A/N: Just letting you know, I'm only online during the weekends and vacations, so that's when you'll get your updates: don't bother checking any other time! Also, I do NOT do slash, so bear in mind PLEASE that the Pansy and Hermione scenes are FRIENDSHIP. Thank you. :-)
"She doesn't need idiots like you making her miserable either!" Harry retorted angrily, losing his temper slightly. "I don't get why you have to be so damn offensive! What is it Malfoy, a defense mechanism? A souvenir of a tortured past? Well goody for you – as of now, I officially don't care whether you were barbequed in tar tar sauce and fed to cannibals!"
Draco stood up abruptly, his gray eyes literally flashing. "Say that again."
*
"Oh, I can stand Mudblood, but you insult my friend like that…he's got something coming to him all right!" Hermione vowed, and the others looked at her in surprise. She grinned mischievously. "What, I'm not allowed to scheme?"
"Nope, you've got to get your learner's permit first," Pansy remarked, letting go of Ginny's hand and hugging her knees to her chest. "Tomorrow, we launch Operation Draco. Tonight, we get some rest."
*
Harry stood up with an amused look on his face. "What, did I upset you?" he asked mockingly, enjoying himself immensely.
"Mildly," Draco replied without a flinch. Harry raised a questioning eyebrow.
"How exac-"
"How do you think you can come off with that shit?" he interrupted abruptly. "You don't know the first thing about me and I know I haven't given you room to but doesn't that give you the hint that you and my personal life don't mix?" No one, no one, in the train carriage had ever seen Draco so angry. Even Crabbe and Goyle, who were now jerked awake by the sound of yelling, were looking at their leader in shock. Draco had his hands balled up into tight fists, his eyes reduced to slits. Even Harry looked beyond surprised.
"Steady on, he didn't mean to pry," Fred said reasonably. Draco rounded on him.
"Oh don't get me started on you Weasleys!" he said looking at Ron, Fred and George. "You lot are a whole other issue!" George held up his hands in surrender.
"OK, we opt to stay out of this," he said, pointing to him and Fred.
"Bloody right you will," Draco said, glaring venomously at them. Harry, meanwhile, was at somewhat of a loss.
"I didn't know that would get you so-"
"Yeah that's right. You don't know jack shit." Draco flung himself onto a seat moodily. Instantly, Ron got up as red as his hair.
"Look, I don't know what goes on with you," Draco opened his mouth to say something but Ron barreled on, obviously trying to get his two cents in before he could get interrupted. "But why do you do that?" The insulting, cursing; what's in it for you?" The wand in Draco's hand was quivering from suppressed power and rage, and now it sent a huge blue beam at the window behind Ron. It shattered with an earsplitting crack.
"Shut up! Just shut up all right? It's none of your damn business Weasley!" he yelled, starting to completely lose it.
"It is our business when we're on the receiving end of it!" Ron bellowed back. The two infuriated teens glared at each other, chests heaving from the yelling, Harry forgotten. Both had their wands clutched in their hands ready to be whipped out at any moment.
"Now it's personal," Draco whispered, the statement laced with open hate. Ron nodded, eyes narrowed.
"I should say so."
--
Pansy looked over at Ginny and Hermione, who were sleeping soundly, with a small grin on her face. It had been years since she had talked to females without a sneer. It's not that bad, she thought, looking up at the inky black sky wonderingly. It's been a long day and I came out of it with allies, which is more than Draco can say. Go me.
--
After a couple minutes of glaring, the twins decided it was time to break the tension, like always. "God save our noble queen, God save our hobbled Queen, for she is OLLLDDD!!!" they sang robustly. Ron and Harry scowled at them, obviously not in the mood to laugh, while Draco denied them any response whatsoever. George frowned, but his jolly spirit wasn't intimidated by the challenge. "Hogwarts, Hogwarts, Hoggy Warty Hogwarts…"
Draco groaned. "Thanks for reminding me, I really need to know that once I'm done here I have to go there." George stopped dead.
"That's actually a very good point," he replied, defeated. "How annoying." Fred rolled his eyes.
"This is so pathetic- I forgot how stupid we were as fifth years." Harry, Ron and Draco all sighed impatiently. "We're off, I'm bloody tired," he added, conjuring up two fluffy pillows. Fred tossed one to his twin, who caught it with a grin, and they both settled on the floor for the night. Draco took off his coat and propped it up into a little pile as a makeshift pillow while Harry and Ron settled their heads on their jumpers. Five minutes later, it was apparent that perhaps it was just as well the girls had left; the snores rocked the carriage like an earthquake.
