Disclaimer: I do not own anything but the plot. All recognizable characters are property of JK Rowling.
A/N
I had such a great response to the first chapter, I hope the second is just as well received. Special thanks to Freya Ishtar for the fabulous cover art.
Chapter 2
Jeanette went back inside the castle and went to her dorm that she shared with Draco. Sitting at the desk she was trying to think of how to word the letters she would have to send to her best friends. How do you tell your best friends that you have been lying for all of the seven years you've known them? And not about the color of your hair, or your other physical appearances, but lying about who you really are. Jeanette banged her head on the desk and groaned as she heard the portrait open.
Draco walked in with a plate of sandwiches. He wasn't in the mood to listen to the great hall gossip about what was going on with Hermione Granger; instead he went to the kitchen and grabbed some dinner and went back to his dorm. Finding her knocking her head on the desk he sniggered.
"You know, you'll lose brain cells like that," he commented sitting on the couch and putting a sandwich in his mouth.
Jeanette looked up and smirked, "Maybe that will help. How would you tell your friends you've known for years, who are extremely close to you, that you've been lying to them the entire time? They are going to hate me, no wait… Harry will be disappointed that I couldn't trust him with this information and Ron, well Ron will get down right nasty about it. He has always had a temper that one. I wouldn't be surprised if he sends a howler. The rest of the Weasley's should be ok with it, except Mrs. Weasley, she will definitely have a problem that I forgot to mention my family. Not to mention when the press gets a hold of this, the fun they will have. Maybe I should just move back to France?"
"Running away? I thought you were a Gryffindor through and through," Draco said with a raised eyebrow.
Jeanette laughed, "The sorting hat is rubbish. I was supposed to be in Slytherin. I said no and instead of Ravenclaw where I would blend in or Hufflepuff where I would be ignored, what did it do? Put me in bloody Gryffindor! The house meant to stand out, to go in wands blazing. Not joining in is standing out, fucking sorting hat."
"You were suppose to be a Slytherin?" Draco cried astonished, "Seriously?"
"Malfoy, I lied about my entire life," she reminded him. "I'm also a pureblood and any of my family who has gone to Hogwarts has ended up in Slytherin. Of course I was supposed to be a Slytherin. My mother was a Slytherin when she went here. It's why I came to Hogwarts and not overseas in America."
"Why lie? Why not just come to Hogwarts as yourself?" Draco asked.
Jeanette sighed, "I was supposed to go to Beauxbaton for my magical education. I was supposed to go to school, not be too smart, but to graduate with nothing more than stones in my head, and then get married and pop out magical babies." Draco nodded for her to continue. "You know the type, I'm sure your parents have one picked out for you right now."
Draco laughed. "Astoria Greengrass, the girl can't count to eleven without her wand."
Jeanette giggled. "Yes, well I was never the type to dream of finding my dream wizard to take me to my castle and live happily ever after. I want to have a career, I want to go to muggle university, I want to continue to learn and improve. It is a LeClair tradition to be engaged by the time of your coming out ball at the age of sixteen. Being the youngest LeClair and the only girl, my father has been looking for a match for me since I was born. I just couldn't fathom that; it was scary to think that I was to marry when I was seventeen. I mean I'm eighteen, almost nineteen and the thought of getting married still scares me. So my mother and I went away. She said she wanted me to go to a different school, one where my name wouldn't detract from my studies, so we were going to go to America. They don't give a fuck about your blueblood name in America, but we ended up in London instead and changed my magical name to my middle name and a variation of my mother's maiden name." Jeanette didn't know why she felt she had to tell Draco her story. She couldn't even write it to her best friends, why is she telling him?
"So you are supposed to be married right now?"
Jeanette nodded. "Yes, probably already pregnant. Circe, I could not imagine being pregnant right now."
There was a knock on the portrait. Draco went and opened it revealing Ginny, Bill, and Fleur. Jeanette groaned inwardly, Ginny did not look happy.
"Hermione what is all this rubbish that is being spread around school? That you are some long lost heiress or something?" Ginny shouted. She had inherited the Weasley temper just like Ron.
Draco hid a snigger as a cough and just stood back to watch the show. Being head boy had certainly had it's perks.
Jeanette steeled herself and spoke, "Well Gin, those are just rumors. You saw my mother down in the Great Hall. Well, her name isn't Jean Granger, it's Jean Granier LeClair. I am Jeanette Hermione Granier LeClair. our new transfiguration professor is my half brother Julien, who I haven't seen since I was ten; he alerted our father that he had found me at Hogwarts. See I was supposed to have my coming out party when I was sixteen, but I remained hidden from my family because I don't want to be married. Fleur is my cousin on my mother's side; she knew who I was because I look just like my mother from when she and my aunt were young."
