Gender Changing Toffees Chapter Nine:

Once a Slytherin, always a Slytherin

"I am perfectly capable of doing so on my own, but Albus Dumbledore has insisted upon your being here…Which means that the arrogant bloke needs our help because he can't figure out how to come up with an antidote himself. I bet Dumbledore didn't tell him a thing." George Weasley said as he and his twin brother read the letter just owled to them by their once Professor, Severus Snape. He put the letter down and stroked his chin thoughtfully. His brother Fred was snickering quietly to himself.

"I know, right? He's probably put out that he's being bested by the Weasley Twins."

George sighed and stretched his arms over his head. "Stupid greasy git. And we were going to meet up with Bill and try to goad him into getting us a couple of Dragon's scales! Guess we'll have to put a hold on that. I have a feeling Snape is going to make us do most the work. We'll have to find some way to make this fun."

"Well I suppose we should bring the notes we took when we made the Toffee's. That can give us a place to start-" Fred began.

"What? And ruin all the fun of watching Snape beg us for help? I say we bring them but don't show them until we have to. I want to see Snape admit that we're smart enough to do something he can't figure out. Besides, it will be fun," George said, smiling wickedly. Fred thought about it and agreed with his twin. He picked up a not-yet-hexed chocolate and popped it in his mouth, grinning evilly as the sweet dissolved on his tongue. They would try to be as least a bit of help to Snape as they could manage to be, and have a bit of fun at the same time.

"Draco…Draco get up!"

Draco Malfoy groaned with annoyance and rolled over on his side. He did not want to get up.

"Go away" he muttered sleepily. But of course though it sounded like that in his head, it came out more like, "Gurray"

His waker, most certainly Hermione, sighed and did the only thing she could think to do. She ripped off his comfortable, warm covers, leaving him suddenly cold and bare. Draco made some kind of noise and sat up straight in bed.

"All RIGHT! I'm up! I was getting up anyways, you didn't have to rip my covers off." he grumbled sleepily. Hermione rolled her eyes and crossed her arms in a manner that told him she was not in the mood. Any other day she would have probably laughed at his confused, sleepy face, but not today.

"Draco Malfoy I tried three times to get you up before I did that! And we're going to be late! Snape asked us to meet him in the room of requirement at nine o'clock sharp. And it's already eight thirty!" she stomped her foot angrily. Draco held up his hands in defeat and glanced around him. It looked as if the rest of the girls had already left for the morning, it was just him and Hermione. She was ready to go and already dressed, just waiting on him. He sighed and told her he would be ready in five minutes. Well of course as all girls know, five minutes is in actuality at least fifteen.

Five minutes my arse, Hermione thought angrily as Draco entered the common room twenty minutes later. Of course the extra time had been more than worthwhile, he looked stunning and pretty, any boy's jaw would drop from just one glance at him. But Hermione was no boy and was very impatient. Her eye's narrowed as she noticed the skirt Draco was wearing. It was a plaid mini her mum had bought for her before school started.

"Draco! You're wearing my skirt, you can't just do that!" she exclaimed. Draco grinned and gave her a playful wink.

"Oh why not? It looks great on me. As long as I have these legs, I might as well show them off. Besides, it's a bit on the short side for you, I couldn't imagine you wearing it." Hermione grumbled something inaudible and Draco grinned even bigger.

"Okay, point made." she finally said, "but we need to hurry, Snape told us to be there at nine sharp. Unless you enjoy wearing women's clothing so much you've decided to keep this change permanent." she teased lightly. Perhaps she'd gotten over the near-tardiness and her humor was returning. Draco hoped so, Hermione was never any fun when she was mad.

"Ugh, no way! I'd choose boxers to these stringy things any day. No, I won't miss this body at all." he said. Hermione burst out laughing and Draco asked her what was so funny.

"Are you wearing a thong, Draco?" she asked between giggles. Draco glared at her and suddenly felt very self conscious. He thought all girls wore thongs. Pansy did…okay so maybe she was on the skanky side, but still.

"Yeah, so?" he asked, annoyed. Hermione shook her head and chuckled.

