Hermione lay flat on her back as she thought about her predicament. She was falling. She was going to be very injured. She is currently not injured because Draco Malfoy caught her. His eyes were black then they were gray.
"Why were his eyes black?" She whispered to herself.
She thought about what she knew about magical creatures. Normal wizards' eyes don't change so he had to be part magical creature. What magical creature can change their eyes? Vampires' eyes can change hue while in blood lust, but that's red, not black. The Luplin gene creates a golden hue in the Iris. The full black eye belongs to...
The door creaked open. Malfoy took a step in hesitantly and glanced around the room. She sat up. He saw her and seemed to perk. He walked briskly toward her cot.
"You're ok!" He said as though he were relieved.
He seemed pleased to see her alive and well. He didn't smile, but he wasn't scowling either. There was something else in his face. The way his eyebrows drew in together almost worried. His eyes flitted across her, her arms, her face, her skin, as though searching for anything distressing.
How did he even reach her so quickly?
"As alright as someone falling off a broom several feet in the air can be," she replied sarcastically.
The corner of his mouth rose into an almost half smile. Something about him, as he looked at her he had a sort of glow. Suddenly it all clicked.
"I mean I'm glad you're not hurt Granger, especially after I nearly put myself at risk trying to catch you." He corrected. "A lot of damage that would do to me if you had broken bones."
"You're a veela aren't you?"
He halted at the edge of her bed. "Excuse me?"
"Malfoy, you're a veela. Aren't you?" She asked again.
He licked his lips. "I see, because I'm Draco Malfoy I can't do a simple kind act like rescue you without there being another reason."
"Well, yes. There almost always is some sort of benefit for you. Wasn't that quite literally what you were saying the other day about being indebted? Is that it? Was this your way of paying it off? You use your enhanced speed to save me?"
"I don't have enhanced speed, and I'm not a veela. Look, I know I'm handsome Granger but I didn't think you hit your head hard enough to admit it."
She groaned and shook her head."You're insufferable. Why are you even here Malfoy? Come to check on the filthy mudblood freak who has no place in this world?"
He stepped back and looked down. "I never really apologize Granger, but that should've never been said. I truly regret using those words toward you."
Hermione scoffed and bit the inside of her cheek.
"Don't say more empty words Malfoy, I don't have the capacity to entertain them today."
"I am being genuine Granger, trying to do some good."
"Oh, I doubt you know what that even means."
"And yet I saved your life when no one else could. Which you have yet to say thank you for by the way."
Hermione's eyes grew wide and her lips pinched. " I will hex you."
He held his hands up in surrender. "We'll call it even then yeah?"
She sighed.
Draco dipped his head and turned toward the doors.
"Thank you"
If it hadn't been for his enhanced hearing he would've never caught it. He smirked to himself.
__________________________________________
"So she's definitely the one?"
"I'm fairly certain"
"And you refuse to tell her?"
"I'm trying to use it as a last resort mate."
"Draco, you know what you have to do. You have to be a big boy wizard and talk to her." Blaise said from his spot in the room.
Draco had been swaying back and forth on the seat of his desk catching Blaise up on the events of the day. He finally admitted that Hermione Granger was his mate and they had been brainstorming on their next move. He had the rest of the school year to try to swoon Granger and so far he was doing horribly. According to one of the several books he had on veela. He had to find his mate, have her accept, bond, and mark her during the bond with his elongated fangs that will appear during a heightened state of arousal. The book recommends having a period of time for courtship, but Draco doubted Hermione would take well to courting.
"So you haven't pounced on her yet? Shouldn't you want to with all the hormones?" His friend questioned.
"I still get overstimulated walking the halls, Blaise. With everything else going on, I guess the stress overrode it all. I don't feel like a randy fourth-year around her. So we'll just have to see."
"You also hadn't accepted that part of yourself yet, apparently that is very vital for a maturing veela's development process. You didn't even acknowledge she was your mate till just now. It might be a matter of seconds until you try to ram down that door when she gets here."
Draco gulped. Truth is he had been on edge ever since he left her in the hospital wing. His body was alert to everything around him. Thank merlin he lived with her. Her scent was scattered around the dorm. Even in his room, it lingered on his clothes. He'd have to control himself. Maybe focus on her health rather than her. Confuse the lust for care; he could try that.
He bounced his leg repeatedly waiting. He heard the portrait door open and felt Blaise tense. He eyed him then the door.
"Drake...." Blaise said in a warning. He slowly rose from his bed. "Don't do something you'll regret."
Draco bolted up from the chair and ran toward the door. Blaise shot a spell at him that he dodged easily. It gave Blaise enough time to push the chair in his way and tackle Draco to the floor.
"Let go!" He whisper shouted. "She's my mate I have a right to see her."
"Not gonna let you go. Bad idea."
"Get off or I'll incinerate you." Draco's voice was low and cool.
Blaise waivered and started to stand. "That's still a bad idea Draco. Just relax a little before."
Draco got up and dusted his uniform. "I am just going to check on her." He flashed a sharp grin that sent chills up his spine.
He took a deep breath, trying to regain himself, and headed toward the living room.
_____________________
Hermione set her bag on the floor and hopped onto the couch. She heard the boys' hushed voices upstairs but shrugged it off. She opened the book she had been reading earlier.
