Author's Notes: Again this chapter will jump, skipping Hagrid's return and the lesson on thestrals. I would like to thank everyone who has made it this far in my story. Last night it passed 10K views, which I never expected when I started out. If youre enjoying it, let me know in the reviews.

As always, the world of Harry Potter does not belong to me but J.K. Rowling

Chapter Seven

Once again Heather was in the Room of Requirement, this time wearing a pair of tight pants and low-cut t shirt. The chill of December had pervaded the castle, causing frost to form whenever anyone spoke, and even making the drafty common room uncomfortably chilly. Here, the fire was blazing in the pit before the armchairs, filling the room with warmth. He had just opened his new diary, having finally filled the original one Hermione had gotten him almost two years ago now. His quill scratching, he started to write the first entry in it.

Friday, December 14, 1995

I'm coming to realize that feeling how I feel now as Heather is becoming almost normal. It's almost as if Heather is a charm I can use like a patronus against everything that's going on. As soon as I walk inside this room and become her, all my cares drop away. And even when I'm out there and Harry, dealing with everyone else, Heather is still there giving me strength. Part of me feels bad for not including Hermione and Ginny in this, but I'm afraid if I bring them into this, the magic of the secret might be broken. I do admit though that us moving in here for our girl time would be far more comfortable than Myrtle's bathroom. It's not like I don't think they'd understand or anything, of course they would. I wonder if it would ever be possible to become Heather full time. I can't even begin to imagine how amazing that would be.

The slightest pop from behind him brought Heather back out of his musings. Turning to look for the source of the noise he saw that the mirror which stood between the doors looked different. It took him a moment to realize that it wasn't the same mirror, in fact, it was a mirror he recognized. His breathe catching in his chest, Heather stepped cautiously over towards it, stopping just beyond the point where he would be able to see his reflection. In his first year he had discovered the Mirror of Erised, a powerful magical artifact, and had become addicted to what it had showed him. He'd wondered before where it had ended up after its role in protecting the Sorcerer's Stone was over, and now here it was.

But what had brought it to him, and did he really want to know what it would show? Four years ago, he had seen in it the family that he'd never known, all standing around him and smiling. Would it still show them to him, or had his deepest and greatest desire changed? He was petrified, knowing the attraction that gazing into the mirror had had on him before, and hesitant to give it another opportunity to entrance him.

The room must have thought I needed it, which means that most likely what it would show me is a good thing, right? Heather mused to himself, trying to work up the nerve to step forward. With a surge of willpower, he put out his left foot and creeped up to the mirror. Gazing back at him out of it, green eyes sparkling, was his reflection. It wasn't however the reflection of Heather in a t shirt and pants, but of Harry, in his school robes, a sad expression on his face. After a couple of heartbeats, the image started to change. The reflections features started to shift, not in same way features did after taking Polyjuice potion, like bubbles under your skin, but smoothly as though with an artists brush. His hair extended to his shoulders and grew wavier than it was currently. His face became softer, with higher cheekbones and a rounder chin. Looking down Heather saw that the image's shoulders had dropped and become less prominent, and two mounds had appeared on his chest. The reflection's entire body had become completely female, redistributing what body mass he had into a feminine form. His robes had also changed into a girl's uniform. It only took a moment for the changes to happen, and he could tell that this person staring back at him wasn't him transformed into Heather like he normally did. This was Heather as if he'd become a girl completely. She, for that was what she was, stood slightly taller than Heather did now, with long legs encased in uniform tights. She wasn't stunningly beautiful like some girls were naturally, but in her own way she was gorgeous to him.

Great, he thought to himself, the mirror's showing me my deepest desire is to be a girl, but that's not possible. He stood there taking in every inch of the girl staring back at him, a sense of longing and desire to be her filling his chest. He was just about to tear his eyes away from the mirror, remembering in that instance of its power over him, when the image moved. A hand had dropped out of nowhere onto the girl's arm and it was followed by a man who stood on her right side. It was Sirius, looking less lined and happier than he had when Heather had seen him last. Sirius looked down at the girl standing there, and then at out Heather, an expression of complete approval on his face. After him walked in Hermione, then Ginny and Ron who took up positions around the girl, all of them smiling at Heather. Next came Mr. and Mrs. Weasley, who stood to the girl's left, leaving a gap just behind her. Finally, appearing as if out of the fog, walked the two people Heather had been both hopeful and terrified of seeing. His mother and father stood there, smiling at him from the depths of the mirror, each with a hand on the girl's shoulder. His entire family, the one he knew and loved, stood there facing him, surrounding a girl that used to be him, all of them accepting her for who she was.

Without meaning to Heather stepped back and tripped over her own feet and fell. Landing hard on his rear, he felt tears roll down his cheek. The image had faded the moment he fell, and he didn't get back up for fear of it returning. What he's seen had been so vivid, so clear. For a moment he wanted to break the mirror, in anger for showing him a desire that could never come true, and partly for not wanting to believe that what it had showed him was actually his deepest desire.

It doesn't work that way. Dumbledore himself told you that what it shows you is what you truly want came the now familiar voice from the back of his head. It sounded different this time though. Whenever it had spoken to him before it had been indistinct, barely more than a whisper. Now however it came through strongly, and was obviously a girl's voice.

That's who you want to be. You want to be Heather.

"But I am Heather," he said aloud

But at the same time, you're also still trying to be Harry replied the voice.

It was a long time before Heather could stand. Calming himself he walked back to stand in front of the mirror. Again, his male reflection looked back at him and transformed into a girl, and one by one his family walked in and showed their acceptance of him. Heather stared long into the eyes of each of them, finally coming to rest on the girl's face.

