Disclaimer: I Don't Own Anything to Do With Harry Potter.
Be Who You Always Have Been
Chapter 1: The Girl's Staircase
The Christmas Holiday's were almost over and Ron and Hermione were still not talking after she told Professor McGonagall about the Firebolt Harry received for Christmas. Harry and Ron were playing chess and Hermione was up in her dorm. Harry missed Hermione and didn't know why the argument between her and Ron was even happening. Yes, she went to McGonagall, but that was because she was worried that the broom was sent by Sirius Black and would be dangerous. Surely Ron could understand that.
"You really need to apologize to Hermione, Ron. It wasn't even your broom." said Harry.
"You're mad at her too and you haven't apologized." said Ron.
"Actually I'm not. Hermione was worried that I got the broom from Sirius Black and went to McGonagall. I wish she had come to me with her concerns first, but I appreciate that she cares enough about my safety to have done that." said Harry.
"You never told either of us that. If I knew you weren't mad at her I wouldn't have treated her the way I did." said Ron.
"You never need a reason to treat Hermione badly any other time." said Harry.
Ron was quiet for a bit and Harry thought he was going to be upset for being called out like that, but instead Ron said,
"You're right. I think I owe Hermione a really big apology. So, are you going to tell Hermione that you weren't mad at her and that you understand why she told McGonagall about the broom?"
"I think I will right now." said Harry standing up and heading toward the girl's staircase.
"Harry! I meant after we're finished with the game!" said Ron.
Harry ignored Ron's complaint and continued to the girl's staircase and ran up. Their dorm was at the end of the hall on their side so Harry assumed that it would be the same for the third year girls and walked up to the door at the end of the hall and knocked.
"Hermione, I need to speak with you please." said Harry.
Hermione opened the door.
"Harry! How are you up here?" asked Hermione.
"I came up the stairs." said Harry.
"I can see that, Harry, but how did you come up the stairs. Boys can't come up here. If they do the stairs turn into a slide that takes them back down and sets off an alarm. It's been a feature of the castle since it was built. It's in Hogwarts: A History." said Hermione.
"I don't know. Maybe the spell wore off." said Harry.
"I seriously doubt it since it was placed by the founders, but there's an easy way to find out." said Hermione.
Hermione walked down the hall to the top of the stairs followed by Harry and called down.
"Ron, come here!" called Hermione.
Ron got up and started to go up the stairs, but by the time he got to the fifth step an alarm went off and the stairs turned into a slide and he fell and slid back down. A few of the other girls who were there for the holiday's looked to see who tried to get up the stairs.
"What the hell, Hermione!?" asked Ron.
"We'll be down in a bit and I'll explain." said Hermione.
Hermione pulled Harry back down the hall and into her dorm since Lavender and Parvati were at home.
"See what I mean, Harry?" asked Hermione.
"Then why was I able to come up the stairs?" asked Harry looking a bit worried.
Hermione didn't understand the look on Harry's face. He was worried, but it didn't seem like a worry that he'd be in trouble for being in the girl's dorms.
"I don't really know. I remember reading something in one of my parent's medical texts, but I can't think of it. I'm sure I'll think of it later. Why did you come up here?" asked Hermione.
"I wanted to apologize for being mad at you about the Firebolt. I know you were only looking out for my safety." said Harry.
"I appreciate the apology, Harry, but you weren't mad at me, Ron was." said Hermione.
"I know, but I just miss you hanging out with us. Ron actually admitted that he owes you an apology." said Harry.
Hermione went over to her trunk and started pulling out some books.
"That's interesting, and it'll be really nice if he actually does apologize, but right now I really want to figure out why you were able to come up the girl's stairs. Also you shouldn't have been able to pass into the dorm. Read this, Harry." Said Hermione handing harry her copy of Hogwarts: A History.
As mentioned previously Rowena Ravenclaw was instrumental in the creation of the wards that protect the inhabitants of Hogwarts from both external and internal influences.
When the Founders Houses were built, Rowena placed a protection on the girl's side of each houses dormitories. To this day no male has ever been able to bypass the spells used.
While there are no protections of this kind stopping girls from going to the boy's side, Rowena did place an enchantment that keeps any improper activities from taking place in the boy's dormitory.
"So I really shouldn't have been able to come up here." said Harry.
"That depends." said Hermione buried in another book.
"Depends on what?" asked Harry.
Hermione ignored the question or didn't hear him. She kept reading and occasionally looking at Harry or mumbling to herself.
"Hermione!" said Harry louder.
"Hmm. Oh. What was that, Harry?" asked Hermione.
"I asked you what it depends on. What are you reading?" asked Harry.
"Oh, it's one of my parent's medical texts. It mentions… never mind. What I meant was…" started Hermione trying to buy time.
"Hermione, what were you reading? How could a Muggle medical text be relevant to how I'm sitting here right now?" asked Harry.
"Harry, why do you think you were able to come up the stairs into the girl's dorms?" asked Hermione.
"I don't know, Hermione. Maybe…" started Harry.
"Mr. Potter! What are you doing up here? More importantly how is it that you are up here?" asked Professor McGonagall.
"Professor, please…" started Hermione.
"I asked Mr. Potter a question, Miss Granger. Well, Mr. Potter. I swear, just like your father." said Professor McGonagall.
Harry couldn't take it anymore. He knew exactly why he was able to come up here. The emotions going through him right now and it seemed Hermione was close to figuring it out too. And now Professor McGonagall. It was too much. He got up and started pacing.
"I am nothing like my father, Professor! You see me as this person and you assume you know who I am, but nobody has ever known who I am. Not even me." said Harry.
"Whatever are you talking about, Mr. Potter?" asked Professor McGonagall.
