Shifting Perspectives

"Shifting Perspectives" by Professor Mary

Chapter 4: Inner Conflicts

Draco followed the trio from a distance, once again grateful for the stealth afforded by Granger's smaller body. He watched as the three boys made their way to the pitch, stopping only at the supplies shed to pick up a broom for Granger. Weasley and Potter had already summoned their brooms on the way. Granger would have to make do with one of the school brooms, he supposed. Given her lack of flying experience and general nervousness, he thought it best that she would be flying on a relatively slow broom.

Draco snuck up to the three as close as he dared. From his vantage at the bottom of the stands, he was near enough to hear their conversation.

Potter handed Granger a broom. She looked at it for a minute, took a deep breath, and then reached for it with closed eyes. Draco was rather impressed to watch her mount the broom as if she had been doing it all her life. Of course, she hadn't but Draco's body had. Once she was sitting on the broom, she opened her eyes. She appeared to be very nervous but was also making a valiant effort at trying to stay calm.

"Good," came Potter's voice. "You're on the broom correctly. Now I expect that flying will come pretty naturally to you- you just need to not think too much- just let Malfoy's body take over. He's a great flyer- you'll see."

Granger gulped audibly and then nodded her head. Draco thought Potter's advice was spot on- and he found that he was a bit thankful for Potter's praise. At some other time, he was going to have to rethink the whole thankfulness business. It was truly unbecoming for a Malfoy.

Weasley and Potter stood on either side of Granger, both already mounted on their own broomsticks. Then they pushed off. When they were both about fifty feet up in the air, they hovered and waited for Granger.

"Come on Granger. Just do it," Draco muttered.

Granger took another deep breath, leaned forward on her broom, and then shot off from the ground at a rather impressive speed- especially for a school broomstick! She zoomed past Potter and Weasley, whooping excitedly as she went.

Draco felt his mouth turn up in a smile without even thinking about it. He watched as the tall blond boy gracefully zipped across the sky, giving all appearances of having a great time. Then he headed up the stairway of the stands to get a better view of the flyers.

If someone as bad as Granger can fly like this, than I must really be a natural, he mused. Still, Draco felt gratified at Granger's excellent flying. He sat in the shadowed part of the upper stands and watched the three whiz around the pitch. He found that he was not at all disgusted by hearing their laughter and watching them have such a good time. In fact, he was rather startled to note, he was having a good time just observing them!

"That's it, Hermione!" Weasley shouted. Granger waved at him. But her broomstick shifted when she removed her hand, lurching her over to one side. She gave a loud shriek and then clutched the broom with both hands. Instantly, her entire demeanor changed. She was no longer the at-ease flyer that she had been just seconds before. In the way she slumped over the broom, tightly gripping the handle, and steadily careening out of control, Draco could plainly see Hermione Granger manifesting in his own body!

It wasn't as if he could really see her- after all, he was still lurking in the shadows, wearing her body. But he could easily read Granger's movements and manner as she zigzagged across the sky.

"Granger, pull yourself together!" he sputtered as he felt a growing sense of anxiety in the pit of his stomach.

Weasley and Potter both seemed to recognize Granger's "return," so to speak, and were flying close by her, barking orders.

"Don't grip it so hard, Hermione!"

"Sit back from the broom a bit!"

"No, not that much!"

"Keep your head up.... Hermione!"

Draco could see panic in the familiar face. As she zoomed by, he cold hear her labored breathing. He knew that she was very close to a complete freak out. He was really starting to feel nervous now. He stepped out from the shadows of the stands and stood next to the railing so he could mark her progress unobstructed.

She looked up at him then, her gray eyes wide with fear. Draco held her gaze.

"Granger, relax! You've got to relax," he yelled.

She nodded at him, all the while keeping her eyes locked with his brown ones.

He watched as she seemed to slow down on the broom, gradually releasing her tight grasp of the handle. He saw her broad shoulders begin to loosen up as she leaned back from the broom. He nodded his encouragement though his own hands were fiercely gripping the railing of the stands.

