In potions this year, they'd been paired based on ability. That's how Hermione Granger had ended up paired with Theodore Nott.
That no one in their eighth year class ended up paired with someone of their own house was a complete coincidence of course.
After six weeks of working together, Hermione wasn't sure if she liked him or not.
Sometimes he was handsome, intelligent, witty and excellent conversation. Other times he barely looked at her, he'd respond to questions with grunts and shrugs. If she's honest with herself, she's developed a little bit of a crush on him, despite his mood swings.
His dark hair has a slight curl at the ends where he's let it grow long enough to brush his collar. He has a nervous habit of running his fingers through it. It drives her insane.
During potions, you work so closely it's normal to brush against each other. They seem to manage it more than other pairs do.
Today he's different. The touching seems deliberate. He's standing closer than he needs to. It's as though he's trying to make her even more physically aware of him.
Theo doesn't need to try this hard. She's always aware of him. She's extra jumpy because of him being so close. She didn't mean to pour a beaker of water on him. She couldn't help watch as it soaked through his shirt, making it cling to his skin.
Hermione thought she caught a flash of something through his shirt. Something that wasn't skin.
She glances up to meet his eyes. Theo's never looked at her with such rage before. He pulls his robes around himself shuddering.
"Did you do that on purpose?" He hisses at her.
"No. Of course not. It was an accident. It was only water," Hermione frowns not understanding why he's so furious.
He grabs his bag from the floor and storms out of class, they still have an hour to go.
"What did you do Granger?" Malfoy asks her.
"I spilt some water," she says brow creasing as she looks after Theo. "It was only water, I swear."
Malfoy sighs. Before going over to talk with Slughorn. After conversing in hushed tones, Malfoy grabs his bag.
"He better be alright," Malfoy says shoving into her as he exits the room, leaving a very confused Hermione staring at the beaker in her hand.
Hermione watches him carefully over the next few days. The more she thinks about it, the more extreme the reaction seems.
Something strange is happening.
Malfoy keeps glaring at her, which isn't unusual but they'd been so much better recently.
How had she never realised before that Theo only seems to eat fish but never smells fishy? Did he just add salt to his glass of water? What did she see through his shirt? These are questions that haunt her, stealing her sleep. Eventually, she becomes desperate enough to approach Harry to request to borrow two items she's never asked him for before.
"Why?" Harry asks confused yet still getting to his feet, going to the dormitory to get what she asked for. She follows behind him.
"Something strange is going on with... Someone. I want to find out what they're up to," she says evasive.
"Trying to find out if Nott has a secret girlfriend and that's why he's so hot and cold with you?" Harry smirks at her, holding the two items she wants. "I'm kidding." He says handing over his cloak and map.
"You know you can talk to me right. I can talk boys if you really need me to." Harry offers looking uncomfortable.
"That's okay Harry," she hugs him. "I can handle this."
Hermione dashes off to her dormitory before he can ask anymore questions.
"I solemnly swear I'm up to no good," she says tapping her wand to the parchment. She sat on her bed with the curtains closed around her, staring at the parchment as lines start to work their way outwards from the point of her wand.
Hermione has never appreciated before just how many people there were in Hogwarts until she was trying to spot one dot amongst thousands. She checked the most obvious places first, the Slytherin common room, dormitories, the Great Hall, the Library, the prefects bathrooms.
Eventually, her eyes start to scan the grounds. This late at night no one should be out there but Malfoy is stood on the bank.
She frowns as she watches Theo's dot come onto the page.
He's in the lake.
Why is he swimming in the lake at eleven at night? Why is Malfoy on the bank waiting for him?
She looks at the cloak. Can she really do it?
She slips out of her bed and wraps it around her. It covers her completely. She doesn't have to stoop like the boys do. It's warm too.
She makes her way out of the tower, wand in one hand, map in the other.
Hermione arrives in the Entrance Hall as the doors open. The two boys come in laughing.
"You're always in a better mood once you've swam," Draco laughs.
"It de-stresses me," Theo shrugs looking around.
