Misunderstandings

Ginny walked down the hallway, feeling slightly annoyed. She was looking for Blaise, who had run off muttering something about libraries. To her surprise, she saw Hermione walking ahead of her, looking very troubled and mumbling to herself. Ginny wondered what was wrong with her bookish friend and decided to find out.

"Hermione!" Ginny called as she jogged to catch up.

Hermione stopped and turned to look at Ginny, and her eyes widened. "Oh, it's you," she said a little nervously

Ginny frowned. Why did Hermione look so uncomfortable to see her? Surely the brunette must have got over the fact that Ginny looked like Draco by now?

"Is something wrong?" Ginny asked curiously.

"You and Zabini get along, right?" Hermione asked suddenly with a worried expression on her face.

Ginny blinked in surprise. She had no idea why Hermione was talking to her about Blaise, let alone why her friend seemed upset about the fact that she and Blaise might get along. It wasn't a crime to befriend Slytherins, after all.

"Yes," Ginny answered, frowning. "Why?"

"I—It's nothing," Hermione replied quickly, and she started to walk ahead.

Ginny frowned even more as she wondered what Blaise could have possibly done to make Hermione so anxious.

"What did he do?" she demanded. "Did he say something to you?"

"He … well, we talked a bit, and, well… he said some interesting things," Hermione muttered, still with the same nervous expression on her face.

Ginny was beginning to feel more than a little alarmed now, not to mention annoyed that Hermione wasn't telling her what it was that Blaise had said.

"What did he say?" the younger girl persisted.

Hermione looked around cautiously, checking to see if anyone was watching. She then grabbed Ginny by the arm and steered her off to an unused classroom. Neither of them noticed the blue eyes that narrowed as the door shut behind them.

OOOOO

Ron peeled his eyes away from Hermione and Ginny, who he thought was Draco, and looked at Harry. "Did you see that?" he asked angrily, and, indeed, looked like he was about to explode.

Harry nodded blankly, too stunned to make any coherent speech. Ron slapped a hand on Harry's back and pulled the other boy closer into the shadows.

"That's the second time this week I've seen Hermione go running off with Draco Malfoy," Ron muttered in a dark voice. "And just the other day, I saw her go running off with Blaise Zabini. But it's not just Hermione who seems to have gone mental; I also saw Ginny walking with Malfoy, and they went into an unused classroom as well." Ron gave a meaningful look. "We all know the only reason people go into unused classrooms..."

Harry looked horrified by this disclosure, clearly disturbed by the image that Ron had created in his head. "Do you think Ginny is cheating on me with Malfoy?"

"It's obvious he is, and he clearly isn't satisfied with just having Ginny and decided to go after Hermione too – the sneaky git," Ron added with a dissatisfied expression on his face.

"We have to do something!" Harry shouted, his green eyes blazing with jealousy.

"Shh!" Ron scolded. "Not so loud, Harry. We have to go about this quietly. We can't have the girls knowing what we're doing." He grimaced. "You know how they get when they think we're interfering."

"But that's my girlfriend!" Harry cried in an outraged voice.

Ron nodded in understanding and then he glanced around to make sure that no one was listening in. He leaned in closer to Harry, a conspiratorial look on his face.

"Here's what we'll do…"

OOOO

Ginny looked at Hermione sharply. She didn't like all of this talk about Blaise or the worried expressions Hermione kept giving her. Something was up, and she was determined to find out what.

"Okay, Hermione," Ginny began in a calm voice, "what's this about?"

Hermione sighed and sat down on the chair opposite Ginny. "Blaise asked me to go research with him in the library. It was fine until he started asking me some weird questions."

Ginny just stared at her, unsure what to think or say. She knew that Hermione and Blaise had been researching in the library for ways to help her and Draco to get their bodies back, but they usually did it with both herself and Draco there as well. They had never gone there just by themselves.

"What do you think of Zabini, Ginny?" Hermione asked, a curious expression on her face.

Ginny swallowed slightly, surprised by the odd question. She noticed that Hermione was staring at her intently, and she suddenly felt like she was being interrogated.

"He's nice, I guess. Why?" Ginny asked with a frown.

"Well, do you think he's good looking? Attractive?" Hermione persisted.

Ginny's brow creased slightly as she wondered why Hermione would be asking her such things. It didn't make sense at all, but as she took in Hermione's narrowed eyes and interrogative expression, she suddenly thought that she understood. Hermione liked Blaise, and now she was trying to find out whether Ginny did too.

"I don't like him in that way, if that's what you're wondering," Ginny replied in a quiet voice, trying to keep her temper in check.

She was annoyed that Hermione had cornered her like this. It was as if the brunette was accusing her of trying to steal Blaise's affections. Ginny had no idea that Hermione was such a jealous person, for Ginny herself had never done anything to show that she liked Blaise, let alone given a reason for Hermione to act this way towards her.

"Alright then," Hermione said in a relieved voice. "That's all I needed to know."

Hermione stood up and gave Ginny a brief smile as she headed to the door. "I've got to catch up on some homework, but I'll try get some more research done tonight for Malfoy's and your condition."

