No Choice

Author: Uris

Fandom: Harry Potter

Rating: NC17

Title: No Choice

Pairing: Harry/Draco other pairings later

Warnings: AU, very mild spoilers out of context for Order of the Phoenix

Summary: After returning to England, Harry and Draco realize that they are pawns in Lord Voldemort's game

Archive: yes.

webpage: http://fateordestiny.com/hp.htm

notes: follows Across the Ocean; same universe

Feedback: yes. Tell me what I'm doing right and what I'm doing wrong so I make the story better. uris@fateordestiny.com


No Choice
by Uris


Chapter 1: Back in Hogwarts

Draco insisted that he talk to Headmaster Dumbledore alone. "Luv, I feel uncomfortable enough talking about it." Draco was nearly in tears.

"I'll go to the guest room." Harry blew Draco a kiss. "Headmaster Dumbledore will help you. Don't be afraid to tell him what you know."

"I'll record it." Dumbledore put his arm around Draco in a fatherly way. "No one will know who gave me the information. Son, you have nothing to fear."

"My father thought that I would take the mark but I refused. I heard many meetings at the manor," Draco said. "My father told the others that I didn't have enough magic to matter so Voldemort didn't kill me when I refused to take the mark. The next evening, my mother packed my things. Since then, I feel like my life hangs in the balance."

"Your mother sent you away," Dumbledore said. "She might not be under his power."

"I needed Harry's magic to find the tracking devices in my shoes," Draco said. "She might have had orders to send me away since I couldn't find the tracking devices on my own; it seems that they let me escape too easily. My father could have convinced them that I wasn't much of a wizard and hardly worth their time, but I have my doubts even my father has that much skill in persuasion."

"But they didn't follow you," the headmaster insisted.

"Perhaps, they couldn't track me across the ocean," Draco said. "I don't know the answer. I left England the following evening. What if my parents were able to delay the search for me by a few days? I can't hate them for being under his rule knowing that they may have risked their lives to save me."

"Harry, I'll send Draco to your room when we're finished talking. The house elves will provide for everything you need," Dumbledore said.

"Draco, no one will harm you here," Harry said before leaving Dumbledore's office. Harry walked down the hall until he came to the room that had been prepared for him and Draco.

The house elves had already unpacked Harry and Draco's clothes into the wardrobe and dressers. There was a note on the paperbag with the over ninety thousand pounds that the house elves didn't know what it was and where to put it, but didn't throw it away because it might have been valuable. He would show Hermoine the note the next time he saw her.

Harry started to drink one of the cups of tea that the house elves left. Harry shouldn't have been surprised that it was still warm. He found another note; this one didn't look to be written by Dobby. A long sheet of official looking parchment was attached. It was Harry's marks on his N.E.W.T.s. He didn't have the marks necessary to become an auror, but he wasn't surprised. Advanced Potions had really taken him for a loop, but overall, he did very well on his exams.

As he sipped his tea, Harry heard a knock on the door. "Come in." Harry unlocked the door.

After Hermoine and Ron entered the room, she hugged Harry fiercely. "I'm so glad to see you safe."

"Draco is telling Dumbledore everything that he overheard. Dumbledore agreed to help us. I didn't get the marks necessary to become an Auror, but I'm not surprised."

"What are you going to do?" Ron asked.

"Do they need anyone in Muggle Relations?" Harry asked.

"I've started working there. Harry, the work is rather boring. All I do is file," Ron said.

"They can't tell you all their secrets your first month there," Harry said.

"I'm going to start Auror training," Hermoine said. "My parents rather that I went into healing."

"Ginny hopes to go into healing. I didn't quite have the marks," Ron said.

"Draco and I believe that Muggle Relations is far more important than the Ministry wants us to believe," Harry said. "I'm going to make more contacts in America. They're researching the connection of Christian prophecy and Voldemort's threats. I need to know more about Christian prophecy. I can't help Voldemort bring on the end of the world."

Harry gave Cheryl his aunt's address. He would forward mail to a new address once he had one. He told her that he could also be reached through the school.

"You aren't going to tell us to become Christian," Ron said.

"I don't know enough. Draco is reading a book on Christian prophecy. So far, he says it sounds like nonsense. He doesn't see proof of this Christian God. I suspected that he'll read twenty or more books on the subject and analysed passages of the Christian bible before he decides what meaning it has to muggles," Harry said.

"Does Voldemort believe that he's going to bring the end of the world?" Hermoine asked.

"From the emotions I gather from him, I don't feel that," Harry said.

Dumbledore had taught him Occlumency and he did learn how to keep Voldemort out of his mind. A few lessons with Dumbledore and he had control. Snape's lessons made it worse although Harry knew that wasn't Snape's intent. When Dumbledore started to teach him, he knew that Snape had meant to teach him, but failed since his teaching method was too harsh. Dumbledore had used a more gentle approach and Harry found that he could hypnotize himself without trouble and keeping Voldemort or anyone else out of his mind was cake.

Harry found himself reading other people's minds if he started the process of putting himself under while looking at someone. He accidentally read Dudley mind when he disturbed him while he was in a trace and Aunt Petunia's when she woke him up early one morning. Of course, he would never tell either of them that he found their minds to be exceeding dull and would never intentional read either again.

"I have the most recent issues of the Prophet," Hermoine sat down on one of the two twin beds. "I'm sure that you want to read them."

"What does You-Know-Who want?" Ron looked very uncomfortable when the name, Voldemort, was said outloud.

"Me dead," Harry said, "and control of the Ministry of Magic. He can't become Minister, so I suspect he'll get one of his Death Eaters into power. I wouldn't be surprised if he was already replacing the higher ups with his followers."

Ron's father was Ministry of Magic now that Fudge stepped down. He hoped Arthur Weasley's life wasn't at sake. If Harry could pick a man to be his father, he would pick Mr. Weasley.

Harry couldn't tell Ron or Hermoine how much contact he had with Voldemort. He didn't want to frighten them. The last contacts were pleasant and instead of closing them off when they happened, Harry opened his mind to them, enjoying the sensation. Harry knew that Voldemort might be tricking him so his best option was to try to trick the trickster.

It wouldn't be easy, but Harry couldn't let himself be duped again. The last time cost him Sirius's life. He feared this time might cost Arthur Weasley's life so he had to be very careful. Harry knew what he was up against this time and he hoped that would give him an advantage. Besides, he could plant false information in Voldemort's mind as easily as Voldemort had deceived him.

"And you think Muggle Relations is the answer," Ron said.

Harry nodded. "That is where the power is." Voldemort wanted something in Muggle Relations. He wasn't going to get it for him, but he was going to lead him on as long as possible. He wondered if he was up to tricking the trickster especially since they could talk inside each other's minds. Harry needed to keep the gate open or Voldemort couldn't be caught.

Ron nodded. "I'll get you in. Perhaps, you'll see more than old files."

"Ron, I don't expect to learn all their secrets my first month." Harry hugged Ron.

"What if you can't defeat him?" Ron asked.

"We'll talk about this after Draco joins us," Harry said. "The house elves brought us food."

Harry started to eat some cake. Hogwarts' food was good but it wasn't like something cooked for you with love. He wanted to get a flat in London with Draco. He was happy holding Draco in his arms lying in a bed in his distant cousin's flat. Harry was now back at Hogwarts and would face Voldemort again. Being in a distant land and holding his love in his arms seemed like a dream. Harry enjoyed being no more than a muggle working at a minimum wage job. He wanted the muggle dream of Ozzie and Harriet type life.

"How long are you staying here?" Ron asked.

"We don't know. Since Voldemort wants both Draco and I dead, we have to be careful," Harry lied to his friends. Voldemort had plans for both of Harry and Draco and it would serve him better if he kept it to himself at least for a little while. "Draco is thinking about wearing a disguise and using another name, but since I'm connected to Voldemort through my scar that won't help either of us."

"I'll start my auror training soon," Hermoine said.

"I haven't felt Voldemort's emotions since my fifth year. I don't know if he can still read mine. Since he hasn't made contact with me in anyway, I really don't know." Harry tried not to be frightened by Voldemort's power. If he was honest with himself, he saw into Voldemort's mind rather often. He saw Voldemort kill men, women and children himself and order other to kill in his name.

Harry saw Draco stand up to Voldemort though Voldemort's eyes. Voldemort had laughed at Draco seeing him as a foolish child and allowed Narcissa Malfoy to take the boy to his rooms to think about his decision. Voldemort spared Draco's life because he feared that he would need to use imperius on Lucius if he killed his only heir and without free will his servants were close to useless. Voldemort didn't trust any of his followers even the ones in his inner circle. Harry wonder if that was his clue in defeating him.

Harry concentrated on the memory of the meeting Draco attended. Voldemort thought Draco was attractive. That wasn't exactly it. He thought Draco was beautiful, brave and a worthy prize to any man. Voldemort's ability to read minds was legendary so it would be a surprise that Voldemort knew that Draco was gay even if he never voiced it. More details came into view. He was excited by Pansy at the same meeting until she started to cry for him to spare her little brother's life. He found none of the other Slytherin children interesting in that fashion. He thought they were weak and not worth his time.

Voldemort didn't use only impedius to control the Death Eaters and their families; he used potions. Draco left his father's house the following night. Could Voldemort intended him to leave and visit Harry in America? He didn't see the answer, yet. He did put potions in Draco's and several of the other children's food the next morning. Was Draco under Voldemort's power and didn't know it? Or was the potions that he feed Draco meant to do something completely different? There was so much more that he needed to understand. He wondered why Voldemort was allowing Harry into his memories. What trap was Voldemort playing? Draco had to be a pawn in it.

"According to the prophecy, he's growing in power," Hermoine said.

"I'm not attacking him." Harry needed more information. Since he came back to England, Voldemort was speaking in his mind constantly.

Voldemort was laying a trap. The question Harry had to ask was he going to step in it or not. Harry might be better off stepping in it than avoiding it. Voldemort was feeding him the information. He expected Harry to avoid it so walking into might be the right answer.

"You wait while the world waits in the balance," Hermoine said.

"I can go to the ministry and see if the great Harry Potter can get a waiver for his marks so I can start auror training with you." Harry was that boy that lived; their salvation from Voldemort, but he didn't have the marks to become one of the aurors, a member of the elite group that battled the dark arts.

Harry didn't know if he should make the great effort to become an auror when his marks weren't high enough for consideration. Then, again, maybe the Ministry of Magic would seek him out. Harry Potter enjoyed living as a muggle and didn't want to save the wizard world, having enjoyed the simplicity of going to work everyday and coming home to a hot meal.

"You might," Ron said.

"I want to work in Muggle Relations," Harry said. "The answer is there. I'm certain of it."

If the answer wasn't in the Muggle Relation, researching old files wasn't going to get him in the line of fire of Voldemort. He knew that Voldemort wouldn't rest until he felt the prophecy was fulfilled, but Harry wasn't going to give up his life that easy and at the same time, he was in no hurry to risk his life trying to kill a man that seemed unable to be killed.

Voldemort might have been gaining supporters but it was through fear. Voldemort's empire would fall like Napoleon's, Hitler's and Stalin's. Harry prayed that Voldemort wouldn't take as many lives as Stalin. Harry sat on the bed then laughed to himself. Voldemort was such a powerful wizard while Stalin was just a man. Stalin had been responsible for at least ten million deaths.

Harry wonder if Voldemort's count was even over a hundred. Wizards knew nothing of death and destruction. Muggles like Christopher Columbus caused real genocide. Voldemort spoke of taking over the world, but his crimes were no greater than a muggle crime lord. Harry hoped he didn't educate Voldemort on how the real world worked because if he did, Voldemort would know how fragile and gullible muggles were. Then, again, he could decide that they weren't worth his time.

Draco opened the door. "What are Weasley and Granger doing here?"

"Visiting Harry," Ron said.

Draco shook his head as he walked to the bed. "No one is supposed to know we are here." Draco kicked off his sandals and lain on the bed.

Harry put his hand on Draco's back. "Princess, Hermoine made arrangements for us to meet with Dumbledore."

"She had no right to bring Weasley," Draco stated, sitting up in the bed.

"We're the Three Musketeers," Ron said.

"I'm not going to be D'Artagnan," Draco said. Harry was amazed that Draco knew the reference.

"What did you tell Dumbledore?" Ron asked.

"None of your fucking business." Draco started to eat a pastry and drink some tea.

"I didn't get the marks necessary to become an auror, but Hermoine did. She has passed the interview and psychological exam," Harry said. "Luv, don't you want to look at your marks?"

"They don't matter with a price on my head," Draco said.

Harry kissed Draco's neck. "Ron and Hermoine only want to help."

"I like the hair," Ron said. "It looks better without the gel." Ron looked at Harry who was massaging Draco's neck and shoulders. "You're with the prat." Ron located the piece of parchment addressed to Draco. Ron looked over the marks. "You did well enough to become a healer. Madame Pomfrey says that I could still become a healer if I took a few classes and volunteered at the hospital."

"You should," Harry said. "You should go after your dreams."

"Harry, what are your dreams?" Ron asked.

"I used to dream about playing professional Quidditch." Harry dreamed about having a house and family with Draco lately, but in the dreams, Draco's name was Deirdre and she was definitely a woman. It was better than dreaming about a corridor in the Ministry of Magic night after night just to find out it was all a deception.

Harry knew that Draco was a boy and wasn't going to give him children. He wondered if Voldemort also planted this dream and if he should ask Draco his opinion of such a matter. It was possible that Voldemort was playing with both Harry's and Draco's minds at the same time and he needed to be careful about anything he said to Draco. "Ron, Hermoine, could you excuse us?"

"See you later, Princess," Ron said before leaving.

Draco said in a small voice, "Hermoine, I don't mind if you stay. I could use a lady's opinion."

"You're really afraid," Hermoine said. "I need to tell Ron something then we'll talk." Hermoine returned to the room in a minute. "We can talk in the library."

"I rather not," Draco said.

Harry touched Draco's arm. "Princess, talk to Hermoine. She might have insight that I lack."

Harry wanted to go to the library and think. He thought about looking for a sex change spell for Draco and seeing if Draco would try to give him a black eye for such a suggestion. Harry wasn't in the mood to get a black eye so he would look for muggle history books. Voldemort seemed fascinated with muggle history especially the Second World War. Harry would try to locate books on Stalin and perhaps, a book or two on the Third Reich.

"Draco, we'll be safe at the library," Hermoine said.

"I'll go to the library," Harry said. "Talk to him here."



Chapter 2: Harry Isn't Himself

Hermoine took one of the pastries left by the house elves and sat on the edge of the bed. "Did you have a good time in America?"

"I spent most of it in a flat in Maple Shade, New Jersey. I didn't even get to go to Disney World." Draco drank some tea and smiled at her.

"Did you enjoy your stay? Did you learn anything about muggles?" Hermoine wiped the cream off her face.

"I learned that muggles rely on science and technology instead of magic. I learned about electricity, kitchen appliances and the Internet. I learned how to cook using a recipe and how people live without magic," Draco said. "I realized that I could be something more in the muggle world. I didn't have to be the son of a Death Eater. I'll never call you a mudblood, again."

"You liked the outside world." Hermoine smiled at him.

"It was fascinating." Draco brushed his long hair out of his face. "There are so many opportunities out there. I used to believe muggles were inferior, but now I know that they're just people."

"What did you talk to Dumbledore about? You don't have to tell me," Hermoine said.

"I told him the things I overheard the Death Eaters say. My father threatened to kill me if I didn't join the Death Eaters. I'm his only child, his only heir to his dynasty." His father threatened to kill him when they were in private, but in front of the other Death Eaters, his father wanted Draco's life spared.

Draco knew that his father was disappointed in him and didn't want to kill him but at the same time feared to save himself that he would need to sacrifice Draco. Draco wondered if his father felt helpless to save him from the other Death Eaters and, therefore, told Draco in private that he would kill him so Draco would hide from him and his associates. Draco knew his father had private dealings with the Dark Lord and felt like a pawn passed from his father, to the Dark Lord and now to Harry Potter.

"He won't kill you." Hermoine put her arms around the thin boy. "You're still his son."

Draco lay on the bed, feeling uncomfortable at Hogwarts. Too many wizards were spies for Voldemort. Draco thought he could open up to Hermoine about the cross-dressing but he felt ashamed.

Draco picked up the note attached to his paper bag full of pounds. "Fortunately, Dobby didn't burn the money."

Hermoine touched the bag. "How much do you have?"

"Around 92 thousand.".

"Your mother expects you to buy a house in the muggle world."

"The question is if I should."

Hermoine laughed. "I assume that princess is a term of endearment, not an insult."

"Harry and I are together. His cousin thought I was a poof the moment he set eyes on me." Draco looked at his scores. "I did quite well. Ron is right. I could go into almost anything with these. Do you think I would make a good healer?"

"You would need to be nice to people."

"I have impeccable manners."

Hermoine gave him a knowing smile. "I hope the information you gave Dumbledore saves a few lives."

"Me, too." Draco hugged her briefly.

"I'll tell Harry that we're done talking," Hermoine said.

Harry put his arms around Draco when he returned to the room. "How was your talk with Hermoine?"

"Good. I would like to talk to Hermoine a little longer. Why did she have to bring that git, Weasley?" Draco started to undress.

"They're an item," Harry said.

"What does she see in him?" Draco put his dirty clothes into a laundry bag.

"The normal stuff. He's tall, strong and very handsome. Don't tell me that you aren't taken in by those light brown eyes and that thick red hair that just longs to be touched and all his gorgeous freckles."

"Harry, you slept with him." Draco's mouth fell open.

"No. He's straight. I just like looking at him after Quidditch practice. I can see why Hermoine is taken with him." Harry said, "He has a good job and comes from a nice family. He'll encourage her though her three years of training. Hermoine needs her own personal cheering section."

"You're jealous of her." Draco started to unbutton Harry's shirt kissing his chest between each button.

"Ron may be brilliant when it comes to wizard's chess, but his mind doesn't interest me like yours." Harry licked around Draco's collarbone. "He doesn't hold a candle to you."

"You aren't interested in my mind." Draco pulled Harry's head to his chest.

Harry gently bit on one pink tiny nipple. "You're so lovely, like a vision. Your hair is so fine, soft; it seems to shimmer in the light appearing almost translucent." Harry moved his hand softly over Draco's flat belly and pressed his head into his chest. "Your skin is so fair and so incredibly silky, not coarse, like mine, like you aren't even human but made of finer stuff." Harry moved his hand gently down to touch the blond hairs leading to Draco's genitals. "Words couldn't describe how wonderful your cock tastes and smells to me."

"Sometimes, you don't sound like a boy that will turn eighteen this month. I have trouble believing that you had no sexual experience." Draco tried not to panic, telling himself that Harry didn't mean to frighten him and that Harry had dark secrets that he told no one.

Harry licked the Draco's flat soft belly. "Your skin is so creamy white and smooth to the touch. I want to make love to you forever."

Lord Voldemort was inside Harry's mind but at the same token, Harry must have been inside Lord Voldemort's mind. That was the only answer in how Harry saw things so oddly.

Draco tried not to scream as Harry started to lick around his balls and fondle the perineum with a touch far too gentle and knowledgeable. Harry shouldn't have known how to touch him to make him feel like he was the only person in the universe. Draco closed his eyes as Harry licked the tip of his penis, feeling totally under the spell of Harry's wickedly talented tongue and fingers.

"You taste so good." Harry licked more of it.

Draco closed his eyes tighter. He wondered if Lord Voldemort was bisexual like Harry who claimed no true preference for males or females. Could Lord Voldemort be working through Harry through his sex drive? Harry was such an incredible lover, not rough like an inexperienced boy should be.

If Lord Voldemort was joined with Harry during this intimate experience, then the good part was that Lord Voldemort didn't want him dead. That much was certain. Draco tried to will himself to relax, but the horror that the Dark Lord was controlling Harry in some way popped up in his mind and no matter how talented Harry's tongue and fingers were at the moment, Draco was horrified that he wasn't having sex with an innocent seventeen year old boy but one of the most evil creatures on the planet. Draco chanted to himself that Harry was the one loving him no matter what entity ruled his mind, but it didn't eradicate his fear.

Harry slowly pulled his mouth off Draco's softening cock. "Princess, what is wrong?"

"Harry, you don't seem like yourself." Draco gently moved his hand over Harry's arm, trying not to be overruled by his fear. Harry's technique was far too good for a boy that was a virgin less than a month ago.

In New Jersey, Harry was awkward, but enthusiastic. Their noses bumped, skin was rubbed raw and too many passion marks were visible. Harry was too aggressive, beautifully naïve and desperately wanted to show Draco how much he wanted him. In New Jersey, Harry wanted to pretend they weren't school rivals for seven years and Draco didn't want Harry knowing that he had a crush on him all those years.

Now, Draco felt bewitched by Harry; it was no longer playing out a childhood crush. He felt powerless near Harry, like he was under imperius or a love potion, not that he thought Harry would do either to him. If Voldemort was working in Harry's mind, could he have cast a spell on him when Harry wasn't aware of it? Draco still had his own thoughts as weird as they were so he wasn't totally under imperius, but could he be under a love spell?

Draco feltl like his world revolved around Harry and there was nothing Harry could do or say to change it. Perhaps, he was only in love and there was nothing amiss, but Draco felt like Harry wasn't his childhood rival, but a totally different creature. Draco needed to time to think and all Harry want to do lately was fuck him, no that he didn't enjoy it. The problem was that he enjoyed it so much that he didn't want to think deeper on the matter. Harry, Voldemort, whoever he was, was excellent in bed.

"I can't explain what it was like to be locked in a cupboard with barely enough food and water when I was only four. I don't want to tell you what it was like when Dudley had two bedrooms and I was forced to sleep in a cupboard and do chores like a house elf; however, I didn't know about house elves then." Harry snuggled in Draco.

"What did you know?" Draco asked.

This was Harry talking about his own fears, not a monster. Draco wanted to listen more than anything and provide comfort. Harry's arm laid gently over him as his head lay lightly on the smaller boy's chest. Harry, for a moment, seemed to return to that naïve boy that wanted to put the wizard war behind him. Draco moved a finger lightly through Harry's dark thick hair.

After dreaming about Harry for seven years, Harry wanted to share something personal with him. Hearing Harry talking about his early childhood was more intimate than sex. Harry never opened up about his feelings to anyone; he was always the Boy That Lived.

"My aunt and uncle said that my parents were freaks and they hoped by keeping me weak and hidden that I wouldn't become one, too," Harry said, pressing his head lightly into Draco's cheek like he was holding back tears.

"I only want to primary school because a neighbour discovered me. I wasn't allowed to have friends, not that it mattered. Aunt Petunia or Dudley would make certain that no parent or other child spoke to me. Mostly, I stayed in my cupboard when I wasn't in school. When I wasn't in the cupboard, I cleaned the house. Uncle Vernon beat me on the random occasions never enough that I need to be hospitalised just enough to remind me that I was a freak. Aunt Petunia told the school I was clumsy and the victim of bullies and they never even questioned if Uncle Vernon ever laid a hand on me."

Harry moved his head off Draco's chest and started to stroke Draco's long hair. "As far as the school was concerned, I was a horrible child and they were pillars of the community."

"You aren't that frightened little boy." Draco kissed Harry's cheek.

Great. Draco told himself. Harry is finally opening up and Draco closed the door. Draco knew that the subject was close now; Draco wasn't going to see the vulnerable side of Harry. Harry would be the boy that he needed to be at school, never showing weakness because Voldemort could attack at anytime.

Draco taunted Harry, desiring Harry's friendship, but he didn't realize the stress Harry was under at Hogwarts. The Dark Lord could enter his thoughts and make him see things. Harry had constant nightmares and teachers like Umbridge abused him making the situation much worse. Harry was so exhausted during his fifth year and all these people had these expectations of him.

It couldn't be easy being called crazy in the paper, having constant nightmares, being called a liar, and on top of everything else Harry had been through. Draco, at the same time, was liked by his teachers and had a small band of friends that admired him even if it was only for his name and money.

Draco felt like his world had crashed when his father was named a Death Eater. Draco liked the respect his name brought him and with his father a Death Eater, the respect was gone. However, all Draco's suffering was nothing compared to what Harry had gone through.

"That scared little boy is still part of me," Harry said. "As hard they tried to prevent it, I grew up to be a freak."

"You aren't a freak," Draco insisted. Draco understood the feeling. There were times in his own Hogwarts's career that he came very close to suicide. His mother suffered from depression so he wasn't surprised that he had it too.

Draco was told never to show weakness, to always be the man. What a laugh! Draco was fantasizing about being a girl and was happier than he ever recalled being even though his father and his father's associates had threatened his life.

The strangest part was that Voldemort himself didn't threaten his life like he did to several of his classmates although Draco had interrupted Voldemort several times. He even was struck with crucio that was meant for Pansy's dad three times. Draco had spit at Voldemort, cursed him and Voldemort didn't utter a curse directly to him. Voldemort almost seemed impressed with him.

The next night, his mother told him to leave. Voldemort let him go; it was a trap and Harry was the prey. Did Voldemort put something in his food to make him fall in love with Harry Potter? Was that why he felt like he was under impedius or a love potion? A love potion wouldn't make him feel feminine or would it? Draco didn't know what was happening, but he knew now that Voldemort let him go and he was supposed to bring Harry back to England. It was all an elaborate scheme.

"That is why a few minutes ago you were frightened of me." Harry pushed Draco's hair off his forehead.

"You have much more stress than most people several times your age. I don't know if I'm frightened of you or for you." Draco put his hand on Harry's face and just stroked the stumble on Harry's cheek.

Draco was certain that he was under a love potion and had no choice but to love Harry. But Voldemort could read Draco's mind, he wouldn't have needed to order a love potion for him to fall in love with Harry. That wasn't the answer. Draco had been obsessed with Harry for years so a love potion wasn't necessary just for Draco to bring Harry back to England so Voldemort could reach Harry. There had to be more to the equation. Voldemort needed Draco completely under Harry's power, but why?

"I want to touch you so much and feel you against me," Harry said. "I love you so much. I want you to be a part of me. I love having you cook for me. I loved knowing that you were smiling just for me."

"I didn't allow myself to think at Bob's flat. I went through the motions, wanting to learn as much about muggles as I could as quickly as I could. I didn't mean to fall in love with you. Harry, I've had a crush on you since we met at Madam Malkin's Robes for All Occasions."

"You have." Harry's green eyes seemed to get brighter.

"I used to imagine that you lived in my dorm. That we could talk all night and you were best friends with me, not Weasley," Draco admitted.

Draco hated that his life revolved around Harry when Harry never gave him the time of day. He had to be obnoxious to Harry and his friends so Harry would notice him. Thinking back on it, he was pretty pathetic. "I didn't know why you hated me so."

"You tried to terrify me dressing like a dementor." Harry laughed.

"That was pretty cruel."

"It was sick."

"I agree." Draco kissed Harry's forehead. "I made your life interesting. Merlin, I used to have these dreams about us, but I never thought that I had the smallest chance with you. I was a slimy little Slytherin afraid that someone might discover that I had a horrible crush on the great Harry Potter. I would have died if Crabbe or Goyle even suspected that I was gay."

"They would have no longer provide muscle for you."

"I would have been on the receiving end of that muscle," Draco stated. "Crabbe and Goyle hate pansies." Draco laughed lightly; Pansy hated it when anyone used her name that way. Draco kissed Harry deeply.

"They're probably fucking each other." Harry smiled at Draco.

"No one else would have those ugly fucks." Draco laughed at his own joke.

Draco started to cry. Vincent Crabbe was trying to stand up to Voldemort on the day Lucius begged for his son's life. He didn't believe Vincent's father had enough influence on Voldemort to spare his son's life. If Vincent wasn't killed, he was weakened by imperius and cruciatus and now completely under Voldemort's power. No matter, how pitiful Vincent Crabbe was; he didn't deserve to become one of Voldemort's slaves.

Harry wrapped his arms around Draco and returned the kiss. "Love you. You're so special. You complete me somehow."

"But he's inside your head," Draco said.

"But I'm inside his," Harry said. "I'm not afraid of him. I think we can negotiate a partnership. Another way the prophecy can be read is that when one of us dies the other dies. Our lives might be connected more deeply than either of us wants to believe."

"You move like someone experienced when we make love." Draco wished he was able to take that back. Why did he have to say that? What if Voldemort was inside Harry's head? It didn't matter if he said what he felt out loud or not. Draco had no skill at occlumency and Voldemort and probably Harry were legilimens. Was Harry reading his mind and sending his thoughts back to Voldemort? Did Voldemort have that kind of power? Was Harry under Voldemort's power and didn't know it? There were too many unanswered questions.

"If he is enjoying the sex that I have with you, then he doesn't want you dead." Harry started to lick Draco's ear. "Relax. I only want to make you feel good." Harry nibbled on the earlobe.

"His followers know I was at the meetings. They would be the ones to want me dead," Draco whispered. "I don't fear the Dark Lord himself as much as I fear his crazed followers."

Draco knew his father and mother wanted him to live at all cost; his parents had to be responsible for his escape from England, keeping the Death Eaters from looking until he was safely out of the country. Draco wanted to see his parents again, but he feared being anywhere near Lord Voldemort. He had to believe that Harry would protect him from whatever lied ahead.

Harry planted kisses down Draco's back. "Deirdre, don't cry. Your father will convince them that you aren't important. There are so many spies on both sides and you're just a child." Harry sounded too much like Lord Voldemort at the moment: His voice was too patronising and condescending.

Draco pulled the pillow into his face and closed his eyes. "Harry, you're frightening me."

"All I want to do is love you; you're so precious," Harry whispered into Draco's ear.

Draco relaxed under Harry's kisses and the slow movement of his hands. Lord Voldemort or Harry, the sensation was wonderful. If Lord Voldemort were inside Harry's mind, screaming wouldn't help the situation. Draco opened his legs for him.

Draco moaned lightly as Harry's finger oiled his opening. "Fuck me. I need you inside me." Draco felt himself relax to the slow, gentle touch.

Harry kissed one of Draco's arse cheeks. "Very soon."

Harry's fingertip moved over Draco's crack causing Draco's skin to crawl. Draco didn't know if it was fear or arousal that made him so on edge as felt Harry's finger move lightly over his cock while a finger on the other hand was still grazing his anus. Harry's mouth pressed harder as Harry sucked more than bit down.

Draco felt like he would explode as Harry's fisted his cock moving the loose skin very lightly. "Now, Harry," Draco begged as every cell in his body seemed to beg for release.

Harry didn't give him quick release but his tongue started to lick Draco's arse hole as Harry's hand slowly moved over Draco's shaft. As Draco thought that his mind would explode, Harry greased his bottom more and plunged quickly into him. Draco's hand joined Harry's on his cock and quickly pulled him to release as was Harry inside him.

Draco screamed as Harry backed up, hitting his prostate. As Draco shook in release, Harry hit Draco's prostate over and over again. Draco screamed not knowing if he was feeling pleasure or pain as Harry kept pounding him.



Chapter 3: A Letter

While eating breakfast in their room, Draco received an owl. It was from his father from an undesignated location. "The Dark Lord assures me that you're fine and no harm will come to you." Lucius Malfoy wasn't the type for long letters that was more his wife's style. Narcissa's letters were usually several scrolls in length and made little to no sense. Draco showed the letter to Harry. "My father knows that I'm here."

"Princess, eat your breakfast. There is no point in panicking. No one intends to hurt you." Harry drank his tea and ate his eggs, toast and bacon.

"You looked through the restricted section last night," Draco said.

"Madame Pince gave me a pass for the restricted section; it was very odd. It felt like I was led to certain books." Harry returned to eating. "You're too thin. You need to eat more."

Draco ate some toast and jam. "Harry, she left you alone in the restricted section."

"Not at first. I didn't want to tell her that I was looking for a spell or potion to change your sex." Harry finished his eggs and gulped down his milk.

"Did you find it without her help?" Draco ate his breakfast slowly.

That was very odd; did Harry knew that he was dreaming that he was a girl? Harry wouldn't be reading his mind or would he? The least threatening answer was that Harry was reading his mind; he didn't want to think about the other possibilities. Of course, at the next moment, he did. If Harry wasn't reading his mind, then Voldemort was behind his desire to change sex, but why?

If Lord Voldemort was speaking through Harry, then Voldemort wanted Draco to be a girl. The only logical possibility was that Lord Voldemort wanted him to become a girl so he could bear his child. Draco wasn't about to carry that evil creature's child; he rather die first.

It made sense now why Lord Voldemort didn't want to kill him although he spit at him, cursed him and got in the way of his spells. The Dark Lord had other plans for him; the Dark Lord wanted to make him his wife. It was a compliment that the Dark Lord thought that highly of him.

Draco should have been terrified at the realization, but he wasn't. His emotions were stable. Voldemort had put something in that love potion that controlled his emotions. The bastard wouldn't even let him feel negative emotions. That wasn't completely true; he could feel them but they never lasted more than a few minutes. It was like there was a switch in his mind to turn off any bad feelings.

Draco should have been angry that Voldemort intended to use Harry as a pawn to bring Draco to him. Voldemort wanted Draco to feel feminine because he wanted him to have his children. That had to be the answer.

Draco wanted to be able to scream but he couldn't. The emotions weren't there. Why give him a potion to make him feel feminine? Weren't there plenty of real girls to be had? Making a boy into a girl seemed like a waste of effort. Then, maybe Lord was doing it because he could and it was an elaborate game to see how Draco would react.

It seemed to Draco that if Voldemort gave him a potion to make him feel feminine, i.e. making him see a girl in the mirror, able to multitask. want to carry children inside him and have the emotions that Draco associated with woman, it might have been a game. Perhaps, Lord Voldemort had gave him that potion to see what it would do to effeminate boy just because he was curious to see if such a boy would fight his feminine desires or revel in them. Draco didn't know if he was under such a potion or was his desire to dress and act like a girl simply part of who Draco had always been. Either way, Draco enjoyed his femininity and didn't want to fight it.

"I didn't. I suspect you or Hermoine could find one in a matter of minutes. Your research skills are better than mine. I rather find a book on world history in the muggle section." Harry yawned. "Hermoine is in the next room so you could ask her to accompany you."

"I'm in no danger." Draco started to dress. That was it Lord Voldemort wanted to take Draco as his bride. Harry was pawn as much as Draco was. Was Harry reading Draco's mind and to get the answer?

"A few Death Eater might not have heard, but I believe you're safe here." Harry ate his last piece of toast. "I'm going to find a good book on the recent world history. Hermoine and you always outshined me in potions and I don't want to be in the way."

"Are you Harry or Lord Voldemort?" Draco asked. Stupid question. He was Harry, but Lord Voldemort was in his mind. What he wanted to know if Harry was fighting Lord Voldemort possession of his mind or did he invite him in. He wanted to know what side Harry was on, not that Draco had any power to escape if Harry was working with Lord Voldemort and not against him.

The answer would make itself known soon enough and at least, Draco could prepare himself mentally if Harry and Lord Voldemort were working together. If they were working together, did that mean that Harry won or lost? Did Harry winning or losing have any value to the world? Perhaps, not panicking was good; it gave him more opportunity to think.

"I opened this book and started reading and I felt this awareness," Harry said. "Don't tell Hermoine; she'll believe that Harry lost." Harry crept Draco out speaking about himself in the third person.

"Do you feel like you lost?" Draco asked.

"No. I feel like I have all my questions answered. I feel like all these possibilities have opened. I want to enjoy living," Harry said. "I'm going to the library. After lunch, we'll go to Hogsmeade with our things and apparate to near my aunt and uncle's house. I want them to meet my future bride."

"I'm not a girl," Draco said.

"I have faith that Hermoine and you will find a potion to correct that. If you're finished eating, go speak to her." Harry put on a robe and opened the door. "We'll talk at lunch."

Harry walked out of the room and walked down the long corridor. Draco watched him turn a corner and slip out of his sight.

After getting dressed, Draco walked to the next room and knocked on the door. Hermoine, wearing a periwinkle dressing gown, addressed the door. "Did you sleep well?" she asked.

"Fine. Harry wants us to research something together. Can I come in?" Draco asked. "Where is Weasley?"

"Ron had to be at the Ministry this morning," Hermoine said. "I don't start auror training for two more weeks. The house elves must think we haven't eaten for weeks."

"Harry ate all his food and tried to convince me that I needed to eat all of mine," Draco said.

Hermoine sat in one of the two chairs in the small room. "You're a little thin."

"I'm small-boned. Hermoine, please, try to keep an open mind," Draco said.

"Is something wrong?" Hermoine touched his shoulder.

"Nothing. I've been dressing as a girl for the last two weeks." Draco poured himself some water. "Harry wants me to use a temporary sex change spell when we visit his aunt and uncle."

"That is an awful thing for him to ask." Hermoine put her arms around Draco.

Draco pulled away from her. "I don't need you feel sorry for me because Harry can't tell his family that he's bi. I don't mind doing it for him. So Hermoine, I hear you're good at finding spells and potions in the restricted section."

"Hermoine, not Granger or Mudblood?"

"I told you that I was sorry for calling you a mudblood," Draco said. "It was a horrible thing to call someone."

"Draco, I accept your apology."

Draco wanted Hermoine to call him, Deirdre. He had to leave. He didn't to figure out how much he wanted Hermoine to know. He didn't want to tell her that he suspected he was under Lord Voldemort's influence and there was an elaborate game constructed and he was a mere pawn. .

"I'll be right back." All he knew for certain was that Lord Voldemort wanted him alive for the time being and that he was observing him through his connection in Harry's mind.

"Sure. I can't go to the library in my dressing gown," Hermoine said.

Draco undressed and showered and shaved his legs and under his arms. Draco put on a girdle, a bra and falsies before putting on the sleeveless dress. He fixed the bra straps so they didn't show under the narrow straps of the dress. Draco brushed out his long hair while looking in the mirror.

"My mother wouldn't recognize me," he said to his reflection. Draco slipped his sandals back on.

Draco smiled. Last night, his mind was on Harry and he didn't think that much about himself. He really liked how he looked in girl's clothes. He didn't know what that said about him and at this moment, he really didn't care. He would contemplate it, later.

Draco needed to enjoy the moment; he was terrified of being afraid. So he liked looking at a girl in the mirror, he could live with that. The point was that he was going to live. The letter from his father showed him that Lord Voldemort wanted him to live. He wished he better understood the rules of the game.

Draco wasn't going to dress like a girl. He had control over this desire, at least for the moment.. Lord Voldemort must have planted it in him with the love potion. He removed the dress, bra and girdle and put on his jeans and a red polo shirt. Hermoine wouldn't know that he shaved his armpits and legs. He could pretend that he felt normal. He couldn't stand for Hermoine to laugh at him for something he felt completely beyond his control. He wondered if Lord Voldemort did this to other boys to make them feel weak or was he a special case?



