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Souls Collide	By : LunaGrrl Category: Harry Potter > Het - Male/Female > Draco/Hermione Views: 10285 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter, nor any of the characters from the books or movies. I do not make any money from the writing of this story.

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Title: Souls Collide

Author: Luna

Feedback: Loved and appreciated�send it to ambersgrrl@yahoo.com

Archive: Full Moon Romper Room, Tainted Fiction, Forbidden Desires, and Luna�s Night Moves�anyone else, please just ask.

Fandom: Harry Potter

Rating: NC-17 (just to be on the safe side)

Type: Challenge Response

Pairings: Hermione/Draco

Disclaimer: J. K. Rowling, Scholastic Publishing, and Warner Brothers Entertainment do not authorize this author. All characters that you recognize belong to J. K. Rowling, Scholastic Publishing, and/or Warner Brothers Entertainment. Nothing is being gained from this work of fiction.

Summary: Everything�s changing and nothing makes sense except her. He needs her more than he needs anything. Will she finally see just how perfect they are for one another or will she leave him languishing away in hell?

Author�s Note: Yes, it�s another Veela challenge fic and I�ve got to say that there are far too few of them out there! Seeing as it is it�s going to be slightly AU, or maybe more so. Okay, to be honest this is going to be completely AU. I�m going to be using these characters as I see fit. Not going to be going against their personalities too much but if you don�t like that PLEASE STOP READING NOW!!!

Anything else: I want to thank everyone who has been so patient with me waiting for this chapter. Hopefully future chapters will not be so long in coming; at least I hope they won�t. Your continued patience with me and by extension with this story is truly appreciated. Thank you so much!!!

One Other Thing: If you would like a personalized feedback response please be sure to leave your e-mail addy. I will be sure to thank you personally! After all you�ve taken the time to tell me your thoughts the least I can do is thank you properly. Thank you to everyone reading at AFF you guys rock!!!!
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Chapter Four

The house that Draco Malfoy returned to in no twisted sense of reality resembled the one that he had left only a few short weeks ago. For starters his parents took an active interest in his thoughts and opinions on a great variety of issues. The most surprising topic was his like or dislike of muggle society. The Slytherin prince couldn�t make heads or tails of their sudden interest in muggle things.

It confused the hell out of him. For his entire life they had been staunch supporters of a pureblood society. Anyone less than pure was beneath them and their son by extension. Now suddenly they weren�t referring to muggle born witches and wizards as mudbloods. He couldn�t understand the abrupt about face.

He had left halfway through breakfast just to get away from them. It wasn�t that his parents� sudden interest didn�t spark some hope in him that at last they thought of him as an individual. It was just the manner in which they had approached him that left him feeling a little lost.

If he were honest with himself he would have admitted it had more to do with a bushy haired know it all Gryffindor. He shoved his fingers through his blonde hair. Hell, even at home far away from her he couldn�t keep her from his thoughts. If his friends could see him now they would laugh him out of Slytherin.

Frustrated at his lack of control even over his own musings he slumped in a chair. He banged his head against the metal frame hoping to clear all thoughts of Hermione Granger from his mind. It wasn�t working, not that he had really expected it to but one could always hope.

It all went back to his parents� behavior at breakfast. From the time he was old enough to understand the difference in classes he had been told that anyone that wasn�t a pureblood wasn�t worth his time. It was a lesson that he had taken to heart but their attitude this morning just created chaos in his mind. Questions kept circling his brain annoying him with a distinct lack of answers. Why the sudden change and how did it affect him? He knew one thing for certain. His parents wouldn�t be this worried unless it had something to do with him.

His steel gray eyes slanted to the left as he watched his parents walk down the stone steps into the formal garden. Distantly he wondered how long of a reprieve he was going to get before they descended upon him again. Draco knew that something was going on; he just wasn�t sure what it was.

It probably had something to do with that book his mother had given him before shipping him off to visit a distant, very distant, relative this summer. He supposed he should have at least taken a look at it before tossing it unceremoniously into the bottom of a trunk never to be seen again.

With a last look at his parents strolling through the rose garden he lifted himself out of the chair. He was going to make good his escape while they were otherwise occupied. He hurried inside lest his parents somehow mistake this for an attempt to engage them in another lively debate of �What are your thoughts about��

Draco loved his parents; he really did. He didn�t always understand them but then what teenager ever really understood their parents? He climbed the front staircase striding hurriedly for his room and the relative safety therein. Shutting the door he leaned against it releasing a breath he didn�t realize he�d been holding.

