Harry hastily covered his mouth as he yawned widely, lazing languidly in the sun by Fortescues' Ice cream parlour, head resting on Blaise's warm shoulder, recalling the night before. He'd emerged from his toilet cubicle roughly 10 minutes after his panic attack began, only to be pounced on by a positively bouncing Blaise. "About time," he declared, glancing at the wall clock before dashing out, Harry hot on his heals. "We've got to meet Dray in five." Unsatisfied with the pace Harry was taking, Blaise stopped and swung him into his arms, then started running.
"Um Blaise," Harry stuttered, blushing furiously, "couldn't you let me down? I'm sure it'd be easier on you if I walked."
"Nonsense Harmony," Blaise replied. "Were nearly there, and it's best not to keep Dray waiting for… look, there he is!" He quickened his pace and rushed down the front staircase towards pale silver Porsche. Harry buried his burning cheeks into Blaise's jacket. This is so embarrassing. And Malfoy's going to see this too. I'll never live this down.
Draco whistled at the approaching pair. "Damn Blaise, swept another one off her feet already I see. You'll have to teach me how you do that one day."
Laughing, Blaise said "Here, hold this," and before Harry knew what was happening, he was being deposited into a new pair of arms. Flushing furiously, Harry looked up, only to bump noses with Draco, who was peering intensely at him.
"Hmmm." Grey eyes swept over Harry's face. "You seem strangely familiar."
Eyes widening with fright, Harry quickly looked away, watching Blaise rummaging through his jacket pockets by the fountain. Draco's arms reflexively tightened in an attempt to put him at ease. Please, I'm begging you, whoever's listening. Don't let him figure it out.
Harry felt the arms adjust their grip, and a hand gently nudge his chin up. He looked up, only to sweep his gaze to the side once more.
"I'm not sure what it is, but …"
"Found them!" Harry snapped his head around to see Blaise triumphantly holding a set of keys in the air. Thankyou he breathed silently. "Light little thing, isn't she?"
"After seeing her performance at dinner though, it's not hard to see how Harmony stays so thin," Draco replied with a grin, setting Harry down. "You may have fooled your cousin," he addressed Harry with a wink, "but you'll have to do better to fool Blaise and I." He turned back to the chuckling boy. "So, where to Blaise. Your place or mine?"
"Yours, Dray. It's closer, and I can floo to my place from there. Plus, your mothers amazing with transfiguring clothing, and I really doubt my sister will have anything that'll be close to Harmony's size. But I'm driving," he said, jumping into the drivers seat. "Get in already you two, lets go. I can't wait to see your mother playing dress-ups with Harmony." Gulping, Harry slid into the back next to Draco and buckled in, ignoring Blaise's excited prattle, instead focusing his attention once more on the country side.
Barely half an hour later, after Draco had become impatient with Blaise's hooning a the cars top speed, the port key was activated and Harry found himself gawking, standing awkwardly outside of the largest building he'd seen, second only to Hogwarts. He was ushered inside the manor's opulent entry hallway, up the grand staircase and along through the maze like corridors to a large sized parlour. There he was introduced to the ever elegant Mrs Narcissa Malfoy and seated on what must be, in Harry's eyes, a priceless heirloom, politely sipping his Japanese Lime Green Tea while the conversation went on around him. Too soon, he found himself alone with Mrs Malfoy as both Blaise and Draco excused themselves to get ready.
"Miss James," Mrs Malfoy asked, drawing Harry out of his contemplation of the room, "is the tea to your satisfaction?"
"Yes it is, Mrs Malfoy. Thankyou very much," Harry responded, wondering what to make of Draco's mother, who seemed to be light-years away from the snobby woman he'd met at the Quidditch world cup.
Mrs Malfoy smiled in response and set aside her cup. "May I ask, how long have you been friends with my son?"
Harry took a quick sip to calm his nerves, remember, I'm Harmony, then set his own cup aside. "I only met him this evening."
"You only met this evening? At Vincent Crabbe's party?"
Harry nodded, then quickly replied, "yes, that is correct, Mrs Malfoy," as not to appear rude.
