Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter.
Chapter 1
The beginning
Pale blue eyes, wide with disbelief stared unblinkingly at the wall, littered with various paintings raging from the medieval times to nowadays. Those eyes, devoid of any emotion, almost dead inside didn't notice the slight worry that crossed most of the portraits faces, looking unbelievably out of place and might have caused the intruder to laugh, if not the grave situation. It was ironic to say the least.
However, none of the residents in the portraits said anything. They simply observed, after all they had no right to impose. They had all lived their lives, had their share of problems. All they could do now was to simply observe or give advice when asked.
The need to blink burned her eyes, but she refused to give in. It seemed rather childish, but it was something for her. She fought in a way.
The small crack in the stone wall seemed so captivating, as she had been clinging to that spot for over an hour now, not really seeing it.
What is going to happen now, she pondered absentmindedly, her body still frozen to the spot. It seemed her mind still didn't fully comprehend what was going on. It was numb, devoid of anything, too tired to even think straight. She was always afraid of this. Maybe if she were braver…
But no, she was just a coward.
Her sisters would have laughed at her.
A sudden wail from the other side of the enormous manor jolted her awake. Growling at her stupidity, the woman rushed to the voice. What was she doing? Pitying herself when there was someone who needed her to be strong? There, something she will protect at all costs. Nothing mattered. Not even her life mattered.
The portraits smirked.
"You know, my dearest Abraxas, my namesake found an excellent wife after all", said an old man as he walked from his portrait to the one next to him. He bowed to the resident of the portrait he just unceremoniously marched into with a smirk.
Abraxas returned the smirk and simply nodded. He was proud of his daughter-in-law. Maybe she would change the ways of the family and finally set it to the right path.
"I agree, master Lucius I, I agree.."
A few hours later, when the head of the family entered the master bedroom, he found his wife cradling their one year and a few months old son in her arms. He boy was sound asleep, but Narcissa was holding him like he would disappear any second.
Lucius Malfoy sighed tiredly and ran a hand through his silvery blonde hair. This alerted his wife and she slowly raised her head to look at him.
Her eyes widened slightly as she looked him over. His elegant silver and black robes were tattered in places and even had splotches of dirt on them. His hair, usually sleek and shiny was disheveled to a level that rivaled Rubeus Hagrid's. But the most prominent feature that made her heart jump with worry, were his eyes. The usually gray, cold eyes that were a perfect example of how a man kept his emotions hidden within were blazing. With what, she couldn't quite tell. To her, it seemed like a mix of fear, anxiety, disposition and even loathing.
The Black family had taught her many things, almost all of them going around the same ideals as Lord Voldemort. True, Narcissa mostly ignored it, along with her sister Andromeda and their cousin Sirius, but there was one thing even they learned despite the fact that it was undesired.
It was the art of reading people.
And yet, now, when she needed it most, she couldn't decipher the whirlwind of emotions raging in her beloved husbands eyes.
Or maybe subconsciously she understood it, but her heart denied the existence of such an emotion. She was scared.
Lucius broke their eye contact and turned to look at the little baby in Narcissas arms. It was then that the woman comprehended the emotion.
Uncertainty.
"Oh L..Lucius!", she whimpered,tears threatening to spill from her beautiful cerulean eyes. She instinctively cradled her little boy closer to her chest. Said man simply lowered himself on his knees and gently grasped the arms of his wife.
To anyone, it would seem the perfect picture of a family, complete with their love child in the middle.
But the tragedy it held denied such a fantasy.
"The hearing will be held in three days."
Narcissa sucked in a breath. Lucius strengthened the grip on her arms, trying to reassure her.
"It will be fine. The Malfoy family still has some power in the Ministry. That idiot Fudge will buy it if I feed him that I was under the Imperius curse. I will be fine."
The expression on her face clearly told that she didn't exactly believe it.
"I have a few trusted people in the Department of Magical Law Enforcement. They owe me quite the favors. Plus Fudge has always been blinded by money and fame, it would be easy to manipulate him. The problem will be that old goat, Alastor and Dumbledore. It would take a while to make them believe. Still, not a problem."
"But.."
"From what I gathered from today, he is willing to forgive Severus, knowing he was a Death Eater. And that old fool clearly understands that he is letting a few other death eaters roam free just from that decision. I will take that as my ace card, if needed."
