The broken, The unwanted, and The Inhuman.

Harry, Ron, Hermione and Neville sat at the Gryffindor table in the Great Hall, all waving at Remus, the new transfiguration professor and head of Gryffindor House. Harry made a note to talk to Remus as soon as possible.

The other teens had been talking to, or calming down Harry, since the events on the Hogwarts Express. All of them well informed of Draco's actions, and all but Luna, were none to happy about it. Hermione tried to explain to the group that Harry didn't HAVE to accept Draco’s offer to be his mate, that he could go on being himself, living without him.

Ron just offered to go to the library with Hermione and beat Malfoy senseless if he tried anything like that again.

Harry was surprised by Luna's reaction the most, she seemed almost happy about the arrangement. She even offered to help look up information for Harry on how to be a good mate. Harry chose to ignore her after that.

On the other side of the Hall, Draco and his gang sat, talking and looking every once in a while at Harry. Harry knew that the connection he had forced on him could be broken, but he didn't know how, so he avoided staring at the blonde boy.

How dare he try and to break into his mind! What was Malfoy thinking? Harry didn't want anything to do with the younger or maybe older boy, and definitely didn't want to be his mate.

The thought was… well, Harry didn't know what it was, but he didn't like it. He didn't want it either.

Harry had forced himself to be calm yet again, and relaxed in the numbness of his control. He had everything worked out now. He would tell Malfoy off, deny him or whatever, and make sure he found a new mate. Then Harry could go back to his own life, finish school, and then hopefully put in his application for the position of Professor of Defense Against the Dark Arts for next year.

Then he could stay in Hogwarts, rest and have a nice, quiet life like Dumbledore had. Maybe even become head of house and later on, Deputy Headmaster.

A nice, calm, quiet life… WITHOUT Veela, WITHOUT Malfoy, and WITHOUT the craziness that flew around the Ministry.

If Harry had to deal with another slew of owls from Rufus, he was going to send a return owl, with the help of Fred and George, which he would never be likely to forget.

Harry HATED the Ministry, HATED Malfoy and NOTHING would change that.

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"Trouble in paradise?" Nott asked slyly, bringing his sleeve to his mouth again as he looked at Draco with his sparkling green eyes.

’Bastard...’ Draco thought as he looked back to Potter.

He was a Malfoy! What in the hell was wrong with the boy? For the past few years Draco had managed to get who ever and whom ever he wanted, just by craning his finger or a bit of soft seduction. Now… BLOODY FUCKING HELL, his own MATE was AVOIDING HIM.

Draco sighed. He knew it was going to be a challenge getting someone, let alone a male, to submit to him. But he WASN'T SUPPOSED TO IGNORE HIM. He was supposed to fight, give chase, tease even and make things interesting until he caved in…didn't he know that?

’Probably not...’ Draco sighed and then smiled. Oh, but he could make sure he found out. Draco looked to the bushy haired girl sitting next to Harry and smirked. Noble people are so easy to manipulate, more so when they really want to help someone. Draco would be sure Hermione came across a few more interesting books tomorrow, as she was sure to go looking right before or after breakfast. Maybe have a house elf misplace some, or put them out front?

Draco then smirked as a light went off in his head, and his smirk widened as he remembered something he had nearly forgotten. He turned his head now to the trail of tiny first years that where being lead, quite frightened and shaking more then normal, by Severus Snape. Draco grinned even more.

Nope... He might not have to use Hermione after all.

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Harry ignored the sorting hats song and the sorting as he tried to steal glances at Draco while he wasn't looking his way.

Harry had learned a lot from his mental connection to Voldemort in the past few years. He knew how to point out what he was feeling and what the other person was feeling. And right now Draco was feeling... cocky, confident and conniving. Draco was up to something, and knowing that it most likely had something to do with him, Harry didn't like it.

"Welcome everyone…" Came the high-pitched, perfect pronunciation of Headmistress McGonagall. Harry now turned his head to the main table, giving his former Head of House his full attention.

"As you all know, Hogwarts was closed down last year to all but the First, Fifth and Seventh years…"

Harry nodded to himself. They had allowed the First years, NEWT and OWL level students to come back to Hogwarts last year, but that was all. All of the Gryffindor girls in his year, except Hermione, decided to come back. There would be no Lavender or Parvarti this year, thank God. On the other side of the coin, all of the Gryffindor boys had refused to finish their NEWTS that year, and immediately signed up as foot soldiers and guards for the war.

Hence why all five of them where coming back this year.

"Well, unfortunately that leaves us with a extra group of Second years, Sixth years, and a odd number of Fifth and Seventh years." Oops… Harry had forgotten that not all Fifth years came back to take OWLS as well.

"In order to accommodate the odd number of students, we will be editing the course schedule and will be splitting the groups in two. The advanced groups, or the groups of students we hope to move quickly into their PROPER year as soon as possible." McGonagall said with a stern look and Harry was suddenly very glad that he was in his final year. He didn't have to worry about jumping years, only passing his NEWTS.

