Chapter Two: A is for Accidents Happen
Earlier on, Draco Malfoy had slipped out of his Slytherin common room, which was teeming with gossiping girls. "I wish they would shut their blathering mouths," Draco grumbled as he held a small black bag, containing the book from the library, some ingredients, and a small collapsible cauldron. He would be having an interesting time tonight.
Upon reaching his private room, he tapped the bottom left corner with his wand, allowing a polished wooden door to appear. He pushed open the door and closed it behind him, locking it with a spell. Taking his robes, he spread them on the floor and began laying his items out. He conjured a small fire in a fireproof bowl and balanced the cauldron atop a stand over the fire. Placing the book beside him, he flipped it open to the marked page and began brewing, throwing the essential ingredients into the cauldron.
Thirty minutes later, a clear fluid liquid was simmering in the cauldron. "Good, no smell," Draco checked as he poured the potion into a small clear bottle. He would have to finish the task tomorrow night because the potion had to settle for twenty-four hours for it to properly work. Then he would perform the last few special tasks that made the potion temporary, just in case.
"Now, for the final touch for today." Draco swirled the mixture in the bottle three times both directions, turning the potion a light purple, before carefully choosing one set of words. "Alius Praevius," Draco whispered, pointing his wand at the bottle. At the choice of these words, the potion turned back into its original clear state. Setting the bottle in the corner along with the paper with his poem and reply on it, he quickly cleaned things up and exited the room, just in time to escape Harry's nightly visit.
Harry collapsed into the creaky old desk, staring at the low ceiling of the room. Taking out his wand, he pointed it at the Marauder's Map, but not before noticing a certain Mr. Malfoy descending down the stairs into the dungeons. Which only means he was previously out of the dungeons, Harry concluded. Suspicious. But Harry brushed that matter aside as laid down the parchment on the desk.
Harry had gone directly from the Quidditch changing rooms to this room, stopping only to grab his invisibility cloak and the Marauder's Map. This left him quite thirsty, and he scanned the room for the second time in two days. To his luck, he found a clear bottle lying in the corner. Malfoy must have left that here. Oh well, can't be poison because he doesn't know that I know about this room. Any water would be fine right now, Malfoy's or not. Just something to quench my thirst.
He picked up the bottle and peered at the contents. Nothing suspicious...yet. He uncorked the bottle and sniffed the liquid. Looks and smells fine to me. He chugged the entire thing in one gulp. Weird aftertaste, Harry noticed. Well, my parched throat is no more. I'll remember to thank Malfoy later, Harry thought as he placed the bottle back in its original spot. And if I'm feeling nice later, I might even refill it for that insufferable git.
The day passed by fairly quickly for Harry, as he anticipated his nightly journey to his secret room. The forecast was supposed rain, and Harry loved the sound of the rain pounding against the window. Rain and serenity mixed well.
After his last class of Herbology, he walked back to his dorm, preparing to finish his Potions homework. His grades were improving since he had nothing else to focus on nowadays except for Quidditch. Also, hostility between him and Draco Malfoy had lessened considerably now that he didn't react towards the other boy's torments. As he searched through his things for a clean piece of parchment, he noticed that something was missing. Holy crap, the Marauder's Map! Harry cursed himself for leaving it in the room the previous night. Carelessness leads to trouble, and trouble is my middle name, sadly.
Harry raced out of the common room, yanking the Invisibility Cloak out of his chest, speeding past a startled Ron and Hermione who had just come back from a late night session of who knows what. He rushed down the multiple stairs, careful to jump over the steps that made the person sink. Out of breath, he reached the room and slumped against the wall, panting heavily. He regained his breath and tapped the wall, the wooden door appearing. He spied the pale yellow parchment lying on the desk, and he heaved a grateful sigh. Thankfully, Draco had not spotted it yet, if he did come in the room regularly.
