Ch. 2: Getting to Know Me
A/n: I don't own any Harry Potter characters, but I have made some of my own characters to make it more interesting.
This chapter is mainly informative about changes in people's personalities and how Rose and her "twin" meet.
Hogwarts Hospital Wing
Hermione paced back and forth as Rose lay in the bed. She occasionally glanced down at the unconscious body.
It was a scary sight. Rose's face was ghost white. Her eyes were circled with black as if someone took eyeliner and colored around her eyes. She had a raging fever that hadn't gotten any better since the accident.
That was three days ago.
Hermione shook her head sadly and sat down on the bed next to Rose's. "Why won't you get better?"
"It will take time. I suggest you get back to your classes. Professor Dumbledore was nice enough to let you off for three days, but I think it's time for you to skedaddle." The calm, demanding voice startled Hermione.
Somewhere, a bell tolled the end of classes for today.
Harry should be starting Quidditch practice about now. Hermione sighed at the thought. She enjoyed watching the players zoom to and fro across the field. It was such an exciting sport. Then again, it was also very dangerous.
She looked up and saw Madam Pomfrey coming with some medicine for Rose. She looked at Hermione with sad eyes. Her slightly wrinkled face looked older.
She must be worn out. Hermione thought to herself. "Ma'am, I don't want to be rude, but is it all right if I stay with her until she can sit up on her own? Then I promise to be out of your hair. Please?"
Madam Pomfrey gave her a low-spirited look. "You can stay, but at least make yourself useful. Take these and make some beds."
Hermione shot off the bed and snatched the bed linen and quickly made the beds one by one. She just finished the last one when two boys came in carrying a Slytherin. Two more boys came in dragging a Gryffindor.
"Draco! Harry! What happened?" Hermione rushed to the side of Harry as he was being placed in a bed.
"Mum? Why are you in my bathroom? Where's Pedro? What happened to my rubber ducky?" Harry mumbled.
"Oh my! Thank you for bringing these two in. Now shoo so I can do my work." Madam Pomfrey motioned the four Quidditch players to leave. Then she turned to Hermione. "Be a dear and check Mr. Malfoy's pulse and take a towel and try to get off all the blood and dirt. I'll be there in a minute."
Hermione did as she was asked and carefully checked his pulse. It was normal. He was basically normal except for the fact that he was unconscious.
She wiped the stains off his soiled robes and sighed at Draco. He was such a bloody bastard. Why should she help him? He was one reason Harry was always getting into knots, especially in Quidditch. Literally.
She sighed again as Draco started to moan. His eyes fluttered open.
"Hermione? What the bloody hell? Where am I? Why are you here? Why does my arse hurt so much? Oh! What the bloody hell?" Draco yelled/moaned.
"Oh just hush up you little bugger! Can't you see that Rose is half dead and Harry is half out of his mind?" Hermione glared daggers at Draco as Harry lay on his cot stroking Madam Pomfrey's hair and saying how much he wanted to ride a fire breathing cow.
How special.
"Can't you just leave me be. I was just doing what Madam Pomfrey asked of me. No need to get all testy Malfoy!" Hermione continued. Then under her breath she muttered, "Oh the son of a bitch!"
Draco heard her comment and returned it with, "Filthy Mudblood!"
Hermione looked at Malfoy in disgust and walked away to Madam Pomfrey (Who was now giving Harry a dirty look).
"Is there anything else you need me to do?" Hermione asked sweetly, but to herself she added, anything that doesn't involve Draco Malfoy!
"No, not really. How's Mr. Malfoy fairing?"
"Just fine."
"Is he hurting at all?"
"Just his bottom."
Madam Pomfry cocked an eyebrow and gave her a puzzled look. "Umm...ok. I will be over in a minute to give him a potion for his – er - pain. Let me finish up with Mr. Potter. Why don't you go keep Mr. Malfoy busy?" With that she turned her back on Hermione and extracted a long needle with some kind of knock out potion in it.
Hermione sigh and decided not to upset Madam Pomfrey. She slowly made her way back to Draco's cot.
"What do you want Mudblood?" Malfoy snarled.
"I am just doing my job." Hermione said coldly and gave Draco an evil glare that would have sent shivers up even Lord Voldemort's back.
Draco gave a small noise somewhere between a whimper and a moan. Then he recomposed himself. "Well, do your job. Just leave me alone." He rolled over on the bed and gave a shudder in pain. He rolled back over and moaned. His faced twisted in nauseating pain.
"Ouch." he said in a weak voice only Hermione heard.