"Please, call me Narcissa." Harry faintly smiled in response to Narcissa's. "Draco normally doesn't take a shining to people so quickly, let alone invite them over." She gave Harry a careful, measured look before sipping her tea.
"Yes, it was strange," Harry replied, eager to remove Narcissa's gaze from it's scrutiny of his face. "I got along with both him and Blaise from the get go. I may have only met them a few hours ago, but at times it felt like they've known me for years." Well, that is the truth; at least, they know the 'other' me. "To be honest, during the evening, they were acting almost as protective as my cousin does, if not more so." He blushed at the memory of his rescue, and subsequently from unwanted attention during dinner.
Narcissa chuckled while gracefully rising from her chair. "I can only imagine how my son will be behaving tonight then. I pity any young man wishing to dance with you while both Blaise and Draco are there." Seeing the confused expression gracing Harry's face, Narcissa explained, "It seems that my son sees you, though I may be wrong, as something like the sister he never had. I expect it's much the same for Blaise as well. It really is quite peculiar, how quickly they've considered you family, Harmony. Neither of them usually takes to strangers so quickly." She smiled warmly at the thought, but stopped when she remembered the last person her son had formed such a quick opinion about, which wasn't anywhere as positive. "He normally isn't attracted to girls. Still," she murmured to her self, dismissing all thoughts of that other child from her mind, "there is something about her…"
"Miss James, if you would care to follow me," Narcissa said from the doorway, Harry joining her there after a momentary pause. "My my," she said, taking in Harry's heals and the fact she topped him by a whole head, "you certainly are a petite one, aren't you." Twirling her wand between her fingers, she led the faintly scowling Harry way down yet another series of hallways to an airy lavender and gold room. "We are here, my dear," Narcissa announced, twirling around with a flourish, indicating to a slightly raised marble platform in the rooms centre. Harry nodded and silently made his way over, admiring the beautiful landscape fresco decorating the far wall. Gulping nervously at the sight of Mrs Malfoy twirling her wand again, he lifted his chin slightly and announced that he was ready to begin.
Narcissa smiled before waving her wand, banishing his dress, leaving Harry standing in his rather feminine, lacy peach g-string, matching bra and shoes. Gulping, Harry's eyes flew to the doors, praying that Mrs Malfoy would hurry up and re-dress him before Draco and Blaise were back, or heaven forbid, she discover his not so little secret. However, Narcissa's sharp eyes took in all the details as she quickly crossed the floor, sending locking charms to all the doors on her way.
"Well, this is most unexpected," she chuckled, suddenly understanding her son's behaviour. She conjured a seat for herself, as well as one for the increasingly nervous, recently exposed boy standing in front of her. "Am I correct in assuming that this is your first time?" Harry nodded his head in agreement, the capacity for speech having temporarily left him. "Well done. You've done an excellent job. I would never have guessed at the truth. I am curious though, why?"
This Harry could answer. Taking a deep breath, he replied, "at first it was a case of mistaken identity. My cousin Dudley had somehow implied to Vin that I was a girl. Upon receiving the party invite, it wasn't just the challenge of pulling this off that drew me. It was also the opportunity for anonymity and freedom that I've been longing for. For once, I could truly be my self. Plus," he added, "I saw no problem with being comfortable and looking great at the same time."
Narcissa chuckled along with Harry at his cheeky response. "Dudley. He's the Muggle boxer, right?" Harry nodded affirmative. "Which makes you the poor witch, no, wizard who just lost their Godfather. Correct?" Harry nodded his head once more, wondering where Narcissa was taking this line of questioning.
"Oh My," she gasped, eyes lighting up. "You definitely lead an interesting life, don't you Mr Potter." Harry froze at the use of his surname, internally freaking out. "Please, don't panic," Narcissa said, grabbing Harry's hands in an effort to calm him down. "I'm not going to tell anyone. In fact, I want to help you."
Harry stopped panicking immediately, interested. "Help me? How?" Narcissa smiled and stood up, looking Harry up and down once again.