"Furthermore, due to the death of last years Potion Master, Professor Slughorn, both Defense Against the Dark Arts and Potions will be taught by our very own Professor Severus Snape."

Harry's heart hit the floor as a wave of disbelief and shock rang through the Gryffindor and Hufflepuff tables. A roar of cheers rang from the Slytherins. Draco himself was standing and yelling with pride with Blaise and Harry felt a sense of cruel glee light up in the back of his mind. Harry ignored it and for the second time today, he was in complete shock.

’TWO classes with the hooked-nosed prick? Since when were Hogwarts Professors allowed to teach TWO Classes!’ Harry gave a death glare to the greasy haired Professor as Severus waved to the applause from the Slytherin table. Severus then turned to Harry and returned the look with an all-to-knowing sneer. In the back of his mind a wave of excitement lit up.

’Wait… Wait a moment, why was Draco happy about this?’ Harry felt as if another shoe was going to drop anytime now.

"Because teaching two classes would be nearly impossible during a normal year, and with the odd number of students and double-years, Severus and I have chosen two Seventh year students. These students, who are at the top of their class, are to act as Student Assistants for the remainder of the year." Harry's heart dropped even more as he started to catch on. Harry looked to Ron and Ron looked back at him. Ron gave him a hopeless look as he turned to Hermione. Hermione was far to zoned out to understand; mostly likely hoping that she was one of the assistants. Both Ron and Harry gave her death glares.

"Both of these students will, of course, attend all their own classes; but will also attending and teaching lower year classes in place of Professor Snape. They will hold all of the responsibilities of a Professor, and will have their own dorm as well." Harry’s heart dropped more as he felt Draco's mind light up again with excitement, as well as... Lust? Okay, eww and uh-oh.

"The Student Assistant for Potions will be... Draco Malfoy." Another explosion came from the Slytherin table, as well as a few from the Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw tables. Even some of the Gryffindors cheered for the ‘War Hero’. Draco stood up smiling and bowed lightly to the rest of the tables. Much like a Prince bowing to his court. Harry was fuming. He glared at Draco from across the room, wanting nothing more than to jump across the Hufflepuff table and strangle him.

"The Student Assistant for Defense Against the Dark Arts will be…" ‘One bloody guess…’ Harry thought as he shut his eyes and waited for the impending blow.

"Harry Potter."

Gryffindor table exploded, followed closely by the Hufflepuff table. The Ravenclaws all stood and clapped with smiles on their faces. Slowly the Slytherins, lead by Malfoy, started standing and clapping as well.

Harry smiled and stood up. He waved and shook hands, looking happy and unsurprised. He carefully plotted Severus Snape and Draco Malfoy's slow and painful deaths, being sure to veto anything to do with potions or poisons.

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Draco sat at the Slytherin table smiling happily as he ate, ignoring the flow of hate, malice and vindictiveness that came from his mate. He was unbelievably excited, and his mate was… well… Harry Potter. Like Harry would do anything about it...

His plan was working perfectly. Not only was he going to get another shining star on his resume, and more acclaim then he already needed, but also he was going to be in the same dorm as Harry… FOR THE REST OF THE YEAR! He couldn't have planned it any better himself... as most of it had been Severus' doing.

Draco owned his mentor more then he could ever repay.

Suddenly, the table switched as Draco's gold plate cleaned itself, and the deserts filled the table. Draco reached for his favorite snack, chocolate cake with extra icing. Draco had a sweet tooth and had loved sugar for as long as he could remember because of his Veela blood, hence why his mother always sent him sweets.

But suddenly a sweet scent crossed Draco's nose. It was an unbelievingly sweet, seductive scent that sent Draco's mind into overdrive. His eyes flashed around, like a predator locating it's prey.

The scent was Heaven; it lit Draco in a primal way. His eyes dashed up and down the rows, the tables, around the other Slytherins, trying to locate it. It was coming closer, the smell getting deeper and richer, slowly making its way closer.

It had to be his mate he just knew it. It was one of his lighter, primal, sweeter scents.

Then, Draco located it, still traveling closer and closer. Finally, when another person's hand reached out to grab it, Draco snapped and jumped forward, yanking it from the hands of the offending person with a growl.

As a slave to his Veela blood, Draco grabbed and claimed it as his own.

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"What in the Hell is wrong with Draco?" Ron asked as he popped another piece of rock candy into his mouth.

"Hell if I know." Neville said with a shrug as he passed a bowl to his left.

"Truthfully, I don't care. I don't even think I want to know." Said Harry as he narrowed his eyes at the crazed looking blond figure. He decided to stay cemented in his place at the Gryffindor table until the end of the feast.

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Back at the Slytherin table Draco blinked, staring at the bowl in his hands with a deep look of confusion and puzzlement. His friends around him were yelling, berating and questioning him as to what was going on. But Draco was to far-gone, as one thought rolled over and over and over in his mind.

’Why in the bloody hell does my mate smell like Treacle Tarts!’