A/n: Thanks to my newfound beta Hunter's Heir!

You will find peace not by trying to escape your problems, but by confronting them courageously. You will find peace not in denial, but in victory.

~J. Donald Walters

After my talk with Dumbledore, I feel only slightly better. Although speaking with the Headmaster about such topics was a bit strange, I found that my voice did not affect him even when I changed the tone. Best thing that's happened all day.

He informed me to be very careful once I finished explaining. Although I thought that what I came to tell him would be a big surprise, he only seemed mildly surprised by the power my voice has. But the Siren part didn't strike him as being too terribly odd. I take it that he knew of this beforehand, or at least has heard of other situations like this throughout his lifetime. As long as I'm not the first of my kind, there's hope.

When I finished giving him a summary of what's been happening to me- leaving out the two instances with Ron and my untimely kiss with Malfoy- a twinkle appeared in his eye, and the first thing he said is that I should contact my parents. I've already owled them though, specifically my mother, and have not heard back. I'm beginning to worry that there's a reason behind that.

Dumbledore told me that if I need to go home over the weekend sometime to speak to my parents about this then it's perfectly acceptable to do so. I thanked him for the opportunity, wondering if I'll have to do that if my mother doesn't come through soon. I can't really fathom why she's so reluctant to answer, seeing as I've been raised as a muggle my whole life. Deep down I keep hoping that my parents will be just as startled by these events as I am, but I'm worrying that that's not the case. I think they've hidden something from me.

Thankfully, the Headmaster gave me a neat little potion. It lasts for roughly six hours, and will alter the sound of my voice during that time. He gave me a starter bottle and the amount to drink, handing over the ingredients and instructions on how to make it as well. This is the best thing that's happened yet, for now I can sit in the Great Hall and attend my classes without the fear of being bothered by every male in the room. And, if I so chose, I can influence them with my Siren voice for a bit too. I now have some control over what's happening to me.

The only part that's still really throwing me off is the bit about me having a mate. Now, I'm all for finding love someday, but not like this. I don't want to end up with someone because a Siren trait says we're compatible. I want to choose who I'm with, and do it through love whenever that time comes. But I don't think I'll get that choice anymore. It's either mate up with my one, perfect soul mate or live in solitude. I already asked Dumbledore if I could use the potion after my year is up, and he said no. The power of my Siren traits will overpower the potion and it'll prove useless.

Well, it was worth a try anyway. So essentially, I still need to use the next three-hundred and some-odd days to find this person I'm supposed to be with, who very well might not even go to Hogwarts. I'm so screwed.

I also learned that although everyone else will hear my voice as something different when I'm under the influence of the potion and won't notice, my mate will hear it the same as if the potion wasn't there. So I can still go on this ridiculous quest to find my mate, even while I elude the rest of the school and keep my sanity. Brilliant.

He also instructed that I tell my friends, but I can't muster up the courage to do that yet. When I come up with a way to break the news I'll let them in on my secret, but not until then. I already know Harry, Ron and Neville aren't my mates, so there's no problem there. I can have friends again once I explain myself and my bizarre behavior.

Dumbledore told me his office is always open if I ever need to talk. Considering how messed up things are at this point, I'll probably have to take him up on that offer. Ginny will certainly be the hardest of my friends to win back over, considering I've had my best friend's boyfriend eating out of the palm of my hand for days. I wouldn't be too forgiving either, and I might just need advice on that.

The last thing Dumbledore gave me before sending me off to my room for the rest of the day, excused from my classes, was a personal book of his on Siren's. It's a rather old book with yellowing pages and I'm extremely excited to get my hands on it. This might hold additional facts on things that these newer books fail to mention. I can't wait to read it.

Now, all I have to do is hide out in my room the rest of the day and make several more batches of this voice changing potion. Then, I can go back to ordinary school days, while trying to find a mate I don't want. Go me.

I'm sitting in my room later, trying to finish my last batch of the potion when there's a knock on the door. I distinctly remember telling Harry and Ron at dinner that I had a lot to think about tonight and needed to be by myself, so why am I being bothered now? Why people can't let me be I don't know, but I really wish they would bugger off. Not to sound mean, but I need to get myself mentally straight before speaking to anyone else. I have to wrap my head around all this new information.

Grumbling I get up and head towards the door, reading part of the Siren book as I walk. I'm sure it's my best friends coming to make sure I'm okay, but I just can't talk right now. I need to get this last batch done so I can continue reading before I pass out, tired from this troublesome day.

I don't even look up as I open the door, immersed in the text I'm reading. "I know you want to talk guys, but I really have a lot of homework to do. Can we do this another time?"

"Wow, you were even going to turn down Potter and Weaselbee? What chance do I have at talking to you now?"

My head snaps up at the voice, knowing this is neither Harry nor Ron. He's looking down at me with bored eyes, sarcasm dripping from every word that just slipped through his lips. Why didn't I check to see who was at the door first? Twenty minutes ago I was counting my blessings that I didn't have patrols tonight and could spend all the time I needed reading and making the potion, catching up on schoolwork too, and now here he is, butting into my time again.