"You know what else would de-stress you?" Draco asks waggling his eyebrows at his friend.
"You know it's more complicated than that?" Theo sighs, sagging against the wall.
"You want her though?"
"Yeah, I want her."
"Then take her. It's not that complicated."
"I've already told you, I'll be bound to her."
"I thought you didn't have a problem with that."
"I don't. But she'll be bound to me. How am I supposed to explain all... this?"
"Take her for a swim?" Draco grins at him.
"Not funny," Theo says standing up straight.
"It's a little funny."
"Oh yeah. Absolutely hilarious. What if she reacts badly?"
"Then at least you'll know and I don't have to put up with your brooding. Come on. We better get back. I know we have permission but I'd still rather not get caught," Draco says looking around them.
Theo nods kicking off from the wall as the two of them make their way to the dungeons.
Hermione sinks down onto the stairs. Were they talking about her? What is wrong with Theo? Hermione gets to her feet turning on the stairs to go back to bed, the replay of the overheard conversation haunting her.
Hermione barely slept that night, when she did sleep her dreams were filled with water, the words she heard echoing in her ears.
She had a plan. Malfoy was the weak link. She'd target him first.
She found him on the map. He was in the library. Alone.
It was a Saturday so the library was pretty empty when she arrives and sits down next to Malfoy. He paused in his work when she joined him.
She starts laying out the books she'd picked up. All of them about sea creatures.
"Homework project?" He asks staring at the titles.
"No," Hermione replies without elaborating.
"Huh," Draco shifts uncomfortably, glancing away.
"I went for a walk last night. Sometimes it's good to get some fresh air when you can't sleep."
"Hmm."
"I usually use a cloak or a charm so I don't get caught. You hear the most interesting things."
"You were in the entrance hall?" Draco frowns, glancing again at her books.
"I'll find out. With or without your help," she shrugs picking up the first of her books.
"Really?"
"Mmhmm. You were talking about me after all weren't you?"
Draco sighs as he watches her read. He gets up from the table walking into the stacks. He comes back with two books. He snatches the one out of her hands chucking it across the table. He places two books in front of her. One about curses, the other about mermaids.
Draco doesn't say a word as he sits back down beside her to continue his homework.
Is Draco trying to tell her Theo's a mermaid? She's seen real mermaids. They're nothing like what muggles think they are. She stares down at the books confused.
Draco sighs snatching the book on mermaids, muttering about having to do everything himself. He opens the book to a certain page, a page he knew how to find, places it in front of her giving her a significant look.
Hermione reads the page he opened the book at.
The muggle mermaid legends originated from wizards and witches who were cursed.
Bound to water.
These curses created half-man, half-fish hybrids that would change when they... when they came in contact with water.
Theo was...
Suddenly the potions incident makes sense. The late night swim. It was scales she saw through his shirt.
Hermione sits back on in her chair as the book falls from her fingers.
"Granger? Granger? Hermione are you okay," Draco is shaking her.
"Theo is..."
"Not here," he hisses glancing around. She nods, checks out the two books and drags him from the room.
"Tell me everything," Hermione demands dragging him down the corridor.
"I can walk you know," he says pulling his arm from her grip. "I won't let you tug me around like you do those tosser friends of yours."
"Sorry," she blushes. "Just... please. Please tell me."
"Fine. But we need privacy," Draco says grabbing her arm and pulling her down to the dungeons.
"I can walk you know," she echos back to him. She tries to pull on his grip but it's too firm to escape. "I don't need to be manhandled."
"Maybe I want to manhandle you?" He winks at her before pulling her in a hidden corridor behind a tapestry.
They arrive at a luxurious living room with couches, bookshelves and a small kitchen area. Two doors lead of this main room.
"Sit," he orders pushing her onto the couch.
"Where are we?" She asks looking around, she has her suspicions.
"My rooms," he smirks. "Do you really think I'd sleep in the same rooms as everyone else?" Draco laughs. "I found these in third year. The only people who know are Theo and you. The other boys know I didn't share the dorms like I was supposed to but they didn't know where it was I slept."
