AN: I'll be alternating viewpoint every chapter, so Hermione was first and now it's Harry. I'd love to hear any feedback! Thanks to everyone who followed and favorited! Please leave reviews, I'd love to hear what you think!

Changing Scenery

Chapter 2: Unexpected

As his insides settled from being squeezed by Apparition, Harry looked around the safe house, checking to make sure it was empty. He gently settled the Veela on the bed and then cast a nonverbal Hominem Revelio and was satisfied when it revealed that there was no one else in the apartment. Out of the corner of his eye, he watched as Hermione steadied herself.

The safe house looked like a muggle hotel room – bland and generic. The walls were painted off-white and a few abstract pieces of art gave the place enough life to seem less like a prison cell. In addition to the bed, there was a dresser, and a seating area with two chairs on either side of a low table. A door on the same wall as the bed led to a bathroom. It looked like all of the other Ministry safe houses Harry had ever seen.

Hermione took a seat in one of the chairs in the seating area and Harry leaned against the back of the other.

"What now?" she asked, glancing at the unconscious Veela.

"Now we try to wake him," Harry said. He walked to the side of the bed. "Renervate," he said firmly, pointing his wand at the Veela.

Hermione watched from her seat, for which Harry was grateful. If the Veela woke upset or angry, he didn't want her in danger, either from the Veela or from himself if he had to prevent the Veela from attacking.

At first nothing happened, but then a soft shushing sound filled the room. Harry realized that it was the sound of the wings flexing and the feathers rustling. He took a step back as the wings flexed, one of them brushing the nearby wall. The wings were bright silver, fading into dark grey near the tips and outer edges. The Veela sat up slowly and blinked, clicking his beak. He looked like he was waking from a deep sleep. All at once he seemed to take in Harry, standing near the foot of the bed, and Hermione sitting across the room.

The Veela leaped to his feet atop the bed, his head just shy of the ceiling and the upper curve of his wings brushing the ceiling. Harry took another step away, sliding his wand into his wrist sheath as he did so to avoid startling the Veela.

The Veela scanned the room, eyes flicking this way and that. After a tense minute, he apparently decided that neither he nor Hermione were a threat and folded his wings along his spine. Harry slowly lowered his hands and took a step forward. He felt Hermione come up behind him.

"I don't think he thinks we're a threat," she said softly, confirming his thought.

"I agree," he murmured. "What do you suggest we do to encourage him to transform back to human?"

"I think we should talk to him – reassure him." Hermione had moved up next to him and he inwardly cursed, wishing she would stay behind him, safe.

She took another step forward, and Harry put a hand on her shoulder to stop her progress. When she looked back at him in confusion, he gave a minute shake of his head.

She shrugged and then looked back at the Veela. "Hello there," she said. "My name is Hermione. This is Harry. You're safe here. If you could transform back so we could talk, that would be really helpful."

Harry wanted to simultaneously roll his eyes and smile. Hermione had spoken so sweetly, like she was coaxing an animal out of hiding instead of placating a stressed, partially-transformed Veela who was definitely more dangerous than they were.

The Veela considered her, clacking its beak and rustling its wings. It tilted its head back and forth as if to say, how?

"You just need to focus on who you are – the human, not the Veela," she said encouragingly. "Think about your parents, or your friends," she suggested. "Maybe your girlfriend, if you have one?"

The Veela seemed to grow upset at the last comment, standing up straighter and flexing its wings.

"Or not a girlfriend. Boyfriend? Lover?" Hermione seemed to be struggling. "Mate?" she said finally.

The Veela seemed to settle. He looked at them for a moment longer before his wings returned to their position tucked against his shoulders. Finally he seemed to focus on something beyond them. Harry waited, tense. He subtly unsheathed his wand. There was no telling who the Veela was; he could be someone dangerous.

Slowly, the beak shrank into a mouth and nose, and the claws shrank back into nails. The wings stayed as they were. When the transformation had finished, a familiar face had replaced the Veela. A very familiar face.

"Malfoy?" Harry exclaimed.

Harry knew he was gaping, but of all the people that Harry considered the Veela could have been, Malfoy hadn't even been on the list.