"Wait, your mother is a witch? You said your half brother is our professor, so your father is a wizard… you're a pureblood?" Ginny practically screeched in indignation, "Why didn't you tell us? Wait, you said a coming out party? As in coming out into pureblood society? You're a society witch? The female Malfoy?"
Jeanette blushed. "Um… actually yes, you could say that. My father actually does business with Lucius."
Ginny turned maroon. "They are friends with the Malfoys?"
Never willing to pass up an opportunity to dig at the Weasley family, Draco responded for Jeanette who was trying to will the floor to eat her whole, "Oh my father says the LeClair family is rather well off. I don't know much about the Granier family, but the LeClair's are an old wizarding family in France. Jeanie comes from old wizarding money and yes, our father's are friends, Jeanie's father mentioned he saw my father just last week."
"Shut up Malfoy, I don't care about that. Hermione, why didn't you tell us?"
Jeanette looked up at her friend helplessly. "Tell you what Gin? That I've been lying to your whole family, whom I love with all my heart? That I'm a pureblood prat? My family doesn't give two cents about blood, but how would it have looked? A pureblood just like Malfoy, helping Harry?"
"Jeanie, you are too hard on yourself," Fleur said. "The family will forgive you… well… Molly may take a while to do so, but everyone else will be fine."
"Ron is going to hate me, I'm the female Malfoy," Jeanette laughed and flopped down on the couch.
"Why are you vilifying me? I've never lied about who I am," Draco pointed out.
"Shit, Malfoy's right, I'm worse than him. Ron will never speak to me again, though that sometimes doesn't seem so bad…" Jeanette mumbled. Ginny and Bill laughed, knowing how thick their brother could be.
"Hermi- I mean, Jeanie, everything will be fine. Why don't you floo Harry instead of writing him? I think Bill can get the Headmistress to allow him to floo into the room for this." Bill nodded at his sister and left to talk to Professor McGonagall.
"That is my cue to leave, good night all. Oh and keep the screaming to a minimum, I'm a light sleeper," Draco sniggered as he left the girls in the common room and walked up to his dorm. What an interesting day it had been.
oOoOo
Bill came back a few moments later with permission to open the floo for Harry. Hermione floo'd 12 Grimmauld Place, and found Harry and Ron playing wizard's chess in the parlor.
Both of them, surprised that Hermione would be calling them in the middle of the week as well as get permission for Harry to visit came through the floo into the head dorm.
"Hermione, it feels like ages since we saw you last," Ron grinned at his friend and gave her a too long hug. Jeanette had a feeling he was trying to get closer to her after the kiss they shared last May, but they were about to die, he can't think there was anything between the two of them. She never felt more than brotherly love for Ron. In sixth year she had thought there might be more, but really she was just lonely. Being a liar is lonely business.
"Hi Ron, Harry." Jeanette fidgeted. Harry noticed.
"Hermione, what's wrong?" he asked, knowing that she was nervous. She always had nervous hands when she was about to reveal something she didn't want to.
"Well, you better sit down," Jeanette motioned to one of the two couches, opting to sit next to Fleur and Ginny for support. Bill, Ron, and Harry sat on the other and waited for her to continue.
Grabbing Fleur's hand, Jeanette started, "Harry, Ron. I have to tell you something, and you are going to hate me. You might never want to speak to me again."
"Don't be silly Mione," Harry laughed. "There is nothing you could tell me that would make me never speak to you again. Unless you're Voldemort in disguise, that might be a deal breaker." He tried to lighten the mood, but only Ron laughed.
"It might have been easier to tell you that but no… Ok, here we go." Jeanette started, "Well... I guess I will just come out and say it because it will be made public soon and I'd rather you hear it from me than the newspapers or reporters..."
"Okay," Harry said, now nervous for her news, "What is it that we need to know?"
"My name isn't Hermione Granger, I am not a muggleborn. My name is Jeanette Hermione Granier LeClair, and I am a pureblood," Jeanette blurted out, squeezing Fleur's hand tightly.
"Geeze Her-Jeanie, you could have broke the news a little more gentle," Ginny mumbled as she saw her brother's face turn purple.
"I would have, but how do you break the news that you're a giant liar for your entire friendship...gently?" Jeanette whispered back.
"Good point," Ginny conceded.
"Harry, say something." Jeanette could feel tears prickling her eyes.