He dug through his school trunk, which was where he�d hidden the book when his mother had given it to him. It was a curious little thing. There was absolutely no indication of what the book contained. It was old. That much he could discern as the black leather cover was well worn. The edges of the pages, which at one time might have been gilded, now only held faint coloring. Upon opening the book the first few pages were yellowed a sure sign that the book was much more valuable than it seemed.

The sight that greeted his eyes a couple of pages later almost caused him to drop the book. It was as if the words were mocking him. Reaching up he rubbed his eyes hoping against hope that it would somehow change what he was seeing. As he looked again he realized there was no mistake. There on the otherwise ordinary page was the title.

Understanding Your Nature
A Veela�s Guide to Veela

Draco felt sick. The implications of just what this book meant for him finally sank in. The longer he stared at that page the angrier he became. �It was all a lie,� he thought furiously. All that drivel his parents had spouted about being purebloods was a bunch of shit. You couldn�t very well be pure if something like this tainted the precious bloodline.

The book slipped from nerveless fingers a muffled plop the only sound in the room. The blonde stood there trying to come to terms with the information so callously delivered. Instantly he regretted that thought. His mother would never have been so cruel as to just hand him a book and hope he read it. It might be something his father would do but never his mother.

He snatched up the book his arm raised to throw it into the fireplace and get it the hell out of his life. He tried a couple of times to pitch the wretched thing into the flames. With a sigh he lowered his arm his fingers gripping the book tightly. Draco stalked over to his favorite chair draping his frame comfortably in it.

He flipped through the pages randomly until his eyes caught on a passage that made his stomach drop. �Typically veela are categorized by their blonde hair, long tapered fingers, sharp defined features, and blue eyes�� Draco dropped the book his heart hammering as he dashed towards the nearest mirror.

He peered intently at his reflection trying in vain to see if his eyes had changed any at all. He was fairly sure that they were still their normal steel gray but he couldn�t be sure as his mirror image kept looking away. �Would you stand still?� He growled at the glass.

His reflection struck its most condescending pose a superior smirk on those familiar features. �Wha�s the matter Draco? Think the book is right?� The mirror image widened his eyes dramatically. Draco watched as those familiar gray eyes changed slowly to the lightest of blues almost a perfect match to his mother�s eyes.

�You�re lying!� The young man hissed.

His duplicate rolled his eyes. �Draco, you may have noticed that while I have nothing else to do I have never lied to you. What sense is there in it anyway? You already knew you were different. Why do you think all those girls have been hanging all over you wherever you go? It certainly isn�t your charm that lures them in.�

�If what you�re saying is true then why haven�t they said something before now?� He accused.

The mirror image shook his head wondering when the young man had lost his ability to reason. �I don�t know. Why don�t I just pop over and ask them.� He returned moving to exit the frame.

�Don�t you dare!� Draco snarled.

�Very well,� his reflection said. �Just remember that I didn�t make this up to annoy you. It is who you are Draco and no amount of complaining is going to change that fact. If you want my advice��

�I don�t!� Draco snapped.

The mirror image continued on as if the young man hadn�t interrupted. �You�ll wait to see what you�re parents have to say about this. Then take it from there.�

�That�s your brilliant suggestion? Talk to my parents.� Draco couldn�t help the scorn that colored his words. �Yeah, because they�ve been so honest in the past.�

�They�re not perfect Draco and need I remind you that neither are you.� The duplicate barked. �Talk to them. They know more than you think they do. Besides, it�s not so bad having a mate from what I hear.� The reflection�s eyes widened as he realized that he let something slip that the young man was in no way ready for.

�Mate!� Draco shrieked in a highly un-masculine way.

�Gotta go.� The mirror image said before hastily leaving the frame.

A moment later there was a knock on his door. �Draco?� Lucius asked hesitantly from the other side. �Is everything all right in there son?�

It took the young man a moment to compose himself enough to answer his father. �Yes, everything�s fine. Was there something you needed?� He called through the still closed door.

Lucius felt foolish talking to his son through the wooden barrier but some things a father didn�t question. Merlin only knew what his offspring was up to and he had no desire to see what it was at the moment. �Your mother would like you to join us for dinner. Wash up and come down.� He ordered. With his errand accomplished he turned and went to change his clothes.

Draco frowned at the door. His thoughts raced a million miles a second. Why had his father come up and delivered the invitation? That particular job usually fell to one of the house elves. The young blonde shook his head before throwing open his wardrobe to search for something his mother liked.

Dinner that evening was a stilted affair. It was like walking around on eggshells. Everyone was afraid of saying or doing the wrong thing at precisely the wrong moment. If breakfast had been strange dinner was just bizarre though more in keep with what Draco was accustomed to.

Finally having had enough Draco set his fork and knife down abruptly. The noise startled both Lucius and Narcissa. They looked down the table at him.