Finally she seemed to resume full control of the broom. Potter and Weasley had hung back from her to allow her plenty of room to fly safely. Draco could see that Potter's wand was out, no doubt ready to be used as a last resort if Granger had fallen. He looked at his own hands- his wand was out for the same reason, though he could not remember having taken it out.

As she descended, Draco ran down the stairway of the stands. He had half a mind to bawl her out for endangering his body- but he also recognized some other set of emotions. He had been almost frantic with worry- but he was unsure if he was worried only about his body...

He stood on the lines of the pitch, waiting for her to land. He watched as she carefully landed, once again exhibiting grace in her movements. Draco wondered if he was that graceful in his own skin.

She was still sitting on the broom with her hands around the handle, though both her feet were on the ground. She looked up when he stood just in front of her.

All the harsh words died instantly in the back of his throat when he saw those steely gray eyes look at him. He could feel the terror rolling off her body. As she loosened her grasp around the neck of the broom, he could see her hands trembling.

"Granger," he said, softly but firmly. He held out his hand to her while his other hand gripped the top of the broom. She took his hand and he helped her dismount. She was shaking all over.

He dropped the broom and put both arms around the taller boy. This time, he braced himself for the heavier weight. He felt her slump against him. He could also feel his body's heart beating rapidly against his chest. Granger's breathing was still labored.

He held his ground, waiting patiently for her to calm down. He could hear the other two boys landing close by him now.

"Malfoy, I'm so sorry," she whispered to him, her breath just tickling his ear. He turned his head away to escape the surprisingly pleasant sensation.

He didn't say anything, not trusting himself to respond either in anger or sympathy. Anger seemed inappropriate at the moment, given her palpable fear, and sympathy was too disturbing a response to fathom. So he settled for silence and giving her arm a gentle squeeze.

"We've got it from here, Malfoy," Potter said, though without any malice. Draco felt both boys gently take the blond boy out of his grasp. Potter, who was still sporting red hair and freckles, and thus, was much taller than usual, pulled Granger's long arm over his shoulder and then hooked his arm around Granger's waist. Her blond head lolled just a bit and then she rested it on the taller boy's shoulder.

Draco was surprised when he didn't feel repulsed at the image of his body leaning on Weasley's. But he didn't. Instead he stood there, increasingly feeling stupid and watched the three boys, who now all seemed to be looking at him in surprise.

"What are doing you here, Malfoy?" Weasley asked him, as he pushed his glasses up on the bridge of his nose.

But Malfoy still said nothing. Though a thousand biting remarks seemed to be sitting on his tongue, he found that he just didn't really want to say any of them. It wasn't that he had anything else to say- it was just that it didn't seem to be worth it to instigate an argument.

He returned his gaze to Granger. She was standing a bit straighter now and her color seemed to have returned to its normal shade of pallor.

Certain that she was okay, he turned from the three and started back towards the castle. He didn't hear anything behind him and he didn't look back to check.

"Well, that was pretty strange," Harry said, as the three of them watched the retreating back of the brown-haired girl.

Ron laughed, upsetting his glasses again. "I think you're a good influence on him, Hermione!"

Hermione took a deep breath and then pulled away from Harry's grip.

"Feeling better now?" Harry asked, his blue eyes wide in concern.

"Yeah. I don't know what happened. One minute I feel like I've been flying my whole life- the next, it's like some kind of rude awakening! And I feel like the last place I should ever be is on a broom, flying in the sky!" she exclaimed.

"What do you mean?" Ron asked.

"I mean that I actually felt like something was dueling inside of me- like I was fighting my own body- well, not that this is my body. Do you know what I mean?"

Both boys looked at her blankly. Hermione sighed.

"Well, as long as I didn't fight it, I could fly in this body. But the second I panicked, I no longer trusted this body- and that's when the struggle for control happened. This body- these muscles," she said, gesturing to her torso and stretching out her long arms, "this body wanted to move in a way that was in conflict with my thinking."

"When I saw Malfoy standing up there in my body, I recognized the conflict for what it was. And so I tried to relinquish control to the body. It's going to sound weird, but it was kind of easy to do that while I was looking at Malfoy. I felt like he was able to help me overcome my fear and let this body take over flying," she explained.

"That's deep, Hermione," Ron said after a few minutes of silence.

