A/N: This is the quickest I've updated the story in quite a while! This is
why we should get holidays from school more often. :)
Thanks to Gryffindor 620, ckat44, La Pamplemousse, gaia-moore, lilbutterfly, dav, Ptter-luvver, Brittany Malfoy, Tiani Lunaris, AlastrionaSnape, Denara, MedNar, Lil Nena, fragmentpieces, wildchild8, MM&AD4ever, Kyra Invictus Black, Mab, PotionsGoddess, Daxi, RivanKnight, Lahna, Tin, Bindi, Professor Farfie, Lissie89, Jade Kirk and Max LBC, Lady Shadowlight, Lady Fortune, HIEIhotsause, Elza, midniteblusoccer, Sphinxey, and mystic for the WONDERFUL reviews! I have gotten more reviews for the past chapter than I've ever gotten for any of the others.
I made it to 100! You have no idea how excited I was when I signed on to ff.net and found all of those fantastic review. You guys are the best! Thank you so much!
~MESSAGES~
Gryffindor620: Even if I hadn't reached 100 reviews, I would have still updated the story. It's just too much fun to write! :) I'm glad you're enjoying reading it! And thank you for reviewing!
La Pamplemousse: LOL, your review had me rolling on the floor! No, Snape doesn't know how he's acting, but whether or not he likes it...I have no idea. I agree with you, though, but it's still a disturbing thought. *shudders*
gaia-moore: I promise I'll help Ron out soon, but I have yet to decide if he will be humiliated first. :)
lilbutterfly: I hope your floor isn't too hard. :)
Tiani Lunaris: LOL! "Genius" is way too kind of you to say, but thank you anyway! That mental image of Draco is really funny, too. Do you remember what story that was?
AlastrionaSnape: I haven't decided how long the spell is going to last on the trio yet. It depends on whether or not I have to humiliate Ron. :)
Denara: You spit water all over your computer? *smiles sheepishly* Sorry...I've done that before, so you're not alone. :) I'm glad you liked the description of Snape. It honestly hit me at the last second.
MedNar: I'm glad you're enjoying to story! Snape has been given a woman's personality. Basically, he thinks he's a woman. *grins* And it doesn't last for very long. It ends in this chapter actually. I'm glad you like the idea of an alternate ending. I'm still just toying with it, but I'm liking the idea of it more and more myself.
Lil Nena: Thank you so much for adding me to your favorites! I'm glad you like the story that much. What would you think about two endings? The original one I was intending to write (in which Hermione and Snape do not wind up together) and one in which they do.
fragmentpieces: Thank you for the suggestion! That would be pretty funny. :) Thank you again for reviewing!
wildchild8: I'm glad you liked the chapter. Thank you for reviewing!
Kyra Invictus Black: Thank you for the suggestion! And thank you for reviewing!
Mab: You fell off your bed? LOL! I'm sorry...Um, get a tight grip on the edge of your bed or something before you read the first couple of pages of this chapter. :)
PotionsGoddess: I wasn't planning on making this a Hermione/Snape story when I started it, but there are many people who want it to be. So what I was thinking what I would do is write two endings; the original ending I was planning on and an alternate one in which they do wind up together. What do you think? Snape is being mean to the trio because he isn't going to let them (a bunch of kids) make a fool out of him. Someone once told me in a review that they are glad Snape is having fun with this "revenge" stuff because his life has been very dark and there was never a lot of time for fun. That's the way I see it, too.
Daxi: LOL! Dragqueen is a good guess, but not quite. He...um, he thinks he's a woman. :) And yes, I have thought about making it a romance fic, but I'm still not sure. Just keep encouraging me!
Lahnu: I'm so happy it made your day!
Lissie89: I'm glad you like this story so much! Thank you for that wonderful review!
Lady Shadowlight: I'm so glad it made your day!
LadyFortune: Thank you for the wonderful suggestions!
HIEIhotsause: LOL!
Elza: Wow, I have never gotten such a wonderful review. Thank you so much! And I completely agree with you about Snape enjoying the revenge. He hasn't had many opportunities in his life to be happy, but I think he's sure enjoying himself now! Don't worry, I'm still definitely still thinking about an alternate ending. I'm liking the idea more and more myself. :) Thanks again!
midniteblusoccer: Thank you for the suggestion! I am going to do something to humiliate poor Ron, but I haven't decided what yet...
Sphinxey: I don't know if I'm really a "genius" or not, but thank you for saying so!
I bow down to the best beta in the world: Lissie!
Disclaimer: I own nothing; J. K. Rowling owns everything. So what's new?
~PLEASE READ BEFORE YOU READ THE CHAPTER~
Snape has not been changed into a dragqueen. He has a women's personality. In other words, he actually thinks he's a woman!
********
Chapter Nine - 'Phase Six' continued
THUD! The only sound that could be heard in the Great Hall was that of Hermione hitting the floor. No one seemed to notice, however; not even Harry and Ron. They were too busy staring at their handiwork, who seemed to be the only one who had heard the noise Hermione had made. He stopped posing for the Great Hall suddenly, got a worried look on his face, and clip-clopped in his high-heels from the Great Hall doors to where Hermione (A/N: Remember! In Harry's body!) sat on the floor, legs still on the bench, fingers splayed at her sides.
"Oh dear," Snape said, with a huskiness Hermione had never noticed before. She guessed that it was supposed to sound sultry and sexy, in a sense, but it wasn't working. "That was quite a nasty fall," he continued, offering his hand to Hermione. "Are you okay, dear?" All Hermione could do in response was make a noise in her throat before taking the offered hand and getting her legs back under her to stand.
"There you go," said Snape, patting Hermione on the head before continuing on to the Head Table, swinging his hips as he walked. Hermione's mouth fell open as she sat down again on the bench next to Ron. The entire Great Hall was watching Snape's every move as he walked up the three steps and along the Head Table toward Dumbledore.
"Albus Dumbledore," Snape purred once he reached the Headmaster. Dumbledore's mouth was in the shape of a small "O", and his eyes looked owlish behind his glasses. He looked Snape head-to-toe before the look of shock disappeared and he cleared his throat to speak.
"Please," he said, looking out into the sea of staring eyes, "continue on with your meal. Breakfast is very important, you know." He gave an uncomfortable chuckle before sliding his seat back and standing up. Dumbledore looked at the students again.
"Go on," he repeated when no one moved. They did this time, slowly at first but laughter and surprised chit-chat soon filled the Great Hall with noise. The professors, however, were all still frozen with shock as they continued to stare at Snape.
