"Swapped"

By Lucawindmover

Hermione turned an anxious face to Professor McGonagall. "Please Professor, don't make us go down to the Great Hall like this. It would be too humiliating," she, or he rather, pleaded in a newly masculine voice.

"No, no, of course not. I wouldn't hear of it," Professor McGonagall answered, much to Professor Snape's dismay. "No, you three may have dinner down in the kitchens if you wish," she paused for a moment. "I daresay you know the way," she finished, hiding a playful smile.

Hermione sighed in relief, as did her female companions. After thanking Professor McGonagall profusely, they headed out and down to the kitchens.

After she was sure the trio was out of earshot, Minerva rounded on Severus.

"Severus, how could you have done that to them? Most teenage psyches can't handle that sort of metamorphosis!" Minerva said and then gasped, placing a hand over her mouth and the other to her chest. "You may have scarred them for life!"

Severus' normally severe eyes glinted with child-like mischief. "Are you expressing doubts about the Golden Trio of Hogwarts?"

Minerva shook her head. "I'm not sure when those three picked up such a nickname, but I don't think of them as 'Golden.' They are just students to me. Three students who are undergoing an incredibly confusing ordeal at this moment, no thanks to you!"

Severus moved to the doorway, a smirk gracing his grim features. "Yes well, Mr. Weasley was the one to volunteer them. Perhaps you should have a talk with him about interrupting my class."

And with that and a swish of his robes, Severus Snape was gone.

Minerva shook her head and moved behind her desk, conjuring a cup of hot tea before sitting in her chair. She pressed her fingertips to her temples and began massaging them in circles.

'I will never understand that man,' she thought to herself before lifting the steamy tea to her lips.

Harry, Hermione, and Ron made their way down the winding corridors in the direction of the kitchens. They were relieved to find that the halls were all but empty. Everyone had rushed to the Great Hall early in hopes of seeing the three of them in their current state.

"Well, they'll all be sorely disappointed when they see us next," Ron said, curling a strand of his hair around a forefinger. "We'll be back to normal and no one will have proof that we ever looked like this."

"Yeah," Harry agreed. "This is one time I am very thankful Colin Creevy hasn't been around with his camera."

"No kidding," Hermione said, chuckling as they turned the corner and headed to the painting of the bowl of fruit.

"Aha, and here they are now. Our transgendered trio."

The three of them froze. Directly in their path to the kitchens stood Draco Malfoy and crew.

Hermione stepped in front of her companions, effectively shielding them from view. She didn't like the way Crabbe and Goyle were ogling her best friends. "What do you want this time, Malfoy?" She asked, spitting out his name as if it were some sort of communicable disease.

Draco smirked and turned his head to the side. "We wanted to see what all of the fuss was about, naturally. I must say, Granger, you make a better male than you did female. I mean, it isn't much of a change, is it?"

Hermione's eyes narrowed.

"You mean you didn't get enough of an eyeful back there in class?" Harry growled, trying to step around Hermione. She put her arm out though, keeping Harry in place.

"So where's your Gryffindor courage now? Here we find you coming down here for dinner instead of going to the Great Hall," Draco said, elbowing Goyle in the ribs as a sign that he should laugh now.

"McGonagall insisted," Hermione fired back with a glare. She could feel both Harry and Ron trying to creep out from behind her but she wouldn't let them. She was much stronger than either of them now, and had to force herself to not smile at their feeble attempts.

Draco chuckled. "Oh, I'm sure she did. How would it make her look as Head of Gryffindor House if three of her students were," Draco tapped a finger on his lips, pretending to be thinking hard. "How shall we put this delicately…playing for the other team? Would that fit this situation?"

Ron finally managed to jump out from behind Hermione. "And what the bloody hell is that supposed to mean?"

"You mean that your girl brain doesn't find me attractive?" Draco replied, raising an eyebrow at the redhead.

Ron muttered something unintelligible as he ducked back behind Hermione, blushing.

