He had found the story amusing. It wasn't a wizarding story. That was obvious. It was a muggle fairytale that he had stumbled upon while poking through a box of hand-me-down books a neighbor had passed onto him. Only a few of the books interested him; an outdated chemistry text, a handful of detective paperbacks, some worn and tattered classics, and the fairy tale. The covers were faded, and there were some childish remarks scribbling in pen across many of the illustrations. But the story itself, he thought, would amuse her.

He spent the remainder of his summer digging through the few bookstores around town looking for a nicer copy. But he didn't end up finding it until the trip to London to buy his school books. To be honest, his mother only had enough to cover a few new school books. But he knew he'd be able to get along without them. There was a housemate a year ahead of him who owed him a favor he could use to get books. So instead he ducked into a muggle bookshop a few streets before Diagon Alley. He spent a good while browsing before he found what he was looking for.

The book wasn't old or particularly pretty, but the writing was simple and brief. The focus of the book was on the detailed illustrations inside. When he passed it to the clerk at the counter the old man chuckled and asked if was for his younger sister. Severus shook his head, carefully counting out the notes to pay. Not deterred in anyway, the nosy clerk continued. "Oh, a present for your girlfriend then?"

Severus looked up in surprise. A little perplexed to realize that he hadn't considered that. Was Hermione his girlfriend? Even with the tails and the gills? Severus managed to mumble something that satisfied the overly curious owner before making his way back out onto the busy streets, purchase carefully tucked under his arm. He couldn't help but think that he wouldn't mind if she was his girlfriend.

It wasn't until the second week after school started that he was able to make it out to their island, book be-spelled to be water proof. (It wasn't much of a gift if it was ruined by her holding it). She must have been looking out for him, because she startled him by popping up beside his boat halfway there.

"Severus!" She greeted, splashing him as she leaned into the boat. He cussed as it tilted dangerously. She only laughed and slid back under the waves. She swam along beside him as he rowed, happily chatting about what had gone on at the school over the summer. Not a whole lot, though it seems that the astronomy professor was having some sort of affair with the ghoul studies professor.

"Since when do you care about gossip?" He asked as he tied the boat up.

"I don't, but I borrowed their books while they were distracted. Could you fix them, please? They got a little wet." She pulled herself up on the beach, keeping the gill flaps on her hips submerged. There was a chest that they kept on the island, which Hermione used as her own personal library. She opened it and pulled out two rather soggy books. One for each of the professor's subjects. Severus snorted and pulled out his wand to spell them into new condition.

"I brought you something."

"A gift or an assignment?" She brightened. She'd would be perfectly happy with either. Sometimes he would bring copies of his homework assignments for her to puzzle through. It had taken her awhile to become proficient in using a muggle pen with her webbed fingers – three weeks of fighting with a quill and ink had caused her to admit a reluctant defeat.

"A gift. This one is a muggle story, so it's not very accurate."

"Oh!" Her eyes lit up and his heart fluttered in response. "I haven't read one of those before!"

He placed the wrapped parcel in her hands, watching as she stroked the paper, leaving damp spots. "Go on and open it."

She let out a delighted giggle once she had unveiled the cover. "It's about mermaids!" She beamed up at him. "Thank you!"

And before he could respond she was lost in the pages. He shook his head and held his wand so she could have light to read by. With a little shuffling he managed to lay out on the beach to be able to share the light to read by as well. Though his focus was on the school book he had brought. And unlike his submarine friend he was staying dry on the sand.

As they lay there reading, Severus could not help sneaking furtive glances a Hermione from the corner of his eye. Since Lily had begun to fade away from him as they entered their third year, two years ago, Hermione had been his only female friend.

She had taken to nibbling on her lip as she read and he hastily turned his focus back to his reading. He was attracted to her. He adored her curiosity, and her eagerness to just know everything. Her mothering chatter was surprisingly comforting, but also she seemed to know when to he just wanted to sit quietly.

The feelings he had for Hermione were different from his feelings for Lily. His emotions he felt for them were affectionate and warm. But… with Hermione he didn't have the bitter taste of worry. Hermione felt safe to be with.

Maybe that was why Lily's reluctance to be near him didn't hurt as much as it should. Because he had a safe place. He looked over at her and her relaxed continence as she read. She must feel safe with him as well.

"You're very quiet." Hermione said, looking up at him. "Are you alright?" He couldn't look her in the eyes, instead turning his gaze to where her scales reflected the moonlight through the water. She soon turned her attention back to her book.

It took him a while to work up the words that been festering all summer. "A-are you my girlfriend?"

"I suppose so." She answered absently, twisting her hair as she flipped through the book, admiring the pictures again. "But I'm not stabbing your wife to be with you. Or turn into sea foam. What spell does that anyway?"

He snorted at her answer, relived at the lack of outrage. "I have no idea. It must be some kind of dark magic though."

"Hmm. You'll need to bring your mother's old books back out. I think there was a spell in one that was similar, I want to see that again."

"Fine." He stood, brushing off the sand on his trousers. "I'll be back Friday then. Anything else?"

She finally looked up from the book. "Yes. Come here?" She beckoned him back down to her level. When he bent over she reached up, tugging him down so that his lips met hers.

He stared at her wide-eyed. She grinned, all sharp teeth, but a shy coloring danced across her cheeks. "Don't girlfriends do that?"

He could only nod. Her pleased giggles followed him back to the boat.

As he crawled into his bed one of his roommates stirred and called from across the room, "Where've you been, Snape?"

Severus kept his smile to himself, but the smug tone was plain in his voice. "Went to see my girlfriend."