Chapter XVII

Victory

When I wake up, all I can hear is shrieking. I can hear the Weasley Twins swearing joyfully and Hagrid joining them.

I decide to open my eyes…and I find that…everything's blurry. I can hardly see a thing. What the hell does this spell…do…?

Oh.

"Hermione." And there it is; the deep rustle of my voice, "Do you by any chance have my glasses?"

Hermione, who was standing next to me as Pansy hexed me, kneels down and hands them to me.

"I was keeping them on me in case you ever wanted to be changed back." She whispers, but I can hardly hear her over the bedlam.

"OH. MY. GOD!!"

"It's Harry Potter."

"He was the girl!?"

"He SHAGGED MALFOY!"

The roars of the crowd become louder at these realizations. It's giving me a bloody headache.

To be honest, I really should've realized what that spell did. I think I could've reflected it, but I was so shocked by the whole coincidence and if I'm really honest I wanted to see what it did!

Anyway, no time like the present. I think it's time I faced my audience…I struggle onto my feet, and feel a little disorientated when I realize that I'm a lot taller than I was a couple of minutes ago.

I take in the crowd's expressions. Most of them look incredibly shocked, some scared, some horrified like most of Slytherin who had thought I was just a simple hot girl, not their enemy Harry Potter. The Gryffindors look…pretty pissed… Fred and George are pissing themselves, though. Snape looks bloody traumatized! Oh yeah, he's probably remembering all those times he came onto me. Well that's bound to torment him for the rest of his life.

And then…Pansy. She's swaying on her feet, her eyes popping out of her head and her wand is still raised.

"…Harry…Potter…" She rasps, before collapsing into a heap. No one runs to catch her.

"What the hell do you think you're doing?" Zacharias Smith demands. Stuck up little prick always needs to get involved…I sigh and roll my eyes.

"Malfoy cursed me into a girl-" A wave of laughter ripples through the crowds. Even the teachers look slightly amused. Snape is still gawking, a twitch beginning to jump in his cheek, "So I planned to get my own back by seducing him and then breaking his heart." There's no scream of mirth to follow that. Tough crowd…

"…Isn't that a bit gay?"

"And did you have to shag him?" Ginny calls out angrily. I avoid her eyes, too scared to answer.

"Ok, maybe I got a little bit carried away but…" I begin to explain, having no idea where I'm going with this.

"So you ended up fancying him?" Hannah Abbott asks with glee.

"No, I never said that-"

"Of course he does." Hillary calls out, "He told us himself."

"You sick BASTARD!" Alicia Spinnet shrieks, "Draco Malfoy?"

"That's disgusting…" Zabini drawls, "Even for you Potter."

"Can't believe Harry Potter fancies Draco Malfoy…"

"…Really freaky, what's his problem?..."

"…Sounds like this 'plan' of his was really just him trying to get him into bed…"

"…A gay love story at Hogwarts? Surely Bloomsbury wouldn't-"

"SHUT UP!!" I end up having to bellow, "Isn't Malfoy getting any stick for this?"

Silence.

"What's Malfoy got to do with this?" Some imbecile asks.

"EVERYTHING!" I roar, "HE started it! HE turned me into a girl because he KNEW I'd try and seduce him to get my own back! He wanted me to fall for him! HE FANCIES ME!!"

There's a silence.

Then there's laughter.

These people are KILLING ME! Though I have to admit, it sounded stupid even to me.

"Yeah, right…!" Padma Patil giggles, clutching her sides, "Draco Malfoy fancies you. I mean, we can totally believe you've got the hots for him, but Malfoy could seriously do better!"

There's a huge murmur of agreement.

"Well." I snap. "Thanks. If you people don't want to believe me FINE. This wasn't even meant to be for the whole of the Wizarding World to hear. It was between Malfoy and me- but good old Foghorn FM here had to broadcast. " I nudge the lifeless Pansy with my girly pumps, which are straining to hold my now big feet.

"So…what- are you and him an 'item' then?" Someone shouts out.

"…PISS OFF!" I shriek, "Haven't you all nosed in enough! I just want to get back to my common room, put my feet up and devour an entire tub of Ben and Jerry's!"

And I push through the crowds and once again, bolt it. But not before hearing:

"So the girl hormones still haven't quite rubbed off…"

It's nice to be back in the Gryffindor Common room. Although, I don't think it's exactly as I remembered. For starters, I think it was safe to sit down on a seat without having to check for poisonous pins waiting for me before. Also, I'm pretty certain people spoke to me. I was quite popular really. Ron used to talk to me a lot. I kind of miss it…

"Hi, Dennis!" I call out, stooping to the lowest of lows as the mini Creevey scuttles past. He ignores me. Weird…I'm pretty sure my invisibility cloak isn't on…

"Hello, Harry." Hermione says delicately as she takes a seat next to me.

"Hermiiiione." I sing, smiling lazily as I pick a hole in my trousers. There's not much to do around here anymore…

"Are you ok?" She asks timidly, watching me closely.

"It's allll good…"

"…are you drunk?"

I sigh and resume normalcy. "No just depressed."

"Because no one's talking to you?"

"No…"

"Because the whole school knows you're gay?"

"No…"

"Because they're all planning to spit into your pumpkin juice every morning for the rest of your school life?"

"…They are? No- look Hermione. Ok maybe that bothers me a little bit…but it's…

"Draco," She smiles ironically, "It's always Draco, isn't it Harry?"

"…Well, no actually, most of the time it's been Voldemort-"

"Whatever- why don't you just go out with him?"

"Because I've already been through this in my head. I'd lose everything else. Everyone would hate me and I don't want to give up everything just for him…kind of…"

"Harry." Hermione says, becoming stern, "Look around you. Everyone already hates you. Either you're ignoring it or you're insane or very flakey, but my goodness they despise you."

