Disclaimer – I own nothing.

Harry Potter and the Veela Promise

Chapter 1 – That gnawing feeling.

Harry Potter sat in his seat in the train, trying to ignore the gnawing feeling deep in the pit of his stomach and listen to his two best friends bicker as they were want to do. The gnawing feeling had been there since before his birthday, not all the time, but it was certainly stronger this morning than it had been before.

When the lady with the trolley came around Harry had declined and Ron and Hermione had looked at him in confusion.

‘I’m just not hungry.’ Harry had snapped at their concerned looks. The two had exchanged glances, knowing exactly how little Harry had eaten for breakfast, in fact for every meal over the last two weeks, and purchased several things for later that Harry knew were actually for him.

Hermione had taken to acting as his mother ever since the end of last year. The two weeks he had spent at the end of the holidays at Grimmauld Place had been excruciating in Harry’s opinion. Without Sirius there and with Hermione and Ron dogging his every step he wanted nothing more than to go to sleep and never wake up.

The gnawing feeling came back and Harry shifted, sighed and closed his eyes, feeling the eyes of the other two on him. Eventually the soft murmuring and the rocking of the train lulled him to sleep. Harry hated sleeping and tried as often as possible not to do it. Unfortunately it showed.

His hair hung lip and unkempt, his skin stretching over his bones and the dark circles under his eyes came halfway down his cheeks. The worst sight for his friends however, was the dull flat eyes that just stared out at you. It was unnerving after seeing the fire that usually resided within them.

‘SIRIUS NO.’ Harry screamed, awakening so violently he fell off the seat and onto the floor.

Hermione was at his side in an instant. ‘Harry, are you alright?’ she said softly as she gently rubbed his back.

Harry struggled not to panic, his breathing was laboured as he desperately tried to push the image of his godfather out of his head.

‘Excuse me.’ He gasped, shaking off her hand and bolting for the door. He made it down the corridor and in to the small bathroom at the end where he locked the door, leaning back against it and sliding down to the floor. His shoulders shook alarmingly but no tears fell. His tears would no longer come, they had deserted him, just like everyone and everything else.

Harry stayed in that spot for some time before finally moving. He stood and splashed water on his flushed face before eventually looking at himself in the mirror.

And wishing he hadn’t.

Without waiting for the mirror to comment he stumbled blindly from the bathroom and ran straight into someone.

‘Oof.’ Harry gasped and he fell back and smacked his head against the wall.

‘Watch where you’re going, Pot…’ Malfoy trailed off, his sneer dropping instantly before he paled. ‘What in Merlin’s name happened to you? You look like the walking dead? Have you eaten anything all summer? It looks like you haven’t slept in months.’ Suddenly Malfoy clapped a hand over his mouth and pushed past Harry and into the bathroom, locking the door behind him. Harry looked after him in stunned disbelief. After what had happened with his father, Harry had expected the Slytherin to try and hex him three ways from Sunday if he ever found Harry alone, not enquire after his health with more concern than even his friends had shown outwardly. All in all, it was a disquieting turn of events.

Crabbe and Goyle cracked their knuckles menacingly but Harry just rolled his eyes and moved past them to go back to the compartment where he knew Ron and Hermione would be waiting anxiously. He didn’t know what had come over the blond Slytherin but the concern in both his eyes, and his voice, had been disturbing to say the least. However on the plus side, the gnawing in his stomach had gone, at least for the moment.

Harry groaned inwardly as they started the minute he stepped back through the door.

‘I’m fine, just please, leave me alone.’ He said rudely.

‘Harry, I just want to make sure you’re alright.’ Hermione insisted.

Harry rolled his eyes. ‘I’ll never be alright Hermione, but I’ve never had a mother before and I don’t need one now. So just sod off.’ He growled before throwing himself into the seat by the window and glaring out at the passing countryside. He was just in time to see an incredibly pale Draco Malfoy hang out of the door of the train and launch his owl into the blue sky, a letter clutched tightly in its beak. Harry wondered what could have been so incredibly important, not realising he would soon find out, or that he would wish he hadn’t.

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Four hours later the train arrived at Hogsmeade and Harry could hear Hagrid calling for the first years. The trip, after his little run in with Malfoy, had been uneventful. Several members of the DA had visited the compartment but Harry had stayed stubbornly silent, staring out the window speaking to no one.

He grabbed his trunk and Hedwig’s cage and without waiting pushed through the younger students and off the train. He found a carriage full of second years and piled in without waiting to be invited. They all stared at him in shock before breaking out into whispers but Harry ignored it all.