Lucius took a drink from his glass lingering a moment to study his son. �Is something troubling you Draco?�

Here it was the perfect opening. Yet he couldn�t force the words past his frozen lips. He looked from his mother to his father trying to decide who would be more willing to tell him the truth. Draco pushed his half eaten plate away from him folding his hands.

Turning gunmetal gray eyes to his mother he watched her watch him expectantly. �Why did you give me a book on Veela?� He asked bluntly.

Narcissa blinked then shared a meaningful look with her husband. That look alone made the blood in Draco�s veins begin to boil. He hated feeling like he was missing some crucial piece of information and it seemed that he had been right in his speculations earlier.

Not sure what she had anticipated Narcissa never thought it would be that question. She laid her utensils beside her plate folding her hand much like her son had done. Instead of answering his question she said, �Why don�t we take this to the salon? This might take a while.�

The trio rose from the table leaving it for the elves to clean up. They entered the more comfortable salon and waited while Narcissa ordered a pot of tea. Though why she bothered was anyone�s guess. She knew that neither Draco nor his father cared for the beverage, but it gave her something to do besides thinking of the coming confrontation.

Settling on the couch next to her husband Narcissa turned her attention to her son. She knew that this �talk� was going to be one of the most difficult she�d ever experienced. Bracing herself for her child�s outburst she took a deep breath releasing it slowly. �Draco, there�s no explanation I can give you that you would believe. The truth of the matter is we, your father and I, are part Veela. We had hoped, perhaps foolishly, that you would be spared this.�

Draco didn�t say anything for a moment. He wasn�t sure what to say or where to begin. He felt as if he�d been lied to his entire life. Every condemnation he had ever heard about inferior bloodlines rang in his ears. Just two days ago all had been right with his world. Now that foundation was shaken by his very own parents. �How long have you known?� He asked in a choked voice.

�Please, you have to understand we were trying to protect you.� Narcissa pleaded with her son. She knew exactly how he felt. It was exactly how she felt when she had found out about her heritage. She was distinctly aware of how betrayed he felt at this moment. The very people that were supposed to love and shelter him had lied to him since birth.

�Oh I understand all right,� Draco sneered bitterly. �I understand that you�ve been lying to me.�

�Draco! You will not talk to your mother like that. I won�t allow it.� Lucius barked. �Allow us to explain.�

�Explain what? Why you can�t answer a simple fucking question?� The enraged young man yelled.

�Watch your mouth,� Lucius warned ominously. His blue eyes were shooting sparks at his only child. It was one thing for Draco to be angry with him but he would never allow his son�s temper to include his beloved mate. �Speak to me any way you wish but you will not use that tone in front of your mother.�

Despite the rather frantic urging of his logical mind Draco�s eyes narrowed on his father. �How about answering the question, father,� he hissed making the term of endearment sound more like an epithet.

�The reason that we didn�t tell you was because there was always a chance, albeit a small one, that you wouldn�t inherit that trait.� Lucius answered sounding like it was something he himself had heard many times.

�And how likely was it that I would?� Draco demanded.

Narcissa looked from father to son. She knew that this was going to be a difficult subject but the sheer ferocity of her child�s reaction was a shock. It made her wonder if she knew him at all. �Draco,� she said quietly to garner his attention. Only when he looked at her his gray eyes softening just a touch did she continue, �We had no way of knowing.� She held up a hand to forestall any comments he might make. �Yes, the possibility was quite high that you would inherit these genes. We never could have foreseen that you would. Why take the chance of informing you of something that may not come to pass?� She questioned calmly.

�Don�t you think I at least had the right to know, in case it did happen?� He snapped trying to rein in his hot temper.

�We discussed this,� Lucius informed his son. �How do you suppose we should have broached this subject. �Draco, you might be veela, please pass the pepper.� There was no way to prepare you for something that could very well have chosen to skip you.�

Draco�s fingers tightened around each other his knuckles white in an effort to keep from yelling, screaming, or leaving the room in a huff. Granted, his parents were correct. It didn�t lessen the feelings of betrayal that flowed through him. He let his eyes slip shut in an effort to organize his thoughts. �What else do I need to know?� He questioned coldly not bothering to open his eyes.

Lucius and Narcissa exchanged a glance both of them worried about how much more their son could possibly bear. His world was being reordered and he got no say in the matter. That alone would have been enough to create considerable anger but how much worse would it be when he learned the full truth?

�He deserves to know,� Narcissa said softly.

Draco snorted in disbelief. They both ignored him.

Lucius stood walking towards the hearth. His blue eyes stared into the dancing flames for so long that the other two feared he wouldn�t say anything at all. When he spoke his words carried a note of sadness that would normally have been absent in the man at any other time.

