Well... first thing first. I fell like I need to make a great apology for a complete year without a single update or sign of life.

I just don't feel like it because... my last year was time consuming; that I had doubt about my "broken english" as someone say so, rather much accurately; that I felt like I wasn't going to "make it".

Since I ended up free again, in late novembre, I knew that I wanted to come back. I took me time but get started. And I had Chapter 4 already done and stored for a really long time, so I feel ashamed not to publish it. If I somewhat improve my english (I don't think so) it would be for the end of Chapter 5 or Chapter 6.

I hope you may enjoy this new and very late chapter. See you!

Chapter 4: How much Hermione really knows?

A deep conversation

After that, Holly decided she needed time to think for herself and the next day she ended up at Harry Potter's grave without thinking. Harry Potter had been nothing but a face, pretence. Dumbledore, McGonagall and Snape knew that but decided to fill that grave with a faked body.

A body that happened to be the one of Barty Crouch Junior who had supposedly kill Harry Potter. How convenient: no witness, plenty of fake proofs and Holly had agreed with that. But by the time, she didn't know if that was a good idea.

Yes, she was fed up about trying to fit with other expectations all the time. She even had been proven right by how people bad mouthing Harry Potter after 'his death'. But the consequences had been really hard to deal with.

Not being able to see her friends. Friends, that happened for a few of them to not really be her friends in the end. Not being able to confront that Umbridge Bitch. Not being able to clear Dumbledore reputation that claims he was a liar or at least a senile wizard in complete delusion. At least, he was actually a liar but she was too so she couldn't really used that point.

Finally, last but not least: Not being able to tell everyone what she had witness so she could convince them to do something significant to fight against Voldemort.

But there was more: even in this new life, even when she was not lying about almost everything that was not related with Harry Potter's thing, she was still a liar because she pretend not to be something she actually was. It was the contrary of what she had done during four long years but in the end that was pretty much the same.

And even worse: she couldn't even give up with that lie. Because she needed Voldemort to thought she was dead. But even after that, what could she say?

"Hey, that's me! You remembered that guy? In fact, that happened to be a fake version of me. Then I pretended to be dead, as you already know. I had killed the bad guy and here I am. Could you please go with the fact I'm actually a girl and a metamorphomagus but apart from that nothing but the same person you always known. What do you mean by "every thing about you and your life had been a bunch of lie"? Yeah, I know, It's difficult to trust me after all those years of make-believe but I swear that is the real me. Please! Why do you leave? Please!"

She could already see all of it. Nobody would trust her ever again if only she say the whole truth once and for all. That's why she was stuck in the world of make-believe, at least until Voldemort Death, then, maybe for her whole life. Maybe Hermione would have understand her if she explained it all. But about anyone else: She didn't trust them or worse: she didn't trust herself at all.

Then, while she was thinking about all of this, she didn't felt someone coming in her back. A certain someone to be precise:

"I would have expected anyone to go there but you" Hermione stated honestly.

"I know what you think but I'm not going to argue with you about it, not today" she replied calmly.

"I wouldn't have thought it was a special day" Hermione mused. – It wasn't. – "So would you care to speak with me about anything else? Like… what are you doing here? That's just an example."

"I was thinking how it was. The burial." Holly replied, glad that was not an utter lie "It's quite a unusual event in a school. I would have like to ask question about it to a few witness but I came to the conclusion it was not a good idea."

"I can tell you everything you want" she proposed, "It doesn't bother me. Not anymore. As I don't really believe he is… you know… maybe I'm just completely delusional.

I just can't help myself but thinking that after facing Voldemort third time in four year, my friend could not have died against that one Deatheater. Or at least, I may believe he died if that Crouch was found, confessed that murder and then died too.

Sorry if that upset you. You said no argue for today so I can just shall up and listen for one time"

Then Holly could not help herself but smile at this.

"It's amazed me that you actually had seen his body and keep thinking he may be alive," Holly stated.

"You talked to a girl that had a teacher possessed by a supposedly dead wizard. That almost died herself the year after that because a memory of that very wizard come back to life by possessing a student, then in third year I discovered that a man was innocent because the other man he had supposedly killed was pretty much alive. Then last year, Harry's last words I overheard were that voldemort was back for the third time in four year. That wizard seem to never die and my friend seem to ever be on his way so if a dragon came and tell me they are actually my friend, I would trust them with my life, whatever how crazy it sound like." The bushy haired girl replied with a fervent tone.

"It would be a very lucky dragon, if I may say so" Holly said, playing along with her friend.

"Not so lucky, I may say. I would not be quite pleased to have been left alone for all that time. But I may be kind enough to forgive it. In addition, every book said that is not smart to upset a dragon, don't you agree?" Hermione went along too.

'You have no idea' Holly would have wanted to replied, because she had still at the time a vivid memory about the first task.

"I would have thought the correct behaviour with a dragon would have been to run fast and far, but considering it would be your friend, that could have been the worst thing to do. But after all: what a wrong idea to befriend a dragon in the first place, don't you think so?" Holly retorted.

"Pete's Dragon would not agree with you" she counterpart, using an absurd argument on purpose.