He kept his head bowed as the Thestrals pulled the carriage up through the front gates of the castle and Harry was out before it even stopped moving, but he didn’t go inside, instead walking away across the grounds towards the lake.

‘Harry.’ Hermione called after him but he ignored her and kept walking.

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Harry didn’t know how long he stood there, staring out at the lights of the castle as they reflected off the water. The chatter of the students had long since faded and now the sounds of owls and frogs were all Harry could hear. He also noticed absently that the gnawing feeling had returned.

All too soon footsteps intruded and Harry turned slightly to see his Head of House walking slowly towards him. ‘Mr Potter,’ she said gently, more kindly than Harry had every heard her. ‘You really shouldn’t be outside alone.’ She scolded quietly.

Harry sighed, reaching up and running a tired hand through is hair. ‘Sorry, Professor. I just needed some time to think.’

McGonagall eyed him carefully. ‘You do know that Sirius wouldn’t want you blaming yourself, don’t you?’

Harry nodded but it was clear to both of them that he didn’t really believe it.

McGonagall let out a breath and gentle took his elbow. ‘Come on, Harry.’ She said encouragingly as she tugged him slowly back towards the castle.

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Harry flinched slightly as the doors to the great hall opened and all eyes turned to stare at him. McGonagall for her part, just glared at the rest of the students before guiding Harry to the Gryffindor table and waiting until he sat down.

‘Please do try to eat something, Mr Potter. I’ve seen fence posts fatter than you.’ She said quietly before walking swiftly up to the head table. Looking at the plates of food already on the tables Harry realised he had been down by the lake a lot longer than he thought and she had obviously come to fetch him after the sorting had been completed.

Harry idly pushed some food around his plate, dutifully swallowing a mouthful when he caught his Head of House looking pointedly at him.

Eventually he gave up trying and placed his knife and fork back together and sat back in his seat. He could feel a set of eyes practically staring into his soul from across the hall and he raised his head to see grey eyes looking back at him in concern.

Harry found the worried expression on the other boy’s face quite out of character and rather disconcerting but also found he couldn’t look away. The gnawing in his stomach settled and he suddenly felt relaxed and at peace. It was a calm that Harry hadn’t felt in a long time.

‘Harry!’ Ron yelled in his ear and Harry jumped. ‘Sorry mate.’ Ron said sheepishly. ‘But we’d been trying to get your attention for almost ten minutes. It’s time to go and Dumbledore wants to see you.’ The redhead gestured to the doorway where an old looking headmaster was looking gravely at Harry.

‘What does he want?’ Harry muttered bitterly.

‘We don’t know, so you had better just go and find out.’ Hermione retorted. Obviously she was still upset about the train. The peace had gone and Harry sighed, pushing his tired and frail body up off the bench and climbing over it to walk towards the door.

‘You wanted to see me, Professor?’ Harry said wearily. Albus Dumbledore seemed quite distressed at the sight of the dull green eyes. The last time he had seen them had been before the holidays when Harry had kindly rearranged his office. There had been a fire in them then, a fire that was now well and truly out.

‘Yes, Harry. Would you kindly come up to my office with me?’ Dumbledore tried to smile at the boy but Harry had already turned away and began walking through the door.

Dumbledore hurried after him but it was as though he wasn’t there. Harry walked silently through the corridors of the school until he reached the gargoyle and waited as Dumbledore gave the password before ascending the stairs.

As he stepped into the office and got a look at the other occupants he stopped, Dumbledore just managing to close the door and squeeze past him.

‘Please take a seat, Harry.’ Dumbledore gestured to a comfy chair on the other side of the desk.

‘I think I’d rather stand.’ Harry said bluntly as he took in the people arrayed around the room once again.

McGonagall was standing over by Fawkes perch and had an expression of anger on her face, her lips pressed tightly together and her arms folded tightly across her chest. Looking at her Harry could tell it wasn’t aimed at him though, and he wondered exactly what had happened to upset her so. Snape was sneering at him disdainfully. Nothing new there, Harry thought. The other two occupants were the kicker though. Narcissa Malfoy sat primly on the edge of the chair, pleading blue eyes turned in Harry’s direction and Draco Malfoy stood beside her, that worried expression still plastered across his face.

‘Trust me, Potter, you’ll want to sit for this.’ His Head of House said primly.

Harry glanced at up at her and she nodded giving him a small tight smile. Harry sighed heavily and sat down. ‘What?’ he said succinctly.

‘Potter.’ Snape growled warningly but Albus held up his hand and turned to the boy.

‘Harry, what do you know about Veela?’ he asked softly.

‘Enough.’ Harry replied.

‘What do you know about their habits?’

