Up until that morning I thought pretending to be Malfoy wouldn't be very hard at all. But when I woke up and saw Crabbe and Goyle hopping around trying to pull their clothes on I couldn't stop the scream that left my mouth and hurriedly yanked the covers back over my head.
The hopping stopped and I just knew they were staring over at my bed, wondering what was wrong with their friend.
"Malfoy?" Crabbe asked cautiously. "Did you have a nightmare?"
"No, I did not have a nightmare, Crabbe!" I snapped, keeping the covers over my head. I had to prove I was their tough friend Malfoy who did not scream at the sight of his friends getting changed.
"Well, what happened then?" Goyle asked in a rather dumb sounding voice. Or was that just his normal voice?
"I just feel sick. Hurry up and get out so I can sleep peacefully." I grumbled, wishing I had spray detergent which I could spray in my ears and hope it reached my brain to clean off the image which haunted me.
"You're not going to class?" Goyle asked in a half whisper, as if it was some sort of secret.
"Get. Out." I growled, hoping they would get the hint. Louder hopping reached my ears and there were a few thuds before I finally heard the door open and shut.
Then there was silence.
Very slowly, I pulled the covers down from my eyes and peered around the room. It was empty except for me and I sighed in relief.
Stumbling out of bed, I grabbed Malfoy's shoes and cloak and made my way to the bathroom so that I could get changed. I had no problem trying to wake myself up after being scared half to death the second I opened my eyes.
When I was finally dressed, I grabbed Malfoy's book bag and headed down to the common room, where Crabbe and Goyle were standing there looking very awkward.
"Oh, uh," Crabbe stuttered. "We weren't sure if... if you were coming or not."
"So we waited." Goyle shrugged, staring at the floor.
"Dude," I paused and made a mental reminder never to say that word as Malfoy ever again. "It's only breakfast. I can get there myself."
"Er, right." Crabbe nodded and then he and Goyle ambled out of the common room door quickly, almost scared that they were going to be hexed or something. Being Malfoy was tiring – everyone always thought I was contemplating how to kill them or something else along those lines.
With a sigh, I too left out the common room door and made my way to the Great Hall for breakfast. On my way to the Slytherin table I accidentally knocked into a hufflepuff girl and as I was just turning to apologise the look of fear on her face made me stop.
"I'm so sorry!" she whimpered, hurriedly ducking her head and rushing back over to one of her friends.
Wow. Talk about fear to the maximum.
Being truthful, I must say that Malfoy used to scare me a whole lot more than he does now. When we got on detention he looked tired and resigned and I figured he was probably just like everyone else – except for being a Slytherin.
Sitting down next to Blaise again, I reached over for a croissant and was about to drop it onto my plate when Blaise turned and looked at me with wide, shocked eyes. I stared back at him and raised an eyebrow.
We were silent for a few more moments before I gave in.
"What?" I snapped.
"I thought you didn't like croissants." he shrugged.
"Are you kidding? I love croissants!" I laughed, shook my head, and turned back to my food. I lifted the croissant up to my mouth and took a bite, chewing it.
Then I did my best not to puke while Blaise chuckled and tried to hide it.
Managing to finally swallow it, I decided that I only didn't like it because I now had Malfoy's taste buds and not my own. Which meant I had no idea what foods I liked or didn't like any more (except what I ate the night before and croissants).
"Just wanted to see if I could make myself like it." I muttered to Blaise and he just rolled his eyes in response.
I was about to try some different food in order to experiment with my new taste buds when suddenly the doors to the Great Hall were thrown open and I watched myself come gliding in with my head held high.
What. On. Earth. Is. Malfoy. Thinking!?
Malfoy had also decided to change the girls uniform slightly, making my blood boil even more than it already was. He had rolled the skirt at the top so that it sat much higher than normal and the top button of my shirt was undone, as well as my tie being rather loose. Was he... he'd found my black high heels and was wearing them too!
"What the heck is she wearing?" I burst out angrily. Blaise glanced at me curiously before looking over at 'Darcy Hunter' and raising an eyebrow.
"She looks hot like that." he commented and I did my best not to choke. "But you know," he added quickly. "She's all yours if you want her."
I turned my gaze on him sharply, a glare fixed to my face. It was momentarily amusing watching him slide down low in his chair out of fear, but it was driven from my mind as I remembered why I was angry.
In fact, my anger was also driven from my mind when I thought about what he had said. And then I was smirking.
"You know what? You're absolutely right," I said to him, relaxing. "She is all mine."
"Good to have that sorted out." Blaise muttered, shaking his head in amusement and turning back to his food. I folded my arms and looked over at Malfoy again to find him watching me. I smirked and his confident demeanour faltered slightly as he wondered what I was up to.
Watch out, Draco Malfoy, I'm going to ruin your reputation.
"Malfoy? If you grip your spoon any tighter it's going to bend." Blaise mumbled and I quickly looked down to the spoon I was holding in a death grip.
"Oops." I shrugged and put it down. I wasn't used to having Malfoy's strength just yet. It was weird being able to do things I never used to be able to do.
"Draco! Crabbe says you had a nightmare last night!"
I turned to see Pansy standing behind me and glared angrily, making her take a step back involuntarily.
