The next morning Harry cracked an eye open to see a breakfast tray with a sodding rose on it and a beaming Malfoy standing behind it.  "Good morning Harry," Malfoy chirped.

"Die Malfoy scum," Harry returned with feeling, covering her head with the blanket once more as the sunlight made her head pound. 

"I brought you a headache potion," Draco purred, well, he thought he was purring.  Really he was a sixteen year old boy and it all sounded like different kinds of sneering to Harry.  Nonetheless Harry's hand shot out from under the blanket and made grabby motions.

"Come on, sit up properly or you'll spill it.  And wouldn't that be a tragedy?"

Harry struggled out from under the blankets and tried to arrange herself so that Malfoy would hand over the blessed potion.  Unfortunately she had completely forgotten that she was a girl, in all truth it usually took her until after the first trip to the loo to remember.  And that wasn't really the best way to realize it.

And so, due to Harry's grogginess Malfoy got a wonderful view of a toned white thigh, the edge of Harry's underwear (which wasn't too racy thankfully) and just Harry's general rumpled morning sexiness.  All of which Harry was completely oblivious about, even after she had smacked her lips on the pumpkin juice which she had chugged right after the headache potion.

Still not noticing Malfoy's leering Harry started in on breakfast and asked as casually as she could, "how did you know my head would hurt so much?" 

"Do you remember having a bad dream last night?"  Malfoy asked.

Harry nodded, "it wasn't a dream though, it was a vision from Voldemort."

Draco cringed the tiniest bit at Harry's use of that name but carried on, "yes, well.  Severus recognized it as that too and did legilimency on you to help strengthen your occlumency shields and get him out."

Harry's mouth had fallen open, bits of chewed up toast and all.  Draco struggled hugely to not find it adorable, arch enemy, rival, Gryffindor, oaf, he reminded himself mercilessly but then Harry realized and shut his mouth and his little pink tongue came out to lick his lips and Draco's brain started gibbering about cute and pink and rumpley goodness.

He pretended to be alert though when Harry cried out, "that was crazy!  Voldie could have sensed his presence and known he was helping me.  He should have just put me under a silencio or stupefied me, the visions don't usually last that long or cause a lot of damage."

Draco was rather shocked to find the object of his adoration and his father in such agreement on the subject of nightmares.  He reached out for Harry's arm and made sure he had eye contact, "that's completely absurd Harry.  Neither Snape nor myself would ever do that to you."

Harry blushed a little and looked down, "it's what my family would do."

"Don't you live with muggles?  How could they cast a stupefy?"

Harry turned redder but had no other response for that, oops.  Draco was looking at her all squinty-eyed now.  Harry tried to ignore it and go back to breakfast, she was really hungry and suspected that it was long past breakfast time.

Draco settled back a little.  He didn't want to upset Harry, she might come to her senses and kick him out of the room.  Snape was hiding in his potions lab and Draco was bored, he needed to keep his only entertainment in a happy mood.  And also keep her oblivious to how much of her thigh he could see right now.  He leaned back and pretended to look out the window and daydream.

Harry relaxed more too and kept gobbling up her breakfast, it was really good and quite fancy for Snape's house.  "Draco, did you make this?"  she finally asked when she couldn't figure anything else out to explain the wonderful breakfast's origins.

Draco snorted a bit, "no, the Malfoy house elves sent it over.  Mother wouldn't dream of imposing on Severus if he didn't agree to let the elves cook, and hopefully clean too.  This house is dreary isn't it?"

Harry smiled, "it really is," she agreed.  "The first time I woke up here I saw the green sky and thought I might be on another planet."  Harry waved vaguely in the direction of the mill chimneys and Draco peered around the windowsill to see for himself. 

"That's disgusting!  We could get ill from breathing that.  Why don't they scourgify it?"

Harry kicked him a little, "‘cuz they're muggles?"

The tips of Draco's ears turned pink and he chuckled a little.  "Oh yeah, I guess that would explain it."

Harry noticed the pink and felt a strange fluttering in her stomach.  Suddenly she remembered she was a girl, and her naked leg was sticking out, and her t-shirt was seven times tighter than a Dudley shirt, and her hair was probably poking straight up.  Oh well.  She didn't even pull her leg back, she just took a deep breath and kept eating, trying to remember how powerful she had felt when she looked good.  And then something about Draco's words made her remember more about the vision from the night before, she remembered Snape's presence, soothing and gentle for the first time ever.  And she remembered how exhausted she was when he finally left her mind.  Someone had healed her face where Snape had held it too tight, and someone had cast scourgify over her and her sheets so that they were fresh and dry and she had slept one hundred times happier after that.  Even now she could feel that magical rush as all the sweaty smelliness had disappeared.  "Hey,"

Draco whipped around and looked at her, "I just remembered the healing and all the scourgifies last night, thank you."

"You're welcome, you can always rely on me to know when a scourgify is called for."

Harry laughed, sudden and bright, at his statement and Draco blushed again.  "I'll keep that in mind."  And then her forehead wrinkled (adorably) "but you did magic in the summer, won't you get in trouble?"

Draco looked at her as if she was mad.  "Of course not, Snape's house is thoroughly warded they'll have no idea."

"Wicked, so I can do magic too?"

"Sure."

"Good, I can use the distraction."

"Hmm," said Draco, "it was my understanding you have rather a lot to do in the next two weeks."  At Harry's blank look he continued, "we get to invent your new persona -back story, mysterious past, tragic losses.  I love that sort of thing, Pansy used to make me read these horrible novels with her, she called it book club or something but I really feel like it's all going to come in handy now."

Harry's face wanted to smile and laugh at Draco's antics but her gut twisted uncomfortably.  "I haven't decided about lying yet.  I could just tell people it was a horrible potions accident -all Snape's fault and that would be the truth- and that I'm stuck like a girl.  See, nice, simple, plausible because it has that big nugget of truth to it.  Eh?  What do you think?"

Draco looked frankly disappointed.  "But what if they still think you're their Chosen One?  What if it makes you more famous than ever?"

"Draco, not to shock you too much or anything, but I am still me.  I am still the Chosen One, the big red scar in the middle of my face will give that away in two seconds no matter how much back story you invent."

Draco scowled at him, "Severus can hide that scar."

"Can he hide my eyes and my wand too?"

"Yes." Draco responded quickly and emphatically.  "He knows this thing called magic he can do all sorts of things."

It was Harry's turn to scowl back.  "I'm not an idiot Draco.  I just didn't think they could hide a curse scar or transfigure a wand."

Draco smiled indulgently even though now he wasn't as sure either.  But for some reason he wanted Harry to lie to everyone about who he really was and he wanted to be one of the few who knew the truth.  He even had a dream of Harry in Slytherin, under Draco's protection.  It was quite a good dream.  -The smile was starting to piss Harry off.