"Never had a chance to see it but it sound like a very stupid show" Holly replied.

"What is even more stupid is that a pureblood or half-blood witch would very probably have had no clue about what I was actually speaking about or even know what a TV show was in the very first place" Hermione stated very much happy with herself to had trick Holly into saying something she really shouldn't had.

"My mother was a muggleborn, satisfy?" Holly really, angry with herself to let had reveal such a thing.

"Yeah. You just gave me bring grist to my mill" Hermione replied honestly. Then let the talk ended in an awkward silence.

"You really are something, you know?" Holly finally said.

"No argue for today," Hermione stated again "So I will let you be. For now at least"

Then she was gone, as she had come, letting Holly with her thought.

A trip into memories

An other day, that was Holly who waited for Hermione to went over their secret training room after a quite intense session of the club. The bushy haired one was surprised to see the other girl, waiting for her, with those perfectly dark hairs she was wearing any time she was serious and concentrated over something, like training, fighting or arguing. So Hermione gave her a inquisitive look, stating her question without speaking.

"I would like to take you up on your offer" Holly explained

So Hermione nodded and stayed still, waiting to Holly to leads her way. But Holly just waited everyone was gone then started pacing around the room of requirement. Another door appeared and the girl went in with Hermione after her without a second thought.

"Do you know what a Pensieve is and what purposes it's used for?" Holly asked and Hermione nodded again, still keep quiet. Then Holly asked:

"Would you care to share your memory of the Burial? It would be so much effective and less awkward for each of us if I can just see it and make my own opinion about it."

Hermione did as she was told to. Then she spoke to Holly for the first time of what should be three weeks or so:

"I add a few things that I thought you need to know," she said with an impassive tone. "Then, you know where to find me if you finally need to talk"

Just after saying just that, she leaved so Holly was left alone with the pensieve and Hermione memories in it. That was not what Holly had expected so she took a little time to collect herself and find the courage to look at those very memories, as she feared what Hermione could have add. Then she dived into it.

On the first memory, she ended up on what look to be the roof of Ravenclaw Tower. She didn't know why she was there but a moment after, she saw Buckbeak flying underneath with two humans figure riding on him, so she immediately knew what moment she was witnessing. Why Hermione choose to include this moment, she had no idea but here she was.

As Buckbeak was ascending, he passed near to her so Holly had a very good look one the two teenagers and what she saw let her a little dumbfound. Hermione had her arm around Harry waist as if her life depended on it but her expression was nothing but smiling. She looked elated, as Holly had never seen her be. But there she was.

Then, she saw the same thing again, as the only thing that had changed was Sirius Black. Finally, she saw Buckbeak disappeared with Sirius Black on it and the memory was finally over.

After that, she witnessed a few memories that may be she would have preferred to ignore: Hermione being literally sick in worry at different stage of the Triwizard's Tournament. Then how much relieved she looked like each time Harry had make it without being too severely injured.

Then, that was it, or almost. Holly witnessed that very time when Hermione was told about Harry's Death and was entitled to see Harry's body. How much she was gone crazy, all crying, screaming out loud and messing because she couldn't bear it. That memory ended when Hermione was stunned by a professor so maybe she was bring back to Gryffondor Tower, as sleeping would maybe help her grief.

The next memory was the Burial. Dumbledore was making his fake speech, as the coffin was open so anyone could see Harry's body for the last time. There were crying and sobbing but it was almost quiet at the time. Nobody was speaking except of Dumbledore. As it was not a Muggle Burial, no one shared memories on Harry's grave.

The ceremony was pretty much meaningless, then the coffin was closed and in a few moved of wand, the burial was over. That was it. That was how magical people dealt with death. So everyone look okay with it except Hermione, who looked really upset, Dean that looked dumbfounded and a few other muggleborn that looked fill with dismay. Then, again, that was how the memory ended.

The memory after that was an argument with Ronald about what they should have done about Harry's possession. Ronald wanted his cloak and his firebolt and was okay about leaving everything else to Hermione. Hermione wanted the cloak, not for herself but to give it to Sirius Black so he had something meaningful and useful from his missed godson. Obviously, Ronald wasn't okay but as he didn't wanted to look selfish in front of his entire dormitory and a few other, he just gave up and decided to take Hedwige instead.

For hew own, Hermione take the marauder's map and Harry's wand. Then Holly witnessed a few people taking a few things too. Ginny chose to take his Quidditch's shirt and a few other weird clothes. Surprizingly, Neville took Harry's photo album, filled with Harry's parents' photographs. Dennis Crivey, which she didn't know at that time, took all Harry's other book. Then, a few others took something and then, Dobby came and took everything that remained. The poor elf, as Hermione, was sorrowful and that was in his embrace that Hermione finally cried.

The next memory was from this year as the French girl was in it. Hermione was on her bed, pretending reading a book. But when Holly went closer, she could saw that Hermione was actually checking the map. Precisely, she looked steadily and rather shocked at a single moving point at the map. A point that stated that "Heather July Potter" was in Hufflepuff's common room with Megan Jones, Hannah Abbot and Susan Bones. Then the bushy haired girl closed the map and gazed into space for quite a long time.

