I do not own the Harry Potter books and/or movies, or anything associated with them.

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Hermione Granger looked down into the depths of the Hogwarts lake and shivered. In twenty hours she would be swimming with the mermaids and observing their daily lifestyle. Of course, it had been Hagrid's idea. Despite the mermaids being evil and having a hobby of luring students into traps, he thought they were beautiful and harmless.

Hermione hadn't been very nervous when she first read the news in a letter. She had thought that Hagrid was only considering this and had yet to ask Dumbledore, but the very next day she had discovered the truth.

She was going to swim with the cute little mermaids.

Grumbling under her breath, the witch began to make her way back to the castle. If she were to die the next day, she wanted to at least spend a bit of time with Harry Potter and Ronald Weasley, her very best friends.

It was Hermione's first day of her sixth year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, and she was proud to say that she was one of the Gryffindor prefects. After an extremely long and boring summer at home, she was happy to be back, even if she had to risk her life nearly every week.

Not only in classes was there a big chance of injury, but when you were friends with Harry Potter, something was bound to happen.

Opening the door to the school, Hermione slipped in and climbed up a flight of steps. She tried to ignore the crowds of people that stared her way, but found it very disturbing.

For some unknown reason, everyone had been sneaking glances her way all day. She hadn't thought much of it at first, but when Draco Malfoy had smiled at her – in a very normal way – she knew there was something wrong.

Malfoy had always been the Golden Trio's (Hermione, Harry and Ron) enemy. He was a nauseating fellow indeed. The Slytherin always had one way or another to get the three of them in trouble or just humiliate them in front of the entire school. A loss of a few points was nothing to him if the Golden Trio was miserable.

"Tittlewhittle."

The portrait of the fat lady swung open to reveal a nearly empty common room. As unusual as this normally was on the first day of school, there was a very good reason for it today. Fred and George Weasley had come for a visit to Hogwarts, and were going to set up a mini joke stand in one of the abandoned corridors for a while.

"Hey." Hermione said as she walked over to Harry and Ron, "Why aren't you two visiting Fred and George?"

"We couldn't get to them." Ron said miserably, "The whole corridor's crowded. We couldn't even see the two of them."

Harry shifted in his chair.

"What are you up to, 'Mione?"

"Well, to be honest, I'm completely bored. It's only the first day and there's absolutely nothing to do!"

The other two exchanged a nervous look, as if considering something.

"Well…" Ron began, "We've got something you might be interested in…I mean if you're really bored…"

"Yeah," Harry said, "But…er…"

"We received a letter from Hagrid!" Ron blurted out.

The other boy gave him a look of feigned annoyance and had no choice to continue.

"Hagrid wants us to collect a few pixies for him. He's not supposed to use magic and all, and even though he could, half of his wand won't be good enough to catch a bundle of those little guys. We were wondering if you wanted to help."

Hermione gave them a weird look. Why were they so nervous about catching a few pixies?

"Is there something you two are hiding about this?"

"Well…"

"They're in the Forbidden Forest!" Ron blurted out again, interrupting Harry.

That was it? What was so bad about that? Hermione was seriously stating to wonder if there was something wrong with the two of them. They were being so skittish around her. The entire school was acting differently.

"Does Dumbledore know about this?" she asked.

"Yes." Harry answered with a puzzled look.

"Then what's the problem?"

Immediately, Harry jumped up and felt her forehead.

"Are you all right? You don't seem to have a fever."

"Do you need to go to the Hospital Wing?"

"You've really been acting strange lately…"

"Me?" Hermione questioned with a look of disbelief, "I think it's everyone else that hasn't been being themselves! I haven't done anything all day!"

"Exactly." Said Harry.

"You've usually got a book stuffed in your face at this time." Ron looked up at the clock.

"Do I?" Hermione smiled lightly, "Huh. I suppose I would have. I guess I've just changed a little over the summer…or maybe I've just read all of the books in the library…"

The witch strode over to the portrait and glanced back at them.

"Well, I'm going to go see Hagrid." She said, "I talked to him earlier and he was speaking of mermaids, not pixies. Maybe I just heard him wrong."

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"I needs the pixies fer the lower grades." Explained Hagrid when they had reached his hut, "Ther a li'l bi' easier ter show 'em. I can' 'ave the li'l ones swimmin' in the lake on ther own, now can I?"

Hermione nodded and said, "No, I suppose you can't. When are we going to gather the pixies, then?"

Hagrid took a sip of his tea, "Righ' now. I'm jus' goin' ter finish mi tea, then we'll all go in tergether."

"I'm going to wait by the Forest, then. I'll see if I can spot any pixy nests from the edge."

Everyone nodded, and Hermione made her way outside.

It was an awfully nice day outside, she thought as she peered into the shadows of the trees. The birds were singing, the pumpkins were already starting to glow orange again, and there was not a cloud in the sky…

"Hello, Granger." Oh! Maybe it wasn't that nice a day after all.

"Hello, Malfoy." She replied, hoping that if she just continued to look into the Forest, that maybe he'd go away.

"What is such a pretty little witch like you do so close to the Forest. You could get hurt, you know."

Hermione sighed. Why wouldn't he just leave her alone? It was hard enough finding pixies without a distraction…

"What do you want?" she huffed, turning around.

