The Switch (or The Switcharoo)

Okay, I know it's been a while since I last updated, but it wasn't really my fault. (Besides the bad timing.) This is the third time I've tried to upload this chapter. The first time the chapter wasn't loaded due to AFF system updating stuff, then the second time, it was because I forgot to add a chapter title.

So I hope you enjoy this.



FIRST DATE -- chapter 15

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After Hermione had left, crudely cleaning the floor, Severus went back to his potions. He had to finish the “Get back to himself” potion. He couldn’t be Hermione and go through another year of Hogwarts. His time here wasn’t that great, but being a girl and being back in classes wasn’t going to be better. Not to forget her friends will be there, her Gryffindor friends.

Severus wondered about how this month was going to be after he changed, he didn’t even think about his date that he had to go to tonight. He just wanted to stay himself and not be anyone ever again. He wanted to get a bubble for Neville, or just a way to make sure he couldn’t get any one else with another potion ever again.

He worked through lunch and was almost finished with writing down what he had done with the potion, when an owl came tapping on his window. Severus went and took the letter off the owl’s leg and immediately read the letter, letting the owl fly back outside.

*
Professor,

I would like you to meet me in an hour so I can look you over for your date tonight.

She’s a nice girl, so hopefully you won’t wear something frightening, maybe something not totally black.

Meet me at the tea shop in Hogsmeade in an hour.

Draco
*

Severus had totally forgotten what time it was and had to quickly finish his notes and get ready. He showered and went through all of his best clothes, which were still Gryffindor colors. He searched all of his clothes and luckily found a dress robe and a couple of clothing items still unchanged in the VERY back of his closet. They were still unworn and new. He had forgotten he had bought new robes and was glad that they were something no one had seen.

He arrived at the small tea shop with time enough to order a coffee and drink it before Draco arrived, on time. He sat down with Severus and order himself some Earl Grey.

“Well, Professor, you look good, but have you no color in your wardrobe?” Draco asked, pleasantly making conversation.

“Draco, I’m not trying to look good for you, don’t worry. I can have who ever I want to and you are not on that list.”

“Oh, there’s a list? Who’s on it? Will you show it to me?” Draco laughed at Severus’s face, as it was a serious frown.

“Mr. Malfoy, I think you should go now. I am not a common school girl, who writes down who she fancies. Your friend may not like me if you keep up this nonsense, making me irritated.” Severus waited until Draco got up and left to finish and pay for his tea.

He walked a while before he went to the Three Broomsticks. When he walked in he was called over by Rosmerta who told him he had a table set up for him in a more secluded area of the bar. He walked with her and told Rosmerta he wasn’t going to order thing for now. He had to take the defense when she asked who he was seeing and when he had meet his date and why hadn’t he told her about it. Severus just told her that she needed to mind her own business and to leave him alone.

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Hermione had hung out with the guys all day. Ron, still trying to get close to her, was content with holding her hand. She had allowed him that because he wasn’t trying anything more when their hands were clasped together.

Harry seemed occupied by something, so he was far off when he wasn’t talking to either of them. Hermione didn’t want to ask about it or draw attention because of Ron. They visited every shop, finishing with the twin’s Hogsmeade shop.

Hermione told the guys go off and look around while she tried to get one of the twins attention. “Will one of you two come here? I would like to ask you something.” Both came over and wanted to know what THE Hermione Granger wanted, so urgently needed.

“What’s up?” Fred said. Making Hermione happy they had on name tags, which was an odd occurrence.

“Something we can help YOU with? I mean it’s not everyday you want us to help with something,” George cut in.

“So it has to be pretty dastardly or you’re really angry at someone. Who is it?” Both looked eagerly at Hermione, waiting for her to answer them.

“Can we go into the back?” They walked behind the curtain that divided the front end from the storage. “I need your help with changing my appearance for a few hours and then I need something to make Ron stay away from me for a while, something that will effect him only, though. Can you help me?”

Fred and George looked at each other and laughed. George asked first, “Why do you need to change your looks?”

Hermione looked exasperated, “Some thing Harry wants me to do after we leave here. I have to meet someone he wants me to see. He won’t even tell me who it is.”

Fred took the next question, “What has Ron done to make you angry at him? I mean it’s never come to this before.”

“Harry told him our fake relationship was over and Ron got the idea that I would want him back. I can’t keep him off me and when he’s near me I don’t wanna be around him. So I thought if I came here and asked for your help you two would help me just to warn him. Please?”

“Fred, if you go watch the front, I’ll get Hermione our new candies and send her out,” George walked over to a box and pulled out some candies in bright wrappers.

