Chapter 6

**Ginny sits in a corner sulking. Char comes into the room.**

Honestly! Look, I said I was sorry! I didn't mean to lose that chapter and have to rewrite it! And I'm sorry you didn't get to badmouth my writing!

*Go away, I'm not talking to you.*

Ginny!

*You did it on purpose!*

No I didn't! I'm sorry! And even if I did, I think your playing 'Oops I Did It Again' for three hours is punishment enough. Please forgive me.

*No. Go play in traffic.*

Fine. On with the story.

*This isn't a story, it's not even worth being on ff.net.*

I thought you weren't talking to me.

*I'm not. I'm informing the readers of the mess they're about to get themselves into.*

You go play in traffic.

*I did that yesterday. They all swerved.*

Damn.

*I agree. I wanted to sue someone, and get some more of that cool money.*

Here's five bucks, go buy yourself something.

**Snatches the money in delight.** *Cool!* **Runs off**

Weirdo.

Aine sighed, and poked her broccoli savagely.

"Are you ok?" Hermione asked her. Aine started, and turned around.

"Wha' did ye say?" She queried.

"I asked if you were ok." Hermione repeated.

"I'm fine." Aine said, expelling her breath gustily. "Jus' depressed, I guess."

"Why?" Harry asked, joining in on the conversation.

"Love problems?" Ginny teased, leaning over Harry to get a roll, and causing him to stick his elbow in the butter dish.

"Yeh migh' say tha'." Aine replied, shocking them all. Then, she got up from the table.

"Where're you going?" Parvati asked.

"Practice." Aine replied shortly, and stormed off.

***

"Well, well, well, if it isn't the Gryffindor freak." Draco mocked. Aine looked up from where she'd landed on the floor, all the breath knocked out of her from when she'd walked straight into Goyle. She felt tears prick at her eyelids because of what Draco had said, and steadfastly blinked them away.

"Yeh may be righ' in tha' respect." She acknowledged, picking herself up from the floor. "But at least my father doesna support Voldemort. 'Tis yeh 'oo shou' be ashamed, nah me." She smirked at him, and swept off, tears running down her face.

***

Aine threw herself down onto the bed, and writhed in agony for what she'd said. She'd hated acting in that way, it had really made her feel awful, but she'd had no other choice. She couldn't act softly towards him, if he'd found out that she loved him, it would doubtless be back to Voldemort before she could say Goddess Save Us. She didn't want to suspect him of being evil, but she couldn't help but be influenced by the opinions of those around her.

"Oh, I'm pathetic." She muttered. "If I'm goin' ter cry every single time 'e insults me, I'll be de'ydrated before the end of the week!"

"Aine?" Aine looked up. Hermione was standing over her, a concerned look on her face. "What's wrong?"

"There's nothin' wrong with me, I swear! Can yeh all nah leave me alone?"

"Not until you tell us." Ginny said stubbornly.

"Yeah." Harry nodded.

"That's right." Ron added. Aine growled in her throat.

"There is absolutely nothing wrong with me!" She snapped, losing her Celtic accent, which had slowly been disappearing. "I'm totally fine. I just wish you nosy mortals would leave me alone!" She got up, and stormed out.

~*~

There was a stunned silence, as the four Gryffindors watched her leave. Then, Ginny snapped herself into action. Her mind was already going over what Aine had said. Mortals? What did she mean by that? She wondered. She turned to Hermione.

"Herm," She began, "Exactly what type of books did Aine want to borrow from you?"

"Books on Ancient Irish and Celtic Curses, why?" Hermione asked.

"Any particular genre?"

"Yes, immortal – You don't think?"

"I do." Ginny replied grimly. Hermione paled.

"Right, c'mon, she returned them a few days ago." Hermione replied. Ginny followed her out, leaving the two puzzled boys behind.

***

"And so, the Changeling's punishment was to live 10,000 years penance for every mortal life she had ever meddled with. Both Lady Brigid and Lady Aine declared the punishment fair, and the Changeling was devastated. After that, no one knows what happened to her, she just disappeared. But until she performs a selfless act, or the High Goddess of the Celts reconsiders, or her time is up, the Changeling shall wander the earth like the undead, unable to die, unable to live." Ginny read. Hermione blinked in amazement.

"Do you think?" She asked. Ginny nodded.

"I do." She replied grimly. "I believe that Aine is the Changeling that is mentioned in the book." She closed The Life Story (So Far) Of The Goddess Brigid, and put it down on Hermione's bed.

"What should we do?" Hermione queried.

"I have no more of an idea than you. All I know is that Aine would be extremely valuable to You-Know-Who, being immortal, and having faerie powers." Hermione nodded.

"And worse yet, we don't even know what side she's going to be on! She spends so much time alone, and she really doesn't seem to like company." She said.

"Exactly." Said Ginny. "That's why we have to prepare for the worst."

"Shouldn't we just ask her?" Ginny shook her head emphatically.

"No way! What we have to do is go ask Dumbledore." She said.

"Right. Let's go then." Hermione got up, and Ginny followed her out.

~*~

Aine paged through yet another book. She was trying to find a way to block off her feelings for Draco. It's just not fair!!! She wailed. Why do I have to fall in love with him? She threw the book across the small study room in a fit of anger.

"Temper, temper." An amused voice said. "Pince'll kill you."

"Please, just go away." Aine replied, turning around, "Draco! What are you doing here?"

"I could as you the same question." Draco replied. Aine flushed, then remembered herself.

"I have every right to be in here!" She snapped, taking all her anger at how she'd been acting out on him. One of the books behind her burst into flame.

"Whoa, what happened?" Draco asked, pointing. Aine turned around, and saw the ashes.

"Dunno." She muttered.

"Sure you don't. I know when someone's lying, and you, Aine, are lying."

"Am not!

"Are too."

"Not!"

"Too."

"Not!"

"Too."

"Not!"

"Too."

"Not!"

"Too. Wait a sec, why am I even arguing with you? And what happened to your accent?"

"What accent?"

"Your Irish accent. It's gone."

"Oh. That's been disappearing for a while now, you just never noticed."

"That's for sure." Aine shifted under his fierce scrutiny, and began to sidle away.

"I'll, er…just be goin' now." She said, her accent showing slightly.

"Not so fast." Draco grabbed her around the waist, bringing her up hard against him. Aine couldn't help but stare at his mouth, and wonder what it would feel like, if he kissed her. He seemed to notice her stare, and, to her surprise and delight, his mouth began to descend…

MUHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!!!!