MarvindaMartian's Notes: Hello! This is my first joint fic ever, so sorry if it seems slightly weird at times. Please check out our individual fics!!
That's-So-Raven's Notes:
Disclaimer: Don't own, don't sue.
Ch.1-The Switch
Ginny Weasley drew in a shaking breath, and squeezed her eyes shut furiously. She couldn't cry over something that Malfoy said. She wouldn't let herself.
She was on the Astronomy Tower, near the railing, staring out at the midnight sky, and trying not to burst into tears over the hurtful things Malfoy had said.
::Flashback::
Ginny had been hurrying to the library after dinner when she ran into him. Literally. She had been holding a stack of parchment, books and other supplies in her bag, so they tumbled to the floor, sending a wave of ink over Ginny.
"I'm so sorry," she mumbled as she knelt down to pick everything up, letting out a frustrated sigh when she saw her now-ruined robes. They had been new, well, new for her.
Ginny hadn't seen who she had bumped into, but as her gaze fell on expensive dragon-hide shoes and the finest material robes, she almost groaned.
It was Draco Malfoy, Slytherin Ice-King, and one of the biggest prats to ever grace the halls of Hogwarts. She spared a second to pray that he'd just let her go, but there was no such luck. He wasted hardly any time in making fun of her and her appearance.
"Merlin Weasley, I know you're poor, but one would think you could afford some manners," Malfoy sneered, his pale, pointed face twisted horribly.
Ginny mumbled an apology, but that wasn't good enough for him.
"What's that, Weasley? I'm sure you just said, Sorry Master Draco?" He told her with that famous smirk on his face as he stressed the word 'Master.' That was the breaking point for Ginny. Leaving her belongings on the ground, she stood up to face him. Okay, so he may have been eight or so inches taller than her, but by tilting her head slightly she managed.
"Leave me alone Malfoy, I already apologized, so just go!" Ginny said, trembling slightly at the idea of standing up to him.
Malfoy raised an eyebrow. "Oh, of course, I'll be sure to follow orders from someone like you," he said sardonically. Her breath hitched as he walked closer to her, and she automatically began stepping back. Ginny tripped over her bag and went tumbling to the ground, giving a small cry as her butt and elbows hit the stones. He sneered at her. "At least you've learned your place Weasley, on the floor with the rest of your pathetic family."
At the insult to her family Ginny was scrambling up, temper flared. "Don't you dare make fun of my family Mal-ferret!" She yelled at him. "We may not have a lot of money but at least we all love each other, unlike your Death Eater home!!!"
And that was all it took. In a split second, they both knew she had gone too far, but neither would admit it.
Malfoy's face had briefly lost the mask, but he snapped it back on with surprising speed. "Aw, look, the Weasley is giving up money for love. How sweet," his voice was dripping with sarcasm. "People like you have to learn your place in society. It's the Golden Rule; whoever has the gold, makes the rules. And at this rate, your family couldn't even afford half a suggestion." And with that he was gone, robes billowing out behind him.
Gathering her stuff quickly, Ginny had run straight to the Astronomy Tower, unwilling to let tears fall until she was out of sight.
::End Flashback::
Ginny felt a slight wetness on her cheeks as she drifted back to the present. She sniffled, then shook her head. No, she couldn't let him get to her.
She looked up, watching the sky. It was so beautiful, and calm, looking like a black blanket with a scattering of bright diamonds. Ginny loved Astronomy. Whenever she had no homework, she'd go to the Tower and sit down, just watching the constellations and the moon.
Out of the corner of her eye, she saw it. A falling star. Ginny grinned despite the tear tracks on her face, and shut her eyes to make a wish.
I wish Malfoy could see what it's like to be me. See how it is to be poor, maybe then he would stop making fun of my family, she wished, then opened her eyes and laughed. What a dumb wish. Ginny was happy with her life, she didn't need anything more. She had friends, a loving family, good grades. Her life was good, but even Ginny admitted, it could be better.
Suddenly Ginny felt rather tired. Checking her watch, she gaped upon seeing it was past twelve. She shivered. Even though it was only November, the night air was still cold, and all Ginny had on was her uniform and worn robes. With a last longing glance at the sky, she turned to walk to her room, blissfully ignorant of the effect a few words could have on her entire life.
***
Draco Malfoy growled as he paced around the room. That Weasel had called him a Death Eater!!! How dare she???
Draco was in the Transfiguration classroom, he had been heading there to pick up his book that he had left behind before he ran into the Weasel. What was her name, Ginny? He snorted. It was an idiotic name.
