Author's Note: So I'm in the middle of exams right now and desperately need to distract myself from them

Author's Note: So I'm in the middle of exams right now and desperately need to distract myself from them. Sorry for falling off the face of the earth once again!

Disclaimer: JKR doesn't have to take exams!

Finally

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Harry's days at Hogwarts were slowly becoming routine. None of the students suspected he was anyone but Snape. He'd given out innumerous detentions, mostly to a few rowdy students who were taking advantage of losing house points for other houses.

Harry had managed to discern who all the students were. Hermione was Lavender, Blaise was Malfoy, Ginny was Parkinson, Ron was Zambini, Draco was Ron, Luna was Ginny, Lavender was Luna, Pansy was Hermione, Neville was Dean and despite knowing the identities of the rest of the students, he didn't really care.

Neville tried very hard in Potions. He still seemed to fear Snape, but it was no longer an irrational fear and Neville seemed braver. In many ways, it seemed the switch had been good. Neville had never had siblings, and from the way he talked to the other students, he seemed to enjoy them very much.

When he looked at groups of Hogwarts students, it seemed the lines had been redrawn. Robes of different colors congregated in the hallways, and Harry knew that they weren't all from students of the same house.

"It would seem this idea of Dumbledore's wasn't quite as crazy as we all originally perceived," said Lupin.

"It's still dangerous. Some students are taking it as a chance to take their revenge."

"And are not some teachers doing the same?" he asked.

It was true, everyone was taking advantage of the opportunity, McGonagall had given some of the Slytherins an inordinate amount of detentions. He had of course had to rectify the situation because it was his job, but it hadn't been easy.

"It's easy to abuse power," he responded.

"That is why Dumbledore hands it out so carefully."

"You think he was careful when he gave me power Lupin?"

"I think he had a plan, Severus."

"He always has a plan; I'm just not convinced all of them are good ones."

"But look around Severus. What do you see? I see students of all houses communicating with each other and getting to know each other. I see a sense of empathy and understanding in the students."

"You may see all of that now, Lupin. But do you think the knowledge they have gained will stay with them?"

"We'll just have to hope so Severus."

"Hope is terrible if misplaced, it only leads to disappointment."

"I would rather be disappointed every now and again, than live in constant despair!"

"I don't live in despair, I live in reality," Harry said in Snape's body as he swept out of the Great Hall.

"I worry about him Headmaster," said Remus.

"Fear not Remus, all will eventually be well."

"Eventually can be a very long time Albus, soon even seems too far away."

"He still has much to learn, I know he shall learn what must be learned."

"I hope you're right Albus."

"I have a way of usually being so, don't be concerned just yet."

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Draco woke early, mush earlier than the rest of the Gryffindor dorm, he looked over to the mysterious Harry and found he was still fast asleep. Or so he thought until a slightly rough voice asked him what was wrong.

"Nothing, I just couldn't sleep."

"Glad you'll be back in your own body soon?" asked Snape in Harry's body.

"No, miserable actually."

"Why Draco?"

They had taken to calling each other by their real names in the dormitory, but only in the dormitory and Snape always went by Harry's name, they still hadn't discerned his true identity.

"Because Harry, then I have to go back to all the expectations, all the rules, all the hatred towards me and my family, all the prejudice and the preconceived notions, and a life that was decided for me long before I was born."

"You don't have to accept that life Draco. Sometimes you have to live for yourself because nobody else is going to put you first except for yourself."

"I know, but I cannot defy my father. I'll be disowned."

"There are worse fates in life."

"Not when you are a Malfoy."

"Last time I checked, Draco came first, Malfoy came second. Such position of your name would suggest that you came before your family."

"What do you know, you never had a family."

"Yes, but maybe it is better to be alone than to feel unloved and imprisoned by expectation."

"You are Harry, I know you are, you just didn't switch bodies and it's been screwing us up the whole time because we thought you were someone else."

'Am I that good at acting like Potter, or am I really that much like Potter?'

"Go back to seep Draco. You don't have to lose all your newly made friends just because you are going to return to your true body. Friendship has deeper and stronger ties that that."

"Thank you, and I'm sorry about what I said about you not having a family, it was selfish of me."

