The Ocean

Hermione held onto Draco as the water moved around them. Her arms wrapped around his torso.

“I’ve missed this, I’ve missed home” Hermione said

“You will be home soon” Draco said lifting her chin up, “I have missed you

Draco leaned down and kissed her. Her hands wandered down past his waist. Her fingers brushed against his scales. They felt different to her.

“I should have listened to you” Hermione said

“You should but you never do”

Hermione walked back on shore, her clothes soaking wet. She turned around and watched Draco swim off, his tail shimmering in the light. He had given her a bracelet made of seashells, and human bones. He charmed it so he could always find her, even on land. She walked back to the flat and took a bath. As she sat in the water she noticed her spots had began fading. She sighed.

The next morning there was a buzz in the town. There was a new visitor. All the ladies had gotten dressed up and lined the streets to get a look at him. Draco walked down the street, dressed in the finest robes imaginable. He had a walking stick, with a silver horse head on the top. The ladies were falling over each other when he passed. The men were jealous and didn’t know what the big deal was.

Ron walked to see what the commotion was about. He saw Draco walking down the street and the woman fawning over him. His sister Ginny stood next to him and watched Draco.

“He’s beautiful” Ginny said

“Ginny!” Ron said

“Well he is, you’d have to be blind not to see it” Ginny said as she walked towards Draco

Ron was upset and headed upstairs to his flat. He found Hermione making lunch and smiled.

“Hello” Ron said

Hermione merely looked over at him and placed his sandwich on the table. She said nothing else to him and walked to the window looking out.

“I know you’re upset, but this isn’t forever, I’m just lonely, and want someone to be here with me”

Hermione didn’t say anything, instead she looked out the window and saw Draco talking to Ginny. Ron got up to see what Hermione was looking at. She saw she was looking at Draco.

“What’s he got that makes him so special?” Ron said bitterly

“Looks, wealth, charm, do you want me to continue?”

“You’re infatuated with him too now?”

“You’re forcing me to stay here, what do you think? If he was a stump I’d find him more interesting than you”

“You think he’s going to rescue you? You think he’s going to free you? As long as I have your skin you have to stay with me!”

“Yes, you’ve trapped me here with you”

Draco walked into the joke shop with Ginny next to him. She was telling him about the shop and her brothers. He looked around and saw Ron arguing with Hermione.

“That’s my brother Ron, he’s arguing with his girlfriend again. Honestly I don’t know why she stays with him” Ginny said

Hermione yelled and hit him in the chest before walking out the door past them. He watched her leave and wondered what happened. Ginny sighed and walked over to Ron. The two had an animated conversation. Draco went outside to find Hermione. She was standing near the beach looking out at the ocean.

“Was that the human?” Draco asked

“Yes, he’s jealous, insecure and now incredibly petty” Hermione said

“He’s a wizard too isn’t he?”

“Yes

“Which explains why you haven’t been able to locate your skin”

“He must have hidden it with a spell. And my magic is fading”

Draco turned and held her hands in his. He was concerned as they were both magical beings.

“How long has this been happening?” Draco asked

“Since he took my skin, it’s been fading slowly, along with my spots. Soon I’ll be human”

“I won’t let that happen. I’m taking you back with me”

“When?”

“Soon”

“Mione! Get away from him!” Ron yelled as he approached

Hermione looked over and saw Ron, red as tomato walking towards her. She hated the nickname he gave her. He couldn’t even say her name correctly.

“Get your hands off her!” Ron yelled

Draco was annoyed. This wizard dared to trap Hermione on land with him. He turned and looked at Ron.

“You’ve taken something from me” Draco said

“You get your hands off her!” Ron yelled

Draco stepped in front of him, blocking him from Hermione.

“I’d like it back” Draco said

“I don’t know what you’re talking about”

“But you do, you can give it back and I won’t kill you, or I can take it back, and make it very painful for you”

Ron took out his wand.

“Eat slugs!” Ron yelled

Draco raised his hand and blocked the spell, it bounced and hit Ron in the chest. He fell back onto the ground. Ron looked up and started throwing up slugs. Hermione stood next to Draco. Her hand slipped into his.

Ron was throwing up slugs as he walked back. He saw the bright orange flames and started running. He saw that the joke shop was on fire. Ginny was outside screaming for help. Fred and George were trying to conjure up water but nothing was happening. The fire started to spread to the flat and nearby buildings. Other people tried to help, but no water was appearing. Draco stood there watching the flames.