"Do you really think that there's a connection because of the potion, Hermione? Or do you think you were just scared and- for whatever reason- he made you feel better?" Harry posed.

"I don't know for sure. I'll need to look it up. I'll go to the library after dinner and before tonight's patrols," she responded.

Harry picked up the broom from where Malfoy had left it. The three walked towards the shed.

"Well, I'll be happy having you back, Hermione," Ron said, slapping her on the back.

"And I'll be happy to get rid of these glasses!"

"Oh, I don't know, Ron. What's the hurry? I kind of like being this tall. And I sure don't miss the scar!" Harry said, his freckly face smiling broadly.

"Which is the best thing about being in my body? No scar, no glasses, or being tall?" Ron joked, looking at Harry.

"Hmmm... Honestly? I like not being stared at," Harry said seriously.

"Yeah, I noticed the staring thing," Ron replied, his tone a bit serious, too.

"And you?" Harry shot back.

"I don't know. It's kind of nice to be different, I suppose. You don't look like anyone, Harry. I look like my entire family," Ron said.

"Hermione? Is there anything good about being in Malfoy's skin?" Harry teased.

Hermione kept silent for a long minute as she tried to identify the merits of being in the blond boy's body. She smiled to herself as she thought about kissing Ginny- that had certainly been a highlight. She felt a bit nauseous as the scene from this morning replayed in her head- had she really been turned on by her own body? she wondered. She shuddered and pushed that thought to the back of her mind. Then she remembered how angry she'd felt before she shattered the lamp and how exhilarating flying had been before she'd panicked.

Harry and Ron were still looking at her expectantly.

"I don't know if there's anything good about being stuck in a seventeen year old male body," she said at last. "I feel like I'm only an inch away from losing control at any given moment. Being a boy is a tumultuous experience. It's just too much!"

She looked at both of her friends, each of whom was sporting a wide grin.

"Well, Hermione. You have to practice self-control, you know," Harry laughed. Ron laughed with him.

By now the three had reached the castle. As they approached the Great Hall, Ginny appeared with Neville, who was actually still Pavarti.

"Hiya, Ginny," Ron greeted her, his green eyes flashing in welcome. Hermione watched as Ginny rolled her own eyes back at him.

"I'll be so glad when they switch back," she whispered to Hermione. She put her arm through Hermione's and then pulled her off to the side from the group.

"You won't have to wait too much longer, Ginny. The potion should wear off towards the end of lunch," Hermione explained.

"Really? Hmm..." Ginny said, her sly grin returning.

Hermione recognized that look.

"Oh?" she said, somewhat flirtatiously, running a hand through her blond locks.

"Hermione, will you please come over here with me?" Ginny said, all innocence.

Hermione knew that the last thing she should do is let her red haired friend lead her into an empty classroom. She and Malfoy could actually switch back at any moment. And if Ginny was up to what she suspected, she was sure that Malfoy would be livid if he "caught" them.

But she said nothing and followed Ginny into the classroom. She had already stopped thinking clearly when she saw the other girl's knowing smile. She certainly had no idea that another girl was following them.

Ginny pulled her into the classroom, gently pushed her against a wall, and then leaned in to whisper into Hermione's ear.

"You don't mind, do you?" Ginny said, her breath tickling Hermione's neck.

Hermione reveled in the telltale tingle that was rushing through her body. She couldn't speak but managed to nod her agreement. Then she wrapped her arms around the shorter girl and pulled her in close to her body. The more that their bodies touched, the more that Hermione felt like she was on fire.

Ginny tilted her head up and pressed her lips against Hermione's. She wrapped her hands around the boy's neck and pulled Hermione deeper into her kiss.

Hermione couldn't help it. She moaned even as she moved her tongue against Ginny's. Her arms were pulling her as close as possible. She felt like she couldn't get enough of her friend.

Ginny's hands left their perch on her neck and began to move languidly over her body while she still continued to kiss her. Hermione felt nimble fingers dig into her shoulders and then slowly move down towards her chest.

Hermione gasped in surprise when Ginny gave her nipples a lingering pinch. Dimly, she thought, who knew guys would like that, too?

