You Live, You Learn

You Live, You Learn

Chapter 1: Mistake

He walked down the damp corridor towards the dungeons. He realized he was late.

"God!" he whispered when he peered down at his watch.

His pace quickened. Trying his best to look innocent, he carried on walking. No one knew, but down in the dungeons of Hogwarts was an almost complete Polyjuice Potion. The boy thought to himself,

Now that damn Potter won't be so cocky about beating Slytherin. He took a sharp turn around a corner and ran into something. He cursed.

"...God watch where the hell you are going," Draco Malfoy sneered. The red-haired girl was on the floor. She looked up.

"Draco," was the brilliance that escaped Ginny Weasley's lips.

"Typical Weasley, can't even see what's under their own filthy nose," Draco retorted. "I have stuff to do and it does not involve running into poor, little, insignificant Weasleys."

He straightened up and headed off. Ginny stared after him then put a hand on her head and thought to herself,

God! Stop thinking about him, he is a Malfoy. Therefore you two will never happen! Just forget about him!

"But I can't," Ginny whispered aloud to herself.

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Harry Potter was feeling the back of his head.

"I swear, there is a huge chunk of hair missing from the back of my head!" he stated yet again.

"Yes," Hermione replied, examining the back of Harry's head. "But, if was probably from when you got to close to the Whomping Willow on the way to Care of Magical Creatures."

Ron snorted. Hermione shot him a look.

"Yeah, I mean you tripped. It wasn't your fault or anything," Ron added hastily.

"You tripped him Ron."

"I did not," Ron protested. "You know they should really make sure there are not roots sticking up on the grounds, someone could really get hurt." Hermione rolled her eyes.

"Anyways Harry," Hermione looked back at Harry. "You can't just jump to conclusions about loss of hair. It happens to everyone at some time in their lives."

"Hermione, I am only sixteen. I am not supposed to lose hair for about maybe another forty years," Harry said. Hermione was about to reply when the portrait door swung open. Ginny walked in.

"Hey Gin."

"Hi," Ginny replied and ran up to her room.

"She never really talks with us anymore you know that?" Ron said.

"Ron you are her brother. She should not want to spend time with you."

"Who does?" Harry said lamely.

"Haha," Ron said meekly.

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Draco checked everything in the potion. Perfect. All he had to do was to add Potter's hair and drink it. Draco smirked. This potion was the perfect potion for revenge. He added the hair and gave one final smile as himself, and then drank the potion. He waited to feel his body changing.

Nothing. Same Draco.

Draco looked back in the cup to make sure he had actually drunk the entire potion. He had.

"Why aren't I changing?" Draco asked aloud to himself. He waited another minute.

Still nothing.

Hearing footsteps, he threw his invisibility cloak over him and headed back up to his dormitory to see what he had done wrong. It's probably nothing, Draco thought to himself on his way out.

How wrong he was.

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Draco pushed the door to his dormitory open. He walked briskly over to his bed where he had the book about the Polyjuice Potion. He dropped his cloak on his bed and grabbed the book.

The book was old; his father had given it to him saying, "Just in case you ever need it son."

He opened to the page he had marked. He checked the ingredients, procedure, and everything. According to this book he had everything correct. He should have turned into the exact double of Harry Potter. Everything had been perfect.

"Book is probably a dud," Draco said, for that was the only logical explanation.

Draco's eyes flew to the top of the page. Draco stopped breathing. The book fell to the floor with a thud. He could not believe how stupid he had been.

***************************************

Ginny lay on her bed, her face buried in her pillow. She was supposed to be doing her weekend homework, but so far the only words she was able to write were Draco and Malfoy.

"How pathetic am I?" she asked herself. "I am obsessing over Draco. I am just going to do my homework and forget about D-" Ginny stopped; Hermione had come in.

"Who are you going to forget about Gin?" Hermione asked curiously.

"No one," Ginny said quickly. "Just my pet that died."

"Ginny," Hermione said looking confused. "You do not have any pets. You're always saying how much you want one."

"Oh, well...Mum was going to get me an owl, but it died, yer, it died a few days ago so I never got to have it!" she answered lamely, knowing how badly she lied.

"Are you sure? You sounded almost upset when I came in. Why would you be upset about the death of an owl you never had?"

"Look, can't a girl talk to herself in peace, without know-it-alls sticking their noses in?" she snapped, sounding angrier than she actually felt.

Ginny stormed out. A few seconds later Ginny came back in.

"You know what Hermione? This is my dorm. You leave."

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Draco stared at the book now on the floor.

"No, no, no," Draco's voice cracked. "This is not happening."

Draco contiuned stared at the book still, which was still on the same page.

He knew it was true. Draco had not made a Polyjuice Potion. He had made the Passionate Infatuation, a love potion.