Does my bum look big in this?

Chapter two: The new Draco.

DISCLAIMER: I own nothing that is cool e.g. Draco.

Big thanks to:

LythTaeraneth - Okay, I should have read your story by the time this is posted, thanks for reading the new fic!

Kleebabe - Thanks so much for reviewing! I want to make them both as normal looking (although Draco is so gorgeous, but still, that's the plot for you), as they ever will be, but Draco will be less pretty (don't worry, he will turn back into his perfect self), and that's a hint to the rest of this chappie! And, I'm pretty weird too, so I guess we have something in common.

Harryforeva - Thanks! I was beginning to think no one would actually like this apart from my usual reviewers . . . thanks again! I really do appreciate it you know. Didn't you used to review Fantasy (my other fanfic)?

Note: Blaise Zabini is a girl in this particular fanfic.

Draco opened his eyes slightly as he felt the rain splatter onto his already soaked-through robes. He squinted, and realised that it was dark - looking at his watch, he soon found that it was 8:30pm. Raising a hand to make sure that his hair was still perfect, he touched it only to find that his beautiful hair had been replaced by long, bushy, CURLS.

Draco gasped and got a strand of his 'new' hair in his fingers - this was his worst nightmare; it was CURLY (unmanly to someone like Draco) and it appeared to be bushy if you looked at it for too long. It was still the same startling platinum blonde, but it just didn't look right at all on somebody like Draco.

The rain continued to fall as Draco looked around. The wind blew against him as he sneezed. He suddenly realised that he was not in the sunny fields that he had been in a few hours ago, but in Diagon Alley.

'How did I get here?' He thought. He squinted as he saw some figures running under black umbrellas. They had just turned out of the alley that led from Knockturn Alley into Diagon Alley and were giggling like mad - Draco guessed that they were celebrating someone's birthday, and had already had too much to drink.

As they came closer towards him, he realised that he knew who these girls were - Millicent Bulstrode, Blaise Zabini, Natasha McNair, and his very own apparent 'girlfriend' (that he had dumped so many times that he could not remember) Pansy Parkinson. The girls slowly drew to a halt as they spotted Draco crouched down against the old shabby wall of a nearby shop.

'Oh god,' Draco thought, 'Parkinson is going to try and snog me again.'

"HAHA!" Blaise shouted as she wobbled on her stilettos, struggling to control the umbrella that blew against the wind and rain. She pointed to a bemused Draco. "Look at that . . . dirty, filthy, BEGGAR! HAHA! Bet he wished he could get a girl like us lot!"

Draco frowned; he could get any girl, and any girl that was better looking than Blaise. Blaise was very tall and skinny, her face was filled with weird freckles (weird because they were all different shapes) and she had dyed her hair blue - she thought it looked nice, but it made her look exactly the opposite. Her attitude wasn't exactly good either - if you had money, she'd stick to you like glue.

"Yeah, like, totally!" Natasha grinned from ear to ear. She was the deatheater McNair's niece, and had transferred to Durmstrang from America - Florida. Her hair was the best of the lot, brown, fluffy and bouncy - while the others were just, well, flat and utterly lifeless.

"Yeah dudes, I mean girls! HAHAHAHAHA!" Millicent laughed for no particular reason and knocked into Blaise. They both toppled over onto the floor. Natasha giggled and walked, wobbling as she went, over to help the two girls up. She tugged at Blaise who got up quite easily, but Millicent, being the big bulk she was, couldn't get up at all.

"Hey Pans, why don't you get your arse over here and help old Milli up?" Blaise shouted. Pansy looked dreamy eyed and turned to face them, still smiling like a monkey seeing a banana.

"Sorry, I was just thinking about my Dwakie-poo," She sighed as did Blaise and Natasha; they both forgot about Millicent and stood there - a dreamy expression on their faces.

Draco watched all this with interest. Nope, Pansy still didn't get the message (then again, she probably wouldn't get the message in a million years). Why didn't they realise that he was there?

'Probably too drunk,' he thought. Pansy snapped out of her daydream, and looked straight at Draco. She stalked up to him, and slapped him - hard. She then wiped her hand on the back of her robes, a look of disgust on her face.

"Don't you dare check me out, you filthy thing! If my boyfriend, the great DRACO MALFOY, ever found out, then he'd thrash you for checking out his girl!"

Pansy shrieked with laughter at Draco's confused face as did the rest of the girls - what were they talking about?

"Look at that stupid man! God, it's at times like these that you think of all those who are so unlucky to not have OUR good looks!" Blaise squealed, as did the others. They all toppled onto the floor in fits of laughter – boy, were they drunk, and it was only eight thirty.

They all got up (rather wobbly still) and surrounded Draco. For once, he felt a tad bit scared - he hadn't a clue why they were treating him like this.

'That damn fairy!' He thought suddenly, remembering what had happened just before he awoke - only to find himself . . . here. There was something strange going on, and Draco didn't like not knowing what it was.

