Gwen woke the next morning, not feeling refreshed like she had hoped, but feeling forlorn. As she got ready for the day she remained in a haze. She still couldn't fully grasp everything that had happened the night before.
She made her way into the common room where the cloud around her head started to clear upon seeing the faces of Ernie and Justin, who were playing cards.
"I got the pictures developed, Gwen." Justin smiled. He grabbed off the end table near them sets of photos. "I made a few copies of each so everyone could have one, and you could send one to your family."
Gwen held the photo in her hand. In her photo she saw herself spinning gracefully in her gown. Her smile was wide and bright. How she had gone from the grinning girl in this photo to the state she was in now, she couldn't understand. Her dress would never look like that again.
"You seriously looked like Cinderella last night." Ernie added lookin at the photos.
Gwen let out a laugh through her nose, Cinderella also had her fair share of problems: a dress, a ball, and a boy.
"Are you guys hungry?" Hannah asked walking into the common room.
"We already ate." Justin said.
"Gwen, you wanna come with me?" Hannah said.
"I'm not that hungry." Gwen replied.
"Well you can't make me go by myself. You're coming with me." Hannah pulled Gwen's hand and led her towards the Great Hall. Once they had finally been alone Hannah spoke. "What happened last night?"
"Um, it wasn't good." Gwen looked to the floor.
"Really? You looked like you were having a fun time with Fred."
"No, no that was good, but before that was -er- not."
"Why?"
"Draco." Gwen rehashed the encounter she and Draco had with Pansy, Crabbe, and Goyle the night before. She told Hannah what he had said about her, and how even when he had been rude before it had never been that bad.
"Oh my God. Gwen that's so horrible." Hannah gave Gwen a tight hug. "I'm so sorry that happened to you. Malfoy has always been nothing but trouble."
"I just feel bad."
"I don't expect you to feel good from what you've told me."
"No, I feel bad I put him in that position. I embarrassed him and tried to make him confess that we were together, and it was so obvious he's not ready to do something like that."
Hannah stopped walking and froze in place.
"What?" Gwen asked, turning over her shoulder.
"Do you hear yourself?"
"What?"
"You feel bad for him? He spit in your face, let his friends call you names, and showed no signs that he was apologetic. But you feel bad for him?"
"I should have known you wouldn't understand." Gwen went to start walking again.
"Stop! Gwen. I don't want you to shut me out again. I just don't understand why you would still want to be with a guy who would treat you like that."
"Because he's never treated me like that before yesterday, and I never said I still wanted to be with him, all I said was I felt bad."
"Gwen, you aren't very good at not displaying your emotions. I can just look at you and see you want to take him back."
"And, so what if I do?" Gwen huffed.
"Just, at least for my own sanity and your mental well being, don't go back to him until he apologizes."
"Hannah,"
"Promise me?" Hannah held out her pinky finger.
"Okay." Gwen sighed.
Hannah smiled as they locked their fingers, securing their pinky promise.
Guess I'll never go back to him. Gwen thought as she unlocked her pinky.
The rest of the winter break remained pretty uneventful. New Years had come and gone, and Draco showed no intention of apologizing to Gwen, or showing any remorse for his actions. During the break Gwen had begun to notice Draco and Pansy hanging out a lot more together. Pansy had no shame in displaying her interest in Draco. Every breakfast, lunch, and dinner Gwen watched Pansy run her hands around every square inch of Draco she could. The sight made her blood boil. Gwen had never thought of herself as the jealous type, but she never had someone make her feel so envious. All Gwen had wanted in her time with Draco was to be with him, be seen with him, not having to hide, and yet Pansy could do it all even if Draco didn't seem to enjoy it. Because of this, Gwen had decided that it would be in her best interest to avoid the Great Hall whenever possible, as to ensure she wouldn't simmer over.
