Evil Masterminds, or Becoming Draco Malfoy

Chapter Eleven: The Almighty Twist

Day Four, Wednesday, 8:32 a.m., Arithmancy Classroom, Quiet, Too Quiet

"Whenever I find who put up that damn banner in the Great Hall," muttered a menacing Blaise Zabini, rubbing his upper arms, which were covered in bruises. "Honestly, I was nearly trampled last night!"

"Oh, you just don't know how to find the shiny silver lining," retorted a relaxed FauxDraco, grinning and leaning back in his seat. "The way I saw it, it was a lovely chance to cop a feel. Or two, or three, or twenty-seven." He sighed in contentment at the memory.

Zabini looked him up and down. "You seem to be back to normal."

"What do you mean?"

"Well, you were kind of freaking us out for a couple of days there."

FauxDraco frowned. "How so?"

"Uh... never mind."

FauxDraco shrugged, then prepared for class as the teacher walked through the door.

11:58, the Great Hall, Back to Normal

"So, Draco," began Pansy, eyeing him carefully, "everything's back to normal?"

FauxDraco raised one eyebrow. "Did we ever stray from normal?"

"Hell, yes!" erupted Goyle, but quieted when Millicent slapped him on the arm.

"Whipped," commented FauxDraco, blatantly channeling Madeline.

Zabini snorted. "Yep, everything is back to normal."

1:15, the Entrance Hall, Spoke Too Soon

"Hermione Granger! Stop... in the name of love!" FauxDraco called out, racing over to the stunned Gryffindor. Well, Gryffindors. Harry Potter and Ron Weasley were staring in shock, too. Not to mention all the other students who happened to be in the main corridor during the change of classes.

He smiled sincerely when he had caught up with the trio. "I'm so glad I caught you. And I was joking about the whole 'in the name of love' bit, that just came out." Then he went down on one knee at Hermione's feet.

Predictably, Ron Weasley's face turned very, very red and he sputtered loudly, if incoherently.

FauxDraco rolled his eyes. "Relax, Weasley, I'm not going to pull a ring from my pocket." Then his eyes returned to imploring and sincere as he gazed up at the flummoxed girl. "Hermione, I just wanted to... apologize. All those years I called you names and insulted you because of something you couldn't help, which was really shallow and unimportant anyway... I was a total ass-"

"You can say that again," muttered Harry.

"I was a total ass. I'm not afraid to admit it. I WAS AN ASS!" FauxDraco shouted to the hall at large. His response was silence and incredulous stares. It didn't seem to faze him. "But," he continued in a much softer, gentler voice. "You deserve so much better. So much respect, so much more than I ever gave you in the past, and from now on, I promise to give you that respect. I swear that from now on, I won't insult your parents or your heritage or you. I can't promise anything about Pothead and Weasel King, but I will never again tease you because of your blood. I have seen the error of my ways, seen the light, however you want to put it. Just, please accept my apology and let me stop groveling because my knee is really starting to ache."

"I- I- I accept, I suppose," Hermione stammered, wide eyed.

"Thank you." FauxDraco stood with much groaning. "Oh, and one more thing."

"Yes?" she asked hesitantly.

"May I join S.P.E.W.?"

1:19, outside Defense Against the Dark Arts class, ATTACK of the DEWY BROWN EYES

"Draco! Wait a minute!"

FauxDraco froze. He would know that sweet voice anyway. 'Get it together, Justin!' he told himself forcefully, then slowly spun to face Pansy, a questioning look on his face.

"Draco, what the hell was that about?!? I saw it all! Please tell me you are not in love with Granger again."

"I was never 'in love' with Granger," FauxDraco contradicted indignantly. "I may have thought she was cute *at one time*, but that is long over, I promise you."

"Then what was that scene all about? I realize that you never really cared about her being muggle-born, but she and the rest of the school didn't need to know that! You've just humiliated yourself in front of the entire student body!"

"Wouldn't be the first time," responded FauxDraco with a smirk, recalling a certain ferret incident back in fourth year.

The bell rang, signaling the beginning of class and the hall cleared rapidly. Pansy and FauxDraco paid it no heed, however.

"Please take this seriously!" Pansy pleaded, clasping her hands in front of her. "I'm not sure what's going through your head right now, but later on you are going to regret this severely!" She stomped her foot and pouted a little. "I just don't want to see you get hurt, Draco," she concluded in a small voice, dewy brown eyes communicating her distress.

And that was the exact moment when Justin cracked.

"Stop it! I hate it when you call me that!" cried FauxDraco.

Pansy looked utterly confused. "Your name?"

