A Snake, A Bird, and A Fawn

six

They let Cecily sleep in Draco's room. The moment she stepped inside, the scent almost brought her to her knees. It was beautiful, more clean than Harry ever kept his room.

The walls were a beautiful emerald green, the bedspread black silk with silver and black pillows placed neatly at the head. An organza canopy hang gracefully over the large bed, framing the bookshelves surrounding it nicely.

The moment Narcissa and Lucius left, Cecily fought her way onto the bed, having to jump and vault herself on top because of her short stature. She didn't even feel the pain in her ribs from the action as she buried her face in the pillows. In no time she was snuggled deeply under the comforter, a pillow between her arms and nose dug deeply into it. Her dark head of hair was barely able to be seen with how small she was compared to the ridiculously large bed.

Within minutes, Cecily Potter was in the most restful sleep of her life.

_-_

Draco stood in the fireplace of Zabini Manor with a handful of floo powder in hand, so used to the call of 'Malfoy Manor' that he stumbled when he didn't immediately recognize the room he ended up in.

After a second of confused contemplation he recognized his father's study and furrowed his brows. The man in question looked at him with one eyebrow arched in amusement. His mother was sitting on the desk, looking absolutely giddy for no obvious reason.

"Why did you redirect the floo? We always end up in the living room," Draco asked, dusting off his shirt thoughtlessly.

"Now, before you freak out," his father started, as if that wouldn't make him freak out more, "we had to make sure you didn't catch her scent as soon as you entered the house."

Draco peered at his father nervously. "Her scent? Who are you-"

Draco nearly purred with delight at the smell only slightly permeating the air. Strawberries and cream, the cinnamon rolls his mother makes on Christmas morning, the feeling of laying in the grass and staring up at the stars with no real cares.

His mate.

Instinct took over. Draco barreled towards the door, growling when he realized it was locked from the outside. He reached for his wand and growled even louder when he saw his mother waving it in the air teasingly from behind him.

"She's still sleeping, Draco, and you need to know a few things before you go in there and scare the poor girl out of her mind," Lucius stated calmly, trying not to laugh at the face his only son was making.

Draco made an impatient hand gesture. His mate was so close and he wasn't about to let the moment slip from his hands.

"She's here because I had to rescue her from an abusive household last night," Draco's feral roar shook the walls, and the Malfoy patriarch was glad he had the rooms soundproofed. "Her family has been mistreating her ever since she was one, and Dumbledore has refused to send her a Hogwarts Letter despite her having magic. He has some bizarre reason for denying her birth right but no one listens to the old coot anyways. She's fifteen, and has no idea about the real world. The first time she saw me she sat on her knees and refused to look in my eyes because that is how she was forced to stay all day in her home. She's still delicate, Draco. Be careful."

Draco nodded, his teeth grinding together and wings long since out of hiding. "I would never be anything but."

And with that, his father waved a hand and the office door opened. Draco followed the scent until his eyes were rolling back in his head as he leaned up against his bedroom door, wanting to do nothing but ravish the beauty he knew was sound asleep inside.

Once his breathing was under control, he carefully peeled open the door and almost cried at what he saw.

The most beautiful girl he had ever seen was curled up in his bed, face buried in his pillow and a smile curling her lips. Her hair was splayed out around her, and her tiny body was in a ball underneath his covers.

Joyful tears in his eyes, Draco sat on the edge of the bed and carefully pulled the pillow out of his angel's arms. After all, she had the real thing now.

Slender fingers moved a dark tendril away from her face. Her pink lips were slightly parted as she huffed out cute little breaths, but her brows furrowed when she realized her mate's scent was no longer close. Her full lips formed a pout and her little nose scrunched up in irritation.

Draco couldn't stop smiling. Pulling up the sleeve of his shirt, he placed his wrist under her button nose, angling his scent gland so that his scent would be strongest. A small moan escaped his mate's lips as she curled around his arm. As his skin touched her's for the first time, he couldn't control the groan that escaped his lips. It was absolute ecstasy.

At the sound, big hazel eyes fluttered open, finding a beautiful boy sitting in front of her.

"Hello, my angel," he whispered, pale fingers pushing back her hair as she stared up at him in awe. Merlin, she was more beautiful than he and Blaise could ever imagine.

"Hello," she replied just as quietly, and the blond boy positively beamed. Her voice, though hoarse, sounded like starlight in its purest form.

Unable to contain himself any longer, Draco wrapped two large hands around her waist and hefted her into his lap, laughing at her squeal of surprise. He maneuvered his body so that he was leaning against the ebony headboard his mate curled up in his lap, head against his chest and legs across his thighs.

"What's your name, baby?" he asked quietly, running a thumb across her adorably chubby cheeks.

"Cecily," she mimicked his tone, not able to tear her eyes away from his. "And you're Draco."

Draco shuddered as his name left her lips, eyes falling closed in bliss before he looked back down at his darling with a proud grin. "Good job, baby! I'm glad you remembered, I would've been sad if you had forgotten your soulmate's name," he said with a teasing grin.

Cecily perked up at his words, and Draco smirked. So his baby liked being praised? He was only too happy to oblige.

"You're so beautiful, angel. I've been dreaming of meeting my soulmate for years and nothing I've come up with has come remotely close to how stunning you are," he whispered with reverence, eyes flicking between hers so she knew he was being honest.

Cecily almost purred at his compliments. "You're so pretty," she told him, tracing a finger down his temple, across his cheeks and jawline.

Draco practically had hearts in his eyes. His girl was absolutely adorable. Blaise would be so jealous that he met her first.

Shit, he thought, casting a quick tempus to check the time, we need to get ready for the train.

Draco stood up and maneuvered Cecily onto his hip, cooing as she blushed and nuzzled into his neck.

"Blaise always said that you would be a shy little thing," he cooed, pinching her cheeks lightly and chuckling as she whined with a pout. "We both love you so much already, angel."

Cecily smiled shyly and tucked her head under his chin. "I've loved you ever since I was born."