Draco's Draught

New Arrangements

When the Professors arrived, I was horrified still. How could something like this happen? They had better have a way to reverse this...Or I'd make sure my father heard about it. And Lucius Malfoy has never been one to take no for an answer. Even if he is a convicted felon. He's still got some power.

Dumbledore looked the same as always. That goofy beard, incandescent robes, and a stupid smirk on his face like he knew something we didn't. Snape, on the other hand, was quite apologetic--for Snape, anyway.

"Draco, I know this will be hard to deal with, but you are my best student, and I know you can handle it." His face looked as though he had just swallowed a gallon of unsweetened lemonade.

My eyes grew wide. "Handle it? I don't want to handle it...I just want to be back to normal!" I winced as my voice squeaked. "How soon before you can turn me back, Professor?" I mean, Snape could do anything, couldn't he?

Snape looked at Dumbledore for a moment. But it was Dumbledore who spoke. "I am afraid, Mr. Malfoy, that we have no way to do that. You will just have to let this potion run its normal course. Professor Snape here has informed me that there is no way to be certain just how long the effects of this potion will last. The potion you were working on had an intended length of effect of twenty-four hours. We are hoping that the half-finished potion will only last that long. However, as a precaution, we will begin arranging for a new room for you, as we cannot allow you to stay with your male cohorts, and we cannot allow you to move in with the girls of your year." Dumbledore continued to smile at me as he spoke. What, did he think this was all a big joke? I looked away. I certainly couldn't meet Snape's eyes.

"So, Draco, Poppy just needs to discuss a few things with you, and then Professor Snape here will take you down to the rooms we've prepared for you, all right?"

I didn't want to speak, so I just nodded once. Snape and Dumbledore moved out into the waiting room, and Pomfrey stepped forward.

"Now, Mr Malfoy, since you may be in this form for a bit, you're probably going to have to deal with a few things. First of all, there's your new--shape." She handed me a package of folded cloth. When I looked at her quizzically, she cleared her throat. "They're bras, dear. Wear them. It'll help."

Wear...bras? I frowned down at my chest, but withheld comment. For now.

"Also, since you may be a girl for a month or more, I'm afraid you'll have to deal with your menses."

I looked at her horrified. Did she mean what I thought she meant? I was going to have...a period? "What!" I squeaked.

She flushed, and handed me another package. "It happens to all of us, Mr Malfoy." Then she looked at me again, this time with an appraising look. "Well all of us females, anyway."

I jumped up off the bed. "I will not...I refuse..." I spluttered. I finally settled on "You can't make me!"

At this, she grinned. "It won't be me making you do anything dear. And believe me, we all feel that way. Do you think women like having menses?" Well, I have to admit that I'd never really thought about it before, but I wasn't about to admit it to her. Particularly the way she was grinning. She took something out of the new package that was still in my hands and unfolded it. "This is a pad, and if you just put it in your underwear while your menses are flowing, it should keep them from staining your clothes. They have a spell on them to be extra absorbent and to stay in place, but even so, don't do anything too active while your menses are flowing. The house-elves will refresh the pack when you need more. And if you're having pain, come see me immediately and I can give you something for it. Every year I have at least one girl who tries to deal with the pain herself, and a handful have made themselves permanently sterile. Got it?"

I hate blushing. It's not a Malfoy trait. I do it far too often. And I'd been doing it far too much since I woke up here. "Are you done?" I asked as I glared at her.

She looked at me for a moment. "Well, for now..." before she was finished, I had my new packages in my arms, and was halfway to the door.

Snape was waiting for me. He gave me a look I'd never seen before, then turned away. "Come, Malfoy." I followed him quietly. There were students in the halls, and I tried desperately not to notice how much they stared at me. However, I could feel my face get hotter the closer we got to the dungeons. How would my housemates react? I might have been the top dog this morning, but how would they react to a female Draco Malfoy?

