Coming Home

A/N: So…This is chapter one. Not much point to this A/N except to say that I’ve written quite a few chapters already, have been waiting FOREVER to be able to post more, and to say that 10 reviews isn’t a lot to ask in exchange for an update.

To SlashySnitch: Thank you for your support and I’m glad you’ve enjoyed it at least to this point; I hope you continue to do so and review as faithfully as you’ve promised you will. Loyal reviewers are one of my favorite things.

To Draca and arealdeal: I’m sorry you disagree with me posting for reviews, but I think it makes perfect sense. I take the time and energy out of my day-to-day life to not only come up with fic ideas, but to write them out and put them into a workable plot for other people to hopefully enjoy. I do not ask for much in return, simply a few words or lines of feedback so I know what people think of my work. If that’s too much effort for you to expend, than don’t; others will. However, the reviews make my day and they let me know what my readers think of my fics. I do not write for reviews, I only post for them; if no one reviews, I cease to post that particular story. I happen to still be writing several of my “Temporarily Discontinued” stories on this site…however, as I got no feedback requesting more, I posted no more. My story “Revelations,” however, is merely awaiting the customary 10 reviews (which it normally receives and often exceeds) between chapters before I finish it up with the Epilogue. So again, I’m sorry that you disagree with my posting methods and feel free to read work by authors who don’t request a little of your time and energy to know if you like their stories. I hope you enjoy this if you continue to read it and if you don’t, I hope you enjoy whatever you do choose to read. I also hope that if you review again, it is with more feedback on my story and less on my posting methods.

I hope you all like this story and please go the extra three inches to rate and review, as they make my day and encourage me to post more. Flames, while not welcome, are accepted and duly shredded by myself or my plot bunnies respectively, depending on which of us you offend with them. Thank you and enjoy. ~ FA

~*~*~*~*~*~

Dumbledore smiled at Harry as he stepped into the office. It was early morning on August 5th, two days after Draco Malfoy’s birthday, though Harry was unaware of that fact as he entered the room. Although unsure of why he had been taken from Privet Drive several days earlier than planned, he wasn’t complaining about it at all. Harry wasn’t sure of a lot of things at this point in time, actually. He wasn’t sure why he was at Hogwarts instead of Grimmauld Place, for one thing. He also wasn’t sure why the Headmaster had requested this meeting with him. Most of all, however, he wasn’t sure why he was sitting in Dumbledore’s office in the company of Narcissa, Lucius, and Draco Malfoy. There was a general air of tension in the room and it seemed centered on Draco.

“Albus,” Harry began in a questioning tone. “Not to sound ungrateful or anything, because I’m not, but why am I here at Hogwarts now instead of…” He glanced cautiously at the Malfoys before continuing evasively. “Instead of elsewhere later?”

Dumbledore smiled brightly at him, his eyes twinkling merrily. “Well, Harry, it seems that the Malfoys are having an interesting problem. More specifically, Draco is. They need to determine who owns a certain room and considering you know a good deal about the lives of your fellow classmates, as you’re friends with many of them, we’re all rather hopeful that you’ll be able to help.”

“Oh.” Harry bit his lip, wondering why Malfoy Jr. needed to know who owned a room, as well as what that phrase meant exactly and how they’d found out whatever it was they must obviously know about said room anyway. Still, if Albus wanted him to help, he supposed there must be a good reason. “Alright. What do you know about the room, Malfoy?”

Draco frowned, annoyed that the Headmaster had brought Potter into this whole ordeal. It was bad enough the Headmaster had said they needed outside help; did it have to be Gryffindor’s own Golden Boy, though? He sighed and closed his eyes, bringing to mind the brief moments he’d shared with his mate.