Chapter 4: No Illusion

Draco returned to Hermoine's room. "Can I come in?"

"Grab your school robe and we'll head off to the library. Hopefully Madame Pince won't give us too much trouble about looking in adult books." Hermoine put on her outer robe.

Hermoine was wearing a plain light blue tee shirt dress and nude colour stockings under school Gryffindor robes. Her hair was brushed and held back with hair clips and if Draco wasn't mistaken, she was wearing a touch of makeup. She was a bad looking girl, not that Draco had ever been interested in girls.

"You'll help me."

"I spent the last seven years helping Harry. What is one more time?" Hermoine took his arm. "You didn't decide to cross-dress to hide from the Death Eaters." Hermoine smiled slightly apparently she was trying to lighten the mood.

"I thought that was the reason that I wanted to cross dress at first; most of them are rather stupid. However, I got a letter from my father that Voldemort isn't interested in me and I still want to cross dress." Draco went into the room and put his Slytherin robe over his clothes.

Draco was telling Hermoine too much. He could tell her all that he felt if he could put those feelings into words and maybe she could help him sort it out. Hermoine, unlike Weasley, wouldn't laugh at him being vulnerable and confused. Draco was glad that Ron Weasley had left. He would never be able to talk about his problems in front of the weasel.

"I like being pretty for Harry; Harry likes to tell me that I'm beautiful." It made Draco feel special when Harry said that he was beautiful.. He wanted Hermoine that he was cross-dressing for himself not as a disguise. If he wanted her help, he would need to be honest with her. Let her babble to the weasel as long as he didn't have to listen to Weasley mock him.

"You and Harry." Hermoine smiled slightly.

Draco laughed. "I wanted to be his friend when I was eleven and he chose Weasley over me. I had a crush on him since I saw him at being measured for his first school robes. I wanted his attention all those years at school. If he wouldn't love me, I made sure that he hated me. I wanted to be sure that he thought about me as much as I thought about him."

It was easy opening up to Hermoine than he thought. Draco had always preferred to talk to girls other than boys except for Pansy, but Pansy groped him even after he told her no several times. Perhaps, that was his fault; they were betrothed and he never told her that he was gay. Still no meant no. However, when Pansy kept her hands to herself, he rather enjoyed their conversation. His favourite memories of Slytherin were helping Millicent and a number of the other girls with potions.

Would Hermoine laugh when he said that he felt like a girl in a boy's body? That was how people on the Internet describe the way he felt and his own words seemed to fail him. The people writing on the Internet said that it wasn't necessarily wrong to have those kinds of feelings. Apparently, they cropped up naturally in muggles; therefore, feeling this way could be natural for him and didn't need to result from a potion or spell.

Did he want to believe Lord Voldemort was responsible for this change in his behaviour when the real source was inside himself? If he were a pig like Crabble or Goyle, he would know that it was a spell, but Draco had always seen himself having more in common with his mother than his father. Did it matter if it was a spell or not? Hermoine was better at these philosophical arguments than he was.

"I had a crush on Harry, too." Hermoine smiled slightly.

"I've always known that I liked boys. I've been cross-dressing for a little more than a week and I like how it feels." Hermoine didn't need to know his life history.

Draco had a lot on his mind now that his father no longer threatening to kill him privately. He didn't know if the other Death Eaters wanted him dead for what he overheard. He was a loose end and no one liked loose ends. He had told Dumbledore the locations and names that he overheard. He wondered if that Pansy, Gregory and Vincent were still alive.

He wondered if Voldemort could read Harry's thoughts and if he was truly safe as Harry's consort and future wife. That was a question. He agreed to marry Harry. Did Harry mean it when he asked or was that just words? Draco didn't want to think anymore. He felt like his brain would explode from unanswered questions.

"We want a temporary spell that we'll make you look and sound like a girl. An illusion would be the easiest, but it's hard to maintain and could break down if your personal space is violated."

"An illusion is out. I want to feel it through my body." Draco couldn't explain it but he didn't want to put on an illusion. He wanted Harry to touch him and he wanted the Durleys to see him, not some fancy projection. He wanted to be the girl that they saw, needing to be more than an illusion. He wanted to touch the girl in the mirror and feel her through his pores.

"I used to believe you were this one sided spoilt brat." Hermoine, like Weasley, had parents that loved her. She didn't realise how fortunate she was. Draco had always been jealous of Weasley. He had this large family that loved him dearly and supported him in everything he did. Hermoine was an only child that was praised and respected as an individual. They didn't know what it was like to grow up without love.

Draco would give her a small taste of the abuse he suffered under his father's hand, a man that wanted him to be cold, fearless and uncaring, a man that saw his son as only an heir and not an individual needing praise and affection.

"My father starting using the imperius curse on me when I was just a baby." Draco wondered if was four or five but the curse itself made him uncertain. "He said without it he would have killed me."

Could Hermoine understand the world in which Draco was raised and how he didn't want to be his father's son? His father made him aware of dark magic from the very start. It seeped into his blood and through his veins. It burned into his mind and through his soul. He never uttered a dark curse himself, but he had them cast upon him and knew the power they had on the human spirit..

"Muggle parents do just fine without it and they don't have to lock children in cupboards either." Apparently, Harry had told Hermoine that he had been locked in a cupboard from time to time before he started school at Hogwarts.

Hermoine told Draco about how normal parents raised their children without using curses or physical abuse until they arrived at the large library. Draco was fascinated to learn that abuse like Harry and he had suffered wasn't the norm, but the exception. Hermoine's little talk about childrearing made him feel better about the world in general although it did nothing to tell him if his feminine feelings were created by a spell or did originate inside him.

Hermoine's cheerful words did give him hope that if Harry and he did have children that they wouldn't need to neglect them, curse them or hit them. They could love them the way Hermoine and the Weasley children were loved.

Madame Pince greeted them looking them over with her hawk-like eyes. "Headmaster Dumbledore says that you can use the restricted section. Put all books back on the shelf where you found them. I don't want to see a single book left on a table or otherwise misplaced."

"Understood, Madame," Hermoine said. "We won't damage any books." Hermoine started to gather books on sexual magic. There had to be a spell that changed the sex of a person for only a few days. "Look through these."

"You're mocking me." Draco took the largest book from the pile. He didn't need to talk to Hermoine to get their research done. He didn't want to look like a girl for Harry. He wanted it for himself and his own curiosity. He wanted to feel the girl that he saw in the mirror. He wanted her to be as real as Hermoine. How dare Hermoine mock him? He desperately wanted that pure, innocent looking girl to be real. Hermoine would never understand his hungry.

"No. I can see pleasing Harry means a lot to you."

"I love him. When he is happy, I'm happy. It makes me feel good to do little things for him."

Draco started to read the table of contents; they usually weren't much help in finding a particular potion but it was always a good place to start. It told him a few chapters that definitely wouldn't have the potion he was looking for, but didn't tell him the chapter that would have it. He would thumb through the chapters that such a potion was most likely.

Hermoine thumbed quickly through books like she knew what she was looking for and wasn't going to read anything that wasn't close to her goal. Draco read spells that weren't close to his goal hoping to find more about what he wanted in the process of reading. He wanted to please Harry more than anything. He feared that Hermoine and he would leave the library empty handed and Harry would be disappointed. He couldn't stand for Harry to be disappointed in him and wanted to please Harry with every ounce of his being.

Madame Pince came to the table they were working. "Children, I want all the books back on the shelf were they belong."

"We'll leave the library the way we found it," Draco told the woman that had a face like a harpy.

"Sexual magic," Madame Pince said. "Miss Granger, I'm sure your young man likes you the way you are."

"Please, excuse us," Hermoine said, not looking at the nasty bitter woman.

"Have you found anything interesting?" Draco was rather enjoying reading about spells to make sex better although it had nothing to do with changing his sex from male to female. It was only morning and Harry would understand if they needed all day to find the correct potion. Harry wouldn't want his princess to rush into anything.

Draco wondered if his parents had anything like this book in their own collection. Although sex with Harry was better than he could have ever imagined, the potions in this book had him intrigued. There was more to sexual magic than he imagined.

"Stuff to increase penis size and stamina. On the female side, there are potions that make the breasts firmer or change their size. Women with large breasts want them smaller and women with small ones want them bigger."

Draco laughed. "Women are never happy with their bodies. There are all these articles on diet on the Internet and in the magazines at the grocery store. Muggles are bombarded with ads to buy items to make them more sexy."

"Very true. Muggles go through many lengths to try to improve their bodies. You would think wizards and witches wouldn't be a vain, but there are potions that alter the body. I found one to make the voice sound sweeter and more feminine." Hermoine looked at Draco. "Professor Snape says it isn't good to tax the body with several potions at once so I need to find something more tailored for your needs."

"True. They could interact with each other in unexpected way," Draco said, recalling when Blaise mixed a hair growth potion and breath freshening potion and started throwing up hairballs.

"I don't expect to find much. Homosexuality was illegal in the wizard community until the 1970's," Hermoine said.

"More reason for a spell to be there." Draco put a piece of parchment in the book he was reading to hold his place. "I could see a man like myself not wanting to spend time in Azkaban using a potion or spell to look like a woman."

"Illusion is easier than what you want."

Draco didn't want an illusion; he could have that with a little makeup and padding. He wanted feel that girl that he saw to his bones. He wanted her to be real; he wanted Harry to have his princess, the angel with soft skin that he described.

"Hermoine, are you sure you know what I want?" Draco moved his hand over the cover of the book. "What have you found?"

"I found one but it wasn't temporary and would make you completely female. It gave a warning that sexual magic was very powerful. I hope to find something a less dangerous."

"And the rest alters one part of the body?" Draco asked.

"Pretty much. Have you found anything interesting?"

"Nothing that makes a man into a woman, but there is so much fascinating magic in this book." Draco twisted a hair between his fingers.

"There are other wizards libraries. I suspect the one at Malfoy Manor has more books on adult magic than this one."

"Perhaps." Draco hadn't looked through his parents' books in a long time. He remembered that he thought they were boring when he was just a little boy and later the ones he found were creepy. He remembered feel weak and disgusted after he read a chapter on blood magic and knew why the Ministry had outlawed it. Blood magic could bind people to oaths and it could make people doing things subconsciously. Blood magic could be used to make love potions as well as slaves of lesser wizards.

After the nightmares that he had from that book, he never looked at his parents' books again. Draco didn't recall if he was ten or eleven when he read that book but it gave him nightmares for years. He couldn't even tell his parents that their magic frightened him so much. Draco never wanted his parents to see him as weak.

Draco didn't want to think about looking at those dark manuals for any kind of information. He didn't want to touch anything evil, wanting to be pure and good and worthy of Harry Potter's devotion. "Let's look at the spell that you found." Draco started to read the long warning before the potion that sex wasn't something one changed casually and if one got pregnant while using it that it would be permanent.

Draco smiled at the idea of having Harry's baby. "We can purchase the ingredients at any apothecary." This was just what he wanted. He moved his hand over his belly and wondered what it would be like to have Harry's baby inside him. He spread out his fingers over his belly trying to imagine Harry's seed causing him to have a child.

He would be the girl in the mirror; there would be no turning back, no illusions. The potion delighted him in its simplicity and permanency. It would make him into a woman in one step and once it was done it would be done. He needed to do it as soon as possible before he thought about it too long. His innocence could be restored in one step; he would no longer be Draco Malfoy, son of a Death Eater.

"You aren't going to apparate to Diagon Alley. That is permanent magic. You're under an enormous amount of stress. There is nothing wrong with being a girl; I've been one for eighteen years, but you weren't born with those parts."

"You're right. I wish there was a photocopier here," Draco said. Madame Pince wouldn't let him take the book for more than overnight. Draco shouldn't use it today. That was too sudden. He needed to hold onto it and be sure that the magic suited him. The magic felt grey to the touch. He couldn't feel evil from the words as he read the spell. It seemed grey like Draco's soul did most of the time without direction or meaning.

Draco's soul didn't feel that way since he left his parents' house. He felt happy, almost euphoric most of the time. His joy at simple things was clouding his reason. He told Hermoine too many of his secrets, things that no one else knew about him. Did the Dark Lord give him several potions at once or was this all coming from inside? Since leaving his parents' house at the end of June, he had felt many strange things.

The smallest things gave him joy. Instead of helping Hermoine research his problem, he was laughing at potions at that were supposed to make ones sex life better, giggling at the weird ingredients and the promises each potion made.

In New Jersey, he loved doing little things: Learning to touch type and to cook gave he incredible joy. That wasn't normal for Draco that took everything too seriously and was always kicking himself for not being good enough. He wanted to find the potion to please Harry, but he didn't feel like hurrying. He didn't want this bliss to end. He hoped it was just a part of growing up and falling in love. People talked about the world seeming brighter when they were in love; his world definitely seemed brighter.

Hermoine scratched her head. "Magic and technology don't always mix."

"It's ink on a page. I wouldn't suggest anyone tries to photocopy the Marauder's Map."

"It was written by hand as were most of these old spells. I think it might be safest to write it out by hand if you want a copy for later use," Hermoine suggested. "As you write, I'll look for something a little less permanent."

"According to the introduction to this spell, I would doubt it." Draco took a clean piece of parchment and a ballpoint pen from his robe pocket.

"Use a quill," Hermoine said. "I've had to suffer with magical methods my whole education."

"Granger, I want to be done in a hour." Draco said, as he wrote with the ballpoint pen.

"The magic might not work if copied by use of technology," Hermoine explained.

Draco used a new piece of parchment, took out his ink and quills. "You're the expert." Why argue with Hermoine? She knew everything. After Draco was writing for what felt like hours, he felt a hand on his shoulder. Draco turned and smiled at Harry.

"There is food in the great hall for us. I'm sure you ladies are starving," Harry said.

Draco wasn't surprised that Harry informed that it was time to eat; Harry's mind seemed to be on two things lately food and sex and not necessarily in that order. Draco closed the book and smiled. The sex would come after the food. Life was good. He would worry if he was under the control of Voldemort later. Right now, he would eat and enjoy Harry's company.



Chapter 5: Magic Is Touchy

Hermoine eventually joined Harry and Draco at the Slytherin table. "Harry, what did you do all morning?"

"I laid by the lake and read a book. Madame Pince had no problem with me checking out a few muggle history books," Harry said. "Princess, you could borrow the book long enough to collect the ingredients and make the potion."

"It's permanent magic and I shouldn't hurry into it," Draco said.

By Merlin, it was hard to contradict Harry even if it was only to inform him of his opinion. It was definitely like being under a mild form of impedius; Harry would have never put a love potion on him. It didn't make any sense. "I'm better off using that charm to alter my voice and an illusion for the rest."

Draco wanted to do the potion that evening but Hermoine was right; it was permanent magic and he shouldn't hurry into it. Draco wanted to feel so much more than he was feeling. He wanted to feel real, honest and beautiful; he wanted the girl in the mirror to be more than an illusion.

"You don't need an illusion; you're quite beautiful as you are," Harry said. "When will you and Hermoine be done your research?"

"Do you have to order him about?" Hermoine put her cup down.

"Moine, the way I treat my fiancée isn't your business," Harry said.

"Harry, you aren't acting like yourself," Hermoine said gently.

"And how is a bloke with a mental connection to a much older, more powerful wizard suppose to act?" Harry said. "Lord Voldemort or Tom Riddle and I have a connection. He isn't as evil as people believe. He has a few followers and all he wants is control over wizard policy in the few countries of the European union. He has no interest in the worthless lives of the billions of muggles that inhabit this planet."

"You can't let him win," Hermoine pleaded.

"All he wants is for me to enjoy life. He spent most of his existence in utter misery. You know his history. He kills me and he could die. The prophecy can be interpreted, as one can't live without the other. Our minds are connected so he feels my pain or my pleasure." Harry refilled his plate.

"Harry might be right. If he can show Lord Voldemort the joy of living, he might stop wanting to destroy people's lives," Draco said. "The connection goes both ways."

Draco wanted Harry to be right more than anything. What a blessing it would be for the war to be over? So many wizards had given their lives on both sides. So many family names were dying or had died. The name Malfoy in England would be gone once he married Potter and took his name. There were Malfoy's in France but his father never had contact with them.

"It's a great risk keeping your mind open to him," Hermoine said.

"I'm unable to lie to him, but he can't deceive me either," Harry said. "I don't want to tell Dumbledore that the war is over yet."

Harry had told Draco that he could deceive Lord Voldemort like Lord Voldemort had deceived him, but he understood why Harry wasn't telling Hermoine the truth. The truth would frighten her and he didn't need her to panic and ruin anything that he was planning.

"You don't think it is?" Hermoine asked.

"Can you imagine that tall, skinny creature taking walks by the lake, cuddling up with a good book, or playing Quidditch with friends?" Harry said. "I need to teach him how to enjoy life."

"If you keep eating like that, you'll look like your cousin," Draco teased as Harry started on his second pudding.

"Eating is pleasure. There is nothing better than a finely prepared meal. Food is life. A meal made with love does more than feed the belly; it feels the soul," Harry said. "Tom needs to learn about all the simple pleasures like an overly sweet pastry and espresso at a café while idly chattering with a friend or lover."

"Tom?" Hermoine asked.

"He had to have friends once. He had to have smiled and played sports with the other boys. Tom, a simple muggle name," Harry said. "I need to get through to him so he can be Tom again. There is so much that needs to be done. The war is far from over. I need to reach into his mind and show him that joy doesn't come from power but from doing. Eating a crème filled cake at a bookshop could be as joyous as scoring that final goal in football." Dean loved football and talked about it for hours. Tom Riddle grew up around muggles and must have played football or rugby as a boy.

"Is Bob fat?" Hermoine asked.

"Not really. Most Americans are a little overweight," Harry said. "He's a charming bloke. If you weren't sweet on Ron, I'd introduce you. He loves history. You two could talk for hours."

"I'm going back to the library." Hermoine left the table after giving Harry a look of disgust.

"I should have been a Slytherin. I've always been more cunning than fearless," Harry said. "Let's go for a walk by the lake and visit Hagrid. You can finish copying the potion later."

"I finish copying the potion then we can enjoy the rest of the afternoon." Draco didn't like Madame Pince looking over his shoulder as he was writing and wanted to be done as soon as possible. "Hermoine says that you can't use a photocopier on spell books."

"The magic won't copy. All you will be left are words. Believe me I've tried. Dean and Hermoine laughed their arses off at me. Apparently, all muggle raised students try it at one point." Harry helped Draco to his feet and kissed him briefly. "I love you so much. When we get to Diagon Alley, I'll buy you an engagement ring."

"After I finish at the library, we'll talk." Draco walked beside Harry toward the library.

Draco felt so weak walking beside Harry like each heartbeat was pounding into his ears and he could feel his blood flow through his arteries and veins. He felt bewitched near Harry. Why would Lord Voldemort give him a love potion to make him fall in love with Harry? It made no sense, but what he was feeling wasn't normal love; he was certain of that now.

"I know that everything seems a little crazy right now, but you have to believe that I love you and I would do nothing to harm you." Harry put his hand on Draco's face.

"Voldemort is crazy. If you opened your mind to him, he could take you down with him," Draco said.

"I'm incredibly sane after all that I've been through. I hope that I can give him back his sanity. I've learned so many games to keep the mind busy." Harry kissed Draco again wrapping his arms around him. "I want to spend the rest of the day with you."

Harry's talk of Voldemort frightened Draco; he didn't want Harry negotiating with the Dark Lord. He wanted Harry safe beside him. Draco couldn't stop Harry from negotiating because the negotiations were happening inside Harry's mind and Harry couldn't run from that.

Harry believed that Lord Voldemort could be soothed if he learned about enjoying himself. It seemed too simple and idealist, but Harry was a boy. Harry wanted the world to be sunrises, cream filled cakes, Quidditch games, and walks by the lake. Harry knew too much about evil and needed to believe in simple pleasures for his own sanity.

Draco finished copying the potion by quill and made sure the ink was completely dry before rolling the parchment. Hermoine said that the magic might be weakened if he used an ink drying spelling. "You just want to make me suffer."

"No. Magic is very touchy," Hermoine said. "I found a spell that isn't an illusion but not permanent."

"Not a potion," Draco said moving his chair closer to hers.

"Perhaps, potions were the wrong place to look." Hermoine showed Draco the spell. "It says it will give you a curvy figure and feminine voice and is guarantee to last exactly one week."

Draco looked at the spell. "It's to be used like glamour on a plain girl."

"It doesn't say that a boy can't use it," Hermoine insisted. "It says it shouldn't be self-applied but spoken by a friend."

"We've never been friends," Draco said.

"We've been getting along swimmingly all summer. We'll do it in my room. Help me put all these books back on the shelves before Madame Pince hexes us for touching her precious books." Hermoine started to shelf all the books that she looked through.

"Say it here. The ink on your arm is smearing. You write on your arm, but you won't let me use a ballpoint pen." Draco smiled at Hermoine. "I'm ready."

"I wrote with a quill and ink." Hermoine uttered the short Latin phrase.

After Draco felt a tingling sensation throughout his body, he put his hand to his chest. "I have breasts. My voice is different."

"The spell is only for a week," Hermoine said.

"I need write down the phrase and I'm not copying it off your arm," Draco said.

Hermoine pulled the book off the shelf and opened it to the page. "Write down the spell."

Draco got a new sheet of parchment.

"I'm going to pack. You and Harry are both bonkers." Hermoine left the library.

Draco wasn't so certain about himself, but Harry was remarkably sane. Draco wrote down the spell with a brief description of what it did. He felt very good although his jeans seemed a little snug in the hips. He had money; they could hit Marks and Spencers and get more clothes before heading to Harry's uncle's house.

Draco waited for the ink to dry but he never had a spell fail because he used an ink-drying spell while hurrying out of class before. Hermoine told him to be careful and he had the time. Draco put the two scrolls with his things. He looked in the mirror. He had the same face although his skin seemed to look a little different. His mouth was smaller and his chin was rounder; it was definitely a woman's face. Draco brushed his hair and plaited it.

Draco undid the robe. Draco felt his breasts under his loose fitting shirt. He didn't feel like looking at them, yet. He moved his hand over the soft round tissue. The texture was like Pansy's remembering when Pansy made him touch hers. Slowly he removed the shirt so he could take a look at them. He felt the urge to pee and knew that he was still a boy where it mattered. He took his jeans and used the toilet; his lad was like it had always been. After using the bathroom, Draco put on the clothes that he didn't put on earlier in the day.

Harry arrived as Draco was putting his dress on. "Princess, I'm just going to undress you."

"We need to talk." Draco sat on the bed.

"Naked." Harry kissed his naked shoulder. "You're so beautiful. I don't think Tom would have turned evil if he had a beautiful blonde in his bed."

"I don't know if I'm me anymore." Draco sat on the edge of the bed.

"Who else would you be? Lord Voldemort spared your life because you're so beautiful. Love is so important." Harry planted kisses on Draco's shoulders.

"You're frightening me." Draco sat up as straight as possible.

"My mind is still my own. He isn't going to make me insane. You shouldn't fear such things. He wants us to be happy. I sent your father an owl. We'll visit him after we visit my family." Harry gently touched Draco's face. "Please, don't cry."

"Hermoine uttered it. According to the spell, it must be uttered by a friend, not a lover," Draco said.

Harry pulled the dress over Draco's head and then unhooked the bra. Harry cupped one of Draco's breasts in his hand. "They are lovely." Harry started to suck on one. "Feel nice."

"Strange. Harry, we shouldn't visit Lord Voldemort and my father. It could be a trap." Draco put his hand gently through Harry's hair.

Harry laid his head in Draco's breast. "I hold the key to Lord Voldemort's sanity. He won't hurt me. Princess, you must not worry. So do you think I should get a job with the Ministry or should I try out for professional Quidditch?"

"We need to talk." Draco wriggled away from Harry's touch. It wasn't like being groped by Pansy; he was gentle and knew just the right way to touch him, but they needed to talk about Lord Voldemort.

"Princess, there are so many things I rather do with my tongue." Harry moved his tongue over Draco's belly. "You taste so good."

"I don't know who you are, but you aren't Harry Potter." Draco opened his eyes and wriggled to get Harry's head off his belly.

"I'm as much myself as I ever been. Turn over. I want to bury my tongue in your arse."

Draco moved his hand over Harry's face. "You're helping Lord Voldemort. You opened your mind to him and he's causing you to feel things. Listen to yourself."

"Lord Voldemort doesn't want to rule himself but help the right people get into power." Harry kissed Draco's forehead. "I can help him or the wizard world can perish."

"Play Quidditch or work in a musty office. Why should Harry Potter care what happens to the rest of us?" What was the point in talking to Harry? Voldemort had infected his mind; the wizard world was doomed be under Voldemort's rule.

"I want to bury my head in your fine ass," Harry insisted. "Can't you lie there and enjoy it?"

"You don't make love like a boy," Draco said.

"And you would like it to be over in fifteen minutes."

"That would be normal." Draco rolled onto his stomach and pushed his head into a pillow.

"Neither of us has ever been normal." Harry started to kiss Draco's bottom.

Draco gasped when he felt Harry's tongue in his arsehole. Draco squirmed as Harry's tongue stroked his tender opening. "Harry, you're killing me."

"I love the way you taste."

Draco gave up on the idea of talking to Harry. His mind was on sex and he wouldn't listen. Boys' minds turned to guacamole when they were aroused. Draco realized that he didn't see himself as a boy. That wasn't what upset him; the part that upset him was that his mind didn't turn to porridge when he was aroused. Was it the spell that Hermoine cast or did something elemental change about him?

"I need you inside me." Draco needed that feel of arousal so strong that he couldn't think about anything else. He wished he had access to the Internet or a muggle library. He needed to know if women and men had differences in their brain structure. Perhaps, it was more than his thinking that changed; could it be the structure of the brain itself? He needed to stop analysing it and enjoy what Harry was doing. There would be time to research later when they returned to London.

"Patience." Harry smacked Draco's bottom lightly.

"Harder; it has to tingle or there is no point."

Harry's open hand hit Draco's arse's cheek with a little more force. "You like that."

"Do I?" Draco allowed his mind to focus on the combination of pain and pleasure that he felt each time Harry's open hand his bottom. If Harry's hand hit right, the burn was incredibly erotic.

As Harry returned to licking, his arse, Draco's mind was only on getting Harry inside him. Harry's tongue was good, but he wanted something harder, longer and wider. "I need you now," Draco begged.

Harry obliged and started pounding Draco fiercely. Draco screamed as each stroke pounded his prostate. Harry was too good at sex, but Draco decided it wasn't the time to complain as waves of intense pleasure hit him.

Harry's hand finally reached over and stroked Draco to completion. They both came within seconds of the others. Harry collapsed against Draco's back and planted small kisses on his back as to say thank you for the great shag.



Chapter 6: Professor Snape and Draco Talk

Draco dressed as Harry returned the couple books that he borrowed from the library. Harry smiled at Draco when he returned. "We should say good-bye to Dumbledore and thank him for his help."

"Sure." Draco didn't feel like facing the Dumbledore the way he looked.

Harry smiled as Dumbledore opened his office door. "Headmaster, thank you for inviting us. Draco's father wrote us and assured us that Draco isn't under any threat. We're on our way to see my aunt and uncle."

"Have you decided on a career?" Dumbledore asked.

"I'm thinking about working for the Ministry," Harry said.

"Very good. Arthur Weasley will help you get in," Dumbledore said. "Mr. Malfoy?"

"Hermoine and Harry think I should become a healer. I'm not sure," Draco said.

"Healing is a very good career choice. Is that an illusion?" Dumbledore asked.

"A week long charm," Draco said. Dumbledore was overly polite and wouldn't say anything else about the way he looked, but Draco still felt very uncomfortable with Dumbledore's eyes looking him over disapprovingly.

"Would you like to use the floo network? The Hogwarts Express won't be running for another month," Dumbledore said.

"Our bags are in our room. We'll apparate or take the floo network from Hogsmeade," Harry said. "I greatly appreciate your help in this matter."

"I'm always willing to help recent graduates. Draco, I'm sure the information you gave me will help the Order," Dumbledore said. "Best of luck to the both of you."

Harry and Draco ran into Snape in the corridor walking back to their room. "Mr. Potter, it's always a pleasure," Professor Snape said. Snape took Draco's hand in his and kissed it dryly. "Miss, what school did you graduate?"

"I was Head Boy last year," Draco said indignantly. He knew he looked different, but Professor Snape should have recognized him.

"Mr. Malfoy, what have you done to yourself?" Snape barked.

"It's only an one week charm," Draco said. "As soon as we leave here, Harry is going to buy me an engagement ring. He asked me to become his wife."

"Excuse us, Mr. Potter. I'd like to talk to my favourite student privately," Professor Snape said.

"I'll pack our things," Harry said.

Snape looked over Draco. "Have you lost your mind?"

"He's Voldemort or Voldemort is he. Their minds are linked. Harry doesn't make love like a boy. He does it like a middle-aged man that can't get enough," Draco whispered.

"And you would know?" Snape sneered.

"I've heard my father make the moves on my mother. My parents don't believe in sex only at night and behind close doors. I've had quite an education." Draco didn't blame his father; his mother was quite a dish.

Snape walked Draco to his office. "So Harry is good in bed?"

"Incredible."

"I rather not know the details. However, that doesn't explain the way you look," Snape said.

"I like it. Harry likes it."

"There is more to life than sex." Snape should talk; the way, he smells no one would go near him.

"I know that. Potter is an intelligent, powerful wizard that just happens to find potions boring that has a great knowledge of history and understanding of muggles. He reads several books a week, but has the nerve to call me a bookworm."

"Do you love him?" Snape asked in a snake-like fashion.

"More than anything." Draco sat on the leather chair in front of Snape's desk. "Voldemort in his attempt to save the wizard population is killing us off. Potter believes that we need to learn from the muggles or no pureblood families will remain. Two of the Weasley clan have married mudbloods; they are the only wizard family in England with many offspring and they can't find purebloods to marry, not that those things are important to Weasleys. Ron Weasley is likely to become engaged to Hermoine Granger. The Longbottom family has only one child remaining and the Black family died out. Many Slytherin families were so focused on the war that they haven't produced children or sacrificed children to the cause. Gregory Goyle, Vincent Crabbe and Pansy Parkinson are all in slaves to Voldemort and not likely to marry. The Dark Lord cares nothing about freeing his servants to marry and have children. Wizards can only become great again in England if we reproduce."

Draco thought about his friends from Slytherin since returning to Hogwarts, but feared writing them since they were now agents of the Dark Lord. He didn't want to risk their lives by writing them since he hadn't taken the dark mark and was on the side of the light. He had told Dumbledore all that he could remember about the Death Eaters without a memory aiding potion. Dumbledore offered to have Snape make him one but he felt bad enough telling Dumbledore as much as he did. He didn't want to put his old friends in danger. He prayed that Dumbledore could save their lives with the information, not harm them. He prayed that all the Slytherin children that were led to the dark could be rescued. He wanted his friends back, as they were innocent and full of love of life.

"And being in a non-reproductive relationship helps," Snape sneered.

"Harry and I will have children. I have in my bag, the formula for a potion that will make me female and it will become permanent once I become pregnant," Draco said proudly. "I intend to have as many children as Molly Weasley. I intend to help free the Slytherin children from the Dark Lord so they can have normal lives. Harry wants to teach him about the simple joys in life so he realizes that he's killing our hope. Sir, do you have a wife and children?"

"No. I've always been too busy to take time off to marry and have a family. I'm not the only one. There are so many of us that have given up hope of having children. Since the war with Voldemort, many wizard families have lost members or stopped having children," Snape agreed. "Some years, nearly half the students in Hogwarts are muggle born. I could examine the potion to see if it is dark. You can't be taking dark permanent magic into yourself even if it is for a good cause."

"Harry and I will test the potion before I use it. I know that dark magic eats ones soul and pollutes everything in one's life. My father has done dark magic to me and I can feel it in my blood like a virus. It multiplies itself a hundred fold and only doing light magic can dissipate it."

"I've worked for Voldemort when I was young and the darkness still flows in me. I try to bring light by teaching and by supporting works toward the light, but the vileness still sits at the pit of my stomach."

"Dumbledore says that most magic is neither light or dark but a meaningless grey." Draco wondered if his father's darkness had ruined him for eternity. Could he ever be a pure as Harry imagined him to be? Would putting the Malfoy name behind him be enough? He wanted to deserve Harry's faith and love. He needed to feel clean and pure. He wanted to be a child of light and no longer darkness.

"What are your plans?"

"I told you that I intend to marry Harry and have a dozen children." Draco crossed his hands on his lap.

"Immediate." Snape leaned forward.

"We're going to visit with Harry's muggle family and then we're going to visit with my father and the Dark Lord," Draco said. "Harry believes he can convince that the Dark Lord that survival of the wizard population, his goal, can only be accomplished through the light."

"I wish you both luck," Snape said.

Draco looked at the calendar on Snape's desk. "Harry's birthday is the thirty-first."

"Today is the fourteenth," Snape said.

"I thought that I would join the Dark Lord like my father after I graduated, but I couldn't bring myself to be a slave. My father preached many times that Malfoys are proud and things of that nature. Voldemort looked at me like I was a common prostitute and the only thing I had of value was my beautiful body. Harry says that he spared my life because he couldn't destroy something so beautiful, like Hitler couldn't burn Paris. I'm more than my body; it is just a shell." Draco stood up from his chair. "Professor Snape, thank you for everything and mostly for believing in me. With the courage that I've seen in you, I was able to say no to the Dark Mark. I saw a number of the Slytherin children cursed because they took my lead. I don't know if they lived or died. I have to believe in Harry because without the light we all will perish."

"By Merlin, may the gods look upon you and bless you," Snape said. "I pray you good fortune." Draco never heard Snape pray before. He must have impressed him.

"My family is pagan, but I was brought up without religion. Harry was raised in the Church of England. His family doesn't truly believe but goes because that is what proper British families do," Draco said. "Harry wants me to learn all I can about Christian prophecy and compare it to pagan prophecy. The best of British." Draco left the dungeon and returned to the room that Harry and he were sharing.

---

All the suitcases were packed and Harry was sitting on a bed when Draco entered. "Do you want to make love one more time before we leave?" Harry asked.

"Harry, is that all you think about," Draco teased.

"No. It's just that you have a beautiful body and I can't get enough of it. I want to lick your cock and suck on your balls," Harry said. "I want to burn my face in your arse."

"After we determine if that potion is light, dark or neither, I'm going to a woman the rest of my life," Draco said.

"Unless it's dark." Harry wrapped his arms around Draco. "I don't want my beautiful angel tarnished by dark magic."

"Then, my lad and bollocks will just be a memory." Draco sat on the bed beside Harry.

"Then, I best enjoy them now." Harry put his hand on Draco's face. "Princess, have you ever wanted to fuck me?"

"Harry, do you want a cock up your arse?"

"You seem to enjoy it." Harry kissed Draco briefly. Harry wanted to bury himself in his love for Draco. He didn't want to be reminded of his link to Voldemort and the nearly constant conversations that took place in his mind. He just wanted to hear Draco breath beside him and know that he was making another human being happy.

"If the magic is grey in a week's time, I won't have one to put up your arse, but you'll have one to put up mine. There is no point in talking about it."

"There are toys." Harry unhooked Draco's outer robe and slipped the dress off Draco's shoulders. "Princess, you don't have to do it next week." Harry shouldn't have suggested that she(he) hurry into it. Harry saw Draco as a woman; no matter what body parts he had. In his mind, Draco was his wife. She was his only light in the darkness.

"I want to have your baby. I want a child born in light. I want us to fill all the houses of Hogwarts with wizard born children. I want the war to be over and wizard families other than the Weasleys to have more than one or two children. Do you know that most of us are only children and worse yet most of our parents were? The worse part is that so many us are caught up in the war that we don't have families at all. In a muggle population, it's meaningless but we're so small that if we don't have more children the old families will be gone and all wizard blood will come from the outside."

"That will get rid of the inbreeding problem." Harry started to kiss Draco's breast. Harry did understand. According to the History of Hogwarts, the bloodlines were important. Harry never researched James Potter's ancestry, but he was sure other students in the class had. Everyone wanted to know where the Boy-That-Lived came from.

"We need multiplication not only addition to be strong. I need to give you children."

Harry put his head against Draco's breast. "We can talk on our way to my family's house in Surrey. We'll take the floo network to Diagon Alley and then take muggle transportation the rest of the way."

"Tonight?"

"We'll go in the morning. Put your clothes back on; we're missing the evening meal." Harry put on his shoes and his outer robes as fast as he could. He hoped that he didn't miss dinner.

"I knew that your stomach would start talking." Draco put his clothes back on as quickly as possible.

"I love your breasts," Harry said.

"I'm more than your sex toy," Draco said.

"I need your counsel more than your body." Harry meant it. He loved hearing Draco talk and he needed his sound advice. Harry needed grounding with Lord Voldemort's crazy ideas in his head all the time.

Lord Voldemort try to deceive him with false images of what he saw. Draco's beauty was a gift, but his counsel was priceless. Without it, Harry would have already lost his fight with Lord Voldemort. With Draco's affection, Harry had the desire to fight the weird imagines in his mind and kept focus on the important stuff like his own beliefs and morals.

Harry opened the door. "Let's get to the Great Hall before the house elves put all the food away."

Draco took his hand in the corridor. "I don't know what you want me to say."

"You're always talking."

"I'm afraid that you'll act too quickly. I want to talk before it's too late."

"We have time. We'll spend a week at my uncle's."

"The charm will expire and I have no friends there. Since the war has started, I have fewer friends."

"I use the charm on your voice and you pad your chest. Princess, you have nothing to worry about. I suspect my relatives won't let me share a bed with a girl. I tell them to give you my bedroom and I'll sleep on the sofa. We can have sex when they are asleep."

His uncle wouldn't let his fiancée use the guest room. That room was for his friends and family. Harry couldn't recall the last time that room was used. Uncle Vernon and Aunt Petunia had that room for show. They wanted people to see that they were rich enough to have a house with rooms that served no true purpose. "No worries."

"Harry, why are we visiting them?"

Harry had no love for the muggle family that raised him. Harry liked to think the Weasley were his family and not the muggles that raised him for eleven years. He could afford to tell Draco the truth. "Princess, Tom killed his muggle family when he turned of age. I want him to see that I mean them no harm. I want Uncle Vernon and Aunt Petunia to understand that I have the power to kill them but I'm going to spare their lives. I need them to understand that one doesn't treat a wizard harshly."