--
Ginny opened her eyes and was met with an unusually perfect landscape picture. Acres and acres of rolling hills topped with a periwinkle blue sky made up the English countryside. For England in September, this was incredibly rare. She smiled happily, the humiliation of the previous night ebbing away. Next to her, Hermione and Pansy were waking up slowly, rubbing their eyes sleepily. "Morning sleepyheads," Ginny said to them happily. Hermione waved an exhausted hand at her with what sounded like 'errgghh' and Pansy held up her middle finger without even thinking about it. Ginny giggled. "Well thanks a lot. Anyway, it's really late. I bet the guys were up ages ago." Pansy opened her eyes and rolled them in disgust.
"Who gives a damn about them?" she asked impatiently. "I certainly don't- and besides, look." Pansy stuck out her leg; a big green streak was boldly splashed across her black pants. "Potter stained my trousers!" Hermione opened her eyes. Pansy's blatantly put out voice made Ginny and Hermione burst out into fresh peals of laughter, cascading over the still picture of morning like a waterfall; granted a loud, raucous waterfall, but a waterfall nonetheless. "He did though! And they're my best ones too," Pansy protested. As she pouted, Ginny and Hermione were nowhere near the end of their laughing. Pansy picked morosely at the grass as the other two subsided into contained giggles.
"I've got some extras if you need them, we're probably around the same size," Hermione offered kindly. Pansy looked over, grateful.
"Thanks Granger."
"No trouble," Hermione replied quietly, a little embarrassed at offering Pansy Parkinson trousers, of all people. Ginny cleared her throat.
"I'm going to get changed behind that bush," she said, nodding towards a large shrub.
"We'll make sure Potter doesn't catch you in your knickers," Pansy drawled lazily, sounding like a female, but friendlier, Draco.
"Bloody right you will," Ginny mumbled, flushing magenta. She got up with some clothes in her arms and ducked behind the bush. Pansy looked around whistling 'Morning Had Broken'. Hermione looked over at her curiously.
"Hey look," she said pointing to their faces. "No budding babies!" Pansy laughed but grimaced at the memory of having to get dozens of little Mandrake buds removed from her face.
"Lord that was a mess," she said sighing.
"Can you even remember why we did that?" Hermione asked, trying to sound casual but hoping for an interpretive answer. Pansy thought about it before answering. Yeah, because you were a brown-nosed library geek who thought too much of herself. But looking at her 'arch-enemy', who was now folding her sweater, Pansy couldn't quite hate her.
"No, I can't." Hermione looked up, a slow smile spreading across her face, and without another ugly thought Pansy returned it.
--
Ginny came back five minutes later dressed prettily in a denim dress. Hermione opened her mouth to say she liked the outfit, but Pansy opened hers first. "No way that'll never do!" The other two girls looked at her in surprise.
"What, is it the wrong size or something?" Ginny asked uncertainly, looking down at herself. Pansy shook her head, sitting up.
"Not at all, it's just for the plan I have in mind that-that whole image,"she waved her hands in a general way at Ginny, "has to go." Hermione lay on her stomach putting her head on her heads comfortably, listening attentively.
"What are you talking about?" Ginny asked, unnerved.
"I'm talking about you moron," Pansy replied irritably, but 'moron' was said more like an impatient word choice than an insult. "I'm talking about no more pigtails, a lack of blush in every case and no more innocent aura, get it?" Ginny shook her head slowly, though her instincts were telling her that this would go nowhere good, whatever it was. On the other hand, recognition was dawning on Hermione.
"That will be very difficult," she said doubtfully. Pansy shrugged, not worried.
"The way I figure it, after getting wind of Draco's rant yesterday Dumbledore won't be letting us out anytime soon anyway." Hermione nodded, but Ginny was looking at both older girls confusedly.
"Will someone please tell me what's going on?!?" Ginny exclaimed in frustration. Pansy looked up at her and patted a spot of grass next to her mass of blankets. Ginny sat down awkwardly, due to the dress, and began to listen as Pansy explained.
--
"I don't like this!" Ginny groaned while Pansy took out her heart bobble hair holder. She threw it to Hermione who caught it and began to twirl it around her finger.
"It won't work if one of us does it," Hermione said pointedly.
"But –" Ginny started before cutting herself off hopelessly.
"But what Weasley?" Pansy snapped, taking out her wand and pointing it at Ginny's hair.
"I just don't think I can do it!" she said. "And you do you really think he's thick and horny enough to fall for it?"
