DISCLAIMER: This story is based on characters and situations created and owned by JK Rowling, various publishers including but not limited to Bloomsbury Books, Scholastic Books and Raincoast Books, and Warner Bros., Inc. No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended. There are quotes here from Buffy the Vampire Slayer (which belongs to the UPN, 20th Century Fox, the Kuzui people… etc. not to me), and other places.

Chapter Two: Reactions

Hermione fidgeted nervously in her seat. Professor Dumbledore was in front of her, peeking at her from behind his half-moon spectacles. His crystal blue eyes were clear and probing. Hermione couldn't help feeling as though he had done something very wrong, even though she hadn't.

"I expect you're very confused, Ms. Granger…" Professor Dumbledore commented lightly.

Boy, was that an understatement. "Yes, sir."

"Everyone is staring at you like you've grown two heads… and your two best friends attack you…" Dumbledore went on. "And I'm assuming you have no idea why."

Hermione shook her head. "Not a clue, Professor."

Professor Dumbledore gave an understanding nod. He drew a large oval in the air. Slowly, it began to solidify. It little by little became silver… and then it stopped glowing, and settled to the floor. It was a mirror.  He gestured for her to stand up. "Look."

Hermione got up from her chair and walked to the mirror.

"Oh-My-God."

Her head turned from Dumbledore to the mirror, the mirror to Dumbledore… it was too strange. She was in total shock. Dumbledore was unfazed.

"Professor Dumbledore… I-I-I-… I look… I look like… like Malfoy!"

She gingerly touched her face. Her skin was clear; she didn't have the freckles she normally had. Not only was her skin clear, but it was also the same color… the same translucent, pale color… as Malfoy's. That skin tone… made her seem delicate… helpless… but aristocratic. Her eyes weren't their normal dark brown but a clouded deep grey… And her hair! It was straight! Not only straight… but also silver… exactly like Malfoy's!!! Pretty… long, silver… very, very straight… very, very pretty… but Malfoy's! How could this be? She looked like DRACO MALFOY!!!

"This can't be me, I don't look like this! Professor, I swear I had no idea. This has got to be a mistake. The whole school will think I'm his long lost cousin or something…" Hermione babbled. "What will everyone say? My parents are going to freak out, they will completely loose it… I'm completely loosing it! Why do I look like that arrogant, egoistical, self-centered, pompous, pretentious, narcissist ferret! How am I going to tell Harry and Ron? How will I show my face in public? I can't use the bubblehead charm… I can't put back the glamour; I don't know where it came from! Maybe I'm under two glamours! Maybe the- Oh my god! Am I adopted? My parents never said that… It can't be, they wouldn't lie to me… It can't be. I have my birth certificate, medical records! They say I have brown eyes! The hair… well, the hair's not so bad, it's finally straight, but… it's Malfoy's! What if I'm related to them? Professor Cordo said I could loose my magical ability! What if I'm loosing it! What if I can't do magic anymore?! What if-"

Professor Dumbledore patiently listened to her tirade. "Ms. Granger-"

A knock on the door made them both stop.

"Albus, it's all ready. The potion will be mixed into the student's pumpkin juice at dinner."

Professor Dumbledore nodded. "Very well. Ms. Granger, you may eat here, and proceed to your common room after you have finished. For everyone's safety and peace of mind, I think you should go straight to your bedroom."

"I understand, Professor."

"Please refrain from sending any owls… it's not safe."

Hermione nodded. "I understand."

"Good. Professor McGonagall-"

With a flick of her wand, a table and food appeared.

Professor Dumbledore smiled. "She's so much better than that than I am. My food has a tendency to be a little burned… and I usually have to conjure a salt and pepper shaker too…"

The doors suddenly burst open. Professor Snape came in, breathless. "Headmaster… it's too late. I was monitoring the fires. The Slytherin common room fire was used a few minutes ago… it was connected to Malfoy Manor. Headmaster…" Professor Snape took a deep breath. "Lucius Malfoy knows." 

The Headmaster sighed, his eyes growing dimmer. "Then it is as we feared. The Dark Side has won yet another battle. And very possibly will win the greatest battle of all."

Hermione didn't know it then, but that day would forever be known as the start of the War. The War for the magical world. Children would think of this day and run to their parents, and adults would bow their heads in defeat and regret. All Hermione did know at the moment though that Dumbledore was being awfully cryptic.

"Tell the house-elves not to use the potion Minerva," Professor Dumbledore said sadly. "Now that Mr. Malfoy knows, this may be well beyond my control."

"Did you hear?"

"Hear what?"

"No joke!"

"It's true!"

"Hermione Granger!!!"

"Malfoy was freaked!"

"I heard he ran out of the classroom!"

"Exactly alike!"

"Just as pale!"

"She denied it!"

"She just absorbed it! Her whole body glowed white!"