Fred walked out and yelled at someone, “Oy, you! Keep out of the candies unless you’re buyin’ ‘em!”

George walked back to Hermione and handed her a black bag with WWW on it. “These are for special purposes, they do different things, so we don’t always know what will happen.”

“Then can I have some anecdotes, just in case?” Hermione just wanted to be on the safe side.

George glanced to the curtain, “I’ll only give them to you if you don’t tell anyone. Fred said we can only give them to people we can truly trust. I know we can trust you, but still, it’s the warning.”

Hermione walked over to George and took the bag, making it shrink to fit into her pocket. “Thank you,” Hermione said as she gave him a kiss on the cheek, making him turn slightly pink. “Now I need something for my change of appearance.”

“Walk with me back here, the treat I’m about to give you isn’t a new one, but it doesn’t need to be on the market. I works so well, that you can actually be located under another person’s name for as long as the effects last.”

“How long do they usually last?”

“Well, if you think about how you want to look and take one candy, then the effects should last for three hours, after that each candy will add an extra 2 hours, if you need it.” George went through some different boxes, while talking to Hermione.

“And what if I need to change back to myself? Do I have to wait for it to wear off?” Hermione liked the way these candies sounded.

George found the candies and was in the large box when he answered her, “If you need to change back, you think about your original looks and take another candy. It should make you pretty close to normal until you actually change back after you take the candy. That should take less than an hour.” George handed her a rather large box full of the changing candies.

She wrote ‘Changing’ with her wand on the boxes and shrunk them and put them in another pocket. “I really wish I had someway to thank you, besides saying so.” Hermione was interrupted by Harry and Ron calling her name. “Well, the boys are calling, I’ll see you next trip. Thanks again,” Hermione started to walk toward the front when George pulled her around and kissed her lips.

Ron came around the corner then and yelled for Harry, “Harry! I think I might go blind! Merlin, Hermione, if you had the hots for my brother, you could have at least told me so.”

Hermione glared at George and went to back away when he grabbed her and tried to go right into a hot tongue on tongue action. He held her tightly to him to make her kiss him. She finally just went with it, changing her mind and trying to make Ron angry. She wrapped her arms around George and got into the kiss.

“I see how it is. Go ahead and lead me on and snog my brother while I’m here! Some friend you are. Come on, Harry, let’s give them some privacy.” Ron walked ahead of a reluctant Harry and exited the store.

Hermione pushed George away and wanted to throttle him and thank him and still yell at him, which she did. “Why in the world did you do that? It may have made him want to stay away from me but that doesn’t guarantee that he won’t pick a fight over it!”

George just smiled and looked unconcerned, “You seemed to enjoy it. Kept going instead of stopping me, you did. So don’t complain.” He wanted to kiss her again but knew that if he went near her she would probably hex him into next week.

“I’ll give you this: You’re a great kisser, but don’t try it again.” Hermione walked out of the store and nearly walked into Harry.

“What was that all about? Can’t keep you out of the Clan‘s clutches, can we?”

Hermione stared at Harry and went on the defensive, “Excuse me, I don’t think I encouraged a kiss from any of the “Clan” boys. They just seem to have it in for me, not my fault! Before we go into the Three Broomsticks, I need to do something.” Hermione walked behind a house with Harry following, she didn‘t notice Ron was gone. She took one of the candies while thinking she was a slim, 5 foot 6 inch tall, straight haired brunette with blue eyes, and fair bosom.

“Hermione, why do you need that? You were fine before.” Harry looked bewildered at her.

“I just want to know who I’m meeting before they actually see me. Look at it as a protective thing. I don’t want them to recognize me if this doesn’t go well.” Hermione charmed her clothes to fit better and look different as she walked to the Three Broomsticks. He charmed them to look like a dark red, full length dress. She hoped it looked appropriate for her date. She put make-up on with her wand as she walked to her date.

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Severus had been waiting five minutes when a nice looking brunette walked up to his table, wide eyed and her jaw almost to the floor. She looked around and couldn’t or didn’t find who she was looking for, it seemed.

“May I help you?” Severus asked, thinking she was lost.

“Actually, I’m supposed to meet someone here and was pointed to this table. I didn’t see anyone here before. Are you waiting on someone?”

“Yes, my student, Malfoy, had sent up a date, I guess, for me. You wouldn’t be that woman, would you?” Severus was interested in hearing her somehow familiar voice.

“I may be, you are the Potions Master, yes?”

“Yes,” Severus got up and pulled a seat out for her, seating her across from himself. “Glad, I could meet you...?”

“Er…Catherine And your name would be?” Hermione had almost let it go there.