"It's not my name! I'm Just-" he broke off suddenly, eyes like saucers and jaw hanging loosely, realizing what he had done.

"Just what?"

He paused. "Just in for a whole lot of shit, that's what."

3:48, Hufflepuff Boys' Dorm Room, REVENGE of the DEWY BROWN EYES

He was asleep. Madeline breathed a sigh of relief, peering from the doorway to the dorm.

Damn Hannah. She had pleaded with Madeline to take her watch, claiming she had a headache; Ernie supposedly had homework he needed to do. Madeline figured the two had really cried off to go snog. Hannah had complained earlier about how little time she had spent with her boyfriend recently. Damn happy couples.

At least Draco was napping. Things would go much more smoothly this way. She tip-toed into the dorm, closing the door softly behind her. Watching him carefully, she moved to look at him more closely. He *was* very attractive. His features were well-formed, if a bit sharp. Madeline scowled to herself. Yes, he was just *too* attractive. And somehow a very peaceful sleeper. A thought struck her suddenly. Hadn't the boys said that Malfoy snored?

"How is red a Malfoy-ish color?"

Madeline shrieked and nearly jumped out of her skin. "Dammit, Malfoy!" she breathed, clutching at her heart, chest heaving.

Draco's eyes opened slowly and a sly grin spread across his face. Then a speculative glint flashed in his eye. Within seconds he had snatched her wrist and yanked her down into his lap. Madeline didn't have anytime to struggle or even think about what was going on.

She sat stunned for a few seconds, looking at Malfoy. Finally, she frowned at him. "I hate you."

"I don't believe you. And you didn't answer my question."

Madeline rubbed her wrist absently. "What did you... oh, about the red." She shrugged. "I don't know... red representing the blood of your enemies or something..."

"Pleasant."

"I thought so. And you're a bastard."

"Nonsense, I know Lucius is my father. I couldn't have gotten this great hair from anyone else. Or his snazzy fashion sense."

"You're sick."

"That I might agree with. But flattery will get you no where." Pause. "So, how was your day?"

Madeline eyed him suspiciously. "Fine." Then she grinned evilly. "Hermione was most pleased with your request."

That snapped Draco out of his playful mood. "Request? What request? What the hell have you done, woman?"

"It wasn't me, darling," she replied, chuckling, "this was all Justin's doing, and his own idea, too. Quite brilliant, if you ask me. Even for a Hufflepuff."

"I will never underestimate Hufflepuffs again."

"Good. Then you have learned your lesson."

"Doesn't mean I won't tease you lot mercilessly once I'm out of here."

Madeline scowled. "You are a prat. And why are you so calm about the Hermione thing? You should be raging and demanding blood."

Draco sighed, leaning his head back against the recliner. "Well, there's not much I can do about it right now, is there? What's the point of getting all worked up? I'll simply deal with the situation once I'm released."

He looked so serene, so placid, so innocent. Madeline was instantly wary and narrowed her eyes at him. Her mistrust was well placed because the next second she felt his fingertips slowly crawl up her skirt.

She shrieked again, leaping out of his lap, then kicked him in the shin. "You bastard!"

It was doubtful Malfoy heard her insult, however, over his roaring laughter. He doubled over, whether to rub his leg or to vent his amusement unclear.

"Honestly, Draco, you're here for less than a week and you're already seducing the natives."

Madeline jumped at the voice, then gazed in complete shock at the dark-haired Slytherin girl standing in the doorway.

"What is it with you and short brunettes?" Pansy continued, shaking her head.

"Short?!?" repeated an indignant Madeline.

"Pansy! You're here to save me!" cried Draco joyously.

"Hardly," she contradicted with a smirk. "I'm here to mock. And to get my revenge. And for the free food." She crunched triumphantly on the chocolate chip cookie in her hand.

"You didn't tell us you had some cookies left!" exclaimed Madeline with more indignation, glaring at FauxDraco walking through the door behind Pansy.

"Very true." Justin added nothing more.

"Wait a minute..." Madeline faced Draco, narrowing her eyes. "You're *seducing* me?"

"That was the plan, yes," replied Malfoy with a 'Well, duh!' expression. "Why do you think I want you in my lap, to read you a bedtime story?"

Madeline gasped.

Pansy rolled her eyes. "It's a good thing I'm over you," she commented dryly.

Malfoy actually looked a little contrite.

"Madeline, didn't you tell *me* not to give into Malfoy?" Justin asked.

"Malfoy was seducing *you*?" questioned Pansy, wide-eyed.

"NO!" exclaimed Justin and Draco at the same time.

"He's not my type," continued Malfoy while Justin glared. "I'm only after short brunette *girls*, like you said."

