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Chapter Two – Picking Out Pumpkins

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The bright sunlight washed over Harry's face, causing him to stir and finally wake. Stretching, he got out of bed. He was making his way downstairs when he bumped into Hermione. He felt embarrassed to be seen looking so rugged.

"Hermione! Um… Hi," Harry said sheepishly.

"You're late for your duties, and breakfast," she replied. She looked awfully pale.

"What's wrong," Harry asked.

"Today's when we get our punishment."

Harry sighed. He'd forgotten all about it. He ran a hand through his unruly jet-black hair. He couldn't help but wonder what McGonagall had cooked up. Just the thought of it made him sick.

"Well get dressed then before we end up being late for our lessons," she said and went back to her Head Girl duties.

For the six of them, the day seemed to go by slowly. Each hour made them more nervous than the last. They wandered the halls like zombies, lost in their own worlds. At lunch, they snapped.

"I don't want to go," Ron whined and for once he wasn't eating. "I have a bad feeling…"

Harry felt it too. Something terrible was going to happen and he knew it was going to happen to him. Nothing else was said and as soon as lunch was over, they headed for McGonagall's classroom. Luna and Draco were already waiting. Normally a squabble would have broken out between Ron and Draco but they were all too terrified to care.

"Where is she? I just want this over and done with already," Draco muttered.

Harry glanced at him and for once, he agreed. Absent-mindedly, he reached for his new necklace and began to fiddle with the necklace Hermione gave him. His giddy sister joined Ron, who was sitting by the door.

"Look," she said gesturing to Harry. "Hermione gave him that."

Ron looked up, his eyes falling upon the necklace. He held back a smile. He shook his head. He was about to say something but the doors had opened and Professor McGonagall came out. She looked much happier than she was the previous night. Whether it was good or bad, it was undecided. Everyone turned stiff, awaiting the verdict.

"Good," she said, her voice full of cheer. "Good, you're all here."

There was a long pause. She didn't seem to care that the students looked absolutely terrified.

"Now, first we're going to the pumpkin patch," she declared. "Come on, up you get!"

Exchanging worried looks, the six of them followed McGonagall out to the pumpkin patch. Harry scratched his head as he stared at the endless rows of pumpkins before him. He glanced at Ron who gave him a look of confusion.

"You will be in twos, looking for a pumpkin. I've arranged your partnerships," McGonagall explained.

"Uh oh," Ron whispered as he stood beside Harry and Hermione. "This is bad."

"Weasley and Malfoy," McGonagall declared. She stopped Ron. "Not you." She turned to Ginny. "You."

Muttering not so nice things, Ginny made her way to stand beside Draco. McGonagall looked pleased… Too pleased. She turned to Harry. The young wizard gulped as he stared back at her. He could only hope that she couldn't see the fear in his eyes. His fear grew as she smiled.

"Granger and Potter," she smirked and turned to Ron who was looking at Luna with a look of fear. He shook his head. "Weasley and…" she turned to Luna. "Well it's obvious who you'll be working with isn't it?"

Letting out a heavy sigh, Ron went to stand beside his partner. Luna of course looked pleased. The six of them stood side-by-side, awaiting further instructions.

"Find a pumpkin and bring it back to me. One for each pair. Understood?" McGonagall explained. "Now off you go."

They stood still for a moment just wondering why they were gathering pumpkins. Finally they set out and began their search. Draco glared as he walked with Ginny to the back of the pumpkin patch.

"This is ridiculous," he mumbled. "Why do I have to work with you? I'd rather work with Lovegood… Even if she's a lunatic."

"This isn't exactly a treat for me either, stupid ferret. This is all your fault anyway," Ginny shot back. She knelt down before a pumpkin, reaching out to touch it.

Draco sighed. Might as well let her do all the work, he thought before turning to watch the others. Ron looked as if he were about to cry as Luna walked with him, chattering away. Harry and Hermione seemed to be the only content couple. They were actually looking at pumpkins together.

"What do you think of this one," Hermione asked as she called Harry over. She showed him the perfectly ripe and shaped pumpkin.

"It's nearly perfect. Should we take it?" Harry asked.

"Yes, help me pull it out." She grunted with effort, pulling the pumpkin from the vine. "Help!"

Harry placed a hand on the back of her robes and began to pull.

"Harry," she croaked. "You're choking me! Ack!"

"Erm sorry…" he said sheepishly.

"Put your hands on my waist and pull."

Shrugging, Harry wrapped his arms around her waist and helped her pull. On the other side of the patch, Draco and Ginny were arguing about which pumpkin was better.