She nodded, swallowing hard. Trying to shake thoughts of doubt from her mind, she clang to one thing her mind registered.
"He is willing to forgive him?" the blonde mistress of the house whispered in surprise. It wasn't unknown for Albus Dumbledore to forgive and grant second chances, but it still seemed unreal. For a moment, Narcissa Malfoy even thought of contacting the man and asking for help. But the look on her husband's face made that trail of thought disappear just as suddenly as it appeared. Lucius was a man of pride. No matter the situation, he would never ask for help. Especially from, as he put it 'the muggle loving old fool'.
Lucius nodded with a small grimace. Clearly this displeased him, but with the whole situation, it wasn't something to dwell on.
"What about…"
Lucius inhaled deeply though his nostrils and closed his eyes.
"Those rumors are true. The Dark Lord went after the Potters", he finally said after a long silence.
"So then.."
"Yes, Lily and James Potter are dead. And the Dark Lord has vanished"
Narcissa nodded. True, she wasn't exactly friends with the Potters and actually despised them at Hogwarts, but things change. They were children then. They didn't understand. But now, she felt strangely sad. The Potters were good people. They didn't deserve death so early. No one did.
"The Dark Lord tried to kill their daughter, but somehow, he didn't manage. No one knows why. Most of them say it's a miracle", Lucius continued bitterly, looking away from her.
Narcissa narrowed her eyes at him. She never liked his connection to the Dark Lord. And now, when he was finally gone, he was behaving as if…that was a bad thing.
"Lucius Abraxas Malfoy!", she said in a deadly whisper, her voice cracking, "don't you dare say it's bad HE is gone! Finally we would be able to live normally! What I wanted..what YOU wanted! Wasn't it you telling me how bad it was under his reign? Witches and wizards died! Their children died! Draco…our little dragon might have died as well if HE was still alive!" At this point, she was in hysterics, clutching the still sleeping boy closer to her.
He grimaced in shame and looked away. Before, only power mattered to him, the power that Voldemort promised to give. There would be no mudbloods in the wizarding world, and the muggles would know their place. And the wizards, they would learn their place. To him, it was disgraceful that magical folk married and reproduced with filthy muggles. He was blinded by those prospects, turning the once envy and jealousy of that Weasley, those Prewetts, the Bones idiot, the Potter into rage and and egoistical power obsession. He wanted the world to be rid of those who embarrassed the name of wizards.
Within a single year after taking the Dark Mark, he understood his mistake. Lord Voldemort was ruthless, unforgiving. And the Death Eaters were worse off. Most of them were just as ignorant as Lucius when they joined. Just like Regulus Black. Backing out wasn't an option once someone took the mark. He would always know where they are, and the result would be a painful death, and not only of the individual, but also their family, who they found precious. And as proud as he may be, Lucius Malfoy knew he was a coward.
He was extremely lucky that his only love, the woman he adored since childhood stayed by his side, even after hearing his praises for Voldemort, after all the idiotic things he tried to convince her, after taking the mark.
Their wedding might have been an arranged one, but it made him the happiest man on earth. Even Lord Voldemort had flown from his mind that day. It was then that he had understood what he had to do. No matter what, he would protect her, for she was his life.
She never did take the Dark Mark, and he was extremely glad for it. He was lucky she had an attitude, or else his newly made family would have been doomed, all because of him.
His grey eyes softened as he looked at his son.
Draco Lucius Malfoy.
His son,
His heir.
The fruit of their love.
His eyes lit up with raging fire.
He would never ever let anything happen to his son.
Draco, he wanted him to live in a safe world, without fearing for his life. And he would do anything, even give his own life for that to happen.
Suddenly, he was relieved that a certain Tom Riddle has vanished.
He would protect his son, his family. Even if it made him lose his honor. Damn it all to hell and back!
"He isn't dead", he remarked, stroking the cheek of his son. It was so warm against his own ice cold fingers. The little blonde bundle mumbled something incoherent and rolled over, pressing his face to his mother's stomach. This made Narcissa smile softly, despite the grave news her husband had just given her.
"I know. I doubted there would be anything alive in him left to die."