"Severus," Dumbledore said, lowering his voice considerably, "come with me, please." Dumbledore took Snape by the elbow and led him through a hidden door behind the Head Table.
"Where are we going?" whispered Snape.
"To my office," answered the Headmaster.
"I didn't know this door led to your office."
"It leads wherever you want it to lead."
"Then why are we going to your office? Why don't we go someplace a bit more cozy?" Dumbledore stopped in his tracks and looked at Snape, eyebrows raised. "Oh Dumbledore!" Snape exclaimed, resting his hands on the Headmaster's chest. "Don't play coy with me! You and I both know that there has been something going on between us for months, you sly devil you." Snape wagged his finger at Dumbledore's nose.
"What?" whispered Dumbledore, taken aback.
"I'm just saying that I think we should go someplace a bit more comfortable..." Snape leaned slightly toward the other man. Dumbledore regained his composure finally. With the back of his head pressed against the wall behind him, Dumbledore reached up and gingerly took Snape's hands off of his chest.
He was very calm as he said, "Why don't we continue this conversation in my office?" Without waiting for a reply, he took Snape by the elbow again and continued to steer him in the direction of the door at the end of the corridor. Snape protested a little more, but Dumbledore kept his grip firm. As promised, the Headmaster's office opened up before them at the end of the corridor. His office was always warm and inviting, but Dumbledore was too distracted to pay any attention. He sat Snape (whose hat wobbled dangerously from all the movement) down in an overstuffed chair in front of his desk before conjuring up a pot of tea, cups, and some lemon tarts.
"Tea, Severus?" Dumbledore asked in a slightly high voice. Snape shifted in his seat before crossing one hairy (and highly visible) leg over the other.
"Yes please," he purred. Now that Dumbledore was over the shock of seeing Snape for the first time, he looked the Potion's Master over a bit more closely as he handed Snape a cup. His appearance, although disturbing in many ways, was actually quite amusing. Dumbledore knew for a fact (A/N: Dumbledore knows everything; except, of course, who is responsible for Snape's sudden change.) that Severus did not dress that way in private. So, there was some other explanation. But what was it? As Dumbledore was walking back to his desk, he glanced at Fawkes. The beautiful phoenix usually remained calm and completely unflappable in any given situation. Snape's appearance, however, obviously disturbed the bird. He was absolutely still on his perch, staring at Snape with wide eyes. Dumbledore finally smiled about the situation.
"So," he said, sitting down. He didn't say anything while Snape removed his hat. His hair had been teased to twice its normal size, framing his face like a lion's mane. "This is...an interesting change, Severus."
"Oh, I'm so glad you like my new hairdo," he said, fluffing it up on either side of his face. Their chit-chat preceded in this manner for more than an hour, with Dumbledore asking questions and receiving very feminine answers from Snape. By the end of their discussion, Dumbledore had come to the conclusion that Snape was the victim of a string of practical jokes. His personality had been completely altered; he was bright and happy, and he smiled and laughed at every funny thing Dumbledore said. He also now, very obviously, had a woman's personality. And he was actually being nice; not something one experienced very often from Severus Snape. Dumbledore, however, decided that despite these changes, there was no reason Severus shouldn't continue to teach his classes.
He even told Snape so, and the response he got was, "Why Albus! Why would I not teach my classes? It's not like I'm completely different, you know." Snape chuckled at his own statement before standing up. Dumbledore tired very hard to not laugh out loud as he stood to escort Snape from the room. "That was such a wonderful chat! We must do it again sometime. But for now, I have a class to teach in five minutes." Severus was beginning to lean in to kiss Dumbledore's cheek, but the Headmaster quickly took Snape's hand and kissed the back of it.
"Yes, we must," he said, releasing Snape's hand. Severus smiled sweetly at the Headmaster before exiting his office and closing the door behind him. Dumbledore stared at the door, feeling extremely surreal. After a moment or two, he turned and walked to his desk. He laid a couple of fingers on the old wood, as if assuring himself that it wasn't a dream. He released the desk and walked to Fawkes. He patted the phoenix lightly on the head before facing the door once more. Suddenly, the image of Snape standing in the doorway of the Great Hall, chin thrust into the air, one leg exposed to the knee, large purple hat covered in flowers, rushed back into Dumbledore's mind, and the Headmaster began to laugh.
Dumbledore was still laughing several minutes later, sitting on the edge of his desk with tears running down his face. Once he had calmed down slightly, he looked at Fawkes. The poor phoenix was staring at Dumbledore the same way he had been staring at Snape the first time he had come into the office. Dumbledore smiled apologetically at the bird. He would have begun laughing again if he hadn't been already gasping for breath. 'Whoever did that to Severus,' thought Dumbledore, removing his glasses to wipe his eyes, 'is very, very brave, because once that spell wears off, he is going to be very, very mad.' ~ Snape's classes changed dramatically over the next couple of days. He encouraged the students to laugh, talk, and help each other with their potions. And speaking of potions, the kind of potions they were assigned changed, too. On Monday, they made one that would conceal gray hairs, and Tuesday's assignment had been to make your own shades of fingernail polish, even for the boys. Snape would walk around the room while they were working and start up a conversation with each of them in turn. He also made jokes and offered constructive criticism. When he wasn't doing that, he was sitting behind his desk filing his long red nails. Draco Malfoy had a hard time keeping his jaw from hitting the floor whenever Snape would laugh in a high-pitched squeak at someone's joke. The most disturbing thing of all was that Snape would flirt with Dumbledore, whether it was during a meal or a chance meeting in a corridor. The rest of the professors thought this was hilarious, and even Dumbledore's eyes would twinkle in amusement. The one professor who had a hard time finding humor in the situation was McGonagall. She would watch Snape constantly during meals, mouth slightly open. Her shock over the whole situation disappeared completely when Snape stuck his tongue out at her during breakfast Tuesday morning. Everyone half expected to see steam coming out of her ears after that.
The trio thought all of this was extremely amusing, but two out of the three were having their own problems with being in each other's bodies. Hermione was highly embarrassed that Ron refused to answer a single question during classes, and she was getting sick and tired of all the attention she got being Harry. She could hardly walk five feet without drawing hundreds of pairs of eyes from younger students. Ron complained constantly of not getting enough sleep because the other girls in the dorm wouldn't stop talking and giggling. Harry, however, appeared to have no problems being Ron. The main reason was that he didn't have eyes always watching him, and that was a feeling he hadn't had in quite a while. Everything got worse for Hermione when Harry gave her some extremely disturbing news Wednesday morning before breakfast.
