She looked into his eyes…

…His black eyes.

His black angry eyes.

Accompanied with his slowly unfurling wings and elongating teeth there was no question.

Veela was back.

And he was not pleased.

Hermione could only watch with a tightly held breath, tears burning and blurring her eyes as she refused to blink and miss anything that was happening in front of her.

Dear Merlin- he was back!

When she couldn't hold it in any longer, a hushed sob burst out of her throat. Upon hearing the sound, Veela's eyes finally moved from Ron to pierce her own.

She swallowed the second sob rising rapidly in her throat. "Veela?" she whispered in a broken voice, heavy with relief.

Inky black eyes flared with heat…and then narrowed in fury…and then all hell broke loose.

There were multiple cries of surprise and shock as Veela burst out of his bed. The powerful image he created as he did so was such a contrast to the fragility his counterpart had shown mere seconds before that Hermione wasn't the only one who could simply stand and stare.

Veela's cold stare remained fixed on her as he outstretched his wings in one seamless flick, the power behind the action hitting both Harry and James square in the chest. There were no other words to describe it- Harry went flying across the room, cutting through the air effortlessly before his path was cut short by gravity and another cot. He hit the metal frame hard before rolling backwards over the mattress and dropping to the floor.

Veela's hit to James on the other hand caused the red eyed tenebris seminio to tumble back into the bedside cupboard. Whilst he hit the wood as more of a human, the same couldn't be said for when he recovered.

His white gleaming teeth bared at Veela angrily, his red eyes promising retribution of the violent kind.

Hermione found herself taking in Harry and James's condition from out of the corner of her eye. Her eyes were glued to Veela and her heart began thumping wildly in her chest when he began heading right for her.

Instinct had her tensing in anticipation, stumbling back a few steps and then readying to curl into herself to protect her body. Through the pulse pounding in her ear she heard the muted shouts from numerous sources.

Her hand wrapped around her wand and her mouth readied to spout out the only word that might stop Veela in his tracks when a flash of ginger flew in front of her vision and she was knocked out of the way. She fell sideways, her wand clattering out of her hand as she outstretched her fingers to catch onto something to break her fall.

That something happened to be a set of slim shoulders and Padma's pierced shout of "Ron!" had Hermione turning around with a gasp, just in time to see a flash of red light from Ron's own shout of "Stupefy" hurtling towards Veela.

The spell was blocked by a brush of Veela's black feathered wings.

And then the spell was hurtling back towards Ron who could do nothing to stop it. The spell punched him in the stomach and he hit the wall behind him with such force he was knocked unconscious.

Hermione could only look at him in horror before she felt steel bands wrap her around her arms. Her eyes jerked away from Ron's prone body and looked up until they met Veela's.

She watched with a closed throat as his pearly white incisors lengthened slowly, the curve tapering off into a lethal looking point.

"V-Veela…" she whispered in hesitation.

His chest rumbled against hers as he emitted a roar so loud it vibrated around the room.

Hermione took in another sharp intake of air before letting out a strangled sound from her throat as she was lifted straight off her feet. Her hands automatically latched onto Veela's tensed muscles and her fingers dug into his skin.

Veela's face descended down towards hers so sharply that Hermione closed her eyes in preparation for his head to smash into hers.

She felt a strong puff of air wash in front of her face and from the heat searing from him skin; she knew he'd stopped a hairsbreadth away from her face even before her eyes popped open.

"Little Healer is Veela's!" he gritted out in a quietly cold voice.

Hermione could say nothing as his hands tightened their punishing hold around her body, slowly squeezing the oxygen from her lungs.

"Veela's! And Veela's alone!" He reiterated.

"V-ee-la!" she managed to choke out from under his bruising grasp.

Her voice only seemed to make him angrier and Hermione felt the bones in her arms as well as her ribs begin to ache with sharp pains.

"MINE!" Veela roared out loud.

Hermione let out a small scream as his wings launched them into the air and he flew in one quick motion towards the Ward's windows. If Hermione had expected the pane of glass to put a halt to his motions, she had thought wrong. When she realised that he was simply going to go through the window, she did the only thing she could do to protect herself since her arms were still locked by her side- she tucked her chin to her throat and closed her eyes.

She heard the crack of glass breaking and it took a few moments for her to realise that nothing had pierced her exposed skin. She opened her eyes only to realise that Veela had turned the two of them so that his back bore the brunt of the breaking glass. Hermione's gaze landed on multiple shocked pairs belonging to Padma, Harry and Healer Johnson and she screamed as Veela stole her away from the Manor.