"You're not much of a Malfoy anymore," Snape teased, "what with all the thank yous and apologies."

"There is no fault in admitting you have been wrong."

Draco dropped off to sleep quickly, but that last thought running through his head kept him awake until the alarm went off. "There is no fault in admitting you have been wrong."

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At the end of class, Snape approached Harry. "Can I have a word Professor?" Harry looked at him with moderate annoyance but acquiesced. The students filed out and Harry shut the door behind them.

"How may I help you," Harry asked in an unfeeling voice.

"You don't always have to keep up the act."

"I'm trying not to get you killed. While you're up in the Gryffindor tower surrounded by friends, I'm down here in the cold dungeons, grading papers, getting little sleep, attending Order Meetings, Staff Meetings, overseeing detentions and trying to meet the demands of Voldemort to the best of my ability. I think I need to be completely impermeable most of the time."

"I had forgotten."

"How nice for you Mr. Snape."

"No need to sound condescending Potter. Would you like some help?"

"No, enjoy what little time you have left free of responsibilities." They were both quite for a moment. Harry broke the silence.

"How do you do it? How can you bear to be so busy and alone all the time?"

"It is easier to be alone; there is no one to make excuses to."

"I can barely function without my friends. I was enjoying being you, being a Professor for a while, but I feel so cut off from everyone. Everyone's out there having fun, and now I'm weighed down with a new set of responsibilities that is worse than trying to defeat Voldemort."

"If you are feeling so stressed you could always go talk to Dumbledore, he'd be more than glad to help."

"Would you go to Dumbledore? Have you EVER gone to Dumbledore saying that yet another responsibility is too much? I don't think so."

"I am an adult Potter. I choice this course of my life, you did not choose my lifestyle, nor did you choose the path your life is leading you. It is not easy to be you; there is a certain amount of always keeping everyone at arms length, no matter how close you would like to have them."

"Finally realized that have you?" Harry asked sourly.

"Yes, I have finally realized that I have been wrong about you all along." Harry stared at him open-mouthed, wide-eyed, completely shocked, abandoning the façade that he had managed to keep for nearly a month without fail.

"Did you just admit you were wrong?" Harry asked in disbelief.

"There is no fault in admitting you have been wrong," Snape said coolly, echoing Draco's words.

"I've been wrong about you too. You do so much. I don't know how you manage. You push everyone away and you always put yourself second. You're so selfless and it makes me feel so selfish. Everything you said about me was right. I'm arrogant, I acted like I'm entitled to everything, I think I'm above the rules, but really I'm just trying to do the right thing. I'm always sticking my nose in where it doesn't belong, but nobody tells me anything, I'm just trying to understand what's going on. I treat my friends terribly, Ron and Hermione are always so good to me and I always get angry with them and keep things from them, and…and…and…"

"Potter calm down, it's alright. There's no need to get so worked up. Granger and Weasley understand, they understand how difficult life is for you, they're not mad. And, I was not right about everything. You're not arrogant; you're just trying to make everyone see that you're not some little child who needs protection, someone who can't handle the truth."

"I always take things so badly Professor. I always blow up."

"Perhaps that fault does not lie solely with you. If only Albus would not insist on keeping things from you in hopes of protecting you."

"Yeah, wait, how do you know that he's kept things from me?"

"He tried keeping things from me too, eventually; I grew tired of his manipulating ways. He would not answer my questions, and in trying to help me, he pushed me farther away. He did not respect me and he always prized his Gryffindors more. I felt like a second-class citizen and eventually I grew tired of his treatment and completely rid my life of his presence."

"And that's when you became a Death Eater."

"And you always manage to come off as so thick." Harry laughed. And Snape, in Harry's body, gave a small smile.

"So you are really human after all?"

"So it would seem."

"So, it's Dumbledore's fault you became a Death Eater?"

"That's not really fair to say. Yes, some of his actions may have helped facilitate me towards that path, but many circumstances in my life lead me to the Dark Lord. It is not truly fair to blame one person for my fate, other than myself. I made the choice, I could have chosen differently."

"I'm sorry."

"And for what are you apologizing for Mr. Potter?'