"Most girls don't. Only the bolder, more uh…active girls tend to. In my opinion anyways. Besides, their bloody uncomfortable." she said. Then she blushed and it was Draco's turn to grin.

"Hermione Granger, are you telling me you've worn a thong before?" he asked, unbelievingly. Hermione blushed even harder and she started to walk out of the common room.

"No…of course not." she said, trying to sound like she was telling the truth. Hermione was a bad liar. Draco laughed and gazed at her approvingly.

"Mmm, I think that's turning me on Granger," he drawled slowly. Hermione hit his arm, horrified at the thought of turning Draco on, and told him if he planned on being on time, he'd better follow her or she was leaving him behind. He chuckled and followed her to the Room of Requirement. To think…Hermione had worn a thing. He laughed again, earning a bad look form Hermione. It was one of her warning looks, and Draco shut up. He was quiet the rest of the way there, although he was dying from laughter inside.

"Welcome Mr. Malfoy, Mrs. Granger." Severus Snape greeted the two students as they walked into the Room of Requirement. The Weasley twins were already there- looking very proud and pleased with themselves. The same could hardly be said for Snape, who looked embarrassed about the whole situation. He could hardly even look at Draco as he directed them over to the table he had set up for the potions.

"Where are we going to start at, Professor?" Hermione asked the Potions Master. She got straight to the point, she wanted to begin as soon as possible.

"I was hoping the Weasley's would give us some insight on how this toffee came to be made." he said, looking at Fred and George. Fred shrugged and grinned a little.

"Sorry, Severus, we threw out all notes we took." he told Snape. Snape turned slightly red and glared at Fred.

"It's Professor Snape to you, and that was a very stupid thing to do. Exactly something I would expect from you though." he replied coldly. George raised an eyebrow and stood up to examine the potion ingredients Snape had selected for them to use.

"Well, Snape, looks like you're going to have to rely on our memory. As it comes to us. And it might come faster if you start being nicer."

Snape sighed and ran a hand through his oily black hair. It wasn't the time to argue. Instead of answering back with a sly comment, he just glared at the twins and an awkward silence ensued. Hermione broke it suddenly, and he turned to her, surprised she had said anything. He expected most of the work to be done by himself and the Weasleys.

"Professor, shouldn't we start by examining the ingredients of the toffee?" she asked.

"I started that last night actually, this is a list I compiled so far." he reached over and grabbed a sheet of parchment which he handed to Hermione. She scanned it quickly, recognizing most of the listed items. It would have to be mostly guesswork then, since these were very general and common ingredients. She sighed, pulled up her sleeves, pinned back her hair, and then the real work started.

"Boomslang?"

"Here." George tossed Hermione a very fragile bottle of the item she called for. Snape growled and looked up from the book he was engrossed in as the bottle sailed gracefully through the air.

"Don't throw those!" he shouted.

"Murdock root?"

"Ah, here's one." Fred tossed Hermione a bit of Murdock root. It would have hit Snape, had he not ducked. Hermione couldn't help but chuckle as she caught the root. She was randomly combining and mixing ingredients in a mad frenzy. And like most mad frenzies, this wasn't getting her anywhere.

"Oh this would be so much simpler if we had those notes you two took when you made it!" she complained. Snape sighed and set down his book. He'd given up on guesswork and was now researching different types of common antidotes.

"Weasleys, it appears that we are getting nowhere. I didn't know you two were capable of creating such a complex item, but it appears you are. However, unless you two prove to be of more assistance then Draco will remain Diana forever," he said. George winked at Hermione behind Snape's back, much to Hermione's surprise, and took out several sheets of parchment from his jacket.

"You meant those notes! Oh, how silly of us, we have those right here." he handed them to Snape, a smirk on his face. They waited just until Snape admitted they had indeed created something brilliant that he couldn't understand. Then they gave him the precious notes.

"What? You had them all along! Why you two little-!" began Snape. He was cut off when Dumbledore and Harry stepped into the room. Dumbledore had a slightly amused look on his face and couldn't hold back a chuckle.

