Draco seemed to want to announce their engagement the next day but Brogan reeled him in. She sniffed that they weren't even really dating yet because she still wasn't ready for that. Draco dragged up her promise about being his pretend hot girlfriend so Brogan did the only thing left to her, she fought the hot with all of her remaining boy-ness.
She refused to style her now frizzier hair in any way and wouldn't let Luna or Draco mess with it either. It creeped her out that Draco would even know how to mess with it. Her plan was to just leave it alone, she could barely even brush it and really wanted to quit trying, but then suddenly one day it seemed to grow a half inch longer and just relaxed into soft natural waves that perfectly framed her face and radiated whatever light was nearby with deep red highlights. Luna pouted and insisted that growing out Brogan's hair a half inch was exactly her plan too.
Brogan also refused to dress like a girl except for the school uniform, but even then as the weather got chillier she declared the uniform absurd and started carrying a change of clothes in her bag so she could slip into the nearest bathroom after her last class and put on jeans. Some of her early Weasley sweaters would have fit her perfectly now but she couldn't explain wearing them. Luna offered to ask Mrs. Weasley to knit her friend a new one. Brogan thought for a moment about how motherly Mrs. Weasley would feel about a sixteen year old girl suddenly living with Severus Snape and quickly decided that was probably enough to justify a sweater. “If you think you can manage it Luna, I think I would actually like that a lot,” Brogan finally admitted wiping her eyes.
Her Da decided that transfigured shoes were not sufficient for the colder weather and ordered her a few pairs of boots and far too many pairs of socks (was she suddenly Dobby?) He and Draco dragged her to Hogsmeade one weekend and did the whole winter wardrobe thing with capes and mittens and hats and all that. Brogan whined a bit about it on the way there because she was tired and grouchy from an early morning Quidditch practice and she still wasn't sleeping perfectly every night but after she saw a few of the extremely jealous glares she was getting from the other Slytherin girls she tried to be more gracious. But then it came out as demure and sweet and they ended up buying her the moon.
Draco was nervous about leaving Hogwarts, even to just go to Hogsmeade but Snape assured them Dumbledore had arranged extra guards for both of them that day. It was probably completely confusing to Ron and Hermione to see so many Order members around without Harry near. At least they looked confused when Brogan saw them leaving Honeydukes together.
It was really hard for Brogan to accept all the gifts her da and Draco had insisted on buying. She knew the weather was getting colder and she needed some of it but back when she was Harry Potter nobody took care to make sure she had warm boots and coats so it was strange for her now. When she was the hero of the light safely ensconced among the lions she had been cold and wet most of the winter, now that she was the bastard child of everyone's most hated professor, the pseudo girlfriend of Hogwarts most obnoxious student and living with the snakes everyone was bending over backwards to take care of her. And that's why she was crying this time she decided as she wiped her eyes on the path back to the castle, it was her keen sense of justice raging again.
Practice that morning had been a tough one because the big match against Gryffindor was scheduled for next week but as soon as they got back to Hogwarts from the spree Brogan dumped everything on her bed and grabbed her broom to go fly again. Of course Snape and Draco cared about Brogan but they weren't necessarily moved by her tears anymore, they both had seen so much of them recently that they ran away to hide in a lab and left her alone to sort out whatever had caused this most recent bout. So Brogan was by herself when she stalked off to the pitch.
She zipped and turned, staying out longer than she should because her clothes were so warm for once. But eventually she landed and noticed the figure sitting in the stands watching her. It was Ron. She walked over to him and he shifted over making room for the girl to sit beside him. Ron looked at her for a while, kicked his feet a few times and then seemed to steel himself. He turned suddenly and reached out to her face, he put one hand so gently on her cheek that she could barely feel his fingers through the cold. With his other hand he pushed her bangs to the side and traced his hand down the scar that was almost invisible but not quite. Brogan knew that if he still had any feeling in his fingers he could feel the ridge.
Ron dropped his hand and shifted his attention to the back of her left hand, that scar was much fainter too but when he curled her fingers under and tightened the skin the words he expected to see were there. He slid his hand up her arm to the crook of her elbow where he knew there would be another scar, the one from the graveyard, and he traced that one too. He slid the hand that was on her cheek down to the neck of her jumper and gently pulled it to the side, and there marring her pretty collarbone was the scar from the dragon in fourth year.
Brogan held out her other arm and pushed back her own sleeve so that the shiny round scar from the basilisk bite was visible. Tears had started flowing down her cheeks of course, she wiped them back and chuckled, “Snape only gave me one jar of scar cream so I had to prioritize the most visible scars you know.”
