The last month before Hogwarts, Draco's Mother thought it necessary to meet up with Hogwarts' Headmistress : Headmistress Mcgonagall. She wanted to discuss with her about suitable arrangements for her son at his school amongst other things.

So there the Malfoys and Hogwart's new Head were together in her oval room, where Headmaster Dumbledore used to be :

"You should know this about our son.", began Narcissa.

"Yes, what is it? I'm waiting for you to speak about your matter. I think there's something you need to tell me, isn't there?"

"Yes indeed, well, it's like this…"

"Just go on with it, Mother." urged Draco.

"I can't do this, Lucius, Son." Thereafter Lucius helped her :

"Our son is a Merman and got a mate. We don't know who he or she might."

"Your son is a Merman and he's got a Mate and you haven't the faintest idea of who he or she might be?"

"No, unfortunately, we don't."

"Might I ask, what are the Signs to know who he or she is your son's Mate?"

"Having a particular scent to him and Draco will find that person especially attractive and will get jealous at anyone in close proximity to him or her."

"So these are the signs to identify his Mate. What else can I do for you, Mrs. and Mr. Malfoy?"

"Well, we'd like our son to have a private bath in his dormitory's bed so he could bathe at his convenience, and because Merpeople need a lot of water to survive, especially if with a fish tail."

"Did he grow one already? Also, he wouldn't need a private bath because he'll be a Prefect this year still and they got access to their own private bath."

"Yes, he already did and we're relieved to hear that he'll be resuming his Prefect duties this year the same as before." That was Narcissa chiming in after awhile of being silent.

"Oh Merlin, a Merman in our midst! I'll see what I can do for him to make the best for him at my school, you needn't worry about his need of water, Mr and Mrs. Malfoy."

"Thank you for your understanding, Headmistress." said all 3 in unison.

Hogwarts' Express, September 1st, 1998.

"Oh Merlin, we're going to be late, Mother, Father!"

"Well, if you didn't need a full bath earlier, we wouldn't have been late today to your first day of back to Hogwarts!"

"Well, sorry, if I'm a Merman!"

"Don't yell it so loudly, do you want everyone else to know?"

"No."

"Then be silent for a moment. Get your trunk and owl. Here are your first sweets."

"Oh, thank you, Mother. I'm smelling Granger."

"What do you mean, smelling Granger?"

"I'm smelling her. Remember when you talked to Mcgonagall about my Signs? Well, that's the first one, isn't it, my Mate's smell?"

"What are you smelling about her?"

"Of roses and lavender, and a very faint hint of vanilla. Smelling so good."

Draco was already walking towards her, unaware of the crowd staring at him. His Father yelled at him for him to hear him :

"Draco, where do you think you're going?"

Numbly, Draco was closing the distance between Hermione Granger and him. His Mate, it was all that he was thinking. "I must go to my Mate." Was all he could think of at the present. His parents pulled him back with brute force as he was walking blindly towards Her.

"Draco, get back, and find another compartment, go with Crabe and Goyle as usual!"

"But, I can't, I have to go to her!"

"Well, you can't right now because She doesn't know anything about you being a Merman and She being your Mate."

"Ok, yes, you're right, of course, Father." Since Draco was further from her, he couldn't smell that strongly Her intoxicating scent, and therefore he could calm himself down and rationalize the whole thing.

"But how do I tell her? She hates my guts and I've bullied Her for bloody 7 years straight."

"Not now, we'll write to discuss this matter together, but for now, Draco, get on your train, it's leaving now."

"Thank you, Mother, Father, for caring about me."

Meanwhile, on the Hogwarts' Express, he was figuring out how to tell Hermione Granger, the Muggle-born witch he picked on for a very long time that he was a Merman and that the Fates picked Her to be his Mate.

"Merlin, it's going to be a fun ride this year." He was sarcastically muttering to himself.