Welcome to Double Trouble Trope Fest hosted by the Facebook Group Dramione Fanfiction Writers.
I was tasked with two tropes to combine and write: Body swapping & Head boy/Head girl.
All characters belong to JK Rowling
I am just using her characters to be my muse.
This has no beta/alpha. So all mistakes are of my own making.
Also, a special thanks to Thebe Moon for coming up with the bad luck potion. It pulled everything together. Thanks!
Felix Mal Felicis
Hermione Granger rubbed her eyes as she walked the halls for the evening. Her Head Girl duties had her out after curfew on this Saturday night and she was already wishing she had put someone else on duty. The last few weeks of sharing Head Girl duties with Head Boy - Draco Malfoy - had caused more headaches in the span of those few weeks then the rest of her life. Regret ate at her for not taking Ron & Harry up on joining them in Auror training, but she knew that wasn't the path meant for her. She knew that finishing school was the path she was meant to follow… and yet, she was rethinking it as she continued her walk down the halls.
The headache currently throbbing against her temple - partly from the lack of sleep and partly from her daily argument with the Headboy. Draco Malfoy, while a reformed Death Eater, was still the biggest pain in her ass and his attitude hadn't changed too much. While he may not call her Mudblood anymore, he still flung different insults at her at every meeting. The venom that was usually associated with these insults was gone though. It was almost as if he was saying them out of habit rather than to cut at her anymore. Didn't change the fact that was an insufferable prick though.
Her letters to Ron and Harry usually mentioned this, and while Ron always jumped to her defense, Harry was usually pushing for her to give him a chance. To remind her that, 'He was a child in a war and forced to serve under Voldemort to protect his family.' To make it worse, he was repeating her OWN words back at her. Leave it to Harry to throw it back at her at the worst time possible.
Grumbling under her breath, she glanced at her watch wrapped around her left wrist. A muggle contraption that she was unwilling to part with and realized it was near time to turn in for the night. Thank Merlin, she thought as she started back toward the Head girl's dormitory which was unlucky enough in the same tower as the Head Boy's dormitory.
As she whispered the password to get in via the portrait of a Fae-like creature in the forest, she found herself encased in darkness. A quick Lumos casted non verbally, she made her way through the small, quaint living room for the Head Boy and Girl dormitory, before finding her way through the hall to her own room. As quietly as possible, she tried to step through the hard wooden floors without making a sound - even going as far as taking off her shoes so they wouldn't sound against the floor. Her socks were better for this purpose, but the cold seeped in so much more quickly making her shiver in the cold.
"Couldn't possibly leave a fire going for your roommate who was out late this evening," she mumbled under her breath as she rounded the couch to head toward the hallway. "Have to make everything so bloody difficult. Stupid prick."
It didn't help that she found a pile of books sitting outside her door - not neatly stacked but hazardously strewn about as if they had been tossed there with no thought. Gritting her teeth, she unlocked her door as she scooped up her books. Crookshanks lay on the comforter across her bed barely blinking open his eyes to gaze at the intruder.
"He's such a selfish prick," she murmured to her little beasty as she set her books on her desk before stripping from her clothes for the day. An oversized t-shirt, probably stolen from one of the boys because it was Quidditch, and a pair of lounge pants were quickly tossed on before she crawled under her covers whispering to her rather oversized, hairy orange fur ball. A soft purr escaped him as she continued to pet the creature as she drifted to sleep dreaming of ways to torture the blond haired git from across the hall.
Halfway through the next day, she found herself sitting in Potions class - with all the other eight years - and of course, Malfoy. Professor Slughorn was rattling off about a potion that they were going to have to team up for due to the nature of the potion and it's difficulty. Felix Mal Felicis, otherwise known as the Bad Luck Potion. The reason it's not as well known as it's counterpart Felix Felicis, the Good Luck Potion, is because it is extremely difficult to make. Not because it takes a long time, much shorter than Felix Felicis' six month brewing status, but because, like its namesake, things often go awry during the time it takes to brew.
Hermione glanced around slowly, trying to assess who would be most useful - or rather someone who would stay out of her way, when she heard Slughorn speak up again.
