Chapter 5 will mostly focus on Christmas which is wear the first major plot change from the book happens. Please note that I stayed mostly true to the spirit of the dialogue from the book but changed it slightly.
All characters, places, events, etc belong to JK Rowling.
Chapter 5:
Christmas morning broke sunny and bright with Harry sleeping in his loaned pajamas. He woke when Hermione came in, carrying her pile of Christmas presents so they could open them together.
Harry sat up pulling his glasses on and grabbing the pink robe that was hanging next to his bed. Two nights into wearing girl's pajamas, Harry was used to how they felt and loved them. He grabbed his pile and pulled it to him, already recognizing the wrapping of the top gift. As he expected it was the usual Christmas sweater from Mrs. Weasley, this year scarlet with the Gryffindor lion knitted on it, along with some baked goods which he started nibbling on. Next Hermione handed him her present, which he opened to see a small necklace with a heart shaped charm on it. Hermione slid behind him and clipped the chain behind his neck, letting the charm fall onto his chest where it rested right above the collar of his shirt.
"It's beautiful, thank you" he said turning to hug her.
"I figured you could use one piece of jewelry" she replied, opening his present to her which was, to no one's surprise, a book. He remembered that she had been so jealous of the Weasley's getting to go learn about Egyptian Wizards last summer and had seen that book during his many wanderings of Diagon Alley before last term started.
The next present to attract his attention was a long skinny one. Pulling it to him he opened it and couldn't contain his gasp as a broom fell out onto his lap. Hermione's jaw dropped and she came closer.
"I don't believe it" Harry gasped looking at the stenciled word "Firebolt" stamped on the handle. At his touch it hovered beside the bed, vibrating and waiting for him to mount it. Standing up to get a better look, it took him a moment to see that Hermione was digging around in the wrapping it come in.
"What's wrong" he asked, puzzled.
"I'm looking for a note or a card that came with it." She replied
"I didn't see one" He said, not entirely focusing on her.
When she was done, she straightened up and stared at the broom, and not quite happy expression on her face. "It's a bit odd. This is supposed to be one of the best brooms out there, right?"
Harry, used to his friend's lack of knowledge about brooms, responded "It's the best broom there is."
"It must've cost a lot of money…" she said, her voice trailing off.
"Probably more than a dozen Nimbus 2000's" said Harry.
"So, who would send you that and not leave a note?" She asked him.
"I really don't know, Hermione." He responded, not sure if he really cared or not.
"Harry," she said putting her hand on his which was still on the Firebolt's handle, "I don't think you should ride this broom."
"Why not?" Harry cried, looking at her with wide eyes.
"Because..." she faltered and then spoke back up, "Because I think that broom was sent by Sirius Black."
It was several moments before Harry fully digested what she had said, but then he responded "Come on Hermione, Black's on the run. How could he have gone to Diagon Alley and bought this broom?"
"I don't know but I don't like this." She said, eyes full of conviction and concern, "But Harry, he's after you and intent on murdering you. Who's to say what he could do. He's slipped past the dementors twice now, even entered Hogwarts, so he very well could've gotten into Diagon Alley."
Harry sat down and stared at the beautiful broomstick hovering before him. He didn't want to believe her, he wanted to climb onto it and fly off right now, but he was starting to realize deep down that she might have a point. It was painful but she had accepted him when she found him, had helped him and even given him some clothes. He also recognized his own tendency to throw caution to the wind. Finally, he sighed and looked at her. "So, what do you want me to do Hermione, throw it away?"
"Of course not" She said looking relieved that he seemed to be accepting what she was saying, "But we should take it to a teacher, like Professor McGonagall."
The rest of Harry's presents were somewhat anti-climactic after the Firebolt and soon Hermione had gone back to her dormitory to change for breakfast. Harry debated wearing his bra under his new sweater but was afraid that the sharp-eyed Professor McGonagall might notice and decided against it. Fifteen minutes later he met Hermione at the bottom of the stairs and they left for the Great Hall, Harry carrying the firebolt over his shoulder feeling like a soldier on his way to a firing party.
When they got to the Great Hall and found that it was almost deserted except for a few professors and they bypassed the Gryffindor table and making for the top of the hall. Professor McGonagall was sitting at the staff table next to the headmaster's empty chair, reading a copy of the daily prophet over her eggs, and was surprised to see them approaching her. Her eyes went even wider when she took in what was on Harry's shoulder. Madam Hooch who was also at the table saw it and got up to come get a closer look.
"Potter, what is that?" Professor McGonagall said, loud enough for everyone in the empty hall to hear and look around.
"A Firebolt, Professor. It was sent to me as a Christmas present," Harry replied with a heavy heart, "But there was no note."
"No note? So, you have no idea who sent this to you Potter." said Professor McGonagall, arching an eyebrow
"No, Professor. And after what you told me a few weeks ago about Sirius Black, I…" he paused and looked at Hermione, "We thought it was safer to bring it to you for inspection before riding it."
Professor McGonagall gave them both a very piercing gaze and Harry was sure she could see what he'd left unsaid about who's idea this was. "Well Potter, I'm glad you brought this too me. I'm sorry to say that I agree with you and I'm afraid I'll have to take this from you."