“It’s small.” He began, trying to capture every detail he could. “Not much room to walk as the room contains a bed, a trunk, a desk, and some bookshelves. There’s a lot of old, unused things filling the shelves and some parchment and a quill resting on the desk, next to a drawing of…” Here he paused, his forehead creasing as he concentrated. “I believe it’s a drawing of a girl, from the back, but it’s hard to tell from the bed. There’s also an empty owl cage.” Here he bit his lip and sighed before continuing. “The door to the room is open and there are a lot of different locks on the outside of it. There’s a small woman half-hidden in the doorway by a large, screaming man. He’s very red in the face and he’s waving a letter bearing the Hogwarts Crest and screaming something about owls in his house.”

He opened his eyes at last and was surprised to see Harry staring at him in stunned silence, looking slightly pale. “That’s all.” Draco said after a few moments during which no one said anything. “Do you know whose room that is?”

Harry nodded slowly. “Mine.” He turned to frown at the Headmaster. “That’s my room he just described. My room and my aunt and uncle.” He turned back around to frown at Draco. “How do you know those things?”

Draco, meanwhile, was looking at Harry very oddly. ‘Potter is my mate?’ He thought, considering how he felt about this. ‘I don’t feel anything, though…I should feel something, shouldn’t I?’ He frowned slightly over this, than finally turned to his parents. “Why don’t I feel anything towards him if it’s his room?”

Lucius smiled slightly at his son. “Well, Draco, you’ve only just come into your powers after all. These things do take time to kick in. You can’t even communicate fully with your familiar yet, correct?”

“That’s true.” Draco mused. “I guess I just thought I would…I don’t know. I just thought I would know.”

Here Harry broke in, completely lost. “I want to know how you know what my bedroom looks like, Malfoy.” His tone was more puzzled than angry.

Mrs. Malfoy answered. “My husband’s family has Veela blood, Mr. Potter. Veela are very special in that they mate for life. Upon coming into their Inheritance, a Veela will briefly touch minds with their mate and see through their eyes. This is so they can attempt to learn something to help them find their mate.”

Harry’s eyes widened and his mouth fell open in shock. He stayed that way for several moments before he laughed. “Oh, that’s rich, Mrs. Malfoy! You can’t honestly expect me to believe that Malfoy is a Veela and that I’m…that I’m…”

“My mate.” Draco intoned softly, still studying Harry as if he were something on a slide under a microscope. “Well, if it is indeed your room I was describing than you must be my mate. In which case…” He stopped.

“In which case what, Malfoy?” Harry asked warily.

Draco sighed heavily and rose, crossing the room to kneel before Harry on one knee. “In which case, I formally request that you, Harry Potter, bond with me, Draconis Malfoy, in the traditional ceremony intended for a Veela and their mate.”

Harry jumped up from his seat and scrambled away. “You’re off your rocker, Malfoy! No way in hell am I bonding or whatever with you!”

Draco cocked his head to the side as he rose to his feet. “Why?”

“You’re evil!” Harry exclaimed. “You’re evil and we hate each other and your father is a Death Eater and besides, you’re the Slytherin Slut! I can’t…I would never…you break people’s hearts all the time and that’s awful and I won’t break Ginny’s heart and I don’t even like you!”

Harry finally ceased his tirade and stood there, red in the face and breathing heavily, his hands clenched into fists at his sides. After a moment, he added. “I just can’t.”

Draco nodded slightly and wondered if the dull ache in his chest had anything to do with Harry’s rejection. He decided to take it as a sign that his partially awakened Veela powers did, in fact, recognize Harry as his mate after all. “Well, I can see some of your points, at least, though not all of them are valid. I’m not evil, nor do I actually hate you, nor am I my father, who is also not an entirely bad person.”

Harry opened his mouth to interject, but Draco held up a hand to stop him. “I do not consider myself a slut, though I will admit I was not always considerate of the feelings others may have developed during our…interactions.” He paused here and continued slowly. “I will assume from your refusal to break the Weasley girl’s heart that you’re involved in a relationship with her, which is of course a problem. As to you not liking me…well, you don’t know me yet.”