"I've already chosen partners and if you have an issue, I can switch you - however, you will be dock house points." Damn, she thought to herself and let out a sigh. Turning to the pages about the potion, she started jotting down the ingredients she would need. Luckily, she still had quite the storage in her little bag when she had been on the run with Ron & Harry, so it wouldn't be too difficult to get them.
"Neville Longbottom and - " She made a note about having to sprinkle common rue over the potion as it begins to bubble.
"Hermione Granger," She glanced up at her Professor, "And Draco Malfoy." The whole class grew quiet and if she didn't mistake it, she heard a sharp intake of breath from behind her.
As if this year couldn't possibly get any more difficult, she thought to herself as she pushed tendrils of hair off her forehead. She glanced across the room to see Draco Malfoy staring at her. An unreadable expression written across his face.
A sneer on her own twisting her features, she spun back around to listen to Professor Slughorn and his lecture. Her thoughts long gone as she attempted to jot down as many notes and thoughts as possible. Noting the difficulty in the potion, excitement began to bubble up in her. A challenge. Something she'd never quite done before. Sure, she'd brewed different difficult potions in the past - Amorentia, Polyjuice Potion, etc. - but this was something that was more than difficult because of the nature of the potion. Bad Luck Potion, Felix Mal Felicis, often created to give to another person rather than for one's self, had a bad habit of allowing bad luck to happen while brewing. Hence it's dangerous nature.
"Felix Mal Felicis is not a potion to fool around with," Professor Slughorn commented as he began his trek around the classroom. "This will count toward half your scores at the end of the semester." Hermione looked up at the board from the front of the class as he started jotting down notes. "Do not think this an easy assignment. Take care while brewing this potion because bad things often happen during the brewing stage. It's not Bad Luck for nothing. Headmistress McGonnagal has given me special permission to use this as a training tool. Work well with your partner and you may just be able to brew an acceptable Felix Mal Felicis."
Hermione huffed under her breath. Another difficult potion was nothing. She'd be able to brew it without a mistake and claim the highest score in class - with or without Malfoy's help.
Hermione tapped her toe against the floor as she waited near an empty classroom. Glancing down at her watch for the sixth time in less than ten minutes, she noted the late hour. He's late, she thought angrily. Heaving her school bag over her shoulder, she pressed open the doors and walked inside. Not bothering to check her watch for what would be the seventh time in as many minutes, she started going to the supply closet to pull out the necessary ingredients. Black cat hair helped to speed up the brewing process. Common rue. Occamy egg shells. Eye of newt.
Just as she was starting to crush the Occamy egg shells, she heard the classroom door open. Without bothering to look up, she hissed. "Oh, nice of you to join, Malfoy." A quick glance at her watch. "Twenty three minutes late."
He came to step in beside her. "Not everyone has no life like you Granger. I had plans this evening." He grabbed the cauldron. "I didn't particularly want to do this on a friday night anyway."
Hermione shook her head to clear the hair from her face. "Well, it needs 48 hours to brew and we need to make sure that we get it done in time. Or did you want to give up your whole weekend to do this?"
He glared at her as he pulled out a notebook from his own school bag. "Fine."
It wasn't long before the two of them were at odds. Fifteen minutes into the potion brewing and Hermione felt like pulling out her hair.
"You are wrong, Granger!" Draco hissed as he held the eye of newt above her head. "This does not go in until after the Occamy shells have simmered for an hour!"
"I made notes, Malfoy! Unlike you, I pay attention in class." She attempted to jump up to grab the container from his grip but unfortunately, he towered over her in height. Even on her tiptoes, she only could reach his elbow with the tips of her fingertips.
"Dammit, Malfoy, just give me the damn eye of newt." She stood back and crossed her arms. "If you don't want to take this seriously then leave but I will not fail this project because you refuse to admit I'm right!"
He glared at her. "We aren't going to fail because I know you are wrong." He brought his arms down and used his empty hand to point at her. "You may not know this, but you aren't always right. You don't actually know everything."
She barely listened as she eyed the tiny vial in his other hand. Glancing at his raging eyes, she jumped for the vial.
