A Veela's Mate || Draco Malfoy

Tʜᴇ Nɪɢʜᴛ Bᴇғᴏʀᴇ

Thursday, September 19

Iris found it extremely difficult to settle down that night and go to sleep. Not even Draco's soothing presence next to her did anything to help the Elf to calm down enough to feel even remotely drowsy. Tomorrow was finally the day that Severus and Lucius would be free of their Dark Marks. For so long they had waited for this day, and now that it was almost here Iris felt terrified that something would happen to prevent the two men the freedom they so richly deserved.

"Would you calm down? We've thought of everything. Nothing is going to happen; not to Father, and not to Severus," Draco said in exasperation when Iris continued to fidget next to him. Wrapping his arms more securely around his mate, Draco reached up and began to run his fingers through soft black hair in the way he knew Iris liked.

"I'm sorry, Draco, but I just can't help it!" Iris complained, shifting her position yet again. "What if something goes wrong? What if the potion doesn't do what it is supposed to do? What if I'm not strong enough to free the spirit snakes? What if- oomph!"

Draco calmly looked into the green eyes glaring at him, keeping his palm firmly planted across the Elf's mouth. "Iris, we have been over this at least a hundred times. You know as well as I do that this will work. The only one capable of stopping us is Dumbledore and we've made sure that he'll be too busy with his own troubles to worry about us. Relax, Iris, everything will be just fine."

Iris looked searchingly into silvery eyes, needing the reassurance and the firm belief that was shining from their dept. Sighing softly she put her head down over Draco's heart, removing the hand from her face in the process, hoping the sound of the steady heartbeat would help calm her suddenly jittery nerves. "I know, love, and I do know. It's just..."

"Believe it or not, but I do know too," Draco said softly, resuming his petting. "But I have faith in you. And I have faith in my father and godfather, and in myself too. We've been over this so many times, looking at the problem from every angle, and we've made so many contingency plans I'm not sure I remember them all. We will be fine. They will be fine, and by Monday the two of them will be bonded the way they were meant to be."

"I really wish I could feel that certain," Iris said with a soft sigh. "Unfortunately, life has taught me to never take anything for granted. And no matter how well made the plan, something always goes awry, leaving me scrambling to save the day."

Draco snorted. "You forget, love, most of those plans were made by Dumbledore. Of course they went awry," he stated matter-of-factly, giving Iris a pointed look.

Iris stilled for a moment, completely taken aback by the logic behind Draco's statement. Then she broke into sniggers. "I guess I never looked at it that way," she eventually gasped once she was able to speak again. "I guess I never truly allowed myself to consider how much he manipulated me while I was younger. Merlin, I was so stupid!" Iris said with a sigh, thinking back at her younger years.

"No, not stupid, Iris. You were young, ignorant, even naive, but you were never stupid," Draco said softly, giving his mate a reassuring squeeze.

"Yeah, I guess I was, wasn't I?" Iris slowly agreed having thought the matter through some more. Emitting another soft sigh, but this time one of contentment, Iris settled herself more comfortably against her Veela and listened contently to the steady beating of her beloved's heart.

"I still don't think I can go to sleep though," Iris finally admitted, her mind abuzz with worries, plans, and counter plans. "What if Dumbledore doesn't come down for breakfast? What if he doesn't ingest the potion? What if-"

"Dumbledore will come down for breakfast, and he will drink down the potion. Dobby will make sure that he does and you know it! You've completely converted that house-elf you know that, right? I don't think I have ever seen one so fiercely devoted and protective of their charge before."