Note: Mermaid!AU, Twisted Fairytale!AU
- POV changes at the end
The blue waters of the sea and its colorful contents did nothing to bring a smile to Draco's face. He loved being one with the waves, showing off how he had the faster fin to his siblings. The sea creatures treated him with the utmost respect, and that didn't even make him feel better.
He looked outside the window of his tower, leaning against the windowsill and sighing. This was a horrid start to his birthday.
A hand caressed Draco's shoulder, and the blonde spun around to meet a concerned expression belonging to his sister.
"It's bad luck to be sad on your birthday, Draco," she said. "You're twenty-one now. You get to see the surface!"
He scoffed, returning his gaze to the window. "My mood is instantly changed," he replied sarcastically. "Well done, Tracey."
Tracey rolled her eyes and folded her arms, her tail wading against the tower floor. "Don't be such a crab. Father expects you to be happy in front of the kingdom when you return from the surface, so snap out of it." She snapped her fingers for emphasis.
Draco didn't turn around, but he saw his sister in the reflection. Their father wouldn't be around today anyhow; he had to convene with the aquatic courts for Millicent's union to another. Of all of his children, he chose to miss Draco's birthday.
Was Draco surprised? No. Did it hurt any less? Not at all.
He changed his mind drastically about the surface. The sky, the grass, the structures...all of it was marvelous. It made him a slightly bitter that these things existed and he only had access to it once a year.
Draco could try sneaking around like Theodore does to read in the shell archives, but he liked to be seen.
When he'd found the woman standing so close to the shore, he couldn't swim away from her. Her blue eyes were captivating, bringing Draco closer to the rocks to watch what she would do. He would wait for the opportune moment to make his move; there was no way he couldn't make a lasting impression on the surface.
Then there was that opportune moment.
"I must be silly, talking of my troubles to myself on this beach," she said.
"Took you long enough to figure that out," Draco replied, finally revealing himself.
He heard her gasp, blinking her eyes in surprise that she wasn't alone. In return, Draco sported a smirk.
He'd learned her name was Daphne Greengrass, a woman of royalty just like he was. In Draco's mind, her beauty and status already made her a perfect fit for his contact with the surface world.
And it didn't stop there. He bragged on his heritage (which was frowned upon; not that he cared) and even displayed the ivory lined in platinum scaled tail he possessed. It only made Daphne curious for more information.
Her thirst for knowledge and constant questioning was tiring but impressive to Draco. Not too many under the sea sought for meaningful conversation that didn't involve the laws or singing. Dear Neptune, he hated singing. Draco knew his voice was as melodic as the next siren, but he didn't enjoy broadcasting it daily.
He did sing for Daphne, though, and that proved to Draco that he was so easily smitten with the blonde woman. Perhaps he was smitten with the idea of her. Nonetheless, Draco wanted Daphne Greengrass to be his.
After his birthday, Draco followed along with Theo's methods of evasion, finding obscure ways to the surface to meet Daphne near the shore. With every meeting, his desire for her grew. There was only one thing that stood in his way; he didn't have legs.
"I wouldn't advise this, brother," Tracey warned him.
"I don't care!" Draco said, swishing his tail at her in defiance. "I have to do this. I have to see her."
In his tower Tracey begged for Draco not to go forward with his plan with the conniving man. He wouldn't budge. He'd stayed under his father's laws like a coward long enough.
Barty Crouch was a wizard that lived among Draco and his kind. There were talks that he could provide anything that was asked for with only a small price to pay. Draco had plenty of gold to spare, so that price would be nothing.
He wanted legs, so he would get them. He'd walk among the surface with the woman who had his heart.
"You will have one to claim your love, and you will walk or swim as you choose," Barty said, his voice low and sinister-like.
Draco fluttered his eyes close and nodded, accepting that stipulation. He could see why the others would believe Barty was conniving and dark; those teeth and that breath could kill the coral.
Barty grabbed a jar and held it in front of himself. "In exchange for your soul, a small fee you see."
The blonde looked at the dark-haired wizard with a frown. "You consider that a small fee?" he demanded. "Is gold not enough?"