He turned heel, and began to pace in the other direction. Okay, so maybe he had insulted her family first, but she had just crossed the line. He wasn't a Death Eater, he just wasn't! When would people stop blaming him for Lucius' actions?
His lip curled in disgust, and he slowed to a halt in front of the window. Lucius. Oh yeah, he had been a fabulous father figure before he was sent to Azkaban. Except for the fact that Draco hated him.
With surprising speed and strength, Draco suddenly whirled and punched the wall as hard as he could. His knuckles were bleeding rather profusely, but he didn't really notice the stinging. Anger had always acted as a painkiller for him. And right now Draco was very angry.
He was so sick of school, his 'friends', classes, just his life in general. Sure, he was handsome (at least all the girls thought so), a great Quidditch player (he'd be the best if it wasn't for Potter), smart (only second to Granger, except in Potions), and a prefect (Potter once again stood in his way, this time for position of Head Boy). It was the perfect life, with only one thing missing.
Love.
Okay, that sounded corny as hell, but it was true. His parents had never tucked him in and said, "I love you," they had never kissed him randomly, or even hugged him. In fact, till he was almost eight, Draco had thought it was normal to only see your parents at dinner or when you were punished.
For not the first time, he wished he had what the Weasleys had. No, not abject poverty, but that close knit, big, raucous family. A ramshackle house, with everyone running around crazily, and no privacy whatsoever sounded rather a lot like heaven to Draco.
He rubbed his hand absentmindedly, and looked out the open window. It was late, and the sky was pitch-black with only a few stars. Draco saw a flash, and turning slightly, was faced with a falling star. He remembered hearing somewhere that if you saw a falling star, you could wish on it.
How stupid, Draco thought, but deeper down he was already wishing.
I wish I had a loving family, just like the Weasleys, he wished with eyes shut. They flew open with a grimace. Had he just wished to be a Weasley? Draco almost started to laugh. Him, a Weasley? Now that'd be the day.
And of course, it just happened to actually be the day.
***
Ginny was walking stealthily along the Charms corridor, when she felt an odd sensation in her stomach. It was like a fluttering, but bad. She frowned, clutching her belly, but it soon passed. She straightened, and felt distinctly dizzy.
She just had time to mutter, "Oh god," before hitting the ground with a dull thud.
***
Draco stifled a yawn as he walked along the lone corridor. His footsteps made a soft echo against the stone floor, and his presence threw shadows against the walls. He shut his eyes briefly, enjoying the sleepy sensation of walking while dozing, till his foot hit something soft and he went sprawling over the same object.
Groaning, he sat up, and looked down at what he had hit. His jaw dropped. "Weasley???" He exclaimed, but there was no use. She was out cold.
He stood and ran a hand through his fine blonde hair. Draco bit his lip, thinking. What should he do, leave her here for some unknown fate or do the right thing and take her to the Hospital Wing? He was a prefect…
With a frustrated growl at having to be good, Draco picked her up roughly and started off down the hall to the Infirmary. He had barely gone five steps before he began to breathe harder.
He frowned. It wasn't her weight, the girl was tiny and weighed about as much, and Draco prided himself on his bench-pressing abilities anyways and it couldn't be lack of sleep, he had functioned before on much less.. His head pounded, his stomach heaved, and he swayed as he walked. Draco thought more of what it could be, but the only thing he could think of was that he was sick. But he never got sick!
Before he could ponder anymore, Draco's eyes rolled back into his head and he sank to the ground, with Ginny unconscious on top of him.
***
In the now quiet hallway, an unseen force watched the comatose pair. In the air over them, a light steadily gained in brightness till it was like a miniature sun in the dark hallway. From the center of the light, came a deep voice.
"As you have wished," it said, before exploding then fading to nothing-ness. In it's wake was left a pair of students, looking the same yet feeling so different.
***
Ginny groaned softly and turned over, wincing as she lay on her hand. Now that was odd; she didn't remember hurting her hand recently. And speaking of odd, she felt, weird, all over. She couldn't explain it, it was just a slight twinge.
She opened her eyes briefly, shut them against the light, then opened them once more, gradually. Ginny sat up, and rubbed her eyes blearily. Her frown deepened. Had she forgotten to moisturize or something, because her hands were really rough.
Ginny was distracted when she heard some rustling noises. She looked over, and gasped. She was looking over at herself. The person in the other bed, herself, looked up, and Ginny saw their-her-mouth open in shock.
"AAAAAAAAAAHHHHHH!!!!!"
***
YAY!! The first chap is out!! Please review!!!z