"I am so kicking your ass," Madeline threatened through clenched teeth and a red face.

"In my present state, that would be rather difficult," replied Draco, raising an amused eyebrow.

"I'll manage. And Justin, what is *she* doing here?"

"She already told you: she's here to get her own revenge," FauxDraco responded.

"And for the free food," added Pansy, taking another bite of her snack.

"I want a cookie," stated Malfoy.

"Go to hell, Malfoy," said Justin. Pause. "Dammit. I forgot Madeline was the one wielding the spell right now."

Malfoy looked shocked. "You were really going to try-"

"No, Malfoy, I wasn't really going to try that. I knew Madeline had the spell, I was only kidding," Justin hastened to reassure Malfoy with a placating tone and soft expression.

"Oh."

"Justin, quit being nice to the hostage," ordered a still red-faced Madeline.

"You're just pissed because-" Justin began to retort, but Pansy's curiosity interrupted him.

"What spell?"

"Long story," said Madeline, glaring at Justin.

At that moment, Hannah and Ernie breezed in through the door, not noticing Pansy who was standing off to the side.

"What's going on?" asked Hannah, a little pink-faced and mussed-looking. "We thought we heard some screaming."

Madeline narrowed her eyes. "Took your sweet time responding to it, didn't you? How's your headache, Hannah?"

"Headache? Abbott had said she and MacMillan were going to snog-" said Malfoy, chuckling.

"I'm all better, now, thanks," Hannah interrupted, very pink-faced now. Ernie, however, looked quite unrepentant. That may have been, however, because he had just spotted Pansy. His face went ashen.

"We are all dead," Ernie muttered to himself.

"So this *is* hell," murmured Draco, smirking. "Never would have fucking guessed."

No punishment came, though, as Hannah had chosen the moment she had seen Pansy to fall over in a dead faint.

"I didn't kill her, did I?" asked Pansy, worriedly.

"No such luck," muttered Malfoy.

"Malfoy!" exclaimed Madeline and Justin reproachfully.

"I didn't mean it!" he responded immediately, throwing up his hands in self defense. "I was only joking!"

Pansy stared. "Draco, darling, what have they done to you? You're going soft!"

"Hardly!" shot back an angry Malfoy. "These *Hufflepuffs* are having *no* impact on me *whatsoever*!"

"Which is, of course, why you're trying to score with one of them-" Pansy replied scathingly.

"Will everybody please shut-up?!?" demanded Ernie, on his knees beside his girlfriend, chafing her hand as he had before.

The room fell silent, waiting for Hannah to be revived. Justin, now back in his own skin, pulled out a desk chair for Pansy to sit in, being ever the gentleman. Pansy smiled gratefully at him and Justin blushed furiously. Draco rolled his eyes at the display, then managed to coax the still-standing-nearby Madeline to sit on one of the armrests of his chair. Pansy shot Madeline a look that clearly said "How can you have so much patience with him?" Madeline replied with a look that stated, "*You* did for six years." Pansy shrugged, then smirked.

Hannah woke up a few minutes later, and Ernie pulled out the remaining desk chair for her to sit on. Together, they formed an odd circle, Hannah sitting closest to the door, Ernie resting a hand on her chair; Madeline leaning against Draco's headrest, Malfoy next to her, his hand slowly inching her way, until she sent him A Look; Pansy sitting primly in her seat, trying to ignore the stares of the people around her, Justin sitting cross-legged on the floor at her feet.

Ernie cleared his throat. "So, Justin, would you mind explaining exactly what *she's* doing here?"

"You don't have to be rude about it, MacMillan," sniffed Pansy, sticking up for the boy in question.

"I wasn't being *rude*, I just asked-"

"She's here to help," interrupted Justin.

"Help?" repeated Hannah incredulously.

"Yes, help. She's on our side, and has just as much, if not more reason to get revenge on Malfoy," Justin stated with an emphatic nod.

"You traitor!" contributed Draco.

"I'm a *Slytherin*," reminded Pansy. "Besides which, even if I weren't I have enough reason to make you pay. Leading me on since *fourth year*, Draco Malfoy, you should be heartily ashamed of yourself! I refuse to let you get away with mistreating me!"

"Here, here," seconded Justin with another emphatic nod.

Malfoy ducked his head and said no more.

"So he can be chastised..." murmured Madeline in awe. "I didn't really think it was possible, seeing as he has such a pitiful moral conscience."

"Hey!" Draco's head was back up and his eyes flaring.

"So then Parkinson here is *not* going to turn us all in and make us suffer slow, painful deaths?" asked Ernie, returning to the main point.