Harry finished her breakfast with a few last grumbles and then pushed the tray to the side.  She stood up and stretched, t-shirt riding up, boy shorts riding down, chest pushing against the thin cloth.  All of Draco's blood rushed to his lap leaving him quite light headed.  Harry turned her (very fine) back on Draco and leaned over at the waist to pick up the jeans she had only worn for half a day around the house yesterday.  Then she stumbled to the wardrobe and pulled out fresh underthings (tucking them inside the balled up jeans as discretely as possible) and one of the shirts Bill had chosen.  She glanced over her shoulder at Draco as she headed for the door, enjoyed his gobsmacked and painfully turned on expression, and wriggled out the door and to the shower.

 

When Harry returned a short while later her bed was made and the clothes that had been on the floor were gone.  The breakfast tray was gone too, and of course Draco was missing.  Harry strolled down the stairs to see what the day would bring.  The stairwell seemed brighter and Harry felt less hesitant about wandering around barefoot.

Draco was in the library with a bunch of textbooks and some grubby looking parchment that had some half-hearted chicken scratching on it.  With a start Harry recognized it as her homework.  She had tried to do some of it at night at the Dursleys and during odd moments when she was home alone but she hadn't gotten very far and she knew that what she had done wasn't very good either.

"Potter, this homework is awful."

"I know," she sighed miserably.  "It was hard to find the time and concentrate and stuff..."  Harry's head was down forlornly and she watched her toe trace a flower in the carpeting.  When Draco didn't continue with his criticism she glanced up and saw his face completely mesmerized by her foot.  For a moment she was exasperated, Draco was ridiculous, but then some Slytherin instinct kicked in and she decided that she could use this.  She could use this well, obviously.

"Draco, maybe you can help me with it, if you don't have anything better to do."

"Of course I don't have anything better to do Harry.  I'm trapped at Snape's house for the next two weeks just like you are.  Come pull up a chair," he actually looked like he was about to offer his lap, and hey, if it meant exceeding expectations for potions what was it to Harry?

Harry sat down next to Draco and picked up a quill.  She immediately dropped it again and jumped back.  "What the hell?"  Draco spluttered as he made a grab for the ink pot that had almost tipped.

Harry was staring at her hands and looked like she was going to hyperventilate.  She made a slow fist with each hand and turned them, then she picked up the quill with her left hand and made experimental writing motions in the air.  "Draco, I think I'm left handed now!"  Harry squeaked, then she coughed to cover up the squeaking and tried to write something lefty.  Her hand smeared all the ink and made a huge mess.

"Harry, what do you mean you're left handed now?"

"If the stupid potion made me into a boy why wouldn't it have screwed around with which hand is dominant too?  Is Snape a lefty?  Was my mum a lefty?  Sometimes it runs in families."

"Professor Snape is not a lefty, I have no idea about Lily Evans.  That's bizarre, can you write at all with either hand now?  What about your wand?  You might have to learn all the motions again!"

"Shit, really?"  Harry pulled her wand out of the skinny pocket on the side of her jeans (90% of the reason she had bought them) and gave a swish and flick at the quill, she did it left handed and the quill shot across the room.  Her wand also gave a huge splutter and smoke started pouring out of it.

Draco and Harry's eyes were as big as saucers and they both yelled "Professor Snape!" at the same time.

Severus of course was at the single most crucial step in his potion and he was massively inconvenienced when he had to cast a stasis spell on it and make his way out of the lab. He had clearly recognized both voices so he wasn't as worried as he might have been otherwise.  Although that changed slightly when he reached the library and saw all the smoke.

"What happened?" he barked angrily and cast a charm to clean the air.  Actually it was a charm he intended to show both of them soon so they could use it whenever the air around town got especially pungent.

"Professor, I came down and Draco was going to help me with my homework.  I picked up a quill and it felt all wrong in my hand so I tried it in my left hand and that felt better so I realized I must be left handed now and then Draco told me to try my wand and I did a wingardium leviosa on the quill holding my wand in my left hand and it went whizzing up to the ceiling even though I didn't try to do it that hard and then smoke started coming out of my wand and then we called for you sir.  And my wand doesn't look very good anymore sir but it can't be damaged sir, I need it to fight Voldemort sir, it has the same core as his and they don't work against each other and if I have a different wand sir, he'll kill me sir.  He'll kill me!"  and with that Harry burst into hysterical sobs.

Draco had instantly stepped forward to offer his arms and his comfort to the girl but Snape snarled and pulled her away from him.  "Draco, fetch a calming draught."  and then he pulled the girl into his own arms.  He settled them both on the couch, Harry more on his lap than not and even managed to pat her back a bit and say "there, there Harry" a few times.

Draco was back ridiculously quickly with the potion and Harry threw it back with remarkable desperation.  "Oh my God," she hiccuped, "why am I crying like this?  What the hell?"  and she sobbed some more.  "It, it isn't working, the potion has stopped working.  What will I do now?  I -I can't breathe, my my stomach hurts.  Snape, it hurts!  Snape, what's happening?!"  and she looked up at him with her huge hysterical watery green eyes.  Snape felt like his heart was going to burst out of his chest.  Draco looked like he was going to kill something.  Neither was very helpful to Harry just then, in fact they frightened her into crying harder.

"Draco," Snape's voice was very calm, "fetch her another vial." 

Draco looked at his professor in shock, "sir, she weighs like eight stone..." 

"I am aware of that Draco, fetch another vial now."

Harry decided that meant she was probably going to die from calming potion overdose, it wouldn't surprise her in the slightest she decided.  And then she realized perhaps it was working if she wasn't surprised.  She tried a small breath and then when that worked a few times she tried a bigger breath.  Slowly she was getting better but then her stomach gave a huge wrench and she gasped and lost track of the breathing thing again.

"Harry, what is it?  You seemed to be getting better?"  Snape asked her softly, rubbing his arms up and down her back.

"It's my stomach Professor, it really hurts.  Do you think Malfoy's elves gave me something?"

"No, I doubt they would do that.  Lucius didn't do much to inspire loyalty among them.  I fear this is something different."  And he squeezed her a bit.

Harry moaned louder, "what?"

Draco had just come skidding back in the room with the calming draught, "Draco," Snape said, "I think you may be right, would you put that back and get us a muscle relaxing potion?"

Draco was looking a touch winded by now but when he saw Harry's continued distress he turned and ran out again.

Snape looked down at the hyperventilating girl in his arms and began rubbing her back some more.  "Slow breaths Harry, slow.  You're alright, you're alright now."  Harry wrapped her arms around her father more securely and burrowed her head into his shoulder, but she seemed to be heaving much more reasonably. 