"Theo," she says not getting distracted.
Draco drapes himself over an armchair opposite her.
"Theo's going to kill me when he finds out I've told you," he warns her. "But I feel it's in his best interests that you know."
He pauses for dramatic effect. She realises most of Malfoy's actions are done for dramatic effect.
Hermione waits.
"Theo's family were cursed generations ago. From their seventeenth birthday until they mate, every time their skins comes into contact with water they begin to change. The other day when you split that water on him, even though it was only a little, you started the process that changes him into what muggles think is a mermaid. Half man, half fish. I've seen him change. It's not like what you think it will be. He has a certain... monstrous beauty to him. Watching him swim is magnificent, especially under sunlight."
Hermione gasps.
"Oh Merlin. You're in love with him," she breathes, something about the shine in his eyes when he talks about Theo makes it blindingly obvious.
"Does he know?" She asks.
Draco shrugs.
"If he does we've never talked about it."
"Why don't you tell him?"
"Because of his curse. Once he mates and becomes bound with a woman he'll gain control of his changes. He'll have a choice when to change. How can I take that from him? Besides he drawn to you. You feel it too don't you? You're drawn to him. As though something inside him is calling out to you?"
"Yes," she blushes looking down at her fingers.
"Then you need to go to him. Make the first move. You'll be bound to him for the rest of your life though," Draco says moving to sit beside her. He brushes the hair back from her face. "I think he'll be able to make you happy. You'd be good together." His smile is a little strained.
"What about you?" She asks looking up into his face. She watches as a spasm of pain crosses his handsome features.
"I'll be fine," he shrugs. His eyes tell her that's a lie. Who knew Draco Malfoy could be so self-sacrificing?
Hermione doesn't know what made her do it? She leans in brushing her lips against his, before moving her lips against his, demanding a response from him.
Draco gathers her up in his arms, holding her tighter against him, using her as he works through all the pain and frustration he feels.
He comes to his senses first, pushing her away hard. She lands on the floor as he puts his head in his hands. She looks up at him slightly stunned.
Stunned she kissed him, disappointed he stopped, guilty about Theo.
"Go. Don't toy with me, Granger. Go to him. Please," he begs not looking at her. Hermione scrambles to her feet to set off in search of Theo. As the door shuts behind her, she can almost swear she heard the first echoes of a sob.
Hermione finds Theo by the lake. It was the first place she thought to look for him, especially now she knew. He was staring at out the water with longing.
She dithers close to him. After a few minutes he glances over her.
"He told you."
It's not a question. She answers with a nod anyway.
Theo turns back to stare at the lake once more.
"Are you here to tell me you want nothing to do with me? Now you know I'm not human."
His face has shut down. It's become that cold mask she's learning to recognise. It seems to be something essentially Slytherin, the ultimate act of self preservation. The outward lie that they feel nothing. She can see the little cracks now that she knows they exist. The way his cheek hollows slightly as he clenches his jaw. The twitch at the corner of his eye.
"Is that what you think? That you aren't human? Is that why you've been so changeable with me? Even Harry has noticed how different you are with me sometimes."
"I'm sorry about that. I was trying to stay away from you. It didn't work very well," he says sadly.
"What if I didn't want you to stay away from me? What if I want you?"
Theo's head shoots up.
"There are consequences to being with me," he warns.
"I know I'll be bound to you. Draco told me."
"Draco told you, did he? Did he also tell you the other consequences of 'mating' with me?"
Hermione shakes her head, she feels she knows where this is going.
"You'll be like me," he says getting to his feet and walking over. "You'll be a monster too."
"Don't call yourself a monster."
"I'm an unnatural creature that doesn't belong on either the land or the sea. What else would you call me?"
"Mine," she says leaning into him to kiss him. For the second time in an hour, she's kissed a man because he looked sad.
This kiss was different to the one she shared with Draco. That kiss had begun gentle before becoming a passionate fight for dominance.
