Harry really didn't like going to those annual Ministry Functions held for the end of the War, but he really didn't feel like dealing with the results of offending the Ministry of Magic had he not made an appearance, no matter how abstract. He apparated into the wards of the Ministry and felt the familiar hum of the wards recognizing and recording his magical signature. It was something like those machines Muggles had that would record when someone entered and exited.
He sighed and adjusted his outfit, brushing the long black hair over his shoulder. Harry didn't particularly like being a girl. He preferred his original form with all his bits in the right places, but playing a girl in public was better than being mobbed by hordes of them. Thousands of marriage proposals piled in when it got out that Ginny and he would not be rekindling their relationship after all battles were over. He shrugged. He only had to stay for a few hours, then he could go back home and be with Teddy.
Andromeda passed a couple years ago. The impact of losing so many of those close to her took a toll on her, especially since she had lost her daughter and son-in-law at the same time. The depression just increased after the War causing Andromeda to fall ill and eventually leave Teddy to Harry.
He moved further in to the large hall, settling on a standing beside the large windows. Harry stood in the same spot for nearly three hours, occasionally greeting the strangers that would approach him. Not many, this year. Most likely due to his state of dress, he assumed.
Harry checked the clock that stood in the front of the room and smiled, seeing only another hour before he could head home without seeming impolite to the Ministry. Harry smiled as he spotted a familiar head of blonde hair and made contact with the grey eyes. He waved at Luna as she made her way over.
"Hello, what name are you using tonight, Harry?" She spoke quietly so no one could overhear, but Harry knew they wouldn't look over at the two. After all, the purpose of his disguise was to not get noticed. He supposed dressing the way he was now wasn't helping that fact. The hard rubber heel of the combat boots he wore gave a slight thump as he stepped to give Luna a hug. His skirt brushed against Luna's own eccentric robes as they parted.
"I don't plan on introducing myself to anyone this evening, Luna. But if you must have a name for anyone that might question, Lily Black suits me just fine." He smiled, holding the small female at arms length.
Luna gave her own dreamy smile and nodded. "I see the Wrackspurts haven't come back. This is good news. How is the shop?"
"Perfect. Although, there was a creep earlier almost making me run late, but Orion took care of him nicely," he laughed. Harry chewed the corner of his mouth as he thought back to the customer that stared incessantly at him. For the first hour or so, Harry thought perhaps someone had seen through his disguise and would alert the press, but when the man proceeded to flirt, he relaxed. Harry wasn't against having men flirt with him, he was, after all, bi-sexual. Having no experience with another man did not tell him whether or not he leaned more towards one sex or another.
"That's good, my husband seems to be calling me over now. I'll see you soon, Lily," she kissed him on the cheek and walked over to her husband who was talking to someone who looked official and important.
He settled against the windows again, scanning the crowd for anyone interesting to observe. He felt eyes on him but paid it no mind. After a couple minutes of searching, Harry gave up. Everyone seemed too alike, not like that was any different than any other year. He sighed softly, brushing a hand through the long black hair he had grown used to over the past year.
"And what is a beautiful lady, such as yourself, doing standing by her lonesome on this glorious night?" A baritone voice sounded behind him. It was familiar, but he couldn't seem to pinpoint it. The words made him snicker silently. Oh, I'm as much as a lady as you are, mister, he thought. He spun on his heel with a light smile on his face and briefly eyed the man before him.
Short, platinum hair that probably felt as soft as it looked, piercing grey eyes that showed the true emotions he didn't allow his face to. It was all too familiar to Harry. The dark maroon color of his dress shirt matched his own skirt, Harry noted. The fabric seemed to shimmer in the dim light as the man held out a flute of champagne. "Why, waiting for a handsome man, such as yourself, to grace me with his presence, of course," he responded, hoping he could have something to occupy his mind for the next hour. Harry reached out and took the glass with as much grace as he could muster. The black trousers he wore hung on his hips, fastened in place with a black leather belt decorated with a simple silver buckle.