Suddenly, the door creaked open and a head with blonde hair popped into the room just as Harry hastily threw the Invisibility Cloak around him, momentarily forgetting about the Marauder's Map. Oh great, perfect timing Malfoy, Harry thought nervously. Draco stepped into the room and cautiously closed the door, not wanting to make any sounds to attract someone like Filch. He smirked and eyed the clear bottle in the corner, but something to his right attracted his attention. A forlorn piece of paper lay on the desk, and Draco went to pick it up. Harry's breathing hitched and Draco turned his head sharply. Not noticing anything, he went back to observing the paper. To his misfortune, Harry had forgotten to erase the map, and it left a clear view of the entire school. Mentally cursing himself, Harry wondered what Malfoy was going to do next. He saw Malfoy's pointer finger trace the pathways of the school, and his finger stopped at one place on the map. Oh fuck, he found the room, Harry groaned. Oh fuck.
Draco stared at the piece of paper in his hand, studying it with curiosity. He had never in his whole lifetime seen anything like this, and it amazed him so. The intricate drawing of Hogwarts amazed him, and the precision of the classrooms and dorms made him gaze in awe. He noticed footsteps located around the school with names floating next to them. Wow, this thing keeps track of people, Draco thought. He found his own name in a small cramped room, but what surprised him even more than the map itself was the pair of footsteps quite close to his own: Harry Potter.
Harry saw Draco staring at the location where he was supposed to be with narrowed eyes, and Harry knew that he was discovered. Only thing left to do ! Harry sped for the door, but Draco seemed to anticipate this and he rushed to stand in front of the door.
"Potter, I know you're in here somewhere. Show yourself, or I'll do it," Draco announced. Harry stood rooted to his spot for several seconds before he heard Draco say, "Accio glasses." Harry's glasses flew off his face as Draco caught them in his hands smugly.
"Hey, give those back!" Harry exclaimed as the Invisibility Cloak fell off of him. Draco stared at him, and his mouth fell slightly open. He stayed that way for several seconds before Harry said, "Do I really look that ghastly without them?"
Draco shook his head and blinked rapidly, before squinting his eyes and asking, "You're...Harry Potter...yes?"
Harry rolled his eyes and pointed to his forehead. "What the hell does this mean then?"
Draco slowly handed Harry back his glasses when something clicked in his mind. He whirled around, facing the opposite corner, and he stuttered, "Did-"
"Oh yeah, I forgot to say thanks for the drink. Queer tasting, but water nonetheless." Harry nodded his respects as Draco turned slowly to face him.
"Oh Merlin. Please tell me you didn't just do what you said you did."
"Um, is something wrong? It was just water, right?"
"Actually, that's the problem."
Harry gaped at Draco. "What was that-that liquid?"
"Why should I tell you?"
"Because if you don't, I'll hex you into oblivion."
Draco fought to keep from retorting a nasty comment. "Erm...the Generis Cambiare Potion...non-altered." Draco whispered the last word, but Harry caught it.
"WHAT THE FUCKING HELL, MALFOY? YOU WENT OFF AND CREATED A PERMANENT POTION THAT COULD GET YOU, NO, BOTH OF US IN MAJOR TROUBLE, YOU BLOODY IDIOT!!!"
"Well, it was supposed to be the non-altered version, but you drank it up before I could even make it temporary!"
"Don't blame it on me, you sodding ferret!" Draco flinched at those words. "Why do you always commit completely mindless actions like these?"
Draco couldn't come up with a good reason, so he answered lamely, "For fun?"
Harry glared at Draco and quickly conjured up a full-size mirror, almost fainting from astonishment.
"Holy...my scar's gone...and I...I look...female!"
"You say that like it's a bad thing," Draco said, recovering from the initial shock and regaining his composure.
"Shut it, you arse. And how come I'm female now?"
"When did you drink it?"
"Last night."
"Well that explains it. It takes twenty-four hours till the stuff kicks in. Oh, I wouldn't worry too much, Potter. You don't look that horrible as a girl."
"Bloody hell, Malfoy, shut up."
"Tsk tsk, Potter. I wouldn't say that to the single person who knows how to get you out of this fix without telling an adult."
Harry's eyes turned to Draco's, and Draco found himself staring back into those emerald spheres. Draco felt a smirk grow on his face as he commanded, "Say please, Potter."
