This fanfic is set in Harry's 6th year. Just had to say that, cuz I was getting confused myself ^^. For everyone to know, just like in Rubies and Opals, I will keep referring to Ron as a 'him', even if he's in 'girl mode'. Fred and George are still here because I WANT THEM TO BE. Don't tell me they should be out doing their joke shop thing. I say they are in this fanfic so THEY ARE IN THIS FANFIC.

Disclaimer: All characters are J.K Rowling's.

Damn, damn, damn!

Ron cursed himself as he stalked back to his room.

He was so damn close! He thought. I could have touched him! Urgh… why didn't I just SAY something? He likes me… well, Veronica… but does that really make a difference? I mean, I'm Veronica… so why the hell was I so scared?

Oh gawd… this was way easier when I was female.

Ron got into his bed and carefully took the comb out of his pocket. He placed it into the top drawer of his bedside table gently then went to sleep.

"Is it just me, or was Weasley acting weird?" Draco wondered aloud.

"Weasley? Which one? They're all weird. Why do you ask?" Crabbe answered.

"I wasn't talking to you!" Draco flared. "Geez, can't a person think in PEACE around here? No, don't answer that!" he said hotly, seeing Crabbe open his mouth. He stormed to his room and slammed the door moodily.

That moron. Can't believe I HAVE to be his 'friend', just because father says so. I don't know why he likes the Crabbes so much. Mother doesn't like them, I don't like them… I hate them all, so stupid, they're all brawn and no brains…

With a frustrated sigh Draco fell back onto his soft bed and stared at the ceiling. He closed his eyes for a few seconds, took in a deep breath them opened them, feeling just a bit calmer. He got up and opened his cupboard to find his pajamas. He then stripped and changed clothes. He lay on the bed again and closed his eyes, trying to go to sleep.

Half an hour later he groaned in aggravation.

"I am never going to go to sleep… okay, fine, something's wrong, what's wrong?" he asked himself. His brain responded instantly: Ron.

Draco rolled onto his back so he could see the pitch-black ceiling.

"What is up with Weasley anyway?" he wondered. He remembered the last words he said to the redhead and the look he received for it. Sad, frustrated, angry, helpless…

Why would Weasley give me a look like that? he wondered. Come to think of it, Weasley has been giving me a lot of weird looks. Like every time we pass in a corridor he looks at me and he has this weird expression where he's one third smiling hopefully one third frowning one third crying. What is up with that?

And then in the Astronomy Tower he kept looking at me…

"Ugh. No. That is completely disgusting. I did not think that. He was not staring at me," he said to himself.

Well then if he wasn't but I thought he was then I must have imagined it… why the hell would I imagine something like that?

Oh gawd… so does that mean that I…

Even more disgusting.

Yet there was a nagging feeling in his head, that there was something about Ron that attracted him. Something that reminded him of something else…

I am NOT thinking this. I am not attracted to Weasley. Weasley is an idiot. We had a friendly talk, that's all. I do not like him. I like his sister. I am going to sleep. Now.

Draco lay awake staring at the ceiling until dawn.

THUMP.

Ron was (rather rudely) awakened from his sleep by two pairs of arms grabbing him by his wrists and ankles and dumping him onto the floor. He moaned, his tailbone tingling in pain, and opened his eyes. Four large, wide sapphire eyes stared at him.

"WARGH!" he yelled and propelled himself backwards half a meter. Fred and George looked at him, amused.

"Had a good night then?" George asked. Ron stood up slowly.

"Until you chucked me onto the floor. Now my butt hurts. Thank you ever so"

"Our pleasure" the twins replied cheekily in unison. Ron sighed and walked to the bathroom to wash up. When he returned holding his toothbrush the twins were sitting on the bed. They looked up and smiled angelically at their little brother. Ron moaned.

"Okay, WHAT did you two do?" he asked.

"Who? Us? Nothing!"

Ron crossed his arms and raised an eyebrow. Fred ducked.

"Argh! No! Save me George!" he yelled.

"It's impossible! NO one can survive… the raised eyebrow of doom!" George hollered, taking his twin's lead. Ron threw his toothbrush at him.

"Ow! Fred! He threw a toothbrush at me!" George wailed in a childish voice.

"Shame on you, hurling toilet accessories at your sibling!" Fred said, wagging his finger. Ron smiled.