"You're kidding right?" he asked. She could see the disbelief in his eyes. "Hermione, tell me you're joking."
"It is no joke 'Arry," Fleur confirmed. "Jeanie is my little cousin on my mama's side."
"Wait, you're related to Fleur? The Veela gene skip you or something?" Ron spat out rudely. Jeanie knew he would take it badly. Ron was as bad as his mother. He always had to know every detail of everyone's life no matter if it wasn't his business, otherwise he would spit venom.
"Actually it didn't Ronald," Jeanette spat back at him. "The gene is not active in me, just like Fleur, but I can be more appealing if I choose."
"Ron, that isn't important," Bill retorted, knowing where his brother was going.
"Oh I think it is," Ron yelled. "I think it's very important that she lied to us for seven bloody years, and you and Fleur obviously knew about it for three of those years and didn't tell us!"
"I didn't find out until you came to Shell Cottage, you bloody wanker," Bill yelled back. "When my wife was completely torn apart because her cousin was half dead!"
Jeanette sat there with no defense, tears streaming down her face. This is going great, she thought bitterly, Ron is acting just like I thought he would.
"Ron, shut up," Ginny bellowed above her arguing brothers. They both ceased yelling, red in the face. Fleur sat there with an arm around Jeanette for comfort.
"Why are you comforting that traitor?" Ron demanded. "She should sit there and cry! She is a liar and a traitor!"
Jeanette's eyes narrowed. "How am I a traitor Ronald Weasley? I may be a liar, I freely admit that, but I am not a traitor. I never betrayed Harry or you!"
"What do you call not telling us the truth?!" Ron argued.
"My personal life had nothing to do with killing Voldemort! I never wavered in my trust and love for Harry. I have stood by him since first year! My name had nothing to do with it."
"Why did you not tell us you were a pureblood?" Harry asked quietly. "Why keep that from us?"
Jeanette looked at her best friend and sighed. "Because it didn't and doesn't matter Harry. I never cared about blood status. My family has never cared one way or the other but hiding who I was - that was because of my family. That is the reason I became Hermione Granger, it had nothing to do with you Harry."
"Hermione we're your best friends, you should have been able to tell us," Harry reasoned.
"Yes," she agreed, "And if we had normal lives then I probably would have, but when should I have told you? After the troll, before the Chamber of Secrets? Before or after Voldemort came back? The Triwizard Tournament? We have not had a single moment for us to be normal witches and wizards; you were always fighting for wizard kind and I'm supposed to burden you with this? There was never the right time to tell you, 'oh yeah, Harry, I'm a liar and not who I said I was, but let's finish brewing polyjuice and break into the Chamber of Secrets.'"
"You should have told us! We're your best friends!" Harry yelled, red faced.
"Circe Harry! I didn't tell anyone! Fleur is my cousin, she already knew it was me during the tournament. She is the only one who knew, and I made her promise not to tell. The whole world doesn't revolve around Harry fucking Potter you know? I had reasons to keep it to myself and none of them had anything to do with you!" She was angry. She knew Ron would react, but she had hoped that Harry would be a little more understanding about why she may have kept this to herself.
"What reasons?" Ron yelled. "What is so bloody important that you couldn't have told your best friends who you really were? We don't even know who you are anymore, you aren't Hermione Granger, you're some stranger!"
"Gods Ron, you are so thick!" she shrieked in frustration. "Just because my name isn't Granger doesn't mean I'm any different! I'm still Hermione, book lover, know it all, pain in the ass, same as always. But I wanted my own life, not one that my father dictated to me! Do you have any idea how much stress it is to be a LeClair? No, I wouldn't think so. Do you know that I am to be betrothed? Do you know that I am expected to be married almost as soon as I graduate from Hogwarts? More than likely sold off to the highest bidder like I'm property or something. Do you know that I won't be able to work, but only to pop out as many children as I can, host teas and functions, and be the perfect pureblood wife? Do you know how bloody boring that all is? Of course you don't, it's probably what kind of wife you want - popping out kids left and right, doting on your every word like you're some sort of God. Making your dinner, cleaning your house."
"What is wrong with that?" Ron countered. He was surprised, that was exactly what he wanted and he had wanted Hermione to be that woman. "What is wrong with a woman who loves and will take care of me?"
"Nothing if that's what she wants," Jeanette responded, finally calming down. "But it's not what I want. I want a career. I want to travel, live and work before I get married and have kids. I don't dote on anyone, I won't be happy hosting tea and parties. I knew you would take it badly." Jeanie groaned, "I don't blame you for taking it the way you have, but I wanted you to hear it from me and not in the papers."