The new term had only been in session for two weeks and Gwen was already drowning in coursework. She was no longer trying to finish all her work as quickly as possible so she could meet Draco at the drop of a hat, and as a result procrastination had sunk in. She now loathed doing her Transfigurations work. It made her stomach twist in knots anytime they reviewed a topic her and Draco had covered together. She couldn't believe she was letting a stupid boy ruin one of her favorite subjects. As a result, Gwen devoted much more her time to Muggle Studies. Professor Burbage even noticed her change in devotion.
"Do you have it out for my job, Gwen?" Professor Charity Burbage, the Muggle Studies Professor, joked.
"Oh, no Professor. I don't have any clue what I'm doing after Hogwarts, and I'm not too sure I'd make a good teacher." Especially since I slept with the only student I've ever had. She thought.
"Don't be too sure. I think it would suit you." Professor Burbage smiled before continuing her lecture.
This pattern in her work ethic continued all the way through the end of January. Draco still showed no signs of giving in and apologizing, but as time passed it became easier to sit in the same room as him. It had been a little over a month since the Yule Ball, and the pain in her chest no longer formed anytime he passed by. Gwen had begun to study again outside of the Hufflepuff common room. Susan, Hannah, and Gwen now studied every Monday and Wednesday afternoon in the Great Hall. On one Monday at the end of January they were overtaken by a group of boisterous Gryffindor sixth years.
"Gweny!" Fred shouted, as he and his group (George, Angelina, and Lee) came and sat next to Gwen at the Hufflepuff table. "Want to see something that will knock your socks off?"
"Depends. What is it?" She turned looking at the group.
"A brilliantly well thought out prank." George smiled, as Angelina nodded in agreement.
"About a month in the making." Lee raised his eyebrows suggestively.
"We've just been waiting for the perfect moment to strike." Fred grinned.
"Are you gonna say what it is?" Susan asked.
"Usually, I might oblige, but I told darling here that if I were going to pull said prank I wouldn't tell her."
"Fred." Gwen now knew what was about to happen. Her eyes darted to the other side of the Great Hall where Malfoy, Pansy, Crabbe, Goyle, and Blaise were sitting. Her eyes went back to Fred where he winked cheekily at her.
"Just give it another minute." George said looking at his watch.
Soon all seven of them were watching the Slytherin table for signs of mischief to occur. Not even seconds after their eyes had settled on them they could see the panic set in Draco's eyes. He noticed the 14 eyes staring anxiously at him, and began to look around his table. Then he focused his attention to the sweets on the table.
"Crabbe, where did you get these?" Draco inquired.
"Found 'em." Crabbe went to grab another handful, when Draco stopped his reach.
"Where?" Draco's face twitched in anger.
Draco's face continued twitching, when Gwen realized that it was not in fact in anger. Draco's skin was becoming increasingly whiter. His hands were moving violently. The other five's flesh had also begun to react.
"What's happening to them?" Hannah asked, with a crack in her voice.
"Let's just say they'll bring a whole new definition to the term party animal." Fred smirked.
Draco had begun to sprout white feathers along his arms. He began pulling at them violently in attempts to remove them from his skin. Pansy's skin was now light pink and where she had once had a mouth and nose was replaced with a snout. Blaise was bright green and his eyes had spread to the farthest parts of his face. Crabbe had blonde fur all over his body and his ears now flopped down past his chin. Goyle's neck stretched two feet above the rest of his body and was riddled with large brown patches.
"I don't know if I can watch this. I think I'm gonna throw up." Susan said, violently returning her head to the table.
"Who the fuck did you get these from Crabbe!?" Draco squeaked.
"I stole them from those stupid Weasley twins!" Crabbe barked.
"How dense are you?" Draco clucked.
Crabbe started to speak again when a loud growl escaped from his mouth. He had been fully replaced with a golden retriever. A chicken had been seen where Draco was once yelling, along with a Pig where Pansy sat, a lizard on Blaises homework, and a giraffe craned it's neck over Goyle's old spot. The Slytherin group was now barking, snorting, and clucking loudly to gain the attention of any Professor, who could possibly help them. They were hopping and stamping their feet rapidly, only making the scene more amusing for spectators.