"How are you feeling?"
"Jesus Christ Malfoy! When the hell did you come down the stairs?" She exclaimed when Draco suddenly appeared at the back of the couch.
"I think you were too caught up in your reading to have noticed." He leaned onto the top of the couch, staring down at her with curious eyes.
"Oh, right..." She closed the book and shifted uncomfortably. "Well, I am feeling alright thank you for asking."
He grinned and nodded.
That was odd. She had never seen him have a genuine smile. Smirks, scowls, glares, stoic expressions yes, but never a grin. "How- how are you?"
He smiled again! "I'm doing well now I suppose."
She sat up from her position with a grimace "great..."
He nodded and continued to look at her with an unfamiliar expression.
"Malfoy are you having a stroke or something? Do you need me to take you to the hospital wing again? Are you warm?"
She raised the back of her hand to his forehead, a habit from always checking on her friends. He leaned down to meet her hand. He seemed fine.She felt something stir inside her at the contact. She snatched back her hand once she realized what she was doing.
"What are you playing at Malfoy? This isn't funny."
He frowned. "I'm not playing at anything Granger. I thought we were just having a civil conversation."
Her brows knit together. "We don't have those though."
"Well, we should."
"Why?"
"It's nice is it not?"
She opened and closed her mouth. She supposed this was a decent conversation, no matter how out of the ordinary it was. He was still standing behind the couch. He looked down at the seat next to her silently questioning. She gestured over to the opposite side asking if he'd like to sit. He jumped over the couch into the seat and turned toward her.
"Did you hit your head on the bludger when you caught me or something?"
"I think I'd remember if that happened Granger." He relaxed into his seat, laying the arm closest to her on the back of the couch.
Hermione swallowed hard. She tried to analyze Draco. This was all completely out of the ordinary, and although it was strange it was also intriguing. He must've thought the same because he watched her in a similar way. His eyes were softer. His face still held a small smile that she had no idea the cause of.
"Malfoy since you are being so civil, can I ask you a question?"
"Go ahead, Granger."
She shifted toward him and brought up her knees on the couch. He moved closer to her as well, his knees almost touching hers.
"Why did you save me?"
He mused. "I could hardly let you crash and die Granger. After all, I was the closest one."
"I don't remember you being that fast."
"Some things change Granger." He leaned in closer and whispered. "I've had a lot of time on my hands, running is a good outlet."
She turned her head to the side, much like a questioning dog would. "Did something change with you recently? You seem...different."
He smiled brightly.
It was charming, it lit up his face. Malfoy might be a prat, but even Hermione couldn't deny how well he had grown into his features.
"Different how Granger?"
Hermione unconsciously wet her lips. She watched Draco's eyes focus on the movement before looking back at her. "Well, you just um- you..."
Hermione blinked a few times trying to draw her attention away from Draco. Then, she relaxed further on the couch, forgetting what it was she was trying to tell him. His fingers caressed the tops of her knees as he watched her calm into the cushions.
"What seems different about me Granger?"
She smiled at him, a lazy smile as if she was about to drift to sleep. "You know you're very attractive Draco."
He grinned and something in his chest rumbled softly.
"I think, I can't really recall what the question was," Hermione admitted in a soft airy voice.
"That's fine love." Draco reached for the hand in her lap and dragged his thumb over her knuckles.
On some level, they were both aware that something was different in the air, but neither could really place it. Neither of them really wanted it to stop.
"Oye!" Blaise shouted before he threw a rolled-up jacket at Draco from the stairs.
It hit Draco on the side of his head, momentarily breaking the trance they had been in. He grabbed it and whipped his head over to his friend on the stairs.
Hermione blinked repeatedly and furrowed her brows.
"Come on Malfoy, we're supposed to stop by the library tonight for that project."
Draco clenched his jaw and stared at the bundled-up jacket in his hands.
"What- what happened?" Hermione asked, unsure if she was asking Malfoy or herself.
Blaise pulled on his jumper and walked toward the couch. Draco gave a warning sound that almost sounded like a human grumble. Almost.
"Malfoy are you alright?" She asked.
His brows drew up in concern, a small frown fell onto his face. Malfoy continued to stare at the jumper thrown at him. He shook his head.
"Don't worry Granger, he'll be fine. Probably just the stress of the day. Right Draco?" He asked with a firm pat on his shoulder.
Draco lifted his gaze to Hermione's. She felt her heart skip a beat. He slowly got up from the couch, never leaving her eyes. As he walked past her toward the door Hermione's hand shot out for his arm.
"Wait, stop."
He listened, much to Blaise's disapproval.
Blaise sighed. "Granger, let him go we have homework to get to."
Hermione shook her head. "There's something going on here that neither of you are telling me. Not to mention, I can't fully recall what just happened during our conversation. No one is leaving till I get some answers."
Draco tore his gaze from Hermione to look at Blaise for his opinion.
Blaise's jaw clicked. "The witch said no one leaves. Fuck it, go ahead Drake."
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A/N: HI BABES! It's the holiday season, I'm feeling giving. Also, I needed a bit of serotonin after this finals season, bc my physics final made me want to cry. Over the break I'm going to try to update more of my fics, this being the first one! Thanks for all the awesome comments and reads. You guys rock!
~UnconsciouslyReading