Disclaimers:

This story uses the universe and characters created by J.K. Rowling. I'm just playing around, no profit made.
The description of dormitories in the Slytherin dungeon has been borrowed from story "Flight of the Thestrals" by GD-7.
The idea of how magical gender change works was first noted in story "Home's the Farthest Way" by ReeraTheRed.
This story was inspired by art "The Other Side" by Lylith (hence the title! Green stands for color of Harry's eyes, not Slytherin robes). Search artisticalley dot org


Chapter 2

The Investigators

"So, let's see if we can find a pattern. Professor Slughorn wants to see us tomorrow and he expects some conclusions. He also said that he will give us a list of psychological questions to work on. So, first the physical changes: as a boy you were taller than average…"

"I am now shorter than I used to be, and lighter. It will get some time getting used to riding my Nimbus. This is very uncomfortable; I actually had to ask Zabini to reach a book from my top shelf. I'll ask the house elves to shift it down."
"That's because women are on average shorter and lighter than men. But you are still taller than an average girl"
"That would explain why this skirt is shorter on me than it is on Pansy. It's quite annoying making sure the hem doesn't ride up to show my knickers."
"Right."

It has been a week since the "transformation" and they were walking along one of the deserted corridors on the second floor. They have been holding their daily "investigator meetings" in a hospital wing as they needed a place with no ears. But since Hufflepuff's latest Quidditch practice, it was no longer empty and they therefore needed a different room.

"Do your recon we could use the library?" Draco broke the silence. It seemed like change of subject was in order.
"Nah, Madame Pince would have a fit if we disrupted her precious silence and, besides, anyone could listen in. What about that corridor on the third floor? I recon it's been deserted since first year."
"Urgh, it's filthy. What about one of the classrooms?"
"We could ask Slughorn to get us a pass. They can't be using all classrooms at all times, although we'll have to stick to this hour." He glanced out the window. "It's nice out"

Draco had to do a double take. It really was nice out.

"Let's go outside, then. Everyone is in class, it will be empty." The words just seemed to spring from Draco's mouth before having enough time to consider the idea. Perhaps it was one of the drawbacks of living in the dungeons, but even as a boy Draco could never pass up the opportunity to lounge on the school lawn. And now, to a girl, the sun was even more tempting.
"Alright".

They reached the marble staircase and descended in silence. When Harry Potter reached the front doors, he pulled the right side open and stood aside to let Draco pass.
Draco froze.
"What are you doing?" Draco asked incredulously.
"Er,.. holding the door for you?"
"What for?"
"Well, it's only polite, see. Has no one taught you manners, Malfoy?" And he had this little smile on his face that was almost like a smirk, but somehow, a playful one. "After you, Miss Malfoy" and he gestured towards the open door while giving a slight bow.

It all happened in a flash and Draco's wand was pressing against his co-investigator's Adam's apple.

"Don't you dare mock me" he hissed.

"Relax", Harry Potter took a step back and raised his hands in a placating gesture. "I wasn't mocking you. You are a girl, and you are a Malfoy, so I called you Miss Malfoy. What's the fuss?"
"Oh".
It was really all Draco could say to that. He felt utterly embarrassed. He pushed his wand back into the pocket and stalked out the door.
"It's rather interesting, don't you think?" Potter has caught up with him. "You look like a girl, but do you still view yourself as a boy?"
"I … " it wasn't becoming of Malfoy to stall, but then his professional side kicked in. It was for the sake of the research, really. "I guess it's a bit confusing. I'm just used to certain things, so it's hard to tell if it's my whole being or just the habit"
"Probably so"
"Erm, sorry for attacking you back there"
"Don't mention it. Just, don't do it again", and he flashed another playful half-smirk.

The rest of the day was no less confusing. It really wasn't that easy being a girl, Draco thought on his way from the library just before curfew. You've got to worry about your skirt riding up, or being blown up by the wind. You need to crouch down rather than bend to pick things up. The book bag seemed heavier, the watch was loose, and there was also the barely concealed terror that Draco Malfoy was going to face menses in no less than three weeks. Oh, yes, Pansy went into fit of giggles when they had their educational meeting about that. But it wasn't all that bad, Draco mused. The doors were held open, and more than once he caught boys' eyes following the hem of his skirt. Quite a few attractive boys at that, even a few from seventh year. Wait a second. Draco stopped.

I notice attractive boys.
I never used to notice that boys were attractive.
Well, of course I knew who was better looking and who needed to be taunted about their messed up hair (that would be Potter, of course), but it was more in the competitive sort of way. But now Draco was actually noticing if a boy was attractive. 'I need to write this down.' Draco thought.

It was way after the curfew when Draco finally stood up and closed the journal. Her right ankle was sore from crouching and her right wrist sore from holding a quill. This new revelation was just too much. 'Must discuss this with Potter before we meet Slughorn tomorrow. This is mind boggling'. And she shook her head as if to clear it.

But when Draco reached the Slytherin common room there was a surprise waiting. Crabbe and Goyle, who didn't quite know how to behave around this new Draco Malfoy for the last week, were sitting around a table nearest to the entrance, their heads together as if in deep conversation. At the sight of Draco entering they jumped up and came to him. For a moment Draco panicked. Crabbe and Goyle were always bigger than him as a boy, being gorilla-like and thick-boned. But now, to a girl, they seemed even more impressive and even intimidating. No wonder everyone was scared of them, standing up behind Draco Malfoy they made quite an impressive sight.

"If Potter is bothering you, you just need to say a word". Goyle started in low growl.Crabbe grunted and nodded, scratching his knuckles lovingly.
"Snape told us you have to meet him an hour a day, and he has no right to hold you past curfew"
Another grunt from Crabbe.
"We'll take care of him tomorrow and he will no longer be able to walk and drag you outside like his lackey lover girl".
This time Crabbe eminated something that was reminiscent of a growl.
"Wait just a minute! What are you two talking about?" Draco interrupted the tirrade. "I wasn't late because of Harry. I had other business to attend to and it is not your place to know what it is!"
Crabbe and Goyle exchanged a worried glance and had identical stunned expressions.

"What?""You just called Potter 'Harry'".
"Well, that's his name, isn't it? And we've got to be civil if we want this stupid investigation to work".
At that Draco turned on her heal and went to her room.

Did she really call him "Harry"? Surely not. They must have overheard. But her musings were cut short when she rounded a corner and met with Theodore Nott slumped against a door into her room.

"Fancy seeing you, Draco dearest. Were you out for a midnight stroll? You know," –and he moved away from a wall in a suggestive way –"I would be very happy to accompany such a lovely lady out for moonlight walk any day".

Before Draco even had a chance to realize what was going on, Nott came very close to her, almost touching her shoulder and she instinctively backed away. Theo Nott was taller than Draco as a boy, and now being a girl, she stood almost half foot shorter and somehow didn't feel very safe."What do you want?" Draco said hastily, while trying to step around Nott in the direction of her room.
"Oh, don't be such a coy, Draco, dearest", Theo smiled and touched her shoulder at which she flinched involuntary, "I hear they will turn you back into a boy before too long. Wouldn't it be wonderful to experience all joys of this body with someone you can trust?" And he gave her an appreciative look-over.
He was tracing tiny circles on Draco's shoulder, and the effect was far from being soothing.
"I'll think about it. And now, if you don't mind, I would like to go to bed. Alone."

Back in the safely of her own room, it finally hit Draco. He may still consider himself a boy out of habit, but others certainly viewed him as a girl, and subsequently, as a target. She will need to find a way to protect herself from unwanted suggestions. But right now, it was too late for that. A good night rest would surely help.