With that, the memories were over and Holly came back to her sense.

'How long did she knows?' was the only remained thing that the girl could think about.

Welcome to the fourth dimension!

When Holly and Hermione's eyes met at the library, communication passed through them without speaking. Hermione closed her book, took Holly's hand and took the lead to the restricted section of the library. She didn't bother to ask to Madame Pince if it was okay and the librarian didn't stop her too. Then, she stopped in front of a painting representing a man with a jellyfish on his head and a bunch of colourful birds around him.

"Orange, pink, green and yellow. Four colour. Four seasons. Four points of the compass. Four sacred beasts. Four friends. " Hermione stated.

"As you say, Miss Granger. How many side a triangle have?" the portrait asked in return.

"Four sides." Hermione answered for a quite amazed Holly "The three ones supporting the fourth"

"Correct" the portrait replied "You may passed"

"Thank you Ulric" she greeted him.

"Hermione, you know that what you just said didn't make sense?" the other girl asked.

"It makes sense." Hermione replied, assertive "If you take into accounts that I just speaked with Ulric the Oddball and that here is the Marauder's hideout."

So, Holly mouth shaped a perfect O as she tried to process with that new piece of information.

"So… you had completely done trying to act as if you didn't exactly know who I am and decided to disclose what come to be the best secret you ever found out about our certain friends of us" Holly stated.

"As you say, Miss Potter" she replied, imitating the oddball voice. "Seriously, how hell Dumbledore, you and whoever else involved had ever thought that 'Grace Holly Jenkins' thing could have fool me? I'm not one of those brainless wizards and witches who relied entirely one their magic, you know that?

I had doubted first, and then I had a first piece of evidence with the map and few others afterwards. You know, Dumbledore could really have done very much better than that to fool everyone. It had just taken me a hour or so to find out that there were no Grace Jenkins witches neither in Australia nor everywhere in the entire world."

"I suppose that Dumbledore relied on wizard foolishness to make the trick." Holly replied, shrugging in cynical derision.

"There is only two thing I don't understand: why did you agree with that and why your named on the map changed for 'Heather July Potter'?" Hermione asked.

"Because it's true." Holly stated, "That's the name my aunt gave me and the one I was used to bear for the first years of my life and then any holydays I spent with them"

So that was Hermione turned to tried to process with that new piece of information Holly just gave her.

"So… your father and mother give you the name of 'Harry James Potter' as a baby boy. Then they died. After that, you lived with your Dursley relative and your aunt named you 'Heather July' as a girl, keeping your initials. Afterwards, you came at Hogwarts as Harry Potter, a guy, and now you pretended to be dead in that 'Grace Holly Jenkins' cover, pretty much a girl. Did I miss something?" Hermione listed.

"Nothing. You get it" Holly replied.

"There is one last thing left" Hermione stated "As I'm your friend, always been, always will, would you care enough to tell me which name and pronouns I'm suppose to use with you? At least, in private..."

"You have a point." Holly admitted

"First thing first, I'm somewhat rather comfortable with being a girl. In addition, when I felt unconscious with any other shape, I systematically shift back to this current shape. So I prefer being a girl even if I was born a boy, as you stated."

"Then, concerning the choose of a name, I really don't know. My aunt petunia just picked randomly two names that fit my initials and that it. On the contrary, Dumbledore choose my second name before my second wand that is still the same wood. So, I'm used to Heather but I thought that Holly is more meaningful and I never really choose over them."

"Hmmm. Harry wasn't a meaningful name," Hermione stated "But James was. July made sense as your were born in that month." She speaked while thinking "That could have also been a mixed up between James and Lily" She joked then continued:

"Heather didn't have a meaning but that a quite popular muggle name. It's just cute. Holly is nice and meaningful for a witch but you can't use it at the same time with July. Holly July… doesn't sound nice, quite repetitive. So you need another name with Holly and sorry to pointing it out but 'Grace' doesn't really suit you. Not about the meaning but I had a few Grace in my classes when I was young and you really had nothing in common with those girls."

Holly chuckled silently: she could had bet fifty galleons that those girls would have been nothing but pests to Hermione so she spoke like that about them.

"Heather suited you very much when you are in this mood," Hermione added while blatantly resisting giving into some urge to touch Holly's hairs.

"You can touch if you want" Holly offered seeing how helpless her friend was "But you know, they're pretty much the same. Just changing colour as I wish, or as I feel when I let them do whatever they liked."

So Hermione did while gazing into Holly's green eyes, searching for approvement.

"So…why did you make me come here?" Holly finally asked.

Chapter End

What ashamed me about this story is even in the attempt of a short story, I can't help it but develop new ideas even if I know that I will rather unused them all.

Then... a third of my story is done... and two are to go with. I feel pressure (even if it's only by myself) to reach a conclusion by the chapter twelve. But as I already said, it's a challenge for me to complete a "short" story. Sorry if you like this fiction that have still no title because I knew that I already failed you once.

Then, thank you for reading ! Happy new year to all of you and see you... when I put an end to Chapter five (not complete yet, I'm afraid so)