"No!" Justin sighed in exasperation. "She's here to *help*."

Ernie eyed Pansy suspiciously. "Are you sure? Because you know-"

"Yes, I'm sure! Just trust me, all right, and her for that matter. We need her, and this works out perfectly, because we didn't even know what we were going to do for tomorrow, and she-"

"You half-wits didn't even have a plan for tomorrow?!?" exclaimed Draco, the meanie-head.

"Justin, you are no longer allowed to speak," groaned Ernie.

"Listen to me! Pansy has an idea about what we can do for tomorrow," Justin said desperately.

There was a pause.

"Pansy, you *traitor*," wailed Draco, looking truly terrified.

Twenty minutes and a long huddle that didn't include the hostage later, the Hufflepuffs were grinning widely and Pansy was smirking her own amusement. "Will this suit?" she asked redundantly, for her idea had been readily accepted.

"Oh, yes," Hannah agreed. "I wish we had come to you sooner, because we could have never been able to get all that information." She smiled evilly. "Malfoy will *never* be able to live this down."

"I hate you *all*!" Malfoy proclaimed as the group moved back over.

"I don't believe you," Madeline retorted with a mocking grin.

He glared at her, frowning petulantly.

"So, really, it's a good thing that you botched it up, Justin," said Ernie, clapping his dorm mate on the back amiably.

"You guys said mistakes at this point were impossible," Justin argued.

"Well, we underestimated you, mate," Ernie replied with a final clap.

"Don't tease him like that," said Pansy, again rising to the Hufflepuff's defense. "He told me because he trusted me and knew that I would be able to aid you bumbling lot."

"Oh, right, and not because the whole thing just slipped out," Malfoy muttered sarcastically, having caught that much of the previous conversation.

"Shut it, you," Pansy shot, rounding on him. "Justin is a good man who treats me with nothing but respect and dignity, and I'm going with him to the Valentine's Gala, so shove it up your-"

"I thought you were going with Michael Corner," interrupted Hannah, sparing her poor ears.

"That prat? I'm already tired of him. Bit long-winded and stuck up, if you ask me," Pansy said with a shrug.

"Pansy, what are *thinking*?" demanded Draco. "He's a *Hufflepuff*!"

"Hey, if you're going Hufflepuff, why can't I?" she asked indignantly, eyeing Madeline, whom Malfoy had managed to place back on his armrest.

Madeline tried to jump up when she found herself under scrutiny, but Malfoy grabbed her and held her still. She narrowed her eyes mutinously, but didn't attempt another escape.

Justin, not one to miss an opportunity to goad Malfoy, said, "Hey, now that Michael Corner's available, Madeline could go with him-"

"Shut it, Finch-Fletchley!"

8:22, the Library, Fighting the Good Fight

"All right, here is your badge, and... would you like to read the manifesto?" asked Hermione, eyeing FauxDraco cautiously.

"Oh, yes, please," he answered. Once finished, he said with a nod, "You aim high, Granger, but I think we might actually be able to do some good in this world."

Hermione beamed happily. "Do you really think so? I just want to make a difference in the world, and house elves seem like such an underrepresented cause."

"Yes, exactly. My family has been abusing house elves for *years*."

Hermione wasn't exactly sure what to say to that, but FauxDraco continued rapidly anyway.

"I think the biggest problem with this organization, though, is lack of communication, advertisement, and outreach. We can hardly make a difference if no one knows what we're trying to accomplish. You screaming your lungs out is all well and good, if a tad annoying, but it's not enough."

"I made leaflets back in fourth year," said Hermione, looking crestfallen.

"Yes, yes, but we need something more... regular, something that appears often enough, something that is updated enough to let our followers know what we're up to and how well we're succeeding." He paused, looking deep in thought, rubbing his chin contemplatively.

"Uh... a newspaper?"

"Brilliant!" FauxDraco nearly shouted, causing Hermione to jump back in surprise, though she recovered quickly. "That's exactly what we need! And... I know! I'll be the editor!"

"You'll be the editor?"

"I'll be the editor!"

Hermione paused. "Are... are you sure you want to take on such a huge responsibility, Malfoy? I mean, you're a new member, and while I value your input and support, seeing as you come from the Other Side, I don't know if you're quite-"

"Don't underestimate me, Hermione," FauxDraco sniffed indignantly.

"Oh, no, I didn't mean it like *that*," she hurried to say, "I just thought... well, if you're sure you can handle it..."

"I'm sure I can handle it."

"If you're sure you can handle it," she paused, wondering at her own redundancy, "then I'll let you take charge of it."

FauxDraco beamed. "That is so ab-fab!"