Then Ginny snaked her arms below Hermione's and wrapped them around her waist, effectively pulling Hermione's hips snugly against her own.

Again, Hermione moaned in pleasure. This time, neither girl was surprised by the resulting physical reactions and continued their kisses and touches.

Hermione felt her entire body responding to Ginny's touches. It was maddening. She felt as if she had only the most tenuous grip on reality at the moment. She'd never felt so out of control- and she loved it! This was certainly not the moment to fight Malfoy's body. So, making a decision under her current state of hormone-induced rapture, she just gave in completely and put aside all thought processes.

With one hand pressing against the small of Ginny's back, Hermione let the other hand slowly move up and cradle the girl's head. Then she slowed their passionate kisses to something that teased them both. She delighted in realizing that the protracted kisses ignited as much passion as the much deeper ones. She ran her hand through Ginny's long red hair, enjoying the tactile sensations as it moved through her fingers.

Again, giving in completely to an impulse, she let her hand trail along Ginny's face, sweeping luxuriously from behind her ear across her jaw and then slowly down her neck. She let it rest at the top of her chest and then realized that her heart was beating as fast as it had been when she was spinning out of control on the broomstick.

She pulled her lips away. "Ginny?" she breathed.

But Ginny seemed to be having none of Hermione's untimely indecision. She pulled Hermione back down into a kiss and then grabbed her pale hand and placed on her breast.

Only both of their moans covered another sound- that of someone softly gasping from the corner of the classroom.

Draco was spellbound by the image of the two lovers. They were beautiful together. He could believe how enthralled he was just standing there, watching them. He couldn't move- didn't want to, actually. He slumped back against the wall because he was feeling dizzy. He felt a fine sheen of sweat on his face. He was nearly panting in desire.

He was surprised to feel something else wrapped up in his feelings of lust, though. Regret. He wasn't sure what exactly he was regretting. He was still convinced that he wasn't attracted to the youngest Weasley. He could certainly see now that she was a pretty girl but he wasn't moved by her in any particular way. And he was sure that he wasn't attracted to himself- though he knew that he was a good looking person. He couldn't put his finger on it- but he thought that perhaps it was the passion- the loss of control- between these two that was so engrossing to watch- and that passion was something that he yearned to experience. And he regretted that all he could really do was hide in the corner and watch.

The two in front of him were fully into themselves now. They wouldn't have noticed if a pride of hippogriffs barreled in. Both were making plenty of noise, too. Draco decided that neither seemed to have much experience with the art of sneaky snogging. Not that he had tons, either- but he at least knew to close the door!

Distant sounds in the hallway alarmed all three of them. Ginny and Hermione broke apart quickly, both looking completely disheveled. Then they both started giggling.

Draco felt like giggling, too, though he remained quiet. He was extremely disappointed that they'd been interrupted by whoever it was out in the hallway. If he'd seen the intruders, he would have hexed them into next week.

He was joined in thought by both Hermione and Ginny.

"I suppose we should get back to lunch, eh?" Ginny said, between giggles. She smoothed her hair and tucked her shirt back into her skirt. Then she picked her robes up from the heap on the floor. She handed Hermione her robes, too.

Hermione was buttoning up the top buttons of her shirt. Her pale face was still flushed and her blond locks were nearly as scattered as Harry's. Ginny smoothed them down when she was finished with her own.

"Too bad Malfoy is such a git," she said. "He's really really hot. I wonder if any of this would be similar with him- or with you- when you're really you," she trailed off thoughtfully.

"Ginny, thank you," Hermione said.

"What? What are you thanking me for?" she responded in a surprised tone.

"Well, that was wonderful. It was so different and neat and I just want you to know that I really appreciate you," Hermione bumbled.

"Hermione, I don't know why you're worried. I know what all this is about. Remember I said that I was curious? And that I trusted you?" Ginny waited for Hermione to nod. "Well, I wouldn't have done all this with anyone else. But I really do feel comfortable with you, Mione. It's been fun- and safe. Don't you agree?"

"Yeah, I know. That's why I said thanks, Ginny," she smiled back.

"Anyway, you go to lunch first. I need to- er- I need just another minute or so," she said, a faint blush still remaining on her cheeks. Ginny giggled once more, nodded, and then left the classroom.

