The opening song is of course, 'It's my life' by Bon Jovi.
"This ain't a song for the broken hearted. A silent prayer for faith departed. I ain't gonna be just a face in the crowd, gonna hear my voice when I shout it out loud," Virginia howled as the song blared into the courtyard, dancing her heart out as Draco lounged and watched her. She'd finally figured out how to play her CDs in Hogwarts, and was quite intent on ruining everyone else's free Saturday afternoon. "It's my life, and it's now or never, I ain't gonna live forever, I just wanna live when I'm alive. My heart is like an open highway, like Frankie said, I did it *my* way. I just wanna live when I'm alive. It's. My. Life." Draco smiled as she lost herself in the music and the harsh harmonics of the strummed electric guitar. She threw her head back and sang louder as she saw the whispering students. This was her song. She even ignored Snape when he came up, black scowl firmly fixed onto his face and instead flipped another CD into the air and started it spinning when the song finished, sending the old one into its case with a flick of her wand.
"I had visions, I was in them, I was looking into a mirror, to see a little bit clearer the rottenness and evil in me." She started singing along to Harvey Danger's Flagpole Sitta. "And when I feel a bit naughty, I run up the flagpole to see, who looks, but no one ever does! Aaah, I'm not sick, but I'm not well. And I'm so hot cos I'm in hell. Been around the world and found that only stupid people are breeding, the cretins cloning and feeding, and I don't even own a tv. Put me in a hospital for nerves and then they had to commit me, you told them all I was crazy, they cut off my legs, now I'm an amputee, goddamn you! Aaaah, I'm not sick but I'm not well, and I'm so hot cos I'm in hell. Aaah, I'm not sick but I'm not well, and it's a sin to live so well," she stopped dancing so hard and just swayed, "I want to publish scenes and rage against machines, I wanna pierce my tongue, it doesn't hurt, it feels fine."
"Miss Weasley, what is the meaning of this?" Snape asked her furiously as he strode into the courtyard. The music started up loud again.
"Aaaahhh, paranoia, paranoia, everybody's coming to get me! Just say you never met me, I'm running up the top of the poles. Hear the voices in my head, I swear to god it sounds like they're snoring." She danced away from him. "The agony and irony, they're killing me, whoa!" Draco stared up at his irate House Master as his girlfriend acted like a maniac. "Aaahh, I'm not sick but I'm not well, and I'm so hot cos I'm in hell. Aaah, I'm not sick but I'm not well, and it's a sin to live so well. One, two, three, four!" The strains of the song died away, and she smiled innocently at the glowering Snape. "Yes, professor?"
"What are you doing?"
"Playing music, professor. Oh, and dancing. It's fun, you should try it some time." His eyes narrowed at her flippant tone. "Introducing Draco to the finer sides of muggle culture, right after Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Starbucks coffee. Very interesting experiment." She blinked at him, wide eyed. "Got a favourite band, song, whatever? I may have it."
"Please do not restart that horrible racket. Otherwise, I may be forced to remove points."
"Oh well. Do you like classical better? Because my taste tends towards hard rock, punk, a tiny bit of soft rock and even smaller bit of pop. I do have some Beethoven though." She started to flip through her CD collection. "System of a Down! Oh, but you just gotta hear these guys, Draco." She slid a CD out and sent it into the air with a flick of her wand. "Chop Sue, which is, I think, one of their best songs." Guitar music filled the air and she started to bounce as drums joined it. Snape sighed and covered his eyes as harder guitars started to play.
"Wake up, why don't you go put on a little make up." The fast tones of the male singer sang on as Virginia swayed. "I don't think that you trust, in, my, self righteous suicide, I cry, when angels deserve to DDDIIIIIEEEE!" She started headbanging, bright red hair falling through the air like flame and then she pulled Draco to his feet. "Raaaahhh! Wake up! Why don't you go put on a little make up?" She pressed her body against his and swayed slowly again as the song continued. "I don't think that you trust, in, my, self righteous suicide, I cry, when angels deserve to die. And my self righteous suicide, I cry, when angels to die." The soft singing switched into hard, aggressive drums. "FATHER! Father! FATHER! Father! FATHER! Father! FATHER! Father! Father, into your hands I commit my spirit, father, into your hands, why have you forsaken me? In your arms, forsaken me. In your arms, forsaken me. In your arms, forsaken me. In your arms, forsaken me. Trust in my self-righteous suicide, I cry when angels deserve to die, in my self righteous suicide. I cry when angels deserve to die." The song trailed off into silence, which was rather shocking after the intense sound of it.
"Wow, that is so cool. How did you get your CDs to work here?" Hermoine rushed up, eyes alight with the desire to know everything she possibly could.
"Lots of experimentation. A variation of the potion used to make our photos move, actually."
"I would never have thought of that.you'll havta show me how you did it."
"Um, sure. Later, maybe?" Virginia said pleadingly. Hermoine started as she realized that Draco was holding Ginny very firmly and raising an eyebrow at her in that way she absolutely loathed. Hermoine blushed.
