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***I'm back with a new story! Yes, my other ones will be updated soon don't worry! Enough said, on with the story!***

The Mermaid

Chapter One: You're a What?

I had to hurry, if I didn't get there soon, who knows what could happen to me. As I sprinted across the Hogwarts grounds, the darkness surrounding me and the sounds of the night reaching my ears, I ran, my feet hitting the grass, my cloak sprawled out behind me, caught in the wind, my hair blowing away in the cool breeze and my throat dry. I slowed down as I reached my destination, a secluded part of the lake that surround the castle. I checked my watch and saw that it was nearly time. As the minutes ticked away, I waited patiently, I knew what was coming. Then it hit me. The pain was unbearable no matter how many times I had felt it before, each time it seemed to get worse. Luckily I had taken my shoes off earlier as my legs were growing now and forming into one huge tail with a flipper on the end. My hair growing longer, and longer. It didn't stop until it reached the floor. My cloak lay forgotten on the floor along with my uniform as a small top made out of shells appeared on me while my tail covered the bottom half of me. Gills began to grow on either side of my neck and my fingers became webbed.

I dived into the water and swan deep down beneath the surface. Here is where I would stay until the early hours of the morning when I would change back. I swam, deeper and deeper, until I finally came to the spot I had called my bedroom and swam into the small cave on the side of the wall. I came to a stop and lay done on the stone. I closed my eyes and fell into a gentle sleep. My tail swaying back and forth in the current of the water.

I was awoken hours later by the sounds of the other mer people getting up. I could hear their movements in the water and the sound of their songs they were singing. I opened my eyes and headed for the surface of the lake. As soon as I emerged on the top of the water, my gills on the side of my neck disappeared and my breathing became normal once more. My tail began to shrink below the water and my legs reappeared. My hair shortening and going back to its original length. My hands turned back to normal and the shell top that I had been wearing was replaced by a swimming costume. A black one to be precise. I looked around and saw the sun begging to rise from the east and climbed out of the water. I cast a spell to dry myself off and put my uniform back on, removing my swimming costume in the process. When I was fully dressed, I ran back across the grounds and back into Hogwarts. I checked my watch as I entered the common room. Seven o'clock, exactly. Since it was Saturday, everybody would still be asleep in bed.

Quietly, I crept up the stairs and into the girls dormitories. I left the door open behind me as I put my swimming costume away and grabbed my bag from the end of my bed. I tiptoed out of the room and closed the door slowly behind me. I headed back down to the common room and I walked out of the portrait hole. This time I really was going to the library, I was trying to find a spell that would let me turn into a mermaid at will and not just at night.

As I entered the library I found that I was the only one in there. I took my usual table at the back and pulled a few books of the shelf. I placed my bag on the table in front of me and sat down. I opened the first book and began to read. I was so busy reading in fact that I didn't even notice Harry come in and sit at the table opposite me. I finally did notice him when I placed the book down to pick up a new one.

"Oh, hi Harry, how long have you been sitting there?" I asked smiling at him. He smiled back and the replied.

"About ten minutes, so what you reading anyway?" he asked.

"Nothing, nothing"

Quickly, I stacked the books into a pile and put them back onto the shelf. I had found a spell, that I could try and if it worked I would have to place it on myself every two months, and from then on I would be able to change into my mermaid form whenever I wanted to. I placed the small piece of paper with the spell on it into my pocket and picked my bag up of the table. I turned to look back at Harry and spoke.

"Want to go and get some breakfast?" I asked.

"Mione, breakfast finished an hour ago and everyone has gone to Hogsmede, including Ron and Lavender, me and you are the only ones left who stayed out of our year"

"Oh, well, want to go for a walk around the grounds?" I offered.

"Sure, just let me grab my coat, from the common room"

It was fun walking around the grounds with Harry, we didn't get to do it that often but when we did, it was surprising on how many things we had to tell each other. The rest of the day seemed to go pretty quickly and I was eager for the darkness to come so as I could try out the spell. Finally, it came and since Harry and Ron were too involved with a game of chess they didn't even notice me sneak out of the common room.

I ran as fast and as quiet as I could down and out onto the grounds. I sprinted over to the secluded part of the lake I had been going to for over two years now. It was funny, I never I, imagined myself as a witch, let alone a mermaid. But it happened in kind of an odd way. At the end of the Tri-Wizard tournament in fourth year, as Krum pulled me out of the water and I started to breath again, he walked off to get dry, but as I still had my feet in the water, I felt something bite me, but when I looked down there was nothing there. I knew I had to find out what happened so, as usual, I went to the library and took out a book on bites. Which told me what would happen to me and that if a spell was found it might be able to change the effects but not remove them, but it would only work on certain people.

I stopped at the edge of the water and looked down into its depths. I checked my watch and found that I had two minutes to go before I would change for the night. Quickly, I pulled out my wand and aimed it at the top of my head. I said the incantation and a bright white light shot out of the tip off my wand and washed over my body. I check my watch three minutes had passed since I cast the spell and I hadn't changed into my mermaid form. It had worked. I tried to see if I could change into a mermaid at will, I closed my eyes and pictured my mermaid form in my mind. I opened my eyes and I was in my mermaid form, the only difference being was that my gills hadn't appeared yet. I figured that they wouldn't appear until I was in the water, so I decided to try it out. I dived off the edge of the lake into the water and just like I had thought, my gills appeared and I swam around for about and hour before deciding to get out and head back up to the common room. As I climbed out of the water, my gills disappeared even though I was still in my mermaid form. I closed my eyes once more and when I opened them I was back in my uniform and I was back to my normal self.

I got up off the ground and couldn't help but smile. I checked my watch, half one in the morning, I figured everyone would be in bed now so I sprinted up to the common room, narrowly avoiding Filch on the second floor. I gave the password in to the Fat Lady, who was still awake and I entered. But as the portrait swung shut behind me. I noticed someone sitting on the couch near the fire. Their eyes turned towards me and the smile immediately vanished from my face. It was Harry, and I could see from the light of the fire reflecting in his eyes that they were filled with concern and worry.

"Mione, where have you been? After we came back from walking around the lake I thought you went straight to bed but when I asked Lavender were you up there she said no" he asked, walking over to me.

I didn't know what to say, if I told Harry the truth I wouldn't know how he'd take it, but if I lied he would be able to tell. I thought this over for a few moments in my mind before finally telling him the truth, but I decided to start of simple first.

"I've been at the lake Harry, why do you ask?" I replied casually.

"Why? Mione, I've been sitting here for three hours waiting for you!"

"Oh well, there was no need"

"Mione, you're my best friend and I was worried sick about you!"

I knew this would only end up in an argument so I decided to just tell Harry the truth, right there, right then. I walked over to the couch and sat down, Harry followed suit and waited for me to answer him. I looked him in the eye and took a deep breath before starting.

"Harry, there's something you don't know about me" I said.

Suddenly his eyes changed from worry and concern to curiosity.

"What is it Mione, you know you can tell me anything" he replied softly.

"Well, I don't know how to say this but, I'm a mermaid" I said, barely above a whisper.

A/N: End of chappie! Cliffhanger! I'm evil aren't I? Mwhahahaha! Sorry. Anyway, next part should be up real soon and I'm trying my best to update my other stories as fast as I can, so I sorry if I'm taking so long but I'm busy with school at the moment. Please, please review and no flames! Thanks!

Bye for now

numberoneseeker

XXX