Draco returned with the other potion and offered it to her; she took it but looked up at Snape doubtfully.  "It will be alright, you can drink it."

Harry shrugged a bit but then threw it back in her usual manner.  She immediately began hacking and coughing, Snape pounded her on the back.  "Foolish child, I said to drink it, not inhale it.  Are you okay?"

Harry didn't answer, she didn't dare to open her mouth.  But both Snape and Draco could see where she was heading, her face was dead white -and green.  Snape started rubbing her back again, "shhh, my Harry, you'll be okay, you can keep it down, breathe in through your nose.  There you go, you're okay."

Harry's eyes were streaming and she dearly wanted to spew all the nasty potions she had chugged that day.  But then her headache might return, and the panic attack and the weird cramps.  Cramps!  Her mind boggled a bit -she was a girl with cramps, she was getting her period.  At first she thought the shock would drive away her nausea but she was wrong, it just pushed it back for a moment before it sprang forth more powerful than ever: a tidal wave of nasty potiony glop and everything she had eaten at breakfast.

It went all over Harry, and Snape and the couch and more than a bit of the floor.  The smell was pretty horrible too so she started again, leaning as far from Snape as she could get but the carpet wasn't safe at all.  And then she was just sobbing and the headache was coming back and everything was awful until she started hearing a barrage of scourgifies and then the smell was gone and she felt cleaner and a pair of arms was pulling her up, she wrapped her legs around a waist, she buried her head in the crook of a neck, her arms clung to a pair of nice shoulders.

A hand was rubbing her back and the person holding her started swaying a bit, as if they were rocking her.  It was so very very nice, Harry hadn't been held like this since the day her mother died.  She could hear Snape moving around, no doubt trying to clean himself off more, or get the couch or something.  Then she heard Draco talking to Snape and Draco's voice was all nice and rumbly beneath her cheek.  She breathed in a scent of aftershave and felt Draco's hands shift under her thighs where he was holding her.  She started to pull away, but instantly he turned to her, "shhh, you aren't heavy yet.  Wait a moment," and then he was rubbing her again and Harry was a helpless puddle of goo in his arms.

She put her cheek back down to see if she could tell what he was saying.  "More potions than food in the last three days..."  Harry had to agree with that, stupid nasty potions.  "*Something*... shock," oh so astute are these Slytherins, Harry huffed.  Of course she was in shock, who wouldn't be?  The horrible pain of changing, being trapped in the wrong body, can't even hold a bloody quill anymore, the horrible headache, being at the mercy of Slytherins like this, and now getting a period.  Shouldn't it be a monthly cycle?  She had only been a girl for two days, how unfair was that?  The embarrassment was excruciating.  And she puked on Professor Snape, and his couch and his rug and his shoes, and she puked up all his precious potions. 

Misery was like a steam engine running right over her; Draco felt the increase in tears and shudders.  Before Snape could stalk off Draco made a low rumbly request, Harry couldn't tell the words but she heard it go up at the end like a question.  Then she heard Snape ask, "Does that suit," and an affirmative rumbly thing from Draco.

Draco started walking over towards the weak little bit of sun that had penetrated the green atmosphere and the grimy window.  He turned and sat down in a rocking chair, Harry could just see the wooden arm of the chair but she couldn't remember seeing a rocking chair in the room before.  And then Draco's arm was sliding under her bottom and scooting her in tight to his warm solid chest and his other arm was rubbing and rubbing her back.  And then Harry gave a great sigh and closed her eyes.

Draco rocked her for a while; it felt so nice to have the girl he was smitten with in his lap like this.  She fit perfectly and he was so content to just hold her for now.  Of course he was still Draco, he wondered if she really was getting her period and if so did he really want her legs around his waist like this?  Ick.  But for now he didn't want to restart the trauma, that had been quite the panic attack and they clearly needed to stop loading Harry up with potions.

They rocked in the feeble sunlight and eventually Draco felt Harry relax into slumber.  He whispered, "Harry?" and got no response so he slid out his wand and cast a small muffliato on Harry.  Then he spoke clearly and called for a Malfoy house elf.

"Master Draco called for Minksy?" a little female elf appeared in front of Draco, still holding a wet rag in one hand, sudsy drips disappeared (magically) right before they reached the floor.  Normally Draco would be very haughty and sneer at Minksy no matter what but he was so contented just then that he actually smiled a bit at the wonderful bit of magic Minksy was doing.  Minksy noticed his eyes following the water and his smile; she was a little bit scared but very much intrigued by her master's strange behavior. 

She figured rightly it had a lot to do with the person he was hugging.  Master Draco didn't get enough hugging in the opinion of all the Malfoy elves; she was pleased to see steps being made to correct that.

"Minksy, this is Harry..."

"Harry is a boy name Master Draco and that is a girl."

"I know Minksy, there was a potions accident."  Draco cringed to be using Harry's line so soon after he had scoffed at it.  "And now Harry is a girl and we think he -she- might be getting her first, you know."  He gestured to Harry's waist without really moving his hands, hoping that Minksy would get it and he wouldn't have to discuss Harry Potter's period with an elf.

It didn't look good, Minksy seemed completely lost but then suddenly she understood.  "Ohhh, Minksy understands Master Draco.  Mistress Harry is getting her first..." she affirmed and nodded but thankfully didn't share with Draco whatever the house elf word for that was.

"That's what we thought, now Minksy, Mistress Harry doesn't have a mother or an aunt or anyone except me and Professor Snape to help her and explain how to manage things..."

Minksy got a very sad look on her face for poor Mistress Harry but then she easily decided that this was something she could do.  "I will take care of Mistress Harry."  Minksy told Draco what he had already seen cross her face.

"I'm so glad, I hoped you would Minksy.  It will be easier for Harry if she has another female to talk to and you house elves are so clever about magic."  Draco figured a little flattery could only help; maybe the house elves had a cure or something, magical impermeable pants.  Ick, best not to think about that now.

"Is Harry alright now?  Do we need to move her or change...?" Draco trailed off, completely unable to discuss Harry Potter's knickers with a house elf.

Minksy seemed to look right through both Draco and Harry, "Minksy made her okay for now, later when Mistress Harry is alone in her room Minksy will come and teach her things. Sleep is good for Mistress Harry now.  She needs to eat too."  Minksy suddenly got a rather angry look on her face, as though her magic was showing her just how desperately Harry needed to eat.

The wet rag disappeared and Minksy snapped her long fingers to make a little apron appear.  "Minksy will make lunch now, when it's ready we will wake Mistress Harry and she will eat."  And with that declaration (and a pop) Minksy disappeared.