"That would be fine. I'm going to.go." Hermoine turned tail and ran. Virginia giggled softly in Draco's ear.
"Well?" Snape had crossed his arms and was glowering at the two of them. Virginia sighed. "Despite my specifically asking you not to, you played more of that music. Supposed music, I should say. Ten points from Gryffindor."
"You win some, you lose some. C'mon Drac. We'll head down to the lake side and disturb all the nesting couples."
"That sounds fun. Let's go. Professor." Draco nodded at Snape as he helped Virginia pack up her belongings and set off with her down to the lake. Snape stared after them worriedly; he did not like that look in Ginny's eyes.
~*~*~*~
Virginia and Draco slipped into the Forbidden Forest under cover of his Invisibility Cloak. "We ready then?" He asked her, slightly worried.
"Oh, yeah. We could have done this a week ago, but I wanted to settle Pansy first." They shared a wicked grin. Pansy had woken up to find her hair charmed into hissing snakes. Her screams had woken the entire house. Sooner or later, every one of those Slytherin girls who had dared, had woken up to the same fate. Virginia had not been caught, although she'd found Snape eyeing her speculatively a few times so she thought he at least suspected. "C'mon. There's a glade up ahead with a stream where we can start the incantation. You know, most of the spell is extra to what you actually need? I think they did that to make it harder, cause you can't really tell what's extra, so you do it all. The potion is ready, I brought the right chalks to draw the symbols with, so we can get started as soon as we draw up the space."
They arrived and quickly and efficiently started to draw up the symbols necessary to control the power of the spell. Soon, they were finished and looking at each other, grinning fiercely. "See you on the other side, Cin." Draco raised his goblet to her and then drank it down. She did the same, grimacing slightly at the foul taste and started to chant the spell in unison with him. Soon, the complicated incantation was over, and they uttered the last word to start their first transformation.
"Metamorphosis."
Virginia closed her eyes as a dizzying vertigo swept over her, and then she opened them again when it seemed to have stopped. She blinked; the world looked different. For one thing, it was in black and white, and for another, it seemed to be a lot larger. She opened her mouth to talk, and yipped instead. Virginia blinked again in surprise.
Draco had felt the same dizzying sensations. Strange it didn't hurt at all to do this, and it ached to use the Polyjuice Potion. He surveyed his new form with a sense of astonishment, but also pleasure. So. He was a white wolf then? He could cope with that. Thank Merlin he wasn't a ferret. He could never have lived that down. He looked around when he heard a yip. A red fox vixen was sitting on the other side of the clearing. He grinned. That would be Cin then. He growled reassuringly to her and she got up and tottered over to him, clearly not yet comfortable in her new skin. He sniffed her over, making sure she was alright, and the sheer scope of what hit his nose nearly made him black out. This was so intense.
Virginia nipped at Draco's neck, and then sprang to her feet. She started to brush away the symbols on the ground, and gave him a very pointed look. With a growling laugh, Draco helped her clean up. Soon, all traces of their spell making were concealed. Virginia ran to the top of a small hillock, looked back over her shoulder, and then ran, red brush streaming behind her. Draco growled, and then took off after her, rejoicing in the pull of muscles under his skin and the scents that wafted around him. Virginia's trail was like a fire, drawing him on, musky and sweet with that scent that even in human form drove him insane. Virginia barked, and then threw her head back and screamed the banshee shriek of the fox. Draco leapt; his front paws tucked neatly under his body and sent her small body flying. She span in the air, and then landed nimbly on her feet before jumping up to the low hanging branch of a tree, and rapidly ascending up out of his reach.
*Now, isn't this fun?* Draco cocked his head to one side, and regarded her thoughtfully.
*Depends.* Virginia laid down on the branch and rested her pointed muzzle on her black painted paws.
*Vixen.*
*Pity we don't match.*
*I think that a fox is delightfully you. And you're still a redhead.*
*Well, you're still a blond.* Draco growled at her flippant tone and leapt into the air, snapping at her dangling tail. She flipped it out of reach easily, and laughed at him. *I win.*
*Was this a game?*
*It's always a game.* Both their heads swiveled as they heard a twig snap, and Virginia screamed a warning. *Dog! Filthy, filthy traitor dog!*
*Aren't you letting the fox get you just a bit?* Draco scolded as a big black dog loped into the clearing. He could feel the wolf howl, and he let it come out just a bit. He snarled savagely at the dog and his hackles rose as his head dropped. Virginia leapt out of the tree, onto the dog's back, snapping and biting. The dog went over in a surprised yelp, and then both Draco and Virginia took off. They could hear it panting along behind them. *Change back! A dog can kill a fox too easy.*
*Good point.* Virginia thought hard, and still running, took on her own form and scrambled up a tree. Draco hit its trunk not long after, hands still showing vestigial claws and fur rapidly receding from his face. They continued to climb, and Draco gave her an easy boost. "Thanks, Draco, oh light of my life."