This kiss was firm, steady, it made her feel safe, wanted, loved. Theo's thumb brushes across her cheek as he gives in pulling her closer to him.
Hermione pulls back a little to catch her breath.
"I need to see," she tells him opening her eyes to catch his reaction. A flicker of pain goes across his face as he nods.
"Come with me," Theo says taking her hand in his. She pulls her body in close to him as they walk through the castle.
He brings her to the prefects bathroom on the fourth floor. He closes and locks the door behind them as she looks at the stained glass window.
"Did you pick this one on purpose?" She asks. There is one prefect bathroom per floor. Each has a stained window featuring a different creature.
"This is the only one that has a sea water tap," Theo explains as he sits on a bench, leaning forwards to take off his shoes and socks.
Theo stands, walking over turning on a tap with a blue crystal top. He breathes in deep as the scent fills the air. It smells like the ocean. He lets the bath fill from just that one tap. Theo isn't interested in any of the other hundred taps there.
It's when he starts to unbutton his shirt Hermione realises something. He can't change wearing his clothes.
She has basically asked to see him naked.
His fingers shakily undo one button after another as he blushes. She opens her mouth to tell him he doesn't need to do this or she won't watch him undress but she needs to watch the change. To do that she'll see the whole show anyway.
Hermione can't help but watch as his torso is revealed to her. He looks up to see if she's watching as he drops his shirt. He flexes a little under her scrutiny.
Her eyes follow his hands as he runs them down his body to unbutton his trousers. She isn't sure if he's toying with her or delaying the moment.
He hooks his thumbs in the waistband of his trousers and boxers, taking a deep breath.
Theo kicks them off when they drop to the floor leaving him stood naked. He pauses as if he's not sure what to do now.
Hermione can't help but stare. He's perfect. Her fingers itch to trace the lines on his body. She can't tear her eyes away from his penis. Even flaccid hanging down between his legs it's impressive. She licks her lips, watching as it swings as he walks to turn off the tap. Bending over, he gives her the perfect view of his arse. She groans as she watches him walk back around. She rubs her thighs together to release some of the tension.
"Like what you see," he smirks making her blush. She nods licking her lips again. "Give it a few minutes, you might change your mind." He reminds her darkly.
She had forgotten that's what they were there for. He conjures a beaker like the one she tipped on him in potions. He sits beside the bath, stretching his legs out in front of him.
Theo summons her to his side with the bend of a finger.
Hermione moves on slightly shaking legs to sink down beside him. He carefully fills the beaker with water handing it to her. She takes it in one hand, the other he places on his thigh.
"Make me wet," he orders watching her face carefully.
"Where?" She says glancing at his groin and his not quite so flaccid penis.
"Everywhere," he whispers to her.
She tips the first one over his head, thinking that wouldn't change much. When she looks back up at him after refilling the beaker, she jumps in surprise.
His eyes, usually a bright sky blue, now have a greenish tint to them. His cheeks have sunken slightly giving greater prominence.
"Your face has changed," she says surprised.
"I don't just grow a tail and fins," Theo says rolling his eyes.
Hermione can see where the water has touched. A drop on his neck shows there's something there. She straddles him. Her fascination taking over from the embarrassment. She turns his head to send the next one down his neck and shoulders.
Gills appear along his neck opening and closing, gasping searching for water.
"Do you need to be in the water to breathe now?" She asks.
"No. You can touch them if you want," Theo offers.
Her fingers gently stroke across the fluttering flesh. She pulls back to dip the beaker again.
This one she splashes down his chest. Other than a few scales around his waist, not much changes.
"Your dress is going to get wet if you continue like this," Theo warns her.
Hermione places the beaker beside them. She reaches around to loosen the zipper before pulling the fabric over her head, tossing it across the room.
"That isn't quite what I meant," Theo says eyes fixed on her lace covered breasts. She laughs at him before dipping the hand of his nearest the bath into the water. She uses the beaker to cover his arm completely.