I watch the fire crackle lazily in front of me, taking that all in and wondering how the hell she thinks it'll make me feel better.

"…Well thanks for the pick-me-up!" And I make to stand up.

"No, Harry I wasn't finished." She sighed, and pulled my back down. "The point is- your worst fears have happened, ok? There's nothing stopping you from going out with him apart from what everybody thinks. And since when have you cared about that?"

I think for a moment. Maybe she is right.

"But they might forgive me if I stay away from him." I counter. I don't really know why I'm trying to convince myself to stay away from Draco, when all I want is to go and see him and tell him what I've been feeling perhaps since the first year!

"Harry, they'd forgive you anyway." Hermione says frustratedly.

"What do you mean?"

"You're the best seeker Gryffindors seen for a long time I'd guess." She smiles serenely as it all comes together, "They're not going to stay mad at you for long. Just wait until you win the next match."

"…You're right Hermione…everything comes back to Quidditch!" I realize with glee.

"As much as I hate it, it's true." She sighs, "So really, there's nothing to lose is there?"

I beam at her, before yanking her into a joyous hug.

"You're a genius!" I tell her, before springing off the sofa and sprinting out of the Common Room.

As I bolt through the corridors, up the winding staircases and the tapestries I feel alive, so alive, even more so than that night spent with Draco. But it's OK; we have a thousand more nights to top it…

Draco Malfoy

It's a beautiful evening. Even though I planned the meeting to be at Midnight I found myself here instead of attending Dinner. I don't think I could sit at the same table as him when he was deciding my fate. I don't suppose I missed much anyway…

I've always found the Astronomy Tower relaxing. I tried to convince father to install one into the Manor but he doesn't have time for the stars- only illegal artifacts and slinking around the Ministry. I lie back on one of the work tops and just gaze at the stars, forgetting my surroundings, forgetting everything, even him. Although it's a hard task.

I remember the past month spent with only him, in the form of a female I admit, but it was still him inside there. It was a sacrifice I had to make in order to gain the ultimate prize. Him. Harry Potter. The Boy Who Lived, and who is alive in me.

Maybe he is already a man again. I tremble at the thought of it, wishing with my being that he has, and that he'll say yes, yes to me being his. But I have to rely on him to just forget what everyone thinks. It's always been one of his weaknesses. Although I did as well. That's why I hid my feelings and decided to be a right bastard to him. But now…I just don't care.

Now I've had a taste of him…everything else seems pointless without him. In fact, I'd enjoy to be talked about. Let them gossip, we'd be the ones having the fun. Maybe then Pansy would get the hint good and proper as well…another advantage of me having a girlfriend; the insufferable girl kept her distance.

"Draco?"

My heart flies to my mouth. Dammit! How can he make my body set on fire with just a simple greeting? I leap off the table and see…him. In all his glory- a man. His raven hair, wild and untamable falls into those jaded eyes (which I've missed so much) that are gazing at…me, with something I've been waiting for years to see. He's tall again, his skin--slightly more seasoned than mine--is flushed with what? Excitement? Embarrassment? It drives me wild as I try to figure out just what he's thinking.

"…Harry." I choke. Honestly, I can never keep it casual around him. For the past month he must have thought I was a dithering fool! "You're early," State the obvious…!

"Couldn't stay away." He grins sheepishly, and already I want to devour him. I walk slowly towards him, taking a glance over his body, the one I've missed so much.

"I've missed you…" I say, truth spilling out of me, like always when I'm with him.

"I saw you a few hours ago." He pointed out bashfully. I shake my head, smiling properly now.

"No, I've missed…you." I let a finger trail down his throat, it slopes over his prominent adam's apple. Even as a man, colour rushes to his face and I'm reminded of Lottie Charm. But forget about her…she never even existed…it was always Harry…

"Sorry." I say, my hand dropping to my side, lifeless, "You haven't told me your decision yet…"

"Well," He clears his throat, "I think this should answer your question."

A hex? A fist in my face? Maybe a farewell-

A kiss.

An awkward, beautiful, chaotic kiss. And I'm alive, ignited, because here he is, Harry, with his lips against mine. I close my eyes and melt into him, sighing softly as his arms, no longer thin and feminine, but strong and toned snake around me.

All those years, wars of words, wands, they're forgotten. All that is, is now. Is us. And the time stretching ahead of us…so much time. I can feel my tears seeping through my closed eyelids but hardly notice them. It's so strange to feel so many different things…light and dark, hot and cold…so strange…

We break apart, and his breath mingles with mine, my nose nudging his.

"Good answer." I whisper.

"Thanks." He grins, beautiful, stunning, mine.

"I've never been so happy." I gush, without even thinking.

"Aw Malfoy," He says jokingly, as his hand trails through my hair, "Don't be such a girl…"

And I can feel his smile against mine as we share another kiss, tainted with something I can only describe as victory.

I just want to say thanks to everyone. This is the most popular story I've written (yet ;D) and it's been such an achievement to get all those story/author alerts and favourite story/author notations.

I'd like to thank my friends: Carrie, Bex, Stoof and Eleanob (Sorry Ellie lol) because you all gave me ideas and inspiration and also kept screaming at me for the next chapters. Also thanks to everyone who's left me reviews! (over 200!! Whoaaa) I really appreciate it. Especially to Rika's Grey Wolf because your's were always the longest! lol!

I know I haven't won an Oscar or anything, but without you guys, whats the point of writing a story? So it's only polite to say Thanks!

Anyway, don't collapse into tears yet- there's still the Epilogue! ;D

Caspre. x