"You guys aren't going to leave if I just ask nicely, are you?" he asked. They grinned. Ron sighed and sat down on the bed next to them.

"Okay, what is it?" he asked. George waved a flask in front of his face.

"Guess what we discovered!" he said. Ron looked skeptically at it.

"A new shade of pink?" he asked.

"No, doofus! Remember that cupcake you ate, a while ago?" Fred asked. Ron's heart skipped a beat.

"Yeah… what about it…" he asked carefully.

"Well, you know how that thing turned you into a girl? We finally found out exactly what was in it… so here the potion is!"

Ron stared at the bubbly pink liquid.

"It looks like soap"

"Yeah, but it works! AND it's better than last time! We stabilized it, a bit. You drink it and you get this extra DNA strand that can be activated by one word… You can change into a girl at will! Wouldn't that be great for the joke shop? It'll be a huge hit!" Fred said happily.

Ron looked at it.

You can change into a girl at will…

"So… why bring it to me?" he asked casually. Fred and George smiled sheepishly.

"Well, you see…"

"We tested it…"

"On a frog…"

"It worked fine, mind you…"

"But…"

"You need a human to test it" Ron said. The twins grinned happily.

"Bingo!"

"Why come to me though?"

"Well, you know… you've been through it before…"

"That doesn't mean I want to risk my life! What if the stuff kills me?"

"Well, we'll have one less sibling for one thing…"

"But it won't kill you! Animals and humans are about the same… kinda… you won't die, promise!" Fred said.

"If you start to choke, gag, vomit, turn orange or start spewing toadstools we'll go to Pomfrey for help" George added helpfully.

"How reassuring" Ron said dryly.

"C'mon Ron, just drink it… please?"

Ron looked dubiously at the liquid.

If it works that would be terrific… but what if there's some sort of side effect? What if I die? I don't want to die!

"Pwease Wonnie? Pwetty pwease?" Fred begged.

"Pretty please with Canary Cream whip -cee in a circle, us- on top?" George asked. Ron looked at his brothers then at the liquid and made his decision.

"Give me fifty percent of the money you make PLUS a month's supply of chocolate frogs and you got yourself a deal"

"Fifty percent? A MONTH'S supply?" Fred and George protested.

"Fine, ten percent. But I still want those frogs"

Fred and George looked at each other sadly.

"Kids nowadays. Always asking for stuff. Can't ever be content with what they have… It's so sad…"

"Do you want me to drink it or not?" Ron asked.

"Here!" they chorused and thrust the flask into Ron's hands. Some of the liquid sloshed onto his palm. It was ice-cold.

What am I doing? I'm risking my life! What if it doesn't work…

But what if it DOES work? I can become Veronica… Draco will like me then… then I can explain to him, tell him the truth… maybe…

Geez this stuff is cold. What if it goes down the wrong tube? What if it clogged up my lungs… or my heart… or something…

"Oy! Are you drinking it, or not?"

Here goes.

Ron tilted his head back and drank. For a split second he felt nothing. Then the ice-cold chill ripped through his throat, down into his stomach. He could feel it coursing in his blood, freezing, painful. Then it stopped.

Phew.

He yelled as he felt his heart suddenly tear apart. Then he fainted.

Draco got up, troubled and tired. He had only gotten a few hours of sleep, and those had been filled with strange (and somewhat disturbing) dreams of dancing red blobs. He stumbled groggily to the bathroom and splashed water on his face then looked at himself in the mirror.

"Urgh" he said, staring distastefully at the mess in front of him. He looked for his wand so that he could perform the spell to right the messy blonde bush that was his hair. He remembered he left it outside, on his bedside table.

"Double urgh" he said. He turned on the tap and wet his hairbrush, then proceeded to brush his hair down slowly until it was flat, looking almost like how it was before, when he used to gel it. When he was done he changed into a fresh pair of clothes, picked up his Transfiguration books and headed drowsily out.

Ron woke up, his stomach churning. He sat up and instinctively turned his head as he felt the bile rise up his throat. He spewed violently onto the floor. He coughed, shaken, and attempted to stand up. Instantly he felt that something was different. Something about his body weight, his center of gravity… He stood up slowly and walked unsteadily to his mirror. A familiar face stared back at him. A familiar face with long, wavy red hair.

It worked! Ron thought joyfully. His stomach lurched again and he moaned in pain.

Why does my stomach hurt so much?

He looked at the clock and yelped. Transfiguration! He couldn't go looking like a girl!