“I know enough about you to know I don’t like you!” Harry snapped. “I can’t stand you, actually, and I won’t bond with you, Veela or not!”

Draco couldn’t suppress the shudder that went through him, nor could he keep from pressing the heel of his hand against his chest as it gave a particularly nasty throb. His mother and father rushed to his side and helped him to the sofa as the throbbing continued and his breathing became slightly labored. He glanced at Harry while seated and the concern etched on the boy’s face helped ease the pain some. His father scowled at Harry while his mother fussed some more.

“What’s wrong with you, Malfoy?” Harry asked, moving closer to the sofa, unable to remain so angry when someone was in such obvious pain. “Are you sick?”

“He is not sick, Mr. Potter.” Lucius snapped as he continued to glare at the young man. “He is a Veela. If a Veela is rejected by their mate, they will slowly die.”

Draco looked up at Harry, his face tight and his eyes damp. “You’re my life.” He said softly. “I don’t feel it all yet, Potter, because everything in me is still waking up. I only just turned sixteen two days ago, after all. But I feel like a vice is around my chest and it’s hard to breath. I can’t imagine feeling this way every day of my life. It’s like being told I can’t have air. I understand you don’t like the image of me you have, but that’s just my reputation. If you refuse to look past my reputation, Potter, I will die.”

Harry was torn. He couldn’t stand Draco Malfoy and he was in a relationship and…and Malfoy looked so pale and weak. His face was still tight and his breathing was low and harsh and he was obviously in pain. Could he really condemn anyone to death, regardless of their past differences?

“I…” Harry felt cornered, trapped. He couldn’t be expected to decide this all right now, this second, could he? “I need to think.” He said finally, desperately. “Please, I’m not saying no…I just need time to think about this. Is that okay?”

Draco felt the band around his chest loosen. His mate wasn’t rejecting him. His mate wanted to think. This was understandable and acceptable. He managed a smile as the pain eased and his breathing became more normal. “Yes, Harry.” He said, the first name slipping naturally from his tongue. “That’s fine.”

The Malfoys left shortly after and Harry went off to Grimmauld Place, where he explained the day’s events to Hermione after gaining her promise to tell no one else, not even Ron and ESPECIALLY not Ginny, yet. Then, he thought.

~*~*~*~*~*~

Constantly connected
To the total unexpected
I'm a con; a stealer of hearts
I only keep this facade
To keep you on your toes
I'll take a glance while you sleep at night
Right from under your nose
So don't leave me

Don't leave, don't leave me here
I can't breathe without you
Don't leave, don't leave me here
I don't want to be without you
I don't want to live without you
I don't want to breathe without you (You're my oxygen)

It's hard to get rejected
By the one you most expected
To be by your side
Your first thought being you should run and hide
But I don't think you're to blame
I’ve kept you on your toes
I'll dream of you while I sleep at night
So nobody will know
So don't leave me

Don't leave, don't leave me here
I can't breathe without you
Don't leave, don't leave me here
I don't want to be without you
I don't want to live without you
I don't want to breathe without you (You're my oxygen)

Oxygen

With me, is where you belong
Right with me, is where you belong
Right here (Right here)
Right here (Don't leave me)

Don't leave, don't leave me here
I can't breathe without you
Don't leave, don't leave me
Cause I can't live without you
(So don't leave) Don't leave, don't leave me here
I can't breathe without you
Don't leave, don't leave me
I don't want to breathe without you
You're my oxygen
I don't want to breathe without you
You're my oxygen

Oxygen
Oxygen
Oxygen

~*~*~*~*~*~

A/N: Well, there you go...Chapter One. ^_^ Please go the extra three inches to rate and review as they make my day and prompt me to post. Chapter Two is rather longer than this one and is based on the song that inspired this fic in the first place. I'm off to work now; 9-5ing it today, lol. When I get home, I'll write another chapter or two or ten and hopefully be able to post more! Leave your e-mail addies as I alert to updates! ~ FA