"What's with that then? I much prefer it when you swear, my most delightfully erudite blossom," Draco purred as he settled himself in a crook of the tree's branches and held his arms out to Virginia.
"Ok, we will never do this to each other again, agreed?" She lowered herself carefully into his lap and leant back, confident that he could hold the two of them.
"What, call each other disgustingly soppy love names?"
"Yes. Though I would like to see Ron's face if we did." Identical evil grins spread over their faces, and they had nearly forgotten the black dog. Draco nipped at the nape of her neck, and she gasped as he cradled her in his strong arms. "Oh, god. . ."
"He has absolutely nothing to do with it, I'm sure." Virginia turned her head and gave him a punishing kiss. "Careful, or we'll fall out of the bloody tree. Has that dog gone yet?" They looked around, and didn't see the dog, but did see a very irate Sirius Black.
"Oh dear. Thinking that now would be an excellent time to run, and go, Draco, go!" Virginia and Draco jumped from the tree and landed in a scattering of dead leaves. They bolted for the glade, where Draco had left his Invisibility Cloak.
"Oh, no you don't before you explain what is going on here, Ginny," Sirius snarled as he got up to them.
Virginia glowered at him. "What, Harry hasn't told you just exactly what he did to send me to the arms of the Slytherin Prince and all round Big Bad? Cos, he's just the Biggest Bad there ever ever was!" She giggled and leant back into Draco's arms.
"What does Harry have to do with it?" Sirius stalked up to them, and Draco whipped his wand out and pointed it steadily at the older wizard.
"Hold it there, mate. Cin's my girl now. Be nice, mutt."
"You've been talking to Snape again, haven't you? He has just this way with words, does our Potions master." Virginia blinked innocently at Sirius who had halted under the threat of Draco's wand. "Easy, me and Draco going out. And somehow, I don't think the Marauders tidied up after themselves often, cause I found a transcript of the steps needed to make a person an Animagi tucked away in a book about how to interpret dreams. Your godson is a sodding, self absorbed, utter wanker of a prick who has his head so far up his own arse, he thinks that every one has the same dirty mind he does. That's exactly what Harry has to do with it." Virginia's eyes flared with remembered anger and outrage.
"Hey, hey, I thought we weren't going to talk about the Boy-Who-Just-Keeps- On-Living anymore. C'mon, this isn't any business of the mutt's. Let's go." Draco and Virginia turned their backs on Sirius and slipped under the Invisibility Cloak before walking to the edge of the Forbidden Forest.
"Go home, Snuffles," Virginia hissed as Sirius trailed them in the form of the black dog. "Go home. There is nothing you can do here." Sirius growled softly and followed them up onto the steps of Hogwarts, Draco discarding the Cloak and tucking it away inside a convenient pocket. "Look, would you just sod off? Afternoon, Professor." They nodded to Madam Hooch.
"How's the Quidditch practice going, Mr. Malfoy?"
"Pretty well. I think Slytherin will win this year. We got a new beater, which will help. After all, if Potter's dodging Bludgers, he won't be looking for the Snitch, will he?"
"A fair assessment, Mr. Malfoy, a fair assessment. And just between the three of us, it's about time Gryffindor lost."
"Just about!" Virginia agreed cheerfully. Madame Hooch blinked. "I've switched house loyalties professor. Slytherin just has such the cutest guys in it, I couldn't resist." Madame Hooch smiled slowly.
"I see. Well, run along then. And I'll see you, Mr. Malfoy, at the Quidditch pitch next week."
"Bye, Madame Hooch!" The two called out as the golden-eyed teacher swept down the corridor.
"Go away, Snuffles. You can't stay here, and it still would be none of your business if you caught us *fucking* in the woods." Virginia hissed under her breath, knowing his sensitive hearing would catch it. "I'm a big girl now, and if Draco makes me happy, then that should be enough for you. It's enough for my parents, it's enough for all my brothers except Ron, hell, Hermoine plays interference for me and Draco. So, be a good boy and run along," she cooed sweetly, patting Sirius on the head. "I don't think he gets it, my love."
"Neither do I, my sweetest sin."
"Shakespeare, I can do. We make quite the Romeo and Juliet anyway, with Harry as Tybalt. C'mon, you wanna watch, doggie? We can do this." Virginia and Draco slid under the Invisibility Cloak and ran to the gardens. Sirius shook his head and loped after them. Virginia had climbed up a tree, and had her robes halfway up her legs as Draco stood beneath her, and laughed.
"But soft, what light from yonder window breaks? It is the east, and Ginny is the sun," Draco declaimed cheerfully. "Arise, fair sun and kill the envious moon, who is already sick and pale with grief, that thou, her maid, art far more fair then she. Be not her maid, since she is envious; her vestal livery is but sick and green, and none but fools do wear it; cast it off." Draco whirled on his heel, and then turned back. "It is my lady, oh, it is my love: oh that she knew she were! Her eye discourses, I will answer it. I am too bold, 'tis not to me she speaks: Two of the fairest stars in all the heaven, having some business, do entreat her eyes, to twinkle in their spheres till they return. What if her eyes were there, they in her head? The brightness of her cheek would shame those stars, as daylight doth a lamp; her eyes in heaven, would through the airy region stream so bright, that birds would sing and think it were not night. See how she leans her cheek upon her hand! O that I were a glove upon that hand, that I might touch that cheek!" Draco drew in a breath as Virginia daintily leant her cheek on her hand, cradling up against the rough bark of the tree. Unbeknownst to Draco and Virginia, they were gathering an audience, who all were staying quite silent.