Ginny nodded her head and watched her friend leave the room. She still felt stunned from the strange interrogation she had just received, and it still seemed so odd to her that Hermione fancied Blaise.

She sighed as she stood up from her chair and opened the door, only to stop in fright as she was immediately accosted by Ron and Harry, who were both wearing identical grim expressions.

"Malfoy, how nice of you to finally join us," Ron muttered darkly.

Ginny inwardly sighed as she met her brother and boyfriend's displeased expressions. This was not going to be pretty.

"What are you playing at with Ginny?" Harry demanded coldly.

Ginny stared at him in surprise. She had not expected his anger for Draco to be about her.

"What?" she asked, if a little nervously.

Just what was going on?

"Don't try and lie to us Malfoy!"Ron retorted, red-faced. "I've seen you sneaking off with Ginny, and just before I saw you go off with Hermione into that unused classroom. Enjoy a good snog, did you?"

"W-what?" Ginny stammered.

Were they insane?

"Don't try and play dumb," Harry snapped. "We saw you take her in there."

Ron nodded. "We see you all the time. You and that git Zabini."

Ginny couldn't help it; she burst out laughing.

"That's the most ridiculous thing I've heard all day," she choked out between giggles.

Harry glared at her. Ron, however, looked like he wanted to punch her.

"Why you—" he began, lunging forward.

"Ron!" Draco shouted, placing himself in front of Ginny with an annoyed expression on his face. "What are you doing?"

"Stay out of this!" Ron growled, pushing Draco out of the way.

Ginny smirked, unable to resist getting back at them. "Why don't you tell her why you're trying to beat me to a pulp? I'm sure she'll find it just as amusing as I did."

Draco looked at Ginny sharply, and then he turned back to Ron with an enquiring expression on his face. Ron shifted uncomfortably and threw a look at Harry to help him out.

"Well?" Draco prompted impatiently, his eyes switching from one boy to the next.

"Ginny, have you been cheating on me with Malfoy?" Harry asked, his green eyes filled with hurt and betrayal.

"Of course not," Draco replied blankly, clearly at a loss as to how that accusation came about. "What gave you that idea?"

"We always see you two sneaking off together," Ron cut in. "Even Hermione was in the unused classroom with him just before, and we've seen Zabini with you too."

Draco stared at them for a moment, and then, slowly, a sly grin formed on his face. "Do you really want me to say what we were doing?"

Ginny felt the small pangs of misgiving and looked at Draco warningly, knowing that whatever he was going to say would not help the situation. Ron and Harry were oblivious to the Slytherin boy's mischievous air, however, and merely nodded their heads.

"Well," Draco began with a grin, "first of all, Draco and I were having a nice old snog-fest in the classroom. Then Hermione came in, so we allowed her to join us. Oh, and you know Blaise came in the room too, so we decided to have a massive orgy. I'm sorry we didn't invite you; I would have if I'd known you'd get this way."

Ginny had to try and stifle a giggle, but she only succeeded in making an odd choking noise. Ron glared at her furiously, and she quickly fell silent.

"This isn't a joke, Ginny," Harry retorted angrily. "What are you doing with a piece of scum like him?"

Draco sighed, clearly tired of their accusations. "Oh, shut up and leave me alone," he muttered, and then he grabbed Ginny by the arm and pulled her away from the furious Gryffindors.

Once they were well away from the fuming duo, he released Ginny, who was still desperately trying not to giggle, and folded his arms as he regarded the girl beside him.

"How thick can you get?" he asked rhetorically.

He had never heard such stupid accusations in his life, and that was saying something. He was friends with Crabbe and Goyle, after all.

Ginny finally burst out laughing now that it was safe, and clutched the wall to support herself, practically crying with mirth. "Did you see their faces?" she choked out through laughs. "They looked so outraged."

Draco couldn't help but laugh too. They really had looked funny with their morally outraged expressions.

Ginny finally managed to regain control of herself, though her eyes continued to twinkle with amusement. "I can't believe they would think that Hermione and I would be going off to snog you."

"I resent that!" Draco retorted. "Just what are you implying?"

Ginny giggled and pushed him lightly on the arm. "Don't be so vain. You know that we don't like you. Besides, Hermione fancies Blaise."

Draco stared at her in surprise. "What?"

Ginny nodded, and some of the laughter died out of her eyes. "Yeah. She as good as told me before."

Draco let out a small snigger. "So the Mudblood finally hit puberty, eh?"

"Don't call her a Mudblood! And this isn't as funny as you might think. It's going to make things much more difficult for us."

"Why?"

"Because she thinks that I like him too," Ginny responded simply.

"And do you?" Draco asked sharply.

"No, but that doesn't change the fact that she'll be less likely to go near him now that she likes him. I know what she's like, and I know that she'll be too shy to be around him now that she has feelings for him."

Draco rolled his eyes. "So while they battle out their silly love problems, we're stuck in each other's bodies?" He sighed and leant grumpily against the wall. "Do they even realise that Christmas is coming up and we will be expected to go home?"