‘Enough.’ Harry said again, smiling inwardly as Snape looked to be about to launch into a rant of epic proportions.

‘Potter.’ Snape growled again. Harry glanced coldly at him before turning back to the headmaster.

‘The Defence teachers you hired, other than Remus, may have been useless, Professor, but I can read quite capably thank you very much.’ He said softly.

‘That’s open to debate.’ Snape drawled.

‘Shut up, Severus.’ Malfoy burst out. ‘And leave him alone.’

Snape looked taken aback at the outburst and Harry couldn’t help but look at the Slytherin with wide eyes.

‘Alright,’ he said carefully. ‘What’s going on?’

‘Harry, you have to understand. He didn’t choose this.’ Dumbledore started.

‘He didn’t choose what?’ Harry said tightly, enunciating every syllable.

‘Mr Potter.’ Narcissa Malfoy broke in. ‘Please just hear me out.’ She pleaded softly.

Harry couldn’t help but nod and she continued.

‘Mr Potter, I am a part veela. It is something that I have hid from my husband for almost twenty five years. I was hoping never to have to tell him, hoping that Draco’s veela heritage would be overcome by the strong pureblood wizarding heritage he received from his father, but it was not to be.’

Harry raised an eyebrow as Malfoy placed a gentle hand on her shoulder, pulling a handkerchief from his pocket and handing it to his mother who dabbed at the corner of her eyes delicately.

‘During the holidays Draco turned sixteen and the part veela in him awakened. As you know Veela mate for life but it is rare for the veela to find their mate and they usually sacrifice their happiness and marry another, like I did with Lucius. This has no bearing on their life, unless they find their mate but are unable to bond with them. If this happens the veela will die.’ She broke off and Harry glanced around the room.

‘I know all this.’ Harry said quietly. ‘But what does it have to do with me?’

Narcissa glanced at her son before those pleading blue eyes landed on him once more. ‘Mr Potter,’ she whispered. ‘You are Draco’s mate.’

Harry gave no outward sign he had heard what she said but inside his head was spinning. Over and over those words played and eventually Harry leant forwards and placed his head in his hands.

The last semblance of any control he might have had over his own life had just vanished. He couldn’t even choose whom he could spend the rest of his life with. Not unless he wanted to cold bloodedly kill the Slytherin and Harry could never do that, even to Draco Malfoy.

Harry’s shoulders began shaking and finally his tears returned. Oh, the irony of it. Moment’s later he looked up toward the ceiling, tears streaming down his face. ‘You must really hate me.’ He whispered bitterly before dropping his head once more, the others in the room watching him nervously.

‘Harry?’ Dumbledore said quietly.

Harry shook his head. ‘I…I can’t do this now?’ he stammered, bolting for the door to the office and flinging himself down the stairs.

‘Harry, wait, please.’ A voice called after him but Harry kept running. It was several corridors before the pounding feet caught up to him and he felt himself spun around and held tightly. ‘I’m sorry, I’m so sorry.’ The voice whispered.

‘No.’ Harry sobbed. ‘It’s not true.’

‘Harry, I’m sorry. I’m so, so sorry.’ The voice repeated and Harry finally looked up to see grey eyes watching in concern. He felt that calm wash over him and his stomach settled once more and he knew it was true.

‘Oh god.’ Harry gasped but he didn’t pull away, allowing those comforting arms to hold him tightly. Later he would question why he had stood there and allowed Draco Malfoy of all people to hold him as he practically had a nervous breakdown, but at the time, it just seemed right. He could feel the possessive way Malfoy was holding him and he heard the small growl the taller boy gave as Dumbledore and the others came up to them.

‘Harry.’ Dumbledore said softly and Harry finally looked up to see pain radiating from the headmaster’s normally twinkling blue eyes. ‘I’m truly sorry, dear boy.’ He whispered. Harry just nodded before allowing Malfoy and McGonagall to steer him away down the corridor.

He took no notice that he was being led away from Gryffindor tower or that Malfoy was still holding his hand, the Slytherin’s other arm encircling his waist. All he could conceivably concentrate on was placing one foot in front of the other and not succumbing to the darkness that was creeping in from the edge of his vision. He didn’t even have the energy to be angry. His head just kept telling him that eventually the fates would stop playing with him and leave him be. Of course, it might be too late by then, his inner voice said ruefully.

He barely noticed as he was led into the hospital wing and gently pushed down on a bed. He vaguely heard McGonagall saying something about shock before he felt the cool glass of a potions vial against his lips and opened his mouth. As the potion slid down his throat his eyes started to close and the last thing he saw were grey eyes looking at him sadly.