Fred, George, Angelina, Lee, Gwen, and (against her better judgement) Hannah were laughing at the panic ensuing. Soon enough the laughter had reached the rest of the hall. The shrieking animals could still be heard underneath the chuckles from all the surrounding students.
In their laughter Professor Snape and Professor Sprout had come running into the hall.
"My goodness!" Professor Sprout gasped.
She ran towards the chicken, dog, lizard, giraffe, and pig. Professor Snape however beelined for the Hufflepuff table.
"What has ever happened to the lot of you?" Professor Sprout tutted. "Let's get you to Madam Pomfrey. You five help me." She said to the Slytherin first years sitting at the other end of the table.
"Weasley." Professor Snape stated firmly as he stopped in front of the group of them.
"Which one?" Fred and George replied in unison.
"Both of you. Do you care to explain what has happened over there?" He snarled.
"You see Professor, we were just hanging out right here, with our favorite Hufflepuffs." Fred started, putting his arm around Gwen.
"Then we saw those Slytherin's start shrieking like, well, animals." George finished.
"So, they were all in on it too?" Snape said glaring at Gwen, Hannah, and Susan. Gwen's heart sank to her feet.
"No Professor." Lee added.
"Likely story." Snape continued. "All seven of you have detention, and I will be taking ten points each from your respective houses."
"Professor Snape, they weren't a part of this. You can't give them detention." Fred asserted.
"And how would you know who had a part in this little circus act?" Snape questioned.
There was a moment of silence. Just as Fred was about to continue Snape spoke again.
"Exactly. You will receive your detention assignments later in the week, and there better not be any further disruptions." Snape said before heading up to the hospital wing.
"Sorry," George said. "Usually he only punishes Fred and I."
"I've never had a detention before." Gwen choked, she looked white as a ghost.
"It's not that bad." Angelina assured her.
"Most of the time they just make you clean things they're too lazy to do themselves." Fred smiled.
"They won't write to our parents will they?" Hannah swallowed.
"Probably not." Lee shrugged.
"You're only first time offenders after all." Fred added.
"I can't believe you guys dragged me into this." Susan sighed. "If you'll excuse me, I'm going to study some place, where I won't receive another detention."
"They'll be okay, right?" Gwen asked.
"Hopefully." Fred replied.
"Hopefully?" Gwen gulped.
"They'll be fine." George assured her. "We tested it ourselves, it lasts max 24 hours."
"And the look on rat boys' face, priceless!" Fred continued. "He definitely deserved it."
"I don't know about that." Gwen said shyly.
"He really did." Hannah agreed.
"Okay, maybe he did." Gwen smiled. While she didn't think it was the best solution, and it did result in her getting her first detention, she appreciated the sentiment.
The week continued on without any other setbacks. Draco and his gang were out of the hospital wing after two days, each of them still somehow slightly resembling the animals they once were. Gwen had also been told when she would be serving her detention. Tonight she would be reorganizing the potions classroom starting at 7:00 sharp.
"Are you serving your detention tonight?" Gwen asked Hannah as she sat down for dinner.
"No, I haven't been told when I'll be serving mine." Hannah replied.
"Ugh, I hope I don't have to be by myself. I can't imagine spending two hours with Snape." Gwen groaned.
"Maybe some of the Gryffindors will be there." Hannah said.
"I still can't believe you two got detention, and house points taken away." Ernie scoffed.
"Yeah, what happened to you both being goodie two shoes?" Justin smiled.
"Two words: Weasley Twins." Hannah stabbed the food on her plate.