"What? There's going to be a Quidditch Match on Friday? This Friday?" she asked, staring wide-eyed at Harry.
"Yes. Uh...Did you not remember that, Harry?" he asked, looking pointedly at a couple of second year Ravenclaws who had turned around at the mention of Harry's name. Hermione saw them and was quiet. She started again, however, once they were seated in the Great Hall.
"Why didn't you tell me?" she asked Harry. "If I had been given a little more warning, I would be more prepared for it."
"I'm sorry, Hermione," said Harry, reaching for a biscuit. "I've been a little preoccupied lately."
"Well so am I, Harry," she huffed, "and I don't have time to worry about Quidditch." Harry and Ron looked at her quickly.
"You don't have much choice, Hermione," said Ron. "I mean, unless you break a bone or something within the next couple of days."
"I haven't had any practice being a Seeker," she whispered shrilly. Harry was just about to say something when the Great Hall doors opened. Everyone turned to look, fully expecting to see Snape in another outlandish outfit and smiling sweetly (it had become apparent in the last couple of days that Snape enjoyed making a late entrance). What they did see, however, came as a bit of a surprise. It was Snape standing in the doorway, but it was the old Snape. His hair was once again greasy and hanging limply around his shoulders; he was wearing his usual black billowy robe, and there wasn't a spot of makeup on his face, not even to cover the bags under his eyes. His pose, however, wasn't his usual no-nonsense stance. Instead of standing tall, hair out of his face, hands clasped tightly behind his back, Severus Snape was hunched over slightly, hands balled into fists at his sides, and his hair hung in his face, hiding most of his eyes. It was the angriest Harry thought he had ever seen Snape. Apparently, the entire Great Hall agreed; no one said a word. Snape looked from table to table, staring hard at each cluster of students. He had just directed his gaze toward the Head Table when Dumbledore stood.
"Severus," he said cheerfully, obviously happy to see the Potion's Master back to normal, "nice to have you back. Please, join us." With that, he motioned toward Snape's usual seat and sat back down in his own. Everyone in the Great Hall held their breath, waiting for Snape's reaction. Slowly, Snape walked across the Great Hall and to the Head Table. He didn't look at anyone along the way. Once he was seated, everyone else went back to their breakfast but continued to watch Snape. Harry noticed that Snape didn't touch a thing during breakfast nor did he speak to any of his colleges. He just stared at the trio the whole time, and it was making them more than a little nervous. As soon as breakfast was over, they grabbed their bags and ran out of the Great Hall quickly. They had just reached the stairs when they heard a sound that stopped them in their tracks.
"You three, come with me," said Snape striding past them. Feeling the bottoms fall out of their stomachs, they turned and followed Snape in the direction of the Potion's classroom.
"Why is he back to normal so soon?" whispered Hermione as quietly as possible.
"I guess the spell wasn't as strong as I thought," whispered Harry while Ron shrugged his shoulders. Snape didn't seem to notice their quiet conversing as he walked quickly through the dungeons. He shoved the classroom door open and walked to his desk. He had just sat down when Hermione, Harry, and Ron walked in. Snape used his wand to close the door and to conjure three chairs directly in front of his desk. The trio sat, watching Snape anxiously.
"So," he said, looking at each one in turn, "have you three been enjoying the little show you caused the last couple of days?" All three furrowed their brows in confusion.
"How did you know about that?" asked Harry (in Ron's body).
"Well Mr. Potter, I wouldn't have known anything about it if I hadn't met Sir Nicholas by chance this morning. He said something about how good it was to see me back to normal, right before he made some comment about my fingernail polish not matching my outfit on Tuesday. Naturally, I was confused, so I asked him..." The trio, however, didn't pay any attention to the rest of his words. They were all stuck on something he had said in his first sentence.
' "Mr. Potter"?' thought Hermione. 'How had he known that it was Harry?' She suddenly realized that Snape was still talking and refocused on his words immediately.
"...and I thought that he had to be joking. So I look down and sure enough- " Snape held up his hands "-red fingernail polish. Unfortunately, I didn't have the pleasure of hearing the rest of his story because of the pounding in my head." He smiled in a sarcastic manner at them.
"Excuse me, sir," said Hermione, "but I believe you called Ron "Mr. Potter" at the beginning of your story."
"Miss Granger, are you getting your friends confused already? That- " he said, pointing to Ron, "-is Mr. Potter, and that -" he said, pointing at Hermione, "-is Mr. Weasley. I managed to keep them straight..." He looked back at Hermione, grinning slightly.
"So the spell you cast wasn't random! You purposely put us in these specific bodies," Hermione said, leaning forward in her seat. "Why?" Snape shrugged at her question.
"Much more amusing this way," he said. They were all quiet for a minute before Ron spoke up.
"So...are we getting detention or something?"
"Not this time, Mr. Weasley. What gave you that idea?"
"Well," Harry said, "you did bring us here for a reason, right?"
"Of course! I wanted you three to realize that I am perfectly aware of your last little prank and that I am, at this very moment, working on something...very special." He grinned evilly at Hermione. Both she and Harry sat straight up in their chairs at the look on his face.
"Professor!" protested Harry. "I'm the one you got you with the spell! Whatever it is you're going to do, do it to me."
"Oh, but I am, Mr. Potter," said Snape. Harry and Hermione looked at him, confused.
"That's what makes this situation so perfect, you see. Everyone will see you, Mr. Potter, and it will be you who has to suffer the consequences, but it will be Miss Granger's mind. She will experience it and be perfectly aware of what is going on, but she will have no way to stop it. Two for the price of one." Snape curled his lip at their appalled expressions.
"Now, I believe it is time for you to return to your class." He stood and used his wand to open the door. The trio gathered their stuff and started out of the classroom.
"Oh, Miss Granger," Snape called just as Hermione reached the doorway. "Good luck on Friday." Hermione's eyes widened as she looked at Snape, trying to read his face. His features were virtually unreadable, but his eyes glinted challengingly. Hermione couldn't respond at all, so she closed the door without a word. She told Harry and Ron about it as they were leaving the dungeons.
"Good luck? Good luck for what?" asked Ron. Hermione only shrugged.
"Well," said Harry, "he could mean good luck for either the Quidditch match or for whatever it is he's planning."
"I know," said Hermione, "and both of those possibilities are beginning to scare me." ~
"Harry," whispered Hermione, "I think I'm going to be sick."