A brush of her fingers in his hand and soon the little glass container was in her grasp. Smiling triumphantly, she didn't hesitate to empty half the container into the cauldron. Turning back around, she turned a smug smile on him.
"See Malfoy -" A blast sounded in her ears and her vision went dark.
Sitting up, Hermione rubbed her eyes to try to rub the fuzziness away. Her hair was aching something fierce causing her vision to cloud and clearing her vision more difficult.
"Ugh," she turned to look at the groan from beside her but her whole body felt off balance. Everything more dragged out than she was used to. As her vision became clear, she tried to recollect what had happened before she passed out. Her thoughts were as fuzzy as her vision though. Again, rubbing them, she finally blinked and was able to clear her sight.
However, as she looked before her, she felt as if she perhaps was in a very bad dream. That she hadn't woken up yet. Blinking several times, she attempted to wake herself up from the vision before her.
Hermione Granger was sitting in front of herself. It was a bad dream. She was Hermione but then why was there another Hermione sitting on the floor next to her. This couldn't be right.
"What the-" the other Hermione shouted as she scooted back. Her eyes widened and a hand darting to her throat.
Hermione tilted her head and watched with curiosity. "Who are you?"
The voice that spoke… was not her voice. Not the voice that was coming from the other Hermione either. The voice that spoke to question this doppelgänger was deeper than a woman's and oddly familiar. A sense of unease seemed to drip down her spine. Lifting a hand she was startled to see a man's hand lift into her vision. She'd know these large hands anywhere. Their long fingers familiar in a way because, not that she'd ever admit this out loud, she'd watched them work more times than she'd like to count. In meetings, in mutual classes, even sometimes during meals in the Great Hall. Mostly when she was frowning at him in frustration, but she noticed him all the same.
With trepidation, she glanced down and was startled to see a man's body.
"No, no, no," she whispered but she heard it loud and clear then. I'm in Draco Malfoy's body, she whimpered to herself. Her gaze jumped back up as another realization hit. That means my body has -
"Malfoy?" She asked.
He-Hermione's body- snapped to attention as he looked up at her. She looked up at him?
"Oh for fuck's sake," she growled out - he growled out. "You mean to tell me I'm in your damn body and you're in mine?" She/he yelled at her/him. Hermione watched as he struggled to his feet… her feet. "You're so damn short! And ugh, this is your fault!" He pointed a finger into her face from a few feet away. A pointed edge to her own face staring back at her. "If you had just left well enough alone and listened to me! We wouldn't be in this mess!"
"ME!" She shouted but paused as she heard his voice coming out of her. She clambered to her feet, though it took longer because he was just so damn long. "If you had just been on time and we could have a conversation instead of you just taunting me, we wouldn't be here. This is your fault, Malfoy!" She started for the door.
"Where are you going?"
"I'm going to see professor Slughorn to get us out of this mess."
"Well don't let me stop you. I don't want to be stuck in your body any longer than I have to be," he harrumphed but she heard it in her own voice and it lost its usual edge. "Though," she heard him trail off so she paused in her trek out the door. Stopping in the doorway, she turned to see Draco (in her body) pull her shirt forward and glance down.
"MALFOY!" She screamed but it wasn't her usual high pitch. "DO NOT LOOK!"
He glanced up and smiled. A snake smile and it gave her chills seeing her face portray that smile. "Granger, I had no idea just how well endowed you were under this blouse."
"Two can play at that game," she gritted out as she started to lift his shirt from the body she was occupying. As she reached for his belt, he shouted.
"Okay, okay. Fair point. Let's just go see Slughorn." He bolted past her. She followed.
—
Professor Slughorn was no help. He stated in their brief meeting that it would wear off over a 24 hour period and that it was best to let the effects of the potion run its course. Neither occupant had liked the response. Even to go as far as begging for a more immediate fix. Slughorn had threatened to dock points for their arguing with a professor. At which point they had both left his office with their heads hung low.
"I suppose we just avoid people as best as we can," Hermione, in her masculine voice, had vocalized after a few moments of silence.
"Easy for you to say, Granger," he had hissed with a sneer on his features. "I have social engagements that I was to attend and now you have to attend them in my place. Luckily for me - you're a hermit and don't go anywhere but the library." He watched her through her own brown eyes and didn't miss the flinch that affected his features. Even in his body, she was an open book.
