What a Terrible Mess

Chapter 2

Draco leaned up against a tree, panting heavily. It was all over. He'd failed his mate. He'd failed Blaise. He had his money now, and he appeared to be his old self due to the charms he had successfully cast. The Death Eater's had been faster though. He and Blaise had to split up. Someone had died, he'd heard the killing curse and no one else had been there, save for him, Blaise and the Death Eaters. He felt broken inside. He had failed. His Veela blood screamed red hot through his veins. He had to find his mate, had to keep them safe. He would fight off the Death Eater's himself. Maybe The Boy Who Lived would help him. Yes... the Boy Who Lived. He was a goody goody Gryffindork wasn't he? He'd help Draco purge the castle of Death Eaters. He'd help Draco protect his bond mate, help him bring Dumbledore back.

But Draco didn't know where he was, didn't know if he was even safe. He glanced around. How would he find the school now? His love? Suddenly his newfound Veela senses kicked in. Draco knew where his mate was, school had already started he'd be there and he was feeling a very strong pull in a Northern direction. The fatigue was suddenly gone and Draco was filled with need. He knew where to go, energy enough to fuel the entire school for decades flooded through Draco, the surrounding trees bent and swayed beneath the power. Draco puffed with pride and took off at a full scale run, almost floating. Veela's were incredibly fast. This particular Veela was going to search out his mate and could have outrun anything.

Draco let nothing but the idea of reaching his mate flood his mind. Pain shot through his wizard body, being pushed far too hard. Draco was covering miles quickly. He feared he wouldn't last and a suddenly a sharp pain racked his body. Draco cringed, his eyes squeezing closed as he fell. He held out his arms to stop his fall, but never hit the ground. Cautiously Draco opened his eyes. He was floating at least 20 feet in the air. He swung around madly, trying to see what had him, it was as if he was suspended by invisible wire. That's when he realized what the pain had been. Draco had wings. Big, black, leathery wings. After testing them a moment it seemed they operated on thought and sight, sort of like a broom.

Draco pushed himself higher and higher till he was far above the trees. He could sense another powerful magic, maybe a band of Death Eaters, far off but heading in the same direction as the school. Draco's eyes narrowed to slits.

"I'll be damned." he hissed. He focused all his thoughts on the school and took off at a frightening speed, even for Draco who was an expert on a broom. He pushed the other magic out of his mind and focused only on speed, on beating that thing to Hogwarts. He had a feeling he was going to die before he could even meet his mate. He would die defending him. 'HIM?!' Draco's mind shot back. 'No time to think on that, I have to reach him, I have to. I have to. I have to.'

It wasn't long at all before Draco was gliding over the forbidden forest. He slowed now and as he tried to land, promptly hit a tree limb. Embarrassed, Draco jumped up, dusting himself off. He had no idea why he was embarrassed. No one else was there, it was his first landing, he could have died so he did a pretty good job... he thought. Draco's wings folded neatly around him, like an expensive cloak. He liked that a lot. He reached up to touch the rough exterior of the wings and noticed two things at once. Long, sharp talons had grown from the ends of his long fingers and each fiber on his wings seemed to be it's own bit of magic, barbed at the end of each strand. The wind blew and he watched each strand shift with it, until he caught the scent. His mate was so close. Draco took off through the forest, realizing he wasn't alone as he traveled. The other power he'd felt earlier was close and headed in the same direction he was. They were going to intersect.

Draco tried not to let out a yelp as he came upon the creature. It was a dragon, snarling and snapping. It was unlike any dragon Draco had ever seen, about twenty feet long and crimson red. It appeared to be covered in feathers. The dragon lunged at Draco, easily dodged. Draco bore his fangs, hissing and lashed out at the creature that was trying to encircle him, trap him. A familiar smell invaded him.

"Blaise?" he hissed.

"Draco?"

There was a loud pop and the two creatures stood there looking for all the world like two normal Slytherin boys. "Draco! Mate, I thought you were dead!" They embraced happily, relieved that neither was the threat.

"What the fuck were you Blaise?"

"What the fuck were YOU Draco? You didn't look at all like yourself either."

"I don't know? A Veela? We'll figure it out later," Draco said, feeling the pull of his bondmate. He glanced in the direction of the school, they were just outside the Quidditch pitch now, a game was being played. Gryffindor vs. Hufflepuff. "Please don't let it be a Gryffindor." he whispered.

"I'm more worried about my mate being a Hufflepuff." Blaise whispered back, even though he knew Draco was talking to himself. They carefully strode out of the Forbidden Forrest, trying for all the world to look like they belonged there. They didn't make it far when McGonagal stopped them.

"Boys," she said in her normally callous tone, wand drawn, "what are you doing here? You two have been reported missing. Your mothers are here, worried sick." Blaise blanched and looked at Draco, a wide grin spreading over his face.

"They're alive," the boys whispered simeotaneously.

"We missed the train." Draco said, staring down his Transfiguration professor.

"We had to walk." Blaise added.

"I know that's a lie boys, we'll sort it out later, come along." McGonagall said, leading the way to the castle.

The teasing smell of his mate flirted with Draco's Veela side and he veered away from Blaise and the professor, with Blaise quickly following suit.

"We should go with her." Blaise said in a warning tone, "can't you wait Draco? We've waited this long."

"I cannot." Draco replied, nearing the stands. He climbed up into Slytherin's stand, McGonagall yelling at them to come back. Several professors were gathered with her now, they knew something was wrong.

"Draco. DRACO!" That was Snape.

"Dracoooo. Deathhhh Eaterrr." Blaise hissed. Draco ignored him, trying to follow the scent of his bondmate. It had been here but now it was gone. Somewhere on the other side of the pitch. One of the players then, because no one had passed him going down.

Blaise spotted the Death Eaters before Draco did. It was dusk now and they were easily hidden in the darkness outside of the pitch. They sprang onto it, curses flying. Panic ensued, professors were ushering students to run to the school. The DA was forming on the pitch around Harry Potter. When Draco spotted Harry, he knew. This was his mate. His stomach flip flopped at the beautiful sight. Then alarms went off, there were far more Death Eaters than there were the DA. Draco felt his body turn and change to the Veelan form.

 He jumped from the top of the stands, his wings spread open and he let out a terrible howl, diving for the Death Eaters, claws bared. Blaise was encircling the DA, pushing them back towards the school, in full Magiodrago form. They stabbed at him with their curses, Harry doing the most damage. Draco tore through the Death Eaters, clawing and beating them back. He was covered in their blood and they shot curse after curse at him. He couldn't count the number of banned curses they were using, even unforgiveables. He felt none of them, batting them off, like flies. They were all students he noticed, ripping out Crabbe's throat as he headed for Nott. Slytherin students.

Blaise cried out in pain behind him. *Harry* Draco turned to run for them, Blaise was standing on his back haunches, wings spread, spitting a little amount of dark red fire, slashing his tail wildly at more of the Death Eaters. The DA stood behind him now, covered in Blaises blood and feathers, staring. They had no idea what was going on. Bellatrix was there, appearing as if from nowhere, aiming her wand at the group. She was saying something snide to the Golden Trio, ready to fire. Draco took to the air, flying faster than he thought he could as he topppled straight into Bellatrix.