There were only two salesladies and Harry voted for the younger one, she seemed less likely to tear up over the poor mum-less dear and Harry couldn't abide the tearing up thing. The younger one was really pretty young and she handled the story well. She had Harry pull his shirt tight so she could get a look at the girls and know where to start. They started very low and didn't go much higher but Harry felt so much more comfortable with the bra on. The sales girl even cut the tags off and let her wear it out.
Harry made the wonderful discovery of 'boy shorts' which were girl knickers that looked just like boy knickers so she bought a whole armful of them. And when she wasn't looking Bill tossed a pack with unicorns and rainbows under the others where Harry wouldn't notice.
They ended up buying the same trainers that Harry had before but in her new size. Harry was rather distraught that they had to go to the children's department to get them in the right size but she was still pleased that they were exactly like her old ones.
For a moment she was concerned that all of her clothes might come from the children's department but eventually they followed a short woman over to the petite department and found pants that were Harry's length. Harry saw all the skirts and dresses and fancy clothes around and was suddenly very grateful that she wasn't with Tonks or Fleur who would dress her up like a doll. Bill was doing a good job of sticking with his just the basics plan. They had found one size of jean that fit Harry well enough so she bought two pairs of them. They found a rack of t-shirts and Harry bought three different colors in size small. Bill suspected that extra small might have been more flattering on Harry but he kept his mouth shut. No need to jump right into flattering, baby steps first.
But still, when Harry wandered off to try on a pair of cargo pants Bill scooped up some of the more flattering t-shirt styles (in small) and tucked them under the pile. Harry returned with a big smile and the dark green cargo pants were added to the pile. "I think they have them in black too, would you like a second pair?" Bill asked.
Harry was shyly fiddling with the price tag, and shrugged. Bill waved the credit card that he had been using for everything that day, "The exchange rate today is insanely great, and Snape is paying. He insisted rather firmly actually, I think he's trying to make amends and from what Ron has told me over the years he has a lot to make up."
"He does actually," Harry smiled, "but I have money myself don't I?"
"Sure you do," Bill shrugged, "but we haven't spent that much today anyway. Like I said, the exchange rate is fantastic."
"Whatever," Harry finally shrugged. "I guess I will get them in black, that's a nice depressing boy-like color isn't it?"
"Keep believing that Harry," Bill smiled at her, pleased that Harry hadn't noticed all the extras he was hiding in the pile.
Harry ended up wearing all new clothes home, and she was laughing and joking with Bill when they walked in. Snape had in fact brewed an extra batch of calming draught that afternoon and was just tidying up his potions lab when they returned. Everyone was hungry so Bill ordered them some take out from up the street and they sat around the table laughing while Bill and Harry shared stories from their adventure.
Harry was going on and on about her new knickers, Severus was seriously wondering if she was high on something because the girl seemed to be about to pull down her pants and show them, when an insistent pinging noise began.
Bill leapt up instantly, recognizing it as a ward but not knowing exactly what it meant. "Someone with the Dark Mark has apparated nearby and is approaching." Severus explained. They banished all the leftover food into the fridge, and Harry hopped around a bit wondering what she should do.
Bill grabbed Harry by the wrist and dragged her up the stairs "Severus, we will quietly put Harry's new clothes away,", Snape grunted at them, he was too busy sweeping around the house like a giant bat searching for any clues that would give them away.
In a few short moments he was satisfied and he hadn't heard the slightest sound from upstairs so he settled himself on the settee with a book. It was the book Harry had been reading earlier, Severus was so unused to sharing his home that he thought for a moment he was losing his mind when he didn't recognize a single thing on the marked page. Then he remembered that Harry had been reading it and he flipped to the title page, as soon as he saw the title he began formulating plans for how to ward his books from his daughter. This text was completely inappropriate for her. And she didn't need to know any of this, hadn't he told her he was putting an end to the whole chosen one thing?