"Ay me!" Virginia sighed wistfully.
"She speaks." Draco turned his head to the side and spoke away from Virginia. "O speak again, bright angel, for thou art, as glorious to this night, being o'er my head, as is a winged messenger of heaven, unto the white-upturned wond'ring eyes, of mortals that fall back to gaze at him, when he bestrides the lazy puffing clouds, and sails upon the bosom of the air."
"Oh, Draco, Draco, wherefore art thou, Draco?" Virginia heaved another sigh. "Deny thy father and refuse thy name; or if thou wilt not, be but sworn my love, and I'll no longer be a Gryffindor."
"Shall I hear more, or shall I speak at this?" Draco asked the audience he didn't know he had.
"'Tis but thy name that is my enemy, thou art thyself, though not a Slytherin. What's Slytherin? It is nor hand nor foot, nor arm nor face, nor any other oar, belonging to a man. O be some other name! What's in a name? That which we call a rose, by any other word would smell as sweet; so Draco would, were he not Draco called, retain that sweet perfection which he owes, without that title. Draco, doff thy name, and for thy name, which is no part of thee, take all myself," Virginia finished as a smile spread over her face in satisfaction.
"I take thee at thy word," Draco stepped forward and put a hand on Virginia's slowly kicking leg, "call me but love, and I'll be new baptized; henceforth I will never be Draco."
"What man art thou that thus bescreened in night, so stumblest on my council?" Virginia asked him imperiously. The corners of his lips quirked upwards in a sly smile.
"By a name, I know not how to tell thee who I am, my name, dear saint, is hateful to myself, because it is an enemy to thee; had I it written, I would tear the word." Draco pressed his lips to the inside of her ankle. She shivered, but continued.
"My ears gave yet not drunk a hundred words, of thy tongue's uttering," Draco licked at the patch of sensitized skin, and Virginia forestalled the urge to kick him, "yet I know the sound. Art thou not Draco, and a Slytherin?"
"Neither, fair maid, if either thee dislike." Draco leant his head back, and nearly stared straight up her skirt.
She crossed her ankles, almost trapping his hand before he moved it out of the way. "How cam'st thou hither, tell me, and wherefore? The orchard walls are high and hard to climb, and the place death, considering who thou art, if any of my kinsmen find thee here." She tilted her head to the side, and considered him.
"With love's light wings did I o'erperch these walls, for stony limits cannot hold love out, and what love can do, that dares love attempt: therefore thy kinsmen are no stop to me." Draco threw his head back and declared proudly. They began to feel their roles; it had started as a joke but now, it was their story.
"If they do see thee, they will murder thee!" Virginia cried out in horror, one hand flying to her mouth.
"Alack, there lies more peril in thine eye, then twenty of their swords. Look thou but sweet, and I am proof against their enmity." Draco pressed the side of his head against her knee and she softly pulled her fingers through his hair, combing out some of the leaves from their woodland run.
"I would not for the world that they saw thee here," Virginia almost whispered, her quiet tones still carrying.
"I have night's cloak to hide me from their eyes, and but thou love me, let them find me here, my life were better ended by their hate, then death prorogued, wanting of thy love." Virginia leant down and kissed him on the lips, then slowly slid out of the tree into his arms.
"You have it," she whispered to him. Someone started clapping, and the pair whirled around in horror as the clapping continued and got louder. "Oh, *fuck*."
"Definitely a time for swearing. I'll see your fuck, and raise you a bloody fucking hell."
"Good call." Virgina turned on her heel looking for Sirius. He'd vanished when people had begun to arrive. "Damn it. Show's over, people! Go away now."
"Just bleeding well *fuck* off!" Draco shouted. Laughter spread among the students, and then they all fled, still laughing to themselves. Except for the hopelessly romantic ones, particularly girls in the first and second years who went away with stars in their eyes and wistful thoughts in their heads. "Oh my dear God."
"He's forsaken us, remember? And oh, it's such delightful fun to be wicked," she purred, and then bit down on his shoulder. He yelped in surprised pain, and then turned around and slapped her across the ass. "Ow!"
"You bit me first." He had an amused look in his eyes, with lust dancing behind it.
"And I bet that you'll have a lovely set of teeth marks to remember me by." She grinned.
"I could never forget you." They kissed slowly, arms wrapped around each other. "We need to go back to where there's people, or I'm going to try desperately to shag you through the grass."
"While that sounds perfectly lovely, now isn't the time." They nodded at each other in agreement, and then walked slowly back up to the castle.