"For being so blind."

"I suppose you'll have to blame your father for your poor eye sight, your mother is certainly not the cause of it, hers was better than most people's." Harry couldn't decide whether to laugh or be offended.

"Was that meant to be a joke?"

"Mr. Potter, it is rather bad if you cannot discern a joke from an insult."

"But, but, but," Harry spluttered, "it's you!"

"So it is Mr. Potter, so it is," and with that final thought he swept from the room.

"Wait," Harry called before the door shut," were you joking or not?" Harry received no answer, but he would have sworn he heard Snape chuckle.

'I must be sleep deprived. Yeah, that's it, I need more sleep. I'm imagining things. In fact, did that conversation actually just happen? I think I've been inhaling too many potion fumes.'

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Ron felt incredibly nervous. His hands were sweating and he would have sworn he was shaking. 'Just breathe mate, it'll be fine, it's just Hermione.'

"Are you alright mate?" asked Zambini in Malfoy's body. "You look a bit ill."

"I'm going to tell Hermione how I feel."

"May I offer you a bit of advice a point two things out?"

"Yeah, of course Blaise."

"One, I don't look good nervous, meaning you don't look good nervous. Two, it's Hermione, so relax. And as for the advice, breathe and be honest. You'll be glad you did it when it's all over."

"Yeah, yeah, erm, thanks. See you later."

"Good luck."

"Thanks."

Ron walked hesitantly over to Hermione, trying not to look as nervous as he felt. Harry however, was in the library and had overheard part of Ron's conversation with Zambini; he inched closer to a bookshelf near Hermione, but out of view. He randomly selected a book, and pretended to be engrossed so that he could eavesdrop. Zambini was trying so hard to stay out of view that he bumped into him.

"Careful Mr. Zambini, you wouldn't want to get caught spying now would you?" he asked as Harry handed him a book.

"Professor?" he asked confused but intrigued.

"I've been waiting for this to happen for a while. If Mr. Weasley does not manage to spit it out, I will be forced to intervene for the good of Hogwarts."

"Wouldn't that be meddling?"

"I'm a teacher, meddling is my job." Zambini sent him an approving look and moved so he would both be able to hear and see what was happening.

"Hi Hermione."

"Hello Ron," said Hermione brightly as she moved a pile of books from the chair next to her so he could sit down. "What brings you to the library?"

"Erm, nothing really."

"It must be something; you don't normally come here on your own prerogative unless you have some reason."

"I am capable of frequenting the library without you."

"Frequenting Ron, are you sure it is really you?"

"Oi, lay off, I've been spending too much time with Zambini and my sister."

"I wasn't criticizing, I just think it's endearing."

"Oh," said Ron blushing slightly, "thank you."

"And you have manners now, too? Mrs. Zambini is a miracle maker. We haven't seen much of each other since we got back to Hogwarts. It's harder when we're in separate houses."

"That's no excuse; I should have tried harder to make a bigger effort. I've missed you."

"You sure it's not my help on homework you've missed," she teased.

"Actually, it's been kind of good to have to do it all myself."

"Now I know it can't be you."

"Oh but it is Hermione, it is."

"So do tell, who taught you how to be charming."

"I was born charming." She laughed heartily, and when Ron looked put-out she laughed even harder. Eventually he joined her in laughing. "I learned a lot this summer, and maybe I realized it was time I decided to be a bit more assertive and mature. I mean Harry could really use more of our help, but, I didn't do it for him, you know. I did it for me."

"Well responsibility looks good on you. I like the change; it's subtle but still you. I'm not so sure I believe you on the assertive part."

"I've gotten all my homework done without you!"

"Oh really?"

"Yeah, who would have known Ginny could be just as much of a nag as you!"

"Ron," said Hermione laughing, "shhhhhh, someone could hear you and tell her what you said."

"I'm not afraid of her." Hermione just looked at him skeptically. "Okay, I'm not terrified of her, and I could always tell the twins she's acting like Mum. They'd never let her hear the end of it."

"When did you get to be so devious?"

"Spending time in Slytherin has its perks. Ginny should have gone to Slytherin I swear."

