Polyjuice

I do not own these characters; they are the property of JK Rowling.

POLYJUICE

Chapter 1

Ron climbed through the portrait hole and looked around the Gryffindor common room. He stopped and sighed when he spotted an all too familiar sight.

"Of course," he thought bitterly. His two best friends were where they always were, sitting on the couch near the fireplace, shoulder to shoulder. This time they were looking down at a book on Hermione's lap. Ron felt the pangs of jealousy again.

"Hermione looks pretty today," he thought. She had on her black jeans and an emerald green sweater that she got for Christmas two years ago. It was her favorite; she continued to wear it even though it was now a tad too tight and showed off just how curvy she was getting to be. She probably didn't even notice, but Ron certainly did.

He noticed a lot more than people gave him credit for. Sure, he almost always forgot her birthday, but he could recall what she had worn on each train ride since fourth year and how she had worn her hair. He noticed things about her!

Like how she and Harry's legs and shoulders were touching as they leaned into each other to see the book on her lap. Or how they were happily smiling at each other as they flipped the pages. To anyone else in the common room it was a normal scene.

To Ron it was a constant reminder about how Harry always seemed to come first with Hermione.

He put on a brave face, smiled, and ambled over to his friends.

"Hey guys. What's with the book?"

Harry and Hermione jumped slightly and looked up, obviously startled by the sound of his voice.

"Of course...they hadn't even noticed me; all they ever notice is each other," he thought bitterly. He instantly felt guilty, and he forced himself to smile.

"Hello Ron," they happily said in unison.

"We're looking at one of Colin's muggle photo albums. There are a lot of great pictures of us in here," Hermione informed him. Since there was no room on the couch for him, he walked around behind it and leaned over the back to see the pictures.

He could smell her shampoo, and a hint of vanilla from where he was. He closed his eyes for a few seconds to breathe in her smell and let it wash over him.

"Earth to Ron," Harry chuckled as Ron snapped back and rejoined the real world.

"I can't even have two seconds," Ron thought, but he shared a slightly uncomfortable laugh with his friends. The page they were looking at was indeed filled with pictures of the trio. There was one on the left side of the photo album. Harry and Hermione sat on the same couch while Ron sat on the floor. The only reason he knew it was him was because of the red hair, which was the only part of him that was showing in the photo.

"They look great," he thought sarcastically and frowned slightly.

There was another photo of the trio. Well, sort of.

Ron, Harry, and Hermione were standing in the middle of the common room with their arms over each other's shoulders, smiling for the camera. It looked like it was taken in third year. The only problem was that the whole right side of Ron's body was missing.

The tall redhead boy frowned more deeply this time but kept looking.

"They can't all be that bad," he thought with a false sense of hope.

He scanned the page and found one more picture of the three of them. His blood began to boil.

It was the day they won the house cup last year. The three of them were in the Great Hall, standing side by side.

Harry was smiling Hermione was smiling...and Colin's thumb obliterated Ron almost completely from the picture.

"Bloody hell," Ron exploded, startling everyone in the room.

"What?" Harry asked, sounding surprised as he turned to face Ron.

"What do you mean 'what'?" Ron fumed as his face turned crimson with anger. "Just look at the pictures!" he shouted, pointing at the album.

"I'm just a bloody red headed thumb!"

Harry and Hermione turned and lowered their eyes to the page. Their smiles faded; they now saw exactly what Ron was rattling on about.

Ron continued his tirade as he paced around the common room.

"How did we not notice that before?" Both Harry and Hermione wondered to themselves.

Hermione stood up and walked towards Ron, but he backed away as she approached. Noticing his retreat, Hermione stopped. She had seen Ron angry before and an angry Ron was to be handled cautiously.

"Ron, I'm sorry," she said with sympathy shining in her eyes.

"They can't all be like that, mate; I'm sure it just happened to be this page," Harry added.

Ron knew better. He grumbled angrily and turned to leave. Harry began to frantically flip through the photo album, looking for good pictures of all three of them.