Millicent giggled girlishly and tugged at Natasha's handbag. She took out a pocket mirror, and opened it, first examining herself. "Look here Beggar, we'll give you a treat, and you can see your ugly self in an expensive mirror for once." They all screeched with laughter as she tossed Draco the mirror. Draco grasped for it, and gasped at the sight that met his eyes.

His hair (as you will already know) had changed, but that was not the only thing. His beautiful steely-gray-blue eyes had now changed to dull-lifeless- grey eyes that were small and insignificant. His skin looked paler than before (if possible) and his nose was upturned - like a pigs - it was even worse than Pansy's. His ears were big, and when he tried to see his teeth, they were all out of shape. He looked AWFUL, and he felt like he was going to cry any minute - but no, Malfoy's didn't ever cry, and that was a rule.

Draco had gotten used to feeling like this, feeling like he was about to cry, but stopping himself before he actually did. He had had enough practice from his father.

The girls continued to laugh as Draco scowled at them all in turn. They stopped when they noticed the venomous glare that they were all receiving.

"Oh, feisty are you? Well, we may look like pretty, innocent girls -

'HA!' Draco thought. 'Innocent my arse.'

" - But we can fight our own fights." Millicent held up her enormous fist, and shook it angrily at Draco - when they were drunk they sure had quick tempers. Draco cowered back against the wall, before a voice stopped all his thoughts.

"Hey! What's going on here?"

The four girls spun around swiftly and scattered away as quickly as their high-heeled shoes would take them. They were still giggling uncontrollably. Draco looked hard through the mist and rain to see who, or what, had 'rescued' him from the savage girls. He felt tired and hungry (not to mention freezing) and he could feel his eyelids getting heavier and heavier.

'No,' he thought, 'Have . . . to . . . see . . . who . . . that . . . person . . . was.'

But that was the last thought that he could manage before he fell asleep right there and then on the cold, wet, stone pavement of Diagon Alley.

"Where am I?"

Draco whispered, his voice was hoarse and speaking made his throat hurt. He sat up slowly and rubbed his head - only to realise his normal hair had not returned. He was lying on a bed - a warm, yet thin, blanket covering him, and a closed window was by the bed he was lying on. He looked out, and realised it was still raining - the water droplets trickling down the windowpane as he watched the carriages rattle past - the horseless ones that is. He tried to sit up more, but felt sick as he did so. He groaned in despair.

"Here, hold still."

Draco turned to his left and realised someone else had been in the room, watching him move. The moment he saw her, he realised who it was - Hermione Granger, the know-it-all mudblood, still looking the same as she always did i.e. ugly (in his opinion, everyone else thought she was . . . normal). She was by his bedside, holding her wand, her eyes closed, her mouth mumbling something and her wand pointing at Draco's chest. Draco was about to tell her to go away, when he suddenly began to feel a lot better. The feeling of sickness went away, and he soon realised that it was Granger who was healing him. He was about to ask her why, when a sudden thought hit him.

'Wait . . . the mudblood probably doesn't even recognise me now because I look so awful. And I can't go back to my Aunt and Uncle's now, they'd punish Diddy and me for not obeying, and I might get changed into a tree AGAIN. I have nowhere else to go, so . . . I might as well use the little mudblood . . . it might be time she's actually good for something.'

Draco praised his brain thoroughly. He didn't like the idea of staying so close to Granger for that long a time, but it had to be done - for his own good.

He watched as Hermione moved from his bedside over to a small chair and desk with a small lantern on top. There was a metal tray with roses round the edges, and a cup and teapot made of china. Hermione took the teapot and began to make some tea. She began to speak - much to Draco's surprise.

"Well, I guess you're wondering why you're here. You were unconscious by the time I was close enough to see you and vice versa. My name's Hermione Granger, what's yours?"

Hermione was gabbling slightly as she poured some tea into the small cup and reached out to a shelf nearby for some sugar. Draco tried his best to think as she asked him how many spoons of sugar he would like in his tea. (He quickly replied "two", and thought again for a name).

'Come on Draco - think . . . think! THINK, WONDROUS BRAIN OF MINE.'

"So . . . you still haven't told me your name yet."

"Erm, Orlando Felton."

Draco frowned at what he had thought of.

'What a stupid name - brain, you've failed me for once.'

He thought that Granger would never believe that, but surprisingly, she did. She handed him the steaming cup of hot tea, which he drank only to have it burn his tongue. He stuck it out and tried to cool it off with his free hand. Hermione giggled and received a curious stare from Draco - he had never heard her giggle before.

"Sorry, but you should see your face." There was silence as she stopped her giggling. Again, she broke the silence.

"I know you're a wizard because you were in Diagon Alley - and you still are, we're in an inn. I'm going home tomorrow, but I was staying here with my friends Ron and Harry - THE Harry Potter - but they left early because Ginny - that's Ron's sister, got suddenly ill, so . . . Dumbledore, you know the Headmaster of Hogwarts? He said that Harry had to return to the Dursleys - that's his Aunt and Uncle's place - for the rest of the summer, but I'm visiting him sometime soon! I've never been, so . . . anyway, where are you from?"

