Veela Inheritance Problems

Disclaimer: See chapter 01.

Chapter 05

Madame Pomfrey did a scan on Draco and muttered a few healing spells. Harry did notice that the bruises didn’t go away. She moved on to Harry, doing basically the same thing. Taking advantage of the fact that Draco moved away giving Harry and the mediwitch some privacy Harry found the courage to ask about it.

“Madame Pomfrey,” called Harry as she rummaged through her potions.

“Yes, dear?” She wasn’t fazed and started applying a salve solution to the scratches on his body.

“Why are the bruises still there?” Harry managed to ask while his face turned a bright shade of red, 'Merlin, woman, I’m lying naked in a bed after I had wild monkey-sex with my enemy, could you at least blush?.'

“Why Harry, I thought you knew.” She looked at him surprised.

“Huh? No, sorry.” Harry didn’t think it was possible to blush any harder than he was now. The mediwitch had removed the comforter that was covering him and was checking for any more injuries.

“They are honor marks, Harry,” Draco explained coming out of what was probably the bathroom. His eyes lingering on every visible inch of Harry’s skin.

“That door was definitely not there last night. Honor marks?” asked Harry covering himself again as soon as Mme. Pomfrey moved back a little.

“They are the proof that you properly resisted my advances and I bested you in a physical dispute,” explained Draco handing him a pile of clothes. Harry noticed that Draco was now wearing a fancy gray outfit that reminded Harry of the type of clothes Lucius Malfoy liked to wear. “It would be highly inappropriate not to have them; everybody would think you surrendered too easily and an easy mate is not a worthy mate.”

Harry frowned; that meant that everybody would know they had had sex. How humiliating was that? Meanwhile, Madame Pomfrey had finished her visit and, with a last ‘take care, gentlemen’, she stepped out of the room through the fireplace, leaving Harry alone with Draco Malfoy in the room.

“You know, you really should get dressed. I believe we are being expected for breakfast,” Draco stated.

“Breakfast?” Harry’s eyes were wide in disbelief. “How am I going to sit through breakfast in front of everybody? They all know what happened!”

“Yes, they all know you are betrothed to me now. In a few months, you will be a Malfoy and they will all respect you and treat you in the best way possible. Nothing less is acceptable.”

“Betr… Oh! Merlin.” Harry felt dizzy. It was too much too soon. “No, wait, this is… no, I mean… We hate each other! We can’t… we didn’t…”

Draco sat on the bed and held Harry’s trembling body.

“Harry, shh. It’s ok, calm down. Everything will be alright.” Draco held Harry’s smaller body and kept talking in hushed tones, rubbing his hands in small circles on Harry’s back until he felt his mate relax.

“Listen to me,” said Draco running his fingers through Harry’s hair, “we have to get dressed now and meet everybody downstairs. Nobody will treat you disrespectfully; you did what your Veela inheritance demanded you do.”

“But I don’t have Veela blood!” yelled Harry.

“I beg to differ.” Draco smiled at him. “If you didn’t have Veela blood, I wouldn’t be here, and none of the other dominants would have gone into the forest to look for you.”

“But… how?”

“I don’t know, maybe we can ask somebody. Mother should know; she keeps a very accurate record of these things. We’ll ask her at breakfast.”

“Yeah, I guess,” Harry grudgingly admitted, getting out of bed wrapped in the bed sheets, “but I’m not happy with this mate thing, Malfoy. Make no mistake about it, I still think it’s a trick somehow and I’ll fight you every step of the way.” Taking the pile of clothes with him, Harry closed the bathroom door behind him.

“I wouldn’t have it any other way.” Draco smirked, hearing the door lock, separating Harry from him.

---------

They made their way to the small dining room where the families would be having breakfast by now. Normally, that part of the gathering would be the most informal one, since all the new couples would have been introduced to the group the day before, but the only couple that was formed had yet to make an appearance in public; therefore, they were all having breakfast together: parents at the center, dominants on one side of the room and submissives on the other side.

Harry could hear the soft, polite voices inside and took a deep breath. He was far from comfortable with the idea of entering that room, especially with the robes Draco had handed him. They were beautifully done, no question about that; they had obviously cost a small fortune. Very proper, very rich wizarding robes. It was the neckline that bothered him. It was in a boat neck style that left his neck and part of his shoulders uncovered for all to see, displaying Draco’s bites as well as a few bruises.

“Just stand beside me,” offered Draco as they got near the door. “We’ll go in, greet whoever is on the way, sit with my parents, have a nice conversation about nothing, like at most breakfasts, then we excuse ourselves and accompany my parents for some family time.”

“‘Family time’?”

“Yes. If your parents were here, now would be the time to discuss any details regarding our union. Since that won’t be possible, I presume Dumbledore will act as in loco parent and represent your family.” Draco stopped at the doors to check Harry one last time and straighten his own robes.

“And why would I need that?”

