My Mate

Chapter 17: Veela Rituals and Fantastic Revelations

November 24
5:45 pm

“You know, sometimes I really hate you.”

Draco looked up and shot a glare at the redhead. “Consider the feeling reciprocated.”

“Why can’t you just be nice?”

“Because I’m a bloody stuck up prat, remember?”

“You make me so mad sometimes, that I wish I could just…”

“Yeah, I know. Your neck and face get all red and splotchy and match your hair.” Draco knew he shouldn’t have said it, but his mouth kicked in before his brain did.

Ginny proved him right as color fired up her body and she whirled around, grabbed a large book off a desk and chucked it straight at his head.

Draco almost got nailed in the head because it hadn’t occurred to him that while he and Ginny couldn’t pass through the barrier, anything else could. At the last second he managed to hit the floor.

Unfortunately, Ginny figured it out quickly and within seconds, he was under fire from a barrage of books. Draco banged his knees and elbows trying to take cover behind desks.

“Would you stop, you bloody insane witch!” She was just lucky he wouldn’t ever throw something at a woman, or he’d…not that he had anything to throw. All the books seemed to be on her side of the room. Ginny had a whole bookshelf to go through and danged if she didn’t seem to be doing it.

“Cease fire! Merlin, stop…Owww!” Draco bellowed, when the sharp corner of an Arithmacy for the Uneducated Mind tome nailed him in the thigh.

As suddenly as it had started, the barrage stopped.

They both slumped to the floor.

“I hate Snape.”

“I really hate Snape.” Their two voices sounded at the same time and the filmy barrier disappeared with a POOF.


The Great Hall


There was dead silence. Students seemed to be holding their breath and all the teachers were frozen, except for their heads which all turned collectively toward Severus, who had turned a deathly shade of white.

He seemed to be silently gasping for air or trying to make words but nothing came out. Snape would have had to have been blind not to see the bitterness reflected in the coal black eyes so like his own. Simeon turned to the end of the table, his piercing gaze zeroing in on the blanket wrapped figure.

This time it was the son who made no sound when he opened his mouth and whipped around to glare at the Headmaster who looked rather stern.

“The Great Hall is not a place for airing secrets my dear boy. There are too many ears. If you, Professor Snape and our guest will follow me, you all may continue this discussion in private.”

Still glaring daggars at any and everyone, Simeon stalked after the Dumbledore, Snape and Narcissa, supported by Olivia, following in his wake. The students were staring unabashedly and whispering furiously amongst themselves.


By the time they reached Dumbledore’s office, Severus had regained most of his equilibrium and his color had gone from white to tomato red, his face a dangerous mask.

As soon as the door shut, he whirled on Simeon.

“Would you care to explain that appallingly dramatic scene! And what is your name!”

If anything, Simeon’s eyes got colder as he stood stiffly erect and looking Severus in the eye, he said,

“Simeon Black, father.” The mocking way he stressed “father” caused Snape’s eyes to narrow threateningly.

“And just who is it that I have supposedly fathered a child with, Mr. Black?”

“Why don’t you ask her?” Simeon jerked his head at the trembling figure Olivia was supporting.

Severus spun around, his eyes colliding with Narcissa’s.

“You bitch!” He advanced on her, violence and fury oozing out of every pore.

“Severus!” Albus boomed, but it didn’t even phase him and he kept going until Olivia jumped in front of Narcissa.

“Stop!”

“Move out of the way, girl!”

“No!”

“I said MOVE!!” Severus bellowed.

“Not until you calm down! I’m sure she has some sort of explaination, but she’s a sick woman and you have no right to scare her to death!” Olivia was trembling, but her chin was firm, her eyes uncertain and slightly fearful.

It was Simeon who yanked her away, shoving her behind him so he could face his mother. She smacked him in the back and he turned quelling her with a look.

“You left me and married Lucius Malfoy while you were pregnant with my son!”

“How dare you not tell me about my son!”

“You just threw me out like unwanted trash?” They bombarded her.

Narcissa quivered and covered her ears.

“NOOO!”

Her anguished shriek stopped them in their tracks. She slipped to the floor and Olivia shoved between them to her side.

“You both are abominable! How dare you treat her like that?”

“This is none of your damn business! You are not a part of this!” Simeon snapped and was surprised with the unfamiliar feeling of guilt as he watched Olivia’s already pale face whiten even more underneath the stricken look on her face.

“THAT IS ENOUGH FROM ALL OF YOU!” Dumbledore’s voice shook the room and stopped everyone in mid-action.

Olivia still staring at Simeon, her hands convulsively clutching Narcissa’s shoulders. Narcissa pale with silent tears tracking down her face.
Severus reaching for Narcissa, murder in his eyes.
And Simeon again straight and erect, his face unreadable.





Draco hauled Ginny down the corrider to find Snape. He’d probably be in the Great Hall having dinner.

“We should have figured that out earlier.” Draco muttered.

“I can’t believe it was that easy and we didn’t even think of it!” Ginny said.