"Are they giving you trouble Severus? Ah, I thought they might. Well, it happens to be lunch time and Fred and George asked me if they could take Harry, Draco, and Hermione out to Hogsmeade for the meal. I think that would be a splendid idea. While they are gone, Severus, you and I shall discuss some private matters." He smiled as the Weasley twins gave each other a high-five and cheered.

"Thanks' Dumbledore! Do you three want to come? George and I know a fantastic little restaurant we go to often."

Hermione beamed, glad to get out of the depressing room- made depressing by Snape's attitude and the difficulty of coming up with an antidote.

"Oh yes, Harry and Draco, you will come too, right?" she asked. Draco winked at her, and Harry nodded his head enthusiastically. Not many trips were permitted to Hogsmeade, except with the school. It was a rare treat. Dumbledore smiled and turned to George.

"I trust you will bring them back in one piece." he teased. George winked at Hermione and shrugged his shoulders.

"Can't make any promises."

"Welcome to the best Italian place you've ever been to," George told Hermione, Draco, and Harry. They were standing inside a very brightly painted building that looked more like a garden then a restaurant. Fred told them that the chef's used only grew freshest ingredients for their food, hence the garden look. They also grew custom grapes which with they made their famous wine. Hermione stared around at her in awe and followed as the twins directed them to their seats. Hermione found them in a booth, herself between Harry and Draco with George and Fred across from them. Their waiter, a handsome Italian man came and handed them menus. To Hermione's great dismay, everything was very expensive. Perhaps she should just get a small salad.

"Why the long face, Hermione?" Fred asked. Hermione smiled and tapped the menu with her finger.

"Well everything's so pricy, I think I'm going to just get a salad," she said. Fred and George shook their heads and Fred took out a shiny round, slightly flat coin. Hermione stared at it without knowing what it was.

"It's sort of like a parallel to your Muggle credit cards. But magical. We're buying everything for everyone today; we have the money. The shops enormously successful, we can afford it. So don't get a salad, get something big and fancy,"

"Are you sure?" Hermione asked. Fred nodded his head and insisted that she choose something she wanted. After a few moments to ponder over their menu's the waiter came back to collect them.

"Your order first Hermione, since you're the lady," Draco told her when the waiter began to take their orders. Hermione blushed, even though this was just a sign of common manners. She told the waiter she would like the four cheese tortellini with some sweet tea.

"I'll have the shrimp Fettuccini Alfredo, al dente please, with a glass of your house wine," George said once the waiter had finished writing her order. The process repeated until everyone had ordered. Their menus were taken and drinks materialized in front of them. George had also requested an appetizer of fried mozzarella cheese, so that appeared instantly as well. Their meals would arrive later. Hermione inhaled the scent of the friend cheese and her stomach growled. She didn't realize that she was hungry until then really.

"Want some, Hermione?" Harry asked. Hermione politely refused, she wanted to save room for her meal.

"What did you order, Draco?" she asked the blonde beside her. He had ordered something in Italian that Hermione didn't recognize.

"Snails actually. I always get them when we go to France, but Italian snails are almost as good as French ones,"

"Snails? You like snails?" Harry asked, a little horrified. Draco smiled and said that they really were good, once you got used to them.

"Like caviar I suppose," Hermione added. Draco nodded his head and told Harry that it was much like caviar was, an acquired taste.

"Oh," Harry replied.

"Have you never had caviar?" Draco asked. Hermione or anyone else mistook his question for genuine curiosity, but Harry and himself knew it to be a secret challenge.

"We weren't all raised to be given what we wanted," Harry countered. It was a good counter too. Now Hermione noticed the tension between them and frowned. They had been friends the other day, and now they were having a testosterone war. Hermione never could, and never would understand the complex world that was man. Both boys quieted and participated in pleasant conversation until their food arrived. The plates were hot and steamy and delicious looking. Hermione stared at her cheesy gooey pasta with happiness and dug in.

"Gradite provare questo ?" Draco asked Hermione, pointing at his snail pasta plate.