"But Hermione," said Harry, taking his broom off of his shoulder, "you did...great when we practiced last night." Hermione knew that that was a lie. She had been so shaky that it was a miracle she had stayed on Harry's broom. Nevertheless, she felt a surge of gratitude toward Harry for trying to make her feel better. Oh, she had done fine Wednesday when they had gotten out of bed in the middle of the night to practice at the Quidditch Pitch. By the light of their wands, Hermione had caught the Snitch within thirty minutes every time. But that had been Wednesday night. It had felt like she had an eternity to practice before she would actually have to play. Thursday night, however, her nerves had caught up with her. She had caught the Snitch only once, even though they had practiced late into the night. Hermione, however, was too wound up to be tired. She smiled slightly at Harry.
"Thanks," she said. Harry smiled reassuringly at her. Then the Gryffindor team left the locker room and walked out onto the pitch. Hermione had never before been on the field when the stands were full. The roaring of the crowd was almost deafening at times, but the pounding of Hermione's heart seemed louder to her. The Slytherin team had just walked out of their own locker room across the field from the Gryffindors. Hermione kept her gaze on Draco Malfoy (the captain) because she was sure she would get nauseous if she looked at the crowd.
"Alright, shake hands captains," said Madam Hooch when the teams met in the center of the field. Hermione and Malfoy stepped forward. She tried to keep her face passive as she offered her hand.
"Okay, into the air," said Madam Hooch, releasing the two Bludgers and picking up the Quaffle. Once the players were in position, a whistle was blown somewhere and the Quaffle was thrown into the air. Hermione immediately flew high into the air to keep a better watch on the action below. Harry's broom was the newest model (WindRacer 3500) and it seemed as if it could read Hermione's mind; she felt like she was floating on air instead of riding a broom. Even though Malfoy's broom wasn't as new as the one Hermione was riding, he didn't seem too worried about it as he followed Hermione into the air and stopped barely fifteen feet from where she was hovering. She sneered at him.
"Still can't find the Snitch on your own, Malfoy?"
"Shut it, Potter," he responded, watching who he thought was Harry closely. Hermione turned away from him and watched as the real Harry protected the three goals exceptionally well. In fact, Slytherin hadn't scored at all while Gryffindor was already up by thirty points. The Beaters from the Slytherin team were repeatedly hitting the bludgers toward Harry, trying to knock him off his broom. They never managed to actually hit him, but he had to duck once at the last second, leaving the far right goal unprotected long enough for Slytherin to score. Suddenly, Malfoy took off in the opposite direction. He was lying as close to his broom as possible, barreling toward the other end of the pitch. A murmur of excitement rose from the crowd, but Hermione didn't move. She watched as Malfoy slowed down to turn at the at the end of the field. Malfoy sat back a little on his broom as he continued to glide along the other side of the field. He stopped when he was directly across from Hermione. They sat there glaring at each other. Hermione hadn't chased Malfoy because Harry had warned her that he would probably try something like that. Breaking eye contact, Hermione shot even higher into the air. She was several feet above the stands and was able to see every inch of the Quidditch Pitch. It was a truly breathtaking sight. The score was announced, and Gryffindor was still ahead but Slytherin was quickly catching up. Hermione began looking for the Snitch. Forty minutes later, she was feeling very frustrated. There was no sign of the Snitch. Hermione could tell that Malfoy was feeling the same way. He moved restlessly from one end of the field to the other. Hermione stopped traveling like Malfoy and hovered near the Gryffindor goal posts instead. Hermione watched as Harry used the end of Ron's broom to knock the Quaffle away from the middle post. He saw Hermione watching him, and he smiled at her. He looked tired from guarding the posts for over an hour, but he also looked like he was having fun.
Suddenly, Harry got a very strange look on his face. He looked from the field to Hermione and back. He pointed to the middle of the field and yelled her name. Hermione followed his gaze. What she saw nearly stopped her heart. Malfoy was lying low on his broom again, a look of upmost concentration on his face. Then Hermione saw the glint of gold in the middle of the field. It was the Snitch! Hermione molded herself to the broom handle and took off like a bullet. Malfoy had a major head start, but maybe, just maybe, she could beat him to it. The next few seconds seemed to pass in slow motion. Hermione stretched out her hand as much as possible just as Malfoy did the same. The speed of the broom had mostly made up for lost time, but Hermione was afraid it wouldn't be enough.
'Almost,' she thought, stretching out her fingers a little more. 'Almost...'
Meanwhile, in the kitchens, a man with a hooked nose took a vial of bright blue liquid from his black robes and walked toward the Gryffindor table...
~
"Hermione, you have to eat something," said Harry, shaking Hermione's arm.
"I'm not hungry," she said quietly.
"It's not the end of the world, you know," continued Harry.
"Yeah," agreed Ron, "we lost by only twenty-five points. And then you accidently hit Malfoy when you missed the Snitch! His bloody nose more than makes up for it." Harry and Ron looked toward the Slytherin table. Malfoy was there, discussing Slytherin's victory very loudly.
"Stupid Potter can't see straight," Malfoy said, grinning at what he thought was Harry's slumped over form. Ron and the real Harry glared at him.
"Ignore him," said Ron. "He has no business calling anyone "stupid" anyway." Hermione lifted her head slightly and smiled at Ron.
"Are you sure you're not mad at me?" she asked, looking from Ron to Harry.
"Of course not, Hermione!" exclaimed Harry. "Besides, even if we were, it disappeared completely when we saw your hand connect with Malfoy's nose." Ron nodded in agreement.
"Thanks," she whispered.
"You can thank us," said Ron, grabbing a basket of rolls, "by eating something." He offered the basket to her, and she took one. Her appetite finally came back to her, and she ate her fill of chicken, rolls, and potatoes.
"I'm glad you're feeling better," said Harry, watching her drink deeply from her cup. She set it back down and nodded at him. A piece of a roll was on its way to her mouth when she got a strange look on her face. Her eyes widened and her features stilled. She set the roll back onto her plate and stood up.
"Hermione?" whispered Harry and Ron together. She didn't seem to hear them, though. She just stood next to the table, not really looking at anything. A thought hit Harry and he looked at the Head Table. Snape was watching Hermione closely, a smile on his face. Harry looked back at Hermione, feeling slightly frightened. Harry didn't know what was going to happen, but he knew that it was Snape's revenge.
"Oh no," he whispered. Suddenly, Hermione stepped onto the top of the table. The Great Hall got quiet as everyone caught sight of who they thought was Harry. After a moment, Hermione turned slowly toward the Slytherin table.
"Draco Malfoy!" she shouted.
***********
Please review and let me know what you think! And while you're at it, check out stories by my beta, Lissie89. She is absolutely brilliant! Especially with the one shots she has been writing lately!