Another beat of silence before she spoke again, "Fine, what social event do I have to attend?"
He hesitated. "I have a date…"
She threw her hands in the air and let out a low shriek. "Of course you do."
"It's a double date. Blaise, Theo, and some Slytherin girls from younger years." He hesitated. "I don't really care, but you're going to have to school your features to look more nonchallant if you don't want them to notice."
"Easy enough."
"I suppose you'd be in the library studying tonight…"
"Yes and I'd highly recommend you keeping me there because some of the house heads come looking for me. We don't want them to realize I'm off schedule or there will be all hell to pay."
The both sighed heavily. "Okay. Then I suppose we should head out."
Thankfully they both were housed in the same tower so it wasn't weird when they both started heading in the same direction. What got them stared at that both were doing so peacefully. They could feel the stares but somehow managed not react; or rather Draco somehow managed not to react… in her body.
—
Draco Malfoy was struggling. Rage consumed him at the simple idiocy of her mistake. This had to be his worst nightmare. The two of them switching bodies. While under normal circumstances he would be taking all the time in the world to explore, this was Hermione Granger. The girl - no, scratch that. Woman, who had been tortured in his ancestral home by his aunt. He had been there to hear every gut wrenching scream and sob come from her frail body. He could attest it was frail, he was living in it. It was smaller, and shorter, and thinner, and had scars that even he hadn't been aware of. He had tried not looking. Not because he didn't want to, but because the guilt was eating at him. Even a year later.
He had changed… he couldn't stand being in a skirt even if he was in a female's body. The breeze was uncomfortable. So once entering her bedroom, after almost walking into his own room, he had searched high and low for some trousers. To no avail. All she had was the muggle jeans. It took him a moment to undress her - himself. Taking it off a woman's body was one thing, but taking it off himself, in her body, was another scenario. Obviously not one he had encountered before and because of who it was, was not something he was enjoying. As he took off her many layers, struggling with a few, he had caught sight of the familiar scar on her forearm. He caught sight of scars across her rib cage. He even found a scar around her collarbone. She wore so many layers that he had no clue about the damage that had been done. It derailed him.
This fierce, untamable, obnoxious woman - while he viewed her body as frail - was nothing to be trifled with. Hell, she had punched him her third year over a nasty creature. She had fought her way up the school ladder - proving to everyone, and begrudgingly him as well, that just because she was Muggleborn, didn't mean that her magic was less. In the back of his mind, he was pretty sure she was the most powerful witch in their year.
He had struggled to get the jeans on - they were tight and they fit like a second skin. Comfortable, but weird to feel something so tight to his body - her body. He grabbed a sweatshirt and threw it on with a pair of shoes before he made his way down the halls. Some people waived and greeted what they thought was her. He faked a smile each time.
By the time he finally made it to the library, his nerves were shot. She was nice to everyone. She knew everyone's names. It was exhausting having to smile at so many people. His - her - cheeks hurt from keeping up the pretense.
But as the hours grew long, he felt a few stares from his little corner of the library. He had thought about sitting near the window - where she usually sat - but threw that away If he was going to study, he'd do it where he damn well pleased.
The stares didn't let up. When he finally looked up he noticed some younger Slytherin students - he wasn't sure of their names but he would guess forth or fifth years staring at him - her. One in particular caught his eye - her eye - and mouthed something. His blood ran cold.
"Mud blood."
He was in a state of shock that happened. He couldn't remember ever being on the receiving end and though he had once been the one to utter those words…. he had long ago stopped thinking of her as something as dirty as that word.
He had casted a silent spell creating the person in question to get legs of jelly. It didn't take long for the whole library to be in an uproar about what had happened to him when his friends had to help carry him out.
A younger student - Hufflepuff - came over with a sympathetic smile. "It's about time you did something about that jerk."
"Umm," he hesitated.
"I mean he's only been saying nasty shit to you for weeks. I'm honestly surprised it's taken you this long." She smiled and waved goodbye as she headed back to her own group of friends.