"Ron, please don't go," Hermione pleaded.

"Here's a great one of all of us," Harry said, looking up. But it was too late. The portrait door swung open, and Ron was gone.

"Oh, that was not good," Hermione said, looking back at Harry who nodded in agreement.

"Why would Colin put those in there?"

"I feel so bad for him; did you see his face?" she said as Harry joined her.

"We should talk to him," Harry said.

"Yes, you should," Hermione agreed, as she pushed him towards the portrait.

"Hey, how did we go from 'we' to 'you' so fast?" he asked.

Hermione sighed, "You're his best mate; he needs you."

Harry grudgingly nodded in agreement and reluctantly set off to find Ron.

His first destination was the kitchen. Perhaps Ron was soothing his hurt feelings by having a little snack...

Nope, he wasn't there.

Harry's frustration level rose as he searched the entire castle. Suddenly, he realized that Ron might not even be inside.

Harry finally located Ron at the lake.

"Are you alright?" Harry said to his obviously still upset friend.

No response.

"I'm sorry Ron. You know how Colin has always been, you know, around me," he trailed off.

How do you tell your best friend, that the reason he's cut out of every picture is because the kid who took the pictures worships you?

"It's not just about Colin," Ron said barely above a whisper.

"Oh man, I really don't want to go there!" Harry thought to himself.

But he knew he had to.

"What else is it?"

Ron turned to face him, suddenly seeming nervous.

"It's just....you know...you always...and I never ....it's just that, ahh...forget it--"

"Ron," Harry said as sympathetically as he could. Of course, he knew what was bothering Ron. "I don't think of Hermione like that."

He sighed and finished, "We're just friends...just like you and I are friends."

Ron began to pick at the grass, thoroughly troubled. "I know, but I see what I see and I can't help that. Just because you don't see doesn't mean it's not there."

Harry sighed again with exasperation and was about to interrupt, but Ron began again.

"It's just...when you two are together, there seems to be some sort of a closeness that's there. And it makes me feel--well, it makes me feel like there's something going on. It's like I'm an outsider."

...And as jealous as hell, Ron mentally added.

"I think she feels differently for you than she does for me, is all," he added instead.

"Ron," Harry said firmly, "we've been over this before. I don't know what else to tell you, but there is nothing going on between Hermione and me! She's my friend. We've known each other since first year so, of course, we're close. She's my family--just like you are and that's all there is to that. If you have questions about what Hermione thinks or feels, then you're really going to have to speak to her about it."

"All I can tell you mate is, we're just friends!"

"I hope that's the end of that," Harry thought as he plopped down onto the grass beside Ron. He was unexpectedly so tired.

Ron just slowly nodded his head and turned to stare out over the lake. They sat that way for quite a while, each lost in their own thoughts.

Finally, Harry stood up and clapped his friend on the back and said quietly, "I'm hungry."

The redhead stood and nodded, knowing that his friend was giving him an invitation.

The two of them walked back to the castle together.

The next morning at breakfast life was pretty much back to normal. Harry and Hermione chatted about the morning ahead while Ron was busy eating his weight in pancakes.

"I hate the idea of Snape's double potions this morning," Harry voiced, sounding thoroughly disgusted.

"What do you mean double potions?" Ron asked spewing bits of his breakfast from his mouth. "I didn't know we're gonna have double potions today!"

"Yes, Ronald, two full hours of Professor Snape. You do remember that he cancelled class last week?" Hermione chimed in. Her friend rolled his eyes.

The three of them finished up with breakfast and headed off towards the dungeons. On the way, Ron snacked on some cookies his mother had sent him and offered one to Harry while Hermione walked besides them and chatted with Neville.

"How can you possibly still be hungry?" Harry asked in amazement after declining his friend's offer.

"Always am, mate," Ron replied with a smile as they reached the classroom.

As they filed into Snape's class, the bane of their academic existence announced, "For today's lesson, all partners must be of the same sex, and there will be no exceptions."

Harry partnered with Ron while Hermione worked with Lavender.