“Makes sense,” agreed Ron easily but his voice was strangely rough.
“Was it the flying?” Brogan tried to ask conversationally but she failed and ended up with her arms around Ron's neck hiccupping into his chest, “Oh God Ron, I missed you so much. It's been so hard to see you and Hermione and missing you.” She sobbed and sobbed and like every male before him Ron pulled her onto his lap and wrapped his arms around her.
“Shhh, it's okay Harry. I know now, you don't have to cry.”
“I do cry, I cry all the f-ing time now. I hate it. I hate being like this, you have no idea.”
“Shhh, I said.” admonished Ron. So Brogan did, she just let herself be held and rocked by her first best friend Ron. She breathed in his smell, a smell that she had missed as much as any other part of her lost life. And slowly she calmed down.
“My mother ch-cheated on James Potter with Severus Snape and then she panicked and took this potion that was supposed to make me look like James Potter. B-but it was really powerful and it changed me into a boy to look more like him. And it wore off on my birthday, Snape came and found me and took me home that night. He made up the dragon pox story and then we finally told Dumbledore and decided to try this whole mad scheme. B-but I didn't know it would be so hard. I heard you one day calling to Seamus in the stairwell and I missed you guys so much.
And I can't go to breakfast because Hedwig might be there. And I've had this fucking charms question for three weeks now and I just want to ask Hermione so bad.” Brogan could feel Ron chuckling beneath her cheek.
“Yes,” he said, “it was the flying. I mean it was suspicious the way Harry went off to train and Brogan showed up, but you did a good job being together at Headquarters that night. Was Draco polyjuiced as Brogan and you were polyjuiced as Harry?” Brogan nodded and smeared tears on his shirt.
“That was good,” Ron continued “but then the opposites were a bit pat y'know? Boy/girl, left-handed/right-handed, Gryffindor/Slytherin especially since you still had dark hair and green eyes. Although your eyes do seem a different color.”
Brogan sat up straighter and pulled out her wand, she pointed it at her face and mumbled, “finite incantatum” and blinked once, when she looked up at Ron again her eyes were full green again. Ron gasped, and then smiled. It was a slow brilliant smile and he squeezed her close, “I missed you too mate.”
He seemed to notice the wand with some consternation, “what happened to your wand Harry?”
“The holly caught fire but the core was alright so Mr. Ollivander made a new one with the same feather, thank God.”
“Did you cry?” he teased.
“Oh God, I cried so hard I threw up on Snape and Draco had to rock me to sleep. I’ve been a mess. But, I had just gotten my period that day too. I'm sure anyone would have cried and thrown up at that.”
“Oh mate, I'm sorry,” she could hear the smile in his voice.
“And I'm fucking short again.”
“But you fit nice on a lap,” Ron said squeezing her for emphasis, “and your flying is incredible.”
“They banned me from doing the Wronski because they thought it was too identifiable and I have to fly a ruddy Clean Sweep when I have a Firebolt hidden in my room.”
Ron laughed at that, “poor Harry.”
“And worst of all, my galleons were on Hermione figuring it out when it was you and Luna who got it first.”
“Prime sucker move overlooking Luna there.”
“I know; she figured it out like the first week. She found me crying in the library.” Ron hugged her again, he felt awful for the loneliness he knew his friend had suffered.
“I think you tried out for Quidditch hoping I would recognize you.”
“I'm also trying to curry favor among the snakes. The hope is to turn some of them away from joining the Death Eaters, you know they’ll all love me for finally leading them to victory over Gryffindor and then I’ll ask them to just stay neutral and they’ll all say anything for you Mighty Seeker and Lovely Daughter of Snape.”
“Oh there's a plan then?”
“Of course there is, I wouldn't walk away from you and Hermione unless, you know, it was for the greater good and some such thing.”
Ron chuckled, “oh yes, you're all about the greater good mate.”
“Da thinks that now I'm a girl I can just walk away from all the Chosen One stuff.”
“Da?” asked Ron with a perfect eyebrow arch.
Brogan blushed hotly, “I know it's stupid isn't it? But he can be very kind when you're his love child and a Slytherin. He made a potion for me so I can sleep a lot better and my room is really brilliant.”
“It isn't stupid, it's what you deserve Brogan.”