"I'm tired, Professor. I'm tired of hiding who I am. It's second nature to me now." said Harry sitting down on Hermione's bed.
"Professor, may I please have a moment alone with, Harry. I promise this will all be explained." said Hermione.
"I'll be in my office discussing Mr. Weasley's punishment for setting off the alarm on the stairs, Miss Granger. If I don't see you and Mr. Potter there in fifteen minutes you'll both receive a month's detention." said Professor McGonagall.
"Yes, Professor." said Hermione.
Professor McGonagall left and Hermione went and sat next to Harry taking his hand.
"I'm sorry, Harry, but we don't have a lot of time so I'm just going to ask. Harry, are you a boy?" asked Hermione.
Harry froze at the question as it brought back memories from his childhood. Memories he had kept hidden for so long. Harry knew the truth, but nobody would ever listen. All the times she went to Aunt Petunia and Uncle Vernon and told them she was a girl only for them to beat her for her freakishness. Hermione was one of her best friends, but he didn't know if she would understand. It seemed like she would and this was the first time anyone ever asked him that question. Could she tell Hermione the truth and have her understanding and support or would she think she was a freak like the others.
After what felt like several minutes of thought, but was actually only a few seconds Harry answered.
"No." said Harry.
"Ok, Harry, can you tell me why you aren't a boy?" asked Hermione.
"I've known since I was little that everything is wrong about my body. I hate seeing myself when I come out of the shower and that big mirror is there outside. Do you know how hard it is to clean yourself when you can't stand to see or feel what's there?" asked Harry.
"I don't and I'm sorry, Harry." said Hermione.
Hermione saw him cringe at his name and realized this isn't the first time she'd seen him do it.
"You don't like your name do you?" asked Hermione.
"Would you like it, Hermione? Let's go a day of calling you a boy's name and see if you like it. And things are just getting worse, Hermione." said Harry.
"Like what?" asked Hermione.
"Puberty, Hermione. Waking up every morning with it being hard. My voice is also getting lower and it all just reemphasizes to me how wrong it all is." said Harry breaking down crying.
Hermione pulled Harry into a hug.
"I'm so sorry. I wish you didn't have to go through these things. Why did you never tell me or Ron? Or even Professor McGonagall?" asked Hermione.
"I've been hiding this for a long time, Hermione. I couldn't just tell you and Ron and why Professor McGonagall? What good would it be to tell her?" asked Harry.
"Professor McGonagall and Madame Pomfrey for that matter would be able to help you transition if that's what you want. I know the views on transgender people in the muggle world are bad, but the magical world is more progressive on this subject surprisingly. If you'd gone to either of them they'd have told you that if you fell that your body is wrong then that means your magic thinks your body is wrong and if that happens your magical core can fail and if that happens you would die." said Hermione.
"Is this true, Hermione? Can I really change and be the girl, the woman I'm supposed to be and fall in love and have babies and finally be called what I've wanted to be called my whole life?" asked Harry.
"Yes, to all of that. The baby part is only in the magical world as the muggle world is probably decades away from something like that if it ever is possible, but yes you can have everything you need or want, Harry. I'm sorry I keep saying, Harry. Is there a name you'd like to be called instead?" asked Hermione.
"I haven't ever picked one out because I never thought I'd ever get to be my true self." said Harry.
"Well we don't have time right now, but we can work on choosing you a new name after we finish up with Professor McGonagall." said Hermione.
"That would be nice." said Harry.
BWYAHB
Harry and Hermione made it to Professor McGonagall's office just in time.
"Now that you're here, Mr. Weasley informed me that Mr. Potter went upstairs to tell you that he understood the reason for you telling me about the Firebolt and that you told him to come upstairs causing the stairs to activate and the alarm to go off. Is this true, Miss Granger?" asked Professor McGonagall.
"Yes, Professor." said Hermione.
"Why would you tell Mr. Weasley to come up the stairs when you knew he couldn't, Miss Granger?" asked Professor McGonagall.
"Harry had just come up the stairs and knocked on the door. I didn't know how Harry came up, so I called Ron to come up to make sure it wasn't a problem with the spells." said Hermione.
"That makes sense. Which brings me to you, Mr. Potter. How did you get past thousand year old enchantments to get into the girl's dormitories?" asked Professor McGonagall.
Harry looked at Hermione then to Professor McGonagall.
"It's ok, Harry. You can trust her." said Hermione.
"Professor, I was able to get past the enchantments because I am a girl." said Harry.
Ron started laughing.
"Ron, this is serious." scolded Hermione.
"It's a brilliant excuse. I can't wait to tell Fred and George about it." said Ron.
Tears started to form in Harry's eyes. He wasn't going to cry in Professor McGonagall's office in front of everyone so he turned and ran out of the office.
"Ron!" yelled Hermione before running after Harry.
Author's Note: This story is very personal to me. In the first version I tried to balance it between what is real life for a transgender individual and the fantasy of Harry Potter. It ended up becoming more of a femHarry story which is good in it's own right, but not what I was going for. There were a few complainers as far as my terminology. I use the words I use to describe myself. I am a transgender woman. My story might be similar to others, but it might be different as well. How I am doing my transition might be different from another transgender girl's or woman's. My research on things pertain only to what I am doing. I'm not a doctor nor do I claim to know everything about the transgender community. Now Harry in this story is unique to any other transgender individual in that there is actual magic for the transition. In the updated version I'm going to add in some of the side effects and issues I've had since starting my hormone replacement meds. The pairing will still be with Cedric Diggory, but will come about differently and a little later than before. In the end I'm writing this story for me. If you like it read it. If not well thank you for stopping by.