Her strangled, prolonged yell for help was cut short when Veela whisked them both around and Hermione realised he was heading right for the thick trees of the woods.

Panic began to filter through her body.

The cool early morning air, as well as the adrenaline coursing through her veins, had her teeth chattering violently and her heart skipped a beat when Veela loosened his hold on her for a second so he could manoeuvre her in a seemingly careless move to lay flat against the warmth of his chest.

Despite her fear, Hermione gratefully huddled against his warm heat.

The flight seemed to end as abruptly as it began.

The early morning sun barely filtered in through the trees as Veela the two of them deeper into the woods before making a steep landing that had Hermione fisting her hands and digging her fingers into Veela's shoulder muscles. As soon as her feet touched the ground, Veela unwound his arms from around her waist and with her jelly-like legs, she dropped to her knees, her fingers curling into the frost covered grass as she regained her equilibrium.

Apparently Veela felt she was taking too long since a soft wing curled around her body and lifted her upright again. She stumbled, not yet ready to put weight on her legs and one of Veela's hands snapped out to warp around her hips in order to keep her standing. Once satisfied she wasn't going to drop back down to the floor, he yanked her towards him in one harsh pull.

Hermione collided against his hard chest and the breath left her lungs with a whoosh.

She tilted her head up, watching with trepidation as Veela's other hand rose slowly towards her face.

Words tumbled out of her mouth. "V-Veela…I-t was just a p-plan. I-I had to do somethi-"

Her speech was cut short when the rough pad of his thumb flattened against her lips.

She watched numbly as he traced the curve of her upper lip before he dragged his thumb down to her bottom lip, pulling it down slightly so his finger moistened before he slowly rubbed the flesh of the lip from one corner of her mouth to the other.

Her apprehension turned to fear when the expression of anger he was currently sporting turned into a disgusted sneer. His finger flashed from her lips and he grabbed hold of her cheeks, slowly moving her face closer to his menacing teeth.

She garbled out his name in an inaudible mumble thanks to the fish lips she was now sporting and then her eyes widened as his teeth came within touching distance of her lips.

Mentally and physically preparing herself for the initial flash of pain that always accompanied Veela's bite, Hermione was shocked when she felt something warm and wet touch her lips.

Her eyes flew open and she gazed into Veela's cold black stare as his tongue followed the path his thumb had taken in one precise, controlled moment.

Hermione swallowed the nerves in her throat when his tongue finished its journey and retreated back into his own mouth. Relief was short lived when she felt a sharp unexpected pain. Without looking she felt her bottom lip break open and a small bead of blood form on the flesh.

Veela's eyes heated and his eyes darted down as he focused on the red bead; his nostrils flaring as he purposefully inhaled the air around her. Before Hermione could take in her next breath, his tongue had darted back out and the drop was licked away.

His fingers removed themselves from around her cheeks and his hold loosened from around her hips. Hermione instinctively took a few steps away from him, one hand coming up to rest against her thinly punctured bottom lip to check if it was still bleeding.

She watched numbly as Veela physically shook in front of her. A low groan left his throat before his eyes opened and speared hers.

"Veela…told…his…Mate…" He began to say in a deep voice between each intake of breath; the word Mate being spat out from his lips.

When he didn't speak further, Hermione swallowed the knot of nerves in her throat, "Told me what?" she whispered.

His frenzied eyes held hers. "That Mate…belonged…to Veela!"

The last word was spoken so loudly Hermione heard birds flocking away in the distance.

"Run… Mate." He ordered with a sneer.

Hermione jerked with surprise. "W-what?"

"It is time Veela shows his Mate, once and for all, that she- belongs- to- him."

Hermione stood frozen on the spot.

"Veela has abstained for too long. Mate will not enjoy when Veela feeds from her today."

The words were spoken in a taunting promise rather than as a statement and that only made his words that much scarier.

"So Mate…Run."

Hermione didn't hesitate any longer. She turned on her heel and ran.

ooo

Hermione knew in an instant that she'd made a mistake… but that didn't stop her from continuing to put as much distance between the two of them as possible.

Don't look back…Run like Snatchers are on your tail…Don't look back…

Prey…

Those were the words that ran through Hermione's mind in a continuous loop as she made her way through the dense trees.

Her slipper encased feet thumped loudly against the crisp ground and she made her way in the direction in which she hoped would lead her back to the Manor. And yet with every step she took, she knew she was going to fail in out-running him.