There were interrupted by a knock at the door. Bill went to open it, letting Julien in.
"Who is this, your betrothed?" Ron spat out angrily.
"No you asshole, this is my brother, Julien," Jeanette cried out with venom in her voice. "He's also the new transfiguration professor."
"Jeanie," Julien walked over to his sister. "Father wanted you to call for Linx to get your clothing sorted out. He expects you to dress appropriately from now on, and he said to do it now, so you can have clothes for tomorrow. He also wishes for us to meet him for lunch on Saturday at The Three Broomsticks to discuss your ball and your options for marriage."
Jeanette groaned, "I told him I am not getting married, he never listens. I've been gone for eight years and as soon as he finds me it's right back to the let's marry off Jeanie show. Why can't I be like Fleur and marry for love?"
"No offense to Fleur but she is not a LeClair. The Delacours have always been lax in their traditions. You will be getting married soon, stop fighting it."
Jeanette's eyes narrowed. "I will not be told what to do Julien. I will have a say in who, and when I get married. Don't think that just because you are here and you are my loving brother that I will submit to you and father. I'm not the same little girl anymore, I will not be told what to do with my life."
"Jeanie, it is too late to argue, I will see you in the morning. Call Linx and sort out your clothes." With that Julien left the room. Jeanette picked up a glass that Draco had left out, and threw it at the door.
She began to rant in French, and pacing the room. Ron, Harry, Ginny and Bill just sat there completely at a loss for what to do. Fleur was the only one who was talking to Jeanie in French to try and calm her, although it was not working. Jeanette picked up the plate of sandwiches and threw it in the air, took out her wand and blew it up.
"Expelliarmus!" The spell came from the open hallway, Draco had come out of his room to use the restroom in time to see Jeanette blow up the plate. "Do you mind not blowing up the common room? We get enough of that with your Gryffindorks in class."
"What are you doing here Malfoy?" Harry barked out. He was just at a loss for how to act, too much was going on around him.
"I live here Potter," Draco rolled his eyes. "Jeanie, will you keep it down, and enough with the tantrum already. You're making more work for the elves."
Jeanette stopped pacing and started crying again. Fleur and Ginny both ran up to her and hugged her, shushing her and soothing her.
Walking down the stairs, and over to Jeanette. He brought his finger to her chin to lift her face to his, grey eyes meeting her brown. "It won't be so bad, stop being a brat. You're a war heroine for Slytherin's sake. Stop making a scene. It's only been six hours and you're throwing a fit, at least pace yourself."
In spite of herself, Jeanette began to laugh. "You are such an ass Malfoy, but unfortunately you are right. I hate saying that. I'm sorry guys, I know it's a lot to take in and if you can't believe me, well I won't say it won't hurt but it isn't unexpected. I knew one day I would have to tell you both and I have been preparing myself for all outcomes. I hope you both can forgive me for not telling you my truth, but there has never been a right time to tell you."
Harry stood up and walked over to Jeanette, ignoring Draco. "Herm- er… Jeanie, it will take some time to process everything that has happened. I don't know if I can forget that you lied to us for seven years, but I will try and forgive you so we can start fresh." Jeanie nodded at one of her oldest friends and gave Harry a hug. She looked over at Ron and as he stood up, walked to the fireplace and in green flames, disappeared.
She shook her head with a grim hard line on her face. "I expected as much from Ron." Harry began to defend his friend and Jeanie brought her hand up. "No, it's okay Harry, I understand. I am not defending my lie and I'm not saying anything against Ron. What I did is a big deal and if he can't forgive me I will understand. He has every right to drop me as a friend if he'd like."
"Jeanie, you know he thinks of you as more than just a friend," Harry pointed out.
Jeanette grimaced, "I'm sorry Harry, but I don't think of him as anything more than a friend. A best friend, a brother even, but never as a lover or a husband. Besides, my father will be picking out my husband if he gets his way. Not that I won't fight it tooth and nail, but I'm sorry to say that Ron is not a contender in my hand."
"Why not?" Ginny asked confused. "Is it because we don't have money? That's bollocks, Ron is a war hero, that should count for something."
"Because I don't want to marry him," Jeanette stated simply. "I love Ronald like a brother. I love him the same as I love Bill, as I love Harry, but I will not marry him. My father doesn't care about money, we have enough that it won't matter. But I refuse to marry without the chance of love, he just doesn't know that yet. I'm sure if he wanted to, he could talk to my father, but I won't do it."
"But you just said you love Ron as a brother," Ginny argued. "Why couldn't you learn to love him over the years, like a lover?"
