Under the Stars

| Chapter 9 |

It was many nights later and it was cold, light snow flurries floated down from the sky. They touched the mirror water gently, melting into it like ice cubes in hot tea. A blonde figure walked carefully down to the lake from the hidden room, his heart beat pounding out of his chest. He wrapped his coat around him tighter as the chilly air swept through his body and across the Black Lake. Quickly, he made his way across the bridge to the small island to their spot. It was hidden amongst the low brush and trees, a perfect hide away from the nosy Hogwarts students.

Quietly, he brushed aside some of the brush revealing a small strip of the beach and there on the beach, a mermaid lay. She studied the snow as it fell on her scales and the water, a soft smile on her face, "Thetis," he said her name, now a common word on his tongue.

She turned to look at him, her smile spreading as she did so, "Draco," she looked down at his outfit: a large black cloak fanned around him, a full, black tux's hidden beneath it, a grey scarf wrapped around his neck, "You're here."

"Of course," he said as he made his way over to her, "Why wouldn't I be?"

"I didn't know if Parkinson had gotten to you again," she said. Pansy Parkinson, ever since she found out about her maybe engagement to the Malfoy heir over the weekend, had been hanging off of him and trying to get him to look at her at least. Hermione didn't like it, seeing them in the hallways, and she knew that the reason for this was the spark of feelings she felt for him.

"I shook her off," he sat down next to her, "Told her I needed to work on another Potion's assignment with Granger," he growled.

"She's not that bad, you know?" Hermione responded, noting the way he said her name.

"Who, Parkinson?" Draco asked.

"No, Granger," Hermione responded, her name sounding odd on her own tongue, "I'd get to know her better if I were you."

"No," Draco simply said and Hermione frowned.

"Why?" she asked.

"You wouldn't understand, Thetis," Draco responded, looking out at the calm lake.

"Is it because of blood purity?" she asked and Draco glanced at her for a moment answering her question, "Blood purity is a stupid theory if you ask me," she looked away from him, "We're all the same underneath."

"We're not, though," Draco said like it was rehearsed.

"Yes, we are," she looked at him with a hardened glare, almost daring him to argue with her, "If I bled for you and you did the same, you would find that though I am a mermaid, we have the same blood," he looked at her, "We are the same and we both deserve the equality we need."

Draco sighed, "I'm going to tell you something that nobody knows, not even my closest friends," and he ran a hand through his hair, messing it up, "I don't believe in the blood purity," Hermione froze in shock at his words, why the little cockroach, she thought with an angry tone, "And I never did. It never made sense to me ever since I was younger, but I knew that if I dare dismiss it, I would be disowned," he looked at her, "I still would be."

"Draco," Hermione tried to speak, anger evaporating in her veins. She understood, "I... I'm sorry."

"For what?" Draco's eyebrows furrowed together, "There's nothing to be sorry for."

"I didn't know," and she truly didn't know, "I thought you had been poisoned to think that way. I was being prejudiced too, to think about you that way," she looked away from him, "I am so sorry, Draco."

"Thetis," Draco sighed and carefully wrapped a cloaked arm around her bare shoulders, his one hand settling comfortably on her waist. She leaned into him; her nose was flooded with the smell of wood smoke, old books, apples and cinnamon, and underneath it all she could smell a mixture of potions. She sighed, sadness seeping through her, but she refused to cry. Mermaids didn't cry. He placed his chin on top of her wet head, "Thetis. You have no need to be sorry. I made people think this way."