Veela's sudden predatory bellow, signalling the fact he was now coming after her, made her even surer she should have stood her ground and faced him.

His previous words echoed through her head.

He'd warned her not to run from him…he'd warned her that catching her, and he would catch her, would mean he would force her to submit to him.

Veela might have been feeding from her before the shooting but that didn't mean they'd fully completed the traditional bonding ceremony.

…And Hermione had no plans to have sex with Veela on the grassy forest floor when he had a severe case of blood lust! And Merlin only knew what Draco was going through if he was locked back up in that black room.

"Veela's mouth waters for the taste of his Mate's blood essence once more."

Hermione gasped to a stop when she heard the words in her mind. In the next second the golden thread she had longed for in so long shimmered bright in her mind and her heart pounded as she was overpowered by the feelings of lust and anticipation emanating from Veela.

Dear Merlin.

She allowed herself a few more seconds of catching her breath before she resumed her run.

"Veela has showed his Mate respect by only taking her throat…"

Hermione sped up further as she heard his thundering form gaining on her.

"But Mate did not show Veela respect in return. She sullied her lips by touching another's."

Anger began pulsing through the thread and Hermione gasped in aching breaths of air.

She found herself pleading with Veela through their connection, "It was the only way to get you to come back to me. I had no choice!"

"Enough!" Veela cut her off. "Veela will find his Mate…and then he will enjoy showing her how much pleasure she has denied herself."

Hermione emitted a choked noise from her throat. "Veela please! You have to listen to me! I know you have to feed- but not like this!"

Veela's response was a low rumbling growl that caused Hermione's head to spin. It was the same sound he always made every time he fed from her and the first taste of her blood hit his tongue.

"Yes like this. Mate will enjoy it. She is already enjoying it!"

"What?! No I'm not!" Hermione said, instantly rejecting his claims.

His deep chuckle resonated inside her head. "Mate can lie to herself. But her body and her thoughts cannot hide from Veela…Mate is excited at Veela catching her!"

Hermione's first reaction was to splutter in disbelief but the splutter died out when the truth of his words hit her.

Dear Merlin she was excited! The thought was horrifying. How could she be enjoying this?!

Veela sent through another chuckle. "Mate revels in knowing she will eventually submit to her Veela. Mate's heart pounds and her wet core throbs in anticipation."

His words caused Hermione to stop and bend over at the waist as she sucked in gulps of air. All the while warmth stained her flushed cheeks and it wasn't all due to the exertion.

"You're wrong." She told him weakly.

"Mate is lying…and Veela's Hermione knows that Veela dislikes lies."

Hermione shook her head from side to side, too tired to fight with him verbally but her mind still stubbornly refusing to accept his words.

"Veela has dreamt of how he will take his Mate for the first time. She will be spread bare before him. All her little veins will be visible to him…and Mate will feel Veela's bite in every one of them. She will yearn to feel Veela's teeth nipping at her. At her throat. At each wrist. The pad of her thumb…and the juiciest of all…at her leaking core."

A picture of just that flashed in Hermione's mind and her throat closed just as her eyes rolled back in her head.

"Veela will take hold of his Mate's little hands; he will stretch them above her head and bind them together with one of his. He will direct her to look into his eyes and then…then he will take her. Veela will take his Mate so hard her mind will turn to nothing and all she will remember is that SHE BELONGS TO VEELA!"

Hermione heard the last four words both in her head and out loud from somewhere behind her. She jerked on the spot, whisking around as her eyes frantically scanned the nearby foliage to see where Veela would emerge from.

She had expected him to come crashing through the greenery but instead, he stepped forward calmly from between two thick tree trunks.

His black wings were extended fully, and somewhere along the way, he'd discarded the tattered white T-shirt that had barely covered his broad chest. He took small measured steps towards her…steps of a predator knowing he had cornered his prey.

"Veela has enjoyed chasing his Mate. But the time for running is over. The game ends here."

He launched towards her and Hermione made to run away from him again. She didn't even get two steps further.

"Veela!" she gasped out as her body fell to the floor.

Her lungs burned with pain as the air was squashed out of her. Veela's hard body lay directly upon her back, the weight of his heavy muscles crushing her into the grass beneath her. And then Hermione felt his nose rub a path up her neck before he took in a deep inhale against the skin behind her ear.

His accompanying purr of desire sent darts of heat right through her.

Dear Merlin what was he going to do?