"This ain't a song for the broken hearted. A silent prayer for faith departed. I ain't gonna be just a face in the crowd, gonna hear my voice when I shout it out loud," Virginia howled as the song blared into the courtyard, dancing her heart out as Draco lounged and watched her. She'd finally figured out how to play her CDs in Hogwarts, and was quite intent on ruining everyone else's free Saturday afternoon. "It's my life, and it's now or never, I ain't gonna live forever, I just wanna live when I'm alive. My heart is like an open highway, like Frankie said, I did it *my* way. I just wanna live when I'm alive. It's. My. Life." Draco smiled as she lost herself in the music and the harsh harmonics of the strummed electric guitar. She threw her head back and sang louder as she saw the whispering students. This was her song. She even ignored Snape when he came up, black scowl firmly fixed onto his face and instead flipped another CD into the air and started it spinning when the song finished, sending the old one into its case with a flick of her wand.
"I had visions, I was in them, I was looking into a mirror, to see a little bit clearer the rottenness and evil in me." She started singing along to Harvey Danger's Flagpole Sitta. "And when I feel a bit naughty, I run up the flagpole to see, who looks, but no one ever does! Aaah, I'm not sick, but I'm not well. And I'm so hot cos I'm in hell. Been around the world and found that only stupid people are breeding, the cretins cloning and feeding, and I don't even own a tv. Put me in a hospital for nerves and then they had to commit me, you told them all I was crazy, they cut off my legs, now I'm an amputee, goddamn you! Aaaah, I'm not sick but I'm not well, and I'm so hot cos I'm in hell. Aaah, I'm not sick but I'm not well, and it's a sin to live so well," she stopped dancing so hard and just swayed, "I want to publish scenes and rage against machines, I wanna pierce my tongue, it doesn't hurt, it feels fine."
"Miss Weasley, what is the meaning of this?" Snape asked her furiously as he strode into the courtyard. The music started up loud again.
"Aaaahhh, paranoia, paranoia, everybody's coming to get me! Just say you never met me, I'm running up the top of the poles. Hear the voices in my head, I swear to god it sounds like they're snoring." She danced away from him. "The agony and irony, they're killing me, whoa!" Draco stared up at his irate House Master as his girlfriend acted like a maniac. "Aaahh, I'm not sick but I'm not well, and I'm so hot cos I'm in hell. Aaah, I'm not sick but I'm not well, and it's a sin to live so well. One, two, three, four!" The strains of the song died away, and she smiled innocently at the glowering Snape. "Yes, professor?"
"What are you doing?"
"Playing music, professor. Oh, and dancing. It's fun, you should try it some time." His eyes narrowed at her flippant tone. "Introducing Draco to the finer sides of muggle culture, right after Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Starbucks coffee. Very interesting experiment." She blinked at him, wide eyed. "Got a favourite band, song, whatever? I may have it."
"Please do not restart that horrible racket. Otherwise, I may be forced to remove points."
"Oh well. Do you like classical better? Because my taste tends towards hard rock, punk, a tiny bit of soft rock and even smaller bit of pop. I do have some Beethoven though." She started to flip through her CD collection. "System of a Down! Oh, but you just gotta hear these guys, Draco." She slid a CD out and sent it into the air with a flick of her wand. "Chop Sue, which is, I think, one of their best songs." Guitar music filled the air and she started to bounce as drums joined it. Snape sighed and covered his eyes as harder guitars started to play.
"Wake up, why don't you go put on a little make up." The fast tones of the male singer sang on as Virginia swayed. "I don't think that you trust, in, my, self righteous suicide, I cry, when angels deserve to DDDIIIIIEEEE!" She started headbanging, bright red hair falling through the air like flame and then she pulled Draco to his feet. "Raaaahhh! Wake up! Why don't you go put on a little make up?" She pressed her body against his and swayed slowly again as the song continued. "I don't think that you trust, in, my, self righteous suicide, I cry, when angels deserve to die. And my self righteous suicide, I cry, when angels to die." The soft singing switched into hard, aggressive drums. "FATHER! Father! FATHER! Father! FATHER! Father! FATHER! Father! Father, into your hands I commit my spirit, father, into your hands, why have you forsaken me? In your arms, forsaken me. In your arms, forsaken me. In your arms, forsaken me. In your arms, forsaken me. Trust in my self-righteous suicide, I cry when angels deserve to die, in my self righteous suicide. I cry when angels deserve to die." The song trailed off into silence, which was rather shocking after the intense sound of it.
"Wow, that is so cool. How did you get your CDs to work here?" Hermoine rushed up, eyes alight with the desire to know everything she possibly could.
"Lots of experimentation. A variation of the potion used to make our photos move, actually."
"I would never have thought of that.you'll havta show me how you did it."
"Um, sure. Later, maybe?" Virginia said pleadingly. Hermoine started as she realized that Draco was holding Ginny very firmly and raising an eyebrow at her in that way she absolutely loathed. Hermoine blushed.