Draco watched as Granger took a deep breath and then collapsed heavily into a nearby desk.

"Damn hormones!" Granger said, her head in her hands.

Draco shuffled a bit in his corner. He suddenly remembered that they'd be changing back soon and he really didn't want to be caught standing here in the corner. He was nearly at the door when his robes caught on a stack of parchments protruding from a bookcase.

"Lumos," Hermione said quickly.

Draco stood like a deer caught in headlights.

"Malfoy?" she said incredulously.

"Malfoy, what are you doing here?"

"Oh my," she breathed heavily. "You saw... you saw us, didn't you?"

Draco found that his feet were glued to the floor. He desperately wanted to leave before his traitorous mouth gave away anything.

"You must be very angry," she said quietly, her head hanging low.

Draco wanted to say something to the effect that indeed he was very angry. But no lies seemed to be coming forward at the moment. If anything, he was angry that the whole thing had been interrupted. But he really didn't want to confess to that opinion.

"You have every right to be angry. I should have asked you- like before I went to fly. But I didn't know that was going to happen. Um... what to say? Er- Ginny knew it was me- so she won't be thinking that you would... and she won't say anything. And neither will I ... and this wasn't the first time- but it was only a kiss that time. And I swear that nothing else has happened. I haven't done anything further- you know what I mean- with your body," she finished finally, her pale cheeks nearly scarlet in color.

Hermione stood from the desk and walked towards Malfoy. Only when she got a bit closer was she able to take in his own disheveled appearance. She looked at him closely then- noting the flushed cheeks, the glistening moisture over his reddened lips, irregular breathing, and dilated pupils. Her brain worked fast from this rather damning evidence.

"You were watching us," she stated simply.

Draco opened his mouth- desperately hoping to be released from whatever it was that was holding him silent.

Hermione stood there in front of the girl, her arms folded across her broad chest. She was blocking the doorway and noted with some satisfaction that Malfoy was increasingly looking nervous.

"You were watching," she said again. "Of that much I am certain. But why were you watching us? And why did you follow me and Harry and Ron out to the pitch earlier?"

Draco finally managed to clear his throat.

"I don't know," he said, disappointed in his answer.

Hermione's gray eyes narrowed, indicating her disbelief. But then she sighed, ran long fingers through her hair, and seemed to give up.

"Doesn't matter anymore, I guess. We'll be switching back soon. Shall we go to lunch?"

Draco nodded and the two started towards the Great Hall in tension-filled silence.

When they reached the Great Hall, they each went their separate ways to their tables. Lunch was already half-way finished.

Hermione took her seat between a smug-looking Ginny and an oblivious raven-haired Ron. Harry sat across from her. He gave her an appraising look as he passed her the pumpkin juice.

"What kept you? And why did you come in with Malfoy? You both look like you've been a fight," Harry said, his blue eyes taking in her somewhat tousled appearance.

Hermione felt a flush stain her pale cheeks. She took a large bite of her sandwich so she wouldn't have to say anything right away.

"Probably gave you a hard time 'bout flying, eh Hermione?" Ron offered.

"Something like that," Hermione managed. Ginny stifled a giggle and turned towards Pavarti-in-Neville's body.

Hermione could feel the weight of someone's gaze and was unsurprised to find Malfoy staring at her.

Hermione prided herself on being a good judge of people's actions and motivations. She was a careful observer, after all. For her, part of the responsibility that comes along with being the best friend of Harry Potter is people-watching. After six years of looking out for Harry, she felt like she was pretty good at getting the measure of people. But at the moment, she was stumped by Draco Malfoy.

She had been surprised when he appeared in Quidditch stands. But she'd written it off as concern for his own body. But she was absolutely shocked when she realized that he'd been watching her with Ginny. And she could think of no reason to explain his reactions- or lack thereof. He hadn't yelled or ranted or stormed about injustices or anything. He hadn't said anything horrible to either Ron or Ginny or even Harry all day. Even now, as he was staring at her, there was a noticeable absence of malevolence. He just appeared very curious.