"Yes," Hermione and Pansy answered together resolutely.
"Fine," Ginny said, defeated. She sighed heavily and then gasped when her hair felt like a swimming pool was being poured over it. "What was that?!?"
"Relax, it's just a Colouring Charm," Pansy replied breezily.
"A Colouring Charm?" Ginny squeaked, remembering the fiasco last year when Lavender Brown became Lavender Blonde.
"I'm just enhancing the color, not changing it!" Pansy rolled her eyes over the panicked girl's head to Hermione, who bent down to look Ginny in the eye.
"Look, if you really don't want to do this you don't have to," she said. Ginny bit her lip, thinking: Malfoy calling Hermione a Mudblood…distributing 'Potter Stinks' badges during the Tournament…revealing in her second year that she had sent the singing valentine to Harry…constantly making jokes about her family's lack of gold…daring to even think she'd go out with him…
"Well?" Pansy asked impatiently, having paused her plan for Ginny's answer.
"Keep going, he deserves everything he gets," Ginny said firmly. Pansy grinned.
"Good egg- Granger, is this color too dark?"
--
One hour later found Pansy and Hermione waiting patiently for Ginny while she changed behind the bushes once again. Pansy looked over at Hermione who was reading 'Four Spores and Seven Years Ago," no doubt trying to keep up with Herbology. "If we're going to pull this off we need to really act," Pansy reminded her. Hermione flipped a page of her book.
"Yup."
And if we're going to do this together…" Pansy trailed off uncomfortably, sticking her hand out. Hermione looked up and shook it.
"Agreed." At that moment, Ginny came out of the bushes, walking stiffly. Hermione dropped her book in shook when she saw her before laughing. "Ron's going to have kittens when he sees you Gin!" she said, making Ginny go pale.
"I hadn't thought about him!" Ginny moaned, putting her head in her hands.
"Forget him Weasley, it's not him that needs to have kittens when he sees you," Pansy said sternly. Ginny nodded, still a little panic-stricken thinking of her older brother's probable reaction. "Anyway, you look perfect."
"Thanks," said Ginny surprised.
"OK, we'll just change and then…" Pansy grinned, "we're going in."
--
True to Ginny's assumption earlier, the guys had gotten up earlier. To their surprise though, the twins had already vanished, but not before leaving a note. Harry walked over and picked it up, his face dark: how dare they leave now?!?
Trapped Men-
Dumbledore decided to cut us a break! Convenient eh? I don't think I'd be able to stand another second of Ferret battling our little brother, I've still got a horrendous headache. I suppose you think that's funny! Well it is. Usually it's YOU getting a headache from US. Anyway, right now George is packing our stuff and we'll be out of here by the time you're up. As of now you're all sleeping like babies, so I think that's a safe presumption (to use a Percy word). Don't worry, we'll be sure to fill everyone back at school what's been going on in this train carriage…
-Formerly Trapped Fred
Harry looked under the writing to see a crude drawing of some stick figures: there was a stick figure with a lightning bolt scar standing next to one with a red face and messy hair. He fought the urge to laugh when he saw the other stick figures: a very poor attempt at a ferret trying to sneak up a red haired girl's skirt. The girl was sitting next to a somewhat bushy haired girl, who was reading a book, and there were two huge stick figure people sleeping the corner. They resembled potato sacks somewhat. Not far from the ferret and girls, another stick figure was standing with her stick hands on her stick hips, huge lips planted on her face. Harry tossed the note to Ron biting his lip so that he wouldn't laugh. Ron skimmed it, obviously still in a bad temper, and grinned at the picture, although the ferret climbing up the skirt didn't seem to register as humorous in his head. Draco, who had been up long before anyone else, snatched it out of Ron's hands (who scowled angrily) and read it. The cartoon did not amuse him.
"Lucky them," he commented, dropping the note on the floor. Crabbe and Goyle grunted sleepily and fought over who got to read the note before ripping it in half. They sat there, bewildered, before shrugging and going back to sleep. Harry and Ron glared at him briefly and then went back into their corner and opening a deck of Exploding Snap cards. They didn't invite Draco to play; this gave Draco nothing to do. Bored, he took out a blank sketchbook he had found in his bags and began to draw. He smirked when the red haired boy he'd drawn threw himself into the well he had also drawn. I could get the hang of this drawing thing, he thought to himself, setting about on drawing a messy black haired boy hanging himself publicly.