Ginny shook her head. "I think they're too worked up about their own tangled love lives. I just wish this whole thing was over."

"Tell me about it. I never realised how horrible it is to be a girl until now."

Ginny looked at him in surprise, and then she let out an inelegant snort. "No, don't tell me – it's that time of the month!"

Draco blushed and averted his face, looking just as uncomfortable as he must feel.

"It's certainly not easy, that's for sure," he muttered. "I'll never mock a woman's pain tolerance again."

For the third time that day, Ginny burst into uncontrollable laughter.

"Wow, this day just keeps getting better and better."

"Shut up, Weasley," Draco retorted threateningly.

Ginny began to walk down the corridor, still chuckling to herself at the thought of Draco Malfoy experiencing a period.

"Where are you going?" he demanded grumpily.

"I'm going to look for Blaise," Ginny replied with a small smirk, and then she walked off, leaving Draco standing there with a bitter expression on his face.

He knew that she was enjoying his discomfort in being a girl, and he only hoped that hers was just as bad in being a boy.

OOOO

Ginny found Blaise sitting at a table in the library, completely engrossed with the book in his hands. From this vantage point, she had free reign to take her fill of him, and as she watched him read, Ginny thought that she could understand why Hermione would fall for Blaise. He was extremely handsome in a way that both Draco and Harry could never hope to aspire to. His black hair, slightly curly and always tousled, perfectly shaped his well-structured face. His tan skin looked smooth and warm, and then there were those amazing amber eyes that always seemed to be filled with mischief, yet also gentleness. He dressed elegantly, and his personality far outstripped his friend's, since he was both nice and funny, while Draco was often mean and sarcastic.

Blaise suddenly looked, as though he could feel her gaze, and he gave her a warm smile. Ginny thought she could fall in love with him herself when he smiled like that.

"Hey," Ginny said, coming to sit down next to him.

Blaise placed his book down. "What brings you to the library, Ginevra? I don't normally see you here unless Granger or I drag you."

Ginny looked at him in surprise. He had never called her by her first name before; he normally just called her 'Weasley'. She shook off such trivial thoughts and glanced at the books he was reading.

"What's this?"

"It's a book on different switching spells and potions. I'm trying to see if there is anything that might help us get your body back in there."

Ginny frowned. Both he and Hermione were putting so much effort into helping her and Draco get their bodies back, but they were still no closer to getting it done then they were two weeks ago. She still couldn't believe it had been this long.

"Something wrong?" Blaise asked with a frown.

Ginny shook her head. "I just can't believe that I have been pretending to be Draco Malfoy for two weeks.

Blaise laughed. "You're right, it has been a rather long time. I imagine it has been quite an experience for you."

Ginny nodded her head as she thought of all the things that had happened while she had been Draco Malfoy.

"It's strange," she said slowly, "but even though I really don't like being Draco himself, I kind of don't mind it at the same time."

"Must be the charming friends. Crabbe and Goyle would make any person want to stay as Draco, if only to listen to their stimulating conversations."

Ginny laughed heartily at this. The amber-eyed boy really was a fun person to be with, even if he was Draco Malfoy's best friend. She suddenly remembered that Hermione liked him, and a small sigh escaped her lips. She almost felt like she wasn't allowed to talk to Blaise anymore, but that was just stupid. Besides, she enjoyed being with him, and so Hermione would just have to handle it.

"Come on," Ginny said firmly as she stood up, "enough with the musty old books. Let's go do something."

Blaise grinned appreciatively and gathered the books that were sprawled out on the table into his bag.

"As you command," he said with a laugh, and followed her out of the library.

OOOO

Draco stalked into the common room and sighed as he saw Hermione sitting on the seat making her stupid elf hats again. He walked over moodily and collapsed on the couch next to her, and another sigh escaped his lips.

Hermione looked at him in surprise. "I didn't expect to see you here."

Draco shrugged and idly picked up a book, but that failed to interest him. He gazed back at Hermione and remembered that Ginny had said she liked Blaise. In a way, he found that rather hard to believe. If he had known any better, he would have thought that Hermione liked Harry or Ron, but then he guessed he was certainly no expert on the feelings of Mudbloods.

"Is there something on my face?" Hermione asked with a frown.

Draco shook his head, sighing despondently again as he leaned back against the chair. He was so bored. What he wouldn't give to be in his own body right now, and in his own room with his own friends. Two weeks he had spent being a girl; two weeks he had spent being bored out of his mind, losing Quidditch games, and watching the daughter of his father's mortal enemy becoming close friends with his best friend. To top it all off, he just had to have cramps, or whatever it was that females called them.

"This sucks," Draco muttered under his breath.

He angrily threw a book on the floor. Hermione stared at him curiously, but she wisely refrained from saying anything. Draco gave a frustrated groan and stood up again to trudge to his room, inwardly praying that somehow he would wake up back in his own body again tomorrow so that he could escape this hellish lifestyle he had been forced to live. He just wanted to be himself again.