"Veela…please stop."

Firm fingers came to wrap around her hair and he pulled back slightly so that her face was no longer lying against the cool grass. Slowly he angled her to the left, enough for Hermione to see his face.

His incisors had receded slightly and Hermione was grateful for the fact since in the next second his lips smashed against hers. There was no gentleness in his kiss. His tongue thrust into her mouth, dominating her own tongue that rose to meet his in a bid to regain some semblance of control.

And then he ripped his head back. "Turn to face Veela."

Hermione hesitatingly followed his instruction until he was leaning over her on his hands and knees, his wings cocooning them in a cave of darkness.

And then it hit her.

His bonding scent.

The soft smell of citrus seemed to leak from his every pore and Hermione was powerless to stop her body from greedily inhaling the scent it hadn't experienced in too long. Her muscles began to relax under the drugging scent and warmth began to curl over her body.

"Veela…we have to talk." She slurred with a thick tongue.

Veela's eyes went from focusing on her throat to looking her in the eyes. "The time for talking is later. Now is the time for action." He whispered huskily.

His pale claws came to the neck of her T-shirt and he slowly tore the material in two. Goosebumps erupted across the skin of her stomach and chest as the cool air hit it. But she didn't feel the cold for long. Veela's warm hands came to span the curve of her waist before moving across to run over her stomach.

He rearranged his body until his head was hovering over her stomach and then he trailed light kisses over the smooth skin. Occasionally his teeth would scrape lightly, each time causing Hermione to tense up expecting his promised bite.

"Veela…" Hermione moaned as her body arched helplessly into his.

"Yes Mate." Veela crooned. "Breathe in Veela's scent."

Hermione gladly followed his edict, her fingers digging into his hair and pulling at the strands as she pushed him where she really wanted his kisses to land.

Veela smirked up at her once he realised what she was trying to do and Hermione bit her lip in embarrassment before a second wave of musky citrus washed over her.

She squirmed uncomfortably; an ache building up inside of her which she desperately needed Veela to sate.

"Please…" she begged helplessly. Her mind began to grow dizzy with the lack of oxygen from the breath she was continuing to hold in her chest.

"Mate…My Mate…Little Healer belongs only to Veela."

"Yes…Yes…"

"Only to Veela. Not anyone else. Solely his."

Her mouth whispered yes even as her mind whispered no.

The word sounded so foreign Hermione tried to push it out of her head but it refused to budge.

A frown began to mar her forehead as her mind puzzled out the reason for her sudden hesitation. And then a pair of pained grey eyes flashed into her mind and the haze cleared away.

She took in a surprised gasp. Dear Merlin- Draco!

Hermione tried to lift her head but it felt like a dead weight on her shoulders. Sluggishly lifting her arms, she strained to push at Veela's shoulders.

"No…Veela. Stop. We need to talk…Stop."

Veela shifted position until he was looming above her, his dark eyes seemingly puzzled at her reluctance.

Hermione wetted her dry mouth with her tongue, ready to explain to him that they had to talk about Draco now that she had Veela's full concentration.

She opened her mouth to start when she saw Veela's expression grow stormy.

"Veela?" Hermione asked quietly.

She heard him grit his teeth and the menacing image did nothing to calm the butterflies in her stomach.

"Mate is thinking of him. The weak human who hurt his own Mate."

Hermione's heart jumped to her throat. "Veela…Draco hurt me a long time ago. It's different between us now."

Her words did nothing to calm Veela's temper and his expression only grew stormier.

"Mate belongs only to Veela. She needs the human for nothing. Veela will make his Mate forget all others."

And with that, a sharp claw sliced her bra open in two, his head darted down before Hermione could even let out a screech of embarrassed protest at her nakedness and his teeth pierced her breast.

There was a brief moment of pain before roaring pleasure rushed through her veins. She vaguely heard Veela's pleased groans as he sucked in draws of her blood, gorging himself on the essence he'd been depriving himself of and all Hermione could do was close her eyes and let her mouth fall open in a silent cry of ecstasy.

Author's Note: I know it's been forever (life got crazy busy- I landed myself a new job!) and I know you're probably disappointed at the length of this chapter. I was planning on writing more but I kept changing my mind about certain things, which in turn meant I kept fiddling around with what I'd already written so I thought uploading this and putting it out there would help me get my mind sorted out about what to do next- if that makes sense to anyone! Despite its length, I hope you enjoyed reading the update and thank you for sticking with me! Until next time, Curiositykils.