Hermione suddenly felt empathy for her enemy. She rushed over and patted his hand. Then she sat on the edge of his bed and stroked his head. "Poor Draco."
Draco smiled feebly, but soon recovered himself. "What do you think you're doing you damn, filthy Mudblood? Bitch!"
Hermione looked down at Draco in disgust. She let go of Draco's hand and sprang from the bed. She stormed over to where Madam Pomfrey was cleaning her needle.
Hermione shuddered at the sight of the long, pointy, sharp and deadly needle. Her face paled.
"Yes? Do you need something?" Madam Pomfrey asked serenely. She handled the needle carefully, making sure none of the potion leaked out.
"Er, yeah. I need to use the loo so I will be back." Hermione strode out of the Hospital Wing. She didn't need to use the bathroom, but she needed to get away.
Her face flushed with embarrassment. Why had she felt sorry for Draco? What could he have possibly done to make her feel this way?
Hermione pounded through the corridor. Her hands curled in a fist and her face red hot.
She walked for about fifteen minutes and, to her relief, didn't see anyone along the way.
When she finally stopped, it was in the girl's bathroom 'haunted' by Moaning Myrtle. No one ever came into this particular bathroom because of the unfortunate Myrtle.
Myrtle seemed to be away for the time being. So Hermione sat down on the floor and took time to contemplate:
I don't like him at all! He is a big git and could die for all I care. He is an evil being and should be put in Azkaban.
And yet, his smooth blonde hair and deep gray eyes attract me so. His laugh is sweet and however it is cold and hateful.
Yes. He is cold and hateful. He's nothing but a giant, no good, stinking skunk.
But what do I really know about him, besides all his evil doings. Do I know the real Draco Malfoy?
Yes I do!
No I don't!
Yes I do!
No I don't!
Yes!
No!
Yes!
No!
"Ahhh!" Hermione screamed and covered her ears. This was so confusing. She was sure she didn't like Draco and yet, she was she didn't hate him. Hermione shook her head and stood up to leave.
On her way back to the Hospital Wing, Hermione suddenly remembered Rose.
Poor Rose was lying unconscious without a friend. Though Hermione was certainly no friend of Rose's, she still felt bad about what happened three days earlier. She saw the whole thing happen.
It started out as harmless fun, then suddenly Rose mixed the wrong thing and she got knocked half dead.
Draco, Crabbe and Goyle ran for their lives as Hermione tried to save Rose.
Then the strangest thing happened. There, before Hermione, stood two Roses. Except one was standing smiling devilishly and the other was dead to the world.
Hermione was about to speak to the Evil Rose, but before she could say a word, she was gone.
Then Hermione took Rose to the Hospital Wing and straight into Madam Pomfrey's care.
She didn't dare tell anyone what she saw. Well, maybe she would tell Rose, but for now she would wait and see what tomorrow would bring.
Hospital Wing
The first thing Rose saw when she opened her eyes was a blurry picture of Hermione's soft brown eyes staring down at her. Then her vision cleared and she saw Hermione's face twisted in worry and trauma. Her frizzy hair looked un-kept. Actually, everything about Hermione was un-kept. She was a mess.
"Oh thank Merlin you're alive! She's alive! Oh Rose, I am so sorry. I felt so bad because of what happened to you. It wasn't my fault, actually I had nothing to do with it, but I still feel really bad. Really, really, really, really, really awful. Oh Rose! Can you ever forgive me?"
Rose, very confused, simply replied, "Umm, sure. I forgive you."
"Terrific!" Hermione squealed and threw her arms around Rose in a death squeezing grip.
Still confused, Rose asked her, "Er, what am I forgiving you for?"
A brief flash of terror sparked across Hermione's face. Then suddenly it was gone and she smiled. "Oh let's not bother about about it now. It's not that important."
What a little liar! Rose thought to herself. It's clearly written in her eyes! Something's up. Wait a second. Am I in the Hospital Wing? What am I doing her? Is this why Hermione's acting strange?
"What in the Name of Merlin am I in the Hospital Wing for?" The sentence escaped her before she could clamp her mouth shut. Nice one Rose!
Hermione stood dumbstruck by the question. Then it hit her: Rose didn't know about her other self! She gasped.
Quickly she pulled the curtains of Rose's bed around them and muttered a Silencing Charm.
"Hermione? What's going on?"
"Rose, are you alright? Are you feeling faint? Sick? Need to vomit?"
"No, I feel fine, except an ache in my head. It feels like I've been split in two."
"How ironic."
"Huh?"
"Er, let's just say that you were split in, er, two."
