I don't own the rights to Harry Potter and related characters…

Chapter Two – Union

Hermione sat in the Great Hall, occasionally glancing over at the Slytherin table to keep up her 'Malfoy Watch' as she'd dubbed it. But most of her attention right now was on the red head in front of her, who was currently devouring, not food, but Lavender Brown's mouth. Her heart twisted as she watched their antics, with the teachers doing nothing about this disgusting display of PDA. Ginny was sitting next to her, patting her hand consolingly.

"Just ignore them, Hermione," Ginny whispered in her ear. "You can do so much better than my stupid brother."

Of course Hermione knew that, but it just hurt so much. This morning she'd still thought that she had a chance with the boy who'd had her affection for years, and who she'd thought loved her back, but it was obvious now that he didn't give a rat's arse about her, and instead wanted back in with his precious 'Lav'.

Maybe it was her own fault, her obsession with finding out Malfoy's secret had pushed them apart a little, but in the end, Ron still didn't have to hurt her like this! But that's what he always did, like in sixth year when he hooked up with Lavender then, too. She looked away from them, over to the Slytherin table, and noticed that Malfoy was staring at her. Once he noticed, he glanced at the two in front of her and then gave her a look that seemed to say 'I'm sorry for you'. But she couldn't take any pity right now.

The rest of the day was mostly uneventful, but at the end of it, Hermione retreated to the Head's common, curled up on one of the chairs and going over her Arithmancy assignment. It was when she was halfway through that Malfoy came into the common room. Normally he'd ignore her and go up to his room, but this time he hesitated a moment before coming over to her. Hermione looked up at him with red rimmed eyes from the tears she hadn't been able to stop and waited.

"Are you alright?" he asked.

Hermione shook her head. "No," she told him. "But Ginny promised that I will be eventually. She said I deserve better than him."

"She's right," Malfoy said, and Hermione, rather shocked, stared up at him with wide eyes. "Don't look so surprised. You're a great catch for any guy, the Weasel is just too stupid to realise."

"Thank you, Malfoy," Hermione said, and tears spilled again.

He sat down next to her and gathered her into his arms, and Hermione's tears became a torrent as she sobbed her misery into his shoulder. It took her awhile to calm down, but when she did, she noticed the most peculiar thing. Malfoy was stroking her back, in comfort she guessed, but his breaths were deep, like he was smelling something. Then she realised he was smelling her hair, and a revelation hit her, hard. One of the books had mentioned that veela often used the scent of their mate to soothe them, and suddenly Hermione was afraid.

Malfoy seemed to notice the change in her demeanour, and he pulled away. "Are you alright?" he asked.

She looked up into his eyes and saw concern in their grey depths, but there was something else in there, something that scared her, and realisation struck her. She was his mate! Hermione was Draco Malfoy's mate!

OoOoO

She'd figured it out, he could tell by the suddenly freaked out look on her face. And the fear too, he realised rather bitterly. He supposed it was one thing for her to read about the fact that some girl was to be bound to him for the rest of both their lives, but for it to be herself… Needless to say, Draco didn't want any pity or fear, so he decided to pretend like nothing untoward had happened.

"Look," he said, "I know you're upset about the Weasel. But if you're really meant to be with him, then I'm sure the thing with Lavender won't last. In any case, I guess what I'm trying to say is…"

"Please don't say it," Hermione begged with a catch in her voice.

"Say what?"

"Please don't say it will be alright, or that I can do better. You know that I don't have a choice anymore, Malfoy."

"There's always a choice," Draco said, not really wanting what he thought was about to happen to actually happen. At least, not like this.

"I know you're veela," Hermione outright said.

When did she become Hermione in his head? It was always Granger, even when he figured that she was his mate in sixth year. But anyway, Hermione shifted on the couch, tilting her head a little so that she was looking directly into his eyes. The expression mirrored in those depths was slightly defeated, and it tore his heart.

"So?" he asked. "What does that have to do with anything?"

"You were sniffing my hair," Hermione said, and Draco stiffened.

Shit. He knew that sniffing your mate's hair was one of the signs to a veela that they'd found their mate, but he hadn't even realised that he'd done it. "No I wasn't," Draco denied, standing up and putting as much distance between them as possible.