Rage. White, hot rage filled his very core as he realized what the girl could mean. This cretin had been doing this to Hermione for weeks and she let him?
He glanced down to look at his arm - her arm. That word carved into the tenderness of her forearm. He had called her that for so many years. Spewing venom to hurt her. He had made her cry. He still enjoyed taunting her, but he couldn't say that he did it out of anger anymore. He couldn't even say he did it with any conviction. He could only do it because that's what he'd always done. Habit. He needed those habits this year with the world having changed so much. For the better, but change was change. Something he was still struggling to handle.
—
Hermione felt vile as she stripped out of the clothes of Draco Malfoy. This was an invasion of privacy. But his clothes were itchy and she couldn't handle it anymore. So once in his room, with the utmost of care, she had gone in search of clothes. To no avail. All she found was more of the same. Finally, frustrated enough, she transfigured a pair of his terrible trousers into something a lot more comfortable and less itchy. Thankfully he had a shirt that was doable, not scratchy or stiff. But as she pulled it over her head over her torso - his torso she caught sight of the scars. The scars that her best friend had put on him.
Horror filled her as she saw how many there were and how they raced over his torso. Collar bone to belly button. Zig zagging back and forth. Pale, but raised. Spells this dark just shouldn't exist. It was so horrific that she had pulled the shirt down without another second thought.
Then the dark mark caught her eye on her forearm. His forearm. It was faded, but the image was still there. Staring. Dark and foreboding. A shiver had run down her spine until she noticed a thin scar through it. A scar across it. Horror filled her again. Her blood ran cold and the air in her lungs attempted to escape but not return.
Draco Malfoy was not as put together as he seemed.
She had made her way out of the tower and down the hall. Heading toward the Great hall, she tried to remember every little detail she could about Blaise Zabini and Theo Nott but the list was obnoxiously short. At least to her liking.
Whispers started picking up as she moved her way through the halls until she could make out words.
Traitor.
Death Eater.
They escalated. The horror was only getting worse as she walked on in his shoes - literally. He was still dealing with the repercussions of his choices in the war. Choices he made to protect his family. Just like they all had made choices to save theirs.
They all had been children in this war. Every single one of them. They all had made choices - some good. Some bad.
He had been forgiven of his crimes because he had been under duress. He had been a child.
Why didn't anyone see that, she asked as she forced her way into the Great Hall. Just as she started to head for Gryffindor's table, she caught herself. Glancing once at the Slytherin table, she hesitated. Taking a breath, she forced herself to walk over to where she usually saw him sitting.
Much to her disdain, she found herself sitting between unknown Slytherin's. One of which is Blaise Zabini.
"Hey, mate. You ready for tonight?"
She grimaced but quickly covered it by forcing herself to smirk as she thought Draco would. She was almost positive it came out as more of a grimace if the strange look that passed Zabini's face was any indicator.
"Well…" He paused. "We're meeting at Hog's Head at six. Be there, or be square." He got up and walked out with a little lilt in his step.
With a sense of foreboding, she watched him whistle as he walked out the doors. Her eyes lingered on the doors even as he walked out.
—
She forced herself to go to Hogsmeade. To meet the other two Slytherin boys at Hog's Head but when she came to the table there was a sight that she hadn't expected to see. Where she had thought three women would be sitting with them, it had only been the two of them already half drunk from whatever they were drinking.
Hermione stepped up to the table but didn't take a seat. "I thought we were having a date?"
Blaise glanced up mid laugh and his glassy eyes didn't seem to focus.
"We were. They left. They don't like us ex-death eaters." Hermione let a brow rise over her eye as she took in the boys sitting in front of her with empty dumps and lots of empty beer bottles.
"Couldn't be the alcohol?" She asked in her most condescending tone that she could muster. Trying to sound as what she assumed Malfoy would sound like.
She watched as Theo looked up at her - his eyes clear as day. His head tilted to the side as he seemed to take her - Draco - in before him.
"Draco," he drawled. Lazy, and deep. "Join us."
Hermione hesitated. This wasn't what she signed up for - what she sat all afternoon preparing for. This… this was something she was unsure how to handle. Especially with alcohol. Something she herself hadn't really dabbled much in.