�This is both a blessing and a curse. There is so little information out there that predicting how each person will respond is futile in the extreme. There are some books, like the one your mother gave to you, which help you understand what can happen. That doesn�t really prepare you for the reality of your situation.�

He turned away from the flickering fire to stare at his son. His usually clear blue eyes were glazed as if seeing things that haunted him. �If your transformation follows mine in any way some of the things you can expect are an increase in your senses, being able to hear whispered conversations, being able to see things from across the room as if it were right next to you. Your sense of smell will also increase. Scents that didn�t use to bother you might become overwhelming or even sickening, other scents that you found intolerable suddenly take on new interest.�

Lucius stopped his gaze landing unerringly on his beloved wife. A soft smiled played on his lips. While he would never have wished this on anyone there were some things that had made the journey all worthwhile. In a more serious tone he continued, �These heightened senses are to help you locate your chosen mate.� He braced for it and wasn�t disappointed when his son shot to his feet his face twisted with rage.

�Mate!� Draco shouted. �You mean I don�t get any say in this at all?� His lower jaw jutted out stubbornly. Sure his mirror has said something similar to this earlier but then it was pure conjecture. Now, now however, his father was confirming it. There had to be some sense of twisted irony in all this.

�Draco, calm down,� Narcissa pleaded. �There is more going on here than you know.� She was trying to be patient and understanding with her son. She knew just how much of a shock this would be to him but his behavior was bordering on extreme.

The young man cut his steel gray eyes towards his mother. �How much worse can it really get?� He began ticking off points on his fingers. �First, all that crap you spewed about being a pureblood was utter nonsense. Second, you tell me that I�m some kind of freak. Third, I find out I have a mate and from the looks on yours and father�s faces I can tell I�m not going to like whatever else you have to spring on me.�

�How do you even know there is more?� Lucius asked sardonically. �For all you know that could have been the worst of it.�

Draco shot his father a very dark look. �I�m not stupid,� he said simply.

The older man sighed wearily. It was a look that Draco had seldom seen on his father�s visage. It made him almost afraid of the answer�almost. Draco felt justified in his anger. They had been keeping something this important from him since the day he had been born. It was enough to make him want to strike something or cry. He couldn�t tell which option seemed more appealing at the moment.

�I�m waiting,� Draco informed them, his tone softening just a bit.

�Hermione Granger.� His mother told him. Her icy blue eyes were shining with sympathy.

The young man could feel his eyes grow round as his mouth dropped open. �Surely you�re jesting!� He demanded of them, not quite sure what he should be feeling. Anger was there but strangely it wasn�t the strongest emotion. He was thoroughly confused.

�I assure you Draco, this is no jest. This situation does not call for frivolity.� Lucius said sternly.

Draco shot up off the settee and began pacing the narrow space between the furniture and the low table. His parents watched him do this for several minutes growing concerned as he muttered to himself. His hands flew around him like a set of wings on an uncoordinated bird. At last he turned to his parents. �Hermione, bloody, Granger!� He shouted at them. �You�re positive there isn�t some kind of error?�

�Quite sure Draco. We even brought in a seer to confirm it.� Lucius patiently explained.

�Hermione Bloody Granger,� Narcissa said quietly, tapping her chin thoughtfully. �That�s going to make the wedding invitations awkward.� She mused aloud, knowing that it would throw her son off balance.

�Mother!� Draco snapped, throwing a withering glare at her, which she blithely ignored. Throwing up his hands in frustration he marched from the salon.

Only once the sound of footsteps retreated did Lucius give in to his mirth. He laughed for a good long while. It wasn�t so much because what had transpired was funny but because it was the release he needed from all the tension of the evening.

�So glad I could amuse,� Narcissa said, a small smile playing about her lips.

Lucius sobered instantly. His blue eyes fixed upon hers. �What are we going to do? I�m not ready to lose him, not yet.� He confessed softly.

�And we won�t,� she assured her husband.

�You have something in mind then?� He asked curiously.

�Yes, I do.� She answered a full-fledged smile on her face.

�Well are you going to share your brilliant idea with me?� He demanded his impatience showing.

�I�m going to owl Mrs. Granger. Talk to her one mother to another. Hopefully by the end of the week we�ll have a dinner meeting just the four of us.�

�And if that doesn�t work? What then?� Lucius asked somewhat intrigued by the idea.

�We�ll cross that bridge when we come to it.� She said patting his cheek. �I think I�m going to retire. It�s been an extremely stressful evening.�

�That it has love, that it has.� He confirmed as he escorted her up the stairs to their room.
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Souls Collide