"Since when has Crabbe been someone to believe?" I asked her. She opened her mouth to answer but I quickly cut her off. "Never! So no, I didn't have a nightmare."
"But he said you screamed-"
"Merlin, don't you know when it's time to shut up and leave the subject alone?" I exclaimed, throwing my hands up in annoyance.
Malfoy wants me to be tough? I'll show him tough!
"I just wanted to know if you were okay-"
"Get lost, Parkinson, before I decide to use your face as a punching bag." I turned back to my plate and tried not to think about how sad she would feel now. I didn't hear anything for a moment and wondered if I had somehow managed to petrify her like what had happened when the chamber of secrets was opened, but when I looked over my shoulder I realised why she wasn't talking.
She had squeezed her eyes shut, clenched her hands into fists and tears were pouring out from under her eyelids.
Screw being tough.
I stood up and moved over to her, pulling her into an awkward hug. I mean come on, a Gryffindor hugging a Slytherin? It just wasn't heard of and even though no one except me knew that was what was happening, I still felt really weird about it.
"I'm sorry, Pansy, I didn't mean it." I said soothingly.
Hm, Malfoy sounds hot when he talks like that.
Bad thoughts! Bad thoughts!
"I love you, Drakie." Pansy whispered, tilting her head back and leaning up on tiptoes.
"Ah!" I exclaimed, pushing her away from me and stumbling backwards over my own feet – well, Malfoy's feet... you know what I mean! – and crashing down onto Blaise's lap.
Can you say... awkward?
"I actually thought you were going to kiss her for a moment there!" Blaise chuckled, looking down at me. Unfortunately my brain only registered the word kiss and I felt my face going bright red in embarrassment.
Quickly righting myself, I fought to stay calm. This meant nothing. He thought I was Malfoy. That was wrong. Gross. Ew!
"Sorry for scaring you," Pansy said in a sickly sweet voice, batting her eyelids at me. "Ready to go again?"
"What? No! Just because I hug you doesn't mean I wanna kiss you!" I shouted at her. Her eyes widened again and her bottom lip quivered, but now I had learnt my lesson.
Be tough. That's the only way to stop anything from happening.
Looking over at the Gryffindor table, I silently wished for death. I had thought after the incident with Pansy and Blaise nothing else could go wrong. I was, of course, mistaken.
Malfoy was sitting next to Fred and it looked like some serious talking was going on. Ella was sitting on the other side of Malfoy and looked worried, only increasing my fears as well.
"Excuse me." I said, standing and heading straight for them. I wasn't going to stand around and let Malfoy ruin my life.
"Darcy... Darcy!" Ella hissed under her breath, watching me approach and nudging Malfoy hard in the ribs. He looked up and paused in something he was saying to Fred as he saw me. His eyes widened and then I was behind him.
"Hello, Hunter." I growled.
*Draco Malfoy's POV*
I looked up as Ella dug her elbow into my side – was she trying to kill me? – and saw myself, Hunter, walking up. I barely had time to think about what was happening before she was right behind me and bent down to my ear.
"Hello, Hunter." she growled threateningly.
"Uh, hi Malfoy!" I replied, attempting to sound like Hunter would.
"I'd like to talk to you for a minute in private, if you don't mind." Hunter said, standing up straight again and glancing over at Fred.
Of course, she was only worried about what I'd said to her beloved crush.
"Ella, am I right in thinking that the hottest guy at school is talking to me?" I asked, having leant towards Ella slightly and pretended to be trying to whisper. Hunter narrowed her eyes – my beautiful eyes! - and put her hands on her hips angrily.
"Yeah, sure, whatever." Ella said, turning away. Great best friend she is!
"Hunter, if you don't get your backside out of the Great Hall in two seconds I swear I will-"
"Relax!" I laughed and stood up, putting a hand on her – my – arm.
"Relax? Are you insane? Out! Now!" she ordered, and in my voice it definitely did sound menacing. Clenching my teeth, I glared at her and then stalked past to leave the room. I knew she would follow.
Once we were both outside, Hunter dropped the act of being me.
"What did you say to him, Malfoy!?" she snapped, backing me up into a wall.
I don't like this feeling of being small.
"Nothing!" I squeaked. Literally, I squeaked. It's all because of Hunter's voice box! If I had my voice box I wouldn't be squeaking.
"Don't lie to me. What did you tell him?" she asked again, the look in her eyes showing her murderous intentions.
"Alright fine!" I said, glaring back at her. "I told him you needed help asking someone out and he wanted to help. But you interrupted before I could tell him you wanted to ask me out."
"You... were going... to tell him... that I liked you!?" she gasped out, the horror on her face almost amusing.
But it was my face. And she was ruining it.
Definitely not something to laugh about.
"Would you chill? It'll all be over in three months and you can tell him it was me and that you actually like him. Okay?" I folded my arms to try and appear scarier, but there is no way you can make Hunter look scarier than me, so I was at a loss.
"Stop being a jerk and stick to the plan." Hunter spat angrily and turned to leave before pausing and turning back. "Oh, and don't ever wear that combination of clothes again."
I glanced down at myself. "But you look hot like this." When I looked up again, all I saw was Hunter's – my – back entering the Great Hall again.
Pah. Girls.