“Because, that is the time when we arrange the financial details and it’s customary to have representatives from both families just to make sure everything is done fairly.” Harry raised an eyebrow at the formality of the whole thing.

“Right,” he said just as Draco opened the door and gestured for him to follow.

All the guests for the gathering were inside. Some of them had clearly finished breakfast already and they stood to greet the two teens as they entered. Well-wishes were offered and invitation for visits and tea extended. Draco made sure to greet everyone, introducing Harry to each person but not letting him shake hands with any of the dominants--only short nods were exchanged with those and Harry was very glad for it. The memories of the ambush in the forest yesterday were quite vivid in his mind.

Harry noticed a lot of looks towards the marks on his neck, but strangely enough no rude remarks were made. They looked at him… respectfully? Enviously? He really couldn’t tell and made a mental note to discuss it with Hermione later.

Lucius and Narcisa were sitting with Dumbledore at a large table at the back of the room with two empty chairs waiting for them. As Draco had warned him the conversation was kept light and pleasant. Harry’s head was spinning.

'It’s a dream… ok, maybe it’s a nightmare. I’m sitting at the same table with the Malfoys and they are being civil! To me! It’s a trick. I know it; any moment now Malfoy sr. will jump up and curse me with something foul. I know it. I just know it.

Much to Harry’s surprise no curses came and he forced himself to eat and talk in a civil manner with the three Malfoys before him. After breakfast they all agreed to meet at Dumbledore’s office ‘to chat’. Dumbledore took Harry with him, while the Malfoys went to their rooms to ‘freshen up’.

“Harry, I must ask you if you understand what is going on. Do you?”

“Sort off, sir…” Harry looked at the headmaster and nodded. “Well, no really, sir. How do I get out of this one?”

“Harry, how do you feel about Mr. Draco Malfoy?” Dumbledore asked him seriously.

“I…” Harry blushed. “He is… I mean…”

“Do you understand that for all practical matters you are engaged to be married to Mr. Malfoy?”

Harry’s head snapped up. “Really? I mean he mentioned something about being betrothed, but it’s all happening so fast.”

“Yes, I know, but the fact remains that the two of you are engaged and I’m afraid it’s quite a serious thing. Although we never suspected, and quite frankly I don’t know where it comes from, you have Veela blood in you and yesterday, during the gathering you started to send out signals to the others who, like you, also have Veela blood. Now, you are what is called a submissive Veela. It doesn’t mean that you are weaker than anybody; it just means that you are capable of baring children, and your instincts will… well, did lead you to find a strong mate to create a family with you. One strong enough to convince you he will be able to take care and protect you and any children you may have.”

“Does it mean he will do my fighting for me from now on?” Harry asked confused. He couldn’t picture himself lying back and letting someone else do the fighting. “What about the prophecy?”

“No, my dear boy, no. This inheritance won’t change who you are or how you’ll behave from now on. It only adds to you; it doesn’t cripple you in any way.”

“…”

“If the occasion presents itself, Mr. Malfoy will fight at your side, protecting you to the best of his abilities, yes, but at your side, never in your place. He knows his mate is a fighter and he respects that.”

“Ok, and what happens now?” Harry indicated the bite marks on his neck.

“Now the Malfoy will come here and we will discuss the details of your union: when the ceremony will occur, where the two of you will live, and the obligations of married life… that kind of thing. It’s important that you stay here, even if you have nothing to add.”

“Ok.” Harry nodded. He couldn’t prevent a small jump when someone knocked on the door. “Show time,” he muttered.

The door opened to let the Malfoys come in: Lucius with Narcissa holding on to his arm and Draco two steps behind. Dumbledore got up, gesturing Harry to do the same, and bowed to new arrivals.

“I bid you welcome and wish you a pleasant day.”

“Thank you, headmaster. It is an honor to be here,” Lucius said and the three of them bowed their heads. Harry felt like he was in a play with well rehearsed roles.

“Please, let’s all be seated,” Dumbledore urged them. Harry noticed a smaller chair by the headmaster’s and sat there. Lucius and Narcissa sat on a small couch in front of the headmaster and Draco sat on a chair similar to Harry’s by his parents.

“So, young Mister Malfoy, I believe congratulations are in order,” offered Dumbledore as they sat in his office. “It was quite a chase.”

“Thank you, headmaster. It was a difficult challenge, but it was also a worthy prize.” Draco nodded at the headmaster. Harry was ready to jump at his neck, but a firm grip from the headmaster kept him on his chair. Draco’s eyes sparkled at Harry’s reaction and he also seemed ready to jump out of the chair, but Narcissa managed to hold his hand and get his attention before he let instincts take over. Draco nodded at her and remained in his sit.

They exchanged a few more pleasantries before Harry noticed a subtle change in their attitude. Sure enough Lucius changed the conversation to a more serious topic.

“Well, Headmaster, I do believe we have a few details do discuss in regards to these two young men’s marriage.”

'Oh. My. God, was the only thing that crossed Harry’s mind that moment.