Their morning passed without much incident. Draco drew pages and pages of violent drawings, and then one of a girl's face. It was a pretty one, with big brown eyes that sparkled. He dotted the nose lightly with freckles before his quill stopped in horror. Without another thought he ripped it up and threw it out the window of the carriage. He watched the pieces fly away with the wind, swirling about each other as if trying to reassemble into the whole. Harry and Ron played several games of Exploding Snap before taking out the chess set. Draco had a good snigger at the insults the chessmen threw up at Harry, an obviously poor player. Grudgingly, Draco admitted to himself that Ron was a good one though; he one every game with strategic moves even Lucius couldn't think up, and he was an excellent player. Harry and Ron were now playing 'Who Can Lose First?' out of the impending boredom when the door slammed open; someone was back.
--
Hermione came in wearing dark jeans, her white tank top, a blue hooded sweater and looking exhausted. "Hullo Ron, Harry." They looked up and grinned at the sight of another friendly face.
"Hi Hermione," Ron said, motioning to an empty seat. Harry grinned at her, and Hermione returned it.
"Where's Ginny?" Harry asked frowning, when he noticed no one was with her. Hermione looked up from looking at the chessboard.
"I don't know…we couldn't find her last night." Ron and Harry looked concerned.
"Nowhere?" Ron asked disbelievingly.
"Well it was dark: we called for her but she didn't answer." She bit on her lip, looking worried. Draco, who had been listening ever since she came in, was shocked despite himself. Weasley went and got herself lost? Why would she be so stupid as to go wandering somewhere that she doesn't know? He thought to himself. Harry got up.
"We've got to go find her! Anything could have happened to her by now; remember the bugs?" Hermione and Ron both shivered from the memories of the bugs. Ron got up too.
"Yeah let's go." Hermione looked alarmed all of a sudden, which puzzled Draco. A second later the panic was gone from her face, not a trace remaining.
"If she doesn't come back in fifteen minutes we'll go," she said, pulling on their shirts. "Maybe she just needed some time alone." Harry hesitated, but nodded. Ron sat down and Harry soon followed.
"So you were out there with Parkinson?" Ron asked, sniggering. Hermione scowled.
"No, we split up. She's such a priss, she wouldn't even sleep on the ground. Honestly, I don't know why we were ever sort of teamed up to begin with. I saw her making some sort of ridiculous bed thing out of leaves last night; she'll be here soon probably." Ron and Harry laughed.
"You must really hate her: your face just went all…" Ron laughed again. Hermione rolled her eyes.
"Well she is rather annoying." Five minutes went by and the conversation was light: how did you sleep, when do you think we'll get home, etc. All of a sudden the door slid open again, and a furious Pansy met their eyes, wearing the stained black trousers and a tight green top.
"I have never slept so badly! Damn bugs everywhere, leaves up my shirt…and something took my trunk! I found some clothes strewn everywhere but it took most of my good clothes." she shuddered before sitting next to Draco; they could practically see the steam streaming out her ears. Harry and Ron looked at each other fighting the temptation to laugh, while Draco inched himself away from her carefully. Unnoticed, Hermione grinned at Pansy and Pansy winked back.
"Nice to have you back," Draco said sarcastically. Pansy glared at him.
"I didn't ask you. I'm still narked with you, so don't get me started!" she said dramatically. Draco mocked fear.
"Oh no, Pansy's going to maul me with her nails!" he said, sniggering. She scowled and sat back against the window. She had just leaned back when the door slammed open once more, and she jumped from the window in pure shock. Everyone's jaw dropped.
--
Ginny had been standing outside the door for a good ten minutes, frozen to the bone. She was uncomfortable in Pansy's clothes and horribly nervous about what she was about to do. Pressing her ear to the door she heard 'Oh no, Pansy's going to maul me with her nails!' Draco. Ginny gulped and took in a deep breath; this plan could afford no mistakes. She had to be bold, convincing…very un-Ginny like in other words. Maybe if I treat it like a play, she thought desperately, like at home. I'm a decent actress; I can pull this off, right?
Don't screw this up, she told herself strictly. This is for every person Malfoy ever insulted. Remember that. Shaking herself of her doubt, she slammed the door open and the charade began.
--
Everyone blinked to make sure they weren't seeing things. Ron's face was turning purple from rage. "Virginia Weasley what are you doing in leather pants??" Ginny looked down at the black leather pants in question and shrugged.
"What are you doing in a striped shirt?" she asked, looking him up and down. Ron narrowed his eyes.