"Today, class, we will be making a Polyjuice Potion."

"Professor, doesn't Polyjuice Potion take weeks to make?"

"Incredible as it may seem, there is something that Miss Granger is unaware of."

"Not that I'm surprised, seeing as this potion was mentioned in the most recent issue of Potions Monthly, which arrived on my desk only yesterday," Snape sneered.

"Nonetheless, ten points from Gryffindor for speaking out of turn." Hermione folded her arms over her chest, obviously peeved. Malfoy smiled happily from his seat.

"As I was about to say, before I was so rudely interrupted...this particular form of Polyjuice Potion will not only enable you to replicate your subject's appearance but their voice as well."

Over the murmurs that erupted among the class, he continued. "You will be using your small cauldron for this exercise in futility. The list of ingredients for today's potion is on the board. You have one hour."

Everyone got to work as quickly as possible. Snape, walked around, checking the contents of each of their cauldrons for the proper color. He frowned at Harry's aqua colored contents as well as Ron's green mess. He barely stopped to look over Hermione's shoulder at her perfect light blue potion and instead proceeded to smack Neville on the back of his head for his orange nightmare.

As they were finishing up, Snape explained, "When you are instructed to do so, you will extract a hair from your partner and place it at the bottom of your cup. You will then scoop out a generous amount of your potion, pour it on top of the hair, let it soak in for a moment, and drink the potion down."

"I trust that these instructions were easily comprehended by even the most challenged of students," he said glaring in Harry and Ron's direction.

Harry let out a cough that sounded decidedly like 'wanker' and then coughed two more times as Hermione smiled slightly and clapped him in the back before changing her expression to one of worry for Snape's benefit.

"Did you say something, Potter?" Snape growled.

"No, professor, just a little congestion, is all."

Snape sneered. "Then, Mr. Potter, we will discuss your congestion in detention."

"This keeps getting better and better." Malfoy beamed, talking to his fellow Slytherins. "First the Mudblood and now Potter...if we can get Weaslebee thrown in, I could die a happy man."

"Don't wait for us, Malfoy. Kill yourself now and do us all a favor," Harry retorted.

"I'll get you, Potter, and your little dog too," he spat, nodding towards Hermione and then bursting into laughter.

Both Harry and Ron rose from their chairs to head in Malfoy's direction, but Hermione raised her hand and pleaded.

"No...that's just what he wants."

They both stared at her and then at Malfoy. Finally, they realized Hermione was right and returned to their seats as a smug Malfoy smiled.

"If you're finished," Snape growled again, looking in the general direction of the commotion, "then if, Mr.Weasley, would be so kind as to grace us with his failure."

Ron gulped.

Then he reached over and unceremoniously yanked a hair from Harry's head.

"Ow.... you could have warned me first, you git," he said, rubbing his injured head.

"Sorry mate...just wanted it to be quick and clean," Ron replied.

"I'll remember you said that when it's my turn." Harry scowled.

Ron took a deep breath as he poured the contents of his cauldron into his cup that contained Harry's strand of hair.

The entire class held their breaths as they stared at Ron and waited.

Suddenly Ron's expression changed to one of utter disgust. The skin of his face began to bubble and a truly repulsive gurgling sound came from his throat as Ron began to change. The class waited with wide eyes. When he was done, the room was so quiet that you could have heard a pin drop.

Then an explosion of laughter filled the room. The transfigured Ron stood in the middle of the class with Harry's face and body type, but with flaming red Weasley hair and freckles galore. The laughing continued as Ron asked, completely oblivious, "What?"

He turned to Harry who could not hide the smirk on his face.

"Close but no cigar there, Ron," he said smiling. Ron glared at his friend.

"That is just too perfect for words," was all Malfoy could manage as he howled with laughter along with his fellow Slytherins.

Snape, looking a bit too smug, said, "As I predicted, a disaster. Now sit down, Mr. Weasley."

"Next, we shall see if Miss Brown is more capable than Mr. Weasley."