"I have to know the word to change me back… Fred! George!" he yelled. No one answered. He looked around. The room was empty.

"Fred? George? Fred? C'mon guys, this isn't funny… I gotta go to Transfiguration; McGonagall's going to kill me if I'm late… guys? George?" he called, feeling a sense of doom. He walked quickly around the room.

"Fred! George! Where the hell are you?" he shouted. He suddenly saw something on his bedside table. He picked it up. It was a piece of parchment. He read it, trying to decipher his brothers' messy scrawl.

"Ron, sorry but you weren't waking up and we have class, Seeya later, Gred and Forge" Ron read, hands trembling. He put the paper down slowly and looked at his new self in the mirror.

"I am SO screwed," he said.

"Mr. Malfoy, DO try to stay awake, my class hasn't even started yet…" Professor McGonagall said, rapping her hand on Draco's desk. His eyes snapped open.

"I am awake," he said in a robot-like drone. McGonagall raised her eyebrows.

"I see. Try to get more sleep tonight please"

"I will" Draco promised in his drone, more to himself than to the professor. The door suddenly slammed open.

"Sorry I'm late!" a muffled feminine voice called. Draco turned and stared. Whoever she was, she was WEIRD.

The person wore a balaclava and a huge, thick baggy pair of robes that dragged on the floor.

And it was summer.

McGonagall was obviously startled as well.

"Uh… that's all right, take a seat please…" she said somewhat shakily. The person looked around for an empty seat. Draco looked around and realized the only empty seat was next to him. It seemed as the person realized it too, as whomever it was walked unsteadily towards him and sat down rather clumsily in the chair. Draco shuffled away slightly.

"All right then, is that everyone? Good. Today we're going to do the hardest type of Transfiguration of all… we're going to try and change our own normal body structure to one of an animal"

Yeesh, talk about changing body structure… Ron thought, sweating. He almost couldn't stand the heat. The balaclava was made of cheap wool knitted by his mother and scratched at his face. He half wished he could rip his skin off.

Just you WAIT until I find you guys, Fred, George, he thought. You two are SO going to DIE.

He turned his head to look at the blonde sitting next to him.

Great. I'm actually sitting next to him.

I really, REALLY want to scratch my face off. Maybe if I do Madame Pomfrey can fix it later or something…

Draco was considerably alarmed when the person next to him kept making movements as if to scratch their face off.

"The first thing to do is pick an animal, any animal that you want to be. Choose wisely, as the animal you choose will be the one that you will transfigure into in the future. There is no such thing as choosing to be an animal, for example, a bear today then choosing to be a dog another day" McGonagall said.

Yeah. Animal. Sure. Whatever, Draco thought sleepily.

Gahhhh so ITCHY! So HOT! thought Ron, aggravated.

"This is very difficult and only a few can successfully transfigure so I do not expect you to be able to change into an animal today. We will be having a few more lessons on this though, and that will be all. Afterwards, if you do manage to successfully become an Animagus –someone who can change into an animal- you will have to put your name down yourself in the records. First thing I would like you to do is get yourself a partner… the person sitting next to you will do… and choose an animal. When you are both decided, one of you stand up. Make this motion," McGonagall waved her wand in the air, "and say 'Transfigurus'. While you do it, have the image of the animal clearly in your mind. Do NOT think of anything else. Any questions?"

Hermione stuck her hand up. "Professor, if you HAVE to say 'Tranfigurus' every time you want to transfigure, how is it that you can change into a cat without saying it?"

"After you get good at it the changing process somehow uh… gets into your system. It's like having another set of DNA, I suppose. All you have to do is imagine the animal" McGonagall demonstrated and morphed into a cat then back "and there you are. For starters though you should use Transfigurus, because it's a lot safer and it gives time for the DNA to get in. Any more questions?" she looked around. "No? All right then! If you have any questions or need help, just ask."

Draco turned slowly to face his partner.

"So. What do you want to be," he asked monotonously.

"Huh? Oh… uh… dunno" Ron said, flushing under his balaclava as he remembered where he was and who he was actually sitting next to.

"Wonderful" Draco said drowsily.

"What do YOU want to be?" Ron asked, interested.

"Asleep" Draco answered.

Ron snorted. "Well, that was very honest"

Draco stared curiously at the person. She… or he… seemed familiar.