Harry had been vaguely aware of the muffliato charm being cast, it was interesting because she could still feel Draco's voice through his chest and she spent most of the conversation trying to decide if she could make out the words just the same or worse after the charm.  It was an important bit of research into a potential shortfall of the spell and Harry didn't mind being more intrigued with the results of this study than with whatever Draco was doing.  Part of her brain really felt, hello enemy speaking to who knows who and who knows what and you're just going to lie here and snuggle?  But it had been a really difficult day (and what was it eleven?) so she ignored that part and continued to snuggle.

She was in that drowsy free-association state that was always very fertile for her.  (Don't think of fertility she scolded herself.)  So I'm a girl now and I can't just dress like a boy and pretend I'm not.  Apparently I'm not even a bit of a tomboy, alas.  I'm girl, all girl and a fertile girl too.  I'm all sorts of sweet and dainty and men want to pick me up and treasure me.  And if I fight against it they just think I look adorable and want to pick me up and treasure me.  So I'm girl, all girl. 

And it doesn't really suck that much.  All those stupid years at the Dursleys and I certainly wasn't treasured, I have a right to a bit of a makeup.  And why am I so okay with Bill or Draco holding me like this?  Did my sexuality flip just like everything else?  Did it flip?  I never felt like holding Cho or Ginny like this, I was always kind of eek -it's leaking.  Was I immature or just confused?  Does it even matter now?  What will Ron think?

Oh God, if Ron saw me now.  Or Dean or Seamus, or anyone really.  Harry cringed tighter into the little cave she had made for herself between Draco's neck and shoulder, which didn't really help.  She tried to think how Ron would have reacted if Harry suddenly started menstruating in front of him, she figured Ron probably would've upchucked too.  Hermione might have squealed and researched it, eww.  But the whole dynamic of their trio would change now, two girls and one boy.  Poor Ron would be in the minority.  It would be an adjustment, that's for sure.

Maybe Harry should have Bill talk to them soon, give them as much time as possible to calm down.  They would get it eventually; eventually they would be okay with everything.  Draco shifted a bit so he could lean his head back on the side of the rocker better and continue with his own nodding off.  Harry shifted with him, never breaking contact in the slightest and wondered how long exactly it would take for Ron Weasley to be okay with Harry cuddling on Draco's lap.  She was guessing a long long long time.

Sad thoughts were sad and she drifted morosely over them until Minksy popped back and announced lunch was ready.

Harry untangled herself from Draco's lap and they caught each other glancing down to see if there were any stains *shudder*, but there weren't.  Hooray for Minksy.

Super hoorays when they sat down to a huge fancy lunch that practically filled Snape's little kitchen table.  Even Snape looked pleased when he stalked in, he paused and his eyes travelled over all the dishes before he sat down.  Harry was relieved that Snape could still eat after having someone puke all over him but quickly decided not to think about that anymore.

She took a big helping of fruit salad and some Shepherd's pie and some peas and kept going until she ran out of room on the plate.  Everyone seemed hungry or just appreciated eating as the reprieve from talking to each other that it was.  Eventually they had to slow down.

"Draco, perhaps you and Mr. Potter can go to Daigon Alley this afternoon and get some quick drying ink for Harry to use.  That way if she does need to write left handed she won't smear it all over."

Draco nodded, "Should we go to Ollivander's too sir?"  He tried to ask it as casually as possible but it was no good.  Harry felt like an icicle had stabbed her in the heart just remembering the holly wand smoking all over.

Snape tapped his chin thoughtfully, "I should probably consult with Albus but it is virtually impossible that the smoking damaged the core in any way.  It is a phoenix feather core, right Harry?"

"Yes sir, from Fawkes."

"Likely the wood is no longer suited to your new personhood Harry and Ollivander will just swap it out for another.  No need to fret."

They watched Harry relax into her chair, "oh," she said softly "I guess I didn't need to freak out like I did."

"That's alright, wandlore is hardly a topic at Hogwarts.  Perhaps it would be best if you made that trip as unobtrusively as you can. The first-years will start descending on his shop soon."  Draco began to dance around a bit, clearly excited to be leaving the house and going to Daigon Alley.

When lunch was over Snape stood up and pulled out a money bag which he passed to Harry.  Harry took it with a confused look, "but sir you gave Bill money to buy me stuff just yesterday, we don't really need to go today..." she trailed off uncomfortably.

"Nonsense, you can't protect yourself without a wand and you can't finish your homework without ink.  Off you go."  Harry stood up and Snape swept over her with his eyes, noticing her bare feet.  "Did I provide insufficient funds to purchase shoes yesterday?"  He asked with a perfectly arched eyebrow.

"N-no sir, we bought shoes, they're just upstairs still.  I'll go get them."

"No need," Snape drew his wand and accioed two starched linen napkins with big M's embroidered on them from the lunch table.  He waved his wand and they transfigured into a small pair of sandals which Snape held out to Harry.

Harry sat down (on the ground) and tried them on; they fit perfectly just like the trainers yesterday.  He tried not to admire the strappy design and looked up at Snape a bit confused.

Snape met his eyes and waved his hand dismissively, "your mother had a pair just like that; she loved them and would start wearing them in April -in Scotland.  I swear she gave herself frostbite on one trip to Hogsmeade."

Harry was awestruck; Snape had made his mother sound like a real person.  A silly person perhaps, but Harry could see a bit of herself in that little story.  Harry's eyes went a bit glassy and she took a breath before distracting herself with gathering other things for the trip.  The poor charred stick of holly went in the side pocket and she tried to stuff the money bag in her jean pocket.  But her jeans were rather tight for the little sack, Draco watched her struggle a bit and then stuck out his hand for her to give it to him.  She looked disgruntled at that and Draco curled his lips at her, "unless you would like your father to transfigure you a matching purse?"

Harry showed everyone her horrified face again and then shoved the bag at Draco.  "Anything else?" she asked.

"Yes," Draco replied, "we need to disguise your eyes."

"How will we do that?  Should I get sunglasses or something?"

Draco scoffed at her, "please I'm a Malfoy my mother taught me how to charm eyes to match dress robes when I was twelve."  He put a hand on her shoulder and led her over to a mirror near Snape's front door.  Snape followed.  Draco looked at both Harry and Snape when he asked, "Lighter or darker?  I think we can keep the green and just tone it one way or the other."

Snape looked closely at his daughter, her pale skin and dark hair, her stress and exhaustion, "why don't we try lighter first?"