“He did that too,” Brogan whispered, “Draco was coming up with all these horrible stars and Roman queens and stupid pure-blood names so I finally asked Da to just pick one and I really like the one he picked. It's like a joke but a clever joke and it reminds me not to get all caught up in the pure-blood games, you know?”
“Yeah, I can imagine,” agreed Ron.
Night was falling but Ron had a warm cloak so he opened it up and wrapped it around Brogan, neither one wanted to return to the castle just yet.
“So I can accept Snape being all right to his Slytherin daughter but what's up with Draco? Are you really going out with him?”
Brogan shrugged again, “No, not really, I'm not ready for that yet -I still get a shock each morning if I hit the loo before I'm fully awake.” Ron shuddered and Brogan continued, “Basically I'm sort of letting him pretend with me so his status will increase so he can influence more Slytherins to not become Death Eaters.
He's definitely not a Death Eater, his mum is in hiding in France and his father is on the verge of disowning him.”
“Ouch,” said Ron. He hugged Harry tight again and marveled at how right his mate felt in his arms. “Well, I think pretending to date you will definitely improve his status.”
“Why's that?” asked Brogan in a sleepy voice.
“You make a pretty girl Harry, and you're an excellent snuggler.”
“I do always seem to end up on the laps of cute guys. Oh, Bill knows too! You can write to him about the mess if you want, he was my guard that night at Privet Drive. He was really great, it hurt so incredibly much, you can't imagine. And Vernon was home so I was trying to be really quiet and Bill helped.
He visited me a bunch of times after too, oh my God Ron, I just remembered, he helped me buy bras too. Can you imagine? It's all a bit hazy because they had me so incredibly doped up on calming potions. But you know; it's what I would have done to me, right?”
Ron was smiling and smiling, “Harry you babble now, this is amazing. Mate, I think you might be happy or something. It's like you used to be in the sad and stressed box and now you're out.”
Brogan blushed again but it was getting darker and harder to see. “Yeah, Mr. Ollivander and Dumbledore both said it was like a curse was lifted off me. And I feel bad because you stuck with me and were my friend when I was all moody and now that I might actually be developing a funny bone you're missing it.”
“No mate, you always had a funny bone. You haven't changed that much, don't think that.”
“Thanks Ron, it's nice to hear that.” Brogan burrowed into Ron's cloak a little more and he held her a little closer. He was quiet and thinking for a while and then he realized that Brogan was beyond quiet and thinking, she had fallen asleep.
“Crying yourself to sleep on yet another boy, huh Harry?” he muttered as he stood up and swung her legs around his waist. She fit well and didn't weigh much at all. He grabbed her new Clean Sweep, “it's not such a bad broom, mate,” and managed to stuff it under his arm without dropping her.
As he got closer to the dungeons he became a bit nervous, dinner was long over so everyone should be tucked away in their common rooms, he knew where the Slytherin room was but he didn't want to go there. He wanted to go to Snape's private quarters without anyone seeing him but he didn't know where it was. Through sheer dumb luck Snape was just finishing up in his lab when he saw Ron and his bundle.
“Mr. Weasley?” he inquired.
“She sort of fell asleep sir.”
“I am not surprised. Come with me please,” and he strode purposely towards a blank piece of wall that looked exactly like everywhere else in the dungeons, he leaned close and whispered a word that Ron couldn't hear. Ron followed his professor into his quarters and through to Brogan's room. His heart clenched when he saw the Hedwig doll too. Snape swept down the sheets and blankets and Ron laid Brogan out. He pulled off her shoes, he had done the same for Harry a few times, and stepped back. Snape waved his wand and Brogan's jeans and sweater became a nightgown, he swept the blankets up again and stepped away, back to the living room. Ron followed.
Snape was pacing a bit and pointed at the couch, “Please have a seat Mr. Weasley.”
Ron sat and Snape continued, “no doubt you recognized Mr. Potter's flying style?” Ron nodded. “Then what did you do Mr. Weasley?”
Ron swallowed, “I know all of Harry's scars, you didn't give him enough scar cream to get rid of all of them sir.”
“I was unaware that Brogan required so much scar cream Mr. Weasley.”
Ron huffed, “I'm not surprised about that sir.”
“Can you tell me about the nightmares Mr. Potter used to have?”
Ron shifted awkwardly, “not really sir, he got pretty good with the silencing spells.” He looked suddenly at Brogan's room.
“Your brother helped me to ward it so no privacy spells can be cast in Brogan's room now.” Ron nodded his approval.
“You're not surprised that your brother knows?”
“No, Brogan and I were outside for hours sir, she told me quite a bit.”