"We won't stay a week. They realize the power that you have they'll be begging you to leave within the day."

Harry said a week because he wanted a little time before he met Voldemort and Draco's father. He doubted that the visit to the Durleys would be more than a couple of hours. He might argue to stay the night just to make a point. He didn't want his Aunt Pentunia or Uncle Vernon feeling that they were able to push him around. He was a great wizard and they were just ordinary muggles. Then again, muggles were able to kill people by the billion with a push of a button and wizard could only kill one person at a time with spell. There were poisons that could kill people faster but muggles and wizard both had access to them.

With all their great powers, muggles had killing machines and wizards were using with the same methods they used for a thousand years. Magic defended wizards from things like bullets, but Harry didn't think that wizards were immune to fire bombs or nuclear weapons. However, one-on-one wizard had the advantage since they were harder to injury and had built in defence mechanisms in dangerous situations. Besides a well-placed spell, not necessarily black, could easily make a muggle's life a living hell indefinitely.

"True. I think they treated me so poorly because they were terrified of me and other so called freaks." Harry lightly jogged in the corridor. Harry turned to see Draco continuing walking a steady fast pace to the Great Hall. Harry was sitting at the end of the Slytherin table like he belonged in Slytherin and not Gryffindor.

About half the staff was eating at the faculty table apparently most of them stayed during the summer. Did any of them have families and loved ones outside Hogwarts? Harry looked at Draco. "Do you think that Dumbledore would hire me to teach Defence of the Dark Arts class? I wonder if they could house us here. I've never seen any spouses or children living here."

"It's a cursed position," Draco said, as he started to eat.

"I think I would do a wonderful job teaching it." Harry could have more influence as a teacher in Hogwarts than an employee at the Ministry. He had taught defence to his classmates for three years, giving him more experience than a teacher off the street.

Harry knew that defence was more than spells or charms; it was being able to think faster than your opponent and anticipating your opponent's moves. He could give students insight that the other teachers lacked and unlike Snape, he had a friendly demeanour and students were more likely to ask him questions.

"Harry, I can never keep up with you." Draco ate his food slowly.

"Don't you think I would be brilliant?" Harry ate quickly stuffing food in his mouth. Lord Voldemort was back in his head, taking pleasure in Harry's eating. Perhaps, it was because he didn't get enough to eat as a small child or just that he was a growing boy, but Harry took enormous pleasure in eating. Then, again, it could just be that he had to eat so he might as well go it with gusto. There was no point in not enjoying the details.

"Better than any of the teacher we had."

"Except Moody. Lupin would have been a good teacher if didn't have to disappear a few days every month," Harry said. Then again, Moody wasn't Moody but Crouch. They never had the real Moody as a teacher. "It isn't like he asked to be a werewolf."

"Umbridge was boring," Draco said, "and she didn't teach anything and all those rules."

"She was mean," Harry said. "I didn't understand why she did it. It was like she hated all of us."

Umbridge had them read from the book because she couldn't teach. Harry didn't want to think about the abuse he suffered due to her. She ordered dementors after him during the summer between his fourth and fifth year to get him expel in order to silence him.

The Ministry was more concerned in keeping the status quo than caring to learn the truth. They wanted to discredit Headmaster Dumbledore for believing in Harry Potter and deny that any of their outstanding citizens could be Death Eaters. After the arrest of the several Death Eaters, the Ministry had to admit there was a threat.

"She's an administrator. She had no business teaching," Draco said.

"She did like posting rules all over the school." Harry laughed. "Princess, why did you obey her?"

"Because she was in power. Harry, patience is a very important thing. Timing is everything."

"Slytherin characteristics." Harry was learning about timing with Lord Voldemort in his head. Timing was very important indeed. He would meet Lord Voldemort and they would negotiate.

As he saw it, Lord Voldemort had everything to lose and he had everything to gain. What he had to do was convince Lord Voldemort that he would gain and Harry would lose. He didn't want to seem to eager; he couldn't give away his hand. It was a shame that Harry had never taken the time to learn how to play poker.

"I don't know. Knowing how choose your battles is one. Umbridge was just a figurehead. Battling her was a waste of time."

"I wasted hours in detention due to her. She made me so angry."

"She made everyone angry."

"She called me a liar." Harry could feel the anger wash over him and then it was gone.

Harry had learned that holding onto anger was a waste of time and effort. He had better things to do with his time than be angry about things in the past. He needed to focus on now and only allowing Lord Voldemort access to certain memory and making him believe he had the upper hand. He couldn't let himself be weak and emotional. More than his sanity was on the line; his life was on the line and the lives all the wizards in London and perhaps, Europe.

Not their lives, Harry's life and a few powerful wizards in England and maybe a few more in Europe, but Lord Voldemort had to send a wizard to kill someone or do it himself. He was having a hard time finding recruits that would kill without being under impedius and the impedius caused many wizards' mind to go blank and they couldn't follow orders unless they were given very details instructions.

Voldemort found this made impedius useless on a large scale because he needed his followers to be able to think. If they weren't willing to follow orders without impedius, Voldemort had to let them go or kill them. Unfortunately, he hated killing purebloods but at the same time didn't like loose ends.

Memory spells worked quite well for new memories but for erasing years of memories they weren't as precise. They erased all the memories for those years, which left his previous follower completely confused and useless to anyone and Lord Voldemort didn't want to fill the fourth floor of St. Mungo's with Death Eater no longer in his service.

Voldemort wasn't as heartless as his opponents believed. He didn't want to see wizards suffer. He hated causing pain but didn't know how to stop doing it. Harry found the more Voldemort and he dropped their defences with the other, the more, they were alike. They both wanted peace in the wizards' world and they wanted wizards to use their powers to better the wizard community.

Harry understood that Voldemort didn't feel that wizards should need to hide from muggles but he understood the threat if muggles knew of their existence. It was a very delicate matter and if Harry didn't get a job at Muggle Relations, he would need to raid their files for information. Voldemort needed his answers and Harry wanted to get them for him. He wanted to know how much muggles knew about wizards and how the wizards managed to get food and supplies from muggles.

Did the wizards give magic to the muggles in power for the consumer goods or did they manufacture somethings for the muggles in secret? Harry was sure the only joke about Muggle Relations was it wasn't a joke. Voldemort would get his answer; that much Harry was sure.

"It doesn't matter now. We can't go back in time." Draco ate a little more. "Snape could teach Defence of the Dark Arts and I could teach potions. Madame Deirdre Potter teaches potions while her husband does research."

"Having a baby every year," Harry said.

"It has merit." Draco drank his juice. "Why do I love you so much?"

"Because I'm gorgeous, intelligent and not a half day Quidditch player." Harry finished a second glass of juice. "And I have gorgeous, green eyes."

"That you do." Draco yawned. "We should get flat in London before we go see my father and Lord Voldemort. There is no point in dragging all my baggage."

"We'll see about locating one. We could live in a cheap place and put wards around our things to keep burglars out," Harry said. "I'm sure my aunt knows an estate agent. Lupin is staying at my godfather's place, 12 Grimmauld Place. I'm sure he wouldn't mind the company. It must be very lonely for him since my godfather died."

"I don't know if I want to keep company with a werewolf," Draco said.

"We'll only stay until we can find our own flat. We can head there straight away since they're connected to the floo network," Harry said.

"A werewolf in love in an animagus."

"A wolf and a large dog. Since wolves and dogs are the same species, I'm sure they got along smashingly."

"Do you think they were in love as boys?" Draco asked.

"Probably. Sirius did choose a dog which is a far better companion for a wolf then a rat or a stag." Harry laughed. "I could see the two of them mock fighting in the mud."

"And chasing each other's tails." Draco started to laugh. "We'll stay with the old werewolf. He probably needs help with the estate tax."

"I'm sure Sirius left enough in the will for quite a number of years," Harry said, "but he'll be glad for the company. I suspect the old werewolf is rather lonely especially since Umbridge made it illegal for him to work."

"He probably found work under the table as a muggle. I could imagine him working as a bouncer at a pub."

"What did you and Bob talk about?" Harry asked.

"Not much. There is so much you can learn on the Internet." Draco looked at Harry drinking his third glass of juice. "I think we both had enough to eat. We should let the house elves finish up. We can find a fireplace in one of the unused offices and go."

"Drop in on the old chap uninvited," Harry said.

"He'll enjoy the company," Draco said. "Daylight is burning."

"I'll send him an owl stating we'll be arriving in the morning," Harry said. "Let's go back to the room."



chapter 7: Harry Buys Fudge

Draco was glad that his baggage had wheels as they dragged it to Hogsmeade. Harry wanted to check out the joke store and a few other shops before they floo powdered to London.

At the joke store, Harry brought a vial that was a drop was supposed to tell you if the magic was dark, light, or a harmless grey. He also got a number of bags of candy at Honeydukes.

"If you got enough fudge and chocolate, we can go to the Three Broomsticks and ask to use their fireplace," Draco said.

"Princess, it's still early and Madame Rosmerta is probably still asleep," Harry said. "Why don't we go over to the lake and stretch out?"

"Harry, one minute you seem to have our whole lives planned and the next one we have nothing to do." Draco rolled his bags down the road.

"Have some fudge," Harry said.

"We just had a huge breakfast," Draco said. "Werewolves are supposed to have an enormous appetite."

"And you barely touched it." Harry stopped walking and kissed Draco's cheek. "Princess, what is wrong?"

Draco thought about having Harry's baby inside him. The idea didn't strike him with horror. Did he accidentally read a love charm while looking for a potion to temporary change his sex? He couldn't have.

Love spells were strictly Dark Arts and Hermoine and he were looking for sexual magic, nothing dark. He didn't read any charms, only potions, and they had to be made and drank to have an effect. "I feel I have no control in my life."

"I've felt that way most of my life. I was locked in my room all summer and had teachers like Umbridge to deal with at Hogwarts. We're adults now. Things will be easier. I'm sure Remus got rid of that annoying house elf." Harry walked to the lake and kicked off his shoes.

"Harry, you're crazy." Draco knocked off his sandals.

"And you love me?" Harry smiled at Draco.

"More than you bloody deserve." Draco put his hand through Harry's messy dark hair. "I had a crush on you since you decided that you rather be friends with Weasley. I felt you turned your back on me. I didn't know why Harry Potter didn't want to be my friend. You were so great with your hand-me-down clothes and broken glasses."

"You thought I was special. You always wanted to see me fail."

"I hated you for saying my father and the fathers of my friends were Death Eaters. I didn't want it to be true." Draco put his hand on Harry's face. "I wanted you to be lying like Umbridge said. I would have given anything for that to be a lie."

"We'll talk to your father and we'll try to make things right. Voldemort will see that the world isn't an evil place. He'll learn the beauty of life through you and me. I want him to see you round with my child." Harry kissed Draco briefly. "I want you have a life full of joy."

"I don't know if I'm a boy or a girl." Draco looked at his reflection in the lake.

"You're girl."

"And you thought that when you had my lad in your mouth this morning." Draco walked to over to the lake and put his feet in the water along the edge.

"I thought about how good you taste and how wonderful I was making you feel. It turns me on so much when I taste you. I want to lick every part of you," Harry teased.

"You see a girl."

Harry touched Draco's hand. "Isn't that what you want me to see?"

"By Merlin, I wish I knew." Draco kicked the water with his left foot. Draco pulled his long hair off his face. "I feel this is all a lie, the hair, the tits, all of it. I feel like you bewitched me to feel feminine when you grew my hair."

"You're talking to Harry Potter, the boy that copied homework off of Hermoine and Ron. I rather read a muggle mystery novel or history book to a spell book any day. The idea of going through muggle artefacts in musty office excites me, Harry Potter, who is forced to be a great wizard, although he rather play Quidditch." Harry kicked the water himself smiling at their reflections. "I didn't bewitch you."

"But you knew the charm to grow hair."

"Hermoine and her friends talked about it. Luna's father had her hair cut very short over the Easter holiday and Hermoine said she would do it if Luna were too chicken to do it herself. I offered to do it. Luna looked ridiculous with her hair bobbed."

"You listen to girls argue."

"I was trying to get my nerve up to ask Luna for a date. Then, she started dating you." Harry smiled at Draco. "Deirdre, the femininity is coming from you. I only know the spells that we learned in class and the ones talked about in the hallways. Please, I don't open a spell book unless I have to," Harry spat.

"Harry, my reluctant hero." Draco kicked more water.

"Put your shoes back on and we'll see if The Three Broomsticks is open," Harry said. "I would never mess with your mind."

"That is why you're always kissing me."

"Not with a spell. I'm not that underhanded." Harry turned to Draco and kissed him briefly. "I love you. I would never play mind games with you."

"There is this voice in my head that tells me that I want to have your children and that I would be very happy as your wife." Draco stepped out of the water and put on his sandals.

"Listen to it." Harry touched Draco's arm.

"It seems too simple. I make this potion. I become a girl. You get me pregnant." Draco started to roll his suitcases to the Three Broomsticks.

"I would like to marry you before getting you pregnant. If you aren't sure, we can go to a muggle clinic and get you Norplant or Depo."

"And."

"It's reversible as long as you don't get pregnant. If you decide that you want to return to being a boy, no harm is done." Harry's voice was so seductive.

"But I want to have your baby. I can think of little else." Draco put his hand over his belly like he was feeling for a baby. He focused on it and he tried to imagine what it would like to be pregnant. He smiled at the thought of a baby growing inside his non-existent womb. He imagined a tiny foetus growing inside him needing him to survive. Draco smiled as his other hand touched his flat belly.

"Give it time."

Madame Rosmerta insisted the boys have fizzy drinks and pudding before using her fireplace. She handed Draco some floo powder and told him to speak clearly.

"12 Grimmauld Place," Draco said, stepping into the fireplace and sprinkling himself with floo powder being certain to hold onto his baggage. He coughed and dropped his baggage. Both is bags arrived with him. Remus Lupin wasn't waiting for them in front of the fireplace. Draco pulled his bags out and waited for Harry to go through.

A rather thin greying man came over to him carrying a pipe. "I don't recall meeting you," he said.

"I'm Miss Deirdre Malfoy. I'm happy to make your acquaintance," Draco said.

"I don't recall a Deirdre. There was a Draco Malfoy in Harry's class," Lupin said.

"That's me," Draco said. "Harry should be coming through any second. Harry and I hope to become engaged."

"Gay marriage is legal. Sirius and I would have got married but they make things so difficult for werewolves," Lupin said.

"I want to have children," Draco said.

Harry came through the fireplace with his bag. "Madame Rosmerta insisted that I have another doughnut before leaving." Harry went through his pocket.

"Remus, I brought you some fudge from Honeydukes." Harry walked over to the recliner that Remus was sitting in and handed him the small paper bag.

"Thanks, Harry. I love the peanut butter and chocolate. You're an angel," Lupin said. "Miss Malfoy says that you're engaged."

"I hope to buy her a ring in Diagon Alley later today. I recall that this place had a number of unused bedrooms," Harry said.

"I would love to have you and your lady friend stay. It's been very lonely since Sirius died," Lupin said. "I've taken a little work pretending to be a muggle. Temporary jobs and under the table so I can disappear near a full moon."

"I'm sure it has been rough." Harry sat down on the rather worn sofa.

"You can use the room that you stayed in before," Lupin said. "Push the two twin beds together. If you and your girl decide to stay, you can order a larger mattress."

"We have to unpack," Harry said. "I'm taking her to Surrey to meet my family."

"Don't talk about magic in front of them," Lupin said.

"Harry has warned me about them," Draco said.

"There is nothing wrong with being gay. You shouldn't make her dress up like that." Lupin started to eat his fudge.

"I like dressing up." Draco pulled the baggage so it wasn't likely to be tripped over.

"You have the legs for it." Lupin grinned slightly.

"Harry, help me unpack so I don't need look at the lecherous werewolf." Draco dragged one of his suitcases to the stairs. "If he stares at my legs again, I'll hex him."

Harry picked up the suitcase. "I'll bring them up."

Draco didn't pick up a suitcase, but allowed Harry to be a gentleman. He wondered why he didn't insist that he wasn't a delicate flower that needed to be protected. As each day went by it seemed harder to disobey Harry. Was he under a mild form of impedius to obey the Dark Lord and since they were mental connected, he had to obey Harry? Did Lord Voldemort have a form of impedius that grew stronger over time so his followers wouldn't be aware of it? He didn't take the dark mark; how did Voldemort have control over him?

Harry left the bag in the room. "There are clean linens in the cupboard. The wardrobe and dresser should be empty."

"Harry, we could use a spell to unpack," Draco said.

"It's just as easy to do it by hand," Harry said. "You should tell Remus that you cook."

"He'll never let us get our own place if I start cooking for him," Draco said.

"Put on jeans and an ugly jumper. You don't want to look sexy in front of my cousin," Harry said when he returned with the other suitcase.

"I'll wear a loose jumper," Draco said.

"We could stay here indefinitely. Sirius would have liked me to stay with him after I graduated school. I'm sure Remus would love your help in the kitchen and he's certain to want to spoil the children."

"If he doesn't eat them," Draco said.

"He takes Wolfsbane to control his changes. I'm sure he doesn't stay in the house during it. I'm sure there are other werewolves and they meet somewhere," Harry said.

"And they have a big party," Draco teased. Draco didn't care about being brave that was a Gryffindor trait. He didn't like the idea of sharing a house with a werewolf even if he went out of town during a full moon.

"We never talked about it. We'll talk about it if we're here during the full moon," Harry said. "The full moon was the nineth. The next one won't be until the first week of August."

Lupin knocked on the door. "During a full moon, I head out. We'll talk later; I'm working tonight."

"I know you miss my godfather," Harry said.

"Especially during a full moon. He would change and we would chase each other in the dark. He was never afraid of me," Lupin said.

"You'll find someone else." Harry wrapped his arms around Lupin.

"I doubt it. He was one of a kind." Lupin smiled briefly. "I have to go. I meet a few other werewolves and we hang out at his cabin until it passes. The key is in the basket in the parlour. There is food in the pantry and icebox. Help yourself."

"Thanks a lot," Harry said.

"I feel pretty normal most of the month. I got to go. Treat that girl right or I'll lecture you when I get back from work." Lupin walked away from the open door.

"We can finish unpacking later. I want to get you a ring," Harry said.

"We should take a bus to Surrey," Draco said.

"I'm sure Remus has an extra broom. I've never rode two on a broom before," Harry said.

"I think we should take muggle transportation." Draco continued to hang up clothes.

"I want you to have a ring before we meet my aunt and uncle. I want them to understand what you mean to me."

Harry and Draco used the floo powder near the fireplace arrived at an inn on Knockturn Alley. "Sorry. I never remember the right address. We aren't too far." Harry looked around the rather creepy looking inn. He looked at the clerk at the desk. "Thank you for your fireplace."

"You're most welcome, Sir," the man wearing the worn turtleneck leaning over a magazine said.

Draco wiped the snoot off his robes. They would apparate next time; floo was a dirty way to travel. "I want to go to the ladies."

"We should wait until we're at a finer establishment," Harry suggested.

"I have snoot in my hair," Draco said.

Harry took his fingers and combed out the snoot from Draco's hair. "Much better."

"I plait it next time we travel by floo," Draco said. "Let's get the ring and then we'll find a bus heading to Surrey."

Harry led Draco to a pawnshop in Knockturn Alley. "Do you like anything?"

Draco saw a one-carat pear-shaped diamond. "I like that one." He pointed to the gold band with the modest diamond in a plain setting. Draco, son of Lucius Malfoy and Narcissa Black Malfoy, was becoming engaged to a half-blood boy. He didn't know how his parents would react. They had made an agreement with Pansy's parents when they were just infants.

Harry was getting him a ring at a pawnshop; well, no one had to know. The pear-shaped diamond was beautiful and not too big as to get in his way while he typed or not so small that Harry looked cheap.

"My fiancée would like the one on the left in the front roll," Harry said.

"Very well, Sir," said the man. He took the ring from its box. "Miss, I should measure your finger and then I can adjust it so it fits properly."

"Thank you." Draco didn't know to be insulted or flattered that Harry was buying him a ring at a pawnshop. It was a nice ring and the jeweller would adjust it to fit. Draco looked at the diamond on his finger, feeling weird about it.

The man whispered the price to Harry and Harry counted out galleons. "I wish you and your bride many happy years together."

"Thank you." Harry put his purse back into his pocket.

Draco stepped out of the pawnshop. "My family is rich. We would never wear second hand goods."

"I thought you would prefer an old ring to one of the newer muggle styled ones," Harry said.

"I chose a plain muggle styled one," Draco said. "Harry, it's a nice ring; no one will know that you brought it at a pawnshop."

"I just wanted to get you one in a hurry. I'm an idiot."

"Harry, you're very sweet. Come on. We should still be able to get to Surrey around dinner time."

"We should get tea first," Harry said.

"You can skip high tea."

"I'm a growing boy."

"I'm sure your aunt is a great cook." Draco took Harry's hand as they walking onto the busy London street.

"How much do you want to bet?" Harry asked.

"You tell me that Vernon and Dudley are quite plump."

"They have no taste buds."



Chapter 8: Visit with Aunt Petunia

Harry found them a bus. While Draco sat down while Harry stood, Draco looked at the ring on his finger. He wondered if in a few weeks if he would be a married lady. Part of him hoped this was some weird dream. Here he was wearing women's underclothes on a bus in London going to meet Harry's family. He twisted the diamond ring around his finger; it was a real engagement ring. Harry had asked him to marry him and he said yes. What was wrong with him?

"Princess, what are you thinking?" Harry asked.

"I really said that I would marry you."

"Are you changing your mind?" Harry looked into his eyes.

"No. I'm trying to keep up."

Harry led Draco off the bus. He ran into a little coffee shop and to the ladies'. Draco headed to the toilet and vomited. He washed his face and combed his hair. A woman in her thirties whispered. "Miss, are you all right?"

"I'm bloody peachy," Draco said.

"Sorry." The woman left the toilet.

Draco never had a nervous stomach before. Hermoine said the spell was for a girl to look prettier and sound sweeter. It might produce ill effects on a boy. His emotions were all wrong. Did it mess up the chemicals inside his body so he felt confused like the way girls seemed to act? It lasted a week and he had no way to find Hermoine for her to reverse it. He would have to live with the ill effects.

Harry was sitting in the coffee shop. "I got you a pastry and cuppa."

"Thanks. My emotions are getting the best of me."

"It's not everyday a girl gets engaged." Harry touched his thigh lightly. "Just don't talk about school or anything to do with witchcraft in front of them. It might be best if I do most of the talking."

"Certainly." Draco felt a wave of nausea hit him.

"We could get some pizza across the street," Harry suggested. "We can tell my aunt that we just ate."

"I don't feel much like eating." Draco squeezed the purse he put in his pocket. He had over two thousand American dollars that he would need to convert back to pounds. A British bank would probably do it without much fuss.

When he left for America, he thought he would stay awhile and he didn't even stay a month. He was deathly afraid of his father and other Death Eaters and now Harry wanted them to walk into their den; he wasn't deathly afraid, now that fear was gone. He didn't look forward to see Voldemort or his father, but there wasn't any fear involved.

"You look ill," Harry commented taking a break for the food in front of him.

"The charm was meant to be used on a girl. I'm having side effects," Draco explained. Hermoine read a charm that made him look and sound like a girl for a week at his insistence. A charm that was meant to be using on a girl that was now making him nauseous and confused.

"Do you want to visit my family tomorrow? I can find a pay phone and tell them that we can't make it."

"I was looking forward to meeting them." Draco took a small sip of tea.

"We'll make the visit fast."

Draco walked back to the woman's room. His hair was a mess and he didn't have elastics so he could plait it. He combed it again. He was wearing a greyish-white jumper that he unusually put several layers under but since it was summer he had only undergarments beneath it. Draco didn't want to think about his breasts, but he couldn't help but see the two small globes in the mirror. Under the oversized jumper, they were hardly noticeable now that he gave them a moment consideration. His khaki pants were loose since it was muggle style to wear one's trouser two or three sizes too big. A beige web belt kept them from falling off. He saw no point in the charm to make him look feminine considering how dumpy Harry insisted that he dress. "Harry, I'm going to the pharmacy to get elastics for my hair."

Harry said a scalping charm. The hair was gone. Not all of it, but Draco's hair was bobbed so it only reached the top of his neck. "Done. You can comb it again if you desire."

Draco felt the short hair. "Thanks. I feel much more presentable. Why do you know a scalping spell?"

"We were taught it in class. We needed to know it for our O.W.L.s," Harry stated.

"I know you're a reluctant wizard," Draco said. "Let's take that bus to Surrey and get this over with."

"We'll apparate from their lawn when we're through. Public transportation is a hassle. You have your license."

"I've been doing it illegally since I was a boy."

"You're a girl." Harry started to laugh.

Finally, they arrived at 4 Privet Drive. Draco was exhausted walking from the bus stop. This charm was getting the best of him. He couldn't recall if it was his or Hermoine's idea to use a spell for girls on him. It didn't matter now; he hated the Mudblood even if it wasn't her fault.

A woman dressed in a housedress opened the door; Draco suspected she would be attractive if she dressed like a lady then again Harry insisted he wear his ugliest clothes. "Harry and this must be your girlfriend, Deirdre," she said. "I'm his aunt Petunia. You can call me Pet."

Draco said to himself that wasn't bloody likely. "Deirdre Malfoy," he said.

"She's from one of the oldest wizard families in England. I believe they came from France during the invasion of Normandy," Harry said.

"It could have been earlier," Draco said. "Family history is very important to my grandmother. My father and I are both only children and I don't have much interest in genealogy so I suspect all my grandmother's work will be forgotten. Harry says that old families are dying off with the push toward smaller families."

"Come in. There is plenty of room in the living room," Petunia said. "Dudley is out with his friends and Uncle Vernon has a business meeting this afternoon. Harry, you know that sometimes he isn't home until pass dark."

"We'll visit another time when he's here," Harry said. "I wanted to tell everyone that Deirdre and I were engaged, but that can wait."

"Where are you staying now you graduated?" Petunia asked.

"One of my father's friends inherited a big house since he's disabled and refuses to go on the dole, he can't afford the estate tax," Harry said.

"At least, he has his pride," Petunia said. "Too many people turn to the government for a handout."

"He works from time to time," Harry said. "He looks much older than his years; it is rather sad. I'm hoping to work for the Ministry doing research. Deirdre has been learning to type and hopes to get a job as a receptionist."

"I worked as a receptionist until I marry your uncle," Petunia said. "Are you two going to be joining me for dinner? I haven't cook much since Dudley comes and goes as he pleases and Uncle Vernon won't be home until very late. During business meetings, they eat as much as they talk."

"Deirdre isn't feeling well," Harry said.

"I hope it's nothing serious. Clara got a bad case of the summer flu," Petunia said.

"Just time of the month," Draco said. "I don't have much of an appetite."

"Very well. Harry, there is this invention called a telephone. Please, use it."

"Yes, Aunt Petunia."

"Should we apparate now?" Draco asked.

"We might as well go back to 12 Grimmauld Place," Harry said. "I'm not waiting for Uncle Vernon. Auntie, I'm sorry that we visited at a bad time. Would Sunday afternoon be better?" Harry hugged his aunt briefly.

"I tell Uncle Vernon that you're coming. Miss, you say you're from one of the oldest British families. You must have clothes that fit you better," Petunia said. "One is hard pressed to see that you're a girl under those baggy clothes."

"Harry didn't want me to look attractive in front of his cousin," Draco said. "I deliberately wore the ugliest things I owned."

"I'm ashamed of you, Harry. Sunday, I want you to look beautiful. Let Dudley know that Harry has found himself a beautiful girl. Harry's mother was beautiful. She told me that all the boys in school wanted to date her," Petunia said. "Those baggy clothes make you look pale and sickly."

"I think that was Harry's intent." Draco walked to the back yard with Harry. "I don't think anyone is looking."

"We'll go to Marks and Sparks before visiting on Sunday," Harry said. "You can pick out some nice jeans. Let's go back to 12 Grimmauld and unpack."

"You're aunt doesn't seem so bad," Draco said.

"She isn't. She likes things organized and quiet. It's Dudley that I avoid. I've wanted to hex him so many times," Harry said. "Apparate."

Draco followed. He arrived in the living room at the large house that used to belong to Sirius Black. Harry and he went upstairs to the room they were sharing with the two twin beds. As Draco finished unpacking, Harry pushed the bed together and made them with clean linen.

Draco lay on the newly made bed. "Harry, I need more time."

"I'm going to the Ministry tomorrow to see about a job," Harry said. "You could check out the kitchen and buy a few cookbooks. I think Remus got rid of that pesky house elf. Hermoine is the one interested in house elf affairs anyway."

Harry undressed. "He had no obligation to stay since there are no members of the Black family still living here."

Draco pulled off his clothes. "I'm wearing clothes that fit next time we visit. She looked at me like I was bloody Cockney."

"Princess, make love to me." Harry whispered.

Draco pressed his body against Harry and started his snog him, wanting to shag Harry badly but he told himself if he was under imperius that making love including foreplay and he wasn't going to force himself on Harry. Draco started to dry hump Harry rather aggressively feeling like his body was beyond his mental control. He wasn't going to penetrate Harry without foreplay and proper preparation.

Draco knew that anal sex could be rather enjoyable, but it wasn't to be rushed into. "I'm rather small."

"Your lad is perfect. It's small, pink and hidden when not erect. Mine dangles against my leg. Who wants to be hung like a blasted horse?"

"Your fellow feels wonderful inside me," Draco said.

Harry moved his hands over Draco's body. "It feels so good in my mouth that I wonder how it would feel in my bum."

"Harry!" Draco came between Harry's legs. "I'm sorry. I needed you so badly." He didn't want to tell Harry that Voldemort put imperius on him and it was causing him to obey Harry because their minds were connected. Then again, he should tell Harry because Harry like most people didn't always say what he meant and it was likely to cause an embarrassing or even potential dangerous situation. He had nearly penetrated Harry's virgin behind without preparation. Draco knew enough that without sufficient lube it hurt both parties.

"I could stand against the wall and you could slam against me. I've been wanting to do you standing up but you look so delicious spread out on your stomach."

"It's best if you lay on the bed slightly to your side with your legs bent," Draco explained.

"Like the way, I took you the first time," Harry said. "I guess doing it standing up will have to wait."

"You can do me that way. I won't be torn if the angle isn't prefect although you might have some trouble getting in."

"Princess, shut up." Harry kissed Draco hard.

"I'll stand against the wall."

"I'm going to fuck you right here." Harry found his little bottle of oil and moved a greased finger over Draco's opening. "You feel so good."

"Harry, you're such a bad boy."

"I rather you didn't talk." Harry plunged into Draco hard and fast. Harry took Draco's lad in his hand and stroked him in a fast even rhythm causing him to come a few moments before Harry did.

Harry buried his head between Draco's neck and shoulder as he moved his hand over his back enjoying the aftershocks. Harry was exhausted after sex but Draco always seemed ready to go five minutes later. "You're so good." Harry kissed Draco's neck.

"I want a shower," Draco said, trying to move Harry so he could get up.

"I don't think you like sex as much as I."

"I don't think about it my every waking moment."

"I don't either."

"You could have fooled me."

"Princess, you sound like a woman."

"I'm not surprised." Draco's voice was changed with that spell.

"That isn't what I mean. You act like you're doing me a favour by having sex with me." Harry sat up on the bed. "Princess, I thought you enjoyed it as much as I do."

"I do. I just want to take a shower. Are you really going to the Ministry tomorrow?"

"I'm going to visit with Mr. Weasley. I don't know if I'm going to do more than ask about a job. Take your shower. I don't want to talk about work."



Chapter 9: Healer

Draco found eggs, sausage and a loaf of bread in the kitchen. There were also no signs of any house elves. Draco found that the oven was an old fashion gas one that needed the pilot light lit with every use. Draco struck a match and had the stovetop lit. He found pots and pans in the large cupboards. The kitchen wasn't modern but it was usable. Harry came down as Draco was trying to figure out how to use a percolator.

"I'll get you a coffee maker," Harry said. "Just boil water for tea."

"The kitchen appliances are old," Draco stated. "The house elf probably cooked inside the fireplace."

"Probably from the 1940's when Sirius's mother cooked," Harry said. "It was Sirius's mother's house. There is a lot of dark magic in the walls. Dumbledore thought it was a good place for the Order of the Phoenix to meet. Sirius thought the house was creepy. He worked very hard to restore it for the meetings."

"It's clean," Draco said.

"Lupin got rid of most of the Black's family possessions after Sirius died. I don't blame him, many bad feelings. I think he's keeping the library. Something about Ray Bradbury and Fahrenheit 451." Harry found a teakettle and filled it with water.

"I'm making scrambled eggs and sausage. I'll check out the library later today."

"The drawing room might have a few dark items remaining. The library has many books on the Dark Arts. Are you going to learn about Christian prophecy?"

"No point since you don't think Voldemort is a threat," Draco said.

"No You-Know-Who?"

"It's only a name. If I'm going to live as a muggle, I'm going to need to talk like one. Lightening isn't going to strike me if I say his name. I hope I feel better today. I think that I'm having side effects since that charm wasn't meant for boys to use. There might be more wizards than we think. Perhaps, Hogwarts only finds ones with significant power to do the spell required for class. There could be millions with some power and they don't know it."

"Perhaps. They are of no interest," Harry said.

Draco poured half the eggs on a plate and then put a few links of sausage beside it. "Enjoy."

Harry slammed some butter on his toast. "Deirdre, take it easy until that spells wears off. I don't want to have to take you to St. Mungos."

"I'll just go to a bookstore and do a little cooking. Lupin won't home until late," Draco said.

"Look through the books in the library. Please, don't go anywhere. When I get home from the Ministry, we'll take in a movie?"

"Harry, I'll be careful. I love you."

"It's a shame that you can't apparate straight into the Ministry. Since it's in London, I could take the underground to it. I should be home before dark." Harry finished his food and then kissed Draco briefly. "I love you. If you do go out, don't venture far. I don't want to find you at a muggle hospital."

"I'll be careful. Harry, would it be so bad if we stayed here?" Draco asked.

"As long as we get a double bed. I'm not pushing our beds together like two children wanting to talk all night."

"If we're here more than a few weeks, we'll buy a bed," Draco said. "There are plenty of rooms for our children. Black belonged to a pureblood family. He would have been happy if we raised our children here. The house technically belongs to my mother since she is the last in the line of Blacks."

"Maybe there was a clause in Sirius's will that Remus could live here the rest of his natural life," Harry said. "I really have to go."

"See you later." Draco kissed Harry briefly. Draco ate his breakfast in relative silence then he washed the dishes without the benefit of a dishwasher.

Apparently, the "please don't go anywhere," didn't register in his brain as an order. It felt like a suggestion, which was difficult not to obey, but he was able to overcome. It took Draco two hours after he decided to leave the house to actually do it. Intent must have been part of the impedius spell on him.

Voldemort couldn't have all his underlings doing every little thing he suggested. Draco found a bookseller a few blocks away and looked through the used cookbooks for a general cookbook. He purchased Complete Cookery Course by Delia Smith. He would be able to go home and make a superb roast. He wondered if werewolves like coq au vin or would prefer beef in beer.

Draco brought yeast, flour and everything he needed for bread at the grocery. He would exchange his dollars for pounds another day. He turned on a gas light in the living room and hoped that it would be soon that Lupin would get them electricity. He wanted to live in the twentieth century. Here he was with gaslights in 1998 on the dawn of the new millennium.

Draco put the barley in water and started the gas. He turned on enough light to see in the basement and started to make bread standing over the kitchen counter. When Harry arrived home mid-afternoon, the bread was in the oven and the beef and barley soup was long finished cooking.

"How are you?" Harry asked after kissing Draco briefly.

"I'm fine. The side effects seemed to have passed."

"Even so, we shouldn't use it again." Shouldn't didn't sound like an order. Draco wondered how the magic would interpret it. "Did you read anything of interest from the Black library?"

"No. I was looking through my new cookbook. The bread is almost finished."

"I don't mind if you buy bread from a bakery," Harry said.

"I could." Draco didn't want to analyse everything Harry said to find out if he was under obligation to do it or not. He needed to tell Harry his suspicion about an impedius spell leaking from Voldemort to Harry.

"Do you want to look for a job?" Harry asked.

"After we talk to my father, I don't see the point if he's going to kill me." Draco knew that his father didn't want to see his only heir gone and Voldemort spared his life although Draco did his best to embarrass Lord Voldemort at the meeting.

"He won't kill you. I'll ask Remus if there is anyway to get electricity into this building since it technically doesn't exist," Harry said.

"Miss your electric razor," Draco teased.

"Among other things."

"Anything exciting at the Ministry."

"They can use me at Muggle Relations, like that was a surprise. Ron and I talked for hours in his little cubicle. He doesn't trust you. He thinks you gave me a love potion."

"I gave you one. I was thinking that you gave me one." Draco ladled soup into a bowl.

"How do you figure?" Harry took the bowl and went to the dining room.

"I want to have your children. I look at you and definitely feel like I'm under a spell." Draco looked at the ring on his finger.

"I don't want to stop feeling this way." Draco poured himself some soup and returned to dining room. "I'll hear the timer when the bread is done."

"You brought a timer."

"When I brought the yeast and flour. I don't have house elf magic and know when the food is done. I don't know how one tiny little house elf can clean a huge house and look like he never lifts a finger."

"That is why it is called magic."

"I want to live in the real world where things make sense," Draco said.

"After I have a job, we'll get an apartment and I'll have my salary converted to pounds every pay period."

"And drain Gringotts."

"Do them some good."

"If this place doesn't exist, then Lupin doesn't have to pay estate tax."

"I don't know. He might need to pay it to the Ministry of Magic." Harry laughed. "The soup is good. I don't need my own Internet connection. I could email Aunt Petunia from an Internet café."

"I like to know how Bob is doing."

"After the bread is done, we'll go to an Internet café." Harry went to the kitchen and refilled his bowl. He returned with a loaf of hot bread on a cutting board. "Have some bread."

"I'll go to the bakery tomorrow. I really believe there are more wizards than the few that went to Hogwarts or other wizards' school. I'm sure if I walk through London enough I'll find a clue on how to find them."

"Probably. Do you really intend to find them?" Harry cut himself a slice of bread.

"I might. I'm going to buy batteries for the tape recorder and learn to make my voice sound feminine through practice like a muggle would. Spells have too many side effects," Draco said. "I'll start reading the Black collection of books on Dark Arts when I feel stronger."