Thanks to Gryffindor 620, ckat44, La Pamplemousse, gaia-moore, lilbutterfly, dav, Ptter-luvver, Brittany Malfoy, Tiani Lunaris, AlastrionaSnape, Denara, MedNar, Lil Nena, fragmentpieces, wildchild8, MM&AD4ever, Kyra Invictus Black, Mab, PotionsGoddess, Daxi, RivanKnight, Lahna, Tin, Bindi, Professor Farfie, Lissie89, Jade Kirk and Max LBC, Lady Shadowlight, Lady Fortune, HIEIhotsause, Elza, midniteblusoccer, Sphinxey, and mystic for the WONDERFUL reviews! I have gotten more reviews for the past chapter than I've ever gotten for any of the others.
I made it to 100! You have no idea how excited I was when I signed on to ff.net and found all of those fantastic review. You guys are the best! Thank you so much!
~MESSAGES~
Gryffindor620: Even if I hadn't reached 100 reviews, I would have still updated the story. It's just too much fun to write! :) I'm glad you're enjoying reading it! And thank you for reviewing!
La Pamplemousse: LOL, your review had me rolling on the floor! No, Snape doesn't know how he's acting, but whether or not he likes it...I have no idea. I agree with you, though, but it's still a disturbing thought. *shudders*
gaia-moore: I promise I'll help Ron out soon, but I have yet to decide if he will be humiliated first. :)
lilbutterfly: I hope your floor isn't too hard. :)
Tiani Lunaris: LOL! "Genius" is way too kind of you to say, but thank you anyway! That mental image of Draco is really funny, too. Do you remember what story that was?
AlastrionaSnape: I haven't decided how long the spell is going to last on the trio yet. It depends on whether or not I have to humiliate Ron. :)
Denara: You spit water all over your computer? *smiles sheepishly* Sorry...I've done that before, so you're not alone. :) I'm glad you liked the description of Snape. It honestly hit me at the last second.
MedNar: I'm glad you're enjoying to story! Snape has been given a woman's personality. Basically, he thinks he's a woman. *grins* And it doesn't last for very long. It ends in this chapter actually. I'm glad you like the idea of an alternate ending. I'm still just toying with it, but I'm liking the idea of it more and more myself.
Lil Nena: Thank you so much for adding me to your favorites! I'm glad you like the story that much. What would you think about two endings? The original one I was intending to write (in which Hermione and Snape do not wind up together) and one in which they do.
fragmentpieces: Thank you for the suggestion! That would be pretty funny. :) Thank you again for reviewing!
wildchild8: I'm glad you liked the chapter. Thank you for reviewing!
Kyra Invictus Black: Thank you for the suggestion! And thank you for reviewing!
Mab: You fell off your bed? LOL! I'm sorry...Um, get a tight grip on the edge of your bed or something before you read the first couple of pages of this chapter. :)
PotionsGoddess: I wasn't planning on making this a Hermione/Snape story when I started it, but there are many people who want it to be. So what I was thinking what I would do is write two endings; the original ending I was planning on and an alternate one in which they do wind up together. What do you think? Snape is being mean to the trio because he isn't going to let them (a bunch of kids) make a fool out of him. Someone once told me in a review that they are glad Snape is having fun with this "revenge" stuff because his life has been very dark and there was never a lot of time for fun. That's the way I see it, too.
Daxi: LOL! Dragqueen is a good guess, but not quite. He...um, he thinks he's a woman. :) And yes, I have thought about making it a romance fic, but I'm still not sure. Just keep encouraging me!
Lahnu: I'm so happy it made your day!
Lissie89: I'm glad you like this story so much! Thank you for that wonderful review!
Lady Shadowlight: I'm so glad it made your day!
LadyFortune: Thank you for the wonderful suggestions!
HIEIhotsause: LOL!
Elza: Wow, I have never gotten such a wonderful review. Thank you so much! And I completely agree with you about Snape enjoying the revenge. He hasn't had many opportunities in his life to be happy, but I think he's sure enjoying himself now! Don't worry, I'm still definitely still thinking about an alternate ending. I'm liking the idea more and more myself. :) Thanks again!
midniteblusoccer: Thank you for the suggestion! I am going to do something to humiliate poor Ron, but I haven't decided what yet...
Sphinxey: I don't know if I'm really a "genius" or not, but thank you for saying so!
I bow down to the best beta in the world: Lissie!
Disclaimer: I own nothing; J. K. Rowling owns everything. So what's new?
~PLEASE READ BEFORE YOU READ THE CHAPTER~
Snape has not been changed into a dragqueen. He has a women's personality. In other words, he actually thinks he's a woman!
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Chapter Nine - 'Phase Six' continued
THUD! The only sound that could be heard in the Great Hall was that of Hermione hitting the floor. No one seemed to notice, however; not even Harry and Ron. They were too busy staring at their handiwork, who seemed to be the only one who had heard the noise Hermione had made. He stopped posing for the Great Hall suddenly, got a worried look on his face, and clip-clopped in his high-heels from the Great Hall doors to where Hermione (A/N: Remember! In Harry's body!) sat on the floor, legs still on the bench, fingers splayed at her sides.
"Oh dear," Snape said, with a huskiness Hermione had never noticed before. She guessed that it was supposed to sound sultry and sexy, in a sense, but it wasn't working. "That was quite a nasty fall," he continued, offering his hand to Hermione. "Are you okay, dear?" All Hermione could do in response was make a noise in her throat before taking the offered hand and getting her legs back under her to stand.
"There you go," said Snape, patting Hermione on the head before continuing on to the Head Table, swinging his hips as he walked. Hermione's mouth fell open as she sat down again on the bench next to Ron. The entire Great Hall was watching Snape's every move as he walked up the three steps and along the Head Table toward Dumbledore.
"Albus Dumbledore," Snape purred once he reached the Headmaster. Dumbledore's mouth was in the shape of a small "O", and his eyes looked owlish behind his glasses. He looked Snape head-to-toe before the look of shock disappeared and he cleared his throat to speak.
"Please," he said, looking out into the sea of staring eyes, "continue on with your meal. Breakfast is very important, you know." He gave an uncomfortable chuckle before sliding his seat back and standing up. Dumbledore looked at the students again.
"Go on," he repeated when no one moved. They did this time, slowly at first but laughter and surprised chit-chat soon filled the Great Hall with noise. The professors, however, were all still frozen with shock as they continued to stare at Snape.
