The Water and The Sky (Permanent Hiatus)

Seven

"Let's see, Sirens, sirens." Harry hummed as his fingers skimmed over the spines of the books of McGonagall's personal collection. The old witch had given him, Draco and Hermione specific access to the leather bound volumes, and at the moment Hermione was perched precariously on a stool, searching for a specific book. "Mione, you're gonna hurt yourself." Harry sighed, his eyes searching where he couldn't reach.

"Rubbish. I'm just fine Harry." Hermione retorted, shouting in triumph and lunging for a book, knocking herself off balance and fall. Harry flicked his wrist without realizing and water from a small indoor pond rose up and caught her. "Thanks, how did you do that and now I'm all wet."

"Do what?" Harry looked over at her, taking in her soaked form.

"You caught me with water." Hermione pointed at the pond. "Wandless magic."

"Didn't Severus say that sirens could do a variety of wandless spells?" Draco asked, lounging in a beanbag and flicking through a book on veelas.

"Yeah, I think mum did." Harry shrugged. He slipped off his robes and handed them to Hermione since the water was making her white shirt see through. He grabbed a book and flipped through it, finding a passage on sirens. He read it aloud to the others in the secluded room. "Sirens of higher rank have special markings. Royalty doesn't go by every generation due to the length sirens live. Instead it skips every other generation. The most recent king as recorded in August of 1970 is King Alberforth III, his grandson, child of the half blooded prince Severus Snape, Harry Potter shall take the throne at his twenty first birthday." Harry didn't read any more as the book slipped from his fingers, reaching the floor with a loud bang. Hermione was frozen while Draco was still scanning the pages of his book, having already known that Harry was royalty by the markings on his wrist. "I'm going to be..." He trailed off.

"I thought you already knew that?" Draco finally looked up. "I could've told you if you didn't."

"How did you know?" Hermione asked, staring at the blond veela.

Draco pulled back his sleeve, revealing the scales that match Harry's tail. "Mum said this meant I was to be mated to royalty. 'Sides, Harry's got ancient siren markings on the back of his neck. I couldn't figure what it meant at first." He stood with a slight difficulty and walked over to Harry, his head beginning to hurt. Laying it onto his mate's shoulder cleared him of the oncoming migraine. "I thought you knew, sorry."

"Its alright." Harry grasped Draco's hand. "It just took me off guard."

Hermione watched the exchange quietly, mind reeling. She closed her eyes. "Harry, I need to tell you something. Both of you." They both looked up at her. She sighed. "I lied. About not doublecrossing you guys. I'm so sorry but before you get mad-" she looked at where Harry had started scowling, "I want you to know that I'm done. Dumbledore...he had me but this, this is too far. Its plain as day how wrong this is, trying to keep mates away from each other." Her fists clenched as Harry sidestepped in front of Draco.

"So why did you do it?" The malice and chill of Harry's voice caused the pond to freeze over, just proving the power he held.

"He...threatened my parents." Hermione murmured, head down. "He threatened to show me what a mudblood like me should be treated. He threatened to demonstrate on my family before doing it to me."

"So what are you going to do?" Harry asked, the chill only edging slightly.

"You, you have to do something." Hermione sighed. "Dumbledore uses veritaserum when I'm supposed to report to him. The only thing stronger than that is a siren's voice and orders. Harry, please, the only way to protect you and Draco is for you to command me to lie."

"She's right." Draco murmured. "I remember reading that veritaserum is powerless against sirens. But only if the siren forms a voice bond."

Hermione started to deflate further. She didn't see the speed that Harry moved at until he was once again in front of Draco holding a book from the top shelf. He turned to a certain page. Quickly he muttered the spell, his lips moving at impossible speeds. Hermione looked up when she felt it.

"You, you're actually-" she started.

Harry cut her off, his voice taking a triple tone. "Tell me you're telling the truth." He commanded, watching the slight struggle as she realized he didn't trust her.

"I am." Hermione answered. "I swear on my life."

"Okay. I believe you." Harry sighed, the tone leaving his voice. Draco leaned against his back.

Visible struggle passed over Hermione's face as she attempted to say Harry's name. Finally it came out strangled. "Harry, that spell, I know I virtually asked you to use it, and a willing victim strengthens the spell, but that spell creates slaves to sirens. That's why they were hunted to near extinction. Because of their power, despite the decreased use." She sighed. "By preforming the spell I am now bound to you for life. And it pains me to not call you Master Harry except on times you tell me I can call you by your name alone." Hermione's eyes never met Harry's.

"So I..." He trailed off.

"I am to do your every wish, yes. You control me." Hermione finished for him. "When you enter the water I am bound to follow, my body will change just as yours does so I can continue serving you. And as he is your mate, I'm bound to serving Draco to, only your wishes are first."

"How do you know so much about this?" Draco suddenly asked.

She held up the book she had fallen to get. Embellished on the cover was Servitude to the Kings. A small smile graced her lips. "I had thought this was a fairytale back when I was young but all the information in this story is true to sirens. I knew Professor McGonagall had it because I had seen her carry it around before."

Harry nodded as a patronus, Dumbledore's patronus appeared. "Hermione Granger, I wish to see you in my office." It said then disappeared.

Harry's voice took on its triple tone again as he ordered her. "Lie to him. Keep Draco, me and my mother safe. And do not tell him of McGonagall being a death eater. Go."

A bright smile appeared on Hermione's face. "Yes Master Harry." She dashed out.

"Can you make me one of your servants too Harry?" Luna suddenly dropped down from gods know where and scared Draco and Harry. "I can help you out a lot."

"But why...?" Harry furrowed his brow.

"Oldy Dumbly is bound to target me too as a doublecrosser like he did Hermione." Luna shrugged, her blonde hair bouncing on her shoulders. "Besides, I think it would be fun!"

Draco stepped over and lifted up the Servitude to the Kings before flipping through it. "Hey Harry, it says here that there's a hierarchy to the servants. Based around power. Seers are normally towards the top because they can foresee any danger to the master, which would be you. And as a future king, you have higher power over them."

"Oh I could really help!" Luna lit up.

"You want to be a slave?" Harry asked, skeptical.

"Oh yes. And it would be grand to be a siren when you swim and I have to swim along." Luna nodded. Harry sighed and spoke the spell. Luna cheered when she felt it hit her.

"You, are strange Luna. Now help me and Draco learn more about our creature selves." Harry sighed with a laugh.

"Okay Master Harry!"

IM BACK!