Narrator's POV
Harry, Ginny, and Ron sat waiting in the infirmary. They had been talking together for almost half an hour, standing by till one of the two would wake up.
They didn't notice when the blonde one opened his eyes, and they almost had three-fold heart attacks when he sat up sharply. He looked around. "Where am I?" He exclaimed, but seemed to answer his question in his own head as he breathed out and settled back down.
He gasped again, however, when his eyes came to rest at Hermione, still being held in his own arms. "Hermione!" He cried, and jumped out of the bed, laying her down on the bed's pillow. He knelt down next to her.
"Oh my god," he whispered to himself and Hermione, their faces inches apart, "What have I done."
"Oi!" An annoyed voice called from the next bed over.
Draco looked up. It was the Weasel, and he was just now becoming aware of the presence of Hermione's friends. His eyes flickered with recognition before they did anger, and he growled at the red-haired one who had dared confront him.
"Did you hear that? He just gr-" Ron started, dumbfounded before Harry yanked him back down on the bed, shutting him up.
"What happened to her?" Draco asked desperately, staring at Hermione's rested face.
"You spent too much time apart," Ginny explained sympathetically, "She went into some fit of pain a few hours ago, and based on the condition your friend Zabini brought you in, the same thing happened to you."
He sighed. "Please leave," He asked stiffly.
"We're not going an-" Ron started again but was stopped by Ginny.
"Shut it," she ordered, pushing Ron towards the door, "We might be back later," she noted to Draco as she led the two boys out of the infirmary, hesitant to leave their friend under the watch of a former enemy.
After they left, Draco broke down into several tears. "It's all my fault," he mumbled repetitively to himself. It was his God-forsaken Veela blood that had punished him for leaving her behind, and now it was her that was feeling the effects.
He laid down in Hermione's hospital bed beside Hermione, and pulled her up to him into his arms. "I'm so sorry," he mumbled as he wrapped his arms around her, hugging her tightly, and setting her head against his shoulder. He was still sore, and his throat hurt, but he felt the pain subsiding as he held his mate in his arms for the first time.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Hermione's POV
I opened my eyes slowly. At first I didn't know where I was, and I jolted slightly. I couldn't move my arms, and I was about to freak out even further until I realized I was in the infirmary, in a hospital bed.
I looked around, and noticed that the reason I couldn't move my arms was because I was in someone else's. I looked up, which was a mistake because I hit Draco in the chin with my head. I grunted in pain, but Draco didn't move. Did he fall asleep again? I asked myself.
The answer was apparently yes as I slowly removed myself from his embrace (which was not easy) and sat down next to him. What had happened? I remember being in extreme amounts of pain, but my friends had probably brought me down here to Madam Pomfrey. But that didn't explain why Draco was here.
Perhaps he came to check on me, I thought, Or maybe the pain you were experiencing affected him, too? Or maybe it was the other way around. Then what would have happened to him? He seemed fine. I was sore everywhere, but compared to the pain I had endured last night, I was fine. "Draco," I said quietly, and shook his shoulder gently.
He jumped, and opened his eyes. He looked around for a split second until focusing on me. "Hermione!" He exclaimed, and hugged me tightly, "Can I get anything for you?"
I was surprised, and I didn't think to hug him back. Probably thinking that was because I was still mad, he pulled away. "I'm so sorry," he apologized.
"For what?"
"For everything," he continued, "I overreacted and I thought you were still mad at me so I shut you out. That was the worst thing I could have done."
I could tell he was about to hug me again but was restraining himself, thinking I might get angry. "Draco," I started, sighing, "I have to say I did the exact same thing."
I laughed softly, still staring into his gray eyes, before continuing. "My friend Ron is an idiot," I sighed, and chuckled again, "So I'll apologize for him, too. It seemed we both had a lapse in judgement, apparently we can't be away from each other for too long."
I sighed. "Yeah," Draco smiled softly, "Your stuck with me, but I did warn you. I'll never let that happen again, it's my job to keep you happy and safe, and I've failed."
I shook my head. "You haven't failed at anything. Now, I'm going to go let my friends know I'm all right," I said, turning to leave, but he grabbed my hand.