"This isn't funny Gin." He looked back at her outfit in disbelief: black leather pants, a very tight, very low black shirt with tons of silver bracelets jangling about her wrists. Her red hair was darkened to auburn and put up into a messy bun, little tendrils of ginger hair hanging down, framing her face. Her lips were darkened as well to a deep cranberry color, her eyelashes thick and black and her lids with eyeliner applied expertly. Pansy and Hermione chanced a sneak glance at each other; their faces spelled triumph for that one fleeting instant. Draco was looking completely shell-shocked.
"I didn't mean for it to be funny," she replied rolling her eyes and leaning against the doorframe, arms crossed. She crossed her legs at the ankle, drawing everyone's attention to her boots. Pansy sprang into action.
"You little bitch, you took my clothes!" she shrieked, getting up enraged. Narrowing her eyes she started charging towards Ginny obviously trying to knock her down or something, but in one instant Harry got up and grabbed Pansy's arm at the same time Ginny sent a forceful spell towards Pansy from the tip of her wand nonchalantly. A beam of purple light burst from her wand, the power of it knocking both Harry and Pansy onto the floor. Draco's jaw had yet to be closed. This is too much, he thought wildly, willing himself to close his mouth.
"So what if I did? I didn't bring anything good; I have to say your taste is better than mine was." Ginny smirked at the two people on the floor, fighting to get up against the spell she had cast. "Now what do you say?" she asked, twirling her wand between her fingers lazily. Harry gasped out after getting hit with another purple beam.
"Sorry! Sorry Gin ok? Just get rid of the spell!" he said angrily. Ginny shrugged and flicked her wand. Pansy and Harry collapsed, exhausted from the struggle.
"You shouldn't try to fight my spells," she said slyly, straightening up slightly. "They're pretty powerful when they want to be."
Ron got up furiously. "Ginny, cut it out or I'll write to Dumbledore!" Ginny looked over at him and sneered.
"Oh scary," she said sarcastically. "When did you become Dad Ron?" At this, Pansy and Draco actually sniggered. Ginny raised an eyebrow, waiting for an answer.
Ron spluttered, lost for words. "You're my baby sister!" he burst out finally. Ginny's eyes narrowed.
"Not anymore," she replied icily. Ginny turned to face the rest of the people in the carriage, and Crabbe and Goyle woke up. Crabbe nudged Goyle.
"Who's the girl?" he asked Goyle, not bothering to lower his oafish voice. Goyle shrugged.
"Dunno, but she's hotter than Pansy." Pansy rolled her eyes to herself, but scowled for the pretense of being angry. Harry and Ron laughed and Hermione looked over at Ginny to see how she was doing. Ginny looked confident under all the makeup, and Hermione breathed easy once again. Draco reached out his leg and kicked Goyle.
"Shut up," he said, not able to quite believe how very stupid they were. Ginny's head snapped over to look at him. Draco stared back evenly.
"You," she said, voice heavy with bitter hate.
"Me," he replied, a little amused at the abrupt personality change.
Her face changed from icy to considering. "You know, it's all thanks to you I had this little reality check," she informed him, gazing at him steadily. He raised an eyebrow.
"Really." It was a statement, not a question. Somehow, Draco felt that to talk to this new Virginia Weasley he'd have to be as aloof as she was.
"Really. I owe you for that- it's about time someone told me the truth anyway," she said, tracing her wand with her index finger, now lacquered with a blood red nail. "Everyone always makes it sugar sweet for me for some reason," she said, her voice hard with dislike. Hermione looked at Ron with big eyes, and he looked stonily back; his baby sister was obviously going through some phase, and he didn't like it one bit. "But you're pretty straightforward aren't you Draco?" she asked him, staring at him through her lashes.
"You could call me that," he said, leaning back in his seat starting to enjoy himself. It had been a long time since there was a conquest worth conquering, and this girl was proving worthy.
"I did- would you?" Tricky, he thought, considering this.
"I wouldn't use that particular word," he said finally. Ginny looked intrigued.
"What word would you use?" she asked, coming a little closer.
"I wouldn't," he answered, looking her up and down again; it really was unbelievable what some leather pants could do for a wallflower. Ron meanwhile was silently fuming, noticing the definite chemistry between his sister and enemy.
It's working, it's working! Hermione was thinking joyously, having trouble keeping her face passive.
Who would've thought she had it in her? Pansy thought admiringly, leaning absently against Harry and watching curiously at what would happen next.
--
In Hogwarts, one hundred and twenty students were staring at a screen in complete and utter disbelief.