"Severus," Dumbledore said, lowering his voice considerably, "come with me, please." Dumbledore took Snape by the elbow and led him through a hidden door behind the Head Table.
"Where are we going?" whispered Snape.
"To my office," answered the Headmaster.
"I didn't know this door led to your office."
"It leads wherever you want it to lead."
"Then why are we going to your office? Why don't we go someplace a bit more cozy?" Dumbledore stopped in his tracks and looked at Snape, eyebrows raised. "Oh Dumbledore!" Snape exclaimed, resting his hands on the Headmaster's chest. "Don't play coy with me! You and I both know that there has been something going on between us for months, you sly devil you." Snape wagged his finger at Dumbledore's nose.
"What?" whispered Dumbledore, taken aback.
"I'm just saying that I think we should go someplace a bit more comfortable..." Snape leaned slightly toward the other man. Dumbledore regained his composure finally. With the back of his head pressed against the wall behind him, Dumbledore reached up and gingerly took Snape's hands off of his chest.
He was very calm as he said, "Why don't we continue this conversation in my office?" Without waiting for a reply, he took Snape by the elbow again and continued to steer him in the direction of the door at the end of the corridor. Snape protested a little more, but Dumbledore kept his grip firm. As promised, the Headmaster's office opened up before them at the end of the corridor. His office was always warm and inviting, but Dumbledore was too distracted to pay any attention. He sat Snape (whose hat wobbled dangerously from all the movement) down in an overstuffed chair in front of his desk before conjuring up a pot of tea, cups, and some lemon tarts.
"Tea, Severus?" Dumbledore asked in a slightly high voice. Snape shifted in his seat before crossing one hairy (and highly visible) leg over the other.
"Yes please," he purred. Now that Dumbledore was over the shock of seeing Snape for the first time, he looked the Potion's Master over a bit more closely as he handed Snape a cup. His appearance, although disturbing in many ways, was actually quite amusing. Dumbledore knew for a fact (A/N: Dumbledore knows everything; except, of course, who is responsible for Snape's sudden change.) that Severus did not dress that way in private. So, there was some other explanation. But what was it? As Dumbledore was walking back to his desk, he glanced at Fawkes. The beautiful phoenix usually remained calm and completely unflappable in any given situation. Snape's appearance, however, obviously disturbed the bird. He was absolutely still on his perch, staring at Snape with wide eyes. Dumbledore finally smiled about the situation.
"So," he said, sitting down. He didn't say anything while Snape removed his hat. His hair had been teased to twice its normal size, framing his face like a lion's mane. "This is...an interesting change, Severus."
"Oh, I'm so glad you like my new hairdo," he said, fluffing it up on either side of his face. Their chit-chat preceded in this manner for more than an hour, with Dumbledore asking questions and receiving very feminine answers from Snape. By the end of their discussion, Dumbledore had come to the conclusion that Snape was the victim of a string of practical jokes. His personality had been completely altered; he was bright and happy, and he smiled and laughed at every funny thing Dumbledore said. He also now, very obviously, had a woman's personality. And he was actually being nice; not something one experienced very often from Severus Snape. Dumbledore, however, decided that despite these changes, there was no reason Severus shouldn't continue to teach his classes.
He even told Snape so, and the response he got was, "Why Albus! Why would I not teach my classes? It's not like I'm completely different, you know." Snape chuckled at his own statement before standing up. Dumbledore tired very hard to not laugh out loud as he stood to escort Snape from the room. "That was such a wonderful chat! We must do it again sometime. But for now, I have a class to teach in five minutes." Severus was beginning to lean in to kiss Dumbledore's cheek, but the Headmaster quickly took Snape's hand and kissed the back of it.
"Yes, we must," he said, releasing Snape's hand. Severus smiled sweetly at the Headmaster before exiting his office and closing the door behind him. Dumbledore stared at the door, feeling extremely surreal. After a moment or two, he turned and walked to his desk. He laid a couple of fingers on the old wood, as if assuring himself that it wasn't a dream. He released the desk and walked to Fawkes. He patted the phoenix lightly on the head before facing the door once more. Suddenly, the image of Snape standing in the doorway of the Great Hall, chin thrust into the air, one leg exposed to the knee, large purple hat covered in flowers, rushed back into Dumbledore's mind, and the Headmaster began to laugh.
Dumbledore was still laughing several minutes later, sitting on the edge of his desk with tears running down his face. Once he had calmed down slightly, he looked at Fawkes. The poor phoenix was staring at Dumbledore the same way he had been staring at Snape the first time he had come into the office. Dumbledore smiled apologetically at the bird. He would have begun laughing again if he hadn't been already gasping for breath. 'Whoever did that to Severus,' thought Dumbledore, removing his glasses to wipe his eyes, 'is very, very brave, because once that spell wears off, he is going to be very, very mad.' ~ Snape's classes changed dramatically over the next couple of days. He encouraged the students to laugh, talk, and help each other with their potions. And speaking of potions, the kind of potions they were assigned changed, too. On Monday, they made one that would conceal gray hairs, and Tuesday's assignment had been to make your own shades of fingernail polish, even for the boys. Snape would walk around the room while they were working and start up a conversation with each of them in turn. He also made jokes and offered constructive criticism. When he wasn't doing that, he was sitting behind his desk filing his long red nails. Draco Malfoy had a hard time keeping his jaw from hitting the floor whenever Snape would laugh in a high-pitched squeak at someone's joke. The most disturbing thing of all was that Snape would flirt with Dumbledore, whether it was during a meal or a chance meeting in a corridor. The rest of the professors thought this was hilarious, and even Dumbledore's eyes would twinkle in amusement. The one professor who had a hard time finding humor in the situation was McGonagall. She would watch Snape constantly during meals, mouth slightly open. Her shock over the whole situation disappeared completely when Snape stuck his tongue out at her during breakfast Tuesday morning. Everyone half expected to see steam coming out of her ears after that.
The trio thought all of this was extremely amusing, but two out of the three were having their own problems with being in each other's bodies. Hermione was highly embarrassed that Ron refused to answer a single question during classes, and she was getting sick and tired of all the attention she got being Harry. She could hardly walk five feet without drawing hundreds of pairs of eyes from younger students. Ron complained constantly of not getting enough sleep because the other girls in the dorm wouldn't stop talking and giggling. Harry, however, appeared to have no problems being Ron. The main reason was that he didn't have eyes always watching him, and that was a feeling he hadn't had in quite a while. Everything got worse for Hermione when Harry gave her some extremely disturbing news Wednesday morning before breakfast.
