A/N: I own Crystianna and the Academy, the rest is all J.K Rowling's so don't bother suing.
Full Summary: Deciding enough is enough with her boring life as a waitress in America Ginny dives head first into the exciting life of her mirror image; Crystianna Marlow when asked to take over her life for a while by the woman herself. But what happens when forced friendships develop further where they shouldn't have even began?
I have every intention of continuing with my other fic, another chapter of which is nearly finished as I speak, I just got this idea and HAD to write it down before I forgot it and here it is. I may not continue this, it depends on whether the general public want me to.
The lyrics at the beginning are from 'Second Chances' by Michelle Branch
Chapter One – Second Chances
Sometimes we get second chances
And sometimes we never make it past the first
It really makes you wonder why some things happen when they do
It really makes me wonder why it wasn't me instead of you
And when you say
It doesn't matter well it does
And all it takes
Is a mistake to eat your words
Just one more time I think I'll drive on home tonight
Sometimes we never see the warning
And the voice in your head tells you not to go
It really makes me wonder why some things happen when they do
It really makes me wonder why it wasn't me instead of you
And when you say
It doesn't matter well it does
And all it takes
Is a mistake to eat your words
Just one more time I think I'll drive on home tonight
And when you look its gone its too late to turn around
And it's another day facing yourself and the things that you've done
Ginny trembled as she watched the building drawing closer, the tinted windows of the carriage managed to block the sun but the dark glass of her sunglasses were only to hide her eyes from the world. She had never been in the upmarket part of Hogsmeade before but her first glimpses of it were ruined by the fear burning inside her.
Why had she agreed to this? Who was she kidding she couldn't pull this off! She hadn't been able to make it into one hit Broadway show so how was she going to handle this with people who knew the new her better than she could ever hope to. As the carriage slowed besides the huge hulking building her mind flickered back to how it had all began a mere two weeks ago.
--/--FLASHBACK--/--
"Come in."
Ginny jumped and stepped back awkwardly as the door was opened for her by a tall man with a long blank face and a slightly bored air about him. Stepping into the room her wet Converse squeaked against the marble of the floor and she winced, pushing her sopping hair out of her eyes as she edged closer to the figure on the sofa.
A long perfectly-manicured hand waved her into a tall forest green suede chair that matched the sofa perfectly, the material feeling as smooth as butter under her hands. She raised her eyes shyly under her soaked lashes to survey the woman lying across the sofa in a dress that cost more than Ginny made in a year.
It was quite unnerving looking into a face the mirror image of yours except for the sharp malice in the glittering green eyes and the snobbish manner in which she spoke and turned up her nose. Ginny felt distinctly out of place which only irritated her into more confidence; she sat up straighter with her hair pushed back from her face and flowing down her back. Her face was lifted to the light and she looked as beautiful and regal in that instant as the woman scanning her from across the room.
"You asked for me?"
The woman raised a perfectly plucked dark red eyebrow at her and inclined her head slightly, a nasty smirk twisting her otherwise stunning features as she waved a hand at the hovering house elf which darted forward with a martini glass half full.
"Would you like one?"
Ginny shook her head and glanced up at the ornate marble fireplace where the ticking carriage clock told her she would be late for work if she didn't get this over with soon.
"No thank you, why did you ask to meet me?"
The woman grinned then and Ginny was forcibly reminded of a leering pumpkin with a vicious smile from her childhood, she shuddered.
"I have a proposition for you, Ginerva."
Ginny didn't speak, she was watching the woman like a hawk for any display of what she had in mind but her face was as impassive as a slab of rock.
"Would you like to switch lives?"
Ginny very nearly fell off the chair as she gaped at the woman who looked as calm as ever as she took a sip of her newly replenished martini.
"Wh... what?"
The woman swallowed daintily and extended a leg out before her, examining the perfectly smooth brown flesh for a moment before raising her eyes back to meet Ginny's and continuing.
"Look I'll put it simply." Her eyes flickered to Ginny's rather shabby dungarees, the front of which was covered with slogan badges, and her tight black vest top and Ginny bristled at her.
"I have to leave the country for a few months, possibly even a year and I can't just walk out and expect it not to be noticed. I have commitments here darling, I'm sure you understand."
She took a sip of her drink before continuing, all the while buffing her nails with a nail file as she spoke.
"Anyway, since we have certain... similarities, I'm willing to pay you 100 galleons a week to live my life while I'm gone."
Ginny studied her for a moment before dropping her gaze to examine her hands clenched in her lap.
I can't do this.
And why the hell not?
You have no idea who this woman is, where she comes from or what you taking on her identity will entail!
Are you serious, this is more money then you've ever dreamed of! And for what? Prancing about in pretty expensive dresses for a few months, that's what!
This is a bad idea
Oh shut up it gets me out of serving food at Merlin's Hideout for the next few months.
"Don't make your decision right now, have some time to think about it."
Ginny's internal battle was shattered when the woman interrupted her musings with her harsh voice.
"I shall find you again in exactly one week's time."
Ginny had the distinct feeling she had been dismissed and rose to her feet, inclining her head slightly at the woman who returned the gesture and gave her a surprisingly warm smile as she left the room.