"What the bloody hell is going on? What are you talking about?"
"Er, do you remember what happened three days ago?"
"You mean last Tuesday? Er, yeah. I think I do, barley though."
"Can you tell me what you remember?" Hermione's eyes widened.
"Well, I recall that Draco and I were going to do something…something in the Dungeons. Oh and his cronies were there too; Crabbe and Goyle. Ugg, what an awful lot!"
"Anything else?" Hermione's eyes were as big as saucers now.
"Er, I think…oh yes! We were brewing a potion. Draco was saying something about mixtures and poof! The last thing I remember was two pairs of eyes. One pair was brown and the other was blue. No! They were green. Yes, a bright green. They seemed evil and hard. Then after that, an awful pain and then black. The next thing I knew I was looking in your eyes laying in the Hospital Wing with a splitting headache."
The stared at each other for a minuet before Hermione broke the news.
"Rose, I know why you have a headache. I know why you saw two pairs of eyes last night. I know why the evil eyes belong to. At least I think I do…"
"Come out with it!"
"Ok! The potion you brewed counteracted. It was supposed to be an invisibility potion. Don't ask me how I know. I don't think you need to know that right now. Anyway, I believe the potion you concocted was a Body Splitting potion or something like it. I think I read something about that… Anyhow, I think now there are two of you running about Hogwarts. Well, one is at least, since you're sitting here."
"Merlin's Beard! You mean there's TWO of me?" Hermione nodded. "Bloody, bloody hell! This is a disaster! Oh!" A river of colorful words rushed out of Rose's perfectly formed mouth.
"Rose it's going to be fine… I hope…"
"Where the hell is my twin?"
"Somewhere in Hogwarts."
"Just great! We don't know where she, er, it is."
"Let's hope it's a girl."
Rose smiled at Hermione's weak joke. "What are we going to do?"
"Not tell anyone except Dumbledore. When you can get out of bed the first thing we are going to do is explain everything to him."
Rose gave her an uncertain look. "Everything?"
"I'm sure he'll understand. We might get into trouble. If we go straight to him we won't get into much trouble."
"All righty."
"Let me get Madam Pomfrey to check you out and if you can walk we'll leave." Hermione started to get up to leave.
"Er, Hermione?"
She stopped. "Yes?"
"Why are you being nice to me? I mean, it's not that I don't appreciate it, but why? I thought you hated me."
"Well, I did. But I just feel guilty." Rose couldn't meet her eye. "Besides, I don't hate you anymore."
"It's weird. It seems all the people I hated before I like now. Take Potter and Weasley for example. I always loathed them. Now it seems that the hate disappeared. For once in my life I don't hate. Well except for some people, er, things."
Hermione understood some of the "things" she was referring too. She shuddered slightly.
Rose moved into a sitting position with some painful difficulty. "Thanks Mione."
"Welcome." Hermione said as she stood up and removed the curse from the curtains.
Hermione found Madam Pomfrey checking on Draco.
"Ma'am? Rose is awake."
She looked up from her work and replied, "Thank you dear. Wait here with Mr. Malfoy again please."
Hermione sighed as Madam Pomfrey moved on to her other patient. She took a step towards Draco's bed and stopped short.
He was sleeping.
He looks so peaceful. Handsome, quiet and perfect.
He is an evil person. Don't think such thoughts.
He is everything.
He is nothing but dirt.
Hermione fought an emotional battle inside herself and came to one conclusion: she wanted him. I really want him.
Hermione shook her head and scolded herself "Don't be a daft idiot! He's evil!"
"Who's evil?"
Hermione spun around to find Rose dressed in her robes and giggling.
"Er, nothing. Can you go?"
"Madam Pomfrey decided that I am perfectly fine and gave me a potion for my headache."
"Shall we be going?"
"Just a minuet please." Rose placed a note next to Draco's head and cursed him softly.
Hermione looked at Rose curiously. Her black hair was pulled into a tight bun atop her head and her clothing was perfect. Everything about Rose was perfect, except the little problem about her twin and now Draco. Wasn't she supposed to be madly in love with him?
"Ready?" Rose asked her.
"I should be asking you that."
"Well, it's now or never."
"Let's go."
Headmaster's Office
Rose and Hermione arrived at the Headmaster's office ten minuets later.
They were out of breath from running and Rose was practically fainting as they appeared before a statue.
"Su...gar…q...q.uil...lls…" Hermione huffed out the password.
The statue moved to reveal a staircase moving up in a spiral.
The two teen witches climbed the stairs and knocked on the door to Professor Dumbledore's office.