Needless to say when Narcissa Malfoy finally knocked on his door he looked suitably in character. Narcissa looked awful, and the petulant Draco that she pulled out from behind her wasn't too great either.
"Narcissa, Draco, to what do I owe the pleasure? Shall I fetch us some tea?" His thin lips were moving with the correct words but the real meaning was quite clear '-what are you doing here? Leave immediately!' This was the very reason why Severus often tried to stay at Hogwarts over the summer.
"Severus, I'm so sorry. But I have come to beg you, please take Draco. Take him back to Hogwarts with you; come up with some story about an apprenticeship, anything -anything! The Dark Lord is very disappointed with Lucius, he's seeking to punish us all and my sister, Bella is insane. She would hand Draco over right now to be branded, it's outrageous." Narcissa said all this in one beseeching breath and Snape moved to fetch a brandy instead of the faux proffered tea.
"Narcissa dear," he said, guiding her hands around the glass, "please remember to breathe." However she chose not to breathe just then and instead began draining the glass. Snape tore himself away from the sight and looked at Draco again.
Draco looked wrecked, his father -his protector and the source of so much of his power and self esteem was in Azkaban. The boy looked as though he had actually met the fabled Dark Lord and seen him for the deformed lunatic he was these days. And Draco looked as though he was seconds away from summoning a house elf to fumigate and sterilize all of Spinner's End. Fastidious little fop, Snape thought uncharitably.
And yet Snape knew that he would be taking in Draco and using the terrible apprentice cover story. Albus believed very strongly that Draco could be saved and should be saved. Maybe Draco could create enough angst among the Order that they wouldn't notice Harry gone missing and replaced with a young Miss Snape. Maybe.
After Narcissa drained another glass and they talked some more and set up a way for the Malfoy house elves to bring food and perhaps do a bit of cleaning, maybe. (Snape's nostrils sealed themselves up in vexation at that suggestion.) It was decided that Draco would stay and in two weeks time they would move to Hogwarts. Albus Dumbledore's name never came up but Snape let them understand it would not be an issue with him.
There was a suitably awkward good bye and then Narcissa had tripped away into the night. Draco was shrinking down into his poor little mama's boy persona and Snape had just placed his foot on a stair when he realized Harry was in the guest room. Snape stopped abruptly to think about this tiny oversight and Draco plowed into his back. Snape whipped around and barked at Draco to go wait in the kitchen, that he would fetch him in a moment. As soon as the door closed behind the confused and peeved Malfoy Snape continued briskly up the stairs (not running) and pushed open Harry's door.
The silencing charm had been really good, Bill and Harry were joking and shoving over a pile of clothes on the bed. They looked like girl clothes and one look at Harry's outrage filled in all the blanks for Snape.
"Bill," he said, "a moment in my room?"
Bill shrugged and followed Snape out. "Do you need me to stay with Harry while you make a report to the Headmaster?" Bill asked once they were in Snape's room and behind another silencing charm.
"No, well maybe, but not yet. Narcissa Malfoy came tonight and asked me to take Draco for the rest of the summer so the Dark Lord can't mark him."
"What did you say?" Bill asked, already concerned and his fine mind leaping ahead to various outcomes.
"The Headmaster is quite convinced that Draco can be turned to the light, or at least a paler shade of gray. I told her Draco could stay and we would tell some lie about an apprenticeship."
Bill understood but was instantly outraged on Harry's behalf, "what about Harry? He's your daughter and you've spent two whole days with him -one where he cried in his room and one where I took him out for the day. What's he going to think about this? And we haven't decided on the cover yet, we can't just come up with something right now in your bedroom. What will you tell Malfoy when he meets little Miss Snape with her Harry Potter scar and eyes?"
Severus looked truly pained, most of that he had in fact thought of, but not how it might/would hurt Harry. Of course it would hurt Harry, his relatives spent fifteen years tossing him aside for the big blonde whale and here he was after two days tossing Harry aside for a little blonde ponce. Dammit. But still there was nothing to be done about it.