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‘Are you sure you’re right about this, Draco?’ Snape asked quietly. They were standing in the corner of the hospital wing as the Slytherin had refused to leave until Harry woke up and told him to go.

Draco, for his part, hadn’t even looked away from the sleeping Gryffindor as the potions master had practically dragged him away from the bed. ‘Yes.’ Malfoy whispered. ‘He knows it too. He can feel it.’

‘But Draco, it’s Potter, what will your father say? What about the Dark Lord?’

Malfoy’s eyes flashed as he finally tore his gaze from the prone figure and glared up at the potions master. ‘I care nothing for the Dark Lord.’ He spat. ‘And as for my father, he can learn to stand by my decisions or he can find himself another son.’ He said imperiously before turning on his heel and crossing the room to sit back beside Harry’s bed and taking the small, calloused hand in his own.

Snape was stunned. Draco Malfoy would willingly give up all his wealth, his position and his inheritance, all for the practically half dead Gryffindor laying in a bed across the room.

‘God, Draco, I hope you know what you’re doing.’ He whispered before he swept silently from the room.

Narcissa Malfoy, McGonagall and Dumbledore were also still in the hospital wing. Watching over Harry from the privacy of Poppy’s office where the mediwitch was explaining what she had found when scanning the young Gryffindor after he had fallen asleep. Every so often they would watch as Draco stood and paced at the end of Harry’s bed, his eyes never leaving the other boy before eventually sitting down and taking Harry’s hand in his once more.

Eventually he fell asleep, his head resting on the edge of Harry’s bed, Harry’s hand still clasped tightly in his, and the two Professors retired to their rooms. Narcissa flooed to Malfoy Manor from the headmaster’s office, promising to return in several days.

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Harry awoke early in the morning, the sun just peeking through the windows and the smell of disinfectant assaulting his nostrils.

He was in the hospital wing.

‘Oh god.’ Harry moaned softly as the events of the evening before flooded through him. Draco Malfoy was a part veela and he was his mate. Ron and Hermione would have a field day with this little tidbit. He shifted slightly and felt a weight on his hip. He looked down to see a head of white blonde hair resting just next to his hand and said hand was held tightly in another.

Harry struggled not to yank his hand back, inadvertently waking the other boy.

‘Good morning, Harry.’ Dumbledore said softly from the next bed startling Harry.

Harry looked back down at the Slytherin for a moment before replying. ‘Is it?’

‘Harry, please, just give him a chance.’ Dumbledore pleaded quietly.

‘Why should I?’

The headmaster tugged at his beard in frustration. ‘Because whether you like it or not, you are his mate. Because he would renounce his father and the Dark Lord for you. Because he will protect you with his very life, and because he can take away the pain that is eating you up inside.’

‘I deserve every bit of that pain.’ Harry whispered, his eyes glazing slightly.

Dumbledore sighed. ‘Harry please, there are many people that contributed to the death of your godfather, myself included. I should never have ignored you last year, I should have told you what was happening and I swore at the end of the year that I would never do that again.’

Harry glanced down at Malfoy again, not realising his other hand had come to rest on the boy’s head and was idly stroking the silky blond hair. ‘Then why didn’t I hear from you over the holidays?’ Harry asked softly.

‘I…I was ashamed, Harry.’ Dumbledore murmured. ‘I had failed you once again with my wish to keep you innocent and you paid dearly for it.’

‘Not as dearly as Sirius.’ Harry sighed.

‘No, not as dearly as Sirius.’ Dumbledore agreed.

They sat there in awkward silence as Harry kept running his fingers through Malfoy’s hair. ‘It’s real isn’t it, Professor?’ he asked resignedly.

Dumbledore looked at their joined hands before speaking. ‘Tell me, Harry? How did you feel last year when you were in the same room as young Draco?’ he asked.

Harry glanced down again before blushing. ‘Like I couldn’t strangle him quick enough.’ He muttered causing some of the twinkle to return to the headmaster’s eyes.

‘And now?’ Dumbledore asked carefully.

Harry thought for a moment. His mind going over the gnawing feeling that disappeared when the Slytherin was near, how comforting that possessive embrace had been and how, by just holding his hand Malfoy was able to keep Harry calm without even being awake. ‘I’m not sure, exactly, but it’s like I can think again. Everything is calm, peaceful. I don’t feel sick anymore.’

‘You felt sick before?’

‘Since just after school finished. It comes and goes. At first I thought the Dursleys were poisoning me.’ He said dryly. ‘But when Malfoy’s here it goes away, so I guess not.’

‘That’s your magic, Harry, it was responding to young Draco’s as it searched for you.’

‘Oh.’

‘You don’t have to do this, Harry.’ Dumbledore said quietly.