"Come in." a warm voice called.
The door opened exposing a large office filled with pictures of all the Headmasters and Mistresses of Hogwarts throughout the years.
"Professor Dumbledore, we, er, need to talk to you about something." Rose said in small voice.
"Indeed we do."
"Huh?" The girls stared at him in confusion.
"Miss Williams' sister heard about her accident and came all the way over from Durmstrang to visit you. She came to my office first to ask permission to stay for the rest of the year. She said she was thinking about transferring so she could be closer to her twin sister.
"That's kind of funny because I didn't even know you had a twin let alone a sister. I thought you were an only child. My mistake." There was a twinkle in his eye as he explained this to Rose.
Hermione was calm on the outside, but very confused in the inside.
Rose was worse. She couldn't remember or think anything. All her thoughts were scrambled. Her face was as blank as an unwritten on piece of parchment.
"My sister?"
"Yes. Her name is Amelia. Remember?" Dumbledore's eye twinkle was fading.
"Oh, yes. I just, er, forgot with my being in the Hospital Wing and everything."
"Yeah, er, the trauma was too much for her." Hermione added.
"Anyway Professor, I came to tell you that, er, my sister was thinking of transferring, but it seems she already told you so I am going to leave. Good day!" Rose grabbed Hermione's arm and headed out of the office.
"Rose, what the bloody hell are we going to do?" Hermione's face was stretched in worry.
"I'll worry about "Amelia" later. Right now you need to change and I need to fix you up. You look like a mess!"
"That's what happens when someone you know is in the Hospital Wing." Hermione said defensively while crossing her arms across her chest.
Suddenly the witches burst into peals of laughter.
"Let me grab my make-up and we'll have a little spa party. I'm not sure you can come into the Slytherin Common Room. I'm afraid they'll kill you." Then Rose added, "Sorry."
"Let's go to the Gryffindor Common Room. The girls there won't bite and I'm almost sure they won't try to hex you." Hermione suggested.
"Excellent. I'll meet you there in about five minuets. Wait outside for me!" With the last remark Rose bounded off towards the Gryffindor Common Room leaving Hermione standing alone.
Hermione sighed a happy sigh and started walking.
Gryffindor Common Room
Hermione and Rose were not alone in their small party. Some of Hermione's roommate, Serena Frees, Christina Hayes and Lavender Brown, were there to join in on the fun and give tips for Hermione's eyes and other things.
They gossiped and giggled about boys, upcoming tests, homework assignments, boys, how evil Professor Snape was and of course, more boys.
"What is with you and Harry, Hermione? Going out yet?" Christina asked. Her brown eyes were filled with excitement.
Hermione frowned. "No. We are just friends. Besides, I don't even like him that way."
"I thought you did. That's a pity." Lavender added her comment trying to act sad, but inside she was thankful. She had a crush on Harry forever.
"There! I'm all finished with Hermione! It's a masterpiece I tell you!" Rose shouted as she admired her work.
All eyes turned to Hermione. She was beautiful. Usually her hair was a frizzy mess, but now it was soft and smooth and straight. Her brown eyes were illuminated by the silky purple eyeshade and mascara. Her lips were a pale pink. Hermione was beautiful.
"Oh Hermione! You must wear the make-up to dinner! I will simply die if you don't." Serena said with squealing delight.
"Dramatic much?" Hermione asked in a sarcastic kind of voice. She hated to wear make-up or have makeovers done to her. She believed in natural beauty.
That was before she saw herself in the mirror.
"Oh Merlin! I like…different…" Hermione was too shocked to say much more.
"Girls, we are going to be late for dinner." Christina put in.
Everyone checked a watch, clock or some sort of timepiece.
"Yikes!" they all shrieked in unison.
Without bothering to clean up, the young witches sped off to the Great Hall for food.
Great Hall
The students that night were buzzing with gossip about Hermione's new look. Everyone, with the exception of Draco and Harry who were still in the Hospital Wing, was shocked to fine Hermione looking very pretty.
It was a very happy meal at the Gryffindor table.
It was a complete opposite for the Slytherin Table.
At least it was in Rose's point of view. Usually everyone was talking to her and telling her how they are going to this or that. Now everyone ignored her, even Blaise. They were all too busy talking to or about Amelia.
The evil bitch! What am I saying? She is me! I am cursing myself! Ack! I am so confused… Rose rubbed her head in perplexity.
About halfway through someone finally talked to her. Unfortunately that someone was non-other than Miss Popularity herself: Amelia.
"Dear sister, your friends are oh so, what's the word? Oh yes, nice." Her voice was as sleek as oil and spilled out like a toxin.