"It won't jump off the page and attack you," Harry teased.

"One can't be too certain." Draco sliced the bread.

"I'll talk to Mr. Weasley about a job. Ron seemed to want me to work beside him. I have to talk to Remus when he gets back. Perhaps, my father had friends that live in the real world. It might be better if I found a job outside the wizard district."

"I think you should work for Muggle Relations. I think the questions that you ask will be answered there. I'm going to find some witches living in the real world. Who knows they could hire me feeling kinship for their own kind. I won't have much time for work if I have to cook and clean a house without a house elf or electricity."

"You can use magic to sweep and dust," Harry suggested. "Deirdre, we should get a house elf and you should start training to become a healer."

"I can't change my sex in the wizard community. It's too small. Everyone will call me Draco even if I ask them not to."

"They won't." Harry touched now his naked neck.

"Only if I threaten to hex them if they do. I need to clean the dishes." Draco walked over to the large metal sink.

"Luv, get the training to be a healer. You'll never regret it."

"Sure, Harry. Can we get married first? I want to register as Deirdre Potter. I want nothing to do with the Death Eaters and the Malfoy name."

The spell seemed to know that there was only one healer class in England and it ran close to early three years so there wasn't any feeling on urgence. Draco would do his best to get into a healing class as soon as possible as long as Harry didn't change the order first. However, Draco felt no urge to run out the door and get an application that second.

"We'll go to the Ministry and get married. You can tell them that you want to change your first name and take my last name. Then, you register to become a healer and after you get your training you never have to work in the wizards' district."

"Agreed. What if I get pregnant during the three years that I'm in training?"

"You may use birth control. Deirdre, twenty-one is a good age for a first child. Witches have babies into their fifties and sixties. We have plenty of time."

It appeared that Harry was trying to be careful about his language and not ordering him to do things. "I want us to have children."

Harry kissed the back of his neck. "Darling, I know that you do."

"I get training as a healer. Harry, I still don't feel safe in the wizard community."

"I'm sure Madame Pomfrey can arrange for you to take healers training in Australia or Canada if you prefer," Harry said.

"Australia should have less wizards than England."

"Not necessarily. They could have had larger families and not had as much internal conflict. I'm sure that I can find a book or two in Diagon Alley about immigrating there."

"We might as well immigrate to America," Draco teased.

"You could take your schooling in Sydney or Melbourne."

"Or London at St. Mungo," Draco said. "Harry, I'll take it in London. You work for the Ministry and I'll go to into healing."

"You'll make a great medi-wizard." Harry put his hand through Draco hair. "I have to stop doing magic to your hair."

"It's only hair. I think Tonks changes the colour of it several times a day." Draco put his hand through the very short blond hair. "I'll go down to St. Mungo with my N.E.W.T.s and tell them that I'm interested in enrolling for their next healers' class."

Harry took Draco's hand. "I want to know every millimetre of your skin like it is mine. I want lick, touch every part of you. Squeeze you so tight that I fear you might break."

Draco whispered, "The bedroom."

"I want to tear off your clothes and suck your cock. I want taste you. I want you to scream my name so hard that it echoes off the walls. I want you to tremble in my arms and never want to let me go," Harry whispered as they made it up the stairs.

Draco removed his clothes quickly as Harry watched. "Do you know what you do to me?"

"I hope so." Harry kissed Draco, pressing his tongue deeply into his love's mouth. Harry's left hand pulled Draco's closer as his right cupped Draco's bottom. Harry grinded against Draco feeling all he could. Finally, they broke breathless. "You're so beautiful."

"Can we get married in the morning?" Draco asked.

"Do you want a fancy wedding with a long gown and hundreds of guests with all these people wanting to see the famous Harry Potter getting married?"

"No. I only want you." Draco kissed Harry's mouth and wrapped his arms around Harry tightly.



Chapter 10: New Robes

After Draco and Harry dressed for a walk in setting sun, Remus greeted them in front of the house. "Heading out?" Remus asked.

"We can talk. We can go out another time," Draco said.

Remus said, "Deirdre, feel free to talk to me about anything. I don't bite."

"Only during a full moon," Harry teased.

"I'll keep out of his way during that time," Draco said. "Harry thinks I should consider becoming a medi-witch."

"We're going to the Ministry to get married in the morning," Harry said.

"Would you like me accompany you?" Remus asked.

"I think we'll be fine. Harry's best friend works there. I'm sure he can witness for us," Draco said.

"If he doesn't hex us both," Harry said.

"I need to get some sleep," Remus said.

"I left a pot of beef and barley soup on the stove and there is a fresh bread on the counter," Draco said.

"Thanks." Remus gave Draco a sly little grin. "So she cooks."

"Better than a house elf. Her cooking is done with love," Harry said. "We're just going out for coffee. We'll be back in a hour or two."

"You don't have to get home early for my sake," Remus said.

"Whatever," Draco said.

In the morning, Draco put on one of his summer dresses. "I need dress robe for our wedding."

"You should have one that is pink or off-white to get married in," Harry said. "We'll stop by Madam Malkin's Robes for All Occasions shop before we go to the ministries. I have my navy blue dress robes that I brought for last years Yule Ball. I should zap your hair again."

"Not when I'm sleeping this time."

Harry took his wand off his dresser and said the short phrase. "You should learn to do that yourself."

"I nearly a squib," Draco moaned.

"Nonsense. You're going to become a medi-witch. No squib can do that. Magic varies in wizards that is all." Harry put on his dress robes. "I think I rather put them in a tote and wear muggle clothes on the underground."

"Muggles dress pretty oddly." Draco brushed out his hair. "I like having you do my hair."

"I could brush it."

Draco handed him the brush. "My mother loves it when my father brushes her hair; she purrs like a kitten."

"That's sick."

"I'll have you know that my parents aren't over the hill and they have a fantastic sex life."

"One shouldn't talk about her parents like that."

"Just because you can't imagine Petunia and Vernon doing it."

"Do you want to light the stove or should be go to a bakery for fresh buns and coffee?"

"A bakery sounds grand. Not everyday does a girl get married. We should tell the Prophet that Harry Potter is getting married so all those other women know that you aren't available."

"All the ones lining up for the chance to date me." Harry put the robe in the leather tote. "Let's get you some dress robes and then we'll go to the ministry."

"Be careful with that. Weasley might take your picture and you don't want to look all wrinkled on your wedding day. I'll do my makeup and then we'll be off." Draco took his makeup out of the suitcase and brought it to the loo. He brushed his hair since Harry didn't do it. Draco put on more makeup than he wore before. Once he was happy with the way he looked, he put powder over the makeup to keep it from smearing. Draco batted his long dark eyes lashes and looked at himself in the mirror. "Harry," he screamed.

Harry ran into the loo. "Princess, what is it?"

"Is that I? Sometimes, I can hardly recognize myself." Draco looked at the girl in the mirror with the long fine silver blonde hair and the tiny aristocratic features. The makeup made his eyes look bluish-silver. The eyeliner made his eyes look bigger.

"You look incredible."

"The press will cut me apart when they learn that I married you." Draco put his purse in the small pocket in the dress. "Robes have more pockets."

"You can put your purse in the tote," Harry suggested. "We'll stay away from Rita." Harry took his hand in his. "Tonight, we'll be on our honeymoon. Would you like to take a holiday?"

"I spent two weeks in New Jersey."

"We didn't go to the beach, casinos or even to Great Adventure," Harry said.

"I spent it with you." Draco kissed Harry briefly. "Let's go to a bakery for tea."

"You don't have to tell me twice."

"It's on me."

"I still have money that I made in the States." Harry picked up his bag.

"And you converted it to pounds."

"We'll go to a bank and exchange it for pounds. You can bring your money too; it isn't like we're going back to the State anytime soon."

"I liked meeting your cousin." Draco put the wallet full of American dollars into the tote.

"We need to get you a handbag like the other girls carry."

"Later today." That was an order but it wasn't pressing. Draco would buy the handbag, but he didn't need to do it that minute. Intent was part of the spell. It had to be a weak form of impedius. Something that would prevent someone for working against the Dark Lord, but still allowed the victim enough free will to think independently.

"Not on your wedding day."

"I get an ankle length robe and no one will see what I'm hiding under it."

"I'll know that you're wearing bloody jeans." Harry lowered his voice. "Wear the jeans. We can go back here and change before heading to the ministry to get married. We don't have to get married today; I want us to be married before we meet Lord Voldemort and your father. Princess, I'm sorry if I'm rushing you. I want you to be happy."

"We'll marry next week. Today, we'll just buy the robes," Draco said. "There is no hurry."

"Next week, we're supposed to fly out to see your father. We need to get my broom from my uncle's house and get you a new broom."

"We could floo to the Malfoy manor to get mine. My mother probably left it for me."

"What does the Prophet say about her?" Harry asked.

"Your guess is as good as mine."

"Deirdre, I love you so much. I'm so happy that you agreed to become my wife." Harry kissed Draco briefly and took his hand.

The bank gave Harry no trouble about converting the American dollars to English pounds. Harry then went to Gringotts and converted it to galleons. They finally went to the robe shop. Mandy measured Draco for a dress robe. "Your face is familiar but I can't remember your name."

"Deirdre soon to be Potter," Draco said, as Mandy pinned the hem.

"Are you having a big wedding?"

"No, just a judge and a couple of witness," Harry said.

"And deprive the public of seeing Harry Potter wed," Mandy said.

"Ma'am, I prefer to keep my private life private," Harry said.

"When will you have them hemmed?" Draco asked.

"Monday morning," she said. "I'll be done by Sunday but I don't open the shop on the weekends."

Draco said, "Do I pay you now or when I pick up the robes?"

"You could pay now and I'll write you a receipt," Mandy said, as she put the last pin in the hem.

"That will be fine," Harry said.

After Harry paid her, Mandy wrote out a receipt using carbon paper between copies using a ballpoint pen; only proving once again that sometimes muggle methods were easier. She put one in her till and gave the other to Harry. "I open 9 o'clock Monday morning. You can get your robe then. Best wishes."

"Thanks," Draco said.

Mandy picked up Draco's hand and looked at the ring. "That's a beautiful ring."

"Thanks." Draco looked at Harry, feeling a wave of nausea. That spell was still taking him for a loop.

"Are you okay?" Harry asked Draco outside the shop.

"It's just side effects of the charm," Draco said. "It's not due to wear off for a few more days."

Harry kissed Draco on the street as other witches and wizard walked by.

Pansy and Lavender started to laugh outside the stationery store. "Harry, who's the lucky girl?" Pansy hollered.

Harry walked over to the two girls. "We have to get to the ministry. I need to talk to Percy or his father."

"Looking for a job?" Lavender asked. "I'm starting healer training as soon as they fill the class. Madame Shultz doesn't like to have a class with less than six and more than ten."

"I'm interested in becoming a healer," Draco said as he walked to the girls.

"Draco, I hardly recognized you. Who put all that gob on your face?" Pansy asked.

"It's makeup. Muggle girls wear it," Draco said.

"And it looks absolutely dreadful. If I were your mother, I'd tell you to wash that crap off your face this instant," Pansy said.

"I think you look very pretty in your muggle clothes," Lavender got close to Draco's ear. "You want to look like a girl," she whispered.

"Hermoine put a spell on me that makes me look and sound female for a week," Draco said.

"And you did turn her into a hippogriff," Pansy said.

"I think I asked her to cast it but I'm not sure," Draco said.

Two more girls from their class arrived. "See you around."

Draco ran up to Lavender. "When does she plan to start the class?"

"She says that she'll start the class in January. She has the minimum now but she wants to give a few more witches and wizards the opportunity. She usually start a new class every three years but since there is interest she might start us early," Lavender said. "If you want to enrol, owl her a copy of your N.E.W.T.s and a completed application."

"Thanks."

"You need to write an essay on why you'll want to be medi-wizard and do an interview," Lavender said. "Ron Weasley is taking classes at the hospital. If they will sign a waiver for his marks, you won't be the only boy in the class."

Pansy whispered into Draco's ear. "I don't care if you were drunk and asked Hermoine to do it. You should have had her reverse it or at least stayed away from the wizards district until it expired." Pansy started to laugh as she joined the other girls.

Harry took Draco's hand. "Deirdre, we should go to the Ministry before the rest of the our class shows."

"Most of them have jobs all ready," Draco said. "I'm not surprised Pansy recognized me. We've been friends since we're infants. At least, she didn't mention our arranged marriage."

"We can be thankful for that," Harry said. "We should owl your parents that you're getting married."

Pansy was a very attractive woman, strange since she was such an ugly girl. If she didn't blossom into this curvy, long-legged witch, Draco might have gone through with the arrange marriage immediately after graduating. She was nicer when she was a pimple faced teen with greasy, dirty blonde hair. "I'll owl Pansy about our marriage. She can tell me what our parents intend to do about the arranged marriage."

"I don't know if I should be jealous." Harry pulled Draco along at a faster pace.

"I'm not attractive to woman. I never have been. It's just that Pansy and I talked about playing house since we were children. I see her and I feel like I'm kissing part of my past behind." Draco didn't know exactly what he felt. Pansy had been rude to him since their date for the Yule Ball: She was always trying to push him on more dates, she hovered over him at the Great Hall, and she teased him in front of her friends.




Chapter 11: Ingredients

Harry spoke to Percy Weasley in a small corridor of the Ministry for a number of minutes. "Percy will handle your name change discreetly," Harry said, as he left Draco along with Percy. Percy had the same red hair as his brothers but he was built more slender and had a more stern expression. Draco seemed to recall that Fred, George, Charlie and Ron were taller as well. Longhaired Bill that loved to travel might have been just as slender and short as Percy although he was still a few centimetres taller than Draco.

Draco walked to an open space in the street to wait for Harry to finish talking with another Weasley. Draco used to believe all Weasleys were the same, but he wasn't sure now. All he knew is that he had to tell them apart or he would get lost at the Ministry. How many of them worked there now? "Let's apparate home and Remus might join us for Friday night dinner."

"I'll start looking through the books in Sirius's collection," Harry said. "Princess, do you want to get the ingredients for your potions?"

"I didn't bring the spell with me," Draco said.

"You can apparate home and grab it and apparate back here," Harry said.

"I'll meet you at the apothecary." Draco had the potion in hand in a few minutes and arrived at the apothecary in the less time it took Harry to walk.

"Your parents probably have wards to prevent people from apparating in or out of their house," Harry said.

"I never had that problem." Draco collected the ingredients and brought them to the till. "I can manage this."

"We'll be married soon and I hope you trust me enough to share expenses," Harry teased.

"I'm just saying that I have the money in my pocket."

"I'll get us takeaway and you may work on your potion," Harry suggested. "I'll meet you at the house."

"I'll just read it over. I'm not doing it tonight." Draco was glad for the may. Did Harry know not give him orders?

"I know that you're anxious." Harry touched his shoulder. Harry had an owl when he arrived home. Mr. And Mrs. Weasley wanted him to spend his eighteenth birthday at the Burrow. "Do you want to go to the Burrow for my birthday?"

"Why not? Percy insisted I'm part of the family. Why not celebrate with a hundred red-haired monsters?"

"They aren't that bad." Harry swatted Draco's head. "We can announce our engagement or marriage."

"Not like they all don't already know," Draco said. "I'm going to read this potion a few times before making it. We ate so much all day that I'm not really hungry."

"I'll get Chinese later," Harry said.

Remus entered the house with bag of groceries. "I brought stuff that is easy to prepare." Remus put the food into the icebox with real ice.

"Is there anyway that we can get electricity?" Draco asked.

"And Malfoy Manor had electricity," Remus said.

"No. Harry lived with muggles and I'm starting to appreciate technology," Draco said. "We had house elves so we never handled food. I never knew how house elves acquired food as a child; I just accept it."

"The ministry buys surplus food and the house elves distribute it," Remus said.

"I know that now," Draco said.

"Anyway, Sirius and I always brought food. We didn't trust Kreacher," Remus said. "We let him cook because he would complain if he had nothing to do, but then again, he complained when he did have something to do."

"He isn't here now. Hermoine had this strange idea of freeing the house elves but didn't understand that they didn't want their freedom," Harry said.

"The food will stay fresh in the ice box and the ice is replaced more than once a week. Deirdre, don't feel you need to cook for me," Remus said.

"I like cooking," Draco said. "Harry and I spent the day running around. I'll be spending most of tomorrow making a potion."

"The instruction says that it should take two hours to make," Harry said.

"They don't take into account making sure you have all the ingredients before you start, cutting and otherwise preparing them, plus setting up your equipment," Draco said. "Remus, do you have a small cauldron that I can use in the fireplace?"

Remus pulled out a mid-sized cauldron. "I've used it in the fireplace myself. You could also use a small one on the stovetop."

"The potion suggested a medium size cauldron although the end result will fit in an glass and it only makes one dose, but it requires straining and much reducing. I might be able to do the last few steps over the stove."

"Just clean up when you're done." Remus lit the oven and waited it to preheat. "I have family size frozen dinners. You're welcome to join me."

"Enjoy." Draco read his potion once more before living in the bed and resting, feeling that he would have no problem making it the morning. By that evening, it would be cool enough to drink and he would be a she.

Harry came in the bedroom. "Are you sure you want to do this tomorrow?"

"As sure as I'll ever be. It's the right thing. I feel it in my bones." Draco put his hand over Harry's face.

"I love you not your sex." Harry kissed his forehead.

"Do you want to enjoy it one last time?" Draco undressed.

"You don't have to hurry into this." Harry moved his hand over his breasts.

"I'm not. I could wait a year and my mind wouldn't change."

"We'll go to the clinic and get you on birth control once it's done. It can still be reversed if you don't become pregnant. I want you to train to be a healer. I want you to use your intelligence for good." Harry sucked on his breast and moved his hand to his belly. "Give it a little more thought before doing it. Permanent magic shouldn't be taken lightly."

"I love you so much." Draco watched Harry move over his body. He was always submissive not that Harry gave him much opportunity to be otherwise. Harry moved with such grace and desire to touch him. As Harry's mouth enclosed his cock, Draco had this urge to move away. He closed his eyes and allowed the pleasure to move throughout his pores before he returned the favour. "Harry, will you miss it?"

"I don't know. I love you. Don't ever forget that. Princess, you don't have to do it in the morning."

"People treat me like I'm a joke."

"Write your parents an owl. It will make you feel better."

"But the Prophet says that my father is in Ireland and my mother is still at the manor."

"Write your mother then. She'll forward it to your father." Harry took the heavy brush from off the dresser and started to brush Draco soft, fine hair.

"I don't know what to say."

"Tell them that you miss them and love them and will see them soon. Tell them that we're getting married and that you're going to become a healer. Just write." Harry kissed his naked neck.

Draco sat at the nightstand and wrote a short letter to his mother saying all the things that Harry suggested and not much else then wrote a few more lines about how much he loved Harry and knew that marrying Harry was the right thing to do. He felt stupid trying to explain love to his mother, but he couldn't just write he was marrying a boy without some kind of explanation.

Harry looked at the letter. "I'll have Hegwig mail it."

"Thanks." Draco gave Harry the letter.

"Your mother will be glad to hear from you." Draco believed Harry's comment like it was truth. He didn't like that he accepted Harry's words as truth, but he didn't know if there was a treatment for this type of impedius.

It wasn't a standard treatment for Death Eaters. It must have been Voldemort's way of telling him that he was powerless against him. Funny, he didn't feel like he heard a single order by the Dark Lord himself so proximity must have been part of the spell. He only felt compelled to obey orders by Harry when he was able to hear them. He didn't obey anything Harry whispered under his breath or any orders Harry requested from outside his normal hearing. At least, that was something.

After figuring out how to use the peculator, Draco made coffee and a large pot of porridge. He toasted bread in the oven and put butter out along side the toast as he served Harry and Remus breakfast in the dining room. "Harry, I'm not going to do that potion today. It needs to be taken within a day of being made and I need more time."

"Good plan," Harry said. "After breakfast, would you like to go to Marks and Sparks?"

"I need a something nice when we visit your family. I wrote Pansy went you were asleep. She invited me over to have afternoon tea," Draco said.

"In the middle of the night?" Harry asked.

"She was up and owled me back. We need to talk about our parents. Her mother and mine still think we're getting married." Draco snapped, "Harry, I need a little time alone."

"Go shopping without me," Harry sneered.

"I don't know what I'm going to do. Do you think Pansy will say the spell for me? I really like the way I look"

"What about the side effects?"

"I can handle them."

Remus ignored the conversation went to the kitchen.

Draco went upstairs to the bedroom and looked at himself in the mirror in his tee shirt and baggy jeans. He smiled at the girl in the mirror. He felt so weak; he hated how Pansy acted like he had to be drunk to allow Hermoine to say such a spell.

Draco owled Pansy again. "Would you like to help me shop? We'll go to muggle stores so dress appropriately. Meet you in front of Marks and Spencer." He wrote out the address so Pansy would know which one.

Draco was surprised that Pansy was there at the time he suggested. "We could go for a walk. I need a dress for when I visit Harry's family."

"This isn't a joke," Pansy said.

"No. This is I."

"I don't understand," Pansy said.

"Let's go to an Internet café. I can explain it better there or would you prefer a large bookstore?" Draco put his hands in his pockets.

"Is that an engagement ring?" Pansy asked, touching his finger.

"Yes. Harry and I are getting married as soon as I have acceptable dress robes." Draco put his arms around her.

"We're under orders to kill capture Harry," Pansy said.

"And me?"

"No. Voldemort says that you must live. You're important to his plans but I don't know how. Now, let's go to this café and you can show me why you want to people to treat you like a girl."

Draco took a slow deep breath. "I can't show you why I feel this way, but I can show you that I'm not the only one that does."

"You aren't doing this so I won't want to marry you. If you are, it isn't necessary; I'm dating Dean Thomas. There is something about Gryffindor men."

"Hermoine says the same thing," Draco teased. "I need a favour from you. On Tuesday, the spell that gives me curves and a higher pitched voice will expire. It has to be spoken by a friend, not a lover or self-administrated. Can you do it for me?"

"Sure. I'm working part-time at Madam Malkin's Robes. You can meet for afternoon tea."

"Sounds great. It has to be done once a week."

"I'm your girl." Pansy hugged him. "Are we still friends?"

"The best."

"Come on. Let go inside and find you a fabulous dress."

"Not too fabulous. Harry doesn't want his cousin to get too jealous."

"You're beautiful." Pansy walked into the store. "You should flaunt it."

"Harry and his cousin are very close in age and fight all the time. He doesn't want to resort to putting a hex on his muggle cousin because he says something or touches me," Draco said.

"We won't make you too beautiful. You're still a boy?"

"Where it matters." Draco winked at her. "I have this potion that will make me into a girl but I didn't make it this morning although I brought all the ingredients."

"Why not?"

"Because I wanted to take it because I was angry that you, my parents or even the Weasleys might try to talk me out of my beliefs. I'll should give it a few months just to show people that I didn't make a rash decision and allowed everyone opportunity to change my mind."

"Are you going to change your mind?"

"I doubt it. I like being a girl."

"It shows. I don't think I ever seen you this happy. I admire you for standing up to the Dark Lord. I wish I had your courage."

"I don't blame you. If he killed my father, I might have broke."

"I didn't break then. I broke when he took my little brother by the throat and threatened him. I couldn't let him kill a child in my name."

"It wouldn't have been in your name. Harry wants to teach him to stop killing and enjoy life."

"I hope Harry can reason with him. He's completely mad."

"Harry is remarkably sane."

Pansy looked at the dresses on the rack. "I know nothing about muggle sizes."

"We can try things on. It will be fun."

Pansy thumbed through the dress rack. "Draco, how can you talk about clothes when the Dark Lord is killing people?"

"It's Deirdre. We have to believe there are better times ahead. What do you think?" Draco pulled a red dress off the rack. "Do you think it's my colour?"

"I don't know we're Slytherin girls."

"I'm tired of green and silver. I'm going to wear red, blue, orange, and hot pink."

"Not at the same time."

"Only Hermoine would do that."

Pansy started to laugh.

"Let's try on some dresses and forget about our troubles."

"But my father is gone and he could kill the rest of my family."

"He could kill any of us. We can't think about death. Death comes for every one."

"Except Nicolas Flamel."

"Even he will die eventually." Draco pulled a short black and white dress off the rack. "You try this one on. Dean will faint when he sees you in it." Draco pulled several dresses off the rank. "We'll take turns."

Draco ended up buying three dresses and Pansy, one. Pansy insisted on using her own money but since she had only galleons Draco had to exchange them. Draco listened to the light rain outside. "We can apparate here. I rather not get my new clothes wet."

"We could have apparated before I spent thirty pounds on a dress," Pansy said.

"Wizards do not steal from muggles," Draco said very proudly.

"They only want to enslave them and use them a puppets," Pansy said.

"I had a really good time. Now, that there is no pressure for us to date I found that I can enjoy your company." Draco smiled. "We'll do this again next week."

"I don't need that many clothes."

"We can have tea and just talk about girly things. I never had a real friend. Vincent and Greg were so below me. Did you ever try to have a conversation with either of them?"

"Can say that I have?" Pansy said in an air of superiority.

"It wasn't worth the effort. I doubt they have any usable grey matter between them. Pansy, we really have a lot in common. We're both interested in becoming medi-witches and are dating those brave and daring Gryffindor boys."

"Draco, are you really this feminine or is this some kind of act to upset me?"

"No act. It's like I rediscovered myself."

"See you Tuesday and I do that spell for you." Pansy squeezed her bag to her chest.

"Ciao." Draco apparated to 12 Grimmauld Place.




Chapter 12: Sunday Dinner

Harry and Draco apparated to the Dursleys' lawn for an early supper Sunday afternoon. Petunia Durley was working the garden. "Harry, you aren't supposed to do magic when others might see," she said.

"You said that the backyard near the vegetable garden was best. There is no one out here." Harry hugged his aunt coldly. "Auntie, it's good to see you. You remember my fiancée, Deirdre."

"You look lovely." Petunia hugged the girl that was wearing a blue and white dress briefly. "Uncle Vernon and your cousin are inside. You know your uncle; he doesn't move all day Sunday if he can help it."

"And Dudley is playing on his Play Station," Draco teased. "Harry told me that he got one before they were officially sold in England."

"Vernon got it for him as a surprise. He spoils that boy worse than I do," Petunia said.

"Deirdre, let's go in and you can help me set the table." Petunia handed Draco plates. "So are you looking for a job?"

"I start training to become a nurse in the next available class." Draco put the plates on the table.

"She hopes to become a medi-witch; it like being both a practical nurse and a doctor," Harry said. "They're given very high regard."

"And what do you intend to do?" she asked.

"Work for the Ministry," Harry said. "I spoke to Minister of Magic and I can start at anytime."

Uncle Vernon interrupted, not getting up from his overstuffed chair. "What the world needs is another bureaucrat."

"After Deirdre finishes her training as a healer, I could get a job teaching," Harry said.

After putting the glasses and silver on the table, Draco asked, "Aunt Petunia, do you need help in the kitchen?"

"You could stir the sauce while I slice the roast," Petunia said. "Do you cook?"

"I'm learning. I brought a cookbook. I've only tried a couple of recipes so far. Harry and I have been so busy getting ready for the wedding," Draco said.

"We're getting married by the judge. My two best friends from school are witnessing," Harry said.

"When?" Petunia asked.

"Monday at two," Harry said. Hermoine said that she couldn't be at the Ministry any earlier.

"Being me back some pictures," Petunia said.

"Don't you think you're hurrying into this?" Vernon said. "Are either of you eighteen?"

"I'll be eighteen in October," Draco said, "and you know when Harry's birthday is. According to laws of the wizards' district, Harry and I were both legal adults able to sign contracts and do magic outside of school since our seventeenth birthdays."

"I have something I would like to say." Harry filled a glass with water. "Please, have Dudley join us."

"Dear, could you get him?" Petunia asked her husband. "I have to turn off the food on the cooker."

"Certainly, honey." Vernon moved out of the overstuffed chair like it was a major effort to life his portly body then climbed the stairs.

"Deirdre, help me put the food on the table," Petunia said.

"I'll be happy to help." Draco felt himself smiling, hoping that he wasn't coming on a bit too strong to Harry's family. She didn't want to seem too eager to join their family.

"Harry said you had fantastic marks."

"I finished second in our class." Hermoine seemed to always do better than him. "It isn't that big an honour considering we have only forty in a class."

"Harry, where did you place?" Petunia asked.

"Twelfth," Harry said. "Competition is rather fierce."

Petunia smiled. "Twelfth isn't bad."

After Dudley and Vernon joined them at the table, Dudley started to dump food on his plate. Vernon interrupted, "Son, you know we need to say grace first."

"Harry," Petunia said.

"Heaven Father, bless the meal we're about to partake. Thank you for granting us family and love ones to share your bounty with. Bless my aunt and uncle and my future wife. In the name of the Father, Son and the Holy Ghost," Harry said.

"Amen," Petunia said.

"Now, we can eat," Dudley said, loading more food on his plate.

"Young man, you aren't the only one at the table," Petunia said.

Dudley started to eat.

"Pass the potatoes, please," Draco said.

"Certainly. " Petunia passed the platter that Dudley half emptied to her.

"Dudley, I like you to meet my future wife, Deirdre," Harry said.

Dudley didn't stop eating to say anything.

"I have an announcement to make. As you're aware when I turned seventeen, I became an adult in the wizard community and was given the right to perform magic according to our laws. I'm connected through my scar to Tom Riddle, also know as Lord Voldemort, the evil wizard that ordered the deaths of my family. He killed his muggle relatives after he left Hogwarts, but I'll have mercy on you. If I wanted to kill you for all the injustices that you done to me over the years, you would be dead already and no one would ever trace it to me," Harry said. "Deirdre's father is Lucius Malfoy, a wizard that has studied the Dark Arts all his life and she has no qualms about killing muggles. Her family is pureblood and believes that muggles are less than human."

"You didn't need to frighten them." Draco knew that his uncle tried many times to beat the magic out of him but that didn't give him the right to scare these muggles to death. He had watched his father and other Death Eaters scare muggles because they were in their way. Killing muggles wasn't usually necessary and it was messy (who wants Scotland Yard involved) so frightening them was a cleaner way to go about getting them out of Death Eaters' business. Draco laughed when he saw muggles run away in fear, but now he pitied them. They had no understanding of magic and if they did, it would only frighten them.

"They need to understand that they're alive because I feel pity for them," Harry stated. "After I collect the last of my things, you won't be bothered with me again."

Petunia sobbed lightly. "Harry, you're family."

"I recall more times being excluded in family activities than being included. The summers that I was included it was only begrudgingly because you were afraid that we could be watched," Harry said. "After I pack my books and other belongings, you'll never have to see me again. Deirdre, are you done eating?"

"Aunt Petunia, I'm very sorry," Draco said. "He told me stories about his childhood. You must believe me that he's holding back by not killing you and making it look like an accident."

Draco was amazed that Harry didn't use magic on them frequently even with the ruling about underage magic. How could a man beat a wizard and the rest of the family treat him no better than a house elf? Draco like the other people at Hogwarts didn't know that Harry was beaten and neglected during his summers. They believed that the famous Harry Potter was spoiled and loved even though Harry wore clothes that didn't fit him.

Draco and his classmate decided that Harry wore clothes that didn't fit because muggles wore clothes that were too big and Harry didn't have any sense of style. Slytherins knew Harry lived with muggles during the summer but they didn't know enough about muggles to know if Harry's ragged clothes were a sign of abuse by his wealthy family.

"Dearie, I believe you," Petunia said. "Is your father an evil man?"

"Some people see him that way. He's a distant, cold man. He has beat me for not coming out first in academic standings, letting a muggle-born girl take the honour. Second place to him is still losing," Draco said. "My father has standards that no one can meet. We're going to see him after we're married and I'm not looking forward to it."

"Bob emailed me and said that he was an escaped convict," Petunia said.

"He was convicted of murder but there was only circumstantial evidence. If he appealed, he could get off on a technicality," Draco said. "It's a rather complicated situation."

"I'm sure it is." Petunia sipped her tea. "Deirdre, would you like more tea?"

"I'd love some." Draco ate a little more food. Harry's aunt didn't seem like a bad person.

Dudley had no table manners and was rude to him. The only eye contact Dudley made toward Draco was checking out her figure. He would have liked to tell that disgusting baboon that he wasn't a girl but it was better to let the git think Harry found himself a beautiful, intelligent girl from a good wizard family.

Dudley, with his mass, lack of manners and obvious lack of intelligence, would be lucky to find any girl unless he raped her and Draco shuttered at the thought. No respectable girl would date a fat moron. Dudley belched before leaving the table.

Draco smiled at him. "Dudley, it was nice meeting you."

Dudley went upstairs without a word. Draco didn't think the fat slob was worth more than few seconds of contemplation. He felt sorry for Harry to have the share a house with such a dullard.

Uncle Vernon didn't seem much brighter than the boy, but he was in charge of a company so he had to have some intelligence although he did a good job of acting like he had no more brains than a slug. He had no trouble believing that Vernon try to beat the magic out of Harry when Harry was a boy; he seemed stupid enough to try that. Harry was right not to kill the family; it was a worse punishment to allow them to continue their pitiful existence.

"Princess, help me clear out my cupboard," Harry said.

"All your books and supplies from Hogwarts are where you left them," Vernon said, as he left the table.

"Deirdre, allow Harry to pack without you," Petunia said.

Draco followed Harry to the cupboard under the stairs and watched him pulled out the nails with a hammer. "A wand would be faster."

Draco had no interest in helping Harry pack and didn't want to get in the way of any animosity between Harry and his uncle. Draco was ordered to help Harry clean out the cupboard but he would stay out of Harry's uncle's way the best he could and let Harry do most of the work in getting the stuff packed.

"I forget that I can do magic here," Harry said.

"I always did magic during the summers," Draco said.

"Your parents have no regard for rules," Harry teased. "Help Aunt Petunia in the kitchen. I rather pack alone."

"Harry, we need to talk." Draco was relieved that Harry didn't want his help but they did need to talk about Harry's ability to order Draco. Draco was certain it was the Dark Lord's spell or potion that made him obey Harry, but Harry still needed to know what was happening so he could do something about it.

Occasionally, Draco would think that Harry enjoyed his connection to the Dark Lord and wasn't fighting it at all. He definitely liked scaring his muggle family and the Dark Lord spoke about scaring muggles Draco never met the Dark Lord outside Malfoy Manor and didn't know how the Dark Lord acted around muggles.

All Draco knew was that Harry had enjoyed being in the normal population while they were in New Jersey and now he seemed to avoid them. They apparated directly to the Dursleys's house and Harry wasn't as friendly to strangers as they walked on the streets, but had a lot on his mind with the wedding and facing the Dark Lord in a few days. Perhaps, Harry was fighting the Dark Lord the best he could and he didn't hate muggles. Then again, it was hard to be friendly to strangers when you had a lot on your mind.

"You don't understand. When we go see Lord Voldemort, you'll understand. You have to trust me."

The problem was that Draco had no choice but to trust Harry. He was thinking of himself as Deirdre Potter like Draco Malfoy was only a dream. He needed to owl Pansy that he couldn't meet her for tea on Tuesday since he was going to visit his father the night before.

Draco found himself acting strangely since leaving Malfoy Manor. He was excessively polite without meaning to be. He felt happier than he seemed to recall. It was like he was bewitched but Harry wouldn't do such a thing to him. It felt like a love potion or some form of imperius. He still had his own thoughts but he was just happier when he pleased Harry and wanted nothing more in life than to please him. Harry said that he would get his answers after they saw his father.

Draco knew that he should turn Harry down and marry him after Monday but he was unable to say no. His uncle Vernon was right; there were too young to hurry into a marriage. He was unable to refuse Harry or even tell Harry to slow down and think about it. Wizards didn't divorce as often as muggles and were looked down upon for being divorced; therefore, wizards didn't enter marriage lightly. After Petunia and Draco had cleaned the kitchen,

Draco looked at himself in the mirror in the downstairs toilet. "I should tell Harry that I'm under his power," he whispered.

Harry looked in through the open door. "Talking to yourself."

"Harry, Voldemort must have put me under a from of impedius. I don't understand it, but I need to obey your orders. You need to be careful how you phrase things when speaking to me," Draco whispered.

"I'm not Voldemort," he said.

"Your mind is connect to his and that must be enough," Draco said. "I have to follow your orders. I could be very embarrassing around muggles. If you use may, should, could, might or ask if I want to do something, I'm not under the obligation to do it. Intent seems to be of importance since you asked me to buy a handbag and I brought it but two days after you requested that I do it."

"People say let's go or other similar orders all the time."

"You must have noticed it."

"Princess, I'll try to be more careful. I don't want you to do something inappropriate just because I said it."

Draco looked at Harry and touched his face lightly. "It appears that you have to say it where I can hear you and it must be said directly to me."

"Deirdre, I didn't do this to you. I don't want you to be my slave. I love you."

"I'm not blaming you." Draco put his arms around Harry.

"I'm so sorry." Harry kissed him briefly.



Chapter 13: Getting Married

Monday morning, Pansy handed up Draco his dress robes at Madam Malkin's shop. "You looked very happy."

"I'm getting married this afternoon. I can't make tea Tuesday. I'm visiting my father at a secret location. Harry says that we're going to meet with the Dark Lord. Harry assures me that things will work out and I'm not to worry," Draco said, holding his handbag against his chest, not feeling comfortable about holding one but he needed a place to carry his makeup and brush.

"If I was meeting the Dark Lord as Harry's bride, I'd be worried and I was born a girl," Pansy said.

"I feel remarkably calm."

"Draco, that creature terrifies me," Pansy whispered.

"He usually terrified me, but I trust Harry," Draco said. "Thanks for getting me my robes."

Draco had trouble remembering how he felt when he stood up to the Dark Lord in the beginning of the summer holidays. He knew that his mind could be taken over by impedius since his DADA professor did that to him as a demonstration. The only person in the class immune to impedius was Harry Potter, no surprise there. A few other learned with practice to keep the professor out of their minds, but Draco wasn't one of them.

Draco knew that all his spitting, standing in the Dark Lord's way and trying to throw curses that didn't leave his wand was rather useless against the Dark Lord, but he wanted his father and the Dark Lord to believe that he was fearless. Draco knew if he appeared weak in front of Lord Voldemort his father would never fight for his life and his freedom.

He would be put under crucio either way, but if he didn't cower to the Dark Lord, he would keep his self-respect longer. He knew why he stood up to the Dark Lord that night, but he couldn't recall what it felt like doing it. Was he terrified or did he not care about how many times he was hit with crucio?