An eerie silence followed the statement as both man and woman stared at their son.
"He will be back, right? Lucius….just this time, when that happens, please…"
He understood perfectly what she meant.
"Of course. Draco..I will not let the Dark Lord get to him or to you. I don't know how, but if it comes to a fight, the Malfoy family will stand for the Light side, fighting alongside the Order. "
The couple stared at each other, blue clashing with grey.
"I trust you on your words, Lucius"
Said man jumped to his feet and whirled around, wand already pointing at the intruder. Narcissa gasped and stiffened, cradling little Draco closer to her heart. The baby had jolted awake by that time and was currently crying his eyes out.
"Shhh…", soothed his mother, gently rocking the baby in her arms. Not once did she take her eyes off the unexpected guest.
Said guest was tall, thin, and very old, judging by the silver of his hair and beard, which were both long enough to tuck into his belt. He was wearing long robes, a purple cloak that swept the ground, and high-heeled, buckled boots. His blue eyes were light, bright, and sparkling behind half-moon spectacles and his nose was very long and crooked, as though it had been broken at least twice. His mouth was crooked in a small, barely detectable smile.
"Dumbledore…"
"Lucius, Narcissa", the old man beamed at them, making the couple to raise their eyebrows in surprise. If it was Dumbledore who was imposing on them at a time like this, and smiling, then it meant something good. At least, that's what the couple deducted. At least no malicious intent came from the old wizard. Then again, this was Albus Dumbledore, the only wizard alive that Lord Voldemort feared. The old wizard merely stoked his beard, seemingly waiting for a response. After a while of enduring the uncomfortable silence, he raised a single eyebrow. This caused Lucius to cough and get his composure back under control.
Little Draco had already calmed down to occasional hiccups. Narcissas soothing voice seemed to have done the job.
"Of course", stated Malfoy, lowering his wand. His grip on it, however, didn't waver.
The bearded man smiled widely at them, eyes twinkling.
"Then, I shall contact you in a few days, to talk the matters over. For now, forgive me, I have matters to attend to."
Before leaving, his eyes glanced at the baby.
"If I might ask, Dumbledore, where are you headed to, that might be more important then..-"
Her rudeness was overlooked.
"I have to take little Harriet Potter to her only living relatives, Mrs. Malfoy. Harriet is our key to end this war".
The grave tone of his voice froze Narcissa. She knew for a fact that James Potter didn't have any siblings. As for Lily Potter…she had heard that the girl had a muggle sister. However, the blonde woman knew her place. She couldn't question Dumbledore as to why the savior of their world was going to live with muggles. She trusted his judgment. Nevertheless, the fact that a young with was going to live with muggles unsettled her. Plus she had heard, long ago from the conversation her sister Andromeda had with Alice Fortesque, Lily's sister hated magic with a passion to a degree that she loathed her own sister.
Dumbledore must have detected the worry somewhere in her facial expression. He gave her an apologetic smile. Narcissa gave a little nod in understanding.
"Now, if you would excuse me.."
The old man vanished into nothingness, leaving only the memory of him being there behind.
Husband and wife looked at each other. Their son rolled on his stomach and fell asleep, blissfully unaware of his surroundings.
Miles away, in Number 4, Private Drive, a certain little bundle with a tuft of soft coal black hair on top wrapped in blankets was sleeping peacefully on the doorstep, equally unaware as the little blonde boy back in Wiltshire. Harriet Potter rolled over inside her blankets without waking up. One small hand closed on the letter beside her and she slept on, not knowing she was special, not knowing she was famous, not knowing she would be woken in a few hours' time by Mrs. Dursley's scream as she opened the front door to put out the milk bottles, nor that she would spend the next few weeks being prodded and pinched by his cousin Dudley...She couldn't know that at this very moment, people meeting in secret all over the country were holding up their glasses and saying in hushed voices: "To Harriet Potter — the girl who lived!"
A.N/
So...this is my take on a female Harry. Here are some of my plans, so you guys dont freak out. Well whoever bothers to read this lol.
The pairing is femharry/draco
I will focus on draco a lot and his character, plus on the growing relationship
I am planning to go through all the books.
Dont expect kissing and stuff now. that will only happen when they are older, like 3rd year or smth.
So...hope you guys stay with me.