Draco Malfoy. Oh, how handsome you are, Harry admired. He knew Draco had left for France the year after all the trials were settled, but never knew for what. After the trials, the Malfoy's were able to stay because the threat of Azkaban was not over their heads as Harry had testified for both Narcissa and Draco Malfoy. Lucius Malfoy was let off on six years of house arrest, which would end at the end of this year. He visits the two pure-bloods once a month for tea and to bring any noteworthy news. Harry was glad that Lucius had mellowed out after the first year of house arrest. It would've been difficult to keep visiting had Lucius kept throwing curses at him each time he was in the room. That first year, Harry visited every week. He owed his life to Narcissa, not just because she lied to Voldemort. She had given him the idea of masquerading as a girl rather than just hide.
During one of his visits the second year into Lucius' sentence, the Head of the house confessed he wished he could have given Draco a sister, but at the time they could only care for one child for various reasons. Narcissa knew of Harry's desire to be out of the public's eye and had told Lucius about it. When Lucius mentioned his want of a daughter so many years ago, Narcissa practically jumped at the chance to dress Harry up as a woman. That ordeal had not been successful. Although Harry was not the manliest of men, his broad shoulders and sharp jaw did not match the illusion of delicacy the rest of his slim body in a dress caused. A month later, Narcissa had shoved a vial of some bluish liquid into his hands and told him it would help him appear to be a woman. She instructed him to drink the potion, then imagine what he wanted to look like as he cast the spell that was paired with the potion. In this case, Lucius took it upon himself to cast the spell on the familiar guest. Harry felt the unfamiliar magic wash over him in a tingle. In the next second, Lucius had begun to laugh as Narcissa embraced him fiercely. He caught a flash of light blond hair in the corner of his eye that certainly was not Narcissa's, seeing as it curled at the end into a gentle ringlet. Harry remembered conjuring a mirror and looking at the reflection of what looked to be a young version of Narcissa. Harry received the list of ingredients and instructions along with the spell by owl the week after that eventful day. Ever since, Harry had used the potion any time he needed to be in the Wizarding world.
Harry smiled inwardly at the thought of visiting the elder Malfoys and telling them about the encounter he had with their Heir. He supposed he should owl before hand so as not to run into said heir. Perhaps I should figure out what he does so I know when he wouldn't be home.
Harry conversed lightly with the Malfoy heir for the rest of the night. He found he worked at St. Mungo's as a Potion brewer. They worked from Sunday to Friday, 9 to 3. This Sunday will do nicely, I'll owl when I get home. Mid-morning tea sounds lovely.
When Malfoy had questioned if Harry knew him and why he was speaking so freely if he had, Harry was reminded of the treatment of those who had formerly opposed the winning side. He laughed lightly and responded honestly. "You're Draco Malfoy, of course. I don't care about your past, only your present, and possibly your future. You don't seem like a blood-thirsty Death Eater; you certainly don't smell like one," he laughed. "I've had my fair share of dealings with Death Eaters; I know when people change and only want acceptance from peers." And you certainly have changed, Draco Malfoy. His smile faltered slightly when he caught a flash of familiar copper hair just above Malfoy's shoulder. "Oh, I spy someone that may comment on my being here, looking the way I am," he turned away, glad that the past hour and a half was well spent.
Before he could get any further to the Apparition points, a light touch on his shoulder surprised him, thinking it might have been the person he was trying to avoid. Seeing the blond once more, Harry raised a hand to say goodbye, but the soft, deep voice stopped him. "It was a pleasure to have someone to speak to so amicably. Could we do this again some time?" Harry saw no harm in it and glanced over the blond's shoulder once more before conjuring up a scarp of parchment and a quill. He scratched out the address to his bookstore in Muggle London he mentioned earlier that evening. Handing the parchment to Malfoy, Harry thought it'd be nice to get to know Draco Malfoy as a complete stranger. "Drop by whenever you want to talk." He turned away swiftly, making his way to the Apparition points, not waiting for a response. He apparated in to an alley across the street from 12 Grimmauld Place.
Opening the door of the house, Harry hoped this chance at friendship wouldn't blow up in his face
I hope this chapter made sense; I didn't feel the need to repeat all the dialogue since it was in the previous chapter. I hope you enjoy it.