Harry Potter
Harry had always been reckless. Everyone who's met him could say at least that about him. That's why he was here, on a small boat in the middle of nowhere. But he knew he was right.
When he was little, everyone told him he didn't know what he saw. But he did. He was dying. He was thrown into the deepest depths of the sea, by the same awful man who murdered his parents, when suddenly, there was a shimmering in the water. He thought for sure he was dying when he'd heard what sounded like bells. Maybe even what could be described as the sound of a wind chime.
Then he saw her. The most beautiful woman he'd ever seen, her hair was black on top and white underneath, and it was long. So long he couldn't imagine how someone could manage it. He stopped worrying about her hair, when he saw her tail. A tail.. a tail!? It was long and white, with scales shimmering up her hips until they faded out just below her bellybutton. Her skin was pale, almost glittery to his eyes, and then he looked up into hers. Her eyes were a bright blue. Brighter than anything he'd ever seen.
When she spoke, he was incredibly surprised to find out that he could hear her. Instead of the murky watered down sounds he'd expected, her voice was clear. And it was just as beautiful as she was. Her words sounded like music, like a long forgotten melody was hovering in the water with him as she whispered quietly, "Hush now child."
Then he lost consciousness. Harry woke up a week later, in a hospital bed with his godfather and foster parents surrounding him. The Weasley's all said he'd imagined it. That it had to have been a dream. All except Bill and Charlie, who shared a surprised and knowing glance, before looking at the distraught ten-year-old.
Witnesses claimed that the boy didn't simply wash up on the populated shoreline. No, they claim they saw him being pushed ashore. By sharks. Sharks of all creatures. Not even an hour later, the body of Tom Riddle, the man who'd kidnapped him, washed up, torn to shreds. The police told the media it was a shark attack, that Harry Potter miraculously survived, but that simply wasn't how sharks behaved was it?
Sirius talked to Harry when they were alone. Harry at the time missed how Sirius Black had paled at the description of the women. Like she was a ghost of a past he'd tried to forget. He looked at his godson and said, "Only you know what you saw Harry. And only you get to say whether or not it actually happened."
So here Harry was, ten years later. He was sailing to find any sight of that woman, or any others like her. His friends had called him mad, and said he was throwing away his life for a witch hunt. But still, he hugged them goodbye. He was twenty now, and he'd started sailing at eighteen. Until now, he'd seen no hope of finding anything, but he was determined. Determined to do something with himself now that Sirius was gone.
When Harry's boat sailed into what seemed like an odd river through a series of caves, he was sceptical. But after a bit, he heard it. The chimes he'd heard back then. It was distant, like it wasn't meant for his ears to hear. He kept sailing, listening as the beautiful sound got louder.
When he saw the sight before him, Harry was frozen. It wasn't the woman but.. a boy...- No, a man. He had pale blonde hair, almost white, and it was long, just like the woman who'd saved him. His skin was just like hers too, a pale color, almost glittering in the light. Water droplets were scattered across his skin, and he definitely had a tail. It was large and majestic, his scales just as white as the woman's were. They faded out under his belly button like hers had. He also had what looked like sheer fins running down the side of the tail, stopping short of the end and blending into the side, and he had a lean, but slightly muscular build.
Harry looked up into the man's eyes, stormy grey ones meeting his green ones. He was the most beautiful man Harry had ever seen. It wasn't until the end of his boat hit the collection of rocks that the man was sitting on that Harry snapped from his daze. He stumbled to the edge of the boat, as he refused to break eye contact with the blonde man.
"What are you..?" Was all Harry could get out, his voice cracking with overwhelming emotions.
The man across from him seemed unfazed as he stared at Harry, "What am I?" He asked, as if confirming that was what Harry had asked him. His voice was music to Harry's ears. It was melodic, and sounded even better above water than the woman who'd spoken to him had below water. Harry was immediately addicted. Obsessed with the voice of the man speaking. He wanted to listen to it for the rest of his life, however short it may be.
"I am something mankind only dreams of. A creature so old it precedes even the oldest of your tales. We do not have a name for ourselves, but your people call us many titles. Sirens, Mermaids, Ocean People." Every word spoken left Harry weak. He was addicted to the melody of words that were being spoken. He stared into the stormy grey eyes that reminded him so greatly of.. Sirius.
He then had the revelation. He'd realized just why Sirius had gone pale at the mention of the woman who saved him. Just why Sirius Black had no family, beyond mentions of a younger brother he was unable to talk with anymore. Just why Sirius always had a tinge of a melody in his voice when he'd speak. Harry stumbled off his boat, onto the rocky area. He fell to his knees before the man.
"You are.. the most beautiful creature I've ever laid my eyes upon." He managed to croak out weakly. "What's your name?"
Harry swore that the man's cheeks darkened a shade, but instead of the pale pink expected from a human blush, it was a pale purple. It made him even more intrigued. His breath caught when long slender fingers brushed his cheek. "Such a brave and bold sailor you are.." He spoke again, and Harry melted at the sound. If he wasn't already kneeling, his legs would have given out on him. "My name, sailor boy, is Draco. What's yours?"
"Harry.. My name is Harry." His voice sounded choked as he gasped it out. When he found it in him, he spoke again, "You’re everything I've ever wanted. Everything I've ever needed. You are what haunts my dreams, yet brightens my nightmares. You are the epitome of perfection."
Draco leaned closer, the purple blush on his cheeks even more evident now. "Would you give up your humanity for me, Harry? Say goodbye to those you know and love forever?"
"Yes. I'd give you anything." Harry spoke immediately. He knew he should say no. That he should have run as soon as he was asked that question. He should be hurrying home, back into the arms of his best friends, of the people he'd considered family. But how could he, when those grey eyes were watching him with so much intensity.
Before Harry could say anything else, a hand was behind his neck, pulling him into the water as Draco dove in. For a moment, he swore he was drowning. As salt water filled his lungs and throat, as he the familiar burning of needing air. And then he realized..- Well, he didn't really care if he died. Because he was with Draco, wasn't he?
Harry opened his eyes, when he felt soft lips press against his own, and he looked into those stormy grey eyes as he kissed back. Slowly, the need for air lessened, until it wasn't there anymore. Until he found himself breathing in the ocean water.
He didn't let himself look away from those eyes, until Draco broke the kiss. It gave Harry a moment to take in the things that had... Changed. He felt different. More aware. The water that had felt crushing only moments before now felt like home. He looked down to see he had a tail now. Except, instead of the white scales, his were black, glittering like obsidian. His skin was paler, and looking closer he realized it was almost blue. A pale, glittering blue. And he was willing to bet that his eyes were a brighter green. Glowing in the water like Dracos did.
Then Harry looked around and noticed where he was. He was deep in the underwater caves he'd been sailing over when he saw Draco. It was dark, the only light coming from bioluminescent plants growing in the air patches that held land. Yet, he could still see just fine. He also took note that he was surrounded by others now. Others like Draco, like him?
He looked back at Draco immediately, seeing the other boy lean in. "Welcome home Harry." He said with a smile, as his arms draped over the dark haired boy's shoulders.
Harry was happy to note that Draco's voice still had the same effect on him as it did before.