"That would be fine. I'm going to.go." Hermoine turned tail and ran. Virginia giggled softly in Draco's ear.
"Well?" Snape had crossed his arms and was glowering at the two of them. Virginia sighed. "Despite my specifically asking you not to, you played more of that music. Supposed music, I should say. Ten points from Gryffindor."
"You win some, you lose some. C'mon Drac. We'll head down to the lake side and disturb all the nesting couples."
"That sounds fun. Let's go. Professor." Draco nodded at Snape as he helped Virginia pack up her belongings and set off with her down to the lake. Snape stared after them worriedly; he did not like that look in Ginny's eyes.
~*~*~*~
Virginia and Draco slipped into the Forbidden Forest under cover of his Invisibility Cloak. "We ready then?" He asked her, slightly worried.
"Oh, yeah. We could have done this a week ago, but I wanted to settle Pansy first." They shared a wicked grin. Pansy had woken up to find her hair charmed into hissing snakes. Her screams had woken the entire house. Sooner or later, every one of those Slytherin girls who had dared, had woken up to the same fate. Virginia had not been caught, although she'd found Snape eyeing her speculatively a few times so she thought he at least suspected. "C'mon. There's a glade up ahead with a stream where we can start the incantation. You know, most of the spell is extra to what you actually need? I think they did that to make it harder, cause you can't really tell what's extra, so you do it all. The potion is ready, I brought the right chalks to draw the symbols with, so we can get started as soon as we draw up the space."
They arrived and quickly and efficiently started to draw up the symbols necessary to control the power of the spell. Soon, they were finished and looking at each other, grinning fiercely. "See you on the other side, Cin." Draco raised his goblet to her and then drank it down. She did the same, grimacing slightly at the foul taste and started to chant the spell in unison with him. Soon, the complicated incantation was over, and they uttered the last word to start their first transformation.
"Metamorphosis."
Virginia closed her eyes as a dizzying vertigo swept over her, and then she opened them again when it seemed to have stopped. She blinked; the world looked different. For one thing, it was in black and white, and for another, it seemed to be a lot larger. She opened her mouth to talk, and yipped instead. Virginia blinked again in surprise.
Draco had felt the same dizzying sensations. Strange it didn't hurt at all to do this, and it ached to use the Polyjuice Potion. He surveyed his new form with a sense of astonishment, but also pleasure. So. He was a white wolf then? He could cope with that. Thank Merlin he wasn't a ferret. He could never have lived that down. He looked around when he heard a yip. A red fox vixen was sitting on the other side of the clearing. He grinned. That would be Cin then. He growled reassuringly to her and she got up and tottered over to him, clearly not yet comfortable in her new skin. He sniffed her over, making sure she was alright, and the sheer scope of what hit his nose nearly made him black out. This was so intense.
Virginia nipped at Draco's neck, and then sprang to her feet. She started to brush away the symbols on the ground, and gave him a very pointed look. With a growling laugh, Draco helped her clean up. Soon, all traces of their spell making were concealed. Virginia ran to the top of a small hillock, looked back over her shoulder, and then ran, red brush streaming behind her. Draco growled, and then took off after her, rejoicing in the pull of muscles under his skin and the scents that wafted around him. Virginia's trail was like a fire, drawing him on, musky and sweet with that scent that even in human form drove him insane. Virginia barked, and then threw her head back and screamed the banshee shriek of the fox. Draco leapt; his front paws tucked neatly under his body and sent her small body flying. She span in the air, and then landed nimbly on her feet before jumping up to the low hanging branch of a tree, and rapidly ascending up out of his reach.
*Now, isn't this fun?* Draco cocked his head to one side, and regarded her thoughtfully.
*Depends.* Virginia laid down on the branch and rested her pointed muzzle on her black painted paws.
*Vixen.*
*Pity we don't match.*
*I think that a fox is delightfully you. And you're still a redhead.*
*Well, you're still a blond.* Draco growled at her flippant tone and leapt into the air, snapping at her dangling tail. She flipped it out of reach easily, and laughed at him. *I win.*
*Was this a game?*
*It's always a game.* Both their heads swiveled as they heard a twig snap, and Virginia screamed a warning. *Dog! Filthy, filthy traitor dog!*
*Aren't you letting the fox get you just a bit?* Draco scolded as a big black dog loped into the clearing. He could feel the wolf howl, and he let it come out just a bit. He snarled savagely at the dog and his hackles rose as his head dropped. Virginia leapt out of the tree, onto the dog's back, snapping and biting. The dog went over in a surprised yelp, and then both Draco and Virginia took off. They could hear it panting along behind them. *Change back! A dog can kill a fox too easy.*
*Good point.* Virginia thought hard, and still running, took on her own form and scrambled up a tree. Draco hit its trunk not long after, hands still showing vestigial claws and fur rapidly receding from his face. They continued to climb, and Draco gave her an easy boost. "Thanks, Draco, oh light of my life."