"You're a Veela?" Harry sputtered.

"It makes sense, really," Hermione said calmly. "The hair, for one thing. It's so much like Fleur's."

Malfoy stared at them for a moment, before elegantly descending from the bed. "Potter, Granger," he sneered. He glanced around. "Where am I?"

Harry stared at him for a moment longer before realizing that he was waiting for a reply. "A Ministry safe house."

"And why am I…here?" he asked, managing to infuse the word with all the disdain that was written on his face.

"We were trying to provide a neutral environment to encourage your transformation," Hermione said matter-of-factly. "Apparently, it worked."

Malfoy looked at her. "No shit, Granger."

Harry ran a hand through his hair. "Look, Malfoy, now that you're…you, again, I have some questions I have to ask you."

Malfoy crossed his arms. "Take it up with my lawyer, Potter."

Harry gave in to the urge to roll his eyes. Not even human for a minute and he was back to being a prat. He was nicer as an unconscious Veela. "Not those kinds of questions, Malfoy. I just want to know how you ended up in that house and I need a statement about what happened to you."

Malfoy raised one pale brow. "No."

Harry gripped his wand tighter before forcing himself to release the tension, lowering his shoulders and blowing out a breath discreetly. "That wasn't a request, Malfoy. This is an official investigation, and you have to provide a statement."

"I repeat, take it up with my lawyer," Malfoy replied, inspecting the nails of one hand.

"Please, Malfoy?" That was Hermione. She had stepped back to stand next to him, and she was looking at Malfoy with those same beseeching eyes that had managed to convince Harry to replace the glasses he'd had since he was eleven.

Malfoy sighed. "I don't know what's so complicated. If you want answers, you'll have to contact my lawyer. Now, I'll be going once you return my wand." He held out an imperious hand.

Harry shook his head. "We don't have it. It wasn't anywhere within the house where we found you."

Malfoy sneered. "Then find it."

"That might be easier to do if you told us what happened!" Harry snapped.

Hermione laid a gentle hand on his arm. "He does have rights, Harry. And a lawyer is one of them."

Malfoy glared at Hermione's hand before moving his glare up to Hermione's face where it transformed into the sneer Harry remembered from Hogwarts. "Ah yes, I'd forgotten that you were the Ministry's beast-wrangler. What an illustrious position."

Hermione didn't take the bait. "You seem to be forgetting that you are one of those beasts, Malfoy."

"I am not a beast," Malfoy snarled.

"Your words, not mine," Hermione said primly, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear.

Harry wanted to grin, but tried to maintain an air of professionalism.

Malfoy turned his attention to Harry, apparently deciding to drop the argument with Hermione. "How long are you going to hold me here, Potter?"

Harry raised his eyebrows. "You're not being held, Malfoy. We brought you here to help you transform." He looked Malfoy up and down, and couldn't help but note that he was lean and fit. And those wings are spectacular. "Now that you have, and we know who you are, you're free to go."

"Good," Malfoy said, nose in the air. Harry waited to see how long it took him to remember that he didn't have a wand and therefore couldn't Apparate.

"If you need any help or advice, my office is always open. You don't even have to talk to me. But we help many…"

"I don't need help, Granger. Or your charity, either," Malfoy interrupted.

"It's not charity," Hermione sniffed. "It's my job."

Malfoy scoffed.

They all stood in awkward silence for a moment.

Finally, Malfoy looked at Harry. "I will need some assistance," he practically choked on the word, "to get home. Since those imbeciles you call Aurors couldn't find my wand."

"If you want help, you might try asking more nicely," Harry said.

Hermione nudged him with her elbow, giving him a disapproving look out of the corner of her eye.

Harry rolled his eyes and held out his arm. "I'll Side-Along you. Where do you want to go?"

Malfoy glanced around. "Is there no Floo?"

"Ministry policy – no Floos in safe houses."

With visible reluctance, Malfoy took hold of Harry's arm. "The Manor, then. You've been there, as I recall."

