. I have only days to live. No..." he held up a hand to stem protests which Harry had not in fact been going to make. "Don't say it. I know I show no sign of my sickness. That is my vela allure. It is hastening my death to maintain the facade, but I can't bear that you might see me looking less than perfect."

"Malfoy what..."

"Do I want from you? Nothing." He turned away, assuming a noble pose. "I would not presume to ask anything of you Harry. I am not worthy. I simply wished that someone know how I died. I will not stay here much longer. I will find somewhere distant and remote, where I can die in peace, away from the world's gossip. But I thought it only right that you know that truth." His voice had dropped to little more than a whisper, and he hung his head in dejection.

"No!" Harry cried, unable to bear the noble and self-sacrificing grief of this creature. He knew he must save him at any cost. To have a death like that on his hands... "What do I need to do Malfoy? How can I save you?"

Malfoy raised his head, staring at Harry in open incredulity. Then he shook himself slightly and said, "Agree to me mine. Say that you'll be my mate."

"I agree! I'll be your mate." He paused. "Did it work? Are you better?"

"I feel stronger already Harry. That you'd do this for me... I never dreamed of such an honour. Such a blessing! Now all we need to do is confirm the bond."

"How do we do that?" Harry asked. He was determined. He would save Malfoy. Even if he had to shag the life out of him to do it. In the name of justice and goodness and stuff obviously.

"Well we need to make the bond public. We don't have to tell the whole world, but our friends at least." Malfoy's eyes glimmered with hope. "Why don't we go to Hogsmede together this weekend. Then we can tell everyone together."

"Okay fine," Harry said. He would do anything if it meant it stopped Malfoy from dying alone and in agony.

"And we need physical contact." Harry looked at him. "A kiss," he clarified.

Harry nodded and without waiting for Malfoy he dived forward and claimed his lips in a sweet sloppy kiss. It was brief and not very good but both boys were flushed when it was over.

"Are you okay now?" Harry asked urgently. His expression was so sincere, so worried, that Malfoy just couldn't take it any more.

He snorted in a most undignified fashion, then began to laugh so hard he nearly fell over.

"Honestly Potter," he gasped, "don't you know what day it is? I can't believe you actually believed all that! Male veela! There's no such thing as male veela! And you really believed that you were my mate. Only Hufflepuff first years believe in all that one true love nonsense. Merlin you're gullible!" And he doubled over laughing again.

Furious at the way he'd been treated Harry turned on his heel and stormed out. He was just about to slam the door behind him when Malfoy's voice reached his ears.

"Don't forget Potter, you agreed to go on a date with me. I'll meet you in the entrance hall at 10 on Saturday."

Years later, when Malfoy was the first wizard director of Gringotts and Harry was head of the department of magical law people would ask them how they got together. For some reason Harry would never tell them.