"What? There's going to be a Quidditch Match on Friday? This Friday?" she asked, staring wide-eyed at Harry.
"Yes. Uh...Did you not remember that, Harry?" he asked, looking pointedly at a couple of second year Ravenclaws who had turned around at the mention of Harry's name. Hermione saw them and was quiet. She started again, however, once they were seated in the Great Hall.
"Why didn't you tell me?" she asked Harry. "If I had been given a little more warning, I would be more prepared for it."
"I'm sorry, Hermione," said Harry, reaching for a biscuit. "I've been a little preoccupied lately."
"Well so am I, Harry," she huffed, "and I don't have time to worry about Quidditch." Harry and Ron looked at her quickly.
"You don't have much choice, Hermione," said Ron. "I mean, unless you break a bone or something within the next couple of days."
"I haven't had any practice being a Seeker," she whispered shrilly. Harry was just about to say something when the Great Hall doors opened. Everyone turned to look, fully expecting to see Snape in another outlandish outfit and smiling sweetly (it had become apparent in the last couple of days that Snape enjoyed making a late entrance). What they did see, however, came as a bit of a surprise. It was Snape standing in the doorway, but it was the old Snape. His hair was once again greasy and hanging limply around his shoulders; he was wearing his usual black billowy robe, and there wasn't a spot of makeup on his face, not even to cover the bags under his eyes. His pose, however, wasn't his usual no-nonsense stance. Instead of standing tall, hair out of his face, hands clasped tightly behind his back, Severus Snape was hunched over slightly, hands balled into fists at his sides, and his hair hung in his face, hiding most of his eyes. It was the angriest Harry thought he had ever seen Snape. Apparently, the entire Great Hall agreed; no one said a word. Snape looked from table to table, staring hard at each cluster of students. He had just directed his gaze toward the Head Table when Dumbledore stood.
"Severus," he said cheerfully, obviously happy to see the Potion's Master back to normal, "nice to have you back. Please, join us." With that, he motioned toward Snape's usual seat and sat back down in his own. Everyone in the Great Hall held their breath, waiting for Snape's reaction. Slowly, Snape walked across the Great Hall and to the Head Table. He didn't look at anyone along the way. Once he was seated, everyone else went back to their breakfast but continued to watch Snape. Harry noticed that Snape didn't touch a thing during breakfast nor did he speak to any of his colleges. He just stared at the trio the whole time, and it was making them more than a little nervous. As soon as breakfast was over, they grabbed their bags and ran out of the Great Hall quickly. They had just reached the stairs when they heard a sound that stopped them in their tracks.
"You three, come with me," said Snape striding past them. Feeling the bottoms fall out of their stomachs, they turned and followed Snape in the direction of the Potion's classroom.
"Why is he back to normal so soon?" whispered Hermione as quietly as possible.
"I guess the spell wasn't as strong as I thought," whispered Harry while Ron shrugged his shoulders. Snape didn't seem to notice their quiet conversing as he walked quickly through the dungeons. He shoved the classroom door open and walked to his desk. He had just sat down when Hermione, Harry, and Ron walked in. Snape used his wand to close the door and to conjure three chairs directly in front of his desk. The trio sat, watching Snape anxiously.
"So," he said, looking at each one in turn, "have you three been enjoying the little show you caused the last couple of days?" All three furrowed their brows in confusion.
"How did you know about that?" asked Harry (in Ron's body).
"Well Mr. Potter, I wouldn't have known anything about it if I hadn't met Sir Nicholas by chance this morning. He said something about how good it was to see me back to normal, right before he made some comment about my fingernail polish not matching my outfit on Tuesday. Naturally, I was confused, so I asked him..." The trio, however, didn't pay any attention to the rest of his words. They were all stuck on something he had said in his first sentence.
' "Mr. Potter"?' thought Hermione. 'How had he known that it was Harry?' She suddenly realized that Snape was still talking and refocused on his words immediately.
"...and I thought that he had to be joking. So I look down and sure enough- " Snape held up his hands "-red fingernail polish. Unfortunately, I didn't have the pleasure of hearing the rest of his story because of the pounding in my head." He smiled in a sarcastic manner at them.
"Excuse me, sir," said Hermione, "but I believe you called Ron "Mr. Potter" at the beginning of your story."
"Miss Granger, are you getting your friends confused already? That- " he said, pointing to Ron, "-is Mr. Potter, and that -" he said, pointing at Hermione, "-is Mr. Weasley. I managed to keep them straight..." He looked back at Hermione, grinning slightly.
"So the spell you cast wasn't random! You purposely put us in these specific bodies," Hermione said, leaning forward in her seat. "Why?" Snape shrugged at her question.
"Much more amusing this way," he said. They were all quiet for a minute before Ron spoke up.
"So...are we getting detention or something?"
"Not this time, Mr. Weasley. What gave you that idea?"
"Well," Harry said, "you did bring us here for a reason, right?"
"Of course! I wanted you three to realize that I am perfectly aware of your last little prank and that I am, at this very moment, working on something...very special." He grinned evilly at Hermione. Both she and Harry sat straight up in their chairs at the look on his face.
"Professor!" protested Harry. "I'm the one you got you with the spell! Whatever it is you're going to do, do it to me."
"Oh, but I am, Mr. Potter," said Snape. Harry and Hermione looked at him, confused.
"That's what makes this situation so perfect, you see. Everyone will see you, Mr. Potter, and it will be you who has to suffer the consequences, but it will be Miss Granger's mind. She will experience it and be perfectly aware of what is going on, but she will have no way to stop it. Two for the price of one." Snape curled his lip at their appalled expressions.
"Now, I believe it is time for you to return to your class." He stood and used his wand to open the door. The trio gathered their stuff and started out of the classroom.
"Oh, Miss Granger," Snape called just as Hermione reached the doorway. "Good luck on Friday." Hermione's eyes widened as she looked at Snape, trying to read his face. His features were virtually unreadable, but his eyes glinted challengingly. Hermione couldn't respond at all, so she closed the door without a word. She told Harry and Ron about it as they were leaving the dungeons.
"Good luck? Good luck for what?" asked Ron. Hermione only shrugged.
"Well," said Harry, "he could mean good luck for either the Quidditch match or for whatever it is he's planning."
"I know," said Hermione, "and both of those possibilities are beginning to scare me." ~
"Harry," whispered Hermione, "I think I'm going to be sick."