"Would you like to try them on before leaving?" Madam Malkin asked.

"I'll step in the dressing room," Draco said.

Madam Malkin walked him to the dressing room. "You should wear a slip or a thin gown underneath. They should be tight enough to show your trim figure."

Draco undressed to his bra and knickers. "I don't want the judge to see I'm a boy."

"Draco, gay marriage is legal. You only have to wait until your eighteenth birthday," she said.

"I want to be married as soon as possible," Draco said.

"I'm sure a slip will hide that. Draco, let's see if the robe fit properly." Madam Malkin help him put on the dress robe. "You look very pretty. No one will see that you're a boy. Don't worry about it. Robes aren't that tight. Put a slip underneath and you'll look fine." Madam Malkin laughed. "Draco, are you sure you want to be Mrs. Potter the rest of your life?"

"I love Harry very much." Draco started to cry.

"It's okay. It's not every day that a girl gets married," Madam Malkin said.

"I have to believe I'm doing the right thing." Draco couldn't tell Madam Malkin that he was powerless to change his mind. Harry said that they were getting married today and that was it. Were the tears caused by the frustration of being powerless or was it simply all the female hormones running through his body because of the charm cast the previous week?

Madam Malkin put the robe on a hanger and covered it with paper as Draco dressed in a dresses he brought from Marks and Sparks with Pansy. He smiled at the girl in the blue and white dress. "I could use some shoes."

"I might have a few pairs in stock. Take a look," Madam Malkinsaid.

"I only have these sandals and I would like a nice pair of white dress shoes," Draco said.

"I got just the thing." Madam Malkin handed them to Draco. "Put them on your feet and I'll adjust them."

Draco did so.

Madam Malkin pointed her wand in the direction of the shoes. "What do you think?"

"I'll take them. Thanks and a slip to go under my gown."

"Draco, tell Harry that you need more time." Madam Malkin ran up his purchases.

"I can't." Draco couldn't even bring up the subject of changing the time of the wedding. He didn't recall how Harry phrased it to stop him from questioning it, but he couldn't question this order when he had been able to question smaller orders.

Draco paid for the shoes and slip; he didn't want to think too hard about what orders he could question and what orders he couldn't question. Trying to fight impedius was giving him a headache and he still didn't know what words Harry used to prevent Draco from being about to question and order.

It might had nothing to do with words used but Harry's intentions; perhaps, Draco was able to question things of little importance to Harry like when to make a potion or when to buy something but a larger issue like the time of their wedding couldn't be questioned because the time mattered to Harry while the time of smaller things didn't..

While Harry and Draco ate eleven o'clock tea at a muggle restaurant, Draco laid the robe carefully on an empty chair. "You need to get your dress robe."

"After we eat, we have plenty of time," Harry said. "Do you feel like I'm rushing you?"

Harry asking him about his feelings made it possible for Draco to talk about it.

"Yes, but I understand. I need to be your wife as soon as possible. It won't look so odd if I'm always obeying you if we're married." Draco was able to question Harry decision but didn't.If he wanted them to be married before seeing the Dark Lord and his father, he must have had a strong reason for it. Harry seem to have a lot on his mind that he didn't want to discuss with Draco.

When Draco pressed Harry for answers, Harry started to kiss him and undress him and say that they had better things to do with their mouths then talk. Draco loved Harry's hands and mouth all over his body so he tended to agree, especially when Harry said they would talk later right before Harry swallowed his lad.

It was hard to think about talking when his cock was surrounded by wet, warmth and incredible sensation of light pressure of suction and the delicate movement of Harry's tongue and jaws. "Every time that I want to talk to you, you seduce me. Now, I can talk and all I'm thinking about is having sex with you."

"I love making you feel good. I have so much on my mind and it's just easier to concentrate on making you feel good than to think about the shite inside my head," Harry explained.

"You order me to marry you and I can't even talk about if we should hurry into it or take our time," Draco said.

"Can you talk about it now?" Harry asked as he sipped his tea.

"Yes, but I'm torn. I want to marry you, but I feel like I'm being hurried into it. Harry, I agreed to marry you today and your friends will be there. I'm not going to change my mind."

"I'll try to be a good husband to you." Harry smiled at him.

"I want to be your wife more than anything. I'm just nervous. We'll get married today."

"You can change your mind. I'll try not to give you orders," Harry said. "We'll talk to Voldemort about the spell he put you under."

"He wants to kill you," Draco insisted.

"You'll understand when we see him tonight. Do you want to fly two on a broom or should I buy you a broom after the wedding?"

"We can fly two on a broom. It will be romantic," Draco said.

"I'll get my broom when I pick up my robes," Harry said. "Princess, you'll understand everything after we meet Voldemort. You have no reason to be afraid."

Those words soothed Draco although he knew they shouldn't. After paying for the meal, Harry apparated back to the house and Draco continued to the Ministry. Harry would meet him there. Ron, Ginny and Neville met him in the corridor at the Ministry.

"We can go to the employee lounge and talk," Ron suggested.

"You aren't going to laugh at me," Draco said.

Ginny asked, "You don't mind if Neville and I attend."

"Not at all," Draco said.

"Draco, you make a pretty girl. I'd date you if you weren't engaged to Harry." Neville smiled at him.

Ginny made a face. "Draco, are you and Harry go to spend his birthday at the Burrow?"

"We would like to. Harry can't stop talking about your mother's chocolate truffle cake," Draco said.

"I'll tell her to make it for him," Ginny said.

"How many Weasleys are going to be there?" Draco asked.

"Between twenty and thirty," Ginny said. "Hermoine isn't a Weasley, yet."

"Harry says he's an honorary Weasley," Draco said. "Ginny, will you help me with my dress robes?"

"You're going into the lady's," Ginny said.

"I can't use men's the way I look. Come on. Help me with my makeup."

Ginny followed Draco to the loo. "You see yourself as a girl."

"I plan to have at least as many children as your mother. I put my makeup in my handbag." Draco set it on the counter. "Ginny, I could do your eyes and lips. Neville will think it's hot."

Draco took off the blue and white dress, put on the white slip and then put on the light pink dress robe. He brushed his hair so it was full and shiny adding a little conditioner to make it look soft. "Ginny, you can use my brush. I don't think Weasleys have cooties."

"What are cooties?"

"A muggle infestation. Poor people must have had them at one time." Draco did his eye makeup and then the rest of his makeup as Ginny tried the hair conditioner and brushed her long thick red hair.

"Am I beautiful?" Draco put on some lipstick and lip liner.

"No one would know that you're a boy," Ginny said.

Draco put the makeup back in the bag. "Maybe the groom is here. I hope there is someplace to put my clothes while we have the ceremony."

"I'm sure Percy will think of something," Ginny said.

"He isn't a judge," Draco said.

"He's the clerk handling it," Ginny said. "Now, that Daddy is in Ministry of Magic, Percy seems to get all the good jobs. I told Ron that he has to ask Daddy for better jobs so he isn't trapped in that tiny cubicle all day sorting through dusty folders."

"I hear that you want to become a healer. I'm thinking about it myself, but with the wedding, I haven't put in an application."

"Ron is taking classes so he can get a waiver for his grades. McGonagall believes that I have the grades for it. Percy wants Ron to take the class with me, but Ron is impatient," Ginny said.

"I might be taking the class with you if I don't get my application in soon," Draco said.

"Draco, you aren't like the boy we knew in school." Ginny met up with Hermoine.

"I needed to make a few hard decisions about myself," Draco said. Harry arrived in his dress robes. "Tell me that you didn't go through the street of London dressed like that."

"I didn't," Harry said. "We can put your things in Percy's cubicle. It's on the way to the judge's chambers."

The ceremony was very short especially since Harry forgot to buy rings, but they both said I will and Harry did manage to kiss the bride. Hermoine hugged Draco afterwords. "You look lovely. Ron, take some pictures of the couple."

"Will do," Ron said.

"Deirdre, are you okay?" Hermoine asked.

"I'm great." Draco hugged Hermoine.

"We need to go home and pack for our holiday," Harry said. "Deirdre, I'm sorry I forgot to buy rings."

"We can get them later. We signed the paperwork and that is what matters. I'm your wife according to the laws of Ministry of Magic. "

"We'll apparate home and then we can try to fly two on a broom," Harry said.

"I like obeying you." Draco kissed Harry in the corridor of the Ministry.

"See you at the party," Hermoine said.

"We'll be there," Harry said, before walking to Percy's cubicle to get their belongings.

"Why do we need to see the Dark Lord?" Draco asked, as they were leaving the building still in their dress robes.

"Apparate home and we'll talk," Harry said.

Draco apparated without giving it a thought; Harry ordered him deliberately. "You ordered me to apparate."

"So I did." Harry smiled "We need to talk about this privately."

"I'm under your power. I've never felt compelled to do anything the Dark Lord asked me."

"Because you're not near him. You said said that the spell only work if spoken directly to you."

"Did he do this to me?"

Harry shook his head. "I don't know who put you under my power but it wasn't me or the Dark Lord."

Harry put his hand through Draco hair. "You're so beautiful. I can't stand for you to cry. You have to trust me."

"The problem is that I trust you when logic says that I shouldn't."

"Voldemort believed you were going to see me and gave you two potions. One that made you feel feminine and a mild love potion that would cause us to fall in love with our first kiss. He didn't give you anything to make you obey my orders or his." Harry scratched his head a moment. "You must believe me. He needs me and I have to go. Princess, I want you to witness this. I can't explain it anymore. I only know without you I can't face him. You're my strength."

"What will happen if you don't go?"

"He'll take me some place quiet and do what needs to be done there. I want to see him; I need to do this as much as he does. I'm looking forward to see its completion." Harry put his arms around Draco.

"Princess, my mind is open to him and it's never going to close again." Harry kissed Draco's forehead. "If he ever left me, I would feel this great emptiness; he's part of me."

Harry smoothed Draco's hair. "Don't be afraid. The war will end tonight or tomorrow morning. No one else will die due to Lord Voldemort. You have to trust me."

Harry moved his hand lightly over Draco's face. "Princess, I love you so much."




Chapter 14: Traveling by Broom

Harry insisted they put all their belongings in one carpetbag. "This is a Mary Poppins type bag. It's bigger on the inside than on the outside."

"I can see that." Draco said, as his new robe seemed to disappear in the bag.

"Bring enough clothes for three or four days. I hope to be back for my birthday. What Voldemort needs me for should only take two days if all goes well. Do you think you can carry Hegwig's cage and the carpet bag if I hold onto you?"

"I suppose." Draco folded his dresses, bras and knickers then put a few pairs of nylons into the bag.

"You should take that potion before we go. If you don't, he'll make you take it," Harry said.

"I'll let him order me to do it," Draco said. "If he's wanted to kill me, he would have done it already."

"He can make you suffer," Harry said. "Do it now."

A short, strongly stated ordered prevented Draco from arguing it even inside his mind. Draco made the potion as quickly and carefully as possible. It took almost three hours to make and to cool. He drank it hoping that he didn't make a mistake along the way. He hoped a mistake wouldn't turn a potion into poison; Snape would warn them to be careful in making potions because the smallest mistake could make a complicated potion into poison.

If the potion failed, would Voldemort punish him? He feared that Harry would be tortured if they didn't get to meeting Voldemort that night. If it didn't work, they would have to go and face any punishment, the Dark Lord would give him. He shouldn't have changed his mind about taking it Saturday and there wasn't the time to do it Sunday. There would have been more time and less pressure if he didn't change his mind Saturday morning.

Harry should have told him about needing to take the potion before seeing the Dark Lord, but Harry had a lot on his mind. Draco felt his/her body convulse about ten minutes after taking it and she put a hand down her body; she was smaller. "How do I look?"

"You're beautiful. Adjust your shoes and dress to fit and we have to go," Harry said. "We're going to get there in the middle of the night. Why did England have to make magic carpets illegal? That was a rhetoric question; you don't have to answer it."

"I didn't want to go into an hour dissertation about it." Draco picked up the carpetbag; it was as light as it was empty, and then, Hegwig's cage.

"I'll levitate the broom; you get on after me," Harry said.

After Harry levitated the broom in the front yard, Draco sat down on it holding the cage in one hand and the bag in the other. It felt strange to sit down missing the parts between his legs; there was no sense in panicking since those parts were never going to return. When Draco made that potion, he knew if it worked that he would be a woman that rest of her life. It was done and she needed to accept it.

Harry wrapped one arm around her and held the broom with the other. "We're off."

Draco knew she was smaller than she was before. She felt tiny compared to Harry, but there was no time to think about shrinkage. Harry implied that if they didn't see Voldemort tonight he would torture them both. "What does he want you for?"

"He needs my mind and my body," Harry stated like it was obvious.

"Why yours?" Draco asked. What a dumb question! Voldemort needed Harry's body because of their mental connection; no one else would do.

"I'm connected to him through that scar; I'm the only one that can do it. I want you beside me in case I don't wake up. Princess, if anything happens to me, you become the best medi-witch the world has ever seen." Harry kissed her hair. "I love you so much. Promise me that you'll do something wonderful with your life if I don't make it."

"You can't give him your life."

"Try to have faith."

"My hands feel numb from holding the bags."

"Loosen your grip a little. Move your fingers."

Draco loosened her grip on the cage and the bag. "That's better. I'd like to look in a mirror before we get there. I don't want my parents to see me when I don't know what I look like. I'm not trying to sound vain; it's more like curious." No wonder her hands hurt, she was clutching the bag and top of the cage tightly due to all the stress she was feeling.

Harry kissed her neck. "You're so brave."

"I can't scream."

"You could. If you're embarrassed, we'll both scream at the count of three. One, two, three." Harry and Draco screamed for a few seconds. "Does that make you feel better?"

"I'm going to be a woman the rest of my life."

"Do you want to talk about it?"

"There is nothing to say." Draco moved her hands slightly so they wouldn't go numb holding the bag and cage.

"You don't have to say anything profound."

"I'm your wife."

"How does that feel?"

"Good. I despised you when we were at school. You seemed to always get away with breaking the rules. It seems wrong that I should love you now when I threatened to kill you when I was a boy."

"That doesn't matter now. I'm not that boy you knew at school. You'll understand soon." Harry's voice was too soothing.

Harry didn't stop anywhere so Draco could look at herself. Draco wondered if she looked enough like himself that her parents would recognize her. Then, again, they knew Harry and her were coming and didn't need to recognize her to know her identity.

It was rather dark when they landed on the island that the broom seemed to take them. Harry took the cage and bag from Draco. "You look a little rumpled but you'll live."

Lucius Malfoy met them on the grounds. "The Dark Lord is waiting for you both."

Draco looked up at her father; he had always been shorter than the man, but with the lost inches, she felt tiny in comparison. She would hold her head up high and not be intimidated by him. "Father, I'm sorry." She was Deirdre Potter; there was no turning back. "You must be disappointed in me. I couldn't even stand up to Harry Potter. I wouldn't be surprised if you never wanted to see me again."

"Chin up. You're going to be his bride." Lucius said, in a voice that showed no emotion.

"I'm Mrs. Potter. We're married this morning," Deirdre said, arrogantly.

"Daughter. All is according to plan." Lucius put his arms around her. "I didn't expect the potion to make you so tiny. You didn't experience any ill effects."

"I'm a little queasy but otherwise, I feel fine. Father, you should be disappointed in me. I'm a girl. This isn't temporary. Harry ordered me to make and drink that potion and I did. I didn't question his judgment. I just did it."

"Child, you never been able to fight the effects of impedius. Do you think the Dark Lord allowed you to escape under his eyes? You were permitted to escape. We couldn't follow you after you were in the air but we knew you would bring Harry to the Dark Lord. You did very well." Lucius kissed her forehead. "You should be proud of yourself."

Deirdre said, "Is mother here?"

Her father was hiding something. They planned for her to see Harry in America and bring him back to England and under the Dark Lord's control. The Dark Lord was controlling her through Harry. Draco must transmitted a spell to Harry Potter that opened his mind to the Dark Lord, but how.

If it were that easy, someone else would have done this before, but it made no sense since Harry was immune to impedius. It wasn't normal impedius that Draco was under so it might not act the same way. This was too much to try to analyse. Harry said that she would have her answers when they met the Dark Lord; she had to wait.

"All in good time," Lucius said.

Wormtail met them at the doorway. "Mr. and Mrs. Potter, we have been expecting you. I'll take your bag. Would you care for tea or would you like to get straight to business?"

"Harry is always hungry," Deirdre volunteered. "I would like to go to the powder room."

"Of course, Madame," Wormtail said.

Deirdre looked at her reflection in the mirror. It wasn't that different from the one the temporary spell gave her. It was Draco's face, just more feminine. "So how do I look?" she asked the mirror and she took a comb from one of her robe's pockets.

"You're very pretty," the mirror said.

"There is no going back," Draco told herself. That spell was permanent and she would be having sex with Harry soon and would become pregnant. She would be Mrs. Harry Potter the rest of her life; Draco Malfoy was gone and she was Deirdre Potter now.

Lucius and Narcissa joined them in a dining room. The food appeared magically. "I'm glad for the letter," Narcissa said.

"I didn't know what to say," Deirdre said.

"It was good to know that you are well," Narcissa said.

"Mom, I'm sorry that I ran," Deirdre said.

"You came back as we expected and you brought Harry with you," Lucius said.

"The Dark Lord bewitched me," Deirdre said. "I must obey Harry."

"I sprinkled love potion on your food. He said that it would make you fall in love with him," Narcissa said. "I feed it to Vince and Pansy. He wanted us to observe the other two children since we couldn't observe you in America. It didn't harm Pansy, but Vince had a bad reaction to it. Vince was pulling at his hair and screaming that he was losing his mind. I've never seen a love potion make a boy act so weird. The Dark Lord gave him something to counteract it. Two days later, Vince disappeared. No one has seen him since."

"Harry said that it made the first person that you kissed afterward fall in love with you. I can't imagine who Vince kissed." Deirdre wondered if he gave Vince the potion that made Deirdre feel feminine. A potion may have caused the silly behaviour that he witnessed in Patsy, but such a potion given to Vince would probably make him feel crazy. "I've fallen in love with Harry and he with me. So Pansy has a new love interest."

"Dean Thomas, that mudblood boy," Mrs. Malfoy said. "It's disgusting."

Lucius crossed his hands. "Harry, eat. It must have been a long flight."

"I'm here of my own accord," Harry said defiantly.

"Enjoy the meal. Harry, the spell might put you into a magic coma for a few days. You need the energy," Wormtail said.

"I promised over two dozen people that I would celebrate my birthday with them," Harry said. "I should owl them and cancel if we're going to be delayed. I wouldn't want my friends to worry."

"That is in ten days. We have plenty of time," Lucius said. "Now, relax and enjoy your meal."

Deirdre looked at her parents as they ate. She ate slowly, feeling confused but not afraid. She didn't want to hurry things along. She wasn't looking forward to see the Dark Lord. She had escape without a mark to have a love potion cast upon her. She was supposed to bring Harry here. It was all planned and she was just a pawn.

Deirdre suspected that Voldemort must have intended to take over Harry's body and Harry knew it, but Harry wasn't acting like he was going to die. He talked about going to a party in ten days and not wanting his friends to worry about him. Harry knew what was going on and he wasn't afraid. Harry's control over her kept her from being scared, but there was a feeling that things weren't right. She was unable to get scared so she felt confused and frustrated; her emotions were even her own.

Harry ate slowly and cleared more than one plate of food. He drank several cups of pumpkin juice; Wormtail insisted that he consume nothing with caffeine because it might interfer with his ablity to relax and go under a trance. Harry insisted that coffee had no effect in such things but didn't drink tea or other caffeine containing beverage for Wormtail's benefit.

Harry said very little during the meal, but he didn't seem at all frightened or sad. He definitely didn't look like a man that was eating his last meal. "I think we should let the food settle a bit. I don't want to vomit when magic is cast upon me."

"How can you be so casual about this?" Deirdre insisted.

"You need to be very relax before the Master touches you," Wormtail said. "Come. There is a bed made up for you in the guest room."

"I ate little too much." Harry covered his mouth as he belched. "Excuse me."

"Mr. and Mrs. Potter, follow me," Wormtail said.

Deirdre took Harry's arm. She must have lost five inches in height with the spell plus a stone or two. "He intends to kill you," she whispered.

"I'm not intending to die," Harry said. "He needs my sanity, my beliefs, my love of life. Killing me would defeat his purpose."

"I don't understand." Deirdre squeezed Harry's arm.

"Princess, all you need to do is hold my hand. Can you do that? I'm not going to order you to hold my hand because I could be in a coma for days."

Harry and Deirdre were taken to a very large guest room. There was a large bed on one side of the room. There was a bar with a number of chairs on one side and a coffee table and sofa on the other.

Voldemort entered the room. His thin body was covered in a long black robe. "Mrs. Potter, it's a pleasure as always." He kissed her hand briefly.

"You intend to kill my husband in front of me so I fall into tears in front of you." Deirdre spit on the floor. "I wouldn't have you humiliate me like this."

"I have no intention of killing him," Voldemort said. "You're a hot bit of skirt. I'm going to like going to bed with you."

"Over my dead body," Deirdre spat.

"That can be arranged. Mrs. Potter, your job is to help your husband relax and you're not doing a good job of it." Voldemort walked to the bar and poured them each a gin and tonic. He handed the glass to Deirdre. "Mrs. Potter, I intend you no harm. Please, try to stay calm. I see that you took the potion like I requested. Do you need sleep or any analgesic? No weakness or other side effects?"

Deirdre poured the mixed drink on the floor. "Why do you care how I feel?" Deirdre looked up at the ugly creature that towered over her trying not to feel frightened by his size alone.

"I want you to be as comfortable as possible. You're quite lovely, but Harry must have told you," Lord Voldemort said. "Mr. Potter, a pair of silk pyjamas has been provided for your comfort."

Harry took the glass and drank the mixed drink rather quickly. "Thank you. We're in such a hurry to pack. I forgot nightclothes," Harry said. "That is so considerate. I intend to sleep afterwards. Your butler fears I might fall into an magic coma."

"I doubt that will happen," the Dark Lord stated.

"I can hear your thoughts. Words aren't necessary." Harry smiled nervously. "I've never felt calm in your presence before. I don't want anyone else to die because of my failings."

"You must stop blaming yourself. Guilt is an useless emotion." Lord Voldemort's voice was condescending and soothing.

"I was anxious about seeing you. I did everything as we planned. Deirdre and I were married this morning."

"He didn't buy me a wedding ring," Deirdre interrupted.

Voldemort pulled out a small box from his pocket. "Here." He handed the box to Deirdre. "Mrs. Potter, try to relax. No one will harm you."

Deirdre put the smaller gold ring on her finger and gave the box to Harry. "It's very nice." It adjusted magically to fit her finger. She would play the Dark Lord's game.

Harry gave her many looks that seemed to say cooperate with Lord Voldemort. She knew she was a mere pawn in this charade. Having a tantrum wouldn't change a thing so she was better off trying to stay as calm as possible. Harry promised her that he would explain everything; she didn't want to wait longer for the explanation.

Harry put the ring on his finger then undressed to his boxers and put on the pyjamas. "I'm rather tired after that flight." He yawned.

"You need to go into a hypnotic trance. If you fall asleep, we'll have to try tomorrow," Voldemort said. "Harry, would you rather wait until morning?" The Dark Lord's voice almost seemed gentle, like a parent comforting a child.

"Deirdre, you may squeeze my hand lightly after I lie down," Harry said. "Princess, there is no reason to be afraid. Everything will go as planned. I'll make up in a few hours. You''ll see."

Harry looked at the man in servant garb. "Mr. Pettigrew, you shouldn't have told my wife that I could die or fall into a coma. Do you see how pale she is?"

"Sorry, Mr. Potter. All great magic has risks," Wormtail said.

"Harry, can you put yourself under or do you need my direction?" Voldemort asked.

"I've been putting myself into a trance every night before I go to bed for over two years," Harry said, like it was an insult for the Dark Lord to suggest that he would need help going under.

"Let me talk you through so I can tell when you're ready to go further," Voldemort said. "If something goes wrong, we both die. Mrs. Potter, do you want watch or would you rather be occupied with something else?"

"I'll watch," Deirdre said.

"Wormtail, make sure Mrs. Potter is comfortable. We don't want her to panic," Voldemort said.

"I could bring you back to the room when Mr. Potter is sleeping," Wormtail said.

"If everything goes as planned," Deirdre said.

"It shall. My master is confident," Wormtail said. "You can wait in the study with your parents."

"I shan''t scream or panic no matter what I see," Deirdre insisted. She didn't want to leave her husband alone to die.

"Little girl, I won't have you talking back to me again," Voldemort said. "Harry and I are going to need your quiet. This is very delicate magic."

"Wormtail, take me to sit with my parents," Deirdre said.

"Wise choice," Wormtail said.

"Wormtail, I need you back up here before I start," Voldemort said. "Draco, you disappoint me greatly. I thought you would have more stomach than you do."



Chapter 15: Questions

Wormtail took Deirdre to the parlour. "Mr. Malfoy, I'll bring your daughter and you up when Mr. Potter is resting comfortably."

"Thank you," Lucius said. "I hear you finished second in your class. I told you that I expected the best."

"I did better than Granger for the year," Deirdre said.

"I'm proud of you standing up to the Dark Lord. He believes you're worthy of becoming his wife," Lucius said.

"I was a boy this morning," Deirdre said.

"You haven't been a boy since you ate breakfast the day after you told Dark Lord what to do with his mark," her father said. "He mixed the love potion with something that would make you feel feminine. You should have witnessed Vincent Crabbe reaction to the stuff. He was screaming and trying to pull his hair out strand by strand. After three days, the Dark Lord gave him something to counteract it. Pansy didn't seem that bothered by it. I don't know what happened to Vincent since then but his father hasn't seen him."

"You've been part of it," Deirdre screamed.

"Little dragon, you have a bright future." Her mother put her arms around her.

"You feed that poison to me." Deirdre started to cry.

"He just told me to sprinkle in on your food," her mother said. "I didn't know what it would do to you. He said that it would make you great. Vince and Pansy ate it as well and I didn't think he would harm all three of you."

"I haven't seen Vince or Greg since returning from America (they could be dead for all I know) and Pansy laughs at the smallest joke. The Dark Lord cares nothing for us. We're only tools for his cause. My husband could be dying up there." Deirdre continued to sob. "Mother, you delivered Harry Potter into the Dark Lord's hands."

"Your husband won't die. In a few days, you'll be celebrating his eighteenth birthday with over a hundred Weasleys," her father said.

"Are there that many?" Deirdre asked.

"More; they breed like rabbits," her father said.

"I want to have as many babies as Molly Weasley and now I'm afraid that my husband will die before we consummate our marriage," Deirdre said. "He can't die on our wedding night."

"He won't die. We wouldn't be here if he intended to kill your husband. Despite everything, your father and I love you very much. My little dragon, we want the best for you. The Dark Lord won't kill Harry. You'll understand in the morning. Why don't we play cards?" her mother suggested.

Lucius poured himself a glass of Scotch, then handed a glass of Scotch to Deirdre. "Draco, you need something stronger than butterbeer."

Deirdre held the drink in her hand and nursed it slowly. "I'm calm. My husband will be fine. He'll start work at the Ministry next month." Deirdre hoped by saying the words that she would believe them.

Wormtail arrived in the parlour. "Mr. Potter is resting comfortably. You can go up to see him."

Harry was sleeping on his side snoring lightly. Deirdre saw Voldemort not moving slumped on the sofa. Ignoring the dead looking creature on the sofa, Deirdre walked to the bed. Harry was breathing; that was what was important. Deirdre took his hand in hers and squeezed it lightly. "Wake up."

Harry opened his eyes part way. "I'm very tired."

Deirdre noticed his scar was gone and climbed into the bed beside him. "Honey, we'll talk in the morning."

"You're so beautiful. I love you so much." Harry kissed her face.

"I didn't buy any fancy underwear."

"If you prefer, you could wear nothing," Harry suggested. His eyes were hazel, no longer green. Did Tom Riddle have brown eyes when he was alive?

"Not with the body in the room," Deirdre said.

"He lives in me. I'm both Harry and Tom."

"I'll ask my mother for a nightgown. You get some rest. I'll tell someone to dispose of that." Deirdre wasn't going to panic. She was married to that creature. The body was empty because his soul was now inside Harry's mind.

The Dark Lord had succeeding in killing Harry; the world was coming to an end. Deirdre put her hands on her face; she wasn't going to cry or scream. She needed to be strong to face that creature that occupied Harry's body.

Wormtail knocked on the door. "Mrs. Potter, are you decent?"

"I've never been decent, but I'm dressed," Deirdre said. "Please dispose of that body. I can't enjoy my honeymoon with a corpse in the room."

Wormtail entered the room followed by Mr. Malfoy. "I think it might be best if you and Mr. Potter honeymoon elsewhere. We'll need to get aurors here to verify that the Dark Lord is dead and Dumbledore himself might want to question everyone and examine the body," Wormtail said. "Mr. Potter will be needing his sleep so it might be best if I take you both to another room."

"Thank you, Peter." Harry's voice was condescending like he was talking to a servant and totally unHarrylike. "I'm feeling rather weak." Harry put his feet on the floor.

"That is to be expected," Wormtail said. "We didn't expect you to be up for hours. I feared that you might sleep several days after the trauma."

"I must thank Severus for giving Harry Occlumency lessons. The transition was smoother than I could have hoped," Harry said. "Tell them that the war is over and Voldemort is gone."

Deirdre pulled away from her exhausted husband. "Are you both?"

"Yes and neither. It will be clearer after I rest. Dreams are very healing." Harry continued to walk.

"Dark Lord," Mr. Malfoy said, "would you like me to help you walk to the master bedroom?"

"I can manage," Harry said. "Mr. Malfoy, I would prefer to be alone with your daughter."

"Of course, my lord." Mr. Malfoy bowed slightly before leaving Harry's presence.

Deirdre followed her father as Wormtail helped Harry or whoever he was to the master bedroom. "You can't expected me to sleep with that creature," she said to her father when they returned to the parlour. Her mother had taken her leave and probably was reading a book in bed like she did every night.

"That creature is your husband. You'll sleep with him and you'll obey him," her father said. "Young lady, don't make me have to take you over my knee and spank you."

"Father, what did you do to Harry?"

"I did nothing to Harry."

"How did the Dark Lord manage to open his mind when we returned to England?" Deirdre asked. She was under Harry's control but that didn't prevent her from asking her father questions.

Lucius poured them each a drink. "The Dark Lord needs his sleep. I might as well answer your questions."

"Is Harry dead?" Deirdre asked as she took the Scotch from her father.

"No." Lucius sat down and took a sip of his beverage.

"And the Dark Lord?"

"In a way." Lucius drank more of his drink and stretched out on the black leather sofa.

"And I won't lie down next to that creature," Deirdre insisted.

"That creature as you call him is more Harry Potter than the Dark Lord. The Dark Lord was only a spirit. His thoughts were without structure. He needed others to think for him. Harry's mind is the structure. Stop being selfish and comfort your husband." Lucius smiled at his daughter.

Deirdre quickly downed her drink. "Father, what have you done?"

"Brought a new dark lord into power. Harry Potter will have the respect that Tom Riddle lacked. When the time comes, I'll lead him to greatness." Lucius refilled his drink.

"You allowed him to use me."

"My grandfather was cursed so there could only be one son a generation. I should have feed you that potion when you told your mother that you were going to marry a boy when you were four or five, but I hoped that you would grow out of it. Parkinson and I had arranged a marriage and a new child would be too young to marry his daughter."

"If it wasn't for a bargain that you made with Pansy's father, you would have changed my sex when I was five." Deirdre walked over to the bar and refilled her drink.

"Parkinson is dead now so I don't care who his daughter marries. I need a male heir. The estate must be passed to my son and my son must have a son. You're sexual orientation wasn't a factor. You would have married for political reasons and had lovers on the side. There is more bisexuality and homosexuality in the wizard population than muggle population; many believe it's a way for the gods to keep our numbers down. Homosexuals have always married and had children, but because they don't have the interest, they produce less offspring."

"You bastard." Deirdre stared at her father.

"I have a number of bastards, but my parents were married. I had also number of homosexual affairs, but you must be aware of this. Millicent Bustrode is pregnant with my child. Daughter, you'll lie down with your husband and provide me grandchildren. I have made a fertility potion for your mother to drink. You will have a baby brother by either of your mother or by Miss Bustrode."

"You bastard, getting one of my classmates pregnant."

"My affairs aren't your concern. The rich and powerful have always have children outside of marriage. Don't be surprised if your husband has a few outside love interests himself."

"The Dark Lord?" Deirdre asked under her breath.

"Took a fancy to you. He never had a child spit on him like you did. After the meeting, he asked me for your hand. We agreed. Mrs. Parkinson was furious that I broke our agreement. She's trying to make arrangements with the Thomases for Pansy's hand, but they're muggles and they don't understand wizard politics."

Deirdre leaned forward and looked at her father. "Dean Thomas. He wants to return to living in the muggle world."

"He finished third in your class and the competition between you and Miss Granger was fierce. His grades were one percentage point below yours and he's an athlete. We can't marry purebloods every generation or we'll develop squibs through inbreeding. Mr. Thomas is an excellent choice. Did you know that he has as many A levels as N.E.W.T.s behind him?"

"It's almost sounds like you're disappointed that I'm not betrothed to him."

"Harry Potter was an excellent choice; he'll be the next dark lord. Join your husband in bed. I'm a man that stands by my agreements." Lucius slammed his drink glass against the table.

Deirdre put her hands on her face. The love potion stirred in her blood; she needed to touch Harry's body. She would obey her father and lie down beside her husband; it wasn't like she had any choice in the matter.

Was Harry the stronger voice inside that mind as her father implied? Did Harry need her more than ever? She promised him that she would be there when he awoke. She felt ill as she tried to fight the promises that she made to Harry as love potion stirred in her blood. She needed to comfort her husband and pray that he was more Harry than that evil creature that lied dead in that room.



Chapter 16: Riddles

Deirdre slowly opened the door to the master bedroom. It wasn't as large as the guest room. This room was strictly a bedroom although there was large bookcase filled with books on the Dark Arts in addition to the large bed covered in black satin sheets. A large black cherry dresser that was probably designed in the nineteenth century stood against the wall.

"I put some sexy underwear in the dresser for this occasion. I knew you would be hesitant to be naked with me," the man lying in the bed said. He wore the same pyjamas as earlier.

Deirdre was relieved that he was dressed; she wouldn't have been able to handle his nakedness at the moment.

"When I was in that animated body, I didn't sleep, eat, drink or do anything normal people do. I was like a zombie, not much better than when I was only a spirit in the breeze. I breathe now. I feel the desire for a beautiful woman. I can feel my stomach churn from eating too much supper." Harry rolled over and sat on the edge of the bed then farted. "I haven't done that in ages. By Merlin, that felt good."

"Who are you?" Deirdre went to the dresser and took out a red silk nightshirt and a matching pair of woman's knickers.

"I have seen many beautiful women, but to touch one. Princess, could you undress for me?" The middle class London dialect that Harry spoke seemed tinged with something else, making his voice sound creepy.

Harry's voice reflected that he was more than himself as much as Deirdre didn't want to hear it. Harry lain down on the bed and spread out on his back like he was waiting for Deirdre to make the next move.

Deirdre knew that the man before her was a combination of Harry Potter and Tom Riddle. Deirdre would undress slowly for the man in the bed, hopefully he would fall asleep during the show. He requested that she undress and not ordred her to do so giving her the option to do something else; however, undressing slowly gave her time and that was something that she needed.

Deirdre slowly took off her robes and then unhooked her bra. She felt her small round breasts in her hands. She removed the men's pants and felt her womanhood with her fingers the first time. She felt what was there sitting on the broom, but she didn't explore it.

Deirdre moved her finger over the folds, as she stood naked in front of Harry. She moved her right hand over her flat belly as her left fingers explored her folds. She felt the little bump full of nerve endings. As she touched her clitoris the first time, she felt this incredible heat through her body and contractions of an organ that she didn't have before. The contractions and heat spread through her body and she found it difficult to remain standing.

Deirdre pulled out the black painted wooden chair from in front of the dresser and sat in it then continued to masturbation where Harry could view her easily from the bed. She removed her fingers from her folds and squeezed her legs together and thought about the sensation that she just felt. The heat, the contractions, the wetness returned. Did all women have orgasms that easily? Nothing ever felt that good.

Deirdre couldn't wait to have Harry inside her making her feel things that she never felt before. For a moment, it didn't matter that the Dark Lord occupied his mind; she wanted to fuck her husband.

"Harry, am I as beautiful as you imagined?" Deirdre felt her face and she knew she was blushing.

Harry sat up and looked at her. "More beautiful."

Deirdre put on the red nightshirt and the knickers and got into the bed with the man that looked like her husband. "Harry, we'll talk in the morning." She was under this man's power and it didn't matter if he was the Dark Lord or Harry or a combination of the two.

Deirdre was married to the man and she couldn't escape if she wanted to. Was he still the beautiful boy that Draco had a crush on for many years or was he that evil creature that destroyed lives? Her father looked at Harry with the same terror that he reserved for the Dark Lord. It was a puzzle.

"Sleep sounds so good." Harry closed his eyes and was out.

Deirdre moved her fingertips over his forehead where scar was missing. She watched him sleep for a long time. Deirdre moved her finger over her folds and trying to imagine what it would feel like when Harry made love to her allowing herself to enjoying the new sensation of multiple orgasms. Deirdre kissed his forehead then closed her eyes and allowed her exhaustion overtake her. Peter Pettigrew and her father would take care of the body.

Deirdre woke before Harry finding their bag and Hegwig in their room. Deirdre found the door to a bath and took a long bath finding pleasure in sitting in the warm water exploring her new body parts.

Harry knocked on the door. "Princess, do you want a towel?"

"You could join me. The bath is big enough for two," Deirdre said. Fear wasn't going to become her. The Dark Lord insisted that she would be his bride; she needed to know how much of that man was the Dark Lord and how much remained of Harry Potter in that young lean very masculine body. "I wonder if this property belongs to Voldemort or my father."

"Neither. It used to be a summer house of a rich family but no one has used it for the last few years so I asked your father to lease it for our use." Harry's silk pyjamas were scattered on the floor in front of the bath. "Wormtail can pack everything up and send to the Malfoy Manor. You can pack the sexy underwear: I brought them for you to enjoy. Mrs. Potter, do you think there is enough room for me?"