--------
"Weasley you better get your ass out there we're flattened as it is without you swanning in whenever you want."
Ginny rolled her eyes at her boss, a man twice as overweight as Dudley Dursley was ever close to being with a mop of greasy grey hair and a gruff pair of hands he thought he had the right to place wherever he wanted on any of his waitresses.
After the second time he had tried it with her Ginny had whipped around, gripped his balls in a vice-like grasp and quietly growled down his ear if he ever tried it again he wasn't likely to have anything left to produce children with. He had been impressed by her ability to take care of herself and had left her alone since then.
"I know I know I fell asleep I'm sorry."
He scowled at her and went back to prodding the steaks on the open grill before him as she shoved her jacket and bag into the staff cloakroom and pulled on her small neat white apron over her short black dress slightly too small for her and sheer black tights.
Glancing at the plates of steaming food on the side Ginny balanced three of them in her hands expertly and whipped into the dining part of the café, heading over to a table and depositing the meals to the diners before moving over to where a woman with an elegant black hat holding up her hair was studying the menu.
"Good afternoon my name is Ginny. I'll be your waitress today, is there anything I can get..."
Her voice trailed off as the menu was lowered slowly and her own face looked back at her with an amused expression, mixed with disgust at the rather squalid surroundings, on her face.
"No thanks I only stopped by to hear your decision."
Ginny was still goggling at her when another house elf, wearing the same black scarf wrapped around its body as the one from her first meeting with the woman, pulled out one of the tall slightly rickety chairs and pushed her into it gently.
"You have made your decision haven't you?"
Ginny bit her lip and turned away from her piercing eyes as her thoughts whirred in her head. Just as she was about to reply she caught sight of Bessie, the poor woman was pushing fifty and had worked at the café her entire life since graduating from Hogwarts, she had no past and no future and Ginny was terrified of becoming a copy of her.
"I have."
The woman raised her eyebrows and straightened up in her chair a little as she surveyed Ginny who had turned determinedly back to look at her.
"And?"
Ginny's face split into a dazzling smile and she beamed at the woman who was sitting across from her.
"What's my new name?"
The woman grinned at her and leaned back in her chair.
"Excellent! Now, how about we go return to arrange the finalities, then I'll give you a short list of things I always do so you fit in and then we'll perform a little version of a Switching Spell which will give you the knowledge you'll need to get through my classes."
Ginny was still too much in shock to take it in as the woman got to her feet and swept out of the café, Ginny somehow finding herself following behind after collecting her coat and bag from the backroom.
--------
The lessons had been brief and easy as had the spell and soon Ginny found herself playing her new part better than the original as she went to dinners and parties as test-drives and passed each with flying colours. Finally the day came when she was to return to Hogwarts Academy in her mentor's place and slip into the life she was being trained for.
The transformation was almost complete, she was temporarily Crystianna Marlow.
--/--END FLASHBACK--/--
Ginny straightened her back and carefully wiped all expressions from her face, a trick newly learnt from Crystianna, as the carriage door was tugged open for her. She extended a long pale hand and it was immediately gripped lightly and kissed as she was helped out of the carriage and down the steps.
Before her the Academy rose as a huge grey hulking figure against the darker slate grey of the snowy sky, the few lighted windows flickering like eyes as she stared up at it in silent awe. Snapping back to attention she carelessly left her luggage to be taken care of by the doorman and sauntered up the large stone stairs towards where her 'sister' was waiting to take her to her room.
Ginny had been inexplicably glad to know she wasn't alone in this and had taken a great liking to Carmen immediately. Hugging the dark haired girl smirking at her she grinned back and followed her into the building, weaving a path she vaguely remembered from Crystianna's memories through the building to the very top where her room was situated.
Beautifully made in deep greens and black the room was huge and Ginny had to fight to keep this from showing on her face as the swarm of house elves tidying away her clothes and various belongings looked up at her almost fearfully.
"There's just one more thing left to do."
Ginny collapsed gratefully on the bed and turned to look up at Carmen who was fiddling with the emerald blind of the curtain as she slouched against the windowsill.
"What's that?"
Carmen turned to her with a smirk on her face and Ginny felt herself grow uneasy as she sat up straighter on the bed and lifted a hand to twirl a lock of hair around her fingers, a nervous habit picked up from Crystianna.
"Introduce you to your best friend."
Ginny sighed, relief swamping her; that couldn't be that bad could it? Evidently it could when Carmen indicated towards the door and Ginny turned to see a smirking figure she had hoped never to see again leaning casually against the doorframe.
Arctic blonde hair fell over a pale aristocratic forehead that blended into high cheekbones and a perfectly formed mouth; the shorter upper lip pulling up the sensuously curving lower lip. Her breath hitched as her eyes drifted down to a clearly muscular chest barely outlined by the loose charcoal grey sweater and baggy black combats.
This is exactly what can go wrong!
This is just a minor snag, nothing to worry about
He's going to figure it out and then you're fucked
Ginny gulped and slowly dragged her eyes back up to the perfectly chiselled, perfectly gorgeous face of Draco Malfoy; her new best friend.