After Hermione handed her a piece of her hair, Lavender stood and proceeded with her potion. Her change was not nearly as dramatic as Ron's had been because she had brewed the potion properly, therefore causing the transformation to go much smoother. Thirty seconds later a nearly perfect double of Hermione stood before them. There were oohs and ahhs all around and Lavender did a little curtsy for all of them before looking to Snape for approval.

"Well done, Miss Brown, you have graced, or perhaps burdened us with a second Miss Granger."

Harry was leaning forward in his chair and staring intently at the clone of Hermione. Lavender, who soon noticed his gaze, walked slowly in his direction, swinging her hips.

"Like what you see Mr. Potter?" she cooed with a seductive smile.

"Close, but not right," he said matter of factly.

"Yeah right, Harry. My potion was perfect!"

"The eyes are wrong. Hermione's eyes are a shade lighter than that," he said without a trace of doubt and sat back in his chair.

Hermione looked over at Harry, genuinely startled by what he had just said.

That look did not go unnoticed by a certain redhead.

Lavender merely crinkled her nose and walked away, fussing with her outfit.

"You know, Hermione, you ought to work this a little bit," she said, looking over Hermione's body. She then reached down and took the top of her skirt and folded it over three times so that it shortened to mid-thigh level. Lavender proceeded to unbutton two extra buttons on Hermione's blouse and flattened the collar to reveal a great deal of cleavage even as her partner strenuously objected.

Hermione was still pleading with Lavender in an attempt to get her to re-adjust her outfit when Snape called out her name.

"Miss Granger, if you please."

"I can't yet professor, she's still me," Hermione said.

"My sympathies Miss Brown ...Potter... you're next."

Harry stood up and looked over at Ron who was already holding a red hair between his fingers and smiling.

"Better luck next time, mate."

Harry grudgingly took the red hair from his smiling friend and followed the necessary steps and began his change.

When the potion took full effect the new Ron stood before the class, but he wasn't quite right. Harry's potion had been better than Ron's but not nearly as good as Lavender's.

Harry managed to achieve the red hair but the shade was quite a bit darker than it should have been. Also, Harry's eye color had not changed at all. His startling green eyes remained for all to see.

Snape looked him over and commented:

"Perhaps on a particularly dark night, or if your pursuer was unfamiliar with Weasley red, you might be able to squeak by."

Harry blinked; had Snape actually complimented him?

Snape turned from Harry and announced the class, "Now, if Miss Granger is finally ready, we shall move forward."

Hermione stood and she accepted a hair from Lavender.

Her transformation was as smooth as silk. No gurgling noises, no strange contortions--just a sliding readjustment of her body. When she was done, she stood before the class as the perfect twin of Lavender.

There was, however, one tiny issue.

Well, tiny was not actually the right word.

It appeared as though Hermione's blouse was not quite large enough to house Lavender's...endowments. Hermione stood in the middle of the room, staring down at her new chest as it strained the fabric of her blouse.

Lavender smiled at the wolf whistles and catcalls she--actually--Hermione was receiving. Snape strode over to where Hermione stood.

"Despite the obvious clothing issue, which I want you all to take particular note of," he began as Hermione's face flushed beet red with embarrassment. "Miss Granger, seems to have successfully reproduced....all of, Miss Brown."

"Clothing is an issue that should not be overlooked when choosing a subject for the use of a Polyjuice Potion," the professor said as he strode away from her.

"Take your seat, Miss Granger, and try not to poke anyone's--"

Before the last words were out of his mouth, there was a pop and a scream of pain. Apparently, one of the buttons on Hermione's blouse had succumbed to the strain and rocketed off Ron's face just below his right eye.

"Bloody hell, Hermione, you almost took my eye out!" Ron wailed, grabbing at his eye.

"I did no such thing, Ronald Weasley!" she said angrily, walking over to him and prying his hands away from his face so that she could get a better look.

"You just have a little red mark below your eye," she finally said. "Stop being a baby."

"For Merlin's sake, if you can't control those...things," he complained, waggling his finger in the general vicinity of her chest, "then give them back!"