His fingers have webbed, blue-green scales cover his hand working up about half way up his forearm. She holds both hands up to compare the difference. Her fingers play with the webbing between his fingers. Poking at it, manipulating his hand moving his fingers around. She runs her hand across the scales then back against them making him wince.
"Sorry," she says stopping looking up at him.
"It doesn't hurt really. It's just a little uncomfortable," he shifts under her. She feels his hard cock pressing against her thigh.
"Touch me," she demands looking him in the eyes. "I want to know how it feels."
He stares at her surprised.
"We can't... not until..."
"Unless you don't want to touch me," she challenges him.
"Of course I do," he replies eyes tracing her curves.
"Touch me isn't fuck me," she whispers as she runs her hands down his chest. "It's just like this."
Theo wraps his hands around her waist, one scaled, one human. He slides them across her exposed skin. Moving down to stroke her thighs. She shudders at his touch. He stops. A good shudder or a bad shudder, it's probably time to stop.
Hermione dips the beaker again shuffling backwards down his legs she pours this beaker on his groin. She watches as his cock shrinks back into his body, becoming a smooth expanse of scales. He's gasping as his body changes.
"Are you okay?" She asks concerned.
"Yeah, just a little uncomfortable. That... it's a little strange when I'm hard," he gulps regaining his breath.
"Are the nerve endings still there?" She asks curious.
"No. They move elsewhere," he answers cryptically.
She leans him towards her to spill some down his back. The lower drops show scales.
Hermione moves off him to throw water on his legs. She watches as the flesh joins into one. When she reaches his feet a large flipper replaces them, completing his tail.
Theo slips into the water. Hermione watches as his arse smooth's over, a smallish fin grows behind his hips. He dips into the water submerging himself. He swims a little away from her twirling in the water, he flicks his flipper at her, sending a wave cascading over her.
She laughs at his antics. She stands at the edge of the bath dripping wet.
"What was that for?" Hermione asks pretending to be mad.
"I thought you could do with getting wet," he grins.
"Oh I was already wet," she teases him. "I was sat on your legs. Couldn't you feel it? How hot I was for you?" She asks him.
Theo blushes.
"A gentleman doesn't discuss those things," he deflects.
Hermione dives into the water with him. She swims over to him, wrapping her legs around him, he shudders when they brush his fin.
"Ah is that the elsewhere the nerve endings go?" She asks repositioning her legs away from the fin.
"Yeah. That's it," he mummers.
Hermione grips his chin turning him to face her.
"I'm not running away. I still want you," Hermione says into his eyes.
"You'll be..."
"Like this," she says stroking down his tail. "Bound to you forever? I'm not seeing a downside here."
"We're still so young. Are you sure?"
"Yes Theo. I'm sure. I want this," Hermione leans in to claim his lips once more.
"I need to get dry," he says lifting her onto the edge of the bath, pulling himself up beside her. He drags himself across the floor of the bathroom. Grabbing his wand he twirls it to make warm air leave and starts to dry himself. Hermione does the same, drying the floor too. They need all the water gone for him to change back.
When Hermione looks up he's human again, she missed him changing back.
He looks at her nervously.
"I haven't... I don't know... how... to... you know," Theo blushes furiously. She walks over to him, sliding her hand over his hard cock.
"Your body already knows what to do," she whispers against his ear as she strokes him. "Trust it and do what feels right."
Hermione reaches around his neck pulling him down to kiss her. This one is more frenzied than other kisses they've had. She nips his lips urging him on, pushing him to lose control.
Hermione moves them over to a nearby bench, pushing Theo down. She stands in front of him as she pushes her knickers to the floor. She reaches around to remove her bra letting that drop too. She stands naked in front of him.
"Your move," she tells him. She's not going to make this easy for him. She wants him to take control.
Theo pulls her onto his lap, she lets her legs fall either side of him as he begins kissing down her neck, pausing to linger over spots that elicit noises from her. His hands cup her breasts as his mouth works over one then the other nipple. Pulling it into his mouth, lathering it with his tongue, making her mewl and writhe against him.