"I propose, Mr. Weasley, that we tell Draco the truth and enlist his assistance. He is a very canny Slytherin and can bring skills to the table which we don't have."
"What skills, haircare?" Bill sneered. Severus almost slapped himself, how could he forget the animosity between Weasleys and Malfoys?
"Well, what are your suggestions then? Do you want to install him on some couch in your bachelor pad? What will your mother think of that, you and a sixteen year old girl shacking up?"
"Fine," Bill exploded. "Tell him, reveal all of Harry's vulnerabilities to a Malfoy and shove Harry aside for the Malfoy prince. You've done such a great job of treating Harry like a human being so far I'm sure this won't set you back at all."
"Draco has not had an easy time either." Snape contributed softly, "it's, I'm not a suitable choice for a father. I've never done it before; I never expected to be one. It could be easier if they have each other. They can bond over my ineptitude and Draco will tease Harry into going out and doing things. You've seen how well Harry responds to gentle friendly goading, Draco isn't one to mope; nor is he one to do things alone. He will drag Harry forth one way or another.
It's by no means ideal, obviously. But it could work, and you of course, you will have to keep coming round and meeting with Harry alone as much as you can manage. You are his connection to all things Weasley and all things past."
Bill was leaning quietly against the door. His very DNA hated all things Malfoy but Snape was raising good points. He knew that the teasing and goading and getting out were what Harry needed, he knew he needed to get back to work and back to his family to quiet their suspicions and he knew that Severus was constitutionally disinclined to get Harry out and about. Jaunts to the mall or the beach were not in Harry's future if it was all left up to Snape. Damn, Harry in a bathing suit was not an image Bill had meant to conjure. He thunked his head against the door to try and dislodge it. "Okay," he agreed. "I'll bring Harry down; I'll try to brace him a little first."
Snape inclined his head in gratitude and left, presumably to go brace Draco.
Bill made his way back to Harry's room. Harry was looking out the window; he glanced over to see that Bill had returned. "We're telling someone else aren't we?" She asked, probably not even aware of the way she was curling in on herself, crossing her arms over her chest. Harry glanced at Bill's stricken face again and saw how very upset Bill was. Harry continued, "and judging by your face it's a bad someone, the worst possible someone, so I'm going with Draco." She smiled a little, "it's a bit of survival strategy I picked up, brace for the very worst you know." She was trying to kid but by Bill's reaction, or lack, she knew she had hit it dead on.
"Draco's mum says You-Know-Who is on a rampage against all things Malfoy after the Ministry thing and she doesn't want him to be marked or killed..."
"Sounds like a mum-sort of thing; I can't fault her for that."
Bill took a deep breath and continued "Snape says that Dumbledore has been talking about turning him from the dark. It would be a great thing, imagine how many Slytherins might follow him, if not into the light then at least into neutrality. How many other mothers might follow Narcissa and shield their children from the mark."
"Professor Snape's Summer Potions Camp?" Harry asked wryly.
"Exactly," smiled Bill. "And you know Malfoy will at least provide some diversion while Snape is hiding in his lab. Something to get your blood pumping besides languishing in this room, right?"
"Oh Bill, I thought you had appointed yourself as my blood pumper?" It was the first time Harry had tried a coquette voice and she was wildly successful if Bill's bright red face and stammering was anything to go by. Harry found that her teasing had grossed herself out. Oops.
Bill recovered swiftly though and started to drag Harry down the stairs.
Draco had long suspected that Snape was a double agent but the tricky thing with double agents was knowing which side they really were on. He had almost fainted at the risk his mother took coming here and asking what she did. But her instincts were good and it looked like Draco might make it through the summer with his skin intact. That relief had lasted about five seconds until they reached those frankly dangerous looking manky stairs and all the blood had left Snape's face when he apparently remembered there was a hippogriff in the bedroom. As if!