"Come on," said Blaise, "just get one with it. Stop talking, it's better when they're arguing, it takes much less time for them to get to the point."

"Have a bit of patience Mr. Zambini, they'll get there." Blaise shot him a look. "Eventually." Blaise muttered something under his breath and shook his head.

"I don't know what I'm going to do with you Ron, manners, big words, saying nice things about the Slytherins," she teased. "What next?"

"Hmmmmm," he pretended to mock think, looking around. "Maybe, asking you out," he said meeting her eyes. Her eyes widened in surprise. Ron took his feet off the table and looked her squarely in the face, he took one of her eyes, and he said completely seriously, "Will you be my girlfriend, Hermione." She looked shocked and a million thoughts were running through her head.

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'Yes, yes, yes!! She screamed inside her head.' Ron was still looking at her waiting for her answer and she realized that she hadn't answered out loud. She tried to answer, but it seemed her mouth and brain were temporarily disconnected, so instead, she leaned over and brashly gave Ron a kiss. Ron decided that it was answer enough for him.

"Yes, yes, yes," said Blaise pumping his fist in the air.

"Shhhhhh," cautioned Harry in Professor Snape's usual chastising tone. However, his tone was completely counteracted by the smile on his face that he had been unable to suppress.

"What was that?" asked Hermione.

"Probably just some Slytherin book," said Ron catching sight of Zambini. "Let me go deal with it."

"Shit, Professor…?" 'Where'd he go?'

"Zambini, you little sneak, get the hell out of here," said Ron. "I'll deal with you later!"

"I want details later," he said as he scampered off.

"Yes," said Ron as he returned to Hermione. "Just some Slytherin book as I expected. Now where were we? I think I remember."

"Ron," said Hermione scandalized, "not in the library. It's against the rules." He looked at her.

"You know what the most important thing the Slytherins taught me is? It's not wrong, unless you get caught." She still looked torn. "Live a little! I'll take all the blame if we get caught."

Before she had another chance to protest he covered his lips with hers. She didn't even try to fight him this time.

Harry smiled from the shadows. 'It's about bloody time. And everyone says I'm stubborn. Ha!'

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"Guess what, guess what, guess what?" asked Blaise excitedly.

"What, what, what," said Ginny cheekily.

"Fine, if you're going to be that way, I'm not going to tell you."

"Fine, don't tell me. I'm sure I'll find out sooner or later."

"But I'm sure you want to know now."

"I don't care Blaise."

"It's about your brother."

"What'd he do now?"

"I didn't know he'd been doing anything, most people do someone, not something, but hey…"

"Enough," she said interrupting him, "that's not funny. What is it?" He looked like he wasn't going to tell her, but he just had to tell someone, so he relented.

"Your brother asked Hermione out!"

"Finally! So did she say yes?"

"Her brain wasn't working, so she kissed him instead."

"Hermione," said Ginny approvingly. "Who would've known?"

"So did you get caught spying?"

"Yeah, by two different people, including your brother! It was worth it though."

"Well, at least he can stop giving us knowing looks, now we can start giving him knowing looks."

"Yeah."

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"So," said Hermione finally breaking for air, "what do you want to do tonight?"

"Erm, it's up to you," said Ron hesitantly.

"Let's go flying."

"I, I, I didn't think you knew how to fly. You're not the only one who learned a thing or two this summer."

"This was Dumbledore's best plan yet. We should probably go tell Harry before Zambini tells the whole school and he hears it from someone else."

"Ron, wait a second. Do you think Harry is really Harry? I mean, I don't know who else could be him, I've gone through all the students in the school and none of them are him, and only the students switched places. He acts like himself and honestly, I don't know who else Dumbledore could have put in his place that could handle his life. I'm just not entirely sure."

"I think it's him Hermione. I know he's a little different, but well look at us, one summer can do a lot for a person."

"Yeah, you're right. I'm just being foolish."

"No, you're being Hermione. And it's, to use your own word against you, endearing." She laughed again.

"I could get used to this."

"What, talking?"

"Yeah, it's better than arguing."

"Funny you're the one saying that Hermione. You always win."

"Oh shut up Ronald." He just grinned cheekily. "You've been spending too much time with the Slytherins."