"Go to hell you bitch!" Rose screamed at her "sister".
"Oh ickle baby's got a potty mouth. We'll soon fix that." She pulled out her wand and started to form words, but Rose quickly raised her own and shouted out her own threat.
"Don't even think of it! If you do the whole school will know you're a psychotic maniac
Then her face changed into sickening pleasure. "Darling sister of mine," Her oozy smile deepened and she whispered to Rose, "I am evil. Evil shall conquer over good."
Rose couldn't think of anything to say. Her own self was beyond evil!
"What's the matter beloved Rose? Cat got her tongue?" Her sister's eyes dazzled with wickedness.
"You wicked bitch! How the bloody hell are you here?" Rose spat out as her face flushed with anger.
"You already know that. It was your stupid mistake."
"Mistakes can be fixed!" Rose yelled.
"Darling, do you really want all your little friends to hear you?"
Rose looked around. Half the Great Hall was looking at her.
She caught Hermione's eye. Hermione nodded and stood up. Rose stood up too. Hermione was making her way out and she motioned Rose to follow. Rose nodded in understanding and got out of her seat.
"Where are you going sweet?" Amelia smiled kindly but her eyes still held her evil longing.
"Wouldn't you like to know." Rose said hotly. She walked away fast and caught up with Hermione.
"What's up?" Hermione asked in a calm, concerned voice. It was hard to keep the excitement out of her speech.
"My evil sister is what's up. She's evil."
"So? I've faced evil before. It's not that hard." Hermione smiled weakly and tried to sound optimistic.
"You haven't met her. Try talking to her! She's like…I don't know!"
"She's an evil one all right. I would hate to meet her. I am just loathing her talking about her.
Suddenly Rose remembered a song from a musical she and her aunt had seen in the Muggle World called Wicked.
Let's just say—I loath it all!
Ev'ry little trait, however small
Makes my very skin begin to crawl
With simple utter loathing
There's a strange exhilaration
In such total detestation
It's so pure! So strong!
Though I do believe that it can last
And I will be loathing
Loathing you
My whole life long!
Rose smiled as she remembered that song. It lifted her spirits some. She giggled a bit.
Hermione looked at her him puzzlement. She wasn't even telling a joke and Rose was laughing at her.
"Rose? You ok?
Rose's face turned serious once more. "Yeah, I think I am." Then she looked Hermione straight in the eye. Her eyes were cold as she said, "Look Mione, I'm tired. Think over a bit about Amelia as I will. Night."
Rose strode off towards the Slytherin Common Room and once again left Hermione standing by herself. Well, she wasn't exactly all herself because dinner just got over.
Once again, Hermione sighed and started to walk slowly to the Gryffindor Common Room.
Slytherin Common Room
Rose was sitting quietly by the fire reading when two icy cold hands stroked her head. When she looked up she saw her face.
At first she was shocked because she was still in the world on Gone with the Wind but then it all came back to her.
"What do you want?" She asked calmly even though her heart was pounding inside her.
"I wanted to talk. You need to know why I am here." Her self said to her other self.
"I don't want to know why."
"Yes dear, you do. I will tell you. I am here because your evilness needed to become free. You used a little when you played pranks. You've always longed to play in the big kid games like killing Mudbloods."
"Liar!"
"Not at all. My pet, I know everything about you and I know everything you know. Deep down you wanted to kill just like Momsie Dearest and Popsie Dearest."
It was all true. She wanted to be like her parents but that has all changed.
Now the tables turned. Instead of wanting to kill Mudbloods, she wanted to kill her own kin.
"You need to know me better." Amelia's voice was soft but it still held a bitter edge.
"I don't want to know you."
"You're right. You want to know yourself."
Confused by this, Rose angled an eyebrow.
"Sugar sister, you and I are the same. Exactly the same."
"No. You're lying! I am nothing like you!"
"Really?" Now it was Amelia's turn to raise an eyebrow. "I was created by you. I am part of you. I look like you. I am you."
"No!" It couldn't be true. Amelia was evil. Rose was good? Of course she was. Rose was good.
"Think about it dear." Amelia laughed maliciously and disappeared into the darkness of the stairs.
Think about it. There was not much to think about. Amelia was evil. Rose was good.
Think about it. There was NOTHING to think about.
Right?
Think about it…
A/N: Please don't hurt me! I've taken a long time a write this chapter because of TONS of homework and tests. Do teachers enjoy torturing students? I think so. I will try to update faster if I don't have a lot of homework or tests. Till next time folks!