"What are you doing here?" I ask, narrowing my eyes up at the blonde. He's made more trips up here in the past week than he has since school started, and I'm really beginning to hate it. Doesn't he understand that I don't want to see his face every hour of the day?

He shrugs, something passing through his eyes briefly. "I think we should talk."

"I think you should leave," I snap, rolling my eyes as I move to shut the door, but his hand catches the frame and stops me. I snap the book shut, pressing it to my chest. Well then.

"No, we really need to talk," he insists, pushing the frame back again easily. I take a step back, eyes widening. Oh Merlin! I've been talking to him this entire time and I completely forgot that I haven't taken any of that potion Dumbledore gave me! Now I'm in for a horny Malfoy, hurray for me.

But it's not lust clouding his eyes as he easily slips past my overwhelmed figure, gliding into the room. There's no raw emotion, passion, or anything of the sort. Although his eyes looked bored when I first glanced at them, a new emotion has come to play. Now, he looks both uncertain and angry, maybe even a little confused.

A confused angry Malfoy? Oh Merlin, what did I just let into my room?

"Out," I snap, pointing a finger at the wide open door as he sits leisurely on my chair. "I did not invite you in!"

"Well, you're never going to actually invite me in," he reminded, leaning back comfortably. "I figured if I didn't get in while your guard was down I never would."

"Well, so long as you know that I'm not completely dim," I say sarcastically, rolling my eyes. "Now, do you mind? I was in the middle of something."

"I'm sure Weasley was in the middle of something today too. Didn't realize you liked to sit at the back of the room for that reason Granger."

For a moment I'm confused, having not seen the blonde pass by at all during class earlier. Then it clicks- Nott passed the table and saw my skirt up high. Malfoy must've pieced that together with my strange behavior all class and came to an awful conclusion. Good Circe, why did Nott have to tell him about that of all things? Why even bother?

Instead of staying nice and composed like I should, my cheeks flush and I kick the door shut, fearing that people down in the library might be able to hear us. I set the ancient book down before I do anything else, scared of damaging it.

Then I chose to lob one of my parchment rolls in his direction. The item hits him square in the head, thankfully wrapped only around itself and not like a scroll. The prat still rubs his head as though he's injured.

"Mature, Granger."

"You have no business talking about that!" I snap, balling up my hands. I'm standing on the other side of the table, maintaining some decent distance between us.

"Hey, don't get your knickers in a twist Granger. I've done the same thing in class a time or two. It just doesn't fit in with your prudish attitude."

"Would you shut up!?" I cry, crossing my arms tightly over my chest. Surprisingly, I feel heat rushing through me, but not to my cheeks. I'm getting hot, feeling light headed, and I have no idea what's happening to me.

"All I'm saying Granger is that what Nott told me sounds very sketchy. It might even explain why you were so jumpy throughout class."

"Are you insinuating something?"

"I'm hinting towards something. I'm going to take a wild fucking guess and assume that you didn't make the first move."

"How the hell would you know? You sat in front of me, pretending to pay attention throughout the entire period. Your back was to me the entire time."

"Maybe my eyes never saw what was going on, but I do have a pair of ears. It wasn't hard to hear what you were saying in a quiet classroom."

My heart stops and I step away from him until I'm against the wall, cheeks flushed red now. I need the support, and I fear what he's going to turn this into. "What are you getting at?"

He stood, eyeing me as he walks a few feet, putting us in a direct line with one another, no obstacles in between us now. "Telling someone to stop because their acting inappropriate doesn't sound like consent you know. What was actually happening?"

My eyes widen and I nearly topple over at that. He's…. concerned? What the hell? Of course, I can see why things were taken out of content, the situation looking worse than it was. It makes Ron out to be the bad guy, the evil one with bad intentions. When in reality, it's mostly my fault.

The fact that Malfoy picked all of that up, recalled the exact words that slipped from my mouth, is a bit startling. He had to be listening intently all class, though I can't fathom why. Why would he care what I have to say to Ron?

"It's not what you've made it out to be," I say, choosing my words carefully. "Trust me, you don't understand what really happened."

"Then what really did happen?" He inquires, stepping forward before he takes two steps back. He shakes his head, briefly looking at the floor, as though he doesn't understand what he's doing. I don't really get what's happening either, but for a moment I wonder if we're both thinking the same thing; why did he care so much?

"I think you need to butt out of my business," I say, crossing my arms as I step away from the wall, feeling a hair less overwhelmed. These strange feelings are still coursing through me, and I would be quite appreciative if they would stop. I'm so not comfortable with this. "It has nothing to do with you."

"But what if it does?" he mutters, catching me off guard. I don't quite know what to say to that, and watch his body language briefly. He's still looking perplexed and unsure about what he's saying, as though he's not even sure why he's up here anymore. These routine trips must stop, because each time they leave me feeling strange and confused about everything.

Malfoy still has a potential at being my mate. The sooner I can dash away the possibility, the better it'll be for us both. I think my voice is starting to take ahold of him, as he's started to rub his head, but I can't be sure. I mean, he hasn't even jumped me yet.