The witch nearly tumbled backwards. Malfoy was only about an inch away. She went cross-eyed for a moment, then fell.

The boy in front of her reached out an arm and caught her around her slim waist. Surprised by his sudden spurt of thoughtfulness, but still preferring to have hit the ground, she jerked out of his grip hastily.

"Thank you." She said, "but I'm still curious as to why you'd be here."

Malfoy crossed his arms and replied casually, "Well, I happen to be taking Care of Magical Creatures this year, as father wants me to be able to deal with vicious, dark creatures. I thought I might be able to maybe find out a few things about our first class by coming down here and eavesdropping. But, I couldn't fail to notice you peering into the Forest."

After a while he added, "Have I mentioned that you've turned awfully attractive over the holidays?"

Hermione had not been expecting that last comment, but decided not to let it get to her head. Draco Malfoy considered himself attractive, after all. Well…many of the girls would agree, but…the point was it didn't matter!

"Eavesdropping, you say? You know, you could have just asked Hagrid."

"Oh, come on." Malfoy scowled, "You know that none of you would tell me –"

"Mermaids." Hermione said firmly, "We will be studying the daily habits of mermaids."

Obviously dumbfounded that she would help him out, the wizard thanked her and slowly walked away, taking short steps and occasionally looking back.

The door to Hagrid's hut flew open and Harry, Ron and Hagrid walked out.

"'Ave ye spotted any pixies, 'Mione?" Hagrid asked jollily.

"No" she sighed, "I had a little run in with Malfoy. He's been acting weirdly lately."

Ron and Harry jumped a little and suddenly looked concerned.

"Did he hurt you?" Harry asked urgently, as Ron checked her over for injuries.

"No." Hermione said again, "And come to think of it, you've both been acting slightly strange, too. Is there anything the matter?"

"Nope." They both replied in an unconvincing way, but she pushed it aside.

If there were anything wrong, they'd tell her eventually.

"Alrigh' then. Let's ge' started."

Nodding in agreement, the Golden Trio followed Hagrid down a little path.

It was very dark in the Forest. The tall, bushy trees were blocking nearly all of the sunlight, creating a sleepy, mystical effect. There was a light haze just off of the ground, also, and it was almost too quiet. Hermione kept her hand close to her wand. She wanted to be ready, just in case.

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Nearly an hour had passed and still there had been no sign of anything even slightly resembling a pixy. Maybe Voldemort had started to get a little desperate and recruited the entire Forest. Oh! But she shouldn't think about him in a joking matter. Harry would have her head, and the Dark Lord wasn't something to laugh about. It was just…it helped…one thought of him in a serious way was enough to make her feel faintish. He was just so…so…unfeeling, selfish, violent, cruel…and…

Did he know this? Did he see himself as he truly was? Did he even care? Or had all his thoughts and feelings been separated from him with each book of dark magic that he read?

Hermione felt her stomach lurch, and her vision blurred a little.

And yet she couldn't stop thinking about him.

How could someone kill like that? How could someone look straight into the eyes of an innocent human being that was exactly like himself, and destroy every trace of life within them?

Oh right! He couldn't do that! There was no innocent human being exactly like Lord Voldemort!

But, still! HOW COULD SOMEONE KILL IN COLD BLOOD, WITHOUT A HINT OF REGRET? It wasn't right…no, no…it wasn't right at all…

! Hermione's face slammed against the muddy ground, her hands not being fast enough to catch her in time. Looking back, she realized that she had tripped on a tree root. Her stomach jolted threateningly, and the witch let out a small breath of air.

But he wouldn't leave her mind.

It was sick…so sick. How? How how how how how? You'd think he'd have died with the guilt, but no…he couldn't feel guilt. It was disgusting!

"'Mione, are ye all righ'?" she heard Hagrid ask, as he helped her up.

"Yeah." She choked, and found that she wouldn't be able to say anything else without throwing up. The pixies…they weren't going to find any today…

"I think we should go back, Hagrid. I don't think we're going to find any pixies today." Wow, Ron stole the words right out of her mind.

"All righ'. 'Mione, ye should ge' some res' when ye ge' back."

Unable to say anything, she nodded, straightening herself up as best as she could and walking the opposite way they had previously been.

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The trees, shrubs and stones had all blurred by in an instant and Hermione soon found herself being the focus of many curious stares. She stood in the Entrance Hall, and must have looked an awful mess, what with falling in the dirt and nearly throwing up.

She felt a hand on her back leading her up a few familiar steps, and soon she was being pushed towards the girls' dormitory.

"Go get some sleep, 'Mione." Harry whispered in her ear, "You seem a little out of it today. Tomorrow will be a lot better."

She nodded, and forced herself up the stairs, into her pyjamas, and under the plush comforters of her four-poster bed.

Tomorrow…yes, tomorrow would be so much better. She'd get to swim with the mermaids, and watch how they lived.

Hermione let out a hollow laugh.

Lord Voldemort has ruined so many lives, she thought. He made so many people see the creatures pulling the carriages. Hermione didn't like those things.

If she could only find that man…if she could find Lord Voldemort and have a few moments with just the two of them…

Then she'd teach him what pain really was.

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Did you like the beginning? It will get a lot better, don't you worry! Hope you liked it!