Hello, I am trying to update as much as possible during the winter break.

I choose Maria since that is what everyone wants.

Enjoy!

Note: Since she is not Hermione anymore, she will be addressed as Taura in the story.

Chapter 25

Taura POV

I stood on the rock, watching the English Channel. Rain poured down in streaks, stabbing at the silver umbrella that I was holding. I felt an icy chill and I turned to look to my right. A pale blond girl in a white sundress was walking, barefoot on the wet sand while holding a white umbrella.

She looked up and smiled coldly at her, "Hello, there. It's been a while."

I racked my brain for information on her. I had a strong feeling I knew her. But nothing came to mind. I asked: "Who are you?"

Maria POV

(Sigh) Gaito must have lied again. This girl does not have all her memories back. Or maybe Sara told Gaito to lie. How horrible! At that question, I calmly pacified my face of all emotions and said: "What, you don't remember me?"

Gaito's daughter looked puzzled and said: "I remember your face, but your name is jumbled up with the rest of the memories. What, do you expect me to remember?" She glared at her with orange eyes that were flickering to purple.

I saw Gaito's face there and I smiled. I bowed down to her and said: "My name's Maria. What is yours, my lady?"

Taura POV

I felt a rush of authority and pride sweep through me. I smiled back and said: "Taura, Taura-sama."

Maria nodded and looked up. I realized that I needed to order her to do something. "Shall we walk, Maria?"

"Okay."

We walked on the beach and the rain stopped. I closed my umbrella. Taking off my raincoat, I revealed my long white dress with black sash. My black hair flowed down, nearly touching the ground. Placing my raincoat and umbrella to the side, I looked up and saw Maria looking at me with a weird expression. It was hard to explain. It was a mix between admiration and disgust. I tilted my head to one side and asked: "What's with the weird face, Maria?"

Maria looked startled for a minute and then wiped her face of emotion. "Nothing, nothing at all, it just… it's really nothing, Taura-sama."

I looked at her face again, studying it. Maria looked uncomfortable. "Okay." I said. I will just have to find out later what is bothering her.

Maria POV

Yikes! I almost blew it. It's just that Sara and Taura looked exactly alike and I don't like Sara a lot. I respected her, but like her, never. But Taura acts a lot like Gaito-sama. She even tilted her head the same way. She looked like she did not believe her when I told her it was nothing. Gaito can also see right through me. Gr… this is so confusing. I placed my hands over my eyes, thinking.

"Are you all right there, Maria?" I looked up to see Taura, curiously looking at me.

"Yeah, I'm fine." I muttered to her, knowing she would hear me. I plopped down on the sand. Taura sat down beside me and looked up at the sky. I gazed at her. She was drop-dead gorgeous. Her face, like Gaito, was naturally pale and the shapes of her eyes were like his too.

I jerked back to Earth when Taura said: "Can I ask some questions?"

"Sure, ask away."

"What are my mother and father like? Are they different before I was born?"

"Why do you ask that?"

"Because I remember there was a memory about my mother causing a tsunami or something."

"Oh." I lay down on the sand. I remember about that. It was before the two met. Sara caused something bad to happen and she swam to the bottom because she got lonely. That must be what happened for Sara to meet Gaito.

"Who was my mother before she met Gaito?"

"Well…" I was not sure how to answer this, but I calmly replied, trying to restrain as much hate from my words as possible, "She was a mermaid princess before."

Taura gave me a look and whispered: "You did not like my mother before, right?"

My eyes widened. How did she figure that one out?

"It's in your eyes." I looked up at her again. "Why did you hate her?"

"Because…" I took in a deep breath. "Gaito was not the loving father he was either." I paused and saw that Taura wanted me to continue. "He was not warm and fuzzy. He was cold and ruthless and hateful. He was lonely under the sea. He created me, Izuru, Eri, and Yuri to keep him company. I was the closest to him at the time. He met Sara when she had destroyed her own kingdom that she ruled over. He completely forgot about me when he saw Sara."

"My mother destroyed her own kingdom?"

"Yes, it is being rebuilt by a new princess as we speak." I wanted to say more hateful things that Sara did, but I decided that I could not corrupt Taura like that. I could use another way, but not this way. Gaito will kill me if I said anymore against Sara. "Don't blame them for what they did. They have changed. So when we see them, forgive them, okay?"

Taura smiled and said: "Okay."

"Now, I have heard there have been weird incidents going on. I deduct there might be some sort of war going on. Do you know anything about it?"

Taura smiled and began her tale.

Taura POV

I told her of my other identity, Hermione Granger, and how I fell in love and had my heart broken by Draco. I told her of how my best friend, Ron, smiled at me and my crush on him became love. I told her of how Ron was so dense and that I went with another guy to the party and Ron came back with a new girlfriend, breaking my heart. I told her of how Draco and I made up, but I still held hatred for Ron. I told her about the war that I may have indirectly caused.

"You know, I want Ron to suffer, you know. I want to do something worse than what I did to Draco." I whispered in a deadly tone.

"What did you do to Draco?"

"Oh, I poisoned him."

"What? Wow, Taura, I did not know you had such a cruel streak. So, worse than that…Hmm… hey, is Ron participating in the war?"

"Yeah, he is bound to be. His whole family is."

"Which side?"

"The "good" side, I think."

"Then join the other side and see how much that hurts for him."

"I can't."

"Why?"

"Because Draco, even though he is on the dark side, he has suffered so much there. I could not bear to do that."

"You can stay neutral."

"But that won't hurt Ron."

"Trust me." Maria whispered into my ear. "Now, listen…" She told me what I was going to do and I smiled wickedly at the thought.

"That is perfect. You are so a genius."

"Now…" Maria tapped her chin. "You are going to have to train your powers a bit. In order for this to work, you are going to need some control over your powers. You also need to be sure you don't use too much of it. You could get killed as a result. Now, are you sure you want to do this?"

"Yes, I am sure."

"Okay, then, now let's go find somewhere that is quiet and won't get much attention. Ah, I think I've got me. Taura-sama, follow me."

Maria went off in a direction and I followed her, eager to do what I wanted to do and to seek revenge.

Comment please?

Next chapter: Do you want it to go to the training scene between Maria and Taura or do you guys want to go to the scene where Ron and Harry and Ginny are and write about them?

Vote on it. I will see what you guys like.

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