Prologue
Prologue
The day Draco found out he was a Veela was the happiest day of his life.
Being a Veela was quite an honor for any person in a pureblood family to have. Contrary to popular beliefs, having Veela blood in your family wasn't a sign of impurity. It didn't make one a half-breed or a beast. A Veela was a being, and a beautiful and well-sought one at that. They had immense magical strength, unmatchable beauty and a predetermined mate. Someone destined for the Veela to cherish and love, a soul mate, if there ever was such a thing. Veela also occasionally turned bird-like when livid, but that wasn't really much a sticking point when compared to their large array of gifts.
So yes, having a Veela in the family was a great pride. It was a symbol that a Malfoy (or Black) had been a Veela's mate generations ago and here was the proof—the dominant gene finally appearing in one of the members of the family after so long.
When Draco first came into his inheritance (he didn't know why it was called an inheritance, maybe it was due to the gene passing down from his ancestors to him) on his seventeenth birthday, his parents had been ecstatic. The transformation itself hadn't been as painful as Draco had expected it to be and it wasn't much of a transformation. All it had been was a large influx of magic flowing and growing exponentially in Draco's system. In the end, Draco hadn't looked much different aside from silver wings sprouting from his back and a few added inches. The major difference Draco felt was the perpetual aching in his chest for something that wasn't there.
His father and mother were pleasantly surprised by Draco's inheritance, though for different reasons than Draco's own. They were sure that Draco's new position as a desirable creature would help integrate them back into the society after the disastrous Second Voldemort War, when they had chosen the wrong side. Draco, however, was more hung up on the fact that there was a perfect partner for him out there. Someone to love and be loved by.
It was brilliant! Draco had believed that being a former Death Eater would lower his future partner prospects drastically but becoming a Veela was a welcome turn of events. Now, he had someone who was made just for him. Wasn't that fantastic?
Draco couldn't wait to find his mate!
The day Draco found out who his mate was the worst day in his life.
Draco was wandering around Diagon Alley shopping for new robes—his old robes were too small for him now—when he had felt it. His mate.
He rushed off straight away, desperate to find his one and only.
But where his instincts took him was to Harry Potter. Draco groaned and cursed every deity alive. Why would this happen to him? Was this just a huge cosmic joke?
Don't mistake him. He wasn't mad at the fact that his mate was a guy (he was bisexual, after all, and both genders held appeal to him) or even that his mate was Harry Potter (he was quite good-looking, after all). No. It was due to the fact that Potter already had a boyfriend. And he looked happy.
Part of Draco—a very, very large part—wanted to go to where Potter and his boyfriend was and rip Potter away from the prat, claiming him as his own. But another part of him, the part that loved his mate unconditionally and just wanted him to be happy, held him back. If Potter was happy with his boyfriend then who was Draco to ruin it?
The Slytherin in Draco shuddered at the thought of allowing his only way to happiness to find joy in someone else, but what could he do? Draco wouldn't force Potter to be with him.
Taking one last longing glance at Potter—who was laughing at something his boyfriend had said, his face flushed in pleasure, which made Draco growl unintentionally, his jealousy choking him—Draco left, leaving his last hope of finding happiness behind.
Veela's could live without their mates, no problem. Draco could still find someone else to settle down and have children with. However, that would be but a half-life, a life full of aching and longing, one of which most Veelas would not choose to lead.
It didn't matter though. Potter had saved his life – twice and Draco owed him too much to guilt trip him into a relationship he didn't want.
Goodbye, Potter. Draco thought sadly, his Veela mourning the loss of its mate.