Chapter Eight
It was very late and the fire in the Gryffindor common room was beginning to burn out. The room was empty except for Draco who sat staring at the dying flames. He had a lot to think through. It felt different being in Ginny's place. Almost like someone had unlocked the door to a dark dank prison he had been in and now he knew what freedom really was. There was something oddly familiar about his thoughts, almost like he had pondered them before but sleep overcame him.
The next day found Draco laying on the sofa in front of the empty fire place. The sound of students going to the Great Hall woke him. He sat up, rubbed his eyes and yawned. Running a hand through his hair he stood up and prepared to go to his dorm to change when he was stopped in the doorway.
"Drake, where were you?" Ron asked, Harry behind him.
"What do you care?" A stab of guilt punctured his conscience. Hadn't Ginny said something about Ron being a good brother?
"I wish you'd hurry and get over this phase you're in." Ron passed Draco and Harry gave him a sympathetic smile before leaving as well.
After getting dressed Draco followed the remaining Gryffindors to the Great Hall and sat down next to a couple of fourth years and began to eat. While eating he realized that if he didn't show up for his classes he'd get detentions which would take him away from figuring out how to get out of this universe. So, looking at his schedule, he resigned himself to acting the part if Ginny Weasley.
Though is attitude about classes changed, the rest of himself hadn't. He acted above everyone else in class, refused to participate, but when pressed with questions he'd answer correctly, yawn, then look away from the Professor. The rest of the students in his classes looked at him in amazement. The boy they thought they knew had changed considerably, and most thought it was for the worse.
Potions was the only class in which Draco was on his guard. He thought it would be good fun to show Snape who was boss without being caught.
"Today we will be making Befuddling Potions." Snape announced once everyone took their seats.
Snape began to write the ingredients on the board while explaining the many uses and the origin of the potion. Draco, however, was not listening as he began his potion. His partner, however, looked horrified at the defiance being shown.
"Mr. Weasley." Snape said, turning around. Draco looked up and smiled. "What are you doing?"
"I'm making the potion, Professor." Draco said in such a tone every student in the class held their breath in anticipation.
"I have not given you permission. Ten points from Gryffindor." Snape was about to walk away but Draco wasn't going to lie down and take this.
"Professor, I demand that you give back those points." Draco watched Snape turn slowly around.
"What was that?" If Snape had looked at anyone else the way he was looking at Draco they would have made a run for it, but Draco was used to much worse treatment, so he continued.
"I asked you to give back those points, seeing as I have done nothing wrong." Draco crossed his arms over his chest.
Snape's lip curled. "Twenty points from Gryffindor."
"Professor, you will give back those points." Draco's voice was as cold as ice.
It seemed that the two of them were trying to stare each other down. The only sound was that of the frothing salmon colored potion. Snape blinked.
"And what ideas are floating around in that small brain of yours to make you think I'd give you back those points?"
"I've made the potion, Professor, and have done everything you have asked me to do." Draco watched as Snape looked closely at the boiling liquid.
"I doubt you've made it flawlessly, but we shall see." Snape walked to his desk and pulled something out of the drawer. He returned with a small vial of something purple. "If you have made the Befuddling potion to perfection it will remain the same color if I drop this liquid into it. But if you haven't, as I suspect, it will change a nasty green and I will take fifty points from Gryffindor and give you a detention."
Many people gasped, others craned their necks to get a better view. Snape uncorked the small bottle, tilted it over the potion, and the soft plunking noise of one liquid hitting another echoed around the room. With bated breath the class watched, expecting the potion to turn green, but it hadn't. Minutes went by with no change.
Snape looked ready to kill. "Dismissed." He hissed. "Everyone, out!" He yelled the last part, then returned to his desk.
The entire class left the dungeons, everyone cheering Draco. Their cheers and yells continued all the way up to the first floor and into the many corridors. It got so loud that people began peering out of classrooms to see what was going on. Students clasped Draco on the shoulders, congratulating him. A few girls trailed behind him, batting their eyes when chanced to look in their direction. It was McGonogall who finally came out of her class to tell them to be quiet and return to their tower.
At lunch the rumor of Draco's defeat swept through all the houses. Everyone was pleased to see Snape's sour face looking down on them, all except the Slytherins.
Ginny looked across the Great Hall at Draco, seeing everyone she knew pat him on the back. She couldn't take it any more. She quickly got up from her table and darted out of the room.
~*~*~
There was nowhere for her to go. She would have usually gone to her friends, but they were now fawning over Draco. Her brother, Harry and Hermione would just shun her. She was every teacher's bane. Ginny ended up in her dorm, alone on her bed.
She hated being the person she was. She couldn't stand to have no one to turn to, to see the look of malice on everyone's face she passed. To know that everyone despised her for something she had never done.