I was right to worry. Usually, when I was sent to the hospital wing, if Pansy hadn't gotten up to the hospital wing to see me, she at least came running straight to me to give me a hug, and generally drape herself on me, and Crabbe and Goyle were usually a step behind her, ready to take their places at my side. However, this time when Snape and I stepped into the room, everyone just stared. Pansy looked like her favourite dress had been ruined. Crabbe and Goyle looked stupider than usual, their mouths hanging open, staring at me. The first years all looked at me like I'd grown a second head--well, boobs, anyway. Zabini, on the other hand, looked perfectly delighted. He smoothed his hand over his softly waved black hair as he leered at me. Brunettes. I hate them. Up till now, we'd been on equal footing as far as charms and looks went. The only reason I was top of the heap in Slytherin was because I was a Malfoy. But if I was a girl...let's just say that being a girl in Slytherin is not a good thing.

Zabini leered at me. I could tell he thought his takeover would be easy. That I would be no challenge. But I couldn't let him see that anything had changed, despite the fact that it physically had. "Zabini," I said as Snape and I swept past. To anyone else, the greeting would have sounded friendly, if formal. But we both knew that I was simply acknowledging his challenge, and that it would be met, once Snape had left the common room.

Snape guided me to a large portrait at the back of the room, whispered something to it, and it swung open. Behind it was a door that opened into a fabulous room. For the first time since I'd woken in the Hospital Wing, I smiled. At least something good would come of this. I wouldn't have to listen to Crabbe and Goyle snoring all night anymore. The room had its own desk, fireplace, and even a small loveseat. There was also a large four-poster bed, and bedside table. There was another door that led, I found, to a small bathroom. Not much, just a shower stall, toilet, and sink, but my own, rather than something I had to share with others. My trunk and other belongings had been brought down, and sat at the foot of my new bed.

I looked at Snape. "The room is yours for however long these...effects last. It's usually reserved for the Head Boy or Girl, but seeing as Slytherin hasn't had a Head boy or Girl in years..." Snape looked angry at this, but continued, "Well, it's yours until this is over. See that I don't regret this, Draco. I don't want to hear that you've been taking advantage of this special favour." He looked sternly at me. I knew that this only meant he wasn't to hear of anything, not that I wasn't to use it in any way I saw fit, so I nodded. He looked me over for a moment, then nodded, told me the password, "Draconus" and left.

I spent a moment unpacking and placing my things around the room. I was interrupted when someone knocked on my door. Thinking it would be Crabbe or Goyle or both, I walked distractedly to the door without thinking, and was startled when I found myself face to face with my father.

What on earth was he doing here at Hogwarts? I'd always known Dumbledore was a fool, but letting a man convicted of a Death Eater raid on the Ministry into Hogwarts? I was hard pressed to keep from panicking. What would father do to me?

He entered with a glower, and after glancing once around the room, he turned to me. "Draco."

I managed to keep the quiver from my voice. "Father."

"Well, boy, don't just stand there. Close the door. Unless you want the rest of your house to hear us."

I flushed for the umpteenth time that day, and turned to see the entire house gathered around the doorway. I closed the door and turned back to my father. "What are you doing here, father?"

"I got an urgent message from Dumbledore. It seems you allowed yourself to be doused by one of those flunkies of yours, and are now a girl. Horribly amusing, but only when it happens to someone else's son, Draco." He glowered down at me. "I have only two things to say to you." I swallowed. Surely he wouldn't. Not now... He smiled at my discomfort. "The first is that I expect everything I have always expected of you, Draco. Just because you are a girl, do not expect me to be more...forgiving...of your shortcomings." I nodded and looked at my feet. "Look at me, boy!" I jerked my head up and met my father's eyes. The smile that spread across his face was worse than the scowl he had worn before. "The other thing, son of mine? Now that you are a girl, I will be expecting more from you, Draco, not less. After all, girls can control themselves much better than boys." It was the worst smile I had ever seen on his face when he wasn't about to punish me. I swallowed, unable to speak, and nodded.

Without another word, he swept from the room, nodding at a few of my housemates as he passed them. I quickly shut the door behind him. It was after eight when I finally roused myself and looked at my watch. Well after dinner. Maybe I'd just take a shower and get a fresh start in the morning. Things couldn't really be as bad as I was imagining, could they?