When she'd caught him back in the classroom, he'd looked more than curious, though. That stumped her as well. She could plainly see that he'd been a bit turned on and was somewhat regretful about his limited involvement as a voyeur.

She took a deep breath and pushed back her empty plate. She was really looking forward to returning to her own body. She'd meant what she'd said to Ron and Harry. She truly felt like she couldn't master her own thoughts while she was stuck in Malfoy's body. She hardly ever lost her temper- and she never snogged girls- or anyone else, for that matter!- in empty classrooms!

From across the Great Hall, Draco watched and waited. He was now rather desperate to return to his body. He couldn't think straight. He was certain that Granger had infected his very being. Not that he cared about the bloodline crap- but Granger's calmness, her cool-headedness, her restraint seemed to be influencing everything that he did. For instance, he found that he had no desire to hurl insults at the Weasleys- and he'd had ample opportunities! He had side-stepped a row with Hermione the evening before. He withheld comments from Pansy because he didn't want to hurt her feelings. And, most of all, he had no idea how to explain the voyeurism!

His thoughts were interrupted by a rather loud and extremely close shout of "Yes!" Next to him, a tall brown-haired boy had jumped up and was now walking back to the Gryffindor table. He watched as Pansy stood up from that table and made her way back to him. She sat down with an audible sigh and then looked at him.

"Still you, Draco?" she said, in her high pitched nasally voice.

"It's me," he returned, pushing some wayward curls out of his face.

They both sat in silence and watched various "uncouplings" all around them. He saw Longbottom and Patil stand up, nod at each other, and then switch seats. Potter and Weasley were next- though they didn't switch seats. He could just tell from the way each seemed to suddenly be more natural in their own bodies.

"Any minute now," he muttered. He tapped his short fingers on the table top. A glance at Granger's wristwatch confirmed that it would soon be time to go to Arithmancy. He packed his books and parchments together in his bag. Maybe they'd switch on the way.

"See you later tonight, Draco?" Pansy wheezed, her hand lingering on his arm.

"Not tonight, Pansy," he said, though gently, and shook off her arm.

He walked out of the Hall, sparing a look for Granger. She had been watching him leave and gave him the smallest of smiles. He figured that she was about as relieved as he was to be soon returning to her rightful body.

He headed down the corridors towards Vector's classroom. A familiar noise from behind him made him turn around. It was Granger. He watched as she walked past him, her gait swift and confident. She was also one of those persons for whom others moved out of the way. Since his talk with Pansy, he'd come to realize that he longer could move in the halls the way he had before. He had to follow whatever pace the crowd set. He found it to be extremely annoying- yet, he didn't say anything- he just tried to accept it and accommodate his situation by giving himself a few extra minutes to get to classes. It'd be over soon enough.

He took his usual seat in the back. He was the only Slytherin in this class so he chose not to sit with anyone else. Vector never made them work in pairs or groups, thankfully. He had always rather liked the comfortable solitude of Arithmancy. After a fairly difficult lecture, they were left to work on their individual projects. Then he was a bit surprised to find that the double class was already over- and that he was still in Granger's body.

He was putting away his quill and homework when he heard someone approach his desk. Of course, it was Granger. Her pale face reflected his own apprehension.

"Are you going back to the Common Room?" she asked quietly.

He didn't want to answer her. He was pretty sure that to the causal observer, their interaction looked like one where friends were simply waiting for each other, calmly discussing today's class. He had never wanted anyone to mistake them as anything even resembling friends. Yet he made no such comments. He merely nodded his head, scooped up his bag and followed the taller blond boy out of the class.

Interestingly, Granger, unlike Pansy, matched her stride with his much shorter one. People still moved out of their way but Granger deliberately did not make him struggle to catch up. Draco knew that, if forced to walk with her, he would have never afforded her the same courtesy. He felt that now-familiar feeling of thankfulness and then the accompanying surprise that he appreciated anything that the Muggleborn witch did.

Once inside their Common room, Granger seemed to shake off any calmness that had been masking her true feelings.

"What the hell is going on?" she shouted. "We're the only two left- the only ones who haven't switched back!"

Draco involuntarily took a step back from her. He immediately assessed that she was in an unstable mood. He took a deep breath, braced his shoulders, and tried to think of the best way to respond.