Hermione let his hands drop roughly and returned to her chair in a huff.

The class continued on without further incident.

Harry had returned to his normal state and looked over at Ron, who for the most part had stopped grumbling, and Harry asked, "Are you all right?"

"Yeah, I'm fine," Ron replied unhappily.

"Bloody button," he then mumbled under his breath as Hermione glared at him.

"What about you, you okay?" Harry asked as he turned to his right to face Hermione.

Harry froze.

"I'm fine, but HE can be such a git sometimes," she said loud enough to be sure Ron heard her.

The whole time she spoke Harry could do nothing but stare at her blouse. With the button gone and the left side of her blouse flat against her body, the right side bowed out just enough so that he could see the swell of her breast.

"Bloody hell!" he thought to himself. He could actually see all the way down to where her breast disappeared under the lace at the top of her bra, which, he noticed, was a fairly low cut one.

He forced himself to look away...for about five seconds. And then he was back, staring.

Hermione glanced over at him and smiled, and then looked back to the front of the room where students continued to change with varying degrees of success.

Harry hoped she didn't see the blush on his face when she looked over, but when she looked away, he assumed she hadn't.

Harry's inner voice screamed at him, "Stop looking at her breast, you git!"

But he couldn't force himself to listen to the voice.

It only got worse when she bounced up and down in her chair, trying to answer a question. When she bounced, everything bounced, and it was driving him crazy. He was feeling very uncomfortable, in more ways than one. Was it just hormones or was it because it was Hermione? He wasn't sure; Lavender had been bursting out of Hermione's blouse, and that hadn't affected him, but this was definitely affecting him. He had never thought of Hermione that way before, but he was thinking of her that way now.

"I'm such a pervert," he thought miserably and buried his head in his hands. Ron had looked back at him once and caught him staring at her, but then he just frowned and turned away.

"Damn it, I knew it," Ron mentally said.

"I don't think of her that way," he thought mockingly, remembering Harry's denial. "Yeah right... I need to know if she has feelings for him.... but how?"

"You could just ask her," Ron's inner voice suggested. "I don't think so!" was his reply back to the voice.

Ron turned his attention back to the lesson, and after a few seconds of watching, he smiled.

"I know what I need!" he exclaimed to himself.

"I need one of these Polyjuice Potions... but not just any one ... I need Hermione's potion! What can I put it in? Think, Weasley, think; class is almost over! I can't pour it in my pocket?"

Ron made a face.

"I could transfigure something...wait, never mind. Only Hermione can do that. All I have with me is a couple of cookies."

His face suddenly lit up and he reached into his pocket.

"No... what I have...are a couple of cookies in a plastic bag!"

Ron then shook his head.

"Nah, that's no good. Merlin knows what cookie crumbs would do to the potion! No....I'd rather not transform into the Keebler elf! Hey, what if I turned the bag inside out? That might work Now, how do I get her potion?" he wondered.

Ron was having clarity of thought like never before; unfortunately, he was using this rare moment for something he would probably regret later on.

Ron looked back over at his friends, and of course, Harry was staring at Hermione again.

"I need to do this!" he thought determinedly.

Class ended, and Snape instructed everyone to dump their potions into the large cauldron at the front of the room.

"I need to hurry," Hermione said packing up her things quickly. At the confusion that appeared on her friends' faces, she furthered explained, "I need to speak to Professor McGonagall before class."

"You go ahead; I'll dump your cauldron for you," Ron offered. Hermione looked at him in shock; never had Ron ever offered to do something so...well, nice.

"Sorry, I was a bit of a git, but that button really hurt," he added, smiling.

"Thank you, Ron...I-I appreciate it. I guess I'm sorry too." She smiled as she picked up her bag.

Ron glanced at Harry and nodded towards his things. "I'll dump yours too, if you'd like."

"Okay." Harry shrugged. "I'll meet you in Transfiguration then."

Ron nodded and picked up their cauldrons as Harry and Hermione set off to class.