Harry glanced down at Malfoy and sighed. ‘I can’t just let him die, Professor, even if it is Malfoy.’

Dumbledore gave him a sad smile as he stood. ‘I’m truly am so sorry, Harry.’ He said patting the boy’s shoulder. ‘I had hoped that your future would not get any harder but I guess it was not to be.’

‘It’s alright, Professor. It will sort itself out eventually I suppose. I just hate to think how Ron will react to this.’

‘Do you want me to talk to him?’ Dumbledore offered.

Harry shook his head. ‘No, I’ll do it. Thanks anyway.’

Dumbledore smiled and squeezed his shoulder before walking quietly from the wing. Harry sighed and glanced down at Malfoy, his fingers still carding gently through the silky hair. Harry looked carefully at the person he had been informed less than twelve hours ago was his mate for life. The boy was classically beautiful, but handsome at the same time. Long blonde lashes dusted porcelain skin, the chiseled jaw and high cheekbones held to prove not only the veela heritage but also the aristocratic wizarding heritage and in his sleep the usually sneering face relaxed and became peaceful.

Harry knew he should be ranting and raving, vowing that he would never do anything to help Malfoy but he just couldn’t bring himself to care. What ever soothing effect the Slytherin seemed to have over him obviously overruled such a primal reaction and the loss of the gnawing feeling and its replacement with something much more pleasant had left Harry, for the moment, practically beyond caring. Harry was sure it wouldn’t last.

‘What on earth am I going to do?’ Harry murmured. Malfoy shifted and Harry’s hand froze mid caress.

‘Don’t stop, it’s nice.’ Malfoy mumbled and Harry could tell the boy was still mostly asleep.

It was suddenly as if a light bulb went on in the Slytherin’s head and he shot up in the chair, blushing brightly. ‘Merlin Harry, I’m sorry. I didn’t realise it was you.’ He stammered.

‘Do you get a lot of people playing with you hair, Malfoy?’ Harry asked curiously. He was quite surprised to see the other boy blushing. He would have thought the Malfoy genes had been manipulated against such pedestrian emotions.

‘Bloody loads.’ Malfoy muttered. ‘Pansy won’t keep her hands off of it.’

Harry snorted as Malfoy clapped a hand over his mouth. Harry was quickly realising that Malfoy couldn’t lie to him anymore. The revelation was astounding if not a little amusing. He waited until the Slytherin calmed down before gesturing to their still joined hands. ‘Why?’ he asked softly.

Malfoy sighed, lifting Harry’s hand and squeezing it softly. ‘To tell you the truth, I don’t really know.’ Malfoy admitted. ‘I just woke up one day and something was suddenly missing, and it stayed that way for weeks until just yesterday. I want to hate you, Harry, I really do, if only to prove to myself that I’m strong enough, but I can’t. Even after what happened with my father at the end of last year. I did hate you then, I wanted to kill you with my bare hands, or at least that’s what I told myself, even though deep down I knew he deserved everything he got.’

‘Malfoy.’ Harry started but the Slytherin shook his head and went on.

‘When I first saw you yesterday on the train I thought I would have the chance to avenge my father. But then I saw you, really saw you and I was horrified. You looked so sick and tired and sad. I wanted to hold you and tell you that I would make everything alright. It was in that moment I realised you were my mate. Realised what the churning in my stomach that had been there from the minute I stepped on the train really meant. It doesn’t matter what happened before, there is only now. I don’t know why my veela instincts choose you, Harry, maybe it’s because opposites attract or something. All I know is that I would do anything for you, anything to make you happy. I don’t care how long it takes for you to trust me, I will keep proving myself until you do, I promise.’ He finished solemnly.

Harry just stared at the boy before bowing his head. He felt Malfoy move to sit beside him on the bed and raise his chin with gentle fingers. ‘Don’t look down, Harry. Look up, ahead. Look to the future. It will be better, I promise.’ He said softly, his grey eyes shining with sincerity.

‘Draco.’ Harry whispered.

Malfoy reached up and placed a hand on each of Harry’s shoulders before pulling him forward and enfolding the smaller boy tightly in his arms. ‘It will be okay, Harry.’

‘WHAT THE HELL?’

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Well, what did you think? After a few suggestions to do a Harry/Draco veela fic. This is it.

It was also probably one of the only topics I haven’t covered. I’ve done Elves, Vampires, Powerful Harry, Betrayed Harry, Suicidal Harry and even Sacrificing Harry. I’m just beginning to have trouble thinking of plotlines. This one will be fine though.

Thank you all for reading and I would really like to know what you thought.

Regards,

Mione