A/N: This is another one that I forgot about and it is about the wackiest I will ever get with a Wacky AU prompt: The Little Mermaid

This sort of thing is why I love the Harmony discord. My unimaginative brain would have never come up with such a concept, but integrating that idea into the HP universe was a fun exercise.

November 4, 1994

As she waited for Hagrid to arrive for their weekly meeting Hermione huffed in frustration. Well, she would have huffed if she were underwater. Since she was a mermaid and her head was poking out of the water the best she could manage was a silent frown. Shrieking would do nothing but scare unaware students and earn a lecture from her father. He'd only agreed to the weekly meetings with the groundskeeper if she promised to keep quiet and not alert any other wizards or witches.

"Hagrid is the exception," he had warned. "He admires us for our differences, most wizards fear us for them."

She'd done her best to stay away from the surface but the commotion caused by Harry Potter's name coming out of the Goblet of Fire had her on tenterhooks as she waited for Hagrid. She'd heard multiple students complaining about the boy illegally entering the contest over the last week but refused to believe them. If the stories Hagrid had shared about the boy held even a hint of truth Harry would have never done such a thing.

Finally her friend arrived and took his customary seat on the nearby boulder. "Hello little one," he began with false brightness. "Good week?" he asked benignly.

She folded her arms and glared. She really hated not being able to speak above water, but she had always managed with Hagrid. Usually she had been able to get the message across.

"Wha?" Hagrid asked in confusion at her apparent annoyance. She drew a lightning bolt on her forehead and Hagrid's eyes widened in recognition.

"S'pose ya heard abou' the tournament. Abou' Harry," he asked.

She nodded.

"Well I don' know what ya' heard but Harry says he didn' enter and that's good enough for me!" he declared.

She nodded once again in relief, making a mental note to talk to the Giant Squid about splashing any idiots who spread the rumors about the friend she had never met.

November 27, 1994

"Did ya see 'im?" Hagrid beamed as he bounced in excitement.

He laughed at her fervent nod. She knew there was little chance that she would be able to see any of the task from the lake but at the very least she could hear it. But thanks to Harry and his broom she saw a bit of him in action (and a dragon!) as well. As she watched the brave idiot dart out of reach of the beast she was very happy she lived in the water. There were many things she envied about the humans but flying was definitely not one of them. At all.

"I knew yeh would sneak up to the surface and get a peek," he said with a smile. "Summon'd his broom all the way from Hogwarts he did," Hagrid concluded proudly.

She pointed to her forehead, indicating Harry had been smart to play to his strengths.

"I reckon it had more ta do with this," Hagrid replied as he pointed to his heart.

February 26, 1995

She was so excited to talk to Hagrid she arrived a full fifteen minutes earlier. He was already there, waiting for her arrival.

"Did yer Dad let you watch?" Hagrid asked excitedly.

She nodded her head as fervently as possible in an effort to convey her excitement at seeing the contestants. She really hated not being able to talk.

"S'pose you were most impressed by the shark transfiguration," Hagrid asked.

She shook her head no.

"Cedric's bubble head charm?"

She shook her head once again.

"Harry?" he asked in confusion. "I thought ya'd find that right boring."

Hagrid was right. From a magical perspective all Harry had done was chew up and swallow a plant. But she'd watched him arrive first and wait to make sure all hostages were rescued and then defy her father by taking the youngest hostage as well as his own. She'd always believed Hagrid had exaggerated Harry's goodness…now she wondered if his stories had barely scratched the surface.

There had been a moment while he waited nervously that their eyes met and she smiled encouragingly at him. She'd probably imagined it but it looked like he'd smiled back just a little.

She pointed to her heart in explanation of why Harry had been her favorite and Hagrid nodded.

"Tha's Harry for ya," Hagrid answered.

June 26, 1995

It had been two days since she'd heard the brief celebration at the final task quickly turn into cries of agony and despair. The oppressive silence of the students as they had walked by the lake the last two days indicated that something truly horrible had happened. Hagrid's absence from their normal meeting time all but confirmed it.

She wasn't sure why she had been compelled to come to the surface once again that evening. That wasn't exactly true…she needed answers. Not having answers to things always did her head in and the sneaking suspicion that Harry had once again been involved was too much. She didn't care that she was disobeying the agreement she'd made with her father…she needed to know he was safe.

And then she saw him sitting on a somewhat smaller rock next to Hagrid. He nodded somberly and lazily flung rocks in the water as he listened to Hagrid. She noticed his other arm was in a sling and his face was badly bruised and inexplicably began crying on his behalf.

She wasn't sure how long she watched them before Hagrid stood and encouraged Harry to come with him. The boy merely shook his head and continued throwing rocks.

She'd promised herself she wouldn't come any closer…that she'd stay and silently support him until he'd left. All her plans and promises to herself and her father were forgotten when she saw him begin stubbornly wiping at his eyes.

Before she thought better of it she had swum over to him and reached for his hand, causing him to jump slightly. She quickly pulled back, silently cursing her impulsiveness.

He gathered himself and wiped at this eyes. "Sorry, you just startled me."

She smiled and shook her head, doing her best to convey how little she was bothered.

"Ah right, you can't talk can you? At least not that I could understand," he concluded, drawing a nod.

"You were at the second task. You're Hagrid's friend right?" he asked. She silently celebrated at the small smile that graced his face. He had a nice smile.

She nodded once again and pointed to his injured arm. It wasn't the most tactful thing to do but she needed to know why it hadn't been healed with magic.

"You're wondering what happened?" he asked as he frowned once again. "There was a trap for me at the end of the last task. I was able to escape but another student- Cedric, was killed."

She gasped and clutched his hand once again as she mouthed I'm sorry.

He pointed to his injured arm. "The dagger that caused this was cursed so it's taking a bit longer to heal. I should be okay in a few days."

She'd listened as Harry spoke intermittently about Hogwarts, about Cedric, about how foolish he had been. Throughout it all she listened and held his hand and made angry screeching noises when he started blaming himself. His startled smile caused her to smile as well. She was fairly confident Harry was out past curfew and her parents were going to be furious at her when she returned, but that didn't matter.

"I reckon I should go back in," he finally mumbled as he stood. "Thank you, for tonight and the second task. I was terrified down there but when you smiled at me it helped. It really helped."

She nodded and smiled, pointing to her heart.

"Would it be all right if I visited you with Hagrid next Friday?"

She nodded, wishing once again she could talk to him properly.

"I wish I knew your name," he mumbled before smiling in recognition. "You'd best say it fast as I'm rubbish at holding my breath," he informed before plunging his head under the surface of the lake.

She laughed and submerged as well until she was eye to eye with her new friend. He really did have lovely eyes.

"It's nice to meet you. My name is Hermione."