A/N: 2020 - Revised

2006 - Well, I promised another for tonight, so here it is! Answers to the last chapter's questions are here! Please bear with me if everything isn't exactly as it would be in the books… I realize some things would take longer to get done, and that even in Harry Potter's book it would be physically impossible to prepare a- er, well, just read the chapter for yourself.

Disclaimer: Believe it or not, J.K. Rowling is NOT the only brilliant minded woman on this planet.

Draco didn't really know why he'd done what he had, but the fact remained that he had. No matter how much he tried to reason with himself, the excuses seemed sketchy at best. Come on, you know you'd feel guilty if you hadn't. You'd know it was your fault. And besides, Gryffindor really does need her. It makes the games more interesting!

The first step had been stealing a pre-made vial of the necessary brew from his godfather's office. The second step had been to procure the proper attire, something easily accomplished by one of the house elves that serviced the Slytherin quarters. The third step had necessitated Draco's visit to the Hospital Wing. He still couldn't believe he'd managed to get close enough to swipe a strand of hair from her pillow, let alone without her noticing.

Draco had indeed meant it when he said that Gryffindor needed her talent. As much as it pained him to admit it, she really was a skilled flyer. He just hoped nobody would suspect...

With only several minutes left before the youngest Weasley would be due on the pitch, Draco holed up in the prefects' bathroom. He pulled the single strand of bright crimson from his pocket and added it to the contraband phial he'd stolen earlier. The brew turned a coppery color, decidedly more appealing than others he'd seen but unnerving nonetheless. Grimacing, he took a sip. Almost immediately he felt the effects of the Polyjuice potion. His body shrunk, the proportions shifting. His scalp tingled as his hair grew rapidly, tickling his chin on its way to his shoulder and beyond. In the mirror, it was Ginny Weasley's face that looked back at him. Devoid of expression, he allowed himself to study her features up close. He had to admit, she had good genes. A fine, petite nose with a dusting of freckles. Jewel-bright eyes, as befitted a powerful witch. Now that they weren't frowning or sneering or taunting, he could appreciate the fullness and yes, softness of her lips. It suddenly struck him that here in the privacy of the otherwise empty bathroom, there was nothing to stop him from examining further. Absolutely not, he thought firmly. His mother had raised him better than that, at least. It's no wonder they keep this stuff under lock and key though, it's downright violating!

With his back to the mirror and his eyes resolutely fixed on the far wall, Draco quickly shed his own Slytherin robes and donned the smaller Gryffindor Quidditch set. She so owes me. Merlin, I'm becoming a downright gentleman for her!

At the broom shed, Draco started to reach for his own Nimbus 2001, but paused when a girl called out to him.

"What're you doing? You do know that's the git's broom, right?"

"Huh? Oh, er..." He glanced down at his outstretched hand. Be nice, that's her friend. Act like Ginny. Oh, bloody hell. This is going to be the death of me… Clearing his throat, he spoke, somewhat surprised to hear a crisp feminine voice rather than his own languid one. "I was just, ah, admiring it. It must be really fast." He forced what he hoped looked like a genuine smile. Oh, the shame. Save me.

The girl sighed, thrusting a Cleansweep at him. "Come on, before someone actually hears you and deems you unfit to try out." Draco took the proffered broom, delighted at this stroke of luck.

"Come on, you two! Tryouts have begun!" It was Ronald Weasley. I really can't just keep calling them all the same thing, can I? Gritting his teeth, Draco plastered the same smile on his borrowed face.

He and the girl hovered together off to the side, awaiting their turn.

"Alright Luca, you're up!" The girl next to him flew off. With some distance between them, he realized there was something familiar about her flying style. So that's who it was the other day… Luca, huh? I'll have to remember that one. He watched the rest of her tryout, sure by the end of it that she'd make the team.

"Ginny Weasley."

Really, if she plays half so well during the actual matches, we might be in trouble, Draco mused idly.

"GINNY WEASLEY! GET OUT HERE!"

Oh, shite, that's me… Kicking himself mentally, he shot out to join the others.

"Right, Ginny, you know the drill. Get the Quaffle through the hoops as many times as you can, avoiding whatever the 'other team' throws at you." Draco nodded, grabbing the Quaffle from the girl in front of him. Swerving right and left and then right again, he pulled up in front of the hoops, feinted to the right and neatly scored. So far, so good, Draco thought. He was hard pressed not to show off too much, and was reluctant to stop when the whistle blew, signaling the end of his - no, Ginny's - tryout.

The players were asked to stick around for a few minutes while Potter looked over the scores. Draco stood with Luca the whole time.

"Nicely done, you seemed extra peppy today. I thought you were in the Hospital Wing, anyway?"

"Oh, er, Madam Pomfrey let me out for this," Draco answered her quickly before fixing his gaze on Potter. Finally, the git looked up and headed over..

"Right, I'm posting this in the changing rooms. Congratulations to those of you who made it, and to those who didn't - it was a tough call, we hope to see you here for next year's tryouts."

Draco hung back as the group made their way to the tent, following at a distance. He found that he genuinely hoped that she'd make the team. Upon reaching the tent, he let out a breath and lifted the flap. Inside was a cacophony of ecstatic squeals and disappointed groans, but Draco pushed past it all to the wall where the list was hung. Scanning the handful of names quickly, he smirked. Yep, she owes me. He refused to dwell too heavily on the fact that it should have been her flying today, and that he was responsible for her absence. In truth, he was enjoying the sensation that this good deed had left him with, and he didn't want to spoil it by examining things too closely.

Suddenly, he felt a prickling sensation, and realized that his perspective on the room was changing - he was growing taller. Time's up, he thought. Hastily, he skirted the edge of the tent to avoid the mass of hands clapping shoulders. It was a mad dash back to the castle, and even then his own short, blond hair had returned by the time he made it to the prefects' bathroom.

The next day, Draco had been in search of a book he needed for Charms when he saw the very girl in question arrive and find a seat, looking perplexed and… distressed? He observed her quietly from between two shelves, moving closer when she was joined by the odd Lovegood girl and Luca. He could just make out their conversation - her tryout. His tryout. He half hoped she'd figure it out right there. When she didn't, and the other two had left, he found himself approaching her.

She turned to him, eyes flashing. Draco smirked, leaning casually on a nearby shelf.

"What are you playing at, Malfoy?" She asked warily.

"I'm not playing at anything. Who's to say you're not the one playing something?"

"I think you know bloody well that I never tried out for the team. It's your fault I couldn't!" Her voice was rising. He was surprised to realize that her quick temper annoyed him, that it wasn't what he wanted in this exchange. He straightened.

"Yes," he acknowledged coolly. "And my fault that you did make it." Draco turned stiffly and exited the library, leaving her to gape after him.

A/N: 2020 - I'm feeling much happier with the direction this is going, it's tailoring up nicely. Still have some things to work through, but I'm getting some ideas of just how to accomplish that…

2006 - Well, I don't think it's as well written as I would have hoped, but here it is. It's late, but I DID promise this chapter! Let's get back to the technical difficulties though... How could Snape just HAPPEN to have Polyjuice potion? Well, dearies, like I said in the last chapter, it rather went off in an unplanned direction, so liberties had to be taken. Needs must! R&R!