"Now Hermione……"

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Luna smiled; she has just finished a fresh batch of scones when the door to the kitchen sprang open.

"Hello Luna."

"Hello Draco. Scone, I just made them myself."

"Of course, who am I to turn down your cooking? Mmmmmm, these are delicious."

"Thank you," she said shyly. They sat in silence, Luna basking in the atmosphere of the kitchen and Draco lost in thought.

"Are you alright, you seem a bit out of it lately. It seems as though thuncles are hanging over your head."

"Yeah, I've just been thinking a lot lately."

"You don't want to go back to your body either."

"No, I mean I do, sort of, but I don't want to lose the freedom I have as Ron. He has so much more than me, and I never realized it. I don't want to lose the Weasleys and all the friends I've made."

"You won't lose them, not your real friends, and certainly not the Weasleys."

"I'm supposed to become a Death Eater this year."

"Yes, and I was supposed to be like everybody else, but I'm not. And I'm better for it I think, I have found real friends because of it."

"What's it like to walk away from the only thing you have ever known?"

"It's like jumping off a cliff; suddenly your heart is in your throat and you feel like your falling into the unknown. But when you open your eyes, you realize you're not falling at all, you're flying, and the freedom, it's worth all the fear, and the cares, and all the things you left behind you on the ground. There are many other people in the sky you know; you just can't always see them from the ground."

"It was nice talking to you Draco, but I promised Neville I'd bring him some warm scones. See you at dinner."

'She doesn't know how wise her words are. She somehow always leaves me reeling. Maybe she's right, maybe I need to just let go and jump, into what I don't know, but it has to be better than a live lived by someone else's definition.'

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"Hermione, did you hear? Ron asked Hermione."

"Yes Lavender, I might have heard that I think. You know, seeing as it was me he was asking out."

"Oh, right."

"You're not telling people or anything are you Lavender?" She looked panicked.

"Erm?"

"It's alright, just don't tell anyone else. So who exactly knows?"

"Hey Hermione, congratulations."

"It's about time Hermione."

"Hey, way to go Hermione."

"Nice Hermione!"

"About bloody time!"

"Finally."

"Sorry, I only told a few people, but I guess they told a few people and those people told more people, and by now, all of Hogwarts probably knows."

"There's no such thing as a secret in Hogwarts is there?"

"Well maybe. You just can't tell anyone! Hey, congratulations though, we've all been waiting for you to get together for ages. Were we both that transparent?"

"The sexual tension was so thick you could have cut it with a knife," said Ginny as she sat down, ignoring the looks she got for being Parkinson. "So he finally asked you out, it's about time. I was getting ready to threaten him with castration."

"Your brother is right."

"Ron right, about what?"

"You SHOULD have been a Slytherin."

"You say that like it's a bad thing Hermione," said Blaise sitting next to Ginny, also ignoring the looks he got for being Malfoy. "Congratulations, oh bye the way," he said as he helped himself to a decent sized plate of food.

"Where's Pansy and Draco," asked Ron at the Slytherin table.

"Sitting with the Gryffindors," said Xavier Andrews, the fearless Slytherin first year.

"Oh great, thanks."

"You two are incorrigible," said Ron.

"Nice vocabulary Ron, did you pick that up from Blaise's reading material?"

"Bugger off, Ginny!"

"No, I don't feel like it."

"Well at least move over so I can sit next to my girlfriend." The Gryffindor table went silent and they all turned to look at him. "Yeah, I said my girlfriend, do you lot have a problem with that?" he asked challengingly. Ginny slid over, closer to Blaise because that was the only option.

"Way to embarrass Hermione."

"Sorry Hermione."

"No, it's alright; I can't believe you actually did that."

"They act like they've never seen someone want to sit next to their girlfriend."

An owl swept into the Great Hall and dropped a letter in front of Lavender.

"It's Jake," she said excitedly. "He's coming to see me at the next Hogsmeade weekend. I can't wait!"

"That is exciting. I know he's dying to see you. This day just can't get any better!"

Author's Note: Sorry for the mistakes, and sorry for disappearing. I hope you enjoyed this chapter. I like it!