"Uh…" Ron said, embarrassed, feeling Draco's piercing gray-blue eyes spear holes in his face.

Thank gawd he can't see my face, Ron thought.

Draco looked away.

"I think snake is good. Or some sort of bird. Eagle. Eagle's good" he said.

"What? Oh! Yeah, eagle's pretty cool… snake's not so great though, I mean can you imagine all that slithering around on your belly?"

"So what do you want to be?" asked Draco, resting his forearms on the table.

"Me… I dunno. I'd like to be something fast. Maybe a cheetah. Or maybe a fox? Or tiger?"

"Go for tiger" Draco yawned.

"Okay… do you want to go first or shall I?"

"Whatever. I'll go first," Draco said. He stood up slowly and blinked then shook his head. He took out his wand.

"Transfigurus" he murmured, making smooth, rapid movements. There was a second where Ron could see Draco's body change shape; his arms turn dirt brown, his hair flatten and wrap into his face, his nose and mouth elongate, his arms and legs shorten and his eyes change from blue to gold. The next second, where Draco once stood flapped a great bald eagle, trying to balance uneasily with its talons. It screeched once and Draco reappeared.

Ron was amazed at how easily Draco changed into his Animagus form.

"Very well done Mr. Malfoy!" McGonagall commented from her desk.

"Mm. Thank you" he said then sat back in his chair. He put his forearms down and rested his head on them to watch his partner. Ron stood nervously up.

"T… Trans…" he stammered. For some reason he couldn't do it. Somehow he just knew… it wasn't right… he shouldn't do it…

"Transfigurus!" he said, copying the wand movements. He felt his bones move and change shape, could see his vision changing to a fox's… then…

"Ahhhhh!" he yelled in pain, writhing on the floor as searing hot pain ripped through his body. Harry and Hermione were at his side immediately.

"You all right?" they asked.

What a bloody stupid question, Ron thought, but responded with a loud scream.

"Professor, can we take him… her… to the Infirmary?" Hermione asked.

"Yes, go, quick!" McGonagall said worriedly. Taking one arm each, Harry and Hermione supported Ron's weight on their shoulders and helped his walk out of the room. Once outside, Hermione eased off Ron's balaclava gently.

"There now, we'll take this off first, must be really hot in…" she stopped.

"What… is…" Ron gasped, beads of sweat gathering on his forehead.

"Oh gawd… Ron?" Harry asked. "What the hell happened?"

Ron couldn't reply. He bent over and started coughing.

"Ron? Omigod… Hermione!"

"I know I know!" Hermione said hurriedly. She grabbed Ron's arms again, but he wrenched himself away from her. Ron coughed as he felt ice chill and intense heat flash in his body, so closely after one another it was as if he was hot and cold at the same time. He felt his body changing shape as he passed out onto the floor.

"Ron? Ron, are you all right?" Hermione asked anxiously as Ron opened his eyes.

"Hermione, let him breathe please…" Madam Pomfrey said, pushing the girl back a bit. She turned her attention to Ron.

"There now, try to sit up… good. Here, drink this, and when you're done you can have some chocolate" she said, handing a warm cup and a slab of chocolate to the woozy Ron. Ron sipped the liquid and immediately felt better as a warm, sugary lemon flavor filled his mouth. He put the chocolate on the table next to the bed and sipped the lemony drink again. Hermione and Harry waited patiently for Pomfrey to exit the room. Once she closed the door, they pounced.

"Ron, what happened?"

"How're you feeling?"

"Huh?" Ron asked.

"Okay, okay… what happened?" Hermione asked.

"What happened? Uh… I dunno? Why?"

"You looked… well…" Hermione started.

"Awful. Like a cross between some red furry animal with big ears and…"

"Yourself. Veronica" Hermione finished, staring pointedly at Ron who looked down at himself. He looked normal now.

"Oh"

"Please explain why you looked like Veronica?" Harry said.

"Oh… uh…"

"Ron" Hermione said in a warning tone.

Ron sighed. "I agreed to try a batch that Fred and George made. Apparently one word and you can change from male to female, just like that"

Hermione and Harry gaped.

"Do you have any idea how DANGEROUS that was, Ron?" Hermione shrieked.

"I may have had some small notion that it was, yes," Ron said sarcastically. He put down the cup and started nibbling on the chocolate.

"You could have been killed!"

"You don't say"

"Stop being so sarcastic and be SERIOUS. You KNEW it was dangerous, you KNEW you could have DIED. WHY did you take the thing anyway?" Hermione said angrily.