Draco tried to convince himself that Snape was merely changing the sheets and freshening up the room for him. He was snorting softly to himself when Snape returned and assumed the boy was going into shock or something. Luckily he had massive quantities of calming draught on hand.
Draco recognized the potion immediately of course and tipped it back without further thought. Handy it was that Snape seemed to have just the thing.
"Draco," Snape had seated himself at the kitchen table and was speaking very slowly, considering words carefully, "have you ever heard of the paternus potion?" Draco shook his head no, a look of consternation on his face -wasn't the potions tutoring thing a cover story? Was he actually going to have to do potions in the summer?
Luckily Snape was looking at the table and not Draco, "It's a potion which appeals to only the most desperate of witches. It changes a fetus to more closely resemble a chosen wizard. So a witch who has... become pregnant with a half-blood's child could use this potion to make the child look exactly like her pure-blood husband. For instance."
Draco looked as if he was going to demand a spell to show that he wasn't actually Snape's child. Severus needed to keep talking even though he was floundering and getting pissed off again. "But," it came out louder than he meant, oops, "the potion is hideously hard to make and dangerous for the fetus. If the fetus is female for instance the potion can change the sex to male and if or when the potion wears off the poor child suddenly learns that not only was their parentage a lie, not only did their mother almost kill them, but their whole sexual identity has been a lie as well. Most die or go insane. It's a very foolish potion, I still can't believe..."
"Can't believe what, who Severus? Who took it?" Draco demanded, completely entranced with the story.
"My mum did."
Draco quite literally fell out of his chair when he whipped around to see who had spoken. And when he did see his knees were too watery to stand. It was a petite girl, thin but just the right curvy with dark dark red hair that was cut too short but still managed to curl a bit around her ears and neck, she was totally beautiful and Draco was instantly smitten. Right up until she met his eyes.
Draco woke up on the couch in the sitting room with Bill Weasley towering over him. Well, he didn't know it was Bill yet. "Who? wha?" Coherency was taking a bit longer than consciousness apparently.
Bill tried to loom a little more, he hadn't approved of the way Draco's eyes had travelled over Harry right up until he passed out. And he didn't approve of the passing out either because it had upset Harry quite a bit. But he and Severus were working hard trying to get her to laugh at Draco's feebleness now, and Draco was actually helping a bit with the gibbering.
"Bill, stop looming. He might faint again or something." Harry tittered a little, and then squeaked because she wasn't used to tittering (good lord) and then she tried to cough as manly as she could because squeaking?
Draco struggled upright so Bill would move away and also so he could see Harry better. "Harry?"
Harry blushed and looked down, kicking a toe on the floor. She glanced up quickly and then looked away again just as quickly, shrugging a little. Something about the way the light caught her cheekbones made Draco look at Snape's clenched jaw. "Severus? Is Harry Potter your daughter?"
"Calm yourself Draco, it's entirely too soon for you to have another calming draught, you're just going to have to muddle through this on your own." warned Snape.
"I haven't had a calming draught all day Professor, unless you put one in my pumpkin juice." Harry watched her father professor's cheeks turn the slightest bit pink.
"You did! You put one in the juice! I thought the shower..." and Harry suddenly trailed off, Draco and Bill were staring at her intently now and Severus was turning pinker and pinker. "Never mind," she finished feebly.
"Draco, as one of the more Slytherin of the Slytherins I am sure you can see the weapons we have given you today. Harry's magic overpowered the paternus potion the day before yesterday and so far only Bill and myself, in addition to you now, know what has happened.
We told Harry's family and friends that he has dragon pox and is in quarantine at my house. Harry has the two week quarantine period to adjust to her new situation and decide what to do next.
As you will recall from the conversation with your mother, you are also quarantined as it were, here, for the next two weeks. We ask on your honor as a gentleman and as a human being to help us and to help Harry figure this all out. If you feel that you can't do that, if you will be hurting Harry in any way at all, if you step on her littlest toe, you will be obliviated back to your infancy and fed to the hippogriffs."