"What's with that then? I much prefer it when you swear, my most delightfully erudite blossom," Draco purred as he settled himself in a crook of the tree's branches and held his arms out to Virginia.
"Ok, we will never do this to each other again, agreed?" She lowered herself carefully into his lap and leant back, confident that he could hold the two of them.
"What, call each other disgustingly soppy love names?"
"Yes. Though I would like to see Ron's face if we did." Identical evil grins spread over their faces, and they had nearly forgotten the black dog. Draco nipped at the nape of her neck, and she gasped as he cradled her in his strong arms. "Oh, god. . ."
"He has absolutely nothing to do with it, I'm sure." Virginia turned her head and gave him a punishing kiss. "Careful, or we'll fall out of the bloody tree. Has that dog gone yet?" They looked around, and didn't see the dog, but did see a very irate Sirius Black.
"Oh dear. Thinking that now would be an excellent time to run, and go, Draco, go!" Virginia and Draco jumped from the tree and landed in a scattering of dead leaves. They bolted for the glade, where Draco had left his Invisibility Cloak.
"Oh, no you don't before you explain what is going on here, Ginny," Sirius snarled as he got up to them.
Virginia glowered at him. "What, Harry hasn't told you just exactly what he did to send me to the arms of the Slytherin Prince and all round Big Bad? Cos, he's just the Biggest Bad there ever ever was!" She giggled and leant back into Draco's arms.
"What does Harry have to do with it?" Sirius stalked up to them, and Draco whipped his wand out and pointed it steadily at the older wizard.
"Hold it there, mate. Cin's my girl now. Be nice, mutt."
"You've been talking to Snape again, haven't you? He has just this way with words, does our Potions master." Virginia blinked innocently at Sirius who had halted under the threat of Draco's wand. "Easy, me and Draco going out. And somehow, I don't think the Marauders tidied up after themselves often, cause I found a transcript of the steps needed to make a person an Animagi tucked away in a book about how to interpret dreams. Your godson is a sodding, self absorbed, utter wanker of a prick who has his head so far up his own arse, he thinks that every one has the same dirty mind he does. That's exactly what Harry has to do with it." Virginia's eyes flared with remembered anger and outrage.
"Hey, hey, I thought we weren't going to talk about the Boy-Who-Just-Keeps- On-Living anymore. C'mon, this isn't any business of the mutt's. Let's go." Draco and Virginia turned their backs on Sirius and slipped under the Invisibility Cloak before walking to the edge of the Forbidden Forest.
"Go home, Snuffles," Virginia hissed as Sirius trailed them in the form of the black dog. "Go home. There is nothing you can do here." Sirius growled softly and followed them up onto the steps of Hogwarts, Draco discarding the Cloak and tucking it away inside a convenient pocket. "Look, would you just sod off? Afternoon, Professor." They nodded to Madam Hooch.
"How's the Quidditch practice going, Mr. Malfoy?"
"Pretty well. I think Slytherin will win this year. We got a new beater, which will help. After all, if Potter's dodging Bludgers, he won't be looking for the Snitch, will he?"
"A fair assessment, Mr. Malfoy, a fair assessment. And just between the three of us, it's about time Gryffindor lost."
"Just about!" Virginia agreed cheerfully. Madame Hooch blinked. "I've switched house loyalties professor. Slytherin just has such the cutest guys in it, I couldn't resist." Madame Hooch smiled slowly.
"I see. Well, run along then. And I'll see you, Mr. Malfoy, at the Quidditch pitch next week."
"Bye, Madame Hooch!" The two called out as the golden-eyed teacher swept down the corridor.
"Go away, Snuffles. You can't stay here, and it still would be none of your business if you caught us *fucking* in the woods." Virginia hissed under her breath, knowing his sensitive hearing would catch it. "I'm a big girl now, and if Draco makes me happy, then that should be enough for you. It's enough for my parents, it's enough for all my brothers except Ron, hell, Hermoine plays interference for me and Draco. So, be a good boy and run along," she cooed sweetly, patting Sirius on the head. "I don't think he gets it, my love."
"Neither do I, my sweetest sin."
"Shakespeare, I can do. We make quite the Romeo and Juliet anyway, with Harry as Tybalt. C'mon, you wanna watch, doggie? We can do this." Virginia and Draco slid under the Invisibility Cloak and ran to the gardens. Sirius shook his head and loped after them. Virginia had climbed up a tree, and had her robes halfway up her legs as Draco stood beneath her, and laughed.
"But soft, what light from yonder window breaks? It is the east, and Ginny is the sun," Draco declaimed cheerfully. "Arise, fair sun and kill the envious moon, who is already sick and pale with grief, that thou, her maid, art far more fair then she. Be not her maid, since she is envious; her vestal livery is but sick and green, and none but fools do wear it; cast it off." Draco whirled on his heel, and then turned back. "It is my lady, oh, it is my love: oh that she knew she were! Her eye discourses, I will answer it. I am too bold, 'tis not to me she speaks: Two of the fairest stars in all the heaven, having some business, do entreat her eyes, to twinkle in their spheres till they return. What if her eyes were there, they in her head? The brightness of her cheek would shame those stars, as daylight doth a lamp; her eyes in heaven, would through the airy region stream so bright, that birds would sing and think it were not night. See how she leans her cheek upon her hand! O that I were a glove upon that hand, that I might touch that cheek!" Draco drew in a breath as Virginia daintily leant her cheek on her hand, cradling up against the rough bark of the tree. Unbeknownst to Draco and Virginia, they were gathering an audience, who all were staying quite silent.