Draco nodded and waved his wand carefully at Harry's eyes, doing the motions a bit slower than normal so it appeared as nonthreatening as possible.  When he stopped Harry eagerly leaned towards the mirror to see the results.  She suspected that her father had suggested lighter to lend some sense of happiness to her face and it had worked a bit.  She still looked tired but her eyes seemed sort of carefree and happy as a lighter green.  And they were less striking too, less freakish her aunt's voice hissed.

He looked up at Snape, an utterly beguiling look that made Snape wonder just how quickly Harry was adapting to being a girl.  Snape peered closely and then gave a satisfied nod, "That will do nicely Draco.  How long does it last?"

"Until I take it off," Draco responded, as if amazed that not every child was taught how to charm their eyes to match their dress robes.  "What about the hair, it's rather unfeminine and might be a little jarring?"  Draco started tugging on bits of Harry's hair, pulling it over her ears and pushing some across her forehead in a sweep.

Harry's brow wrinkled (adorably) as Draco Malfoy of all people fussed with her hair.  She was going to say something evil about hair gel but the attention was kind of nice.  Draco was standing very close and she could smell his cologne again.  He looked down suddenly and stared intently at her face, "What's the matter," he chided, "no hair helmet jokes?"  He tapped her nose, "You're losing your touch Potter; don't let it change all of you."

Harry felt the blush sweep up her neck and fan out across her cheeks.  The appropriate response was probably to push or deck Draco but instead here she was blushing like a school girl, oh the horror.  But Draco didn't say anything else about the matter, he might have but Professor Snape was looming over the pair of them and he chose that moment to tap his arm with his wand in a rather snappy manner which broke the sudden awkward blushing charged moment.

"I presume Draco, that you are equally adept at hair charms."  He said hair charms as though it was the most filthy thing imaginable and Harry chuckled gratefully.

"Of course Professor," his eyes crinkled up merrily in a way that Harry had never seen before, and Draco continued, "but my father is the one who taught me those." 

Harry burst out laughing and he was pretty sure that even Snape laughed.  Who was this Draco person?  And why had Harry never met him before?  And most crushingly, why did he make Harry's heart beat faster?

"If you make my daughter a blonde I will kill you Mister Malfoy."

"Understood Sev."  and Draco tipped him a little salute with his wand while he went back to studying Harry's hair.

Harry clearly heard Snape mutter something about "cheeky brat," but he didn't hex Draco.  Who was that?  Harry was seriously off-kilter, joking with Snape, charmed by Malfoy, scared of Ron, everything was backwards.  Well yes, everything was backwards.  Accept it, roll with it and carry on.  That was the new plan. 

Harry liked to have a plan.  Plans don't always work, granted, but with Harry's life ‘surviving' was often considered a win.  Escaping graveyards full of Death Eaters, finding enough food for the summer, repelling soul-sucking dementers...  surviving was often a paramount goal.  This gender issue was a threat too: his sanity had been attacked, all the little things that seemed to chip away at who he was, he needed to remember who he was and keep some of that.  Obviously not every last bit, she wasn't perfect and this was an opportunity to grow...  Grow?

Harry suddenly started paying attention to the two Slytherins that were practically standing on top of her waving their wands at her head.  Mad-Eye Moody would have his balls for day dreaming like that, well let him find them first, eh?  And then the two Slytherins had stopped and were watching the girl laugh to herself in a not totally sane way.

"Harry?" Draco asked.

"Sorry, just thought of something funny."

"Hmmm, if it was that funny maybe you should share."  Snape intoned in that teacher voice, the one that automatically made Harry wonder if he would deduct points.  The one that told Harry he would dearly love to deduct points.

"No, that's okay.  So what have you done to my hair?"  Harry tried wriggling around so she could look in the mirror again, not even sure when they had manhandled her so she wasn't facing it.  Her hair was really long now; it went way down her back and was parted severely in the middle.  She looked uncomfortably similar to Snape.  This was not cool.

Draco looked at her face and instantly began to berate Snape, "I told you it was too long and nobody but you parts their hair like that.  Look at the fright you've given her now."  He turned to Harry, "there, there, I just had to let him see for himself or he would never have stopped pestering us.  We can change it now."

Draco sneered at Snape a little and then smiled winningly at Harry.  He waved his wand and her hair shrunk up to just past her shoulders.  He waved it around the front a bit and then reached with his hands and recombed it through his fingers. Now it was a bit shorter near the front and the assymetrical part was dragged off to a side and covered the scar.  It looked a lot wilder and more Harry-ish than Harry would have thought Draco capable of.  Harry sighed in relief; he was a girl but a girl Harry and not Snape's daughter.  Well, he was, but he didn't look like a mini-Snape in drag, thank Merlin.

Draco seemed very pleased that Harry liked it, he seemed to like it too because he kept fussing with bits.  "Draco," Harry breathed, "this is wonderful.  I look like me still but a girl version but still me.  Thanks."  She might have lost her head and pecked him a quick kiss, Draco looked like that would have been completely fine, but Harry was not raised among random acts of affection -at least none that involved her, so the moment passed unpecked.  And Draco seemed okay with that too.

Draco stepped back and towards Snape's fireplace, "okay so we have money, shoes, eyes, hair, scar covered up, a very short list, anything else?"

Snape pulled out a small jar of ointment, "this should make the scar less noticeable.  If you use it every day Harry it will work even better."  Draco snatched the jar and put a little smear on his pinky and danced it over the scar.  It wasn't a miracle but with the hair it was good enough.  Snape banished the jar to Harry's room.

"Perhaps a different name, just for the afternoon of course.  As part of the disguise.  There aren't that many witches named Harry or Potter."  Thanks, Snape thought Harry as her stomach dropped down to her new sandals.

"Yes, a nickname for just the afternoon.  Princess?"

Snape almost fell over in shock, he managed to snort "I think not," but they could tell he was chortling in glee and not quaking in horror.  Harry had no idea why it was that funny and he looked at Snape for an explanation.

"My mother's maiden name was Prince, your grandmother I guess."

"Oh," said Harry and a little candle lit inside her,  she had had a grandmother, who knew?

"Well then it's all fitting, and what better nickname for the Chosen One?  Plus it can be a subtle reminder to act like a girl Harry."

"I'm not sure that word subtle means what you think it means Draco."  Harry teased.  But she knew it was a done deal, how would they ever stop Draco from calling her Princess now?

"Take my hand dear, we'll go through together."  Draco reached out with surety.

Harry looked apprehensively at the fireplace, she hated flooing.  Maybe holding hands would help, she certainly didn't fancy ending up all alone in Knockturn Alley again.   She reached out and they threaded their hands together, Draco shot Severus a smirk over the top of Harry's head and Snape shot back a magnificent sneer.  And then Draco was throwing down the powder and pulling Harry after him.