I take the initiative, my mind working a mile a minute as I step towards him. He's now watching me with guarded eyes, body tense as I approach. Indeed, I can feel my limbs stiffening the closer I get, anxiety eating at me but an unknown force pulling me to him.

That's a lie actually, I know what's prompting me to walk closer, ideas forming with every step. I need to remove the possibility of Malfoy being my mate from my head once and for all, and there's one surefire way to do that. All I have to do is test it out, watch him back away, and then I can stop fussing over him, and he'll hopefully stop coming up here. I'm just hoping he doesn't brand me completely insane after this.

He doesn't pull away when I wrap my arms around his neck, only watches me with those liquid silver eyes of his. I wonder if I hit my head or something and just don't remember it, because I can't think of a time when I've ever been brave enough to openly kiss anyone, even people I'm attracted to. But I want to move on from this dilemma, and I press my lips to his quickly, hoping that a short term kiss will banish my concerns.

It has the opposite effect.

Fire attacks my insides, and I don't know what the hell is happening. The contact is nothing like I've ever experienced before, even the first time we kissed when he fell on top of me. Then I was worried about getting out from beneath him, and now I'm trying to convince myself that he can't be my mate at all. But the fire coursing through me says otherwise. I want to deepen the kiss, and that's definitely not what my intention was.

Then again, he wasn't supposed to respond either. His hands are on my waist, pulling me tight against his lean body, deepening the kiss even as I consider the notion. His tongue is inside my mouth, dancing exotically with mine in a way that I've never experienced before. My hands somehow found a way to work into his hair, pulling softly on the silk locks.

My initial plan is evaporating, and I'm going with it, getting lost in the intense feelings that I didn't expect to feel. I was supposed to disgust him and have him pull away, but instead he responded to my lips passionately. Warning bells go off in my head and I ignore them.

It doesn't take too long for my body to start craving more when he fists my hair, and I know I can't stay in this Heaven. I'm getting pulled in, losing myself to the feeling of it all, and I barely even understand why it all feels so fucking amazing. Reluctantly I break the kiss I began, dropping my head to rest on his shoulder. He's gripping me too tightly for me to pull away, and I'm too out of breath from making out with my enemy to put up the struggle.

Let the battle begin.

He actually massages the tender space on my scalp that he's made sore from pulling on my hair, resting his head on top of mine as our breathing calms down. My arms are still locked around his neck, left there because it feels right, but I can already feel the moment breaking. His body, which relaxed once I kissed him, is stiffening up again, realizing what he's done.

His hand snakes out of my hair, moving to my shoulder. He gently pushes me off of him, keeping one hand on my waist. I drop my arms from his neck, expecting him to either start yelling or to bolt from the room.

Surprisingly he does neither, and just watches me with tense eyes, drinking in my form as they move from my head to feet and back up again. Our breathing is normal once more, the fire in my blood still a dull ember as reality sets in. He doesn't look angry like he did the first time we kissed, but confused.

I wait, waiting for the eruption of emotion, confusion, anger, but it never comes. Instead he drops his arms, robotically leaving my dorm without a word. I watch him go, eyes blank until the door clicks shut behind him. Once alone, I place a hand to my chest, feeling my heart still pounding erratically there.

He didn't scream at me, which concerns me greatly. I fear that as I slump down on the chair beside me, that the reasoning behind that is more than I can bear. While I felt a fire ignite inside me from that kiss, pressing me to continue on in my dangerous passion play, he was just as eager to kiss me as I was to kiss him.

Perhaps, just maybe, the same fire burned inside him as well. Which can only mean one thing, and I'm not sure if it relieves me to know what I think I know, or if it scares me.

Draco Malfoy just can't be my mate. The universe will implode.

A/n: Hi there readers! So here's some development :) I tried to get in what seemed write, but my document decided to delete itself halfway through writing this so I had to rewrite the entire thing today. Hence why there are no PM's this time around. Next week though for sure! I hope you guys like it and keep those reviews coming! I don't think anyone understands how inspired I am with this story.

Frequently asked questions:

I don't know if I will write anything from Draoc's POV or not. This is kind of Hermione's story, what with her finding out about her Siren heritage and all, and of course finding her mate. As the story progresses he'll have more involvement and there will be a lot about their relationship, but at prior I have no intentions of writing anything from his point of view. That can always change though. I really just see this as Hermione's story.

There will be a protctive Draco, which you sort of saw here. There will be a lot more about that as the story progresses.

I don't know how long this is going to be. It's based entirely off of how the story flows. Since I wrote the first chapter on a whim, I didn't really have a plan XD

It's not going to be a dark story like the others. There will be more humor and romance than I usually write, with a bit of mystery plot. But it's not really dark. I didn't even have an intention of making Ron a bad guy. He was just swayed by the Siren influences, that's all.

If you have anymore, you can leave those in your review too! I'll try to reply individually to zero-in on all those questions as it goes on. And thank you to everyone who keeps the feedback coming! It's actually helping me to keep those story from traveling down a dark path :) So, until next week lovelies!