"I'm sure I can make the room." Deirdre sat up in the bath. Harry or the Dark Lord, that man was her husband. A moment's fear dissipated from her mind like the sweat into the bath water.

Harry got into the bath water. "It would work better if you're on my lap."

Deirdre moved so she was sitting on Harry's lap trying to ignore his growing erection. No matter who occupied his mind, his body felt the same and Deirdre wanted him inside her. "Your scar is gone."

"Voldemort is gone." Harry moved his hand over his forehead feeling the place that the scar was missing.

"I thought he was inside you."

"I'm just Harry with a few memories for Tom Riddle. It's Harry sanity, beliefs, feelings that are important. Where it matters I'm Harry and I love you so much. Deirdre, we have a fantastic life ahead us. Peter will tell everyone that Voldemort invited Harry here and used Avada Kedavra on him and it backfired. Harry passed out and you came to the room and told Peter to get the aurors to dispose of the body. The war is over and we can work on rebuilding."

Harry kissed Deirdre's neck then started to lick on her ear. "I don't want to talk about politics but make love to you. It's our honeymoon. In nine days, we'll be surrounded by screaming friends. I'm so looking forward to be in that crowded house surrounded by the only family I know."

"We should go back to the bed and make love until we collapse and have the house elves bring us food to our room." Deirdre suggested.

Harry wanted to talk and she was shutting him up again. If he didn't talk, how was she going to know if she was dealing with the Dark Lord or Harry Potter? Deirdre closed her eyes and pressed her back against Harry's chest. She didn't want to think but the enjoy the sensation of the slender man holding her.

As they stepped out of the bath, Deirdre looked at her new husband. Harry was a man of average height and slender build nothing imposing about the way he looked, pale, but not as pale as her. His eyes were no longer that brilliant emerald but an ordinary hazel and he no longer had that scar on his forehead that shouted that he was the boy-that-lived. Harry looked like any British schoolboy, but to Deirdre, he was the most beautiful thing she had ever set eyes on.

"Your parents don't belong here on our holiday," Harry said, wrapping a towel around his new wife.

After at least two hours of making love, a knock came on the door. "Mr. and Mrs. Potter, I hate interrupting you on your honeymoon," Dumbledore's voice said. "But we need know what happened to Lord Voldemort."

Harry put on his silk pyjamas. Deirdre put on the silk shirt and knickers that she wore the night before and found a red dressing gown in the wardrobe. Harry opened the door. "Headmaster, how can we help you?"

"Mr. Malfoy said that he invited you both here," Dumbledore said. "He says that he wanted to see Draco before returning to England and standing trail."

"My father invited us," Deirdre said. "He gave Harry an enchanted message so his broom would know the way here."

"I didn't know where we were going until we arrived," Harry said. "I didn't want to risk telling the Ministry in case it was a trap."

"Harry, if you told us about what was going on your fifth year, perhaps, Mr. Black wouldn't have died," the headmaster said.

"I was embarrassed that I couldn't keep Lord Voldemort out of my head. I failed to do it again and he led me here through a series of messages since I arrived back in England," Harry said, sheepishly.

"Son, there is a whole order. You don't have to face things on your own," Dumbledore said. "Occlumency is hard. You aren't a failure if you allow Voldemort into your head occasionally."

"I liked having him in my head," Harry admitted. "I didn't want to get into an argument with you or have you insist that Professor Snape give me more lessons."

"Voldemort's body was destroyed so it appears to be over," Dumbledore said. "Son, can you tell me what happened?"

"Peter Pettigrew invited me into a large guest room and Lord Voldemort was there. He cast Avada Kedavra and then my wife was waking me by touching my forehead. She told me about the body on the sofa and Mr. Pettigrew claims that he witnessed the confrontation," Harry said.

"Mrs. Potter," Dumbledore said.

"The Dark Lord was talking about killing Harry and Mr. Pettigrew lead me downstairs to sit with my parents. Harry had insisted he didn't want me in the room should a confrontation occur. Mr. Pettigrew brought me back to the room and I discovered that the Dark Lord was dead and Harry was in the bed sleeping," Deirdre said quickly hoping her emotions would hide that she was lying to the headmaster.

"You trusted Lord Voldemort enough to lie in a bed while talking to him?" Dumbledore asked.

"Considering that our wands are brothers and he can shoot a curse at me from any location, it didn't matter if I was lying on a bed or standing at attention," Harry said. "Maybe being close to falling asleep when it occurred protected me; I was protected the first time when I was an infant. I couldn't have been more vulnerable."

"Harry insisted that we needed to talk to the Dark Lord," Deirdre said.

"I need to check your wand and his wand," Dumbledore said. "Harry, you need to stop feeling like you have to handle things alone."

"Headmaster," Harry interrupted, "I needed to handle it alone. You lied to me and denied me information. I didn't want to lead people into an ambush and I had no way of knowing if it was a trap."

"More reason that you should have spoke to me first," Dumbledore insisted.

"Sir, no spell was cast from either wand," Harry insisted.

"I don't doubt that. Harry, please."

Harry gave him his wand. "Mr. Pettigrew probably knows where Lord Voldemort's wand is."

"No dark magic was released from your wand." Dumbledore gave him back the wand. "I'll talk to Mr. Pettigrew about Lord Voldemort's wand. Thank you for your time."

"Harry, we should get some breakfast now that it's close to noon," Deirdre said.

"Headmaster, could you excuse my wife and I?" Harry asked.

"I'll talk to Mr. Pettigrew. Thanks again for your time," Dumbledore said.

Deirdre found her parents in the dining room. "Mother, Father, Harry and I need privacy."

"We understand," Mrs. Malfoy said. "Your father is going to stand trail."

"Minister Weasley could pardon him for being instrumental in Lord Voldemort's defeat," Deirdre said. "Mom, I'll visit you at the manor in a few weeks."

"You better." Mrs. Malfoy hugged her daughter. "I'm going to start knitting baby booties."

"I can't imagine you knitting," Deirdre said.

"I'll have the house elves knit," she said.

"Thanks, Mother." Deirdre hugged her.

"You're a very brave girl," her mother said.

"On second thought, I think it would be best that you and father stayed a few more hours," Deirdre said. Her mother knew too much. Her mother and father handed her over to the Dark Lord that now occupied Harry's body. "Mother, you handed me to him."

Lucius glanced in Harry's direction.

"Sir," Harry said, "we should leave our wives to talk a moment."

"There are many girls far more pleasant and obedient," Lucius said.

"Deirdre is obedient." Harry looked at his wife sitting at the large table across from her mother. "Now, old chap, I'd like to hear your ideas about restoring Great Britain to its former glory." Harry's London accent had a sophistication that it previously lacked. Harry put his hand on the taller man's shoulder and led him out of the room.

"Let the men talk," her mother said. "I saved your life. Your father found a potion that cured my depression. I've been to dozens of healers and nothing. The potion your father found was heaven sent. It was created before a time people feared dark magic."

"Dark magic?" Deirdre repeated.

"It binds you to your mate, but it gives one a sense of euphoria that will defeat the deepest depression," Mrs. Malfoy explained. "I wish that your father found it earlier but we have thousand of books on the Dark Arts and the names of potions can be like a riddles."

"Mother," Deirdre said, "I need to understand what you done to me."

"They don't tell me everything. Your father and the Dark Lord are as thick as thieves. I wanted you to be happy." Her mother put her fingers through Deirdre's soft fine hair. "Tell me one thing. Do you love Harry?"

"I'm not sure if that man talking to Father is Harry."

"My little dragon, I put a third potion into your food that the Dark Lord and your father don't know about," she whispered. "It binds you to Harry and as long as you have sex regularly you'll feel this incredible bliss."

"Is that what is making me obey his commands?" Deirdre whispered back.

Narcissa nodded. "I did it to save your life. You were walking in front of curses meant for other people. Harry will protect you." Narcissa touched Deirdre's hand.

"What will happen if Harry stops loving me?" Deirdre swallowed hard; she wasn't sure she wanted the answer.

"I think you better read that part yourself. The book is in our library. I'll get it for you next time you visit." Narcissa kissed her daughter's cheek. "Not a word of this to the men."

Harry's appetite wasn't affected by the activity of last night. Harry piled food on his plate as he talked about learning more about muggle society and finding new strategies to unite wizard societies so dark, white and grey wizards would all work together for their common good.

"Give me your arm." Harry removed the mark from Deirdre's father's arm, her mother didn't have such a mark. "Can you remove it from your associates?"

"I believe so," her father said.

"Good. I don't want the others to know that a new Dark Lord is around the corner," Harry said. "You'll keep my secret."

"It will be my honour." Mr. Malfoy bowed to Harry. "After dinner, my wife and I make our leave." Mr. Malfoy returned to eating. "Wormtail, you will help my wife and I pack. No one other than the people in this room will know that Harry Potter is the new Dark Lord."

"Understood, sir," Wormtail said. Wormtail and Deirdre's parents left the dining room after they finished eating.

"Dear, you keep eating like that and you'll get as big as Dudley," Deirdre teased.

"I doubt it," Harry said. "Now, that your parents and Wormtail are gone we can talk."

"Talk." Deirdre drank more juice.

"It feels so good to be alive. Food tastes so good. I want to go the beach and kick the pebbles."

"We'll take our brooms there before you start work this fall. You don't care about power."

"Power will always be there. I'm going to eighteen in a week. One is only young once. I want to enjoy life. How many men can brag about having a beautiful, curvy little blonde in their bed every night?"

"Do you want a political career?"

"Later. Right now, I'm on my honeymoon. Wormtail will send everything back to Malfoy Manor. What do you want to do today?"

"We could walk around the island or we can lay in bed and talk. I want to send Hermoine an owl to say that it's over."

"Tomorrow. I want to spend the day holding you."



Chapter 17: Ice Cream

Deirdre packed the fancy underwear and the silk pyjamas that Lord Voldemort purchased. "Do you want to take the fancy towels?"

"The stuff will go to your father's house. You can get it later. How rich is your father?"

The Dark Lord would know the answer to that question but Deirdre had no choice but to answer it. "My father never told me the exact amount." Deirdre knew that her father owned Malfoy Manor, a number of overseas businesses and leased properties from time to time. He gave huge grants to St. Mungo's and to the Ministry of Magic. "I'm no longer his heir since you ordered me to take that sex change spell so he has no reason to tell me his net worth."

"I was just curious if you knew." Harry smiled at her. "He funded Lord Voldemort's rise to power. It often felt like there was no limit to his pockets." Harry put the silk pyjamas and other clothes that Lord Voldemort had purchased for Harry's use into the carpetbag.

Deirdre packed the books in Voldemort's private library; she would read them later. She had glanced through them when Harry was sleeping and she was no longer afraid of the dark magic contained in them. "It seems that way. It's all old money. It doesn't matter; I was disinherited. You have old money from the Potter family and the Black family. When you turn eighteen, you'll probably find that you're richer than my father."

"We didn't use birth control all week," Harry said.

"Then, I'm pregnant. We'll hire a nanny so I can continue my classes when the time comes."

"I want ice cream," Harry said, in an excited child-like voice in a dialect of Cockney no longer in use.

"We'll find an ice cream parlour after we take Hegwig home," Deirdre said. "What do you want to do today?"

"To eat ice cream and to go for a walk. I want to owl the Weasleys and play Quidditch."

"While the wives and girlfriends sit on the sidelines."

"You, Ginny, Hermoine, and Angelina may play. Fred's girlfriend doesn't play. Even Neville plays if you can call what he does in the air playing Quidditch."

"He's dating Ginny."

"Better him than me." Harry started to laugh. "I love all I feel. I lived without human emotion for too long. All I felt was this need for revenge. I haven't laughed in so long." Harry sat on the floor near the carpetbag, conjured a live mouse and fed it to Hegwig. "To experience the simple joy of living."

Deirdre closed the carpetbag, pushed Harry to the floor and started to tickle him under his arms. Harry tickled her until Deirdre was laughing so hard that it hurt. They stopped tickling each other and Harry kissed her face. "We better not tell the Weasleys that you're the Dark Lord or they won't want to play Quidditch with you or show you their latest inventions for their joke shop."

"I want to enjoy being a boy. I've been too serious for too long." Harry tickled Deirdre again.

"Is this Harry or the Dark Lord talking?" Deirdre wriggled out of Harry's arms.

"Harry. I spent too much of my youth miserable." Harry moved a hand over Deirdre's back. "It feels great to laugh."

"If we told the press, that Voldemort gave up trying to conquer the wizard world for part of an eighteen year old's mind, no one would believe us," Deirdre said.

"He doesn't have a small part. It's meshed. Most of the time, I don't where Tom ends and Harry begins. It doesn't matter because it's all Harry. My mind isn't divided in parts. I don't feel like Harry died that night; I feel I gained all these new insights and memories. I recall books that I never read and know more magic that an eighteen year old should know, but it all ways important, I'm still me."

"There isn't a conflict." Deirdre kissed the boy's nose and rolled back on top of him.

"I have conflicting thoughts, but everyone does. I don't have anything one could diagnose as split personality disorder. I have no black outs. My mind has no problem handing the additional information. I have this great dictionary of dark magic in my mind, but will I use it? I don't know. The mark on Professor Snapes's arm irritates him. I should remove it. Your father and he don't see eye-to-eye on many things and it could be years before Mr. Malfoy decides to remove it."

"Remove his mark. He can join us for ice cream at Hogmeade," Deirdre said.

"We'll take floo from Grimmauld," Harry said.

"I was afraid that you would turn into that monster that frightened children and ordered the most powerful wizards in Britain to do his bidding." Deirdre helped Hegwig back into her cage.

"We could apparate home since we know where we are now." Harry took a hold of his broom and carpetbag and was gone.

Deirdre followed soon afterwards holding Hegwig's cage. "That was easier than being in the air for hours not knowing where we were going."

"Definitely." Harry put the bag down. "Do you want to change first?"

Professor Snape was working on his curricula when Harry and Deirdre arrived. "I hear you were just married."

"I wanted to be married to Deirdre before we saw the Dark Lord," Harry said. "I opened my mind to him and he became jealous of all the beautiful things he saw there. He no longer wanted to be an animated corpse and wanted to feel what it was like to be alive."

"Wasn't that risky opening your mind to him?" Snape asked.

"He wanted more than just to visit time to time. He thought his disembodied mind could be stronger than an adolescent mind. Adolescence is the time the brain is most apt to learn and absorb new ideas. He didn't have a chance," Deirdre said. "Harry knows how to remove your mark."

Snape rolled up his robes to show his mark.

Harry said a simple two-word phrase and it was gone.

"Remove mark," Snape translated from the Latin.

"There is more but I can't explain. The best I can explain is that I have Voldemort's magic in me. It isn't necessarily evil. It's how he used it. Deirdre wants me to remove the marks from her friends; she doesn't think her father will do it since he is under no obligation to obey me," Harry said.

Snape rubbed his arm. "It feels better no matter how you did it. It was foolish to go to Voldemort's hideout by yourself and sit there knowing he would attack you."

"Very foolish," Deirdre said. "My parents were there and were confident that Harry was going to be killed and I would become the Dark Lord's bride."

"I undress to the pyjamas he offered me, lain on his bed and waited for him to attack my mind. Thanks for your classes. My mind was so much stronger than I ever imagined it to be. I was able to keep my sanity after such an attack. Occlumency should be required training for all aurors," Harry said.

"I'll tell them your recommendation. Do you think someone else will head the Death Eaters?" Snape asked.

"No one has the power. I'm sure the aurors are watching people," Deirdre said. "My father has the best wizard barristers working to clear his name. He wants retire after all this excitement."

"Her father will be back in politics the minute his name is cleared," Harry teased.

"You should go around and remove the marks," Snape suggested.

"Can't."

Harry wasn't going to tell Snape that most of the Death Eaters were dead. After the Dark Lord had made contact with Harry's mind upon his return to England and knew that Harry wouldn't break the connection, he killed all but five of his inner circle, among the five that he allowed to live were Severus Snape and Lucius Malfoy. All that remained living were their underlings, bodyguards, servants and other people that had no power in the organisation.The Dark Lord didn't leave anyone that could rise to power and claim to be the next Dark Lord excluding Lucius Malfoy and Harry would keep his eyes on that man.

"I was hoping that you would join me at Hogmeade for ice cream," Harry said. "Princess, if you wish, you could see if Madame Pomfrey can do a pregnant test."

"How long have you been a girl?" Snape asked her.

"A little more than a week," Deirdre said. "The potion will do everything in it power to get me pregnant except make me sleep with a man. I did that part myself. I'm sure I ovulated at the right moment and the sperm reached the egg. I was more fertile than the average seventeen-year-old virgin on her wedding night."

"You're pregnant," Snape said. "You're going to need to do a press conference about destroying the Dark Lord."

"I don't want his followers knowing that I'm the Dark Lord," Harry said. "The thoughts of a mind that was implanted in the back of Quirrell's head, that floated disembodied, that lived that animated corpse for more than three years are inside me. Only the Occlumency that you taught me prevents me from going insane. All those evil thoughts are in here." Harry touched his forehead. "I can feel Tom's pleasure of being in a living soul again. I'm the most powerful wizard alive and the temptation will always be there."

Snape put his arms out to Harry. "Son, I don't envy you."

Harry didn't hug him.

"You said that you didn't marry because of the mark on your arm," Deirdre said. "Since it's gone, I hope you can find love in your life. Voldemort gave me potions before I left to make me feel things. My mother admitted to putting three different potions on my food the day before I left to visit Harry."

"Narcissa put the potions on your food because I told her if she didn't that I would kill you," Harry said. "I killed three of your classmates this summer. Narcissa had no reason to doubt me."

"Who?" Deirdre asked.

"Crabbe, Pucey, and Lestrange," Harry said. "I killed pureblood children. That is no way to help pureblood families stay in power. My rein of terror caused purebloods children to die and many more purebloods not to have children." Harry looked at his feet uncomfortably.

"Crabbe was alive after the meeting. I had breakfast with him," Deirdre said.

"I killed him a week after you left, but Pucey and Lestrange died before you left," Harry stated.

"Robert Lestrange was a fifth year," Snape said. "He had great potential."

"He was the last of his line. He was born in prison. I killed his mother and father for failing me," Harry said. "I feel so awful for what I done. Having a mind comes with a conscious."

"What potions did the Dark Lord feed Draco?" Snape asked.

"Let's go to Hogmeade and get the ice cream. Your office feels small and we should enjoy the weather. It isn't often when it doesn't rain in Scotland," Harry said.

"Certainly, my work can wait. So his evil is tempered by your conscious," Snape closed his book. "You must feel like you're on the verge of losing the battle." Snape opened the door of his office in the dungeon and led the young couple down the corridor.

"I can't lose. My sanity is on the line." Harry said, as they walked slowly to the door. "Voldemort has always wanted wizards to be strong and for us not to need muggle borns in our school. The magic of the school maintains the wizard population and if there aren't enough wizards born to purebloods more muggle born wizards are created. The way to have less muggle borns in our school is to have more wizards born to wizards. Voldemort was killing purebloods and terrifying them thus causing the situation that he wanted to prevent."

"I'll tell Dumbledore that we need to teach a class on logic," Snape said.

"It's frightening to know all he knew, but realize that he went about his goals all wrong. I need to put all his knowledge to do use, but how?" Harry asked, rhetorically.

"You could speak to the Headmaster about the open position as DADA teacher," Snape teased. "To have all that knowledge to your disposal."

"Deirdre, would you like us to build a house near Hogsmeade? A number of the locals could probably suggest a nanny so you could train to become a healer," Harry said.

"I don't care where we live. Professor Snape needs to get ready for his new crop of students," Deirdre said.

"Harry needs my advice more than I need to work on dusty syllabuses," Snape said. "Harry, you have much consider. I'm surprised the Prophet hasn't been banging on your door."

"We just returned from holiday. I'm sure when I go to the Ministry they'll be lining up to talk to me," Harry said. "There might be a few at Hogsmeade, hoping that I would come here after my holiday."

Snape opened the old heavy doors and they started down the steps toward the lake. "It's too beautiful a day to work. Harry, I should have come out here earlier. Talk to the Headmaster about teaching. It'll make you feel better to use that knowledge for good. You could teach logic and discuss morality as part of your class. Children need to know more than how to defend themselves from curses. They need to know if there is ever a reason to utter an unforgivable curse."

"My mother was cured of her lifelong depression with a form of impedius," Deirdre said. "The same impedius that my mother feed to me that became active when Harry and I consummated our relationship. My mother jokingly calls it the happy wife potion; it's dark magic guaranteed to tame any shrew."

"Why did you cast impedius on Draco when you never cast it on me and I was far more disobedient?" Snape asked.

"Low levels made you bitter and resentful," Harry said. "I never cast impedius on Draco. Her mother feed her the potion without my knowledge. I feed her a potion that would make the first person that kissed her, a real kiss not a peck, fall in love with her and a potion that would make her feel feminine. I gave both potions to Parkinson and Crabbe since I couldn't observe Draco outside of England. I cured Crabbe of the two potions three days later, but he was such a moron that I killed him two days later anyway. Parkinson is still under their effects to the best of my knowledge seems no worse for the wear."

"You gave Draco a potion that would make him feel like a girl," Snape snapped.

"It did her no harm. I regret that I needed to kill Crabbe; he would have made a good bodyguard. Parkinson is going to marriage Dean Thomas and hopefully will prevent him from returning to muggle society. That boy is brilliant and should head a number of wizard industries; I hate for us to lose that mind to the muggle community. Lord Voldemort didn't hate muggleborn wizards; they're one of our great assets."

"My mother gave it to me because she fears that I would kill myself. It has nothing to do with Harry except that it binds me to first person that I have sex with after it's taken and causes euphoria as long as our relationship continues," Deirdre said. "He killed three of my classmates this summer and my best friend's father and you're upset that he made one effeminate boy into a girl. Professor Snape, you have priority all wrong."

"I can't bring them back to life," Snape said.

"I don't need your pity," Deirdre said. "Harry didn't kill those people. A spirit in his mind did. We both have to live with it."

Harry crossed his arms on his chest. "Merlin, I want some ice cream. Are we ever going to get there?"

"It's only ice cream," Snape said.

"Which Tom hasn't tasted since 1980," Deirdre said. "Since the link, Harry has needed to sense things. He loves spicy food and well as trying to taste the subtle details in mild tasting food. He must have sampled twenty dishes at the Indian restaurant we were at last night."

"Part of me was disembodied for close to twenty years. That part loves the feeling of health that this young body provides," Harry said.

"A low level impedius didn't work on me," Snape said.

"My potions got better over time; don't pat yourself on the back too hard. I have one now that is so subtle that my followers can't feel the effect for several months. My followers are useless if they have no thoughts of their own; it's a matter of compromise. Parkinson, Goyle and Zanbini have such low levels that I can only call on them while they're in my physical proximity," Harry said. "Impedius as much as I wanted to use it was a failure. If the levels were high enough for me to have control, the victim becomes an idiot and if the levels were low enough for the victim to have creative thought, it was virtually useless."

"Harry, you need to free them," Snape said.

"I can't. They'll know that I'm the Dark Lord and want me to rule them. The inner circle has too many that haven't been able to think on their own for years. Lucius's mind is so strong that I can only put him under impedius for short periods of time and he needs to be virtually brainless before he'll carry out my orders. What worked with him better than impedius was post-hypnotic suggestions and threatening his wife and child

"Severus, you weren't worth the effort. You were infatuated with me when you were a teen. You hungered for power. You were so willing to take my mark. Then, I asked you to kill a child and you refused. I struck you with cruciatus and you still refused. If I had cast impedius on you, you would have done it but you would have seen me as the murder and not yourself. You served me better training wizards to be good at potions." Harry looked at Snape. "I need to tell someone all that he wrote in my mind."

"Harry, I'm certain it is quite a burden, a burden that I doubt I could manage as well as you. You have no reason to be ashamed. Harry, you can visit anytime and unburden yourself." Snape put a hand on Harry's arm.

"I know that I'm Voldemort and at the same time, I'm not," Harry said. "I prefer to think of that part as Tom. It makes it less scary that way."

"Should I call you Tom so you don't need to feel like you're talking about yourself in the third person?" Snape asked. "No one will expect an eighteen year old boy to lead them."

"And Joan of Arc didn't lead people and she was younger and female," Deirdre said.

"Does Dumbledore know that you're the Dark Lord?" Snape asked.

"No. It's so hard not to want power. I can't give into the temptation; all the secrets he learned about dark magic are inside me. Please, tell don't people that I'm the Dark Lord. Severus, can I trust you?" Harry looked Professor Snape in the eye.

"I understand that it's a fragile balance." Snape squeezed his hand.

Harry turned to Snape and moved his hand over the closely shaven skin. "You saw me as old. I wanted your young body. You were so handsome with those dark eyes and sober features." Harry turned to Deirdre walking behind him. "Deirdre, go to Madame Pomfrey and have that pregnancy test done. I don't need you staring at me."

Deirdre walked back to Hogwarts. Harry ordered her. She was surprised he didn't order her sooner. He was the Dark Lord and he was going to be interested in more bodies than hers, but slimy Professor Severus Snape. Deirdre walked to the hospital wing in the nearly silent castle. It was low level as Harry said although she couldn't dismiss a direct order her mind was still her own. She could still think a hundred other thoughts while carrying out an order her thinking wasn't impaired. She could do other things on the way to carrying out if it necessary for her own safety or the safety of others. There was no feeling of her mind becoming blank like it had when she had experienced impedius in the classroom.

Madame Pomfrey was mixing healing potions. "Miss, how can I help you? Students aren't supposed to be arriving for a few more weeks."

"I'm Mrs. Deirdre Potter and my husband and I just came back from holiday and he would like to know if I'm pregnant," she said arrogantly.

"How long have you been married?" Madame Pomfrey asked.

"A week and we didn't have sex before the wedding night," Deirdre said. "Is it too early for a test?"

"I don't have any muggle tests available and my magic would be hard pressed to see a foetus that small," Madame Pomfrey said. "Any muggle pharmacy will have an over the counter test that can tell you as early as three days after conception."

"Thank you, Ma'am," Deirdre said. "Harry insists I have the test done." She could feel the order weakening, but she was still felt compelled to get the pregnancy test.

"I could buy a test, but it might be faster if you purchase it on your own."

After checking her height and weight on the scale, Deirdre left the hospital wing and walked outside. She would go to the closest muggle town and get a test. Deirdre apparated once she was out of the protective zone of the castle. She found herself in a small village, the main street had a chemist and she purchased the test for less than ten pounds. She put the test in her handbag and disapparated to Hogsmeade to find Harry and Professor Snape.

Harry and Professor Snape were at the ice cream parlour. Deirdre ordered a dish of ice cream and joined them. "Madame Pomfrey didn't have any muggle tests and it was too early for her to tell. I brought a muggle test. I can do it in the loo here or wait until morning like the packaging recommends."

"Wait until morning," Harry said. "I'm sorry that I gave you an order. I know it makes you feel powerless."

"I accept that you have power over me," Deirdre said. "Is ice cream as good as you remember?"

"Taste is more than the sensation in the mouth. It is consistency, smell and even the memory of how other things tasted," Harry said. "I'm enjoying the sensation, but it isn't as good as sex."

"I don't know. I heard women often say that chocolate was better than sex," Deirdre said, not believing for a moment that the taste of chocolate could come close to having multiple orgasms. She recalled hearing the Slytherin girls talking about sex and said that some women never have orgasms. She found that hard to believe when all she had to do was squeeze her legs to have one. Harry could touch her arm or lick her finger and she felt like she was melting like ice cream on a warm day.

Deirdre didn't know if sex was better as a woman, but she wouldn't trade multiple orgasms that were triggered by a thought for anything. A man needed to be touched to achieve orgasm; all she needed to do was touch her arm or leg and think dirty thoughts and her body did the rest. Thinking dirty thoughts were faster than wanking off and one could do it anywhere. As a woman, she could have an orgasm without the need to letting everyone in the house know. So being a woman had advantages. She didn't decide if being pregnant was an advantage but it gave her control over her offspring that a man would never have.

"They didn't have the right man," Harry said.

Deirdre finished her ice cream while watching Harry eat his like a young child given his first bowl of ice cream of the summer. Watching him eat was giving her an orgasm, but apparently she had them very easily. Harry was so sexy as he dipped his spoon in the half melted ice cream then licked the spoon clean.

"I'll apparate home and unpack. You can talk to Professor Snape alone." Deirdre wanted to look at the books that she had taken from the Dark Lord's library. She doubted that she wouldn't get further than looking at the titles and tables of content but she wanted to know what books Voldemort found so important that he kept them in his private chambers.

"You don't need to go," Harry said. "I don't want you to feel like I don't give you a choice."

"I have books to read and we need to unpack from our holiday. Besides, I owe Hermoine and Pansy each a letter." Deirdre kissed Harry's cheek. "I'll see you at home. I'm in the way here."



Chapter 18: The Gift

Harry looked at Severus Snape. "We're on our own. We could talk some place more private." Harry touched Snape's thigh under the table.

"I shouldn't be seen touching a student in public," Snape said.

"I've graduated. However, we could go to your quarters or find a private place on the border of the forbidden forest," Harry suggested.

"My quarters sound safer. Harry, you have a beautiful wife," Snape said.

"Tom." Harry put his hand on Snape's hand under the table. "I remember when you came to me. You looked at me like you wanted my power but not my body. I have a beautiful young body."

Harry could only read Snape's outer most thoughts, but that was enough to know that Snape was lusting over him. Harry kept his own mental shields up.

Snape was one of the few that had the audacity to try to read the Dark Lord's thoughts. Lucius Malfoy might have been able to keep others out of his thoughts, but he had no ability to read other people's thoughts. Occlumency is a more common gift than Legilimency and both Lord Voldemort and Harry Potter were accomplished at both.

"Draco doesn't deserve your betrayal."

Harry moved so his mouth pressed against Snape's ear. "And the thought of shagging of Dark Lord even in Harry Potter's body doesn't makes you hard?"

"Draco was the brightest student that I've taught in many years. He has a quick, creative mind able to make potions his own. He could become the next potion master and you want him to be at your beck and call barefoot and pregnant." Snape snapped as he head out of the shop.

Harry chased after Snape as he jogged in those heavy robes toward the school. Harry touched Snape's shoulder and Snape turned toward Harry. "I want her to use her mind. I chose Draco to become my bride over all the other Slytherin children. When he was in pain from crucio in front of me saying as soon as the pain lessened enough for him to be able to speak that he wouldn't take my mark, I never thought I saw anyone more beautiful. His magical gifts are so weak, but he's so proud and Merlin, is he beautiful: that pale blond hair, the silver-blue eyes, the small delicate bone structure. I didn't make my choice lightly." Harry moved his hand over Snape's cheek. "Yes, I'll keep her pregnant. She is seventeen, fertile and will give me many children."

"The potion that her mother gave her has taken away her free will," Snape said. "Having sex with you gives her a sense of euphoria but also makes her obedient to you. I might be only thirty-eight, but I've read hundreds of books on dark magic."

"She hasn't lost her creativity or her joy of learning. Wormtail has been under my control too long. I doubt he's able to think at all without my guidance, not that it matters now that he's going to prison for the involvement in the murders of James and Lillian Potter. Lucius promised me to remove the Death Eaters' marks. I wanted to create an army through their children, but I stopped because they were rejecting me and I couldn't achieve my goals by killing our children." Harry took Snape's hand in his and moved so no one could see them hold hands under Snape's robes. "We are, but a small population. We need to concentrate our power. I needed a bride. Someone that could help me with my vision."

"Why Draco?" Snape started.

"Before I struck him in crucio, he spit on me and told me that he rather die than join my cause and become my slave. The other Slytherin children buckled under me. Draco was trained by his father, not to show emotion. He wouldn't kill anyone; no matter how I threatened him. He ran up to the podium and threw himself in my way several times, not caring that Goyle or Crabbe could toss him to the side like a toy. Bruised and battered, he came between Parkinson and me and attempted to save the man's life. He should have been sorted into Gryffindor for his false bravery."

"And I should have been sorted in Ravenclaw," Snape sneered.

Harry took a deep breath. "I love this body. No longer a child, just on the brink of adulthood. Very fit. With his malnutrition of his youth, he still grew to a good height and weight, solid, yet with the flexibility from playing seeker and with admirable upper body strength. He isn't as tall and dark as Tom was but isn't not a bad reflection in the mirror. His mind is incredible. You trained him well."

Harry stopped walking and stretched to show Snape his fine, lithe body. Harry wasn't bony, but a fit 135 pounds on his nearly five eleven frame. His shoulder length black hair curled slightly and didn't look as wild as it did during his school days. Then, Draco and he had experienced with conditioner during their holiday.

Snape finally started to look over the boy in the tee shirt and hip hugging jeans. "I can't take all the credit."

"He put himself into a trance so easily that his mind gave me no resistance when I cast the spell. He showed no fear. Draco was on the verge of panic, needing to be escorted away by my servant. I hoped that she would give Harry strength but she disappointed me, but Harry has never been a disappointment." Harry smiled.

"But you are Harry." Snape quickened his pace back to the castle.

"I'm no more Harry, than I'm Lord Voldemort. I'm both and neither. Do you understand?" Harry kept a grip on the potion master's hand as he walked beside him matching his stride. Harry let go of the hand moving so his hand touched Snape's hip a moment.

"No, but I would like to understand."

"I want you to fuck me. I want you to pound me hard into your desk or on a wall. Draco is too submissive for my liking. He just lies there and enjoys what I do, but he never makes the first move. As a woman, she's a little better. She begs for sex and climbs on my lap. It's been so long since a strong, handsome man took me," Harry whispered. He liked looking up to the man.

"Harry, are you sure?"

"This body has never been penetrated by a man. Now, that I have a healthy body full of testosterone, I want more than one sexual partner. I want to enjoy what was beyond my capabilities for so long. I want to feel what it is like to be human. Severus, promise me that you won't become so enamoured with me as to prevent you from finding a wife. A wizard as powerful as you is under the obligation to have children. "

Harry opened the door and followed Snape to the dungeon. Snape unlocked the door to his chambers with a spell. There was a full size bed with a brown spread and two large pillows covered with beige pillowcases. There was a small desk in the room covered in parchment and a bookcase overfilled with books on potions and other magic. There were piles of books on the floor and on top of the plain hardwood dresser. A sliding door covered the front of his wardrobe. "Dreary."

"And the Dark Lord cares about such things." Snape locked the door. "It's more an adequate. Undress and get on the bed. On second thought, I rather undress you myself." Snape moved closer to Harry and put a hand on the handsome young face.

Harry moved his thumb over Snape's mouth. "I want you. You're so sexy." Harry unhooked Snape's robes. "Severus, I rather we didn't talk at all."

"Tom." Snape breathed into his ear and started to nibble on it. Snape pulled the grey tee shirt over Harry's head exposure a few dark chest hairs. Harry's chest and arms were well developed from press-ups and Quidditch. Snape moved a hand over Harry's hard muscular chest. "Very nice."

"That feels nice." Harry helped Snape out of his outer robes and then started to unbutton Snape's shirt. "You wear too many clothes for his time of year. You're covered in sweat."

"I could shower and join you."

"We could shower together."

"I don't think I could handle that." Snape went to a door near the closet and closed it behind him.

Harry wondered if he was scaring Snape. He liked Deirdre and due to the residual of the love potion desired her. He didn't tell Severus or Deirdre that the love potion would fade over time. He couldn't have Harry Potter in love with his bride indefinitely if the transfer didn't work. He felt their minds link and act together in thought before he attempted the link.

Harry didn't push Lord Voldemort's thoughts out but comfortably accepted them like his own. Harry explained to Lord Voldemort in his mind his beliefs and proved to Lord Voldemort that he could close his mind to him completely if he desired. There was acceptance of the link on both sides. Harry enjoyed the knowledge and strength that came from linking with an older, more powerful wizard. Lord Voldemort appreciated the handsome body and the strong mind that inhibited it.

Harry undressed completed and laid on the coarse sheets on Snape's bed. He didn't need luxury but sheets that didn't chafe the skin would have been nice. Harry smiled at Snape as he entered the room wearing a greenish grey dressing gown. Harry rolled to his side not knowing if he looked vulnerable on his back.

Harry wasn't a big man. He was average height with slender bones, not as small boned as his wife, but tiny compared to Snape. His skin seemed so pale compared to the dark hair that covered his body. Harry was already half erect and he didn't want Snape to see the power he had over him. Harry blamed his fast arousal on being an eighteen and tried not to be ashamed that a man that was nearly forty was turning him on.

"You look like an innocent little boy," Snape said.

"I assure you that I can utter the death curse without my wand if I feel threatened," Harry stated soberly.

"You're beautiful. With those huge clothes that you like to wear, I expected you to be bony."

"Undress," Harry ordered.

"Patience. I wouldn't want to give you pain."

"You don't need to be gentle. I want to feel your hard, masculine body against me." Harry reached over and undid the tie on the gown. He moved his hand over the hard chest. He got on his knees in front of Snape and licked the tip of the man's cock. "I'm going to take you to this side of heaven." Harry practically swallowed the man's cock.

Snape screamed as he allowed Harry to deep throat him. Harry pulled back slightly feeling Snape position his head. Snape's hands went into his hair as Harry put a hand on Snape's thigh to position himself. Snape then fucked himself on Harry's mouth hard he came in several long jerks.

Harry swallowed it all greedily while licking Snape's cock clean. He then got on his feet and kissed Snape hard pushing his tongue deep into the man's mouth. Harry thrusted his hips against Snape to get himself off as they were kissing. "I need you inside me," Harry demanded.

Snape whispered, "Tom, lie on your side." Snape kissed Harry's back. "I'm going to need a little time to recover."

"Take all the time you need."

"Let me help you out." Snape cupped Harry's wand in his hands causing him to get hard again.

"That feels so good." Harry moaned lightly.

"I worshipped you." Snape kissed Harry's briefly.

"Until I became a baby killer in your eyes."

"You don't plan to kill any babies." Snape lay beside Harry and stopped touching him intimately.

"Harry Potter doesn't deserve to be on the run or spend time in gaol. He gave me a beautiful gift; don't you think?" Harry wondered if he was speaking the Cockney that Tom Riddle spoke or did he talk with the proper London accent that Harry's aunt and uncle used? He hoped that he wasn't torturing Snape's ear with a combination of the two like an uneducated schoolboy.

"Quite lovely. Harry didn't fight you."

Harry was speaking a combination of the two. He would be more careful to speak with a proper London accent later. Snape seemed to want him to continue if a few words of Cockney slipped in; he wouldn't correct himself. He hoped that he pronounced as his A's and didn't drop any H's.