Harry looked at him calmly, knowing that Malfoy was just trying to rile him up. "Yes. I remember." He looked at Hermione, noting with concern that the mention of the Manor had caused her to pale slightly. "Can you get home okay?"

Hermione smiled at him, some color returning to her face. "Of course. I'll still see you this weekend, right?"

Harry nodded. "Yep." He turned his attention to Malfoy, who looked like he was gritting his teeth. "Ready?"

Malfoy only sneered.

After an exhausting week chasing after Malfoy and having infuriating conversations with the Malfoy's lawyer, Harry was more than ready for a couple days off.

On Sunday at a few minutes after noon, Harry Apparated to a small house in the middle of the wilds of Dartmoor. He knocked on the door, admiring the unique plants which formed what could have been a garden in front of the house. A short, petite blonde girl answered the door.

"Harry!" Luna cried. "How lovely to see you."

Harry smiled and walked in as Luna stepped aside to let him past. "How are you, Luna?"

"Wonderful! The wrackspurts have flown east for the season and the dirigible pear is beginning to blossom," she said brightly.

"That's great, Luna." He followed her into the kitchen, where Hermione was already sitting at the slightly battered table, sipping a cup of tea. "Hi, Hermione."

Hermione smiled. "Hello, Harry. How was the rest of your week?" she asked as he took a seat next to her.

Luna put the kettle on and then sat in the third chair at the table.

"It was much less exciting, although much more frustrating." He ran a hand through his hair. Hermione smirked at him and he knew that the strands were probably sticking up.

"Has Malfoy come in to talk about the investigation?" she asked.

"Of course not," Harry sighed. "He sent his lawyer in the next day and he's been stonewalling. Won't let me anywhere near Malfoy. He says it would 'violate his client's rights.'"

"Is that true?" Luna asked.

"No, as part of an active investigation, he has to give a statement," Harry said. "He just wants to see how long he can drag this out, probably."

"If it helps, I know for a fact that legislation went through a couple years ago that all magical creatures with wizard intelligence and/or consciousness are subject to the same legal process as wizards," Hermione added.

Harry scratched his chin. "Maybe. Malfoy hasn't tried the Veela angle yet, but if he does then I can use that."

"Malfoy is a Veela?" Luna asked.

Harry blushed. "You aren't technically supposed to know that, because it's not public record yet, but yes."

Luna nodded thoughtfully. "It makes sense. I'm surprised we didn't see it before."

The kettle whistled and Luna stood to make a cup of tea for her and Harry.

"It does?" Harry asked, perplexed.

"Well, he does have all the features," Hermione said. "And didn't you say he was looking for some sort of magical creature liaison?"

Harry frowned. "I did, but I certainly didn't realize it had anything to do with him personally. I didn't even know he was a Veela until this week."

"It may not be related to him being a Veela. He really does look like one, though," Hermione said thoughtfully, her chin in her hand. "He could be Fleur's cousin."

"That's true," Luna said, putting a cup in front of him, "But I was thinking of his sexual reputation."

Harry choked on his sip of tea. "I beg your pardon?"

"He was well known at school for his popularity as a sexual partner," Luna stated serenely, taking a sip of her tea.

"I don't recall that," Harry managed to choke out. That wasn't entirely true.

"I'm surprised. You spent so much time studying him and you didn't hear the gossip?" Luna asked.

"That wasn't the kind of gossip I was interested in," Harry said. Not true. "Surely you didn't know about this Hermione?"

Hermione's cheeks turned pink. "He was the subject of rather a lot of conversation in the girls' dorm."

"Merlin, please, no more." Harry shook his head to clear out the images of Malfoy in bed. And of Hermione talking about Malfoy in bed. While in bed. Stop that!

"It's really not unusual to have sexual partners of different genders in the wizarding world, Harry," Luna said. "I didn't think you would find it strange."

Harry avoided making eye contact. "I have no idea why you'd think that I would or wouldn't find it strange."

Luna hmm'd. "As you say. Your head is full of nargles, you know."

"Of course, Luna." Harry buried his discomfort in a large gulp of tea.

Thankfully, the conversation moved in different directions after that. Hermione told Luna about eventually resigning from the Department of Magical Creatures.