Theo's fingers trail down to explore between her legs. She gasps as he slides his fingers over her clit. He looks at her face as he does it again. Pinching it between his fingers, before leaving in search of her entrance. When he finds it he carefully explores with first one then two fingers.
He remembers Blaise telling them in the dorm about a spot inside, against the front wall. He pushes his fingers vaguely where he thinks it should be making her moan his name.
He's never loved his name more than when it comes from her like that. He moves her so she's led on the bench, rearing up over her, he strokes himself with the hand he'd had inside her. Once he's covered in her juices, he licks his fingers clean.
"Your fucking delicious, Hermione," Theo says spreading her legs staring down at her core.
He bends down to give an experimental lick, he watches her face as he does so. The look of ecstasy has him diving back in. Her runs his tongue over her, swirling and dipping around her folds.
Hermione's fingers twist into his hair as he keeps working. His jaw starts to ache as she pulls his head away, yanking on his hair.
"I'm close. I'm really close," she tells him.
He nods lining up his cock as her legs come up around his waist.
"Now Theo please," she begs as he teases her with the swollen head.
Her hips buck against him, trying to impale herself.
Theo chuckles as he begins pushing inside her but his breath is quickly stolen from him by her tight walls gripping him. Hermione pushes her hips up to meet his. Fully in casing his length inside her. Her legs grip him holding him in place.
"You're so big," she squirms trying to adjust to his girth. Her legs relax around him as his breathing steadies.
"Okay, I'm ready now," she tells him, shifting her legs giving him room to move. He starts off slowly, trying to set a steady pace. His inexperience betrays him as he begins to move on instinct only. He takes her hard as she writhes below him.
Hermione's hand reaches between them to bring herself closer. She knows he can't last long. His breathing stutters as he feels her clench down on him, crying out his name as her whole body shakes. Her legs fall down, unable to hold them any longer.
Theo pulls one of them back up holding it for a deeper angle as he thrusts once, twice then cums shuddering inside her, shooting jet after jet of hot cum inside her.
He lets her leg drop once more as he collapses on top of her.
"That was brilliant," he moans against her breasts.
He misses her nod of agreement as she runs her fingers through his hair.
Theo moves to claim her lips. As he kisses her a ripple goes through her.
Hermione's eyes open wide.
Theo pulls himself out of her, before taking them both to the floor cradling her in his arms.
She screams as another ripple takes her body.
Her hands go up to grip her neck as the flesh there tears open.
Theo holds her.
"I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm so, so sorry," he chants over and over as ripple after ripple courses through her. She rolls off him and vomits over the floor.
Theo pulls her hair back stroking up and down her back as her body rids itself of its human waste. He vanishes everything that leaves her body. She collapses to the ground, screaming again as scales push themselves out across her body. Blood drips from her skin as it's cut by the emerging scales.
"I'm promise it doesn't always feel like this. It's just the first. You'll be okay," he tries to reassure her as her legs bind together, as webbing appears between her fingers. She sobs as the pain of the transformation leaves behind a dull ache.
Theo carries her weary body to the water, temporarily hating his smooth and painless transformation as they both sink into the salt water.
Hermione clings to him, not ready to explore her new body that hurt so much to gain. The pain left as soon as she entered the water.
She experimentally moves her tail, feeling the new muscles respond to her she flicks her tail feeling the way it moves through the water.
She opens her eyes and looks down, purple and lilac scales adorn her bottom half, trailing up her sides cupping most of her breasts. Her eyes meet Theo's.
"Purple," he says stroking under her eyes. "I half expected red. You know, for Gryffindor." He grins at her.
She smirks pushing away from him.
Swimming is easy. She dives through the water feeling it move through her gills, her fingers easily part the water. She feels whole in a way she never has before.
"The bath is too small," she pouts.
"Later, once it's dark, we'll go out to the lake. Tomorrow, we'll get a pass from McGonagall we'll go swim in the ocean. It's beautiful, Hermione, I can't wait to show you it all."
"We have the rest of our lives to explore it all together," she grins kissing him, eager to start a new adventure together.