"No. It was very peaceful. I gave him clothes to change into so he would be comfortable if he fell asleep. Draco panicked and said that I was going to kill her husband. Wormtail escorted her out of the room. Harry climbed into the bed and I sat on the sofa. He closed his eyes and went through a routine to put himself into a deep trance. I asked him he understood me and he said yes. 'Harry,' I said. 'I'm going to enter your mind like I've done many times before. Relax and let it happen.' I started to enter his mind like I did before. Then, I could feel myself dreaming. It was wonderful; I hadn't dreamed in almost twenty years. I woke and knew that the empty shell on the sofa no longer contained anything of value."

Harry spoke that schoolboy accent that the boys of Slytherin beat into him his first few weeks in Hogwarts. They said that no one in their house was going to talk like a poor muggle. Tom worked very hard, not to sound like the other boys in the orphanage but each summer was talking like a poor Cockney again and each fall was tormented by the other boys in his dorm until he spoke proper again. Tom didn't want to sound like a street urchin so he worked very hard to pronounce everything properly.

In the minutes before he killed his father and grandparents, he laughed at the horrid language that his father spoke. They deserved to die for murdering the English tongue. Harry laughed at the horrible memory, but Tom didn't feel remorse or regret for killing his father and grandparents.

He did feel remorse and regret for killing the Slytherin children and a number of their parents. Harry could work with that. Tom's regret wasn't for the lose of life, but for the waste because it did nothing to further his cause.

"How did you feel when Draco woke you?" Snape asked, moving his hand lightly over Harry's back.

"I was knackered from the trip on a broom since I didn't want to chance apparating to an unknown location. Wormtail needed to get rid of the body so I walked to another room. After being a spirit, unable to sleep, sleep was wonderful. I dreamt or Harry dreamt but either way when I woke I felt great."

"Was Harry afraid when he lied down on that bed knowing you were going to enter his mind?"

"Not at all," Harry explained. "The Dark Lord and my mind have been linked since I was a baby. It felt like bringing two parts of a whole together. I looked forward to it; I was more afraid of falling into a coma. Deirdre couldn't understand that I wanted this and panicked. It was hard to relax with Deirdre, looking pale and terrified. I was glad Wormtail escorted her out. When the Dark Lord entered my mind, it wasn't scary at all."

"Are you two entities conscious of the other one or one entity drawing upon two different sets of memories?" Snape asked.

"One person drawing up two sets of memories," Harry said. "There is no line in my mind where Tom starts and Harry begins."

"You don't feel that the Dark Lord stole your mind." Snape continued to move his hand over Harry's back.

"He didn't steal my mind; he added to it. I lost nothing. You can fuck me another time. I should get home for dinner. I didn't tell you that Deirdre is a fabulous cook. You really have to have dinner with us." Harry put on his clothes.

Harry couldn't tell Snape that he no longer had nightmares or the horrible guilt that burdened him since Cedric died. He felt free of the emotional pain that plagued him since he was put in the Dursleys' care. He no longer hated the Dursleys for what they did to him but understood that they were simple muggles and were afraid of Harry's magic and punished and neglected him because they feared him not because of anything he did personally.

The link gave Harry as many gifts as it did the Dark Lord. His mind seemed clearer and he felt at peace with the world. Harry liked the knowledge the Dark Lord gave him, but he felt no hurry to put any of it to use. He wanted to enjoy living and hoped he could convince Deirdre to go on another holiday before he settled down into adult employment.

Harry was rather proud that with his connection that the Dark Lord would no longer kill pureblood children and their parents. Harry didn't see murder and the killing curse as evil any longer but necessary. He felt no pain with the memories of Lord Voldemort killing his parents and not succeeding at killing him. He suspect if a memory charm forced him to see the moment when his mother died that he wouldn't feel the pain that he did before.

Lord Voldemort's indifference to life was part of the man he was now. He knew that he was colder than Harry Potter of two weeks ago, but he didn't want to be that guilt-ridden miserable boy. Harry didn't want to kill children because it was a waste and did nothing to better the lives of pureblood wizards. The lives of the children that Voldemort killed meant nothing to him.

Lord Voldemort might have stopped killing children in Harry's body, but it was not because Harry was good. Harry's mind led him to believe killing children wouldn't lead him ultimately to his goal. Harry suspected if given the right motivation that he could be as evil as Stalin, but he didn't see murder as the way to reach his goals at the moment. Killing the pureblood children stood in the way of Lord Voldemort's goals and, therefore, it was to be avoided.

The Ministry could punish the remaining Death Eaters as they saw fit. Mr. Weasley would probably pardon as many as he could as statement for continued peace. Arthur Weasley saw Harry as a son and might do as he asked on the Death Eater issue, but Harry felt it best that he didn't talk politics with Ron's father and let him handle it on his own. He would be seeing Arthur Weasley at his birthday party and would try his best to avoid the man.

"I'm not almost eighteen. I can't go twice in an hour," Snape said.

"You were so nervous and I thought a blow job would calm you down. I'm not reorganising the Death Eaters. I want them to believe Voldemort is dead. I'm simple Harry Potter." Harry tied his trainers. "Is your fireplace connected to the floo network?"

"No, but my office is."

"Thank you." Harry smiled at Snape. "Severus, I'm staying at 12 Grimmauld. Stop by anytime. I don't start working for the Ministry until September 1st."

"You should talk to the Headmaster about taking the job as the new DADA teacher," Snape said. "What is Mr. Weasley going to do about the remaining Death Eaters? He does invite you to his house every year for your birthday."

"I don't want to talk politics on my birthday. You're invited. I think he should pardon a number of them as a measure of good will, but he might see the issue completely different than I. According to the Prophet, most of the evidence against them is circumstantial."

"They shouldn't get away with murder."

"Many of the murders was done under impedius. Lord Voldemort's body was destroyed. They is no one left to punish. You should talk to Mr. Malfoy and see if he removing the dark marks or trying to become the new Dark Lord in my absence."

"We aren't exactly on speaking terms."

"And he's going to talk to Harry Potter about his intentions. He disinherited Draco and he intends to get Narcissa pregnant and his mistress is pregnant. I want him to set up Dean Thomas as head of his corporations, but sneered at me when I mentioned it."

Mr. Malfoy tried to undermine Lord Voldemort a number of times. Harry was certain that Deirdre's father was going to try to undermine him. Right now, he was in prison and rather busy with his barristers. He was trying to hard to save his own neck so he didn't time to jeopardize Harry. He wouldn't tell anyone that Harry Potter was the new Dark Lord because Mr. Malfoy wanted that role for himself.

Harry would visit Mr. Malfoy as soon as possible. He would let the man know that he was still the Dark Lord and demanded respect.

"I'll talk to Narcissa about Dean Thomas taking over Malfoy industries in her husband's absence. With Draco disinherited and Lucius facing gaol time, his businesses could end up in the Ministry's hands. Narcissa might listen to me. I don't have anything to gain or lose if the industries stay in private hands or taken over by the Ministry."

"Thank you for everything."

"Thanks for removing the mark.."

"That was nothing."

"I lived with it most of my life."



Chapter 19: Two Aurors Visit

Harry smiled at Deirdre as she put food on the table. "You don't like listening me talk about my memories as Voldemort," Harry said.

"They frighten me."

"They're a part of me. I told Severus what it felt like when the Dark Lord entered my mind the last time. It wasn't scary. I couldn't feel all the details of his life, but I could see small pictures of it. He has very scattered pictures of the times that he was disembodied. Most of the images are before he killed my parents and the accident that burned down their house. I could hate him for killing my parents and for the death of over a hundred people that he killed or ordered to be killed but I would hate a part of myself. We have to act like everything is normal." Harry started to eat. "I told Severus that you were a good cook."

"People will know something is wrong with you if you call him Severus and watch your accent. You can pick up my accent but if you talk that horrid Cockney, someone will know that you aren't yourself."

"Princess, I'll be more careful. Snape thinks I should take the DADA job."

"Do you want to take it?"

"I would have to talk to Headmaster Dumbledore. I could build you a house near Hogsmeade and I could come home every night. I don't know if I want to teach six hours a day and then grade papers for two or three hours more," Harry said. "You would be without me except during the summer and winter holiday."

"I would see you every night. You would have all summer to play with our children. I don't know how you would handle teaching your own children."

"I'm sure Hogwarts has a way to deal with it. I believe you to be the best things that ever came out of Slytherin. I'm going to have other lovers, but I don't want you to feel threatened by that."

"You miss the power."

"I like it better that people like me. I'm looking forward to playing Quidditch with the Weasleys. You did owl them that we wanted to play the 30th."

"Of course. I wrote Pansy and Hermoine. I told Pansy that I would meet her tomorrow after her shift."

Remus came in. "How was your honeymoon?"

"Great. We forgot the condoms," Harry said.

"You're pregnant?" Remus looked at Deirdre.

"I brought a test. I'll find out in the morning. I don't know what it feels like to be a woman so I can't tell if I'm feeling different."

"I wish you get the test results that you're hoping for," Remus said.

"I want to have a dozen babies. My mother hated being pregnant. She would tell all her friends when I was little that she gained six stones and that she had high blood pressure. I'm not in a hurry to tell her that I'm pregnancy. Father is giving her a fertility potion so she'll conceive another child. She'll probably blame me if she becomes pregnant saying if I didn't take that sex change spell, Father would have demanded that she had another child. I'm babbling. I want a baby more than anything. If I'm not pregnant, I will be soon."

"You sound happy," Remus said.

"The spell that change my sex made me especially fertile. That is one of its side effects," Deirdre said. "A variant of this spell is used on women that are infertile. I should have read the book more carefully when I copied the spell. Remus, I made plenty of food. Serve yourself." She did read that about the potion when she copied it: that was one of the things that made the potion so appealing, but she didn't want to admit to that.

"Thanks," Remus said.

"Professor Snape think I should take the position as DADA professor since I defeated Voldemort. I haven't seen any reporters for the Prophet," Harry said.

"This house has wards so they don't come here," Remus said. "They'll find you on Diagon Alley."

"I didn't see any at Hogsmeade, but it's quiet during the summer," Harry said. "Maybe Deirdre could work under Madame Pomfrey after she gets her licence as a medi-witch."

Harry finished his juice. "Princess, I'm going to get a few novels to read. Do you want anything at the bookstore?"

"You could pick up a few books on pregnancy. I would like something on pregnancy and diet if it isn't any trouble."

"I'll look." Harry kissed her briefly.

After cleaning the dishes, Deirdre looked at the large collection of books on the Dark Arts. She found a volume on Roman spells and started to read. Talk of old magic that wasn't always grey or white didn't scare her as much. She needed to accept the Dark Arts as part of her life even if she was never going to practice them. Hegwig returned with a letter from Hermoine saying that she was stopping by.

Deirdre answered the door. "You almost beat Hegwig here." Deirdre hugged Hermoine. "I know I'm small. I took my height and weight. I'm five three and one hundred and four pounds."

"I haven't weighed that little since I was eleven," Hermoine said.

"I took the potion before leaving for our holiday. I suspected since we forgot condoms that I'm pregnant. I brought one of those at home tests, but it says to use it in the morning for the most accurate results," Deirdre said.

"Do you want to be pregnant? Ron and I are careful. I have my auror training and Ron is so busy with his health classes and his job at the Ministry. You would think that with his father Minister that he could get a cushy job," Hermoine said.

"He's more honest than his brother, Percy," Deirdre said. "He gloats that he gets favours because his father is Minister. Come in. I'll get you some tea."

"The Prophet reported that Harry killed Voldemort. The paper said that Harry went into Voldemort's hideout and asked to talk to him about ending the war and treatment of purebloods."

"He did. Voldemort and Harry are both halfbloods so they talked about increasing the number of wizards through multiplication instead of addition and how Voldemort's war is causing many pureblood wizards to die. Voldemort and Harry insisted that I leave the room and I was brought up to large room to find Harry asleep and Voldemort dead. His body looked like a corpse that had been rotting for days not only dead a few moments. It was horrible."

"You should tell the press that," Hermoine said.

"Harry has very weird memories about it. I don't want the press calling him crazy again." Deirdre heated water magically and poured two cups of tea. Returning to the parlour, she handed Hermoine a cup.

"Thanks for the tea. I can understand that. I was asked a few weird questions myself. One was did I think Harry was suicidal walking into the Voldemort's hideout." Hermoine sipped her tea.

"I'm sure they give him a beating when they find him. Dumbledore asked a few questions after it happened, but he understood that we wanted privacy during our honeymoon. He thought it was very odd that neither Harry nor the Dark Lord used any dark magic in the attack. There were no signs of dark magic in the house."

Tonks and Moody arrived. "Is Harry here?" Tonks asked.

"He went to a bookstore," Deirdre said. "He's on holiday. He doesn't start working for another month."

"We examined the body and cremated it," Moody said. "Wormtail submitted to veritaserum and his story was same under it. We're aren't going to ask you or Harry to submit but you have that option. Mr. Malfoy refused and your mother agreed but her testimony made little sense. She wouldn't stop talking about you and wanting what was best for you."

"My mother suffers from depression. You shouldn't have given her veritaserum. It could have reacted with the other potions that she takes," Deirdre said.

"We had a healer monitor her the whole time. She didn't know anything about Voldemort's death only that you visited to see her and your father since you weren't in contact all summer," Moody said. "She's fine now."

"I don't want to go under it. It's never been proven that it doesn't cause miscarriages. There have been too few pregnant women to take it and I'm not going to be a cavy," Deirdre said. "Harry passed out during whatever happened so I doubt his testimony will be useful."

Deirdre didn't feel comfortable with the aurors in their houses. She wasn't able to hide her thoughts from legilimens. However, she didn't believe that Moody or Tonks had the ability to read minds. All the same, she didn't want to talk to them without Harry present.

"Harry shouldn't take it. Voldemort and he had a mental link and I'm sure the whole thing would be very painful for him. He might have witnessed Voldemort's life flash in front of his eyes. God only knows what he felt at that moment," Hermoine said.

"You could wait until he returns. I'll bring you some tea and some biscuits I made earlier," Deirdre said.

"Harry is quite capable of speaking for himself," Tonks said. "We were interested if he would like a waiver for his marks so he could join the aurors."

"He has no interest in battling dark wizards," Deirdre said, before heading downstairs to get more tea and freshly made biscuits. Deirdre put a tray of biscuits on the table and a pot of water. "I'll be back with more cups." Deirdre took her time warming water for tea and getting two more cups.

Tonks looked at Deirdre when she returned. "Mrs. Potter, what do you think Harry wants to do?"

"He wanted to work for the Ministry while he believed Voldemort was a threat. Professor Snape thinks he should teach DADA at Hogwarts," Deirdre said. "He would make a wonderful professor. He would be their youngest professor at only eighteen. I'm going to put my application in St. Mungo's to start healing school."

"We're cousins through our mothers. It's strange that we never met before," Tonks said.

"My mother doesn't go out much. I never met any of her relatives," Deirdre said. "You know I was a boy two weeks ago. My father says that I was never a boy, but he's known for being cruel."

"There are transsexuals in the muggle world," Tonks said.

"I read about them on the Internet. That was how I figured out was wrong with me. I know what it is like not to be normal," Deirdre said.

"I was jealous of muggles when I was little," Tonks said.

"I was taught to hate them as a girl." Deirdre smiled. "I wasn't a girl. I only imagined that I was." It wasn't that way. He was never wanted to be a girl before he took that potion mixed in his breakfast but that was his secret.

It was better for Harry, her parents and herself if everyone believed that it was her fault that she changed sex not due to a potion that the Dark Lord gave her. Deirdre wondered if people would change their opinion of the Death Eater's daughter, if they knew that she had problems growing up.

Hermoine looked at Deirdre. "Is that why you were such a git?"

"I need to be an arsehole." Deirdre said. She might have never considered it before but the idea didn't make him think he was going crazy.

Deirdre was happier as a girl than she was ever as a boy so she didn't need to know if it was the potion or something inside her. The potion might have gave her the urges, but the woman that she became was more than a potion. No one would believe that Voldemort gave her the potion so she could become his bride after he took over Harry Potter's body.

No one would believe that Harry Potter gave his body and mind to the Dark Lord without a fight, but he did. Deirdre was thinking about all the things that she shouldn't. Deirdre went to her bedroom and locked the door. She had broke a cardinal rule; she let her mind wander in front of two aurors and an auror-in-training.

Hermoine knocked on the door. "Are you feeling alright?"

"I'm fine," Deirdre said.

"I'm going. I'll see you at the Quidditch game and birthday party," Hermoine said.

Deirdre started to read one of her potion books and she stopped thinking about their wedding night. Deirdre put the book on her lap and read it on the sofa ignoring her two guests.

Harry arrived carrying a bag of books. "I got a few John Grisham's novels and I brought you a book on pregnancy nutrition and general books on women's health and pregnancy." Harry put the bag down and hugged Deirdre.

"Thanks, dear." Deirdre hugged him back and kissed his cheek.

Harry sat by Deirdre on the large sofa. "Mr. Moody, Miss Tonks, what brings you here?"

"We want to know what happened before Voldemort died," Tonks said.

"I lied on the bed. Our wands are useless against each other. We started to talk about purebloods needing to have bigger families and other political issues and I felt weird like someone was trying to read my thoughts and I shielded myself from it and collapsed," Harry said. "I'm afraid I can't be much more help."

"Would you like us to do a charm to help with your memory?" Tonks asked.

"That won't be necessary." Harry leaned forward like he was interested in everything the two aurors had to say.

"What happened before you laid on that bed?" Moody asked.

"I undressed and put on pyjamas. I asked Deirdre to hold my hand while we talked to the Dark Lord, but she was afraid that he would try to kill me. I told her to stay calm. Mr. Pettigrew led her out of the room. The Dark Lord sat down on the sofa and I lied on the bed. I was exhausted from flying there from London. The Dark Lord said we could talk in the morning if I was too tired," Harry explained.

"You sound awful chummy with a guy that tied to kill you at least a half a dozen times," Tonks said.

"I wasn't afraid of him. He seemed unable to kill me and I apparently was unable to kill him. I figured that negotiating might not be a bad thing at the moment. I hoped my vulnerability would make him open up to me. It was a great risk. Deirdre and her parents were in the house so I felt reasonably safe," Harry said. "Deirdre, tell them that you were more afraid than I."

"That is true," Deirdre said. "He ate a large dinner before talking to the Dark Lord while I just picked at my food."

"Deirdre never eats a lot. You're going to have to start eating. A slender girl should gain 25 to 35 pounds during pregnancy," Harry said.

"Your story as strange it is concurs with Peter Pettigrew," Moody said. "Would you care to go to the Ministry in the morning and swear under veritaserum?"

"If it will help matters, but I don't remember much at all," Harry said. "No memory charms. I don't want to start screaming because I have a memory of my mother dying."

"We understand, Mr. Potter," Moody said. "Thank you for your time. Come to the Ministry at nine a. m. We'll try to conduct this as quickly and painlessly as possible."

As the two aurors left their house, Deirdre pulled her husband downstairs. "Harry, are either of them able to read my mind?"

"No. You have to be careful about your thoughts. I can't be with you at all times. If aurors or reports come to the house, send them away," Harry whispered.

Deirdre undressed and got into bed beside Harry. "I shouldn't give you any after you were with Snape. Whose to say what diseases that dirty bastard has?"

"We didn't. We just talked," Harry said.

"Likely story. I'm naked so you're in luck." Deirdre planted her lips against his and snogged him aggressively.

"I bought you your books."

"Trying to bribe me after you shagged the potion master. Merlin, he must have been wearing several layers under the summer heat."

"He has a very nice body under those layers."

"After you wash off all the sweat and grime."

"He showered and washed his hair for me. He even removed the glamour that makes his teeth yellow and his skin look shallow."

"You shagged a wet, but not slimy potion master."

"I didn't shag him. I wanted him to shag me but he ejaculated during foreplay and he couldn't get it up a second time," Harry admitted.

"I forgive you. Harry, are you going to date him?"

"I'll see him nearly daily if I take the job as the new professor. I'm sure I won't be able to stay away from the temptation forever. If it upset you, you could join us for a threesome."

"I don't think so. He's not my type. Harry, you can't take veritaserum tomorrow. They could learn everything."

"Nonsense. I do a charm beforehand and it will have no effect. Veritaserum has never worked on my Death Eaters. Your father can do the charm himself. He's one of the few that has enough magic to cast the spell. Mr. Malfoy and Wormtail have the same barrister so you need not worry about Wormtail telling anyone my little secret."

"This house could have listening devices. The Order of the Phoenix meets here."

"I checked the house." Harry put on a dressing gown and returned to the bedroom in a few minutes.

Moody had that roaming eye and he could have planted listening devices during their visit. Harry scanned the house for foreign magic like Hogwarts no electronic devices could work inside the house making Harry's electric shaver and watch useless. "Still none. We should get a house built. I can't be worrying after every meeting of the order if listening devices were planted."

"Are you going to take the job as professor?" Deirdre asked.

"If Dumbledore asks. It would be a great honour and I don't need to gather information for the Dark Lord at the Ministry. As Harry, there are so much easier ways to collect information and I don't need to work in a little cubicle for hours at a time." Harry removed his robe. "If I don't get the job at Hogwarts, we'll rent a flat in London. With Voldemort dead, do you think the Order of the Phoenix will meet?"

"I don't know. I need to learn occlumency," Deirdre said.

"You might not be strong enough. I can cast a protective charm when you're with me. At other times, you'll need to keep people out of your mind the normal way. I can't get into someone's head unless I make eye contact or at the least, look at them. Before the link, I needed eye contact. If you're around people that might want to read your mind, keep a distance from them and grant no interviews."

"Understood."

"I can make it an order."

"I wish you would."

Harry looked Deirdre in the eyes. "You won't make eye contact with anyone that could be reading your mind and you won't do interviews with the press or any Ministry officials without me present."

"If they insist."

"You will do the times tables in your mind and if that isn't enough to keep them out, you'll list the gods of ancient world in alphabet order."

"Thanks, Harry. I feel so weak."

"You aren't weak."

"I need to be able to make eye contact with my friends."

Harry kissed her. "I can check your friends for legilimency ability. It's a rare gift."

"I'm knackered."

"I understand, Princess. Do you want to make love?"

Deirdre nodded. Harry kissed her deeply and slowly penetrated her. He humped her hard and fast. He kissed her belly before cuddling her a few minutes. Deirdre fell asleep in her husband's arms feeling safe and secure.

Harry and Deirdre arrived early for the Quidditch game in the Burrow yard. There were more players than positions so Deirdre volunteered to sit the game out. Harry played seeker and the twins were captains for both teams. The match didn't last long because it was a small yard so it didn't take long for Harry to catch the snitch.

Mrs. Weasley came out with scones and ice tea for everyone. "Harry, it's always good to see you. Deirdre, did you send your application to St. Mungo's?"

"Yesterday. The essay was a bitch," she said.

"Ginny and Ron both want to go," Mrs. Weasley said. "You're part of the family now that you're married to Harry."

"I'm pregnant," Deirdre said.

"Congratulation," Mrs. Weasley said.

All the women at the gathering hugged Deirdre and wished her best wishes.

"I'm willing to babysit while you're in class," Mrs. Weasley said.

"I'll keep that in mind." Deirdre found a copy of a potion to similar to the sex change potion in a book in the drawing room. It had nearly the same ingredients mixed the same way but it was used for infertility. It was marked to be the strongest grey magic for infertility. Perhaps, one of the Black women was desperate to get pregnant. "The potion I took is similar to a fertility potion I found while looking for magic to prevent complications during pregnancy."

"It could be a coincidence," Mrs. Weasley said.

"I'll remember that when I have as many as you." Deirdre smiled at her.

"I was your age when I was pregnant with Bill. He was born only two months after I left Hogwarts," Mrs. Weasley said. "Arthur was in quite a hurry to get a job at the Ministry so we wouldn't need to ask our parents for support. It's time for grandchildren now."

"Best wishes," Arthur Weasley said. "Molly got pregnant before the wedding."

"It was our wedding night," Deirdre said. "The press caught up with Harry at the Ministry. I've been able to avoid them. Why have a family Quidditch game the day before Harry's birthday?"

"Everyone was going to be here for Harry's birthday so we thought having the game the day before was a good idea. We have a great turn out," Arthur said. "George and Fred both played very well."

"You can tell them apart," Deirdre said.

"I'm their father," Arthur said. "Angelina says that she can, but Susan still gets confused."

"Harry and I are interested in buying a house or having one built. Neither of us is comfortable in Sirius Black's old house. Harry is supposed to inherit it but there is a clause that Remus Lupin can live there the rest of his natural life. Not there is such a thing as a natural life for a werewolf," Deirdre said.

Professor Dumbledore arrived. "I thought Harry's party was tomorrow."

"It is," Arthur said. "We're having our annual Weasley Quidditch match."

"I'm sure it's an event deserving world coverage," Dumbledore teased.

"Fred and George organise it every year," Arthur said.

Dumbledore walked over to Harry who was teasing Ron about his boring job at the Ministry and that he might be stuck there himself. "Tonks suggested that I become an auror when they came to my house to question me about Voldemort's death," Harry said.

"Are you going to?" Dumbledore asked.

"I've done enough by facing Voldemort, but as much as I can tell his own magic backfired on him," Harry said.

"I read the reports under veritiserum. I have my doubts that you were telling the whole truth. Harry, lying under oath can lead to gaol time," Dumbledore said as he led Harry away from the crowds. Deirdre stayed close enough to overhear. "I came here to tell you that you have the teaching position at Hogwarts. There is a cottage for sale in a nearby village if your wife doesn't mind living beside muggles."

"That would be great," Deirdre said.

"I gave you a recommendation to get in St. Mungo's school," Dumbledore said. "I'll tell the owner of the cottage that you'll be up to look at it in a few days."

"Thank you," Deirdre said.

Deirdre whispered into Harry's ear as they undressed for bed. "I told you that you needed to be careful."

"Only half my mind is use to lying under truth serum. It won't happen again," Harry said.

"If you make more mistakes like that, people will suspect that you're the Dark Lord," Deirdre said.

"Snape knows and I think Hermoine is figuring it out," Harry said.

"You told Snape," Deirdre said. "I trust him, but I don't trust Hermoine and I definitely don't trust anyone at the Ministry."

"Luckily, Dumbledore didn't know that you lied. You're lucky that Dumbledore trusts me more than I trust him. He's an old coot. Princess, do us both a favour and never lie in front of an auror or other possible legilimens. I'll speak to Dumbledore privately from now on."

"I put my foot in my mouth that morning."

"For one of the brightest students at Hogwarts, you can be stupid at times."

"No one in Slytherin could read my mind."

"Snape."

"If he did it, he never gave me a clue. I was really stupid. Harry, you checked all my friends and acquaintances and none of them have that gift. Only legilimens, you found are yourself, Snape and Dumbledore. Not even my father has that gift. "

"You're too trusting." Harry pushed her dress up and her knickers down so he could slap her bottom. He hit her rather hard. She was sure that her bun was turning red, but the pain wasn't unbearable and the harder strokes were actually a turn-on. She could feel herself get wet as her bottom burned slightly from the spanking.

"I want to bury my face in your pussy and then move to your arse." Harry removed the last of her clothes. "Then, I'm going to fuck you until you beg me to stop."

"That won't happen," Deirdre whispered into his ear.



Chapter 20: Harry's Birthday Party

The birthday was great if one liked being in a very crowded house trying to scream over the pouring rain. Anyway, Harry ate lots of chocolate cake and hugged lots of Weasleys. Molly Weasley insisted that he wear the ugly jumper that she knitted him.

The only good thing about the party was that Mrs. Malfoy didn't show, not that she was invited. Deirdre found herself pressing in a counter most of the evening listening to Neville and Ginny talking. Fred and George talked about their store and most of the adult Weasleys acted like five year olds.

Harry put all the gifts he received in his Mary Poppins bag. Harry promised to show Deirdre Mary Poppins after they moved into a house with electricity.

Finally Deirdre escaped Ginny's company and joined Ron and her husband. Ron wasn't listening carefully enough to hear Tom's Cockney mixed with Harry's accent. Ron and Harry talked about Quidditch and Ron's boring job at the Ministry, but they were laughing and Ron didn't insult Harry's wife once.

Deirdre whispered into Harry's ear. "You're talking too fast and making mistakes."

"Ron hasn't noticed," Harry whispered back.

"Noticed what?" Ron asked.

"That Hermoine has been flirting with Tonks," Harry said.

"Harry, not all of us swing both ways," Ron said.

"Maybe you need a man in your life," Harry teased.

"Sod off," Ron said.

"I hear Neville swings both way if you don't mind sharing him with your little sister," Harry said.

"You were with Neville?" Ron looked shocked.

"We only snogged. I have some taste," Harry said. "To think about it, don't bother. That boy can't kiss. He drooled all over me and his hands felt like sandpaper. I don't know how Ginny put up with the prat."

"Harry, if you're trying to make me sick, you're doing a good job of it. Draco, did you date Neville too?"

"We snogged once. It was nothing to write home about," Deirdre said. "I don't like being manhandled."

"Hermoine is more than enough for me," Ron said.

"Are you enough for her?" Harry asked.

Harry glanced at the corner and it looked like Hermoine and Tonks were getting a bit too friendly. Harry wouldn't mind be sandwiched between those two ladies. It must have been something special doing it was Metamorphmagus, but Deirdre kept him entertained.

"I think Hermoine is kissing her," Deirdre said.

Men always fantasized about watching two women going at it. Harry wondered if Deirdre would seduce Tonks while he watched. Watching Deirdre and her cousin go at it would be quite a treat. Tonks's hair was pink today and her nose was small, pointy and turned up. Harry couldn't see her eye colour from the distance but Hermoine seemed to be looking into them a lot.

"Keep your trap shut." Ron turned to look at Hermoine talking to Tonks in the opposite corner of the room. It did look like Hermoine had her tongue in the other woman's ear. "Harry, excuse me."

Deirdre put her hand on Ron's arm. "Watch your temper."

"She's my fiancée," Ron shouted.

"And if you start a fight with her at a crowded party, she won't be," Deirdre said.

"Sod off, you git," Ron said.

Fred and George joined their conversation. One of the twins jabbed Harry in the gut and said, "Couldn't find a real girl?"

"Deirdre is a very fine woman," Harry said. "She's as much a woman as Angelina or Susan."

Ron walked across the road toward Hermoine.

"Excuse me." Harry touched Ron's shoulder.

"If you embarrass Hermoine." Harry was carefully about the H.

"You'll regret it. When Deirdre and I took our wedding vows, I didn't make her promise to be faithful to me nor did I promise to be faithful to her." Harry turned so he was in Ron's face. It wasn't hard to stand very close to someone in the crowded parlour. "I expect her to love me and care for me, but I don't expect her to never have sex with another bloke. I couldn't make Deirdre promise something that I couldn't promise myself."

"You want the option to cheat because you're bisexual. Tell me, Harry; is there a man in your life?" Ron whispered.

"Are you interested?" Harry's voice turned sensual. "Does it embarrass you to know that the boy that lived is a pillow biter?"

Ron backed away from Harry and he pulled his hands nervously to his sides. "What happened to your scar and your eyes are a different colour?"

Harry liked making Ron uncomfortable. He had no interest in going to bed with Ron; he saw him as a brother. Not completely, he didn't have a real brother so he didn't know if wanking while remembering how good he looked in the locker room was normal, but he wouldn't touch Ron.

Dudley was like a brother in the sense that they grew up in the same house but that fat, blond pig did nothing for him. Harry felt ill when he passed Dudley and he couldn't conceive of getting any thrill from seeing Dudley undressed unless there was with a dull spike up Dudley's arse slowly killing him.

Harry's thoughts had turned more gruesome since the link with Voldemort. He found himself able to laugh at death and dying. Funny but he no longer feared his own death but he accept it as part of life; not that he would walk in front of a moving vehicle to test his theory.

Ron was so stupid that he didn't notice how much happier Harry was this visit compared to others. Ron's face was getting red making his freckles look like one large freckle. Merlin, was he adorable! Harry wanted to put his hands through that brilliant red hair and plant his lips all over the strong handsome body.

So Harry didn't exactly see him as a brother. He'd rather see Ron this way than the way that he saw that monster Dudley. So Ron was insufferably cute.

"The scar disappeared after my battle with Voldemort." Harry liked watching Ron shutter after he said the Dark Lord's name, the former Dark Lord's name. Harry Potter was the Dark Lord's name but he wasn't going to make that announcement yet if ever.

"I'm wearing contacts and Deirdre thought I would look good with darker coloured eyes," Harry lied. He wasn't going to tell Ron that his eye colour changed and his vision improved when Lord Voldemort entered his mind.

"So Ron, do you want to shake the sheets?" Harry licked Ron's ear. "I've never did it with a redhead. You are so tall and handsome."

Ron's face turned redder and he folded his hands together then stamped his foot.

"Ron." Harry put his hand on Ron's shoulder. Ron must have been three inches taller than him and he was probably still growing. "Nothing serious. Just two blokes enjoying each other."

Harry wasn't going to tell Ron that he starred in most of his wet dreams while they were living in the dorms. Harry wondered if he ever screamed Ron when he wanked in bed and if Ron ever heard him if he did. "You have a body that wet dreams are made for." Voldemort's presence definitely loosen his tongue.

"Stay away from me you perv." Ron pushed his way through the crowd.

Harry found Deirdre cornered by the twins. "Leave my wife alone." Harry tapped the one closer to his wife arm.

"Do you call her Draco in the heat of passion?" Fred teased; at least, Harry thought it was Fred. Harry scanned the man's mind less than a second; he was Fred. The twins weren't dressed the same so he would know them apart the rest of the night.

"Fred, leave my wife alone. I won't tell you again." Harry touched his wand although he was just as capable of throwing a curse without it.

"And what does your girl friend call you?" Deirdre purred.

"Arsehole," George teased his twin.

"What does your Death Eater father think about your sex change?" George asked.

"He thinks that Harry Potter is a fabulous catch and ordered me to give him many grandchildren," Deirdre said. "My father has no problem with my sexuality. I don't see why you should have a problem with it. If my father didn't have to keep up appearances, he would have allowed me to take that potion when I was still in nursery school."

"You wanted to be a girl when you were in nursery school," Fred said.

"Are you going to make something out of it?" Deirdre got in the young man's face as she put a hand on her wand. She was five three and a little more than a hundred pounds, no match for a man of over six foot and close to two hundred pounds.

"Did the blokes in your dorm know that?" Fred asked.

"I was Slytherin. I didn't let the blokes in my dorm into my head," Deirdre said. "It wasn't like they didn't know I was gay by my fifth year. Most purebloods are gay or bisexual so it's no big deal. Isn't your oldest brother gay?"

"Bill married Ruby Fine last year, an Israeli girl," Fred said. "He said in his letter than she was a muggle or muggleborn. Her family is originally from Canada."

"So all the Weasleys are straight, no wonder there are so many of you," Deirdre said.

Harry loved the way his wife could turn a compliment into an insult.

"So Harry, does she do perverted things in the bedroom?" George asked.

Fred got in Deirdre's face. "Do you give good head?"

"What is the matter? Does your girl have lockjaw?" Deirdre licked her thin red lips.

"Fred, leave my wife alone before I give you a black eye," Harry said.

"I'm George," he lied.

"Sod off," Deirdre said.

"You think because you look good in miniskirt that we're going to forgot that you tried to get Harry and Ron expelled a few times and that you even threatened to kill Harry more than once," George said. "You'll never be a real woman."

"You don't need to listen to that," Hermoine interrupted. "Deirdre, men can be pigs."

Hermoine put her arm around the smaller girl. "Would you like to talk about what you are feeling?"

"Not in such a crowded place," Deirdre said.

"Have you always felt that you should have been born a girl?" Hermoine asked.

"I don't know." Deirdre smiled slightly. "My father said that he should have gave me that potion when I was in nursery school, but he had promised me to Pansy Parkinson. There is a curse on our line. We can only have one son a generation. Until I married Harry, he hoped that I would marry and give him a grandson to continue the line. I'm no longer his problem since I'm a girl."

"I didn't mean to make you sad," Hermoine said.

"My father never cared to ask me what I wanted. My mother did, but she would laugh the way rich women do and tell me that I shouldn't wish for such things. When I was four my mother would read me fairy tales and I would dream about meeting a handsome prince."

"I hated those stories. I wanted to slay the dragons and fight the evil wizards," Hermoine said.

"And you're training to be an auror while I hope to become a medi-witch."

"Tonks wishes she could take me on the field now, but I still have a long way to go in my training. I'm proud of you going with Harry to see the Dark Lord."

"I panicked when I saw him. Harry wanted me to be stoic, but I spit on his shoes, poured the drink he offered me on the ground and said I rather die than be in his wife."

"You did all that," Hermoine put her hand on Deirdre's shoulder, "and Harry was disappointed in you."

"He was glad when Voldemort's servant led me out of the room. Harry told me to hold his hand and not say a word. I didn't do as he asked," Deirdre said.

"You aren't a coward," Hermoine said. "If I didn't know better, I would think you would have made a great Gryffindor."

"Please, he wouldn't have last a week there," Fred said.

"She would have lasted longer than you," Harry stated. "Patience is a virtue that many Gryffindors lack."

"I've stood up to the Dark Lord a number of times," Deirdre said. "Can you say the same?"

Harry almost wanted to tell Fred that he was the Dark Lord and see if he ran away in fear. Deirdre stood up to the Dark Lord and he doubted that even half of his brave Gryffindor friends could have done the same. Deirdre loved him not because he was the Dark Lord, but because he was Harry Potter. She loved the boy inside the man.

"She poured a drink that he served her on the floor," Hermoine said.

"And you were there?" George asked.

"She did," Harry said. "She didn't bow down to him once. She was instrumental in his defeat."

"Thank you. See I'm braver than the lot of you," Deirdre said.

"Or more stupid," Neville said.

"You should talk," Draco said,

"Why did you become a girl?" Neville asked.

"Because I wanted to give Harry children," Deirdre said.

Neville put his hand on the blonde girl's shoulder. "Really?"

"Yes. I had dreams about marrying a handsome prince when I was little. My father threatened to turn me into a girl a number of times, but he didn't. I wanted to be pretty for Harry and one thing lead to another. Hermoine, you were there when Harry asked me to look for a sex change potion," Deirdre said.

"I was. Harry pressured her, but it was her choice," Hermoine said.

"I thought you preferred boys," Neville said to Harry.

"I don't have a preference," Harry insisted.