Draco nodded and sipped more tea - carefully now. She was staring at him - watching his every move. This unnerved him, and he wanted to swear at her and tell her to stop it - but no, that would blow his cover, before he could even say 'Bertie Botts'.

"I, erm, don't want to talk about it."

"Oh, okay then. It doesn't matter as much, but . . . can you go back? To where you came from I mean?"

Draco shook his head. He felt disgusted as he felt his curls shake on his shoulders. "I, er, can't. They wouldn't let me."

Hermione nodded in understanding.

"Well, where's your wand? Seeing as you're a wizard, I'm sure you're supposed to have one."

A knock on the door made her turn as it opened slightly. A medium height woman with short brown hair stood before them. She had bouncy curls and wore a green flowery dress that reached down to her ankles. Brown strappy sandals were slipped onto her feet. A tall man stood behind her; he had short curly (dark) brown hair, and wore a woolly jumper, jeans and glasses - also a small black briefcase was in his hands. A shorter and younger man stood beside him. He wore Nike trainers, a blue baseball cap, an Umbro t- shirt and some baggy black trousers. He also had an acne problem.

"Hey mum! Dad! . . . Dennis."

Hermione scowled at the young boy who grinned back cheekily at her. She rolled her eyes.

'God, at least I don't have as many spots as that muggle boy.' Draco thought, then immediately regretted it. He could practically feel the spots start to come out over his face – boy, did he HATE this curse. He glanced at the window and knew it was true as he saw his reflection stare back at him. Sheesh, he was only trying to be optimistic.

"Hermione dear," Her mum began until she laid eyes on Draco's now spot covered face. She smiled slightly at him. "Who is he honey?"

"Yeah Hermi! Who's he? Your boyfriend? Thought you already had TWO!" Dennis burst out laughing at his (apparently) 'funny' joke. Hermione glared at him and sighed - Draco thought he caught a hint of anger.

"Well mum, dad, DENNIS, I was heading back here after seeing Harry and Ron - who are like BROTHERS to me - off at the bookshop - Flourish and Blotts, you know? And I was running back when I saw him." She gestured towards Draco, or, Orlando, as we should call him now.

"He was freezing cold, and some girls at my school were bullying him, so I shoo-ed them off and I brought him back here using the levitation charm, seeing as I'm of age now! And I was wondering . . . seeing as he can't go back to where he came from . . . whether we could . . . you know, let him stay with us?"

She gabbled the last bit, and Draco was surprised at how straightforward she actually was. He knew she spoke her mind, but he had never expected this - and he didn't even have to ask. She was blushing rather badly now, all the while staring furiously at a now rolling-on-the-floor-laughing Dennis.

"Of course, Hermione."

Her dad stepped into the room and held out his hand to Draco, who had finished his tea and placed the small cup on the floor. "My name's Jonathan Granger. Lovely to meet you, young man."

Draco shook his hand and tried not to make a face at touching a muggle's hand. He tried to smile but realised it was very forced as he had never smiled before and therefore, had not had much practice.

"Erm, my name's Orlando, Orlando Felton."

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Orlando. I'm Mrs Arlene Granger."

Draco shook Mrs Granger's hand and turned to face the teenage boy that was the same size as him. He had a stupid grin plastered onto his face.

"Dennis Granger," He paused and shook Draco's hand, "COUSIN of Hermione, in case you were wondering, so she's still single." He winked as Draco resisted the urge to SCREAM the fact that he DIDN'T have the hots for Granger. Hermione looked like she was trying extremely hard not to strangle Dennis, her fists clenched as they struggled to keep at her side.

"Well Hermione dear, we have to leave tonight - we're expecting your grandmother tomorrow morning, you can apparate back, and Orlando, can you apparate?" Draco nodded - she thought a great wizard like him couldn't apparate? Ha! These muggles definitely didn't know much.

"But mum, he's never been to our house, so wouldn't it be better if we both rode in the car with you?"

'Okay, so Granger has a point.' Draco was getting confused though - what was a 'car', exactly?

"Okay Hermione! No need to look so worried, you don't even know the guy!"

Dennis burst out laughing (again), as Hermione stood up and began to try and reach for his neck. The idea was to strangle him, but things did not quite go according to plan, as they ended up in a tangle on the floor.

Mr and Mrs Granger stared for a while as they rolled on the floor - Hermione still grasping for Dennis' neck. Mrs Granger sighed and shook her head.

"Well, we better get going then."

And with that, Mr and Mrs Granger turned towards the door, leaving Draco with Hermione and Dennis - Dennis still laughing for no particular reason, and Hermione still scowling at him, red-faced and trying hard to strangle every breath out of him.

Chapter Edited: 9th November 2004, 10:29 AM

A thanks to 'dreamaker13' for reviewing, sorry, I'm not quite sure what happened to that book either! It's been quite a while since I've read this fic myself . . .