Harry sputtered. "What!?"
"I said, say please."
"Hell no! You got me into this mess, so you're getting me out of it."
"Unless you want to remain a girl permanently, I would highly recommend doing as I say."
Harry gave him one last glare before mumbling under his breath, "Please."
Draco took that with great cheer as he found his wand and murmured, "Alius Praevius."
Harry regained his height and posture as his guy form kicked in. "This better work, Malfoy, or else..." Harry left his open threat hanging in the air.
"You're welcome," Draco said as Harry turned to leave. Harry merely nodded once at him before exiting the room. Draco smirked once more as he noticed the abandoned Invisibility Cloak and Marauder's Map lying on the desk. He was going to take the opportunity to steal them as a joke when Harry came storming back in.
"Crap, Malfoy, it's not working!"
Draco looked up in surprise, then amusement, when he saw an angry Harry Potter glaring daggers at him. "Look down, Potter. See anything, two things in particular, protruding from your chest now?"
Harry did indeed look down and gasped when he noticed that he was indeed a male. "But-but..."
"Ha ha, nice trick, but Malfoy's don't fall for pranks like that. I think I'll be leaving now. Oh, and Potter, don't forget these again," Draco said, shoving the two possessions into Harry's arms. He strode out of the room and was going to turn the corner when Harry called out.
"Malfoy, look now. What do you have to say about this?"
Draco stopped in his tracks and faced Harry. His eyes widened in puzzlement as he witnessed a female Harry approaching him change into male Harry at a certain distance. "Morphing problems, Potter?"
"I can't believe you're cracking stupid jokes at a time like this. You said that your little spell would get me out of this. But look now, I am somehow still a girl," Harry pointed out as he stepped backwards. "Explain this." Female Harry put his hands on his hips and gave him a look of disdain.
"Uh, wait," Draco mumbled, taking out the book from his satchel. Flipping the page, he read the first paragraph.
"So, it says that you have to stay within a ten foot radius from me in order to remain as your current sex, or male. If not, you immediately turn back to your opposite, supposedly female form," Draco summarized.
Harry gasped and threw a disgusted look at him, which in his female form, looked quite attractive. Actually, when was Harry never attractive? Draco shook that thought from his head. "Does this mean I have to...sleep with you to remain male?" Harry's heart jumped a little at that prospect, but he ignored it.
"Depends. That is if you want to constantly keep switching genders."
"And we can't tell the teachers or Dumbledore, because we'd most likely get suspended..."
"So, we need to figure out a solution."
"No, YOU have to find a solution because I already have another problem, which is trying to find a reason why I have to follow you around and tag along with you wherever you go..." Harry trailed off.
"Simple. Just say you're my girl...boyfriend."
Harry's heartbeat quickened, but he put on a mask of utter contempt and loathing. "That's...that's disgusting! Are you trying to punish me? Plus, that doesn't explain why I would be taking all the classes you are taking."
Draco pulled out his schedule and checked the following days. "Guess what, Potter? You're in luck. We're stuck together for a whole month."
Harry also pulled out his schedule from his pocket and scanned the dates. "You're right," he replied, amazed. "What a coincidence..."
"Therefore, we have one month to change you back permanently."
"Only one month..."
"Come on, it can't be that bad. Just tell your dorm-mates that you found another, more comfortable bed to sleep in, and that won't be a complete lie."
Harry scoffed, but he found himself quickly agreeing. Sleeping with one of the hottest guys in Hogwarts couldn't be all that terrible, could it? Ooh, I should not be thinking that. Bad thoughts, bad thoughts. Truthfully, now would be a good time to question my sexuality...ah, shut up Harry.
"Fine, I'll do it. But only under one condition. You keep your arse-hole shut about this."
"Of course, Potter, I'm not a complete fool. If I said anything, I'd have to take part of the blame because I created the potion in the first place."
I really don't see why any of this is my fault, seeing as I only drank the vile thing, Harry thought grumpily. Harry stepped forward and found himself as a male again. He looked up at Draco and found the other boy smirking.
"Let's go, Potter. Bedtime."