Barty shook his head, amusement written all over his face. The urchin was so confident that Draco would accept to such a thing. Giving his soul would mean death, but Draco also knew where and how to claim Daphne.
There was nothing to worry about, yes?
With a determined nod, Draco stared at the wicked grin stretching on the wizard's face and the jar in his hands.
"I accept."
Draco had an hour, and he was confident that Daphne would declare her love to him, and he'd be able to come ashore as he pleased. To the abyss with what his father and siblings would think; he had to have Daphne. This was his way to get her.
He felt funny walking in the sand, feeling the grated material through his newly acquired toes, but he had a mission and needed to keep true.
It didn't matter if his bits weren't covered anymore? He had somewhere to be and others should be impressed by what he had to offer anyhow.
"Daphne!" Draco called out, looking around for the golden blonde.
She appeared, her brows knitted in confusion before her eyes widened. "Oh dear!" Daphne exclaimed, covering her eyes.
Draco approached her, taking her hand away from her eyes. "Tell me the truth, Daphne," he said. "Tell me that you love me, and come with me to the sea."
Daphne blinked once again, shaking her head. Her lips parted slightly as she withdrew her hand away.
"I can't do that," she whispered.
His hopeful expression softened. "Whyever not?" he asked. "It's so simple!" He tried tugging her with him, only for Daphne to pull back.
Not used to the new equilibrium from his legs, Draco stumbled forward. He looked angry...hurt.
"I'm to be wed to another, Draco," Daphne explained. "I cannot leave. I cannot profess my love for you."
Draco felt like a fool. He wouldn't dare look embarrassed, though, even if he'd just jeopardized his life for a woman that didn't want him.
He wanted to cry out. He wanted to rip at something. Yet he wouldn't; he didn't have the time. Surely his family could get him out of this.
Letting go of Daphne's hands in spite, Draco ran back to the shore, feeling his heart slowing with each wobbly step he took. He could hear Daphne calling for him, but her voice was fading. Everything around him was fading.
His hand touched a rock near the crashing waves, but balance eluded him as he fell in the sand. The sky meshed with the clouds, the smell of the sea filling his nose. Something stirred inside him, like his body was fading away.
Perhaps it was his soul leaving his body.
"Draco! Draco, no. Please!"
He opened his mouth, but words didn't come out. Something soft touched his cheek, and something wet hit his forehead. The world around him went black.
As he felt the waves pull him away, Draco could have sworn he'd heard Daphne scream out words, but he couldn't hear them.
It was too late.
It'd been a year since Daphne went to the beach. Every time she heard the waves crash against the rocks and the birds singing over the water, she thought about what she lost. It ravaged at her heart slowly.
She stood at the edge of the sand, her hair billowing with the wind. Daphne bit her lip, her heart pounding in her ear as she stood there. She played with the ring on her finger, wondering why she still wore the thing.
Her marriage ended six months ago when her husband died in battle. She'd grieved him, but she'd grieved Draco harder. It was then that Daphne realized that she'd made a mistake.
After a moment, the blonde scoffed to herself and shook her head. "This was ridiculous," she muttered, getting ready to leave.
"It took a year for you to realize that?"
Daphne's breath hitched. She turned in the direction of the voice and nearly choked out a sob. Her vision blurred from her tears as she ran towards the water, seeing a mop of blond hair through her blurry sight.
He was alive. He was alive.
His arms engulfed her in a hug once she was deep enough in the water, and she laughed in disbelief.
"How?" she asked against his shoulder. "How are you here with me?"
Draco ran his hand through her hair, holding Daphne close. "Turns out someone loved me more than she thought," he replied. "Don't drag your professions along next time, please? I am rather fond of my life."
Daphne slapped his arm. "You're adorable, but it will only save you for so long."
He grinned smugly, pulling her in for a kiss. She smiled against his lips. Was it possible to love someone so completely, they simply couldn't die? Daphne would like to think so.
A/N: Written for QLFC
Team: Wigtown Wanderers; Position: Chaser 1; Prompt: 'Is it possible to love someone so completely, they simply can't die?' (Peter Lake, Winter's Tale) - Keeper Pick; Optional Prompts: (word) ravage, (word) conniving, (location) tower
Word Count: 1,653