“I want to check on my mother.”

Ginny faltered for a moment at his unexpected statement. He sounded so worried and to her surprise, she found she didn’t want him to worry.

“She was doing quite well considering her injuries, and Pompfrey is very good at what she does. I’m sure she’ll be fine.”

Draco glanced at her, an almost imperceptible softening in his face.

“Thanks.” His voice was low and rough.

For a moment, Ginny felt almost shy, which was strange because she’d outgrown any shyness she’d ever possessed, a long time ago.

“Did you notice the um…tension between your mother and Snape?”

Draco made a face. “Yeah, I’m not sure what that was about.”

As they turned the corner, they stumbled upon a procession coming out of Dumbledore’s office, voices raised viciously.

“I don’t care what Albus said! How dare you not tell me I had a son?”

Ginny’s mouth had dropped open at the Potion Master’s venomous words directing toward Narcissa Malfoy and she barely noticed that Draco had frozen in his tracks.

A tall dark haired man who looked rather spookily like Snape noticed them standing there.

“Draco.” Bitterness tinged his voice and rather unconsciously, Ginny slipped her hand into Draco’s.

The man swept everyone with a stony glare and brushed by them without a word.

“Simeon!” Narcissa’s anguished cry brought Draco’s head whipping around to face her, understanding beginning to dawn on his face.

“Mother?” His voice was questioning and demanding at the same time. “Is there something you’ve neglected to tell me?”

Ginny cringed at the hopelessness on Narcissa’s face.

Draco didn’t need to hear her say it. Her face said it all.

“Damn you.” Was all he said before stalking away in the opposite direction of Simeon.

“Before I felt nothing for you. Now, however, I detest you.” Severus took another corridor in a swirl of black and the three women were left standing by themselves.


Ginny found Draco speeding recklessly around the Quidditch field on his broom, stopping suddenly to pitch forward straight toward the ground, only to pull up barely in time to keep from slamming into the earth (which in all probability could kill him, or at least sustain damage).

Ginny mounted her own broom and took off, heaving a sigh and wondering why on earth she would be concerned about a jerk like Malfoy,. Albeit, a very good-looking, sexy, jerk Malfoy.

“Oh shut up.” She muttered to her subconscious.

Ginny caught up to him but had to seriously concentrate in order to keep at his side.

“Would you stop!”

Draco veered away from her outstretched arm. “Get away from me and leave me alone!”

He flipped and headed straight toward the ground. Ginny cursed and headed after him. Wind was rushing through her ears and the sight of the field rushing towards them burned into her eyes.

Just as it seemed they were going to plunge headlong into the earth, Ginny reached out and grabbed his arm as she tried to pull up, but she overbalanced and sent them both tumbling to the ground.

They rolled, until coming to a stop with Draco sprawled on top of her. He grabbed her arms and pinned them to the field above her head, and glared daggers at her.

“Are you stupid? What were you thinking? You could have been killed!” Draco shouted.

“Me? You were the one who was flying like a maniac! You were bloody well suicidal!” Ginny glared right back at him.

“No I wasn’t!” How dare he sound insulted! She thought furiously.

“Yes you were!”

“Oh yeah?”

“Yeah!”

His face grew even more intense if that were possible and the light in his eyes changed from angry to passionate in an instant.

“Maybe I am.” His voice was low and husky and Ginny’s stomach flopped. Draco’s mouth was on hers before she could make a sound.

Sparks flew and fire ripped through her veins, and she arched up against him. His hands buried into her hair and pulled her head back so he had better acess to her mouth to deepen the kiss. Ginny lost all connection with reality and gave herself over to the intense feelings zapping through her body.

Draco devoured her as if he were coming off a thirty day fast and she were a chocolate cake. His hands roamed, stroking and squeezing, as his mouth sucked and nibbled. He moved down to her neck and bit hard enough to leave another love bite, but Ginny was too swept up to care. She barely heard him moaning.

“Ginny. Oh Ginny baby.” Draco’s voice was ragged and deep, his breathing heavy.

The pressure of his arousal was what brought her back to the moment and she jerked away, shoving him off her.

“We need to come to a truce.”

Ginny nodded reluctantly. “Yes, I suppose we do. Believe what you will, but I had already decided that in Scotland. I was planning to come back in a few days after giving myself a little time to adjust to the idea.”

“Then why did you act completely insane back there?” Draco sounded genuinely confused.

“Because, you idiot, you made me mad! I do have a temper you know!” She fumed.

Draco laughed, a sound she’d never really expected to hear. “Yes, so I’ve found out.”

“This doesn’t mean that I like you. I still think you’re an arrogant prat, but I’m willing to agree to a truce if you are.”

“And I think you’re a crazy flighty witch, but I’ll agree to the truce.” Draco sneered, (but in a good way).

Ginny made a face at him, then gasped as he pulled her hard against his chest. Draco smiled predatorially.

“Let’s seal it with a kiss then, eh love?”