"W-what?" asked Harry
"It'll need to be checked for hexes and curses" Professor McGonagall replied, looking at Madam Hooch, "How long do you think it will take you and Professor Flitwick to strip this down and check it thoroughly?"
"A few weeks possibly, but" Madam Hooch replied, looking at Harry's shocked and downcast face, "Don't worry Potter, we'll be sure to take excellent care of it and if it checks out you won't even know we've done anything to it."
She held out her hand for the Firebolt and Harry, with some trepidation, gave it up to her.
"You may both go eat now" said Professor McGonagall, who watched them go before returning to her paper.
Harry and Hermione ate quickly, neither of them feeling very hungry before heading back to Gryffindor Tower. Hermione helped Harry get transformed but it took a while before he came out of the funk from losing his new broom. Hermione pulled out a copy of Witch Weekly she had found on Pavarti's bedside, and they two had a good laugh taking the "Discover your secret type" quiz. Harry as it turned out was destined to fall for the outdoorsy, devil may care type, while Hermione's answers revealed that she liked athletes.
When they were done Harry put the magazine on the growing stack next to his bed. Between what he and Hermione had found scattered around the common room, and Hermione raiding her dormitory for old copies, Harry now had almost a dozen editions. The rest of the morning was spent laughing about who they thought would fit their "types." Hermione said that Fred or George would certainly be wild enough for Harry, who shook his head and rolled his eyes. He suggested that Hermione would be perfect with a Quidditch player, causing her to go bright red. It took a little pushing but finally he got her to admit that she had a small crush on Oliver Wood. When Harry suggested that he could set them up, she responded by throwing a pillow at his face.
At lunch they were both surprised to see that there was only one table instead of the usual house tables. It was looking like the makings of a fabulous lunch until Professor Trelawny came down from her tower to join them, but with her presence there they both decided that after their second helpings sticking around was not what they wanted to do. So, they retreated to Gryffindor Tower and talked until bedtime.
For the remainder of the holiday Harry and Hermione enjoyed having the entire tower to themselves. Hermione ordered Harry a basic make up set by borrowing Hedwig and when it came in two days later, Harry spent all day trying it out, with some horrendous results. Research for the trial continued but they both thought they'd given enough time to it during the break and wanted to relax. In addition. The last day before the rest of the school returned, Hermione decided that she wanted to start trying to study ahead for her many classes, so she spent most of the last days of the break with her nose back in books. Harry, without any other ways to distract himself, eventually copied this behavior and started getting ahead in all of his classes except Divination.
Finally, the last evening before the rest of the school returned came and Harry and Hermione had their last girls session in the boy's dormitory.
"I hope this won't be the last time we get to do this" Harry said as he watched Hermione stuff most of the clothes she had given him into her bag.
"It won't be Harry, but you won't be able to keep this secret with a lot of girls clothes in your trunk" Hermione reasoned.
"I know, you're right. As usual." Harry said with a smirk. She was leaving him the knickers and bras because she didn't want them back, and her old uniform, but was taking back everything else.
"I still want you to use the body wash and hair stuff you've been using. In case you hadn't noticed your hair is behaving a lot more since you've been using them." She replied.
This was true, Harry had noticed it last night. His hair, which for his whole life had stuck out in every direction, was now lying down easier on its own and even letting him comb it into place and staying, for a while anyway.
"How am I supposed to do that?" He asked, "I can't exactly go shower with three pink bottles, not to mention the smell is going to be noticed.
"Don't worry about that" Hermione responded, pulling three bottles out of her bag. "These are your old shampoo bottles I emptied and refilled with what you've been using. And as for the scent, I've done my best to dilute it as much as I can, but you're still going to smell like a girl."
"Aren't the other boys going to notice that and make fun of me for it?" Harry asked not looking forward to that conversation.
"Maybe, but if they do just say you like the scent or something" Hermione said, standing up with all of the clothes in her bag. "Now, I've left you those things, I think you should try and wear them when you can, but keep your secret. When they need to be washed slip them to me and I'll get the back to you clean. I expect when everyone comes back we'll have more trouble finding time to be girls together, but I promise we'll do what we can."
Harry hugged her, but not like a guy hugs a girl, but instead like two girls hugging. "Thank you so much for this Hermione"
"You're welcome Harry" She replied, holding him tight.
Before leaving for the night, she helped him rearrange his trunk to hide what they had taken to call "His other life." One the very bottom they piled his many copies of Witch Weekly, his necklace, clothes, and make up. On top of this this they put an old sweater of Dudley's that he still had which was big enough to cover everything and also wasn't something he'd ever grab on accident to wear. The last thing he needed was Ron or Seamus, who slept on either side of him, to see a that in his trunk.
Falling asleep that night felt wrong in a way to Harry. He realize just how comfortable Hermione's pajamas had been. His old ones felt different, but he wasn't entirely sure how. Not wrong necessarily, but also not right anymore. After kicking and fidgeting for a while he finally drifted off to sleep.