Snape looked over at Bill, "Mr. Weasley, you will lie, cheat and steal to assist me in carrying out that oath to my dying breath, will you not?"
"Absolutely." said Bill without the slightest pause or hint of a smile, unless terrifying unholy glee counted as a smile.
Harry's mouth was a perfect round circle as she gaped at her father and Bill. Draco was taking them completely seriously too, he swallowed a bit and then he nodded his head. "Understood."
"Excellent." Snape did actually seem pleased. "Now, as you have probably noticed Spinner's End is not a large abode and Harry is already ensconced in the guest room. Therefore Draco, I will transfigure my bed into two twin beds and you will be bunking with me. Let me show you to your room," and he dragged Draco up the stairs.
When they were gone Bill pulled Harry down on the couch next to him. "That was amazing," Harry finally said. "I've never heard such a threat before, and for Snape to make it for me. Just, wow."
Bill knocked shoulders with him, "well he is your dad. And Draco is a huge risk." Bill decided not to mention anything about how Draco had clearly been checking out Harry's body. Although, he thought, if he did warn Harry a bit maybe Harry would lock his door tonight -oh but wait, Draco was bunking with Snape. Ha!
"What's so funny?" asked Harry.
"Draco bunking with Snape."
"That is funny," agreed Harry. "Better him than me. Who knew -my first benefit to being a girl?"
"I'm sure you'll find more."
"Like handsome men threatening to feed other boys to hippogriffs?"
"Perhaps," Bill smiled. Bill's smile sent a flicker of warmth through Harry. She felt cared for, the big threatening show for Draco had affected Harry just as deeply. Harry was cared for. She rubbed the knee on her brand new jeans and smiled to herself.
All too soon Bill had to head home and get ready for work the next day. Harry bid him goodnight and Bill chided him gently about falling asleep alone and in a bed for a change. Harry blushed prettily and Bill had to wrench himself out the door, it was getting harder and harder to hold on to memories of Harry as a boy, especially when he seemed to do girl so easily.
Harry returned to his room and was confronted with the pile of clothes on the bed they had been bickering over; it seemed like a hundred years ago. Harry realized he had probably overreacted to Bill sneaking the clothes in with his purchases; it was just a bit much to go from no new clothes ever to buying joke clothes. And there was also the strange feeling that Bill hadn't really meant them as a joke, Bill had chosen things that were nice and would be flattering. Harry just didn't think she could bear flattering yet.
Hiding everything seemed like a good idea to her now. Maybe she could pretend to be a completely new Muslim student and wear a burka? Harry smiled to himself because that seemed like a brilliant idea, totally brilliant. A tiny corner of her brain shook its head sadly and muttered something about not quite making it to bed without a calming draught.
Harry wanted to shove the pile on the floor and crawl under the covers but there was a wardrobe in the corner so she decided to put things away instead. These were all new clothes that fit after all. The jeans and pants were folded and shoved on a shelf. The t-shirts took a bit longer to sort through and fold but Harry had been doing the Dursley's laundry for years so in a short while there was an incredibly neat stack of shirts. And the ones that Bill had chosen weren't as bad as Harry thought. She had even tried one on, just to see and it had made her feel kind of good. Kind of empowered actually, like yeah he was a girl, want to make something of it bub?
The underwear and bras she just shoved in a drawer. Aunt Petunia usually sorted her underthings separately and washed them herself, one of the few things Harry was really grateful to her for doing. A part of Harry dearly wished that her first experience with a bra could have been with another girl wearing one and him being a boy undoing it, rather than being horribly embarrassed with the saleslady today. "If wishes were horses Harry..." she reminded herself.
