A Veela's Mate || Draco Malfoy

Aɴ Uɴʜᴀᴘᴘʏ Hᴇᴀᴅᴍᴀsᴛᴇʀ

"Now I remember why I don't like shopping," Iris sighed, collapsing on the couch, not caring where her bags ended up.

"Come now, love, it wasn't that bad," Draco teased, settling next to Iris, running his finger through her dark hair.

"No, it could have been worse. At least no one was gawking at me, and only one lady recognized me, and she didn't make much of a fuss," Iris conceded.

Draco paused. Iris hadn't noticed the way people had been eyeing her? Opening his mouth to point that fact out to his clueless mate, he abruptly closed it again. It would be much easier on his nerves if his mate remained oblivious. Not that he thought Iris would choose someone else, but he wasn't about to risk competition until he had a firmer grip on Iris's affection and love.

Lucius noted his son's reaction and nodded his head in approval. It really was unnecessary to alert the girl to that little detail. "I am going to go and change and then I am ordering some food. Would you care to join me for a bite to eat?"

Both teens nodded vigorously. Now that the aristocrat had brought up food, the two of them felt how utterly empty their stomachs were.

"I'll be right with you, Father," Draco said, popping up from the couch and heading for his room and a quick shower.

Iris was slower to get up though, giving the older man a calculating look. "Sir, are you doing anything special tonight?"

"Not that I am aware of," Lucius replied a bit wearily, not liking the way Iris was looking at him.

"Good! Would you mind meeting with me and discussing the DA? Draco may join as well if he is interested. With Dumbledore granting access to the third year and up, I have a feeling there will be plenty of kids wanting to join. The stupid bastard, why did he make such an announcement without asking me first?"

"To make sure you wouldn't refuse him. Why tonight though?"

"Because I am supposed to meet with the old fool tonight at eight so that he can teach me Occlumency," Iris explained with a sweet smile. "But what if I have plans with you, and everyone knows what a busy man you are. Well, it isn't my fault I can't be in two places at once, is it? I am sure the Headmaster will understand."

"Very well, you imp. I will come here shortly before eight o'clock, and we can make a sketchy plan for the first few meetings," Lucius allowed with a soft chuckle. The child was turning into a true Slytherin before his very eyes. How the girl had avoided being sorted into the snake house was beyond him. Slytherin was clearly Potter's true House. Shaking his head, he left to take his own shower and to change his clothes. Shopping was always such a dirty business, especially if you spent much of the time outside Diagon Alley.

~ ϟ ~

Albus Dumbledore was not a happy wizard. First, there had been that embarrassing scene earlier with Fudge. It had taken a lot of sweet-talking and reassurance that the whole thing was nothing but a prank by one of the children. It had helped somewhat that the lemon drop he'd taken immediately after the Minister had also tasted foul - human blood if he wasn't mistaken - causing him to sputter and spit it out as well. Still, it had taken him almost ten minutes to apologize, soothe ruffled feathers, and avoid being taken to the Ministry for questioning. Once he found out who the prankster was, they were going to serve detention with Severus for three months!

What he really wanted to know though was how they had gotten in. A careful check of his wards had shown that no one had been there but those authorized to be there, and he didn't think anyone on his staff would play such a rotten prank. Not on him. Fawkes knew something, but the bird wasn't talking. He just looked insufferably smug.