"Okay, Granger. It appears that something has gone amiss with our Potion. I know that we followed all the instructions to the letter. We said the incantation correctly. However, you poured it. You must have simply put too much into our glasses. If 3 milliliters equals 18 hours, then even the minutest bit more would extend our exchange by hours," he reasoned, trying not to sound like he was blaming her. Of course, he did think that the whole thing was her fault but he could plainly see that she was in no mood to hear it!

Hermione flopped on the couch, her head in her hands. She tried to take several deep breaths to calm herself. She could feel her heart speeding up as a literal rage was threatening to sweep over her. This loss of control was exactly the kind of thing she didn't need right now. She had to be calm to think this through.

"That makes sense," she said finally, her voice tight with emotion. "Though I am certain that I only poured three milliliters of Potion for each of us, I can think of no other explanation. It's just a matter of time."

She looked up at him. He was the very picture of cool composure. She stifled the urge to say something- anything- to upset him. What good would that do? she mused to herself.

She watched as he walked over and sat on the couch across from her. His hands were clasped together in his lap and he was giving her a close look.

"We have Potions in 30 minutes," he finally said.

"Of course, Snape will know what to do!" she said, feeling some relief at last.

"What? We can't tell Professor Snape about this!" he charged.

Hermione goggled him. Was he serious? Did he want to stay like this one minute longer? she wondered. She was frantic to return to own body wherein she could make sense of her feelings and the world around her. She was increasingly worried about what she was capable of doing if she remained in Malfoy's body.

"Do you want to lose marks for that assignment, Granger? He'd fail us both if he knew we'd messed up like this!" Malfoy growled.

Hermione thought of her perfect Potions average. Right now, they were tied for the top spot. One failed assignment would push them both behind a string of Ravenclaws. The indignity! she thought wildly.

"So we should act like we've switched back?" she asked with a sinking heart.

"Granger, I'd rather pretend to be you than allow a bunch of know-it-all Ravenclaws to beat me in Potions!" he hissed.

Hermione silently agreed with him. She gulped back a breath.

"It can't be for that much longer. We could switch back at any moment," she said, still trying to sooth her jumbled emotions. Hermione sat back on the couch, absentmindedly shredding some parchment in her hands.

"Can you really pull off being me?" she asked after a few minutes. Too her surprise, Malfoy laughed.

"Sure, raise my hand a lot, spew forth paragraphs from the textbook, whisper directions to Longbottom, and play nice with Potty and the Weasel. How hard could it be?" he said mockingly.

"The real question is do you have what it takes to pull off being Draco Malfoy?" he sneered.

Something about his sardonic demeanor made Hermione's blood pressure begin to rise again. She closed her eyes and began to count to ten to keep from shattering the lamp for a second time. She made it to five before she could speak.

"Yes, though I am thoroughly disgusted by it, I can be you for a couple of hours. Piece of cake. You're a loner- you don't have any real friends that I have to be nice to- you're an ass to everyone," she deadpanned.

Draco bristled at both her scathing remarks and tone. He didn't have a response, either, which irked him. So he retreated to his desk and attempted to study for the remainder of their break.

A knock on the door startled them both from their respective studies.

"Hermione?" came Harry's voice.

Hermione looked up at the brown-haired girl who was currently packing her parchments and books together. Malfoy had only his own notes in his hand as he dropped his bag in front of Hermione and picked up her much heavier one.

"Geez, Granger? How many books do you need?" he said as he pulled the straps over his shoulder.

The knock was louder this time.

"Coming!" Malfoy said.

Hermione felt frozen. She turned around in her seat, unable to take her eyes off of Malfoy. He walked up to the portrait and then turned back and gave her a small sly grin.

"Showtime," he whispered to her before throwing open the portrait door.

"Hey, what took you, Mione?" Hermione heard Ron ask from the hallway.

"Oh, you know, I just had to read one more paragraph!" Malfoy answered.

Hermione's mouth hung open as she watched Harry put his arm around Malfoy.

"Good to have you back, Hermione!" he said, pulling Malfoy into a half hug.

Then she saw them leave, apparently happy to be together.