"Shit!" I screamed as the potion started to burn at my throat. My accent was slowly morphing, gaining a strong tangy lilt. My hair was curling, becoming lighter, and in the mirror I could see my eyes slowly turning a stormy grey. As the blonde cascades reached my ribs and stopped, I stumbled in the strange muscular body. Everything felt so odd. I coughed once, twice and somehow an American accent managed to worm its way into my voice. I glanced around the deserted bathroom, the joints in my neck snapping as if I'd been asleep for days.
"Annabeth." I told myself, trying not to jump at my new and awkward voice.
"Annabeth Chase." I apparated swiftly, leaving my old and… somewhat magical life behind.
"Percy!" I cried desperately to him, a bolt of sadness shooting through me, ripping at my nervous system.
"It isn't her! It isn't –"
"Clarisse!" he grinned, in a way that made my heart go 'blip blip eeeeeeee' and melt into a puddle of goo. If he wasn't aware of my long lasting crush, he was an idiot.
Hang on, I knew that already.
"Boy am I glad to see you." Percy said unashamedly, completely oblivious. I wanted to scream at him, tell him that his head was full of kelp, remind him again that he was a Seaweed Brain.
'Please, don't let her. Make me die in her place. Don't let Silena –' Suddenly I was in front of the drakon, with no sword and no shield. The drakon looked down in contempt and spat poison at me.
My entire body was on fire.
I heard Percy shout in horror and I fell to the floor, smoke curling off my skin in tendrils. I gagged at the smell of burning flesh and rolled onto my back, my chest heaving. I retched again and took a shaking breath. I was dying.
But… hold on just a clock tick… what did the potion say? Effects last until one's new outer shell is burned away by fire, acid, or poison. I wasn't dying… merely changing. I was becoming myself again. I was going to be me. My hand flew to my hair. It was no longer curly, merely wavy, bushy even. It's happening. I thought to myself as Percy ran over to me, crying out. I'm changing.
"A – Annie?" he tripped over his words in confusion and surprise when he saw my hair. "What's happening to you?"
"I'm sorry, Percy." I whispered, my heart giving a tiny skip of relief and adrenaline as my London accent rang out across the sidewalk.
"I'm so, so sorry. I lied to you. Annabeth was never real. I chose to be Annabeth because you needed me, and I loved you. I knew if I was myself, I could never be yours. I left my whole life behind to come here. But they're coming. Luke's coming. And I – I can't let you die. If this is my last chance to say it as Annabeth, then I'll spell it out a million times. I love you.
Percy, run. Run for your life. Leave me behind. I can never be Annabeth. I –"
"Stop." He told me, his voice wobbling. "Who are you?"
"H –"I started, before a wave of pain took over me as the muscles in my arms contracted, leaving me writhing on the floor and screaming in pain. When the spasm had finished, I sat up and ran a hand through my shoulder length bushy locks shakily. My hair wasn't blonde anymore, just sort of… brown. I leant back on my haunches, heart pounding, and blinked several times as Percy uncapped Riptide and pointed it at me, his hand shaking slightly.
"Where's… Annabeth." He growled. "And who are you?"
"I am Annabeth Chase." I sniffed disdainfully, knowing my voice sounded bossy. "Well, actually, I was. It's a long story, but all you need to know is that my name is Hermione." Percy blinked and ran a hand through his hair, causing me to chuckle lightly, sadly, his black hair and green eyes a reminder of the life I left behind. I climbed nimbly to my feet and let my eyes bore through his skull before smiling slightly. Man, it felt good to be able to say it again.
"Hermione Granger."
A/N: See that sexy blue button down there? Make my day and push it. Compliments mean virtual cookies. Constructive criticism will be taken on board, and flames will be pointed and laughed at. Should I continue this? Was anyone too OOC? Should this be burned and forgotten? You tell me!
Oh, and by the way… ten PTATTR points if you spotted the Doctor Who quotes.