"I hate this life!" She yelled. "I wish I was myself again."
Ginny had a sudden case of déjà vu, but before she could figure out where she had heard those words before she heard a soft tapping on her window.
Ginny wiped her eyes and looked at the closed window. There was a silhouette of someone outside. She ran to the window and opened it to find Draco on his broom. He had a sack over his shoulder and the wind was sweeping through his hair.
"What are you doing?" Ginny asked, bewildered.
"Well, I saw you leave lunch early, so I decided to bring lunch to you." Draco smiled.
Ginny moved aside to let Draco in and he landed inside. He propped his broom against the wall and laid the food out over a table. Ginny couldn't believe it, but all her favorite food was on the table.
"How did you—"
"It's in your diary," Draco began. "It seems you write down every little detail of your day in there."
Ginny's face turned red at knowing Draco could read her most deepest secrets, but remembered she had flipped through his little notebooks.
"Come on, dig in." Draco said.
Ginny could tell instantly that something was different with him. It seemed that being a Weasley was agreeing with him, and Ginny didn't like it.
"Just get out!" She yelled, then ran over to her bed to continue her sobbing from before.
"Come on, Ginny." Draco walked cautiously to the bedside. "Tell me what's wrong."
Ginny peered at him through a crack in her arms. She slowly lifted her head, her hair matted to her tear stained face. "I don't want to be you any more."
Draco's heart wrenched for two reasons. The first was knowing that his life was so bad. He had to stand away from it to get a good look, and what he saw displeased himself. The second was seeing Ginny cry. For the first time ever he didn't want to see a Weasley cry.
"Look, Ginny, we'll get out of this. We'll find a way." Draco sat down and put his arm around her.
"I don't think we will. I have this sick feeling in my gut that I'll be you forever." Ginny paused, then her eyes brightened. "Hey, we should tell Hermione. She's the smartest witch I know. She'll find a way."
Draco's face changed. "I don't think we should tell any one else…especially not Hermione. Besides, who'd believe us?"
"No, I really think we should. She could help and—"
"No!" Draco yelled, standing. "Now come on, you have to hurry and eat this. We have classes soon."
Draco walked over to the food and stared at it. Ginny watched him begin to eat a little, but her appetite was lost. She knew what she had to do…even if it meant going behind Draco's back.
It was very late and the fire in the Gryffindor common room was beginning to burn out. The room was empty except for Draco who sat staring at the dying flames. He had a lot to think through. It felt different being in Ginny's place. Almost like someone had unlocked the door to a dark dank prison he had been in and now he knew what freedom really was. There was something oddly familiar about his thoughts, almost like he had pondered them before but sleep overcame him.
The next day found Draco laying on the sofa in front of the empty fire place. The sound of students going to the Great Hall woke him. He sat up, rubbed his eyes and yawned. Running a hand through his hair he stood up and prepared to go to his dorm to change when he was stopped in the doorway.
"Drake, where were you?" Ron asked, Harry behind him.
"What do you care?" A stab of guilt punctured his conscience. Hadn't Ginny said something about Ron being a good brother?
"I wish you'd hurry and get over this phase you're in." Ron passed Draco and Harry gave him a sympathetic smile before leaving as well.
After getting dressed Draco followed the remaining Gryffindors to the Great Hall and sat down next to a couple of fourth years and began to eat. While eating he realized that if he didn't show up for his classes he'd get detentions which would take him away from figuring out how to get out of this universe. So, looking at his schedule, he resigned himself to acting the part if Ginny Weasley.
Though is attitude about classes changed, the rest of himself hadn't. He acted above everyone else in class, refused to participate, but when pressed with questions he'd answer correctly, yawn, then look away from the Professor. The rest of the students in his classes looked at him in amazement. The boy they thought they knew had changed considerably, and most thought it was for the worse.
Potions was the only class in which Draco was on his guard. He thought it would be good fun to show Snape who was boss without being caught.
"Today we will be making Befuddling Potions." Snape announced once everyone took their seats.
Snape began to write the ingredients on the board while explaining the many uses and the origin of the potion. Draco, however, was not listening as he began his potion. His partner, however, looked horrified at the defiance being shown.
"Mr. Weasley." Snape said, turning around. Draco looked up and smiled. "What are you doing?"
"I'm making the potion, Professor." Draco said in such a tone every student in the class held their breath in anticipation.
"I have not given you permission. Ten points from Gryffindor." Snape was about to walk away but Draco wasn't going to lie down and take this.
"Professor, I demand that you give back those points." Draco watched Snape turn slowly around.