"But Hermione," said Harry, taking his broom off of his shoulder, "you did...great when we practiced last night." Hermione knew that that was a lie. She had been so shaky that it was a miracle she had stayed on Harry's broom. Nevertheless, she felt a surge of gratitude toward Harry for trying to make her feel better. Oh, she had done fine Wednesday when they had gotten out of bed in the middle of the night to practice at the Quidditch Pitch. By the light of their wands, Hermione had caught the Snitch within thirty minutes every time. But that had been Wednesday night. It had felt like she had an eternity to practice before she would actually have to play. Thursday night, however, her nerves had caught up with her. She had caught the Snitch only once, even though they had practiced late into the night. Hermione, however, was too wound up to be tired. She smiled slightly at Harry.
"Thanks," she said. Harry smiled reassuringly at her. Then the Gryffindor team left the locker room and walked out onto the pitch. Hermione had never before been on the field when the stands were full. The roaring of the crowd was almost deafening at times, but the pounding of Hermione's heart seemed louder to her. The Slytherin team had just walked out of their own locker room across the field from the Gryffindors. Hermione kept her gaze on Draco Malfoy (the captain) because she was sure she would get nauseous if she looked at the crowd.
"Alright, shake hands captains," said Madam Hooch when the teams met in the center of the field. Hermione and Malfoy stepped forward. She tried to keep her face passive as she offered her hand.
"Okay, into the air," said Madam Hooch, releasing the two Bludgers and picking up the Quaffle. Once the players were in position, a whistle was blown somewhere and the Quaffle was thrown into the air. Hermione immediately flew high into the air to keep a better watch on the action below. Harry's broom was the newest model (WindRacer 3500) and it seemed as if it could read Hermione's mind; she felt like she was floating on air instead of riding a broom. Even though Malfoy's broom wasn't as new as the one Hermione was riding, he didn't seem too worried about it as he followed Hermione into the air and stopped barely fifteen feet from where she was hovering. She sneered at him.
"Still can't find the Snitch on your own, Malfoy?"
"Shut it, Potter," he responded, watching who he thought was Harry closely. Hermione turned away from him and watched as the real Harry protected the three goals exceptionally well. In fact, Slytherin hadn't scored at all while Gryffindor was already up by thirty points. The Beaters from the Slytherin team were repeatedly hitting the bludgers toward Harry, trying to knock him off his broom. They never managed to actually hit him, but he had to duck once at the last second, leaving the far right goal unprotected long enough for Slytherin to score. Suddenly, Malfoy took off in the opposite direction. He was lying as close to his broom as possible, barreling toward the other end of the pitch. A murmur of excitement rose from the crowd, but Hermione didn't move. She watched as Malfoy slowed down to turn at the at the end of the field. Malfoy sat back a little on his broom as he continued to glide along the other side of the field. He stopped when he was directly across from Hermione. They sat there glaring at each other. Hermione hadn't chased Malfoy because Harry had warned her that he would probably try something like that. Breaking eye contact, Hermione shot even higher into the air. She was several feet above the stands and was able to see every inch of the Quidditch Pitch. It was a truly breathtaking sight. The score was announced, and Gryffindor was still ahead but Slytherin was quickly catching up. Hermione began looking for the Snitch. Forty minutes later, she was feeling very frustrated. There was no sign of the Snitch. Hermione could tell that Malfoy was feeling the same way. He moved restlessly from one end of the field to the other. Hermione stopped traveling like Malfoy and hovered near the Gryffindor goal posts instead. Hermione watched as Harry used the end of Ron's broom to knock the Quaffle away from the middle post. He saw Hermione watching him, and he smiled at her. He looked tired from guarding the posts for over an hour, but he also looked like he was having fun.
Suddenly, Harry got a very strange look on his face. He looked from the field to Hermione and back. He pointed to the middle of the field and yelled her name. Hermione followed his gaze. What she saw nearly stopped her heart. Malfoy was lying low on his broom again, a look of upmost concentration on his face. Then Hermione saw the glint of gold in the middle of the field. It was the Snitch! Hermione molded herself to the broom handle and took off like a bullet. Malfoy had a major head start, but maybe, just maybe, she could beat him to it. The next few seconds seemed to pass in slow motion. Hermione stretched out her hand as much as possible just as Malfoy did the same. The speed of the broom had mostly made up for lost time, but Hermione was afraid it wouldn't be enough.
'Almost,' she thought, stretching out her fingers a little more. 'Almost...'
Meanwhile, in the kitchens, a man with a hooked nose took a vial of bright blue liquid from his black robes and walked toward the Gryffindor table...
~
"Hermione, you have to eat something," said Harry, shaking Hermione's arm.
"I'm not hungry," she said quietly.
"It's not the end of the world, you know," continued Harry.
"Yeah," agreed Ron, "we lost by only twenty-five points. And then you accidently hit Malfoy when you missed the Snitch! His bloody nose more than makes up for it." Harry and Ron looked toward the Slytherin table. Malfoy was there, discussing Slytherin's victory very loudly.
"Stupid Potter can't see straight," Malfoy said, grinning at what he thought was Harry's slumped over form. Ron and the real Harry glared at him.
"Ignore him," said Ron. "He has no business calling anyone "stupid" anyway." Hermione lifted her head slightly and smiled at Ron.
"Are you sure you're not mad at me?" she asked, looking from Ron to Harry.
"Of course not, Hermione!" exclaimed Harry. "Besides, even if we were, it disappeared completely when we saw your hand connect with Malfoy's nose." Ron nodded in agreement.
"Thanks," she whispered.
"You can thank us," said Ron, grabbing a basket of rolls, "by eating something." He offered the basket to her, and she took one. Her appetite finally came back to her, and she ate her fill of chicken, rolls, and potatoes.
"I'm glad you're feeling better," said Harry, watching her drink deeply from her cup. She set it back down and nodded at him. A piece of a roll was on its way to her mouth when she got a strange look on her face. Her eyes widened and her features stilled. She set the roll back onto her plate and stood up.
"Hermione?" whispered Harry and Ron together. She didn't seem to hear them, though. She just stood next to the table, not really looking at anything. A thought hit Harry and he looked at the Head Table. Snape was watching Hermione closely, a smile on his face. Harry looked back at Hermione, feeling slightly frightened. Harry didn't know what was going to happen, but he knew that it was Snape's revenge.
"Oh no," he whispered. Suddenly, Hermione stepped onto the top of the table. The Great Hall got quiet as everyone caught sight of who they thought was Harry. After a moment, Hermione turned slowly toward the Slytherin table.
"Draco Malfoy!" she shouted.
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Please review and let me know what you think! And while you're at it, check out stories by my beta, Lissie89. She is absolutely brilliant! Especially with the one shots she has been writing lately!