Hermione scrunched her nose and looked at the friend slugs. She had tried caviar once and not liked it, she had never tried snails. Draco noticed her hesitation and laughed. He stabbed a snail and twirled a bit of pasta on his fork and held it out to her.

"Come on, just give it a chance," he said. Hermione laughed and meant to take the fork from him. He held it though and she realized he wanted her to bite it off the fork from her. Immediately she felt her face flush slightly. The fork was still held out to her, and without really thinking about what she was doing, she bit the food right off it. Draco smiled and watched her chew it. Hermione felt the rubbery organism bang against her teeth and tried not to gag. Draco reached for a napkin for her to spit out in but Harry handed her one first. Hermione took it gratefully and spit out the partially chewed up snail into it.

"Ugh, sorry, I think that was awful," she said to Draco.

"Well, we can't all love snails like Draco," Harry added. Draco glared at Harry and told Hermione that they just had different tastes in food. As the lunch went on, both Harry and Draco tried to engage Hermione in conversation. When one was talking to her, the other would interrupt. By the time deserts were ordered, Hermione felt like her head was going to explode.

"Want to split a chocolate volcano mud pie with me, Hermione?" Harry asked.

"Or do you want to half a almond maple cake with me?" asked Draco. Hermione stared at them both in wonder and said she'd rather have her own Strawberry Crape. When they ordered their deserts, Harry ordered his chocolate thing and Draco changed his order to a blueberry crape. Both boys offered her bites of theirs, and she accepted both. Then the competition for conversation began again. Fred and George, who for the most part had talked mostly to Harry during the dinner, chuckled at the boys odd displays of affection.

"They both fancy her," Fred said to George

"Their obvious about it. Too bad Hermione isn't into Draco, that'd make for some nice action, wouldn't it?" George replied. Fred snorted and eyed the three teens.

"Five galleons she chooses Harry," George told Fred. Fred shook his head and looked at Draco approvingly.

"No way mate, she's into the dangerous types. I'll take that bet, she's going to choose Draco for sure. Let's raise it to Forty to make things interesting,"

"You have a bet," George replied. The two shook hands and watched the Hogwarts students with interest. Draco's elbow was touching Hermione's, and she didn't make to move it. This pleased Fred and he pointed it out to George. But George made notice that she was leaning in closer to Harry. It would be close, whoever she choose.

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Hermione sighed as they made it back to the room of requirement. She had seated herself next to George in the train to perhaps avoid having to be near Harry or Draco, but the boys had just coyly fought with sly words to see who would get to set by her. Harry won when Draco tried to be a gentleman and insisted Harry set by her. He thought Harry would try to be a gentleman as well and refuse, giving Draco the right to. Harry wasn't a gentleman and he ended up setting by Hermione. She had engaged herself in conversation with Fred and George the whole way home to avoid talking to either Draco or Harry. By the time they found Snape, she was ready for a good long nap.

"You took long enough," Snape told the twins.

"Had you wanted to go with us?" George asked innocently. Snape ignored him and pointed to a simmering caldron near the window. Blue liquid drizzled slightly over the end and hissed.

"What's that?" Hermione asked curiously. Snape smirked smugly and tapped the warm pot.

"This is what is going to restore Draco back to his original form," he said proudly. George and Fred looked taken aback, they had obviously not expected him to finish so soon. They didn't want to Snape to know how shocked they were though.

"Took you long enough," Fred said loudly and cheerfully. Snape glowered at them and turned a shade red.

"It would have been done quicker if you two had gave me your notes sooner. I think you did that intentionally,"

"Did what? Intentionally? Severus buddy, we can't help it if you couldn't do the potion any sooner," Fred said sweetly. Snape prepared a long retort- including the threat to never call him Severus again, when Draco interrupted eagerly.

"When can I take it? Now?" he asked. Snape glanced at Draco and momentarily forgot his feud with the twins.