"I do want to be her" he whispered, not daring himself to say the words any louder than that.

Say it louder replied the voice

"I want to be her." Heather repeated, voice cracking with emotion.

Then become her.

Feeling drained, Heather moved back to the chair and collapsed into it. The image of what he had just seen swam in front of his eyes and filled his mind. The warmth of the fire flowed over him, and without even realizing his eyes closed. It was late, midnight having passed hours ago. At first Harry, in his male form, walked down the now familiar dark corridor, willing himself to reach the door at the end of it. He wanted to see what was beyond. But then, as though someone had changed the channel on a television, the dream shifted.

He stood in a hallway, except now it was bright and welcoming. In front of him was a door, much like the one to the Room of Requirement. Upon opening Harry was face to face with a mirror, and it in Heather stood looking back at him. For a moment she just stood there, staring at him, as if waiting. Tentatively Harry reached out his hand and touched the mirror, Heather doing the same until their fingers seemed to meet. The moment they touched Harry felt everything change. He was pulled out of his body into Heather's and was now on the other side of the glass, looking back at Harry. She, for that was how she thought of herself suddenly, tried to make sense of what had just happened when the voice spoke clearer than it ever had before.

It's time to make a choice, Heather. You can keep being Harry Potter and splitting yourself in two, not letting yourself be who truly makes you happy, or embrace the girl who is within you. Up until tonight Heather has always been on the outside, except when you were dressed, but if you let her, she can become who you are. You might still be called Harry and treated like a boy, but inside you will know the truth, and as Heather you can be happy. Truly happy.

"But how can I become her? It's not possible." Heather said to the voice

Anything is possible, Heather. As long as you believe in yourself.

Inside, Heather felt herself accepting the voices words. She was a girl now, even if she didn't know how to make that happen. She knew it wouldn't be easy, but then being Harry Potter hadn't been easy either. It struck her how strange it felt to refer to being Harry in the past tense, as if she truly weren't him anymore.

With a start her eyes snapped open, and for a moment she didn't remember where she was. The room was very warm, or maybe that was just her. Looking at her watch she saw that it was only two hours before she usually got up, and she needed to get back to her bed. Changing back into Harry's pajamas, and mentally forcing himself to refer to himself as a boy again, Harry looked at the map before leaving the room. As expected, the corridors were empty. Halfway along the seventh floor, he stopped and checked it again. With a small thrill he had to do a double take when he found his dot. There, on the map was very clearly written Heather Potter next to a small black circle. Even now, despite that he was thinking of himself as a boy, the map knew the truth. As he climbed into bed that night, he wondered if anything else would change now that he knew who he really was.

When Harry saw Hermione and Ginny at breakfast, he considered telling them everything that had happened. Ron would be gone all day at quidditch practice, leaving Harry with little to do. For once he was caught up on all of his homework. Something in the back of his mind kept him from telling them though. He hadn't completely wrapped his head around the situation yet, or exactly what it all meant, so sharing it might not be the best idea. So, he went with them back to the Common Room and let them talk about the upcoming holidays. Both of them were planning on going home, Hermione and her parents were planning to go skiing in France, while Ginny would most likely be going to the Burrow with the rest of the Weasley's.

That evening was the last D.A. meeting of the year before they all went home for the holidays. Rather than start anything new, Harry reviewed everything they'd covered until that point. A few people grumbled about that but soon spells were flying around the room. It ended up being a short session, and he spent most of with helping Neville with his posture. Out of the corner of his eye he noticed that Cho kept staring at him when she didn't think he was looking. He knew she still liked him and was trying to figure out a way to let her down easy if she ever tried to make a move.

As everyone filed out of the room, he caught sight of her standing in the corner looking at a picture of Cedric that had been fixed near the roster of the D.A. on the wall. Deciding that it would be better to talk to her than to leave her alone, Harry quietly walked up to stand next to her. It wasn't a particularly great picture of Cedric, having been taken just after he got out of the lake after the second task, but it still managed to convey how attractive he had been. Without warning, Cho broke down in tears as he stood there. Harry reached out a comforting hand and rested it on her arm.

"I'm sorry" she gasped out between sobs, "It's just…learning all of this makes me wonder if he knew it."

"Cedric? He did know this stuff, really well. That's how he was able to do so well last year."

"And even still he didn't survive." She said, her sobs intensifying.

"When Voldemort wants to kill you, he does. There's not much you can do to stop him."

"You lived though." She replied, looking at him through red eyes.

"Well, yeah but no one knows how that happened."

"You're a really good teacher Harry." She said, trying to smile at him.

"Thanks Cho."

Quiet fell between them as they looked at each other. Getting herself somewhat under control, Cho looked up and said, "Mistletoe."

An alarm went off in the back of Harry's mind as the implications of that hit him. Slowly Cho took his hand and tried to pull him closer, intent on kissing him, but he pulled away.

"I'm sorry Cho, but I'm not interested in you that way." He said, trying to be kind.

"But you asked me out last year" she said, a hurt expression on her face.

"Yeah, I did. But I'm just not…" he broke off, not sure what to say.

"It really is true then. You don't like girls?" she asked.

For a moment Harry didn't answer, fearing what her reaction would be if he confirmed that.

"No, I don't. I'm really sorry Cho." He said, finally.

Without another word she turned and ran from the room. As he walked to the door to leave, he was sure he could hear her sobs from an empty classroom down the hall. Resolutely he turned and walked the opposite direction, taking the long way back to Gryffindor Tower.