"Hermione," he started, looking nervous again, "I know we partially don't have a choice, obviously, but do you want to come stay in my manor for some of the break? You can go stay with the Weasleys for most of it, but I'd still like to see you. We also have a New Years ball every year with a lot of family friends, and I would really like you to accompany me."
I nodded. "Alright, if I have to," I smirked, "but I'd love to."
He smiled excitedly. "That's great!" He exclaimed, taking my hand, "My mother would love to meet you. I... actually haven't told her about you, yet."
"What?" I asked.
"Yeah," he said sheepishly, "I was... nervous, but I'm not anymore, so I want you to meet her."
I nodded, still wondering as to why Draco had never let his mother know he had found out that I was his mate, it had been several weeks. Wait, how long had he known?"
"When did you actually know?" I asked.
He seemed confused. "That it was me?" I continued, still being slightly cryptic.
He gasped softly, now understanding what I meant. "Oh!" He exclaimed, and looked a little hesitant to tell me, "Since the first day of school," he answered simply.
"Woah," I breathed.
"What does it matter?" He asked, concerned at my reaction.
It really wasn't that big of a deal, but before I had known that he was a Veela, I hadn't exactly tried to be nice to him. "It doesn't," I said, obviously unconvincingly.
He raised an eyebrow. "Seriously," I continued, "Well, I should go now. Let me know later what days you want me to stay with you, and I'll let my friends know. They won't be happy, you know. Wait... is it OK if my friends come to the ball? You know, just Gin, Harry, and Ron of course."
He chucked. "I can live with that, I'll let my mom know," he sighed, "Well, I better see you later."
I nodded, and left him in the infirmary to go and find my friends.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
"That's not fair!" Harry exclaimed, and Ron backed him up with a "You can't be serious!"
"Oh please!" I groaned, "You can't honestly say you're surprised."
Then they were silent. "Come on guys," Ginny joined me from behind, putting a hand on my shoulder, "If anything, she should be spending the whole break with him, but she decided she wants to spend most of it with us."
"Yeah," I agreed, "And I'll still be with you guys on Christmas, and we can all go to the Malfoy's New Years Ball together!"
This was news to them. "I didn't mention that?" I mumbled.
"We're invited?" Ginny exclaimed, excitedly, "Harry, we should go together!"
Harry smiled and nodded. No matter how much he may have hated Malfoy, he wasn't going to disappoint his newly appointed girlfriend.
It was silent again, and I took a seat next to Ginny. "What about you, Ron?" I asked him.
Ron shook his head. "I don't know, Hermione," he shrugged.
"No way!" I exclaimed, "It's not gonna be the same if we're not all together."
"But you all have dates," he mumbled, glaring at Harry (who he was still upset about dating his sister).
"What about Lavender?" Ginny suggested.
"Yeah!" I agreed, "Patil says she still has eyes for you. Plus, that girl loves this kind of fancy, romantic stuff."
He blushed slightly. "I could ask her," he shrugged, "Is that OK?"
I laughed. "Draco already knows we're all coming, and I'm pretty sure he was expecting you guys to have dates anyway," I explained.
So how long are you gonna be staying with him?" Ginny asked.
"I'll be with him the first two days, and then you guys the next five for Christmas. Then, I'll go back to the manor the day before New Years Eve, and then come back with you guys the day after the ball."
"Can you two be away from each other for five days at a time?" Harry asked skeptically, "We don't want to have another... accident."
"I won't let it go that far," I said simply, "It should be fine."
"Should be fine?" Ginny asked skeptically.
I nodded, and picked up one of the books on the common room table.
"Wait," I sat up straight again, "Ginny did you want to sleep over the night before the ball so we can get ready together?"
Ginny squealed with glee, and the two boys groaned. "Girls," they both muttered.
Ginny had grabbed my shoulder and was bouncing up and down, but then she stopped. "Wait," she paused, "Will that be OK with Draco? I assume that that manor's huge, but I'd make sure it's fine with the Malfoys before inviting me over."
"We could share a room," I suggested, "And I really don't fancy sleeping in a room alone."
"Draco could make sure you're not alone," Ginny raised her eyebrows.
"Ginny!" The boys cried from their other side of the room.