Harry gaped at Ginny in shock, "You're WHAT!?"
"Pregnant," the red-head answered.
"How?" Harry whispered, looking around the common room, "I don't even have my..." he gestured downwards and Ginny winced, "We didn't do it when I did! Its even been longer than nine months!"
Ginny hesitated, "Dumbledore," she muttered and Harry's eyes darkened, "He... He thought it would make a good failsafe."
"FOR WHAT?" Harry practically screamed, "Ginny, we weren't even actually dating! Yes, you're one of my best friends, but we both know why we pretended to date," the black-haired boy hissed. For a moment, the glamours he had placed on himself flickered, allowing a momentary glimpse of the 'gorgeous' beauty he was now.
"I know, but I wasn't the one who let him place the spell. It was Ron," she said.
Harry grabbed his face, taking a deep breath, "But why?"
"He thought it'd make us a more connected family," she said, "But you don't have to worry, I'm getting rid of it."
Harry stopped, thinking rapidly, "No, no. It may have not been my choice or yours, but since it happened, we need to at least take care of the kid. Its not its fault, and it will at least connect us, like he wanted..."
Ginny blinked, she had expected him to argue, but this was something else, "If you won't care for it, and I understand, then I will."
Ginny's eyes widened, "But how will you...?"
"Explain?" Harry finished for her, "I don't know, but I will."
-AStR-
-Almost a year prior-
Harry glared at Voldemort, the forest lending to the darker atmosphere as the messy haired boy stared defiantly at his one true enemy. On the other side, Voldemort was grinning. "So, The Boy Who Lived, come to die."
A few Death Eaters laughed as Voldemort got to his feet, "But perhaps," the snake-faced man said, "A change is in order."
The man raised his wand and chanted, the words lost to Harry in shock as the spell arced towards him. Before he could react, a pain ripped through him as the spell connected. After a moment or two, he glared at Voldemort, "What did you do?"
"You shall not live long enough to find out, Potter," the Dark Lord laughed, "Now, 'Girl' Who Lived, time to die! Avada Kedavra!"
-AStR-
-Present Day-
Harry had taken a seat at one of the chairs in the common room to contemplate what the hell his life had come to. No counter curse to dealing with turning into a girl over the course of a few months, hiding that fact until he could safely assume no one knew, and now he had to deal with having a child?
"Hiya Harry," someone said as they entered the common room. When he looked up, George Weasley was grinning at him.
"Hey George, what're you doing here?"
"Visiting," the red-haired man said.
"Oh, Ron and Ginny aren't here," Harry answered.
"I know, mate," George said, "I already talked to them. How are you, though?"
Harry blinked up at the man he had long considered something of an elder brother, "I'm fine," he said, looking away. The book in his lap lay forgotten and Harry bit his lip.
"Are you really? I know the war was hard on you," George said, "It was hard on everyone, but you've been acting like you always do. It's not healthy to stuff your feelings away like Ron does with his dinner."
"Really, I-" Harry choked. Tears were drifting down his face already and he was cursing his new hormones. The man across from him nodded.
"Harry, no one is going to call you weak or anything," George said, "You can let it out, you know, we all have. You definitely deserve to more than most."
The Boy Who Lived tried to fight it, but the damn broke and he fell into sobs. George reached over and started patting him on the back. After a few moments, Harry's glamours fell and George went wide-eyed, only to nod in understanding. On instinct, the red-haired man picked up Harry and brought him onto his lap, hugging him in an effort to provide comfort.
Harry had always been on the smaller side, but as a girl, looking like this, he was extremely petite, and light. Sobs echoed from the boy turned girl he hugged. George didn't say anything, but he decided Harry was much better off like this. If it could get him away from the public, then George would do his best to help him, er, her. George remained where he sat, gently rubbing Harry's back in circular motions.
In retrospect, George thought, the changes had been obvious. Harry's more powerful mood swings, especially the first month or two after the war. His avoidance to physical contact, and especially the slight difference in his voice. Harry had managed to get better at hiding all of it, and the glamours certainly did the trick. Yet, George couldn't help but feel that Harry continuing to pretend to be the boy he had always been would hurt him more.
George eyed Ginny, raising an eyebrow as she entered the room. If she was pregnant, and as far along as she claimed, then how was it Harry's? Or, was it even Harry's like she claimed.
Harry's sobbing slowed down to exhausted whimpers and George summoned a blanket, wrapping her in it. Ginny had had a few swings like this, though undoubtedly less fueled by grief and pain. George stood Harry on her feet and waved his wand over her face, replacing her odl glamours with new ones. The scar on Harry's forehead disappeared and her eyes shifted to a bright blue.
Puffy eyes looked up at him and George grinned, "We, milady, are going on a date."
Harry's eyes widened, "We what? But..."
"I call it a date," George explained, "Because you need a pick-me-up, and girls do smile when I am hanging out with them."
Harry snorted, "Yeah, sure they do."
George grinned, "That's the spirit. I'll make you a deal," the ginger said, "if you can go on this date as a girl, I get to take you out a few more times. If you can't, I shall help make you some better glamours. A win-win all around."
Harry frowned, "A few more times? Are you trying to get in my pants or something?"
"Harry," a stone-faced George answered, "I am most definitely trying to do so."
A quick flit of red went across Harry's cheeks before George snorted, "No, actually. I want to help cheer up a friend, and at current times, that is the only way, without you getting slammed by the press, that I can think of. You might be cute, but you're a bit like a little sister now."
Harry sighed, "Fine."
A vibrant smile graced George's face, "Excellent. To McGonagall's office!" In one fell swoop, he lifted Harry up and started sprinting through the corridors. He was about halfway there when he ran face first into a suit of armour. The armour yelled a few choices words after breaking into pieces and George lay on his back, fairly winded.
A peel of laughter burst from Harry as she looked at the poor downed Weasley, "Merlin's trousers, George! I always thought you were the clumsy one, and I was right!" Despite her earlier mood, laughter and giggles echoed through the halls as Harry attempted to control herself. Perhaps helping her amusement was the gauntlet which had landed on George's face and seemed to be picking his nose.
The suit of armour scoffed and the arm climbed off George's face, revealed a mirthful ginger below it. A grin was splitting his face and he clambered to stand, grinning even wider at Harry, "Yeah, yeah, laugh it off Potter!"
Harry finally managed to stop laughing as hard and could only restrain herself to giggles, which resulted, in turn, in a grin on George's face. 'She's cute when she laughs,' he thought. A small voice told him, 'She's basically a sister,' and George retorted, 'A cute sister.' They arrived at McGonagall's office and George called out the password, "Merlin's Seventh Law of Transfiguration!"
The gargoyle nodded as George made his way past and up the stairs.