A frown marred her features. "Yes you were," she argued, also standing up. "Don't deny it. I know what it means, Malfoy. Veelas are highly sensory creatures, and are drawn to their mate's scent like it's an addiction. You wouldn't sniff anyone else, and you know it!"

"So?" he asked once more. "Maybe you're wrong, maybe I just like the smell of your shampoo. I would still be able to smell it, as a veela. And it wouldn't mean anything, either."

"So you don't deny you're a veela then?" Hermione asked.

"I already admitted it, I suppose," Draco said. "Besides, other than sniffing your hair, what else would you have to prove such a thing?"

"There's something that would definitely prove it, one way or another," she told him. "Kiss me."

…

"What!"

OoOoO

"Kiss me," Hermione repeated.

Malfoy's eyebrows shot up and his jaw dropped. "Excuse me?" he demanded.

"Kiss me," Hermione repeated, calling out his bluff. "If you're not veela, then it won't matter. But if you are, it will. If I'm not your mate, there'll be nothing, and if I am…"

"If you are," Malfoy repeated, then continued her meaning, "If you are, then I'll probably fuck you into the couch, or perhaps up against the wall. Do you really want to risk that, Granger? Just to prove you're right?"

No, she thought. "Yes," she said, then started in surprise when Malfoy surged forward and took her mouth in a crushing kiss.

Hermione's senses were overwhelmed, damn, the boy could kiss! But then she became distracted when suddenly she was pushed up against a wall, and Malfoy's hands were instantly everywhere. She'd called his bluff, but wasn't sure who'd lost just now. Never mind that though, because he was grinding his pelvis into her own now, and, Merlin, she could feel herself becoming aroused!

The sound of ripping reached her ears, and Hermione realised that Malfoy was ripping her shirt open, and suddenly it hit her that he was going to have sex with her, because she'd goaded him into kissing her. Was she really prepared to lose her virginity like this? But then his lips latched onto her breast, and the sensation, even though it was through her bra, caused all thought of stopping this to flee her head.

His hands were still roaming her body, pushing and tearing at her clothes. Against her will, Hermione's hands came up to push at Malfoy's clothing, yanking off his shirt as he undid her bra, fully exposing her breasts to him. His mouth instantly reattached to her, and the sensation of direct contact with her skin undid her. The rest of their disrobing was a blur, and soon Malfoy was picking her up and taking her up to his room. Two of his fingers found their way between her legs, which she'd wrapped around his torso, and he slipped them inside her.

The added sensation caused Hermione to squeal in both surprise and delight, and then Malfoy almost flung her on his bed, following extremely close behind. "You've really done it now, Granger," he murmured against her breast.

"But at least you can't deny I was right," Hermione moaned, but Draco only grunted in response, too busy ravishing her with his mouth and fingers for any more coherent words.

Her hands came up to grasp his hair, and she whimpered as his mouth trailed down to her breasts. His fingers picked up the pace, and soon Hermione was squealing wildly with an orgasm. Never had she experienced anything so heady, and she wanted more. As Malfoy placed himself between her thighs, she knew that this was it, there was no going back, but before any true coherency could be formed, he tilted his hips, and they were joined.

OoOoO

Draco felt her stiffen beneath him, and the reality of what was happening hit him all at once. "Hurts!" she moaned, and he instantly felt ashamed.

"I'm sorry," he murmured, his heart breaking at the knowledge that he'd caused his mate so much pain, and he attempted to pull out.

"No!" Hermione cried, wrapping her legs around him. "It's fine! I j-just need to adjust."

"Are you sure?"

She nodded. "Just give me a moment, please?"

Draco stayed as still as possible, holding her and whispering soothing words into her ear. Finally, she shifted against him, and said, "I think it would be alright if you moved now."

Draco nodded and did as she bade, moving carefully at first, but then the feel of her wrapped around him had him picking up the pace. She moaned beautifully beneath him as their bodies rocked together, their hips moving in perfect synchronisation. Soon pressure began to build, and Draco knew that he was close to his orgasm. Determined that she come with him, he reached down and began to play with that glorious little nub and instantly her muscles clenched around him.

Draco reached his orgasm at the same time, and at that point his veela instincts took over and he clamped his mouth down over her neck where it met the shoulder, sinking his teeth in and injecting venom, marking her as his mate.

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