A Veela's Mate || Draco Malfoy

Sʜᴏᴜʟᴅ I Sᴛᴀʏ ᴏʀ Sʜᴏᴜʟᴅ I Gᴏ II

Friday, November 1

Iris slowly swam towards wakefulness, smiling slightly as she felt the magic around her. Only one place felt like that. Her garden.

Keeping her eyes closed, Iris stretched, checking her body for aches and pains as she uncurled from her curled up position, starting as an unexpected voice suddenly spoke.

"When you move like that, one could think you were part cat. How do you feel, Loveling?"

Iris blinked her eyes open and twisted around until she faced the speaker. Feeling her eyes widen, there was nothing Iris could do to prevent her jaw from heading south. "Malfoy!" she squeaked in a most embarrassing manner, taking in the relaxed manner the blond was reclining in an comfortable looking chair, a thick, old tome on his lap. "Where did you come from? How did you find this place? How long have you been here?" The questions spilled from Iris's lips the moment she thought of them. If the older Malfoy had found her here, at the one place Iris thought was safe, who else could find her here? Who else already had?

Lucius looked down at Iris, a worried frown appearing on his forehead. It was clear that Iris didn't remember why they had come here. How much else had the Elf forgotten? How much of her memories would they be able to bring back? Draco would be devastated if Iris had forgotten about him, about them. Speaking of Draco...

Lucius reached up and clasped a hand around his necklace. "Dragon, she is awake," Lucius said, keeping his eyes on the confused teen on the ground.

Lucius had barely let go of the pendant before Draco appeared beside him. The youth took one look at his mate, and letting out a cry of happiness, he launched himself at the Elf, hugging her tight all the while babbling how happy he was that Iris was awake, mingled with reproaches of how worried she had made everyone.

Lucius could only chuckle at the sight, making no moves to restrain his son or his happiness. Silently Severus made it to his other side, and together the two men looked down at the reunion.

~ ϟ ~

Iris was happy she was already lying down on the ground, or she would have ended up flat on her back when someone jumped her. For a moment she just lay there, feeling stunned, not comprehending in the least what was going on. Then slowly, the words that were being babbled into her ears began to make sense. Not that they did anything to explain the current situation.

"Salazar and the Founders! I've been so worried, Iris. You just slept and slept, and no one would tell me how much longer you needed to recover, and by Merlin, Iris! But don't you ever scare me like that again!"

Hearing the pain in the other's voice, Iris did the only thing she could do; she reached up and wrapped her arms around the other, enveloping him in a tight hug. Feeling the other calm down slightly, Iris placed her hands on two strong shoulders and gently pushed upwards.

At first the person on top of her resisted the push, but eventually they shifted and Iris finally got a first look on the being that had been hugging the stuffing out of her. "Draco Malfoy!" Iris half asked, half exclaimed, wondering just when she had fallen down the rabbit hole.

"Iris?" Draco asked, for the first time seeing the confusion in vivid green eyes. "Don't you remember, love?" Draco reached up with a trembling hand, brushing a stray lock of hair away from where it had fallen across his mate's face.

"Remember what?" Iris asked, searching silvery eyes, feeling surprised and dismayed when they slowly filled with hurt. Why would Draco Malfoy care about her? What was it she had forgotten?

Glancing around, seeing her Potions professor for the first time, Iris managed a wry smile as she said, "I take it the reason I'm here, in the garden, has nothing to do with what happened on my birthday?"