“I'm sure she's massively relieved that you are now in the know Mr. Weasley.”
“Yeah, I think so. And Luna figured it out too, huh? Do you plan to tell Ginny and Hermione or do they have to figure it out for themselves too?”
“What do you think would be best Mr. Weasley? I'm sure we can trust them but if Brogan is seen suddenly hanging out with a bunch of Gryffindors it might be suspicious.”
“True sir, it might also be interesting to see how long it takes Hermione, I heard Harry had money down on Christmas.”
“And we're all shooting ourselves over Miss Lovegood.”
Ron laughed (laughed with the Greasy Git!) “I could have made good money sir, never underestimate Luna.”
Snape smiled back and it wasn't scary at all.
“Well Mr. Weasley, the hour is late and you should return to your tower. Thank you for bringing Brogan home.”
Ron blushed, “it was no trouble sir. I will try to think of ways we can integrate Brogan back in our group, one thing sir, if you could suggest to Professor Flitwick that Brogan needs tutoring and maybe Hermione would be good… I think that might be subtle enough.
Actually the only doubt I had about Brogan not being Harry was because of her wand. She really hasn’t come to terms with it yet. Harry was much better with his wand work.”
“I know Mr. Weasley, it is certainly cause for concern, although you should set your mind at ease, the new wand does seem to like Brogan. I think in a fight it would be a powerful weapon.”
“That is good to hear. Well, good night sir.”
And with that the strangely mature and competent Ron Weasley walked out of Snape’s private quarters and back up to the tower.
The next morning Brogan had to drag herself to the breakfast table. There were dark dark circles under her eyes, or maybe they just looked darker because her eyes were their natural color again. Snape summoned a slip of parchment and wrote a quick note asking Draco to stop by his rooms, he flicked his wand a few times and it became a paper airplane that whizzed under the crack in the door and off to the common room.
Brogan had drained a mug of tea and eaten half a bagel before Draco knocked. Something about the door opening jostled a memory for poor Brogan. “How did Ron find the rooms?” she asked.
“I ran into him in the hall outside, it was very fortunate for him I suppose.”
Draco had sat down at the table with them and he raised an enquiring eyebrow as he prepared to take a humongous bite of bagel.
“Mr. Weasley saw Brogan flying last evening and he confronted her on her identity. Brogan could not deny his proof so they spoke for a while, and then as is unfortunately her habit, I presume you cried and then fell asleep?”
Brogan blushed hotly but she looked so tired and wretched that there was no heat in either of their gazes. Draco scooted his chair closer to hers and wrapped an arm around her. Brogan smiled at him and then swallowed, “yeah, I think that’s pretty much it. But they were happy relief kind of tears you know. He was very understanding.”
“Indeed he was. We spoke after you were put to bed. He suggested that I request a charms tutor for you because the wand work is still difficult.”
Draco started to get an indignant scowl but he stopped when he saw the look of pure hope on Brogan’s face. “Hermione?” she breathed.
“Precisely,” nodded Snape. “And if Filius orders it, then what can we say?”
“Ron is so brilliant.” Brogan smiled.
Snape nodded, in agreement?! “I believe he will figure out other ways to draw you back to your friends too.”
“That might help.” She conceded with a big yawn. Without even thinking about it she slid off to the side and onto Draco’s lap. His arm automatically came up around her and she put her head down on his shoulder and closed her eyes. “What classes do we have today Dray?” she mumbled.
“The morning is open, Defense Against the Dark Arts doesn’t start until 10:00, you can take a nap if you’d like.”
“Will you stay?” she murmured.
Draco looked at his professor who shrugged, “sure I will” said Draco.
Snape nodded and stood to gather his things for the day, “Mr. Malfoy, I summoned you to reapply the charm on Brogan’s eyes too. It was removed last night.”
Draco nodded and reached with one hand for the pot of jam, completely comfortable to be sitting at his professor’s breakfast table with a sleeping girl on his lap. He knew that his professor knew the eye charm but it made him feel bad to alter Brogan’s eyes. It made Draco feel bad too and he had never even met Lily Potter.
Snape looked at the exhausted girl for a long time, “Draco, are you free this evening to work on the potion with me some more? It seems to be losing efficacy.”
“It does indeed sir. Did you hear anything last night?”
Snape shook his head no, and Draco continued softly, “I’m free tonight.”
“Good, do you require anything?”
Draco had managed to snag the jam and was applying it one handed to his next piece of bagel. He smiled, “no, I’m all set.”