Bed cleared off Harry kicked off new sneakers, peeled off tiny socks (which were clean and white and had no holes at all), shucked her jeans and very happily unhooked the new bra. The bra had felt so good when she first put it on but now it felt like it was chafing in all sorts of unpleasant spots. She thought of pulling out one of her old tees to sleep in but decided to just stick with what she was wearing. It was less likely to get horribly twisted and strangle her.
The air felt cool on her chest once the bra was gone, Harry merely sighed as if this was just another bitch slap from Voldemort and crawled under the sheets. She seemed to drop off quickly but it didn't last long.
A scream ripped the night wide open. Snape leapt from his bed and smashed his knees on the strange bed that was now next to his own. Draco had also jumped at the scream, and then he had cowered from the horrific thump of Snape plowing into his bed, if Snape's wand had been in his hand Draco was convinced that he and the bed would have been blasted to smithereens. Their hazy (and pain-filled for Severus) standoff was interrupted by another scream and Snape staggered out of the room and across to Harry.
Harry was thrashing and moaning, her hair was wet with sweat and the famous scar was a vivid red on her pale face. Snape hurried to her side and sat down on the edge of the bed while trying to grab her arms and quiet the poor girl. At first Snape had thought it was a nightmare but seeing her scar so inflamed told him it was much worse. She was still thrashing and moaning, her eyes squeezed tight, Snape leaned forward so that his forearms were pinning her a bit more and gently pried her eyes open with his fingertips. "Legilimens," he whispered.
Snape had been in Harry's mind many times before but this was like a tornado of pain and confusion. He could see through the Dark Lord's eyes, he was torturing someone, some anonymous muggle Snape quickly decided, it was of no consequence to Snape anyway, not when his daughter was in such pain. Severus quickly tried to soothe the mind he was in and erect an occlumency barrier. An impossible task to do in someone else's mind while they were under attack and hysterical in pain and fear but Severus knew a few things about Harry Potter and decided not to just dismiss the impossible.
It felt like hours later and the shield was just barely better than nothing at all but it had done the trick, or the Dark Lord had finally killed the muggles and moved on to other things. It didn't really matter to Snape as he blinked and came back to himself. His arms were still resting beside Harry but she had fallen asleep, thankfully. Asleep or unconscious, Snape looked carefully at her tear stained face, checking to see if he or she had hurt or bruised her in any way. His brain felt really muddled and he wondered if he should have just cast a quick stupefy when he first came in, it might have been just as effective.
Draco's voice was very quiet but he still jumped a little. "That was very decent of you Severus, my father would have just stupefied me." Snape nodded to himself a little and was pleased that he hadn't thought of the stupefy first. Draco stuck out a cup of tea and offered a headache potion. Snape settled back a bit more and accepted both of them. He couldn't quite leave Harry's side yet.
While he busied himself with deep calming breaths and willing the potion to work faster Draco scooted to Harry's side. His wand danced a bit on the sides of her face where Snape's fingers had left tiny smudges that were starting to bruise. Draco next noticed her sweaty hair and cast a quick cleaning and drying charm leaving it fresh and curling around her ears. He repeated the charm tapping her collar bone and then did the sheets too. Harry opened her eyes a tiny slit and gave Draco a quick smile, her hand reached out for his too and she murmured "thanks" before slipping back into the sleep of the utterly worn out.
Draco's face softened into a look of utter besottment and he looked at his hand as if he was proud of it. Snape had gathered himself enough to snarl a bit and he reached out to unhook their fingers, sneering at Draco. It was a wasted sneer though, Draco was still admiring Harry's face.
"Mr. Malfoy, that is your arch rival in case you've forgotten." he hissed.
Draco didn't look up at all, "I've switched sides, remember Sev?"
"That's my daughter Mr. Malfoy and I shall thank you to not Sev me in front of her." And with that he grabbed Draco by the ear and they returned to Snape's bedroom. Snape was lurching quite a bit as his leg suddenly reminded him of the bedstead horror and he pinched harder than ever on Draco's ear but Draco never flinched or stopped smiling.