"I actually have to get to the library -""
Zabini leaned over the table giggling. "And there it is!" He turned his head to the side and gave Theo a goofy smile. "I told you."
"Told him what?"
"That you're not Draco Malfoy." Theo answered as he lifted the whisky glass to his lips. "That you're someone else. Poly juice potion?"
Hermione felt every nerve in her body shoot up in hyper awareness. Her worst nightmares were coming true as she looked between the two Slytherin boys.
"I'm not polyjuiced. I would like to point out that I came here for a date," she snarled. "Now that there is no chance I'm going to get laid - " Malfoy would say that, right? "Then I better do something more with my time. Like study for the test in Charms next Tuesday."
Theo let his gaze take in the body before him. Making Hermione want to squirm but with all the strength she might be able to muster she forced herself not to even breath.
"He looks like Malfoy," Zabini whispered - or rather what he assumed was a whisper, but in his drunken stupor was more of a shout. "But he doesn't speak like Malfoy."
"I don't have time for your drunken stupors," Hermione hissed. Crossing her arms, she settled into an aggressive defense. "I am going to go study so I can pass this class. Keep the Ministry off my back. You know where to find me." With her peace said, she spun around and made her way out of Hog's Head and went back toward the castle.
—
Hermione found herself going to her usual spot at the window in search of him - herself. When he wasn't there, she blew out a frustrated breath causing a pair of first years nearby - Ravenclaws - to scuttle past her - him - in fear.
It didn't take long before she was able to find him - herself - at a corner in the back of the library. He was buried in a potion's book and didn't even acknowledge as she sat in front of him - her.
Hermione murmured a voiceless notice me not charm before clearing her throat. Reaching across the table, she pulled on her own arm to look at the watch that usually sat on her wrist only to see it empty.
Anger filled her as she looked into her own face. "Where is it?"
"Where's what?" He finally looked up and to see the rage in his face was like dipping his body in ice cold water. He knew he could be angry at times - who wouldn't - but the dark look in his own eyes had made his blood run cold.
"My watch."
"The muggle contraption?" He glanced at Hermione's dainty wrist as he moved it around. He still wasn't comfortable in her skin. He wasn't sure if this was a good thing or a bad thing after having been in her body for almost 24 hours. "I left it on your dresser." He shook his wrist out of her hands - his hands. "It felt… bulky."
Hermione took a deep breath and groaned. "How much longer do we have to do this?"
He shrugged. "Slughorn said 24 hours… " He leaned back to look down the aisles and glanced at the clock on one of the walls. "We've got two more hours."
"Ugh," she groaned and leaned her head onto the table.
"Granger," he whispered, hearing her voice pass through his teeth.
"What?" She mumbled.
"You can't sit here. We can't be seen."
"Oh shove off, Malfoy. No one will see us." She looked up. "I like to think ahead. I cast a notice me not."
He chose not to respond.
—
Finally - close to Midnight - she woke suddenly at the library table. She must have dozed off, but by some miracle she found herself in her own body. A dance of victory made her stand up and shake around. Glancing over, she found Draco Malfoy - thankfully in his own body - watching her with a curious expression.
Heat flooded her face as she came to an abrupt halt.
"Umm," she started but trailed off. "I guess back to our usual lives, yeah?"
Draco stood from his seat. "Yes, Granger. Back to our everyday lives." He walked closer to her and took her hand in his own. Shivers raced down her back, tempted to yank her hand out of his grasp. "24 hours in your shoes was too much for me." He bent down close to her ear. "Have a good night, Hermione." His fingers gently brushing against her forearm. His lips pressed against her cheek - with a barely there touch. Then he was walking away and Hermione couldn't help but feel a sense of something passing between them.
"Wait?" She started to follow. He paused in the doorway and glanced back at her with a little sparkle in his eye. His usual smirk pulling across his mouth. "What about the potion?"
"We can start tomorrow night, Granger." He was gone.
Damnit, she thought as she started to pick up her books from the table. One day in Malfoy's shoes and now she was viewing him in a different light. A very different light.
Oh, god, she whispered to herself as she placed her face in her hands. What am I going to tell the boys?
A/N: The end. Sooooo, what do you think?