“Severus Snape. Do you go by Catherine or is there something else you go by?”

“Oh, different people have different nick names for me, but Cathy is fine. Draco likes to call me Ren. He’s rather charming. Hopefully, nothing like his father? Do you know his father?” Hermione felt to play it safe would make the date go somewhat faster.

Rosmerta walked up before Severus could answer, “What can I get you two tonight? Would you like something special?” She looked at Severus then at Hermione, giving her subtle nasty looks.

“I... Would you like the special or something specific?” He asked Hermione.

“The special would be fine.” She had no idea what the ‘special’ was, but felt like being adventurous.

Rosmerta chimed in, “The special it is then, anything else for you dears?”

Severus again looked at Hermione and she just waved her hand for him to order, “Butterbeers would be fine.”

When Rosmerta left Severus and Hermione got into their conversation on potions and how each potions they had dealt with worked and what they were working on at the moment. Hermione told Severus about something she had read about in an Advanced Potions book in the library. She didn’t want Severus to find out who she really was.

When their food arrived it was salads, a small turkey, a whole chicken, an assortment of veggies, and puddings. The food nearly covered the table.

“Oh, where do we start? I’m afraid everything looks so delicious!” Hermione was excited from her talk and from all the things she could talk about with Severus. He stimulated her mind like no one else had.

When the time was chimed at 8 o’clock, each had taken their fill and had gone back to talking about anything they had in common, which was quite a lot. Hermione felt her candy slowly start to wear off and needed to make a fast exit.

“Severus, dear, I’m afraid I have to go. Maybe we can do this again? Maybe I’ll come to visit you at the castle, sometime. Sorry, but you must excuse me.” Hermione made to get up and was greeting by Severus, holding out his hand.

“May I walk you home? Or do you apparate home?” Severus wanted to stay by her side for a while more, yet. He didn’t want her to leave.

“I must apparate, but you may walk me to the apparation point, if you wish.” Hermione wanted to get closer to Severus now that she had talk to him for so long and gotten to know him.

They signaled that they were done with dinner and Severus paid for it. They walked out and Hermione shivered as if cold.

“Are you okay?” Severus asked, a bit worried.

“Oh, fine, just a bit chilly. I forgot a coat.” Hermione was surprised then that Severus took off his cape and gave it to her. “Thank you, very much.”

“Just letting you borrow it, I’m making sure you come back to see me.” Severus smiled, making his face look younger, and happier.

“I think this is the point, where I must go.” Hermione paused, unsure where she would apparate to.

Severus took it as she was nervous, “I don’t mean to be forward, but... May I kiss you, before you go?” He looked at her and watched her think about it and nod. He went to kiss her cheek, but she moved to make their lips touch. He kissed her, hoping she would gave some sign to take it farther. She pressed her lips harder to his and opened her lips slightly, allowing him to deepen the kiss. She only stopped the raging kiss when she started to feel her face start to melt faster.

“I must go now. Past time to be home. I hope to see you again. Give your letters to Draco for me please, I’ll write back. Goodbye,” Hermione disapparated to the other side of Hogsmeade, closest to Hogwarts, where her and Harry agreed to meet at half past eight.

“About time, we need to hurry and don’t you dare yell at me. You needed to see how much you and Snape are a like. I also wanted to ask you if we could break our compact so I could date Draco.” Harry said jogging close to her.

“Harry, you better be glad I had a good time, or I’d hex you for the rest of the week. You could have saved your’s and Draco’s time by just asking me that way earlier! And Draco’s gay?” Hermione stopped talking to catch her breathe.

Harry took the opportunity to go on, “We needed to make sure you were okay and also we wanted to make you happy, too. You have a great mind and so does Snape! You two are basically made for each other. Yes, Draco is gay and you have no idea how happy I am, but I needed to make sure I wouldn’t hurt you if I broke our pact by doing anything with him.”

“It’s fine and tell him if he gets letters from Severus to Catherine, they go to me. And I’m to be referred to as Ren from Draco, because I had to come up with something fast.”

As they got to the entrance doors, “That’s fine. Oh! I think Snape just arrived at the gates. We better hurry to our rooms.”

“Goodnight, Harry!”

“Goodnight, Hermione. Don’t forget to put that cape up and change your clothes back!” Harry jogged off to his room.

Hermione just walked to her rooms and when she opened the doors, had forgotten that she was going to have to sleep in Severus’s living room. She got in her pajamas and went to sit with her work on his couch, until he got in.


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Fun Fact: Catherine was actually Eleesa. The name wasn't calling out to me anymore so I had to change it.