Harry stumbled of course but there seemed to be more headroom and such now that she was short again.  Heads turned all through the Leaky Cauldron, was that Draco Malfoy?  And who was he with?  Draco steadied Harry without a comment, pulling her hand around his forearm and promenading to the archway, his nose seemed to be scraping the ceiling and Harry had her head tucked way way down.  But she didn't resist at all and the others went back to their drinks.

"Let's go to Ollivander's first," Draco announced still steering her.  "I don't like you out here without a wand."  Harry nodded and followed and felt like she was three but didn't know what else to do.

 

Ollivander was shocked to see them, although his eyes were already so big maybe not.  Without a word Harry pulled out her poor crispy holly wand and laid it down on the counter.  Ollivander cooed over the piece of wood, Harry felt even more horrible for destroying the wand and her stupid bottom lip began to stupidly tremble.  Draco noticed (of course) and wrapped an arm around her.  "There was a potions accident and when she tried to do a wingardium leviosa in her altered state the wand just started smoking."

"I see, "said Ollivander, gazing curiously at Harry, his stupid giant eyes flicking to her forehead and then gazing long at her eyes.  "And is this condition expected to be permanent?"

"It is," Harry answered embarrassed that Draco had to explain her story for her.

"Well then, Miss Potter, it seems you are in need of a new wand."

"Can we keep the phoenix feather, sir?"  Harry's lip was starting to go again and she squeezed Draco's hand in a death grip below the counter.

"That would be up to the feather dear but I think so."  He pulled out his own wand and tapped the holly, it split neatly in half.  Harry gasped in dismay, but Ollivander just smiled at her.  He then levitated the feather with his wand over towards Harry and Harry automatically put out her palm for the feather to land in. 

A powerful surge of warmth and magic and rightness washed over Harry, her hair curled and seemed to get new highlights.  The stress melted off her face and a beatific smile took its place.  A brief burst of Phoenix song seemed to echo around the silent shop.  Both Draco and Ollivander smiled brightly at Harry.

"Well, that bit is settled, why don't you bring your feather in the backroom and look at some other woods with me Miss Potter?"  Ollivander seemed to look through the counter at Harry's hand clinging to Draco Malfoy's, "you may come as well Mr. Malfoy."

Draco nodded his gratitude and they walked into the back of the shop.  "Now, wait right there for a moment while I get some things ready."  Ollivander ordered, as he ran around grabbing blocks of wood from various shelves and bins and wait, that was a bin of firewood wasn't it?  It was next to the hearth.

Finally he was ready and he stood with a proud smile and waved to the counter where he had lined up all his offerings.  "Now Miss Potter, just walk down the row with your feather and see if you can tell which one is calling you."

"Calling me?" Harry asked with a curious smile.

Ollivander laughed, "After that feather I think this will be obvious too."

Harry let go of Draco and stepped up to the first block, "that's cypress," Ollivander supplied helpfully, "for the brave, the bold and the self-sacrificing."  Draco sighed in relief when Harry walked past it. 

"Elder, for powerful witches with a special destiny."  Again Harry passed over it.

"Fir, resilient -a survivor's wand."  Harry might have paused longer than she had with the others but she didn't stop.

"Is that hawthorn?" Draco asked as Harry approached the next one.

"Yes, Mr. Malfoy, a good wand for the paradoxical is it not?"  Harry looked at Draco with her head tilted in question but Draco just blushed a bit.

The next was a different piece of holly, Harry stoked a finger down the side but there was no longer any pull at all from the wood.  Harry tried to tell herself that her feelings were not just hurt by a hunk of wood.

The next was definitely the piece that had been in the fire bin, Harry picked it up without hesitation.  She didn't know if it was because she felt bad that it had been destined for such an ignominious end or what.  She looked at Ollivander and he smiled and answered the unasked question, "that Miss Potter is the mighty larch -they say it instills courage and confidence.  Also that it helps to unlock a witch's full potential."

Harry nodded and put the block down, determined to do it properly and check out all the woods.  After all that first day when she was eleven she had waved just about every wand in the shop.  There was no response though from pear (splendid, generous and wise), red oak (fast reactions, quick-witted and adaptable), redwood (able to snatch advantage from catastrophe), rowan (clear-headed and pure-hearted).  The last bit of wood didn't even look like proper wood; it was just a twist of vine.

"That is vine; they say it works well with those who astound others.  Particularly others who might think they know them best."  Harry chuckled at that and was pleased that Ollivander had put it out there for her.  She picked it up and trailed her fingers down the curves and whorls of the strange wood.  And then she carried it back to the larch, the larch had really appealed to her but she was embarrassed to have a wand which instilled courage -shouldn't she have her own confidence? 

Still thinking deeply and trying to figure out who the hell she was she placed the feather, the larch and the vine all together across the palms of her hands and looked down at them.  She twisted one hand so it covered the other and squeezed, I wish I knew who the hell I am now, she thought angrily glaring at the holly wood which had refused her.

"Miss Potter," gentle hands covered hers and opened them up again.  "I think I can work with your selection.  Come back in two hours."  Ollivander removed the pieces from Harry's hands, there were scratches on her palms from the edges of the larch and the thorny bits on the vine, quite a deep gouge from that vine actually.

Draco pulled her hands towards him and tsked gently; Ollivander leaned over and murmured a healing charm, tapping each palm.

They went to the stationery next but Harry was still fuzzy, holding all three of those magical objects together like that had been quite the rush.  She realized with a start that it was good Draco had been holding her hand; otherwise she might have walked into more than a few people, and possibly walls.

"Princess, do you want blue ink too?"  Harry tried to pay attention to Draco's prattling with the shop clerk.  "Of course you do, we'll take two black, one blue and do you have any other fun colors you know, befitting a princess?"  Draco seemed to be taking advantage of her magical buzz here; Harry tried harder to pay attention.

"And of course we'll need new quills, all sorts of fetching colors if you have them.  Are there any charmed for legibility?  Well, one can hope, right?  How about primers?  Do you have one for the abominably left-handed showing how to hold the quill and such?  Oh excellent, yes, we'll take that too."

Draco was happily filling a basket and they were in a stationery store.  Harry was mystified, who was this boy that burbled to shop girls and enjoyed choosing quills?  Whatever, Harry decided and tried again to focus on what was going on.  The shop girl was pretty cute, wasn't she a Ravenclaw a year ahead of them, maybe with a summer job or something.  She and Draco were laughing about turning in homework to Snape and McGonagall with purple ink and who would take off the most points for the unusual color.  Harry was about to put in her opinion that McGonagall would but she remembered she was in disguise just in time.  Draco noticed her try to open her mouth and then close it again and he smirked indulgently at her.