"What was that?" If Snape had looked at anyone else the way he was looking at Draco they would have made a run for it, but Draco was used to much worse treatment, so he continued.
"I asked you to give back those points, seeing as I have done nothing wrong." Draco crossed his arms over his chest.
Snape's lip curled. "Twenty points from Gryffindor."
"Professor, you will give back those points." Draco's voice was as cold as ice.
It seemed that the two of them were trying to stare each other down. The only sound was that of the frothing salmon colored potion. Snape blinked.
"And what ideas are floating around in that small brain of yours to make you think I'd give you back those points?"
"I've made the potion, Professor, and have done everything you have asked me to do." Draco watched as Snape looked closely at the boiling liquid.
"I doubt you've made it flawlessly, but we shall see." Snape walked to his desk and pulled something out of the drawer. He returned with a small vial of something purple. "If you have made the Befuddling potion to perfection it will remain the same color if I drop this liquid into it. But if you haven't, as I suspect, it will change a nasty green and I will take fifty points from Gryffindor and give you a detention."
Many people gasped, others craned their necks to get a better view. Snape uncorked the small bottle, tilted it over the potion, and the soft plunking noise of one liquid hitting another echoed around the room. With bated breath the class watched, expecting the potion to turn green, but it hadn't. Minutes went by with no change.
Snape looked ready to kill. "Dismissed." He hissed. "Everyone, out!" He yelled the last part, then returned to his desk.
The entire class left the dungeons, everyone cheering Draco. Their cheers and yells continued all the way up to the first floor and into the many corridors. It got so loud that people began peering out of classrooms to see what was going on. Students clasped Draco on the shoulders, congratulating him. A few girls trailed behind him, batting their eyes when chanced to look in their direction. It was McGonogall who finally came out of her class to tell them to be quiet and return to their tower.
At lunch the rumor of Draco's defeat swept through all the houses. Everyone was pleased to see Snape's sour face looking down on them, all except the Slytherins.
Ginny looked across the Great Hall at Draco, seeing everyone she knew pat him on the back. She couldn't take it any more. She quickly got up from her table and darted out of the room.
~*~*~
There was nowhere for her to go. She would have usually gone to her friends, but they were now fawning over Draco. Her brother, Harry and Hermione would just shun her. She was every teacher's bane. Ginny ended up in her dorm, alone on her bed.
She hated being the person she was. She couldn't stand to have no one to turn to, to see the look of malice on everyone's face she passed. To know that everyone despised her for something she had never done.
"I hate this life!" She yelled. "I wish I was myself again."
Ginny had a sudden case of déjà vu, but before she could figure out where she had heard those words before she heard a soft tapping on her window.
Ginny wiped her eyes and looked at the closed window. There was a silhouette of someone outside. She ran to the window and opened it to find Draco on his broom. He had a sack over his shoulder and the wind was sweeping through his hair.
"What are you doing?" Ginny asked, bewildered.
"Well, I saw you leave lunch early, so I decided to bring lunch to you." Draco smiled.
Ginny moved aside to let Draco in and he landed inside. He propped his broom against the wall and laid the food out over a table. Ginny couldn't believe it, but all her favorite food was on the table.
"How did you—"
"It's in your diary," Draco began. "It seems you write down every little detail of your day in there."
Ginny's face turned red at knowing Draco could read her most deepest secrets, but remembered she had flipped through his little notebooks.
"Come on, dig in." Draco said.
Ginny could tell instantly that something was different with him. It seemed that being a Weasley was agreeing with him, and Ginny didn't like it.
"Just get out!" She yelled, then ran over to her bed to continue her sobbing from before.
"Come on, Ginny." Draco walked cautiously to the bedside. "Tell me what's wrong."
Ginny peered at him through a crack in her arms. She slowly lifted her head, her hair matted to her tear stained face. "I don't want to be you any more."
Draco's heart wrenched for two reasons. The first was knowing that his life was so bad. He had to stand away from it to get a good look, and what he saw displeased himself. The second was seeing Ginny cry. For the first time ever he didn't want to see a Weasley cry.
"Look, Ginny, we'll get out of this. We'll find a way." Draco sat down and put his arm around her.
"I don't think we will. I have this sick feeling in my gut that I'll be you forever." Ginny paused, then her eyes brightened. "Hey, we should tell Hermione. She's the smartest witch I know. She'll find a way."
Draco's face changed. "I don't think we should tell any one else…especially not Hermione. Besides, who'd believe us?"
"No, I really think we should. She could help and—"
"No!" Draco yelled, standing. "Now come on, you have to hurry and eat this. We have classes soon."
Draco walked over to the food and stared at it. Ginny watched him begin to eat a little, but her appetite was lost. She knew what she had to do…even if it meant going behind Draco's back.
