Author's Note: I hope you liked the second chapter. And yes Draco is going to be ooc in this fic mainly because of how I have the storyline in my head. That doesn't mean he won't be a little asshole from time to time. Because he will be. But for the sake of this story he will be ooc. Trust me when I say this is strange for me too. I'm used to having Draco be a complete asshole and not give a shit about anything. Also for those who are wondering why Hermione can walk and talk already it's because I'm basing this off of mythology and not any story or movie that deals with mermaids. Remember review! JK Rowling and Warner Brothers own the rights to Harry Potter respectively. I own nothing expect the storyline.


Chapter 3: Learning

"This is so uncomfortable! I hate it!" Hermione huffed tugging at the dress she was wearing. She was also uncomfortable with the corset she had been forced into. She didn't like to be bound by human cloth. If she wanted to 'dress up' all she needed was some seaweed and some pearls. She couldn't even walk in these things on her feet! She kept wobbling as she tried to walk in them or tripping on the hem of the dress she was wearing or just plain falling on her face if she moved one muscle.

"Hermione, you've been in this dress and shoes for all of—" Draco checked his pocket watch, "—thirty minutes. Stop complaining. Please." Her complaining was giving him a headache. He did have to admit though she did look rather stunning with the dress on. Her makeup was done, rather lightly of course, her hair was put up and tamed a bit. She looked divine. Save for the sour expression on her face. It was clear to him that she would rather walk around as naked as she had been the day before.

Hermione huffed again and sat down in the chair behind her. Even that was hard to do thanks to the metal frame giving the dress its shape. How did human women endure this type of annoyance all day and all night long?! It was enough drive anyone bloomin' mad! She had to pretend to be human for the locals. Even though most of the fishermen here in the small town knew she wasn't a human by any means. Why had she agreed to stay with Draco? He didn't have anything on him that would kill her. So as she thought about the day before she came to the conclusion that he had been bluffing. So why had she agreed?

It must have been the same reason why she had saved him in the first place. He fanscinated her. More than any human man ever could. Even so just mere fascination had to wane sometime. And why had he even asked her that in the first place? Was he, like she herself with him, fascinated by her? That could be the only answer she saw. She was a mermaid. A thing of legend. So it was within human right to be fascinated by a being such as her. She would be fascinated with a merman if she were a human. It was only natural.

"Sit up straight Hermione! And don't slouch over!" Draco exclaimed breaking into her thoughts. Hermione sighed and sat up a little straighter and squared her shoulders. "There? Better?" she growled shooting a glare at him. The blond boy glared at her in return. The mermaid was getting to him. And she was doing it on purpose too. Touché, he thought. But two can play at this game. "Alright Hermione since we need to at least at like you're human it's time to begin your human training." Let him get on her nerves since she was getting on his. A smirk formed on his lips as she groaned and started threatening him with dismemberment. Let the fun begin, he thought.

A few days later, Hermione was in the drawing room learning to read and write in English. Her handwriting was atrocious but she was just starting to learn the craft. Draco had written down the letters of the alphabet and had been practicing with her how to pronouce each letter. That had gone on for a good while with her in tears hating his guts. But she had gotten it. Now he had told her to write each letter five times with a quill and ink on parchment paper.

"How's it coming Hermione?" Draco asked looking up from his book by the fireplace. This little cottage he had been living in returning to land thanks to Hermione's help was definitely bigger on the inside than it was on the outside. Hermione looked over at him and gritted her teeth. "How do you think it's coming along Draco?" she hissed. She watched as the blond got up and went to go see how she was doing. "Blimey! Your handwriting is atrcious Hermione. But I can at least read the letters so it's not that bad. Could be worse." he muttered. He tore off another good size piece of parchment paper and wrote more letters at the top. "You know the drill. Five times for each letter." he told her before going back to reading his book. Hermione screamed in frustration. "I HATE YOU!" "No you don't. You'll thank me for this. Trust me. It'll be easier for you to blend it." he assured her.

This went on and on until Hermione could read and write as good as the next person. She'd practice on making her handwriting better. But for now it was good enough to pass for a human's. When it was all said and done the next time Hermione was in the drawing room she was asleep on the sofa. Draco smiled and nudged her awake. "Hey Hermione, wake up." he whispered in her ear.

"Draco I'm napping. Leave me alone for an hour. I beg of you." she begged her eyes still closed. She was obviously disgruntled by the fact that he was trying to keep her awake when she was so tired. He had trained her hard this time. This time was table manners. He had been surprised that she had come here of all places. Since she had made it clear she hated the drawing room. "You can't sleep here, Hermione. It's not lady-like." "Don't care." she muttered. "Tired." Draco chuckled and scooped her up. This was the second time he had done so and this time she was so tired she didn't even care. "I'm sorry Hermione. But I need you to act least act like a human if someone comes over." he murmured. She sighed and opened her eyes to look at his blue-grey ones. "If I have to learn about humans then you're going to be learning about mermaids." Draco smiled. "Deal."

Of course Draco should have realized that by agreeing to this deal that this was her way of getting him back. Every other hour for a good two weeks straight every time she learned about humans and their ways he would learn about mermaids and her ways. He learned alot. Like for when mermaids mated wtih mermen they gave birth in their human forms. Though they left their children soon after.

He also learned that mermaids didn't have immortal souls so they were immortal creatures because of it. As it turned out they prefer being immortal and ageless over having an immortal soul. He had asked if it were possible for a mermaid to gain such. And Hermione had answered that she didn't know. As she had never heard of a mermaid gaining one.

Slowly throughout the days and coming weeks they began to understand one another with Draco telling her about his childhood as heir to the Malfoy fortune. He'd one day take over from his father Lucius Malfoy and so his childhood was far less frivolous than a normal child's would have been.