Soon enough they were out of the shop and still had an hour and a half until the wand was ready.  "Let's go to the pet store Princess, it's always fun to see the animals."  Harry shrugged and they were off again.

The pet store roused her that was for sure.  It was a cacophony in there.  Harry automatically headed for the owl treats and then froze; she hadn't seen Hedwig since she left Privet Drive.  Granted that was only two or was it three days ago but she had forgotten all about her owl.  Harry's face went completely white with horror and she turned to Draco.  "Draco, can we go home now?  I just realized I haven't seen my owl since I left my aunt's house and I can't believe I forgot all about her.  Have you seen her?  Did Professor Snape mention her?  Do you know where she might be?"  Harry said all this in a hyperventilating rush.

"Shh, Princess, you've had a very traumatic few days, I'm sure your owl is fine.  I'd rather not leave before your wand is ready, it's only another hour or so, but if you really need to..."

Harry took a deep breath and thought about Hedwig.  It had been Harry's birthday and Hedwig arrived with a few gifts around ten o'clock.  Harry had written her usual thank you's and sent Hedwig out with them.  Well, she had tried to send Hedwig off but that was when she really started feeling bad and Hedwig had sat there with all the envelopes tied to her legs and refused to leave Harry's side.

Harry looked up at Draco, "I remember a bit," she smiled.  "I sent her off with a thank you note to the Weasleys and Hermione.  That would take her at least two days, where does Professor Snape live even?"

"I think it's Cokeworth, right in the center -that could be another day.  And the air is awful, she might have just decided to stay somewhere nicer."

"Not my owl, she'll turn up soon I guess."

"Best get her lots of treats then."  Draco smiled and began filling up another shop basket.  

A short while later he came and found Harry, "Har-Princess," he quickly corrected himself and then continued in a softer voice, "let's see if you can still talk to snakes, they have a big tank in the back here."

Princess allowed herself to be pulled along to the back of the store.  There was a tank full of wriggling serpents and as they drew closer she could in fact understand them.  They seemed to be just making noise and jabbering about when the food would come and who's turn it was to lay on the good rock and silly things like that.  Harry leaned down and softly hissed hullo to them.

Every snake froze and turned to look at her and then they swarmed to be near her.  Draco looked around in alarm and wished fervently that he could risk a notice-me-not charm.  He settled for putting on a bored yet intimidating face and keeping watch, shielding most of Harry with his body too.  Harry was pretty oblivious to his concerns because she was instantly enraptured with talking to the snakes.  Draco glanced over his shoulder and couldn't help but smile when he heard her giggle at sssssomething.  Had anyone ever heard Harry Potter giggle before he wondered?

Eventually he realized it was time to get back to Ollivander's.  "Well, it seems like you've still got it.  Which one made you laugh?"  Draco could have thunked his head on the glass, nice Slytherin subtlety there.

Harry didn't seem to notice, she just pointed at a little pair of snakes that were twining around a dead tree branch together, and, upon closer inspection, butting each other with their pointy snouts."It was those two, they never stop bickering with each other, it's kind of amusing.  Almost makes me miss Ron and Hermione though."

"What do they fight about?"

"Who's hogging the branch, who's blocking the light, who has the prettiest colors -that sort of stuff.  Not very deep or anything but it's kind of soothing to be around creatures that don't have crushing worries, y'know?"

Draco couldn't help but give Harry a quick hug, he hated thinking of her having crushing worries but it was hard to deny.  "Are you all set then, your wand should be ready now.  That's one worry less, right?"

Harry smiled up at Draco, his bizarreness was becoming predictable to her at least.  As soon as she admitted to being worried she knew he would be hugging her soon and trying to solve everything for her, which was a strange action to expect from Draco Malfoy but expect it she did and she was not disappointed.  This must be how Draco is with friends and now that I'm Snape's daughter and clearly a bit Slytherin he's decided I'm a friend.  That's all.  -Friend? Her treacherous mind instantly questioned, that's not all...

Draco paid for his basket of owl treats and led Harry (by the hand) back to the wand shop.  Harry seemed to be slowing down and he wasn't sure if she was tired or apprehensive or a bit of each.  He thought about suggesting a quick ice cream first but decided to get the wand shop over with and then have ice cream.

The bell jangled and Harry wondered if it was possible for a bell and chain to wear out after centuries of jingling.  Surely there was a minute bit of wear each time it stretched and struck and surely eventually it would all add up and a link would break, a clapper would fall.  Cheery thoughts she decided as she walked to the counter as if to her own death.

"Miss Potter, right on time.  It turned out quite lovely I think, but then it was made for a lovely."  You dapper dog thought Draco.  Huh? thought Harry.

Mr. Ollivander gestured to a bright and clean velvet pillow on the counter in front of him, the rich purple highlighting the light tan of the larch and the darker vine twisting around and embellishing the wand.  "Pick it up Miss Potter and allow me to tell you about your wand." 

Harry realized it was a direct order and she resolutely reached out and touched the wand.  The warmth and nurturing surged again, it was like a wind made out of love that rose around her.  Draco laughed out loud, "She seems to grow more beautiful every time she touches it Mr. Ollivander, when will it end?"

Mr. Ollivander beamed at Draco Malfoy, it was surely the magical overflow from Miss Potter's wand that was making him and Draco act like this but that didn't make it unreal, did it?  Ollivander intended to write to his old friend Albus Dumbledore, just like he had the moment Harry had first purchased the phoenix feather wand.  But he wanted to see how Miss Potter and her wand interacted and how the wand turned out before he wrote, and now he was having second thoughts on the whole thing. 

He was quite sure Albus didn't know about the "potions accident" Harry had suffered.  Actually he wasn't sure suffered was the correct word at all.  She acted much more like someone who had been released from a curse.  She seemed more authentic now and well, her wand was larch that said an awful lot for Ollivander.

"Wands with three magical elements are often more stable than other wands, which doesn't in any way mean that their owners need that stability as a crutch.  It's more like spreading your legs and getting into a position of strength before attempting something momentous.  Do you understand?"

"Yes, sir," said Harry, did her voice seem more melodic?

"Vine and larch are both all about being your true self Harry.  I was just thinking that your ‘potions accident' seems much more like a curse being lifted than a catastrophic setback.  I think that piece of holly was just holding your phoenix feather until this happened and bigger things were unlocked.  And my goodness, that's not even getting into the whole phoenix rebirth aspect of your wand.  I could write a treatise..."

Draco immediately confronted the old man, "What do you mean by that sir?  Clearly you can see this is a rather private matter for Harry."  He stopped talking but did not stand down as Ollivander swung his lamp like eyes up to meet his.  Ollivander was weighing and judging every inch of Draco, he could feel it and he met his gaze as calmly as he could while still remaining firm.

