Veela Love

Chapter One: Summer Holiday

"Excuse me? I don't believe I heard you correctly, Mother," Draco snarled.

His mother didn't seem fazed by his attitude. "I said you're a Veela, Draco. Or part Veela, that is.

A strangled laugh escaped his throat. "No."

"Yes."

"I don't believe you."

"Well, when the clock strikes midnight, and it's your 18th birthday, you'll go through the transformation, and you'll believe me then." She stared at him, pointedly.

"You aren't kidding," Draco said faintly.

"I wish I was."

"Was it you or Father who did this to me?" hissed Draco.

"Your father has the blood," his mother said stiffly.

"Great, just another wonderful present he's given me," Draco cried, glancing down at his left arm where the dark mark stood out stark against his pale skin. His mother stayed silent.

"What does the transformation entail?" Draco asked. He hated the strain of fear that laced his words.

"You'll be in bed until it's over. It's going to be incredibly painful, and your body will project a magical bubble around you, the same with your mate."

"My mate?" He sounded strangled to his own ears.

"You know this, Draco. Veela's have mates. Yours will be going through a similar transformation, so she's ready to be with you."

"I don't get a say?"

"No."

For a brief moment, Draco hated his mother, the way she was sitting there so calm and collected when his entire world was crashing down around him. "What if I don't like her?"

"Your Veela side will care about nothing more in this world than her health and safety."

"And my human side?"

"Well, that's up to you, Draco."

"Did you and dad..." he trailed off.

His mother tilted her head, considering her son. "I was his mate. His Veela side was always protecting me as best it could from the man your father was."

Draco nodded. He understood. "And I suppose I must do what any Veela needs to do to their mate? Mark them and mate with them within a year of turning, or else I'll die?"

His mother inclined her head, and he sighed. He didn't like any of this at all.

Glancing at the clock, he found it was almost midnight – almost his birthday. "I'd best get upstairs and lay down."

"I'll be checking on you the whole time, Draco, my little dragon."

*********************************************************************************

Hermione woke feeling like she'd been hit by a truck. Opening her bleary eyes, an alarm started going off. Before she could figure out a way to make the offending noise stop, a Healer in a lime green robe hurried into the room.

"Ms. Granger! I'm so happy you're awake!"

"What happened?" Hermione's throat was parched, and her stomach growled. The Healer poured her a glass of water, which she hastily drank.

"Do you know what a Veela is?"

Hermione's eyebrows rose in surprise at the sudden change of topic. "Yes, of course."

"Well, they pick mates when they go through the change."

A sinking feeling started in the pit of Hermione's stomach. "Did.. did someone pick me?"

The Healer nodded.

All the breath left Hermione's lungs. Ron. She was dating Ron. "Do we know who it is?" she choked out.

"No idea. No one has come into the hospital."

"Where are my friends? My family?"

"They've been taking shifts in the waiting room for the past two weeks. Do you want me to grab them?"

Hermione nodded, which made her head swim. "Do they know already?"

"No. It's your decision whether or not to tell them."

"Thank you."

Hermione knew she had to tell them, had to break things off with Ron no matter how much she loved him. If she didn't, then someone out there would die because of her selfishness. She just hoped whoever her mate was, he was as willing to sacrifice as she was.