"That doesn't mean anything, Malfoy, our bodies can't help what's going on in them," Hermione said angrily. She could feel Ron now clinging to the back of her robes. She knew that Draco had hit on a touchy spot for all three of them.

Draco took a few steps closer. "Oh, you mean that just because you find your friends attractive as females now, doesn't mean that when you turn back into a female, you'll find other females still attractive?"

"That's exactly what I mean, if I've gotten you're meaning correctly," Hermione said. She was starting to become very angry. Normally, she was able to keep her anger in check. For some reason, unknown to her at this moment, she was angry enough to pummel Draco.

"I see. Well then, Mr. Mudblood, why don't you take your two little whores and do what you can with them while they're female. For surely-"

But whatever Draco had intended to say after this point was to never be heard as Hermione threw a punch that landed square across his jaw.

Draco stumbled back a few steps, unable to believe what had just happened to him. As the realization came to him, a murderous glint came into his eyes and he went back at Hermione, full force.

Fists were flying, feet kicking, and before either of them knew what was happening, they were both on the ground, rolling back and forth.

Harry and Ron tried to intervene. As soon as they moved toward the fight, however, Crabbe and Goyle each grabbed one of them and forced them to watch as the brawl continued.

A few minutes into the scrap, Harry began to feel the stirrings of something strange. He looked down and realized that he was changing back. It was happening slowly to him, since he hadn't grown much in height to begin with. But Ron was growing rapidly. His hair was becoming shorter very quickly. When the two of them realized what was going on, they shot one another a terrified look.

Hermione!

On the floor, Hermione and Draco were slowing becoming aware of the change as well. As it were, Hermione was on her back, pinned by Draco who was lying across her with his face barely inches from hers. They stayed this way for a moment, each silently daring the other to move. Finally, Draco pushed himself away from her and jumped up to his feet.

Crabbe and Goyle had let Harry and Ron go and moved over behind their leader once more. Ron rushed over to Hermione and helped her up. She had a black eye and a cut lip, and would surely be feeling the effects of the fight for a few days. The robes she had on were now entirely too big on her and she had to grab them around her for fear of being exposed.

Draco looked the worst off from the fight. One of his eyes sported a new cut directly over it, which was bleeding profusely down his cheek. His nose was also beginning to bleed. All the blood made him look as if he were injured worse than he was. Hermione had done her work well.

"You just wait until I tell the Headmistress about this!" Draco said and spat blood at Hermione's feet.

"Oh, and I guess you're going to run off and tell her that you were beat up by a girl then?" Hermione said as she narrowed her good eye. "Or would you rather tell her about how you beat up a girl? I don't mind accompanying you so that she can see what you've done to me as well."

Draco stopped for a moment, thinking about the situation. After he weighed his options, he said, "Well then, I guess no one else will know about this, if you know what's good for you."

"You mean, what's good for you," Harry interjected.

Draco turned on his heal and stalked off in the opposite direction, Crabbe and Goyle following closely behind him.

After the three of them were sure their provokers had moved on, Harry and Ron rounded on Hermione.

"How could you have done that!"

"You could have been seriously injured!"

"Or worse, expelled!"

Hermione laughed out loud at the pair of them, acting like fussy hens. "Boys, you really should straighten out your priorities. Besides, who's ever been expelled for knocking some sense into someone?"

Ron and Harry both stared at her incredulously.

"Anyway, let's just eat so I can get to the hospital wing, shall we?" Hermione asked, groaning at a sore leg as she turned to the entrance to the kitchens.

A/N: Well, I'm content to leave it at this, though I do have a whole story continuation brewing in my head. If you guys like this, let me know. I'll continue the idea that I'm coming up with. I don't want to worry about it though, if this isn't well received. Thanks to everyone who has read and reviewed. Especially the ones who review!

Disclaimer: I don't own anything. J.K. Rowling is the genius behind Harry Potter and those things related to Harry Potter. I just enjoy tormenting the wonderful characters she has created for us.