No Choice (Dramione/Veela)

Chapter 28: The Dangers

(This chapter picks up immediately after the last one left off)

Still Draco's POV

"I-I don't think I ever mentioned it," I stuttered nervously.

"When is it?" She asked again, calmly.

I took a deep breath. "January 18th," I replied honestly, "Less than three weeks."

She sighed, and fell back on my bed. "Draco," she said, staring up at the ceiling, "you know we have too-"

I interrupted her, and sat down on the bed next to her. "I know," I stopped her, "I know what we have to do, but I don't want you to worry about that now."

It was never mentioned aloud, but we both knew that by my eighteenth birthday we needed to mate, or the Veela half of me would die, taking the rest of me, and probably Hermione as well, with it. I looked down at her, and after a few seconds she noticed and looked back. We were looking into each other's eyes. I felt like apologizing again, but I know she would just say it didn't matter.

"Do you think that's why that just happened?" She asked, breaking the silence between our gazes.

I sighed, and nodded. "The same thing happened to me, earlier," I explained, "When I hugged you when I arrived at the Weasley's, I felt like I was about to pass out."

She moved over, and I laid down next to her. I sighed ever so quietly, it felt perfect. "I guess that's the universe telling us we're out of time," she said softly, perhaps to herself.

I didn't reply, even though it was true. I exhaled, and tried to sense her emotions. To my surprise, there was no frustration, and no fear. Well at least she's not afraid of me anymore, I mused. "We're not out of time," I admitted, breaking another silence.

She turned her head to look at me. "Now," I said, getting off the bed, "Let's go get Ginny, she's probably wondering what's going on."

Hermione nodded, and sat up on the bed as well. I reached out and she accepted my hand, standing up. Still holding tightly to her hand, we walked back out of my room. "I like your door," she joked quietly as I pulled it open.

I smiled down at her, and was about to reply but I opened the door to reveal Ginny with a person I definitely could have gone longer without seeing.

Hermione's POV

It was Mr. Malfoy. He seemed to be speaking to Ginny as we opened the door, but stopped as soon as we appeared. Ginny glanced at me, her eyes wide in fear. I rushed to her, and took one of her hands in mine.

"Are you OK?" I whispered as quietly as I possibly could, and she nodded.

Meanwhile, Draco stepped between us and his father, which I was extremely grateful for. "Father," he said, as calmly as he could, but I could feel his fearfulness even over the distance, "I wasn't aware you were home."

"Why are these two in my house?" Mister Malfoy spat, his voice full of contempt.

He doesn't waste any time with formalities, does he? I thought.

"Because Ginny is a friend," Draco said sternly, "And Hermione is my girlfriend."

I exhaled, still keeping my volume as low as possible. I could also feel a small wave of relief go over Draco as well as he said those words. However, Lucius inhaled sharply, obviously trying to keep his cool.

"And before you ask," Draco started again, "Mother does know, so you might want to take it up with her before we both do something we'll regret."