"It will be ready tomorrow, but not now. The potion must have a night to set and settle," he explained. Draco nodded his head and stared in wonder at the potion. A mixture of different feelings and thoughts were rolling through his veins and head. His first response to the news was that he got to be a boy again. He could return to his friends and house and everything would be back to normal. But then he looked at Hermione and saw her face, which was for some reason slightly sad. What about her? What about his new outlook on life, these new unwanted feelings? Draco felt the confusion bubble inside of him and he sighed. He didn't know what he wanted any longer.

"Well, we have to go," George told the three teenagers.

"But you haven't even talked to Ron yet," Hermione persisted. George shrugged his shoulders and yawned.

"Sorry about that, tell him we said hi. But we have to hurry and make it to meet up with Bill and discuss some…business," he explained. They said goodbye to everyone -except Snape, and left. After that everyone else dissipated and after being given instructions to return the next day, Draco left as well. When he got back to the common room he found it in quite a state of chatter.

"What's going on?" he asked Ginny. The fiery Gryffindor rolled her eyes and pointed to a blubbering Lavender.

"She broke up with him," she explained.

"Then why is she the one crying?" Draco asked, amused.

"Who knows, who cares. Ron's looking for you though," she told Draco. Draco stiffened and decided to make quickly to the girls dorm. He didn't know what Ron wanted him for, but if he was heartbroken and devastated…then he was probably like most other dumped blokes and was looking for a warm body to comfort him. Draco would not be that girl. Just as he started up the stairs to the Girls Dorm, Ron cam bounding down from the Boys. Oh no.

"Diana! I'm so glad to see you, I need to ask you something," he said. Draco cringed and smiled tightly.

"What is it?" he asked. Ron sighed, she had such a beautiful voice. Feminine and like silvery bells.

"I was wondering if you wanted to go to the Winder Ball with me?"

Draco had to force himself not to laugh but he couldn't help himself from smiling. Ron wasn't looking for a lover, yet. And Draco would be back to his manly form by the time of the ball. It wouldn't hurt to tell him yes.

"Sure, sounds great," he said, snickering in his mind. Ron beamed and before Draco knew what was happening, he had placed his lips on his own. For a second Draco was still in shock, then he realized that he had Ronald Weasleys lips on his own. Before he could slap him- which was what he was going to do, Ron ran away. He ran away? What kind of a stupid moron runs away after kissing a girl? Draco was disgusted with Ron and himself. He wiped furiously at his lips and frowned. Yuck! He was going to go to the bathroom to brush his teeth a couple of times when he noticed Harry standing by Hermione, close to her. Close as in too close. He watched them for a minute. Harry was asking her something, he could tell by the tilt of his head and wringing of his hands. Hermione listened, then Harry finished. What had he asked? Apparently it was something good because Hermione hugged him and nodded her head. Harry smiled and blushed. Blushed? What had he….? Had he asked her to the Winter Ball?

"Hey Ginny, what just happened?" he asked Ginny, again asking her when he didn't know what was going on.

"Harry asked Hermione to the dance, and she said yes. Why so glum?"

"Nothing," he mumbled and tread up to the stairs. He couldn't believe she had said yes! Why had she told Harry she'd go with him? Did she like him? His disbelief soon turned to anger. He didn't know why he was angry, he knew he shouldn't be, but at the moment he felt like he'd love to hit a wall. He flung open the door to the girls dorm and threw himself on his bed. He heard footsteps on the stairs and the door was creaked open. He knew it was her before she even spoke.

"Draco?" Hermione asked. Draco didn't reply. She walked over to his bed and sat down on it.

"Ginny saw you run up here, what's wrong?" No reply again from Draco. Hermione sighed and pulled back his covers. Draco made an angry noise and rolled so that he was facing her.

"What?" he asked angrily.

"Why are you mad?" Draco pinched up his face and glared at her. As if she didn't know.

"You know why."

"No I don't, tell me why. How can I know?"

"Because Granger, you did it!"

Hermione scoffed and began to get angry herself. "Back to Granger? I don't know what I did and you can't expect me to."

"You are going to the bloody ball with bloody Harry, that's what!"

"And you're upset about that?"

"You like him,"

"What?"

"I see the way you look at him," Draco said. "I know you like him."