"You are quite right Mr. Malfoy, I was just thinking aloud.  This is all very symbolic and interesting to me but perhaps others would find the interest in more vulgar aspects of Miss Potter's change.  I will absolutely honor the obvious need for discretion here.  I believe that even my nosy friend Albus shall have to wait and learn about Miss Potter on his own."

Mr. Ollivander gave them both a slow smile, "yes, I think I shall quite enjoy having one up on him when he does learn about all this."

"You have my thanks sir," said Harry quite formally she seemed to be speaking from a great height and both Draco and Ollivander marvelled at the change the wand had made in her.

"No problem miss.  Why don't you try a lumos before you go, just to make sure -well obviously it isn't necessary, perhaps just to satisfy my curiosity then?"

Harry raised her wand, and looked at the tip -they could almost hear her think ‘lumos' but her lips never moved.  It was not the blazing of 100 suns bleaching all of the reality from the tiny shop, it was just a regular -maybe a touch rosy- lumos spell.  They all sighed a bit in relief and smiled happily at each other.  It was always a wonderful thing when a witch or wizard was reunited with their wand.

When the moment faded away Draco stepped up to the till with Professor Snape's money sack and the no-nonsense Malfoy air about him.  Ollivander thought a bit, "7 galleons the last go-round wasn't it Harry?"

Harry nodded.  "Well then, an old bit of firewood and some nasty vine that I had just pulled off the eaves, two hours time, two galleons even I believe."

Draco handed Snape's gold over with no hesitation and then saw Ollivander's enormous eyes were fixed on the wretched sack and the wretched wretched potion master crest that Snape had stupidly placed upon it.  There was almost an audible click as Ollivander finally located the thread that had brought together Malfoy and Potter.  Draco watched as Ollivander studied Harry for the umpteenth time it seemed but this time he was no doubt seeing all the Snapeish qualities Harry had inherited three days ago.

Draco felt the need to glare again but Ollivander just chuckled, "oh ho, Albus will be in a twist won't he?  I can hardly wait."  And he sent them on their merry way.

Draco bustled Harry back on the street and asked brightly, "ice cream?"

"Sure," said Harry, still a little dazed but better now that she had a fully functioning wand.  "Florean will be a good test of the disguise, I lived at the Leaky Cauldron for a few weeks the summer after second year and he gave me free ice creams every single day, it was wonderful."  She even skipped a little, Draco was delighted to meet another face of Harry, he wrapped her arm around his and leaned over dishily, "you must tell me how that happened."

Florean was clearly enchanted with Draco's companion but he showed no signs of recognizing her.  They each had an enormous sundae and Harry told Draco all about accidentally blowing up her Aunt Marge and how she practically got a ribbon from Fudge for it.  They both laughed a lot and marveled a bit at how much simpler things seemed back then.  As they strolled in the late afternoon sunshine back to the Leaky Cauldron, Draco looked at Harry and noted that it had been almost like a date and he really enjoyed himself, and then Harry looked at Draco and thought it had been almost like a date and she really enjoyed herself.  And then they both sort of looked away and never mentioned anything aloud.

Bill was there when they got back; he stayed for Minksy's dinner even though he was fresh from a fry-up that his mother had made at the Burrow.  The meal was less awkward it seemed than it should have been.   They spoke mostly of wandlore and Ollivander's strange decision to keep what he knew from Dumbledore.  Harry suggested that it was good news for Bill and Snape, they were no longer the only ones keeping things from the headmaster.

Snape and Draco were impressed with the Slytherin qualities that Bill and Harry continued to show, Bill and Harry noticed and smirked to each other because it was true, they were pretty Slytherin.  If the people in each house only had the quality their house stood for it would be a world filled with one-dimensional caricatures, and who would want that?

After dinner Snape took Draco off to his potions lab for brewing and left Harry and Bill in the sitting room to catch up.  "You look really good Harry,"  Bill had said the same thing when he first came through the floo but at the nasty looks he got from Severus and Draco they had talked about other things during dinner.  Now that they were alone he could tug on a dark auburn curl and find out what had happened.

Harry twisted around so that she could compare the curl in Bill's hand with Bill's own hair, the shades were close but Harry's was still darker.  "So close to being a long lost Weasley cousin instead of Snape's daughter" she sighed.

"First cousin or distant?"  Bill quipped with a joking lecherous waggle of his eyebrows.

Harry blushed and stepped away a bit.  Bill laughed harder.  "But really your eyes and hair I suppose are spells but there's something else, a deeper thing that's changed."

"Did you know that Draco's mum taught him a spell to change your eye color to match your dress robes when he was like twelve?  And Draco said his dad taught him the spell to make your hair longer but I think he was just taking the piss out of Snape."  They shared a good laugh over that and talked about other small things for a while.

Eventually though the fire had burned lower and they were on the settee in front of it together, quite close, and the talk shifted to deeper topics.  "Harry, I'm not saying that everyone feels this way but it's hard for the Order sometimes to see you as a person and not as a secret weapon.  I think this is a really good chance for you to get away from that, you look different enough now and your wand is so different, you can be Snape's daughter when you return to Hogwarts and escape from all those expectations, from the headmaster's mad chess match."

"You can't escape from destiny Bill." Harry said softly.

"But Harry, the Chosen One thing can stay with the Boy Who Lived and you can live your own life."

"You don't understand Bill, don't you remember it was a prophecy Voldemort was after last year?"  Harry spoke very softly and Bill pulled her closer. 

"You heard it then?  I thought it was destroyed..."

"We shattered the copy in the Department of Mysteries but Dumbledore was the witness when it was first said, "The one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord approaches ... born to those who have thrice defied him, born as the seventh month dies ... and the Dark Lord will mark him as his equal, but he will have power the Dark Lord knows not ... and either must die at the hand of the other for neither can live while the other survives ... the one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord will be born as the seventh month dies ..."

"Harry the prophecy says he.  And prophecies are bunk anyway, pretend that the fraud Trelawney made it and don't let it rule your life."

Harry felt as if a thousand pound weight had been lifted from her shoulders.  She shuddered a little at the huge feelings that were rushing through her at Bill saying just the things she wanted to hear so desperately.  Bill saw the tears start and understood them; he conjured a blanket and pulled Harry onto his lap again.  Wrapping his long arms around her while she quietly soaked the front of his shirt.

When Snape and Draco emerged later they found Bill staring hard into the fire with Harry curled up asleep on his lap, tear tracks silvery on her cheeks.  "Mr. Weasley, do all the girls cry themselves to sleep on your lap or is it just my daughter?"