Luna tilted her head. "I think you'll find something new to do soon."

Hermione laughed. "I hope so! I hate being bored. And I hate doing paperwork."

Luna smiled dreamily. "I don't think that will be a problem."

"Well, I can't resign yet anyway. I have to finish up Malfoy's case. Since he is a Veela, part of the paperwork falls to me. And I can't finish my paperwork until the Auror's investigation wraps up." Hermione mockingly glared at Harry.

Harry put up his hands. "Blame Malfoy, not me!"

"I can blame both of you," Hermione said smugly.

Luna nodded sagely. "Yes, your threads are intertwined."

Harry frowned. "What does that mean?"

Instead of explaining, Luna said, "I think the gnomes have gotten into the radishes again." She made no move to get up and check.

Harry sighed. Luna wouldn't explain even if it did mean something more than just something about the case. He looked down at his watch and his empty cup.

"I have to go," he said regretfully.

Hermione looked at her own watch. "I do as well. Crookshanks will be getting anxious to be fed."

Harry snorted. "That cat is a menace."

"He is not!"

"Is. I'll see you later." He stood and the other two did as well. "Luna, it was lovely to see you as always." He gave her a hug.

"Mind the threads, Harry," she said.

"I will," he promised, knowing it was easier to agree than debate.

"Luna, we'll get together for lunch sometime this week. Ginny gets back on Tuesday, and I know she'd love to see you," Hermione said, giving Luna a hug.

Luna nodded happily. "It was so nice to see you both." She walked them to the front door.

Harry and Hermione waved goodbye and then Disapparated back to their respective homes.

When he got into work on Monday, Harry was surprised to find a response from his latest letter to Malfoy waiting on his desk. He hadn't expected a reply so soon – he'd sent it off on Friday afternoon before leaving work. He thought Malfoy would put off responding until the middle of the week. He sat at his desk and opened the letter.

Potter,

My lawyer informs me that I have until Friday to provide the Aurors with a statement about the events of last week. I will be there at precisely ten o'clock in the morning on Monday, and I will speak to you. Alone. I will be leaving at precisely eleven o'clock.

Malfoy

Harry grinned. His letter to Malfoy had included an Order of Compliance signed by Robards, the Head Auror, and Kingsley. It appeared that not even the Malfoys were willing to navigate the notoriously bureaucratic and labyrinthine system of appeals necessary to overturn an Order of Compliance. They were issued rarely and the laws surrounding them were incredibly rigid. The only reason Robards and Kingsley had agreed to sign off was the clear necessity of Malfoy's statement in the case.

Harry worked through some of the paperwork for the case while he waited for ten o'clock to roll around. The last form he filled out at a few minutes to ten was the Return of Evidence. After a thorough check of the house, Malfoy's wand had turned up in a hidden compartment beneath the floorboards in a locked and warded room on the first floor. He would give it to Malfoy first thing when he arrived. Maybe then he'll loosen up. Harry snorted. Unlikely.

As his watch ticked to ten, Malfoy appeared in the doorway of his office; Harry had left the door open purposely. He shared the office with Renault, another Auror, but Harry had asked to have the office while interviewing Malfoy and Renault had been more than eager to take an extra break for an hour.

Harry stood. "Malfoy," he greeted shortly.

"Potter." He strolled into the office. He wore a black suit beneath a set of immaculate black robes. His wings were folded along his spine and were set off surprisingly well against the severe black of his robes. He took a seat in front of Harry's desk, spreading his wings slightly as he did so. "You have one hour."

Harry sat as well, trying to keep from staring. "So you said." Opening a drawer, he pulled out Malfoy's wand and then held it out. "But first, I believe this is yours."

Malfoy took it gently. He looked at it with a gaze that was nearly reverent. "Thank you," he said softly, and the seemed to recover himself. "It appears your Aurors are only mostly incompetent."

Harry smiled slightly. "Yes." He selected a fresh piece of parchment from the mass of papers on his desk and a quill from the stand. "And now, if you would please provide your account of the events surrounding your capture and imprisonment."

Harry waited, his quill poised over the parchment.