A Veela's Mate || Draco Malfoy

Yᴏᴜ ʜᴀᴠᴇ sᴜᴘᴘᴏʀᴛ Iʀɪs

Monday, September 2 

Dumbledore looked up as the door to his office opened. Breaking out into a welcoming smile, he offered his two guests a lemon drop before popping one into his own mouth.

"Hermione, Ronald, I apologies for making you late for your first class, but I wanted to talk to you," he said, allowing his eyes to twinkle merrily at the two teens.

"Is this about Iris?" Hermione asked eagerly. She hadn't thought much about it when McGonagall had come up to them and said the Headmaster wanted to speak with her. But when Iris hadn't returned by the time they were preparing to head for their first class, she had begun to wonder what was going on. She had begun to wonder even more when she had received her own request to come here along with Ron only to find no Iris.

"As a matter of fact, it is. Something wonderful has happened today, and I hope you will be able to support Iris while she gets used to the situation," Albus said with a pleased smile, giving two of his favorite students a grandfatherly look.

"Of course we will support Iris! She's our friend," Ron said hotly, as always rushing in before knowing all the details.

"I'm glad to hear that, Ron. You see, young Mr. Malfoy is a Veela," Albus said, only to be cut off by a happy squeal.

"And Iris is his mate, isn't she?" Hermione asked eagerly, putting two and two together and getting four.

"Iris and Malfoy? What does that little ferret want with Iris?" Ron exclaimed, aghast.

"Oh, hush, Ron. It wasn't as if Malfoy picked her on purpose," Hermione scolded with a frown.

"You are quite correct, Hermione, as always," Dumbledore said with a gentle smile. Hermione beamed with pleasure at the praise. "Malfoy did not, as you put it, pick Iris on purpose. They are soul mates, and once they bond, nothing will be able to break them apart. As you know, a Veela is unable to hurt his or her mate, and they will love and adore them to the day they die."

Hermione got a starstruck look in her eyes and sighed softly. She almost wished a Veela would pick her for a mate, from what little she'd read about them, it sounded very romantic. Only not Malfoy. Hermione shuddered. The stuck up, spoiled little prick.

"I know this comes as a shock to everyone, but once a Veela finds its mate, it is for life. Iris is naturally a bit overwhelmed by all this, and I am counting on you two to support and help her accept this bond. As I said, young Malfoy is not able to harm Iris in any way, and will be able to give Iris all the love and affection she sadly has missed out on in life so far," Albus said, adding a sad sigh at the end for additional effect.

Dumbledore was happy and proud to see that Hermione had grasped what he was hinting at. Young Ron looked like he was stuck on the fact that it was Draco Malfoy that Iris was about to be bonded to, and had probably not heard a word he said after that. "Can I count on you two to look past young Malfoy's previous behavior and stand by your friend?" he asked gravely in an attempt to drive the point home.

"Of course you can, sir," Hermione promised for the two of them. "Where are they going to stay? And what about classes?"

"I have arranged private rooms for them; I'll show you where they are at a later date. They will be excused from class for the next three days, and after that, they will attend the same classes. I hope you don't mind sharing your notes for these first few days, Hermione."

"Gladly, Professor, I'll pick up their homework as well," Hermione said happily, pride filling her that the Headmaster was asking her to help Iris, and of course the other girl could use her notes. She refused to allow Iris to fall behind, no matter how important and necessary the circumstances for missing classes were.

"Good. I knew I could count on you. That will be all for now. Here is a note for your teacher," Albus said, handing the note to Hermione.

Hermione nodded her thanks and accepted the note from the aged hand that was holding it out to her. Grabbing Ron's arm, she hurried out of the office and towards the Transfiguration classroom.

"How could you agree just like that?" Ron complained. "That's Malfoy, 'Mione. The Ferret. The scum of all snakes!"

"I know that, Ron!" Hermione snapped in irritation. "And I'm no happier about that than you are. But you have to remember that this is also about Iris. She is still our friend and she needs to know that we will always support her, even if she's had the misfortune to be tied to that snake. I will head to the library after lunch and see what I can find on Veela. Maybe there is some way to lessen the bond."

Ron brightened considerably at this prospect and entered the classroom in good cheer. Hermione always found a way to solve sticky situations. She would help Iris get away from the ferret, she just needed time to do some thorough research first. If he was lucky, he might even get out of helping her, seeing as she was always complaining that she got things done quicker without his 'assistance'.