"Draco even if I did like Harry, why would that make you mad?"

"Because it just does, okay?"

Hermione was perplexed and confused by Draco's sudden anger. She didn't understand why he was mad over her liking Harry.

"Because why?"

"Just shut up! You don't mean anything to me. You're….well you're just a Mudblood! Yeah, that's right ,a filthy stupid dirty mudblood!" he yelled. Hermione felt like she'd been slapped. He'd just called her a mudblood. She felt angry tears well in her eyes and she stood up off the bed.

"After all we've been through, you would still call me that name? Fine Draco, fine. I thought you had changed. I was wrong. You're the same mean, cold, heartless person you always were. I'm going with Harry as a friend. You should have thought to ask me that before you lashed into me. I can't believe you!" she yelled right back, crying visibly now. Draco watched her run out of the door and felt the need to hurt her deeply, deeper than he had.

"I hate you! I hate you and I've always hated you! You're nothing but filth, Mudblood!" he yelled after her. Hermione slammed the door behind her and he heart her sob from behind it once before the bang was followed by the sound of her footsteps down the stairs. Draco buried his face in his pillow and screamed. He hadn't really meant to say all of that, he knew he didn't mean it. But he wanted to. He had meant to hurt her, not only because his pride was damaged, but because he cared too much for her. He was going to go back to his normal life in a day. He was going to be Draco Malfoy again, and Draco Malfoy didn't need to be friends with Hermione Granger, Mudblood anyway. If he hated her, if she hated him, then they could go back to their lives normally. Draco sobbed and vowed to never again remember Hermione in anyway that made him miss her. He put away the memory's of their late night talks, their serious discussions, the laughter, the happiness, the friendship. He would bury it forever and become Draco again.

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Hermione cried into Harry's shoulder as he stroked her hair softly. She'd been like that for a while now. When she came down stairs Harry had noticed her distress and whisked her away to the Room of Requirement. There Harry listened to her patiently and murmured all the right things to say. Then he hugged her, and she became like this, crying in his shoulder.

"Oh Harry I thought he would change," she whispered. Harry released her and wiped a few stray tears for her red and sore eyes.

"I know Hermione. I thought he'd changed to. But I guess he didn't," he said sadly. He had noticed the growing friendship between Hermione and Draco with fear and jealousy; he was also scared for her. He knew something like this could very likely happen and he had been right. How he hated him for hurting her! Harry looked at Hermione, who was sniffing, and melted. He knew Draco fancied her, and he knew that all this was probably a defense mechanism of his. But he had hurt Hermione in more than her pride, he'd hurt her in her heart and thoughts. She had believed in him, and he had defied her.

"I want to forget him, I don't want to ever think about him again. I wish…I wish none of this had happened," Hermione whispered. Harry pulled her close to him and held her as her tears came again in full force. They sat like that for a while on the couch in the room of requirement. Eventually Hermione's sobs soothed to sniffles and her heavy breaths fell to calm relaxed ones. A blanket appeared on the couch; Hermione was asleep. Harry pulled it over her and lowered her so that they were laying in the couch. They fell asleep like that together. Neither knew that at that moment, Diana was taking a not-yet ready potion and on her way to becoming Draco again forever.

I am so sorry about the long time to update. I just realized I have been writing on this for TWO YEARS. Wow. I lost all interest in this and took up another fanfic. I just couldn't get into writing it again. But for some odd reason, I got inspiration. And the desire to finish it. So I've mapped out plans for the rest of it, I think three to four chapters till it's done. I hope you like this one and I promise, this will NOT take three years to finish. lol.

jazzymine91- the one who inspired me to write chapter eight! I hope you like this new one. And I promise, no more month long waits for chapters. Two weeks MAX. I'm already on chapter ten.

mony-hp- Your review for chapter eight (like two months ago) was lovely. Thank you so much :) I hope you enjoyed this chapter, and I appreciate you staying reading after that six month long absence last time!

emmablk1- I love you, my BETA! You didn't read this...or my new fic...I mean BETA it, but I love you anyways. :)