"If either of them are in detention with me I'll surely get it again. I know Snape is not a fan of theirs. Uh, why couldn't I serve my detention with Professor Flitwick?" Gwen shook her head, but a part of her hoped she could spend some more time with Fred. She hadn't seen him much since the Yule Ball, and never for long enough to talk, the exception being turning Malfoy and his friends into a zoo exhibit.
Soon enough it was 6:40 and Gwen headed towards the dungeons. She felt butterflies in her stomach as she inched closer towards Snape's classroom. She hated being in trouble. Her anxiety began to bubble the closer to 7:00 it became.
Then a pair of hands snatched her by the waist, and pulled her down a dark corridor.
"Let go of me!" She shouted trying to turn around, but the pair of hands gripped tighter.
"Thatcher." The cool voice echoed in her ears.
"Draco?" She turned around quickly.
"Who else would it be?" Draco replied.
"What do you want?" Gwen folded her arms and took a large step back.
"Think what you did with the Weasley Twins is funny?" He demanded.
"I didn't have any part in that. What does it matter to you anyways? I thought you didn't care about me. Weren't your exact words that even the thought of that would make you sick." Gwen asserted.
"I don't think you should be hanging out with that sort of person."
"Oh, but I should hang out with you?"
"Gwen, I don't know what you want me to say."
"There's no other reason you brought me in here. There's nothing else you think you might owe me." She stared at him, but his expression remained frozen. "You really don't have any clue?"
"No I don't." He took a step closer to her. "Care to enlighten me."
"Draco you spit in my face, through me to the ground, and let your friends kick slush on me."
"I thought you liked when I was rough." Draco said, raising his eyebrows suggestively. Gwen felt her cheeks blush, before snapping herself out of it
"Is this why you decided to wait for me out there, because if it is I am going to leave." Gwen turned to reach for the door.
"Gwen, wait." Draco whipped her towards him.
"Yes?" Gwen sighed.
"I'm sorry." Draco said under his breath.
"Are you really?" Gwen said sarcastically.
"Gwen, I am truly sorry. I've missed you everyday."
"Then why haven't you talked to me or anything? Because for the last month you've had me convinced I was played by you, and I don't want that to happen again!" Gwen's voice had started to shake.
"I couldn't just go after you, it's not that simple."
"You couldn't have said anything in the past month? Not a word?"
"Goyle stupidly told my father about the incident. I think he was trying to brag about it, but since then he's been suspicious about who I associate myself with."
"So it's Daddy's fault." Gwen rolled her eyes.
"God, it's not that simple Gwen!"
"It could be." Gwen pouted.
"But it's not."
"Why are you doing this now?"
"It's the only time I knew you would be alone, and I could sneak away unnoticed."
Gwen's breath shuddered. She couldn't understand how someone she knew was not good for her could look so attractive. Even with his half-assed apologies she could feel herself being wrapped around his finger, regardless of how much she struggled against it.
"I'm sorry." He pulled himself closer to Gwen. "I really have missed you. I'm sick of having to pretend to be interested in Pansy, when I have to watch you from across the room." He inched closer to her face and tilted her chin up to him.
"Don't," Gwen breathed.
"Don't, what?" He whispered.
"Don't hurt me again."
"I won't."
Gwen's watch beeped. 7:00. Gwen broke away from him.
"Shit. I have to go. I have detention with Snape."
"Always leaving me wanting more." Draco huffed, removing his hand from her chin.
Gwen ran out of the room. She couldn't help but be totally infatuated with Draco. She didn't even want to be. She thought that her month away had given her clarity, and that she was over him. But when his hand had tilted her jaw forward exposing her neck, she couldn't resist the temptation. Everything in her brain was trying to tell her to walk away, and pretend it never happened, but her desire for him was much stronger than logic.
Dizzy with lust Gwen had walked straight into Fred Weasley.
"Gweny?" Fred said, grabbing her shoulders.
"I can't talk, I've got to get to Snape's."
"Well aren't you lucky, so do I." Fred smirked.