Draco's face flashed in Ron's vision and he shook his head slightly. He hopped off the bed, landing uneasily on his feet.

"Well?" Hermione demanded.

"You… I…" Ron looked at his best friends' expectant faces. The best friends who loved each other; the best friends whose lives were absolutely perfect in every way.

"Forget it. You just wouldn't understand," he said.

"What wouldn't we understand? C'mon Ron, we're your friends, you can tell us anything"

"Oh yeah, you two, both with your own perfect lives. SURE you'll understand me. Just FORGET IT, all right?" Ron said angrily and pushed past a rather hurt Hermione. He stormed back to the Gryffindor tower, back to his room and punched his pillow in fury.

About two hours later Ron was lying on his back on the bed, staring at the ceiling when Fred and George made their appearance.

"Ron!" they yelled, banging open his door. Ron jumped.

"You two!" he said irritably.

"So sorry bro, we had to go to class… you understand?"

"No, I do NOT understand. I had to go to class. As a FEMALE. Because YOU didn't tell me what the word was"

"Sorry…"

"So, are you going to tell me the word, or what?"

The twins grinned.

"Change" they said in unison.

"What? 'Transfiguro'? Isn't that kinda similar to Transfigurus? Does it really work, or are you just kidding?"

"You doubt us?"

"To be frank, yes"

"Try it then!"

"Fine… transfiguro" Ron said, feeling a bit stupid. He heard a rustling and cracking noise and felt his body change. Fred and George looked delighted.

"Success!" they said and exchanged high-fives. Ron felt his face, looked at his long hair.

"How do I turn back?" he asked.

"Just say the word again"

"Transfiguro" Ron said and turned back into his normal self.

"So, are we geniuses, or what?" Fred asked proudly. Ron walked to the door silently, slightly shaken, and placed his hand on the doorknob. He opened the door and paused then turned back and grinned at his brothers.

"Or what" he said and left.

Ron looked out at the scenery from the Astronomy Tower.

I can change into Veronica now. I can change into Veronica now. Oh gawd…

Ron sighed.

Do I tell Draco?

No. I shouldn't.

Yes.

No.

Yes.

No.

Urghhhh…

Ron was so deep in thought he didn't hear anyone walk up until he noticed a pair of arms next to his.

"Hey"

Ron spun and his heart skipped a beat.

Speak of the devil…

"Hi" he said casually.

"You skipped Transfiguration class" Draco said matter of factly.

"I did? Oh, yeah, well, I was uh… not feeling well"

"Someone took your place. Some weird person"

"Oh. Really?"

"Yeah"

The two stood in silence.

"So… what you doing in Transfiguration?" Ron asked.

"Eh. Easy stuff. Changing form"

"That's easy?"

"That's hard?"

"Well I'm TOLD it's hard…"

Draco scowled. "Feh. Easy. Even YOU would be able to do it"

"Gee, thanks, I think"

Draco smirked to himself then looked away.

He's so beautiful, I should just tell him, he'll understand… right? Right? Ron thought.

What is my problem… I'm actually talking to Weasley… But he's so… no he's not! How did that thought get in there? I HATE Weasley; he is just a stupid git and someone to talk to, that is all. No it's not… arghhh why am I even THINKING like this? Draco wondered, frowning.

I'm going for it, Ron decided.

"Uh… Draco?" he asked timidly. Draco whirled around; startled by the fact that Ron called him 'Draco', not Malfoy.

"What?"

"I have uh… something to say"

Draco rolled his eyes. "Obviously"

"No, it's more of a… confession"

Draco tensed. "Confession?"

"Yeah… I know I should have told you a long time ago but I was just scared of what you would think and…" Ron trailed off.

"What is it?" Draco asked, a little nervously.

"I… Veronica… she… I…"

"What about Veronica?" Draco asked. Oh gawd, please don't let her be hurt, please let her be okay… is that what Weasley wanted to tell me? Maybe he didn't tell me earlier because he hates me?

"Is she okay?" he asked. Ron looked uncomfortable.

"Well uh… the thing about her is she's…" Ron halted, unsure what to say next.

"She's WHAT? Tell me!"

"I…"

"Weasley!"

Ron sighed and took in a deep breath.

"Please don't hate me for this" he murmured. He closed his eyes and said the word.

"Transfiguro"