"Your pumpkin is demented for crying out loud," Ginny glared.

"Like yours is any better," Draco shot back.

"It's perfectly round!"

"No it's not!'

"Yours has worms!"

"No it—Ahh!" Draco yelped dropping the maggot-infested pumpkin. It smashed into a million pieces at his feet, causing him to run away. "Ew! Gross!"

Snickering, Ginny made her way back to McGonagall. As Harry and Hermione struggled with their pumpkin, Ron and Luna were still searching for their pumpkin.

"You've got to help me too," Luna said with a hint of frustration.

"Just get a pumpkin. It doesn't matter if it's round or not just get one," Ron replied as his eyes fell upon a small funny shaped unripe pumpkin. He walked over, picking it up. Grabbing Luna by the wrist, he made his way back to McGonagall.

With a thud, Harry and Hermione finally got the pumpkin. Brushing themselves off, they joined the others. Everyone seemed to be looking at Ron's funny looking pumpkin.

"Bugger off," he muttered. "I hate this." He whispered to Harry who came to stand beside him.

"Are we going to cook these," Luna asked.

McGonagall simply smiled. "No. Now follow me."

They made their way back to the Transfiguration classroom where they were ordered to put their pumpkins on one of the desks. McGonagall continued to smile as she looked upon the students' faces. She could see the fear shining brightly in their eyes and it just brought nothing but pure joy to her.

No wonder Severus loves torturing the students. It's so much fun! "For punishment of the ruckus you caused last night and for the childish behavior you portrayed, you are going to take care of babies for two weeks. Why? Because maybe this will teach you to grow up and be the responsible young adults you're supposed to be." She explained going to each pumpkin. She lightly touched them with the tip of her wand.

"Babies? We haven't got babies and we can't exactly… Make them," Ron gulped.

"That is where the pumpkins come in," McGonagall grinned.

"The pumpkins?" it scared everyone that even Hermione didn't know what was going on.

"I'm not going to pretend a pumpkin is a baby for two weeks," Draco glared. "That's preposterous!"

"You won't be pretending. The pumpkins are the babies." McGonagall responded causing more confusion.

"How?" Ron laughed. "Pumpkins can't just be turned into babies. Besides, it's not like they'll actually grow arms and legs and a head and—AHH! WHAT IS THAT!"

Everyone spun around to look at the pumpkins. They were mutating into something else. The orange (green in Ron's pumpkin's case) skin was becoming much lighter and arms and legs were sprouting out of the pumpkins. Ron stumbled back.

"That's not right," Draco said as he turned away.

They continued to watch in horror and awe as the pumpkins disappeared and the three babies stared back at them with goofy baby smiles.

"Whoa," was all Harry could say.

Only Professor McGonagall looked as though pumpkins mutating into babies was a normal everyday thing. After a while of more staring, the three young women approached the table. With trembling hands they reached out to touch the infants. Hermione gasped.

"They're real…" she informed Harry before laughing. "They're so real."

Harry slowly approached the table. Ron and Draco followed closely. As he continued to stare, laughter began to build up inside him. It was totally unreal. He may be in a magical world but still this was just overwhelming. He gasped as one of the babies with thin black and blonde hair and blue gray eyes crawled over to him. The baby held out its arms, asking to be picked up.

"You're not joking," Hermione turned to McGonagall who had a serious look on her face.

"That… That baby doesn't look right," Ron exclaimed as Luna tried to hand him a baby with obsidian black eyes and unruly pink hair. "It's got bright pink hair! Get it away!"

"Don't be a git! Pick it up," Luna demanded.

"Oh, it's so cute," Ginny, squealed as she picked up her pumpkin turned baby. It had sparking bluish green eyes and a thin layer of light brown hair. It seemed to be the cutest out of all three. She laughed as the baby smiled, revealing dimples.

"And what if we don't take care of these… Things," Draco asked.

"If you don't," McGonagall glared. "It will turn back into a pumpkin and I'll dock a hundred points – Even from Gryffindor—Yes my own house—from your houses."

"So you're serious?" they all asked.

"Does it look like I'm joking?" McGonagall shook her head. "Now get going. I'll check in regularly. Bye!" she pushed them out of the classroom, cackling evilly before going to her office.

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Author's Note: Hello again! Thanks to: Madnesslover, Dabookman, Angel's Firebolt, and Gohan'slittlebro47 for reviewing! I appreciate it muchly! Haha, so what do you think of the story now? I know, I know, it's odd right but I'm sure it'll turn out okay... Well I hope so anyway! Well let me know what you think! Thanks for reading!

Have a Nice Day.