"You know, you've pretty much covered everything already. Just a few charms and the odd glamour should complete the transformation." She waved her wand in intricate patterns, mumbling furiously under her breath. "There, I think that should suffice. Go ahead, have a look."
Harry rose and looked into the conjured mirror, gasping. His A-cup fake breasts, now charmed, stuck on his chest like a real pair, all soft and bouncy. Poking one slightly, Narcissa chuckled, causing Harry to look up at her. "A simple adhesion spell and quick transfiguration to make them more realistic. I doubt that anyone would ever guess that their not the genuine article now. Plus I've put glamour over your groin area, to prevent any questions coming up." Harry stepped forward and hugged Narcissa, blinking back a few tears.
"Thankyou, Thankyou so very much," he said, stepping back.
"That's not everything yet. I also want you to take this," Narcissa said, smiling as a miniaturised book fell into her palm. "It's a book of Wizarding beauty secrets and glamour spells. It should also contain the spells I've just used." Fighting the tears that once more were threatening to fall and ruin his mascara, Harry placed the book into his handbag as a loud knocking was heard.
"Ah, that would be Draco and Blaise. I'd better let them in now. Don't worry," she added, seeing the look of apprehension cross Harry's features, "you're secrets safe. They'll never know. One word of advice though," she added, raising her wand to unlock the doors, "I'd stick to Draco if I were you. You aren't Blaise's type at all."
"What have the two of you been doing in here," Draco asked, casting an appreciative eye over Harry's skimpily clad form, but glaring suspiciously at his mother.
"Just a bit of girly chat," Narcissa replied, smiling at Draco's evident unspoken approval and attraction to a calm, relaxed, faintly blushing Harry. Boy, she thought, that child is a brilliant actor .If as much of the 'boy-who-lived is a construct as I suspect, then we've all underestimated him, big time.
"Nice nickers there, Harmony," Blaise wolf whistled from the door way, "But you're still too thin. I like my women soft, round and with killer curves." Oh, Harry thought, that's what Narcissa was talking about.
"Excuse me." Harry bought the attention back to himself. "I'd like to get dressed now, if you don't mind. It's kind of drafty in this room, and I'd rather not get cold." Almost instantly, Harry was dolled up in a sky blue ski parka, matching slimline ski pants, white yeti boots, a pink striped beanie and fluffy ear muffs. Sending a swift glare at a grinning Blaise, Harry conjured his own outfit –a tight teal corset, shredded black skirt that fell to mid shin length, thick soled knee high boots, netting gloves and dark makeup.
"Not bad," Draco exclaimed, a glazed look crossing his features at the more gothic, androgynous Harmony standing before him. Smiling once again at Draco's actions, Narcissa changed Harry's outfit, dressing him in a tight pair of jeans complete with diamond detailing and a black bat-winged top displaying a glittery silver cat and the words 'black magic'. His boots, gloves and makeup were left as they were. Two swishes and a flick transformed Harry's hair; dead straight tendrils hanging moodily around his face with the rest pulled up in slightly messy pony tail. Harry quickly changed his clutch's colour to turquoise, stowed his lotus accessories inside and transfigured his spare bobby pins into silver and turquoise bracelets, earrings and a necklace. Watch out Slytherin, here I come. Grinning, Harry gathered Narcissa into another hug.
"My pleasure, Harmony," Narcissa smiled, returning the hug, much to the surprise of the gob smacked Draco and Blaise. They had never seen Narcissa move away from her icy persona so quickly around anyone before. "I'd like to get to know you better, Harmony," Narcissa whispered in his ear. "I hope you don't mind."
"That'd be great," Harry whispered, ending the hug. He smiled happily at the thought. Who would ever have guessed?
"Now dear," Narcissa said to Harry, "I want you to know that you can owl me about anything if you need to, alright?" Harry nodded, grateful that she had provided a legitimate reason for any correspondence. "Draco," she added just before they stepped through the door, "remember to play nice tonight."
Thankyou to everyone who reviewed - I danced for each and every review. Some of you are very perceptive, but then I'm being more than half obvious, aren't I. So raise your glasses and lets hope that the next chapter comes out sooner than this one did. Enjoy!