Jeanette sighed and looked at her stubborn red headed friend. "Gin, I thought I was in love with Ron since fifth year; I spent nine months with him in a tent with just Harry. If there was ever a time to develop feelings for either boy, nine months of solitude with them would have been it, but it just cemented the brotherly feeling. It would be like you marrying George or Charlie, it just won't happen. Ron deserves someone who will love him with her whole heart, that could never be me. You heard him, he wants a wife like your mother and as much as I love your mother, I don't think I could be happy like that."
"I understand, I just felt that I had to argue in his favor," Ginny sighed. "I won't say I wouldn't have loved to have you as a sister, but if it's not there, then it's not there."
"I've got to go Herm- er- Jeanie," Harry gave his friend a small hug "I will try and owl you soon and I will try and get Ron to see reason. I will try and come to terms with this myself. Like I said, I don't forgive you just yet, but I will try and move past it. I'll come for another visit soon."
Jeanette nodded, glad her friend was going to try and forgive her. She wasn't sure Ron would extend the same courtesy but that was her risk. Harry walked into the fireplace and yelled out his destination, with a burst of green flames he was gone.
Draco sat on the couch now that Harry and Ron were gone, just waiting for the next bomb to drop as that seemed to be the theme of the day.
Jeanette sat on the opposite with Ginny, and Fleur while Bill went to let Professor McGonagall know the visitors were gone so she could close the floo.
"Oh your family is going to hate me," Jeanette moaned to Ginny. "Your mum is going to be livid that I lied. Maybe not George, and Percy could care less, he barely remembered my name as it is, but your mum and possibly your dad, they will hate me."
"Mum will be upset, Charlie won't care, neither will Percy or George," Ginny concluded, thinking of her brothers and trying to gauge their reactions. "Don't worry about it Herm-Jeanie. Everything will be fine."
"Okay, I guess I better call Linx to fix my wardrobe," Jeanette laughed. "I should leave my clothes the way they are. If I didn't think my father would show back up with a bus load of clothes appropriate for the LeClair heiress tomorrow I wouldn't bother. As it is, I'm late calling the elf, she's probably going to show up with new clothes no matter what. My family is big on reputation and what-not."
Jeanette cleared her throat and called out, "Linx!"
A loud crack came from the middle of the room and there stood a tiny elf, at least it must have been an elf. She was standing under a load of bags. Ginny and Draco both sniggered at Jeanie being correct once again. Seems that just because her name changes, her always being right never would.
"Ah, Miss Jeanette! Linxy missed you very much, you's been a bad girl hiding from your family! Ahh! Miss Jeanette, what has happened to your hair, where did my smooth missus hair?"
Draco burst out laughing, "Smooth? You mean that bird's nest isn't natural?"
Fleur scoffed. "Absolutely not! Jeanette has the most beautiful hair, this is just a way to disguise herself."
"Fleur, you are too much, it is not as beautiful as your or Gaby's," Jeanette objected.
"It is, you must take the glamour off your eyes and hair. Show them the real Jeanette LeClair. You might as well, Uncle Pierre is going to want to see the real you for lunch anyways."
"Tomorrow Fleur. Linx will you please put the clothes in my wardrobe. You may do away with the rest, but the uniforms just need to be tailored, do not burn those."
"Miss Jeanette always ruins Linx's fun. Just like when she was a girl."
"Yes, Linx, I'm always ruining your fun," Jeanette rolled her eyes as the little elf walked up the stairs mumbling about bad mistresses.
"I can't believe you have an elf," Ginny giggled with glee. "Miss I'm going to set them all free, has her own house elf."
"Linx is free," Jeanette grinned. "I set her free when I was ten, but the elf likes my family and denies it. Gin, it's getting late, I'm going to go to bed. I'll see you tomorrow morning for breakfast ok? I'm sure you will love my change."
Ginny stood up with a bigger grin, "I'm sure I will, good night Herm- I mean Jeanie, night Malfoy." She gave Fleur a hug and left for Gryffindor tower.
Fleur hugged her cousin, promising to come by in the morning to transfigure her back to her normal state. Nodding at Draco, she also left to go back to her shared rooms with her husband.
"Well, I'm off to bed again," Draco drawled with a grin, walking behind Jeanette towards their room. "You Gryffindors sure like to shout, good night Jeanette LeClair."
Hearing the elf deep in her wardrobe speaking with levels of disgust and watching as a jumper was thrown out of her door into the common room, Jeanette groaned while Draco laughed. "Good night Malfoy."