"Harry was furious! You could-"

"Ron was glaring at her-"

Harry stared down at his plate, trying to block out the rumors that ranged between Hermione being the long-lost twin of Draco Malfoy, and her being abducted by aliens to learn more about what wizards thought of muggles… no idea where that one came from, the other that she was the result of an experiment gone wrong… the other was that she had sold her soul to be beautiful and smart but was too ashamed at the beautiful that she took off the glamour… the list went on and on.

Ron looked at him. "I wonder who she was. I wonder why she pretended to be Hermione… and for how long? Was it just for that day? Or was it just this year? Was it in first year, when she became our friend? Or what if… what if we never knew the real Hermione Granger?"

Bang.

Everyone at the Gryffindor table jumped. Harry banged his goblet down on the table, his emerald green eyes darkened. "I can't take this anymore."


Harry walked to the Gryffindor common room, agitated. Something was not right at Hogwarts. He walked into the Gryffindor common room… and saw the blond haired Malfoy double.

"Hello Harry…" she said tentatively.

Harry didn't reply right away but sat in the chair opposite her, in front of the roaring Gryffindor fire. He sat down unceremoniously. He studied her carefully. She had high cheekbones, a more translucent coloring, silver hair, grey eyes… she would have been beautiful, if Harry had not been able to see past the fact that she was an impostor.

"Who are you?"

The girl regarded him with the same look that he had observed her with. "Hermione Anne Granger," she said simply.

"You really expect me to believe that," Harry said flatly. It was not a question, it was a statement.

Hermione looked down, and back into the green eyes that now seemed so shut off. "Harry, listen to me. I can't explain how I look. I have no idea why I look like this."

Harry snorted, and started to retort, but Hermione interrupted before he could say anything. "Harry, in our second year, you discovered you were a Parselmouth, and everyone thought you were the heir of Slytherin. But I stood by you, I never thought you were a dark wizard… and even if you were somehow related to Salazar Slytherin, to me it wouldn't have mattered. You were still the young boy who saved me from the troll. In fourth year, everyone thought you put your name in the Goblet of Fire, everyone thought that you just liked the attention. I didn't, I believed you." Hermione sighed. "I never doubted you Harry."

Harry was at a loss for words. They stayed that way, waiting for the other to speak until the rest of the Gryffindors came in.

"Aren't you going to say anything?" Hermione asked, tossing her hair as the Gryffindors piled in- a gesture that was so familiarly Hermione, but with her longer silver hair- the gesture made her look… more like Malfoy, Harry realized suddenly. Arrogant.

Harry stood up and folded his arms across his chest. The cheerful buzz of the Gryffindors suddenly faded. They all turned to look at Hermione and Harry.

Harry stared her straight in the eye.

Hermione sighed, lowered her head, and walked to her room.

Ron moved to sit down beside Harry. "Did you talk to her?"

"Yes."

"And?"

"I don't know. What she said… everyone knew that. I'm not convinced."

"Harry, I'm sure you've heard the rumors. Well, guess what. Malfoy and Hermione… or whoever she was, were born on the same day. Everyone is saying that they're twins…"

"I know."

"It's disgusting."

Harry nodded. "Believe me Ron, I know. But if there's one thing I know after nearly five years at Hogwarts… there is no such thing as coincidence. There is something more going on."

Hermione sat at her dresser, brushing her newly straight hair. It had always been a habit of hers, hoping for her hair to straighten out, but it never did. Now however, it was hopelessly straight. She put the brush down, and stared at herself.

It was unreal. It was too strange.

Hermione looked beside her mirror to see the few pictures she kept there. One was from her fifth birthday. Her parents were there smiling, her father was carrying her, and her mother was busily trying to wipe of the icing on her fingers and mouth. Neat freak. Just like her.

She looked at another picture. This one was taken the summer before. She, her parents and little cousin were at the beach… her father had brought a whole pile of work even though it was supposed to be a vacation. So had she. Workaholic.

She looked… or had looked, exactly like her mother. The chestnut hair, the freckles, the brown eyes… But now... now she in no way resembled either of them.

Grey eyes… Malfoy's eyes. Malfoy's eyes were always so cold… always with a dangerous glint in them. He always knew what he wanted to do. It was strange to see them looking back at her so confused… and without the devil-may-care look in them.

Her skin was flawless. Not a single freckle. It was… well, it was just like Malfoy's.

The hair… she never really noticed Malfoy's hair… aside from its color. Come to think of it…it was pretty… on her.

Some of the younger Gryffindors, muggle-borns… those who hadn't heard of the Malfoy's, had all commented how handsome he was… in a Greek marble statue way. And now… so was she. Pretty.

Hermione blinked. That was an egoistical comment.

 She sighed and got into bed. Tomorrow was going to be a long day. She could feel it.