"Ay me!" Virginia sighed wistfully.
"She speaks." Draco turned his head to the side and spoke away from Virginia. "O speak again, bright angel, for thou art, as glorious to this night, being o'er my head, as is a winged messenger of heaven, unto the white-upturned wond'ring eyes, of mortals that fall back to gaze at him, when he bestrides the lazy puffing clouds, and sails upon the bosom of the air."
"Oh, Draco, Draco, wherefore art thou, Draco?" Virginia heaved another sigh. "Deny thy father and refuse thy name; or if thou wilt not, be but sworn my love, and I'll no longer be a Gryffindor."
"Shall I hear more, or shall I speak at this?" Draco asked the audience he didn't know he had.
"'Tis but thy name that is my enemy, thou art thyself, though not a Slytherin. What's Slytherin? It is nor hand nor foot, nor arm nor face, nor any other oar, belonging to a man. O be some other name! What's in a name? That which we call a rose, by any other word would smell as sweet; so Draco would, were he not Draco called, retain that sweet perfection which he owes, without that title. Draco, doff thy name, and for thy name, which is no part of thee, take all myself," Virginia finished as a smile spread over her face in satisfaction.
"I take thee at thy word," Draco stepped forward and put a hand on Virginia's slowly kicking leg, "call me but love, and I'll be new baptized; henceforth I will never be Draco."
"What man art thou that thus bescreened in night, so stumblest on my council?" Virginia asked him imperiously. The corners of his lips quirked upwards in a sly smile.
"By a name, I know not how to tell thee who I am, my name, dear saint, is hateful to myself, because it is an enemy to thee; had I it written, I would tear the word." Draco pressed his lips to the inside of her ankle. She shivered, but continued.
"My ears gave yet not drunk a hundred words, of thy tongue's uttering," Draco licked at the patch of sensitized skin, and Virginia forestalled the urge to kick him, "yet I know the sound. Art thou not Draco, and a Slytherin?"
"Neither, fair maid, if either thee dislike." Draco leant his head back, and nearly stared straight up her skirt.
She crossed her ankles, almost trapping his hand before he moved it out of the way. "How cam'st thou hither, tell me, and wherefore? The orchard walls are high and hard to climb, and the place death, considering who thou art, if any of my kinsmen find thee here." She tilted her head to the side, and considered him.
"With love's light wings did I o'erperch these walls, for stony limits cannot hold love out, and what love can do, that dares love attempt: therefore thy kinsmen are no stop to me." Draco threw his head back and declared proudly. They began to feel their roles; it had started as a joke but now, it was their story.
"If they do see thee, they will murder thee!" Virginia cried out in horror, one hand flying to her mouth.
"Alack, there lies more peril in thine eye, then twenty of their swords. Look thou but sweet, and I am proof against their enmity." Draco pressed the side of his head against her knee and she softly pulled her fingers through his hair, combing out some of the leaves from their woodland run.
"I would not for the world that they saw thee here," Virginia almost whispered, her quiet tones still carrying.
"I have night's cloak to hide me from their eyes, and but thou love me, let them find me here, my life were better ended by their hate, then death prorogued, wanting of thy love." Virginia leant down and kissed him on the lips, then slowly slid out of the tree into his arms.
"You have it," she whispered to him. Someone started clapping, and the pair whirled around in horror as the clapping continued and got louder. "Oh, *fuck*."
"Definitely a time for swearing. I'll see your fuck, and raise you a bloody fucking hell."
"Good call." Virgina turned on her heel looking for Sirius. He'd vanished when people had begun to arrive. "Damn it. Show's over, people! Go away now."
"Just bleeding well *fuck* off!" Draco shouted. Laughter spread among the students, and then they all fled, still laughing to themselves. Except for the hopelessly romantic ones, particularly girls in the first and second years who went away with stars in their eyes and wistful thoughts in their heads. "Oh my dear God."
"He's forsaken us, remember? And oh, it's such delightful fun to be wicked," she purred, and then bit down on his shoulder. He yelped in surprised pain, and then turned around and slapped her across the ass. "Ow!"
"You bit me first." He had an amused look in his eyes, with lust dancing behind it.
"And I bet that you'll have a lovely set of teeth marks to remember me by." She grinned.
"I could never forget you." They kissed slowly, arms wrapped around each other. "We need to go back to where there's people, or I'm going to try desperately to shag you through the grass."
"While that sounds perfectly lovely, now isn't the time." They nodded at each other in agreement, and then walked slowly back up to the castle.