“Where is all the water?” Ron asked

“No idea! It’s like it’s gone” George said

“No matter what we try, nothing, not even a augmenti” Fred said

Ron looked around and saw Hermione standing next to Draco. He walked over to them.

“What have you done?” Ron asked

“Give back what you stole and I will make it stop” Draco said

Ron looked at him and then at Hermione.

“You would let them burn my brother’s joke shop? It’s everything they worked for. How could you?” Ron said

“How could I? You’re the one that stole it and wouldn’t give it back. You knew what would happen to me if you didn’t give it back, but you trapped me here. I would let the entire world burn” Hermione said

“Give it back, and you can save what’s left of the shop” Draco said

“She’s mine! She’ll stay mine!” Ron yelled

“You would let your brothers’ shop burn into ash rather than save it? You would do that to them so long as you could keep her? That’s rather selfish” Draco said

“You can’t have her! You can’t!” Ron said

Fred and George started carrying water from the ocean towards the fire. They were desperate trying to save their shop. They threw the water onto the fire, only to watch it float in the air and then head back to the ocean.

“What is going on?” Fred asked

“This isn’t normal” George added

“Give it back Ron and this all stops” Hermione said

“Give what back?” Fred asked

“What did you take?” George asked

“Nothing, it doesn’t matter” Ron answered

“He’s willing to let your shop burn to the ground in order to keep it what he stole. You’re paying for his mistake” Draco said

“Ron, what did you do?!” Fred yelled

“It wasn’t supposed to be this way! I just wanted her to stay a bit, not forever, in the stories, they say they would fall in love and stay” Ron said

Fred and George both looked at him and then at Hermione.

“What are you?” George asked

“It’s what I am, that should make you quake with fear” Draco said

“Whatever it is, give it back to them” Fred yelled

“Give it back!” George yelled

“I can’t, it’s inside the shop!” Ron yelled back

“Tell me where it is” Draco said

“Tell him!” Fred and George yelled

“It’s hidden under the barrel of puking pastilles. Which is already on fire by now!” Ron yelled

There was a crack of thunder and a flash of lightning. The sky ripped open and it began to pour rain. The fire went out quickly. Fred and George looked at what was left of their shop. Hermione walked into the joke shop with Draco, holding his hand. The water formed a bubble around them as she looked for the barrel. Fred and George walked in to see the damage. They saw Hermione looking under all the barrels.

“I can’t find it” Hermione said

“The wizard used a spell to hide it” Draco said

Draco waved his hand, and her selkie skin appeared on the floor, damp and covered in soot. Hermione immediately grabbed it and held it close to her. She wrapped it around herself like a cloak, and she felt her magic returning along with her spots. She looked at her skin and it glowed again.

“Draco!” Hermione said as she kissed him

Hermione and Draco walked to the beach. Hermione couldn’t wait to return to the water. Draco was eager to get his tail back as well. He didn’t enjoy walking on land. The spell allowed it for a day, and it felt as if he were walking on glass with every step, hence the walking cane.  

“Where did you find these clothes from?” Hermione asked

“I saw them in a shop” Draco answered

“Thank you for helping me”

“I would have never left you here”

“I didn’t know you still cared”

“I always care. I know what my father said to you, what he did. I was very angry with him when I found out. I went to look for you, but you were nowhere to be found. I thought he had driven you away”

“I just wanted to get away for a bit. I didn’t think someone would steal my skin”

“I had to find you, to tell you everything”

“I love you Draco, that will never change but we cannot be together, they won’t allow it”

“Who cares about them, of any of them”

“Draco?”

“Give me your skin, we can go anywhere, start over. It will just be us”

Hermione looked up at him in disbelief.

“But you’re next in line-”

“I don’t care, i don’t care about any of it. All I care about is you”

“Alright, I’ll go with you”

The two walked into the water. Their clothes fell off. Hermione’s selkie skin wrapped around her as she swam into the water. Draco’s scales and tail returned as he swam towards her. She reached out for his hand and kissed it. They held hands as they swam deeper into the ocean. She was a selkie. He was a merman. Their union was forbidden, but they didn’t care.

Fred and George were sweeping up in their burned shop. Fred picked up the barrel and set it right, when he noticed a small pouch on the floor. He picked it up and opened it. Inside was gold coins.

“George, come here” Fred said

“What is it Fred?” George asked

“Even though he burned our shop down, he left us something”

“How can you tell it’s from him

Fred took out the seashell from inside the bag.

“Well, he’s not a total jerk”