He wasn't sure. Professor Snape looked awful good without that glamour he took making him ugly. He was so sexy standing naked in front of him with all those hard muscles.

Then, Deirdre was so cute, blonde and full of life. Her small round breasts felt so good in his mouth and her pussy smelled and tasted so good. He loved how the smallest touch made her squeal and how she pulled away when he licked her fingers like the pleasure was too much for her. Deirdre was his anytime he desired and Snape was a challenge.

Harry glad that he didn't have to decide, but Deirdre was definitely his current preference. "What do you prefer?"

"I'm engaged to Ginny," Neville said. "Messing around with you was a mistake."

"My mistake," Harry teased. Neville was too awkward and clumsy for his liking. His hands nudged and bumped instead of caressed. "If you hurt Ginny."

"I've heard it from all her older brothers," Neville said.

"I'm an honorary older brother," Harry explained.

After everyone had more cake and hot chocolate, Hermoine pulled Harry into the rain. "When did you start dropping your 'H's?" she asked.

"'ermoine, you must have been 'earing things," Harry said.

"Very funny, Harry," she said. "And don't tell me that you picked up your cousin's Bob's accent. I can tell the difference between Cockney and American. If you need a friend, you can turn to me." Hermoine looked into Harry's eyes. "They don't look like contacts."

"My vision improved after defeating Voldemort. I told Ron that I was wearing contacts. I didn't want him worrying about me. My scar is gone, too." Harry pushed the hair off his forehead.

Hermoine whispered to Deirdre; she had followed them into the rain. "You had an audience with the Dark Lord. Did he talk Cockney?"

"I don't recall," Deirdre said. "He killed my best friend's father that night and threatened to kill her little brother. My mind wasn't on his accent." Deirdre wiped the tears out of her eyes.

"That was a rather heartless thing to ask," Hermoine said. "Deirdre, he killed Pansy's father in front of you."

"And at least, twenty other witnesses. I blocked him from using crucio a few times, but one of his bodyguard pushed me out of the way before the Dark Lord threw the killing blow." Deirdre sobbed harder.

Hermoine put her arms around the smaller girl. "I'm so sorry. Harry, if you need to talk to someone about what happened when Voldemort died, I'll listen."

"Hermoine, thanks." Harry put his arms around both Hermoine and his wife.



Chapter 21: The Beach

Deirdre went up to see the two-bedroom cottage the following day. It had an eat-in kitchen, a small parlour and one small bedroom and one that was even smaller, but it had electricity, running water and central heat. Besides, Deirdre had enough cash in her leather bag to buy it outright. The estate agent nearly fainted while counting the stacks of twenties, but there was no law against buying a house with cash.

"Where does a seventeen year old girl get that kind of money?" the owner asked.

"My dowry," Deirdre said. The woman didn't require an answer. "I got it when I left home to live with my boyfriend."

"Cash," she asked.

"I went to the bank with a cheque," Deirdre said, trying her best to sound naive. "They seemed eager enough to cash it. Is that a lot of money?" Deirdre still had a bit left over in her bag. The house would be adequate until Harry and her had their third or fourth child. She would order furniture or magic it over from some of the rooms in the manor that weren't used."

The owner left with her cash and the estate agent left with part and her paperwork.

Deirdre ran out to the owner. "I don't want your furniture and your belongings."

"They'll be gone in the fortnight. The contract says that we don't have to be out until the end of the month," the owner said. "Did you read it at all?"

It was August 1st that gave her thirty days to vacate. "I read it. I didn't understand it." Deirdre knew nothing of muggle law. She hoped the estate agent hired to negotiate for her was honest. Dumbledore sent her so she expected she did a lot of these for wizards moving into muggle communities.

"Your husband needs to sign the contract. You can bring it to my office after he signs it."

"I'll see you in a fortnight," the owner said. "I'll hand you the keys then."

Harry and Deirdre planned to spend the next thirteen days on the French Riviera. Harry loved putting sunscreen on his wife as the other men watched. Deirdre enjoyed the opportunity to speak French. They slept in at a four-star muggle hotel near the beach.

Deirdre never thought she saw Harry smile so much as he did walking along the road near the beach. Hermoine joined them as they walked in the street.

"Follow us here?" Deirdre asked.

"Tonks decided to take a few days off from training me. I think it is an excuse for her to wear a tiny bikini." Hermoine was wearing a black one-piece swimming costume that modestly showed her curves. She had a towel tied around her hips. "She's at the next public beach."

"There are hundreds of miles of beach in France." Harry had on a swimming costume that Dudley outgrew; it was orange reaching halfway down his thigh and had a black stripe on each side, but Deirdre couldn't imagine Harry wearing a thong. She could but not where other people could see him. "Admit it. You followed us here."

"Tonks followed you. She thinks you were acting strange at your birthday party," Hermoine said.

"She doesn't know Harry well enough to know if he was acting strange," Deirdre said.

"I thought you were acting strange and I told her and she insisted that we follow you," Hermoine said.

"Without Weasley?" Deirdre asked.

"Ron is a jealous git." Hermoine sat on the bench near the bus stop. "I decided we needed a little time apart. I can't join you on the bus. I haven't exchanged my pounds for francs."

"Just because I was acting oddly at my birthday gives you no right to follow me," Harry stated.

"Strange! You propositioned Ron. You talked about Lord Voldemort killing most of his inner circle like Stalin killed his generals. You even joked about putting Wormtail's head on a stake," Hermoine said. "The Weasleys will probably think you had too much to drink, the firewhiskey was flowing freely, but I know you better than that."

"Arthur Weasley wanted my opinion on Mr. Pettigrew and I gave my drunken opinion," Harry said. "Shit, you're making to much out of it. I've read a lot of muggle history this summer. My cousin is into war games."

"I think Wormtail deserves worse for being a conniving little rat." Deirdre sat next to Hermoine. She put a tee shirt over herself. Before then, all that was covering her breasts was a towel draped over her shoulders, not that she felt uncomfortable about being topless.

"Harry knows too much of Voldemort's plans," Hermoine said.

"He had a conversation with the Dark Lord for over an hour before the attack. I'm sure that was part of the testimony that the aurors collected," Deirdre said. Hermoine wasn't a Legilimens so she could lie to Hermoine without fear.

"It's too convenient that Lord Voldemort killed everyone in his inner circle but Malfoy, Pettigrew, Goyle and Crabbe his last month. It was like he wanted to make sure there were no witnesses left behind. He was planning something," Hermoine said. "Harry, you knew what he was doing since you returned to England. You talked about Stalin and Napoleon when we were at Hogwarts."

"Saying that Voldemort didn't have the skill of a muggle dictator doesn't make me party to his plans," Harry said.

Hermoine stood up and looked Harry in the eye. "Are you Lord Voldemort?"

Harry looked down at Hermoine. "You're a smart girl. Number one in our class. I should have taken you as my bride. Then, you didn't spit at me."

Harry smiled a cockeyed smile at her. "Deirdre has other things going for her than her mind."

Harry moved a hand over Deirdre's long blonde hair. "Then, you would have never kissed me."

"What have you've done with Harry?" Hermoine didn't break eye contact with Harry.

Harry started to nibble on his wife's neck and fondled her ear and then shoulder. "Harry isn't in a trunk somewhere like Mad-eye. Remember I told you I could end the war by introducing Tom to ice cream and Quiddich." Harry beamed. "It worked."

"You're truly evil." Hermoine crossed her arms over her ample chest like she was waiting for Harry to strike her with the killing blow.

"I don't share mind space with Tom like he did with Professor Quirrell. Tom doesn't end at one spot and Harry begin in another. I'm the fusion of their minds and beliefs," Harry explained, not looking at Hermoine but stealing a brief kiss from his wife.

"Are you Harry or Tom?" asked Hermoine.

"I told Snape how Voldemort uploaded his mind into my brain. I also recall Tom's mind touching mine. In the morning, there were Tom's memories and Harry's memories, but one consciousness. I hope that makes sense." Harry stepped away from his wife.

The bus stopped. None of them stepped toward it so it continued down the narrow road near the beach.

Harry put a hand on Hermoine's shoulder. 'I'm both and neither."

Hermoine pulled away from Harry. "Ice cream won't stop the war."

"Tom was bent on revenge for many years. He misunderstood the prophecy. Tom and Harry want the same thing, the wizard community to be strong. I have Harry's logical mind and Tom's knowledge. I'm the best of both men. At least, I hope I am."

Hermoine just looked at Harry.

"Are you going to tell Tonks?" Harry asked.

"No, she would want you to pay for Voldemort's crimes."

"And you don't think I should?"

"Lord Voldemort wouldn't laugh in a houseful of Weasleys, so you must be more Harry than You-Know-Who." Hermoine looked at Harry slightly tanned in his ugly swimming costume. "Do you feel the least bit guilty for killing all those people?"

Harry shrugged his shoulders.

"We'll walk to the hotel. It isn't that far. We can talk in the room," Deirdre said. "Anything Harry says is strictly between the three of us. If Harry didn't want to remember this conversation, you wouldn't."

"I'm sorry I made you miss your bus," Hermoine said. "Would you like to join Tonks and I for dinner? We'll join you in your hotel lobby in two hours."

"I would suggest that you stop having an affair with Tonks if you are serious about Ron," Deirdre said. "He's the jealous sort."

"And you're not." Hermoine looked at the petite woman in the wet white tee shirt and bikini bottoms.

"I don't care who Harry sleeps with as long as I know that he'll come home to me at the end of the day." Deirdre started walking slowly down the two lane motorway. "I might have finished second in our class, but I understand what the Dark Lord is capable of and you don't. You would never be able to play obedient wife. You never understand the importance of being patience."

"And those men that Voldemort killed for following him," Hermoine said.

"They didn't learn their history. Pity." Deirdre's voice was flat. "My father was smarter than the lot of them. He made an agreement with the Dark Lord after he killed Parkinson and all three of the Lestranges. The Dark Lord agreed for my hand that he would allow my father to live and he would serve a minimum gaol sentence. The Dark Lord is a man of his word."

Hermoine walked beside her. "Are you that cold?"

Harry tapped Hermoine's shoulder. "I'll tell Tonks that you're walking my wife back to the hotel."

"I've always been a cold-hearted little git." Deirdre picked up her pace. "I was brilliant at potions because I had to be. Snape is a rarity among potion masters. Most study potions for the same reason that I do; potions don't require strong magic but skill in the master. It's like following a recipe that is why most potion masters are great chefs. Have you ever noticed that Snape takes less than half his sups in the Great Hall?"

"So you didn't have the magic to become part of Voldemort's elite."

Deirdre kept walking.

Hermoine whispered, "He forced you to become his wife."

"I wanted to marry him. I didn't lie about my father threatening to give me that potion when I was five. Please, don't feel sorry for me." Deirdre couldn't stand having that muggleborn feeling sorry for her.

As she saw it, she did what she did to save her own life. Standing up to the Dark Lord was the only way to gain her father's respect and without her father's respect, she was as good as dead.

"How did he know that Harry would kiss you?"

"He didn't."

Hermoine put a hand on Deirdre's shoulder. "Does Harry feel you betrayed him?"

Deirdre didn't know what to say. That Harry no longer existed. He disappeared when they arrived back in England and Harry opened his mind to the Dark Lord. Harry said that he opened his mind to the Dark Lord because he was tired of fighting. The Dark Lord deceived Harry, making him promises that he would never keep, and Harry gave him everything.

Harry smiled now but did he still feel? Did he care? He talked about death in a cold way. Harry seemed to treat the world like it was all sensation. Did he even love her or did he just like the way she looked, smelled, tasted and felt. Did he care more about the sounds she made when they made love than what she felt? Harry tried to convince Hermoine that he was more Harry than the Dark Lord, but Deirdre wasn't really sure.

Hermoine and Tonks were staying at the same hotel. Luckily, they left after three days and Harry and Deirdre could talk without worrying about an auror and an auror-in-training overhearing.

"I hate that I have get started at Hogwarts Monday," Harry said.

"We could buy a cottage near the beach and never have to leave," Deirdre said, as she put on both pieces of her bikini although she knew the top wouldn't stay on.

Harry would take it off as he put sunscreen on her and she wouldn't bother putting it back on.

"And what would we do with our time," Harry teased.

"We could get a house near the wizard community and I could get a job at a shop there since I speak the language and you could stay home with the babies until you spoke French well enough to teach here," Deirdre said.

"You're going to become a medi-witch and I promised Dumbledore that I would be in his office Monday morning." Harry kissed her. "You could go around the house in your bikini bottoms so I can remember the fun we had at the beach."

"You would enjoy it too much." Deirdre blew him a kiss. "I have to get the keys on the fifteenth."

"You brought a house." Harry signed the paperwork.

"It's more like a cottage and you haven't seen it yet." Deirdre got on her toes and kissed Harry.

"I'll see it after you furnish it."

"Why didn't you kill my father when you killed the others?"

"Not killing him was probably a mistake, but I didn't want to kill your parents. Harry and Tom grew up without parents. Still your father is always trying to undermine me. I should visit him in prison so he knows that I'm watching him." Harry nibbled on her ear.

"Are you going to kill him?" Deirdre asked.

"So far all they charged with is breaking and entering."

"They can't keep him forever on that charge," Deirdre whispered.

"Then, we'll have to wait and see."

The house was empty when she returned in a fortnight and the keys were left on the counter in the kitchen. The house was clean. Deirdre used magic to transport the furniture from the house that Voldemort leased in Ireland to her new house.

Mrs. Malfoy arrived to help her daughter with zapping the furniture and sending it on its way. "Wormtail was supposed to get all this furniture back to the Malfoy Manor, but he's in gaol."

"I only have a cottage so I can't take much of it. The dining room set won't fit. I can use the servants' table for the kitchen," Deirdre said.

"Apparate to the new house and I'll send the everything through. It's easier when there is one person on each side," her mother said. "Lucius's aunt said that there was going to be a new Malfoy. The nerve of that woman to ask me if I was pregnant."

"Part of the potions I was given will increase my fertility. I'm not surprised I conceived on the morning after my wedding," Deirdre said. "Mother, I would like you to be happy for me."

"How does he treat you?" she asked.

"Like a princess. He doesn't expect me to work outside the house. I want to learn healing," Deirdre said.

"It's good for a woman to have a career," her mother said. "I wouldn't be so lonely if I worked when I was younger." Her mother handed her well-worn book of dark magic. "I put a page holder on the page with the potion that I feed you. You can read all the side effects with a translator spell."

"Mum, you're still young." Deirdre held the book against her chest. "Thanks for the book."

"What bedroom furniture do you want?" she asked.

"I'll take the stuff in the master bedroom. Harry wanted to take it with us when we left here the first time," Deirdre explained. He didn't say that but the Dark Lord knew Harry's taste in furniture too well. Harry eyed the cherry bed frame, dresser and bookcases for hours. If the house weren't so far from Hogwarts, Deirdre would have suggested that stay there. The island was so beautiful and the house itself was gorgeous.

"You need a sofa and a few chair."

"You decide."

Harry arrived home, as furniture was being apparated into the house. "So that is how you transport large items."

"Flying carpets are illegal," Deirdre teased. "You're home late."

"I have to write syllabuses and decide what books to order. It's going to be crazy until class starts and then it's going to be worse. I teach fourteen classes; two classes for each year. I'm lucky to have enough time to eat lunch each day. Each class meets twice a week for fifty minutes. I'm teaching twenty-eight hours total. I only get ten minutes between classes. Hogwarts should really considering hiring two teachers for classes that every student must attend. I never took fourteen classes in a year. I think Hermoine did thirteen one year but I could be mistaken," Harry said.

"It won't be so bad once you have a routine established." Deirdre tried to comfort him. "I have to wait for more furniture to arrive. You can apparate to the house we spend our holiday."

"I'm going," Harry said.

"Wait," Deirdre shouted. "My mother is there."

"Thanks for the warning." Harry was gone.

Deirdre and Harry moved the furniture around the house once enough furniture had arrived. They still needed things like electric lamps, but at least there was high quality furniture in every room.

"Princess, remember you're eating for two," Harry said.

"We can apparate to Three Broomsticks. I haven't brought groceries yet," Deirdre said. "Do you think people will wonder how we got all this furniture into the house without a moving truck?"

"I doubt it. Most people work during the day and other people don't have time to look out the windows. They'll just think they missed it," Harry said. "Put on a nice dress and cloak."

Snape and Hagrid were sharing a table when Harry and Deirdre arrived. "Princess, order anything you like," Harry said, before he joined the men sitting near the bar.

"What's up?" Hagrid asked.

"I'm teaching fourteen classes," Harry said.

"A few less. Care o' Magical Creatures is an elective after the third year. Grubbly-Plank may teach the lower levels. Headmaster still talking ter her," Hagrid said. "Sev teaches a few double classes, but he has as many hours."

"Severus, once Deirdre buys food, we'll invite you over," Harry said. "She cooks real food, no magic. You have to taste it to believe it."

"All newlyweds talk that way," Snape said. "I want to hear your opinion of her cooking twenty years from now."

"I don't have a time machine," Harry said.

"Aren't those illegal?" Hagrid asked.

"Probably," Snape said. "All the good magic is dark or illegal."

"Severus, we need to talk privately," Harry said.

"We'll apparate to your cottage," Snape said.



Chapter 22: Moving In

Snape looked at the house. "You have furniture and your clothes and books are unpacked. I didn't do this much the day I moved into the castle." There was a large bookshelf in the parlour and another large bookshelf in the master bedroom. The one in the master bedroom had books on Dark Magic and their Hogwart textbooks. Deirdre did a remarkable job unpacking.

"We even have dishes, silver, pots, pans, and baking dishes," Harry said. "Deirdre's mother helped. I don't trust Dumbledore. He keeps asking me questions about Voldemort."

"Have you ever played poker?" Snape had his defences up. Harry couldn't read Snape's thoughts. Then, again Snape couldn't read his thoughts. Snape had been in his mind too many times.

"A muggle game. No," Harry said.

"I'll have to teach it to you some time," Snape said.

"I heard of it. He wants me to show my cards," Harry said.

"If he had proof that you countered the serum, he would had you back in court with several aurors breathing down your back." Snape opened the refrigerator. "No food."

"Not a drop. No one is staying at that house in Ireland so there isn't any food to be shipped. Malfoy's butler is going to be looking for another job if he doesn't clear that house before the owners return," Harry said. "I'll take you out for a drink."

"Muggle pub?" Snape asked.

"The only place to party. Take off your outer robes. You do have your normal twenty layers under them," Harry teased.

"I get cold."

"You can wear one of my jackets. Bill brought me this cool leather jacket from Turkey." Harry handed Snape the long black jacket.

Snape took off his black robe and put on the leather jacket. "Sweet."

"You look sexy, now that, you aren't using that glamour. Why would you make yourself ugly?" Harry put on dark brown leather jacket over his navy blue skintight tee shirt. Harry's jeans were tight and deliberately faded.

"I didn't want anyone to look at me. It was easier to throw myself into teaching and my books. I love brewing potions and learning about new ones." Snape smiled at Harry. "Potions don't hurt you like people do. Harry, you look so good."

"Deirdre said that I had no taste in clothes," Harry said. "Do you need a few pounds? I don't want the locals seeing me buying your drinks."

"I have few quid on me." Snape stepped outside. "Can we walk to it?"

"We can't take our brooms and neither Deirdre nor I have a drivers' license. On her passport, she's male and transsexual in the muggle world don't get pregnant."

"You can get a licence."

"If we have a car, people won't wonder how we come and go." Harry quickened the pace.

"Should I call you Tom or Harry? Who are you going to be tonight?"

"I can't allow the Tom part of my personality out. You prefer Tom." Harry had to read Snape's body language since he couldn't read the bloke's mind. No wonder he could be a double agent for the Order and the Death Eaters. His mind was a closed book. Harry was determined that he would get inside if not today, then another day. Snape wasn't going to remain a closed book. He might have been able to keep his mind closed to Voldemort, but Voldemort didn't have Harry Potter's sex appeal.

"He's sexier, more mature."

"He was born in '27."

"I was born in 1960."

"You're still young." Harry winked at Snape.

Perhaps, Snape would drop his mental guards if he became aroused. Harry didn't check Snape's mind when they were snuggling before. If his defences dropped, Snape never took advantage. Even with his defences down, Harry could feel someone probe his mind.

Muggles didn't seem to feel it. He had accidentally entered Dudley and Aunt Petunia's minds and he thought they were boring when they talked. They both had such dull minds that he didn't want to risk entering their minds again and feeling all that empty space.

"That's what they tell me. I'll return with some beer and snacks. I want to do more than grope you." Snape said, "Apparate," and was gone.

Harry walked back to the house. He felt hungry but not necessarily for food. Snape was back soon with a four pack of beer and several bags of food.

"Thanks." Harry opened a beer. "Take off my jacket and stay awhile."

Snape looked good, but Harry wasn't going to drop his defences no matter how intimate their bodies became. If he was looking to enter Snape's mind, it was likely that Snape was looking for an opportunity to do the same.

Snape took a pack of playing cards from the bag. "I could teach you poker. Your wife will be back soon."

"So." Harry pulled off his jacket and then started to unbutton Snape's shirt. "You're hiding that body under too many clothes."

Harry licked around Snape's ear, pushing the hair out of his way. There. Snape's mind was open. He couldn't hold the screen when his mind was on sex. Harry only felt the surface thoughts, which were about getting Harry on the bed and pounding him senseless.

Snape was remembering giving Tom Riddle a blowjob to get on his good favour. He wanted the Dark Lord's power more than he wanted the man's body. Snape wanted Harry's power. He could feel the strength of Harry's mental shields.

"You're so sexy."

"Allow me." Snape undressed in seconds and carried his clothes to the bigger bedroom.

"I'm not giving you head this time. I want you inside me." Harry pulled off his clothes in the bedroom slowly giving Snape a show.

Snape definitely found Harry's young flexible body very attractive. As Snape was enjoying watching Harry move, Harry could probe Snape's mind deeper. He would pull out at the slightest feeling that Snape might be aware of the probe. No resistance. There was nothing more interesting than Snape's sexual history, which wasn't as long as Harry expected.

A thirty-eight year old bloke should have more than three conquests. One of them was Narcissa Black, Deirdre's mother. That might be useful in the future, but since she was likely to be dead by now, he didn't see how.

Before Harry left the house in Ireland, he put a spell in motion that would cause Narcissa Malfoy to kill herself. The house elves would find a surprise in the morning. He didn't like needing to kill her but she talked too much. He couldn't have her telling the wrong person that the new Dark Lord was Harry Potter.

Harry didn't want to think about that unpleasantness; he'd rather think about the naked man in his bedroom. Mrs. Malfoy was permanently out of the way and that was a good thing all around.

Snape was attracted to men, but he's history with men was limited to giving Tom Riddle three blowjobs. Snape didn't have sex more than twenty times in his life. That bloke was definitely deprived in the strongest sense of the word. How could a man live only knowing only his hand for more than fifteen years? He didn't know if he should feel sorry for the man and just think he was pitiful.

"You don't mind if we kiss first." Snape started to nibble on his neck.

"Not at all. Grope, kiss all you want." Harry started to grope Snape and kissed him deeply.

For all the sexual advice that he gave students, he had hardly any experience of his own. Harry pulled out of Snape's mind. He wasn't as deeply aroused and his mind was drifting a little. He could put up the shields again any moment and feel Harry inside his mind.

"Have you removed any other marks?" Snape asked.

Harry was glad he was out of Snape's mind; the shield had returned. Harry did learn that Snape did drop it when aroused so it would fall again, but Harry did enough exploring for one night and he didn't want to risk being caught.

"Only on two of Deirdre's friends. I can't do it publicly. Dumbledore or any strong wizard could do it. Severus, you can tell him that you came across the answer by accident. Focus on the mark and say the words."

"I've said remove mark before." Snape put his hand over Harry's back.

"I pictured the dark mark in my mind when the mark disappears. I don't know what to tell you. I don't want to talk. I want you inside me, pounding me into the mattress." Harry put Snape's hand on his hard cock to give Snape the message clearer than his words.

Snape lubricated his fingers and then stretched Harry with two fingers. It wasn't long that Harry felt the burn of penetration. "Feel good?"

"Great." Harry felt the burn and a little pain, but it was a good pain.

"You're so fucking tight."

"That is so good. Fuck me hard." Harry felt himself pushed into the mattress as Snape hit him harder and harder.

Was Snape avoiding his prostate or did Snape keep missing it? Then, Snape never fucked a man before and he only fucked a woman once in the arse. Harry had to angle himself to get Draco's prostate every time.

Deirdre's bottom was just as hot as Draco's. It was a little rounder and softer and God was it good. She moaned and squirmed just as much as before although he didn't quite understand what women got from using the backdoor. Deirdre loved it and it felt great on his side so why analyse it.

It felt good each time Snape's hard body thrusted against him. Finally, Snape hit his prostate. Harry didn't moan or scream like he did with Deirdre, but Snape didn't need constant feedback to know that his partner enjoyed it.

Snape kissed his back a few times while enjoying the afterglow. "That was fantastic. You have a great arse."

"We have to do it again." Harry kissed him briefly then put on his clothes.

Snape dressed silently.

"I like sex; it doesn't matter to me if it comes in a male or female package," Harry explained.

"Tom, thanks." Snape put on his boots and robes then apparated.

Harry fell asleep in the new house. He woke up alone in the middle of the night. Deirdre arrived early in the morning in the clothes she wore the night before. "What happened?"

"Would you believe that I fell asleep reading a book in the library? Madame Pince woke me thinking I was a student. We need a car. No one lives in the sticks without a car."

"I have a London accent. I stick out in this town without having to do anything weird," Harry said. "They'll know one of us works at that strange school."

"I thought muggles couldn't see Hogwarts for what it was."

"They can see students and teachers," Harry explained. "I want to smell something delicious when I get home tonight."

"I'll get groceries." Deirdre didn't know if it was an order or not. She wasn't going to correct Harry anymore about it. She was starting to think he liked being able to order her to do little things.

"Are you going to see a muggle doctor about the baby?"

"Why?"

"To get a birth certificate. After she or he is born, we can make an excuse like you had him at home or in the car and apply for the form. What if our child wants a driver's license, a muggle job or even to travel by muggle transportation? How did you manage to get a passport?"

"Hermoine and Dean had some friends that knew some friends and got me the fake birth certificate. We could go through those friends again and get me a new birth certificate with me as a girl."

"You have the connections," Harry said. "I have to get to school."

An owl came through the window. Deirdre removed the tiny scroll. "I was accepted into the class at St. Mungo's. They start first week in October. I'm to expect an owl with a list of the supplies and books that I'll need to start."

"They give you lots of warning. I suspect Ron won't be in the class."

"Maybe their starting the class so soon because he was chosen. I need to go to a grocery store."

"Comb your hair first."

"Thanks for the stupid orders." Deirdre tried to remember where she put her comb with all the unpacking. Finally, she found one in the downstairs bath.

"Don't comb your hair."

Deirdre stopped combing hurting her head in the process.

"It's your hair. I'll try not to give you stupid orders. Finish combing your hair. I hope that corrects the problem."

"I just fear you'll give me a stupid order and I'll hurt myself or someone else."

"I can't remove it without causing you harm. Blame your mother." He had no intention of telling her that he killed her mother. He felt no guilt or remorse; it was something that had to be done.

"What did you talk to Snape about?"

"He thinks Dumbledore is buffing. He has no evidence that I cheated the truth serum. Dumbledore is trying to figure out the puzzle and he doesn't have all the pieces."

"I hope there are no insects on our windows." Deirdre found a beetle on the windowsill. "If you're Rita, you better change back this second or I'll swash you."

Rita changed back to human.

Harry took his wand and hit her with a forgetting spell. "Rita, what are you doing in my house?"

"I don't know," she said.

Harry hit her with another charm, a mild from of impedius that she wasn't likely to recognize. "Have you listened to my wife and I before today?"

"No."

"You will never bother my wife or I again." Harry said. "You will never write an article about my wife or I. Now, leave my house."

Rita left.

"Princess, we'll talk when I get home. You should have closed the window after the owl left." Harry kissed her briefly, putting his hand on the back of her neck. He didn't know if he kissed her because he wanted her to know that he loved her or for her to know that she was under his power.

Harry liked that Deirdre was under his power, but still he feared that she would say the wrong thing to the wrong person. He needed her. Harry couldn't kill her because she wasn't as obedient as he hoped. He spent too much effort locating a wife and he didn't want to search again.

"I'll be more careful," Deirdre said.



Chapter 23: Dinner and a Paper

Deirdre returned to the house with several bags of groceries and put everything away. Harry wouldn't be home until late. Deirdre greeted Ron and Hermoine at the door. "It's small but it's home."

Ron and Hermoine put several platters of food on her kitchen table. "Mrs. Weasley guessed that you wouldn't have time to cook."

"I was just starting dinner." Deirdre turned off her pots. "So far, I only boiled water."

"The neighbours will find you odd since you don't have a telly or a phone," Ron said.

"We're more concerned about the lack of vehicle since the house doesn't have a garage," Deirdre said. "Harry says as soon as he gets a free moment; he'll take the driving lessons and get a licence. We're in a small town in Scotland 5 kilometres from the nearest train station. Hermoine, I need a new birth certificate."

"I can get you one in two weeks," Hermoine said.

"I'll pay you when I have it in hand," Deirdre said.

"I know you're good for it," Hermoine said.

Ron laughed. "Hermoine and Dean have quite a business going getting fake birth certificates for wizards."

"Your parents made the paper," Hermoine said.

"Be prepared to be shocked," Ron said.

"Rita came in through the window with the owl." Deirdre said. "Ron, are you going to St. Mungo's this term? I got a letter telling me when class started."

"No. Percy thinks I might come to like politics," Ron said.

"Sorry," Deirdre said.

"He wants me to work with him while Fred and George are trying to convince me to help them at their store," Ron said.

"I have some bad news." Hermoine showed Deirdre the newspaper.

The paper reported that Deirdre's father was being held on drummed up charges and her mother was found day at the manor this morning. "I just saw my mother. I can't believe no one owled me that she died. My mother had suffered from depression for years and my father's extended prison term must have been too much for her. I need to show this to Harry."

"I'm sure he has a copy." Hermoine wrapped her arms around Deirdre. "I'm so sorry. You shouldn't have found out your mother died this way. You should contact the morgue and make arrangements for her burial."

"She seemed fine the last time I saw her. She was taking something for her depression and it seemed to be working," Deirdre said.

"Do you want me to go to the morgue with you?"

"Pansy and I will go. We've been friends forever. Thanks for the offer. With Father in prison, I want her to be buried as quietly as possible." Deirdre started to cry. "Father will probably marry a girl as young as I when he gets out."

"He might get a life sentence. He was implicated in three murders," Ron said. "Percy says that they're still trying to gather evidence."

"All circumstantial evidence. No one can positively identify him. He'll get off," Hermoine said.

Deirdre said, "I need to show Harry this. The students will see this before they start school next week."

"Go. I know you can't apparate into the school," Ron said. "We won't allow any beetles into the house. Are you connected to the floo network?"

"No. Harry likes his privacy too much. Harry's office fireplace isn't connected so he uses Snape's floo when he needs to get somewhere fast," Deirdre said. "Harry wanted an office in the dungeon. He's planning to assist Snape as housemaster for Slytherin. Severus teased him about needing to be resorted before he can take over for him as housemaster."

"He calls him Severus," Hermoine said.

"They're becoming friends. There are the only two teachers under the age of fifty or is it seventy?" Deirdre said.

"Our divinity teacher wasn't that old. I think Miss Sibyll Trelawney is a few older than Professor Snape," Ron said.

"I didn't have that class and Hermoine called her an old fraud. She's a loner and lives in the North Tower anyway, no one that Harry wants as a friend," Deirdre said.

"She used to predicts his death frequently," Ron said, "and she was spooky."

"Snape taught him the technique that he used to defeat the Dark Lord. They have a special kinship through that," Deirdre said.

"That was his job," Ron said.

"Even so. Without it, we would still fear war with the Death Eaters. Snape feels he has a colleague with Harry," Deirdre said. "They have an interest in the Dark Arts and their magical gifts are rather similar. I feel like a third wheel while they're talking."

"Snape hated Harry in his class," Ron said.

"Because he can see himself in Harry," Deirdre said.

"I can't picture Snape wanting to talk to anyone. What technique did Snape teach him?" Hermoine asked.

"Are you going to squeal to the press?" Deirdre asked.

"No." Hermoine folded her arms.

"Harry can tell you. I wasn't in the room at the time. I was too afraid to face the Dark Lord with him." Deirdre grabbed Hermoine's copy of the paper. "I want to talk to Harry about this."

After apparating as close as Hogwarts as possible, Deirdre walked into the castle and went to Harry's office. "Did you see the paper?"

"I'm sorry about your mother. I can go to morgue and help you get the body," Harry said.

"I'll do it in the morning," Deirdre said.

Snape entered the open door. "My dear, you should close the door and use a silencing spell when you have private conversations."

"The paper reported my mother's death without telling me," Deirdre said. "They're trying to ruin my good name." Her good name. She was no longer heir to the Malfoy estate; her father was still young and there were other women than her mother.

Arthur Weasley ruled that all Death Eaters had to have formal charges against them; he wasn't going to allow it to become a witch-hunt. Lucius Malfoy would be cleared in time.The only crime that Lucius Malfoy could be positively placed at was a breaking and entering and that carried a fine, not a life sentence. Lucius would find a young pureblood witch, seduce her with his money, and she would give him a son. It was only a matter of time.

Lord Voldemort killed most of his inner circle before he died and there was no one left to charge. If Lucius were left off, there would only be Voldemort's personal bodyguards to charge outside Wormtail that was already serving a life sentence.

Her name was Potter and Potter was a good name. Unfortunately, Potter died with only one son. Harry didn't have any aunts or uncles on his father side or did he? If he did, wouldn't have Dumbledore told him about them so either James was an only child or his brothers and/or sisters had passed. She would need to find a seer to find out.

"Draco, we'll talk in my office with a silencing spell," Snape said. "I'll calm your wife."

"You don't need to have dinner for me. I'm eating here. I have lots of work to finish," Harry said.

"Hermoine and Ron brought several platters of his mother's cooking," Deirdre said.

"I'm heading to your place for dinner," Snape said. "Nothing against house elves, but it isn't home cooking."

"Maybe I should be the one jealous," Harry teased.

"I'll return her only slightly damaged," Snape said.

Deirdre looked up at Snape. "You wicked vile man."

"Come to my office and I'll show you how wicked." Snape wrapped his arms around the tiny woman and lifted her so they made eye contact.

"You're only saying that because the students aren't here," Deirdre said, as her feet touched the floor again. "I'm no longer angry. I can't hold onto negative emotions not since my mother feed me those potions."

"You felt the anger for a moment. You can still feel those things. Draco, you can't change what happened. I'm sorry that you're a pawn in this." Snape took her hand.

"I got into St. Mungo's School. I start training in October. Ron didn't make it."

"Weasley?" Snape asked.

"Harry's friend. His brother, Percy, wants him to work in the Ministry with him and the twins want him to work at the joke shop," Deirdre said.

"He has a family that cares about him." Snape led her to the dungeons and opened his office door. He put a silencing spell on the door. "Draco, you don't have to have a dozen babies."

"There is nothing wrong with having babies. Without babies, the species would die." Deirdre sat on the chair facing the desk.

"Give me the word and I'll find a way to restore you. You would be back being that stubborn boy that thought he knew everything."

"And I would be miserable and lonely."

"Do you love Harry or is it the love potion?"

"I love him. I loved him since the first time we met and he refused to shake my hand. I knew I was attracted to other boys since I was four or five. I had crushes on my male tutors. Children aren't naïve when it comes to sex. I've always known I liked boys; I've accepted it all my life."

"Draco, there is nothing wrong with being an effeminate gay man. If I gave you a potion that made you straight if one existed, you would no longer be you and I would be as guilty as the Dark Lord."

"You don't have to lecture me that there are many gay wizards that lead happy productive lives. I'm a pregnant woman. I would have decided to go to St. Mungo's School with or without the Dark Lord's tampering. The imperius I'm under causes me to feel happy most of the time. I suffered from bouts of depression as a student. Some of them were so bad that I thought about killing myself. My mother saw a medi-witch every month for treatment of her depression and she still killed herself."

"It isn't real." Snape slammed his hand on his desk.

"We live in a world of magic. This magic allows me to live my life feeling good about myself. Harry only gives me meaningless little orders like comb my hair or buy groceries. He doesn't tell me what to think or believe. Most importantly, he loves me and wants me to be happy. I'm happier now in that little cottage than I ever was in that huge house that I grew up in."

"I'm not going to argue with your happiness. I wish you have told me that you were depressed as a teen."

"Stiff upper lip. I had my pride. I suffered alone like my mother had all her life. I'm happy with my life. I'm going to be a mother in nine lunar months."

"Draco, I'll try to understand your reasons. You're acting like a Hufflepuff all loyal and hard-working."

"Hufflepuff is a good house. I might be a better person today if I was sorted into that house. I never had my father's ambition. I was always expected to be my father's son. You can't understand this but I revel in my femininity. I like knowing that a child is growing inside me. There is nothing wrong with being a woman."

"Nothing at all." Snape looked rather ill.

"No one is going to take your balls." Deirdre looked at Snape as he put his hand over his crotch. "Are people suspicious about Harry's new found powers? The Dark Lord hasn't hide his power in many years and Harry is quite naïve when it comes to lying. He needs to put the Dark Lord's mannerisms into the back of his mind."

"If Harry needs to let Tom out, tell him that I'm willing to listen. Let's join your friends. I seem to recall that Mrs. Weasley is a fabulous cook." Snape opened the door. "Draco, I respect your decision. I won't try to convince you otherwise."

"I'm starting healer class soon and after I'm done that I might create healing potions that no one has ever dreamt. I'm reading muggle books on medicine. I'm going to gain insight no witch ever had before. Becoming pregnant before my eighteenth birthday won't stop me."

"Maybe you and Harry should have a press conference. Talk about the reasons that you married. Stop them from resorting to creative writing," Snape suggested.

"We'll do it as soon as Harry has a few free moment." Deirdre put her hand in Snape's. "Sev, let's give the staff something to talk about."

"Not a good idea."

"We could."

"I'm not into blondes."

"You have to stop living in the past." Deirdre quickened her step. She didn't want to talk to Professor Snape. She knew he was infatuated with her husband and she wasn't jealous, but didn't want to admit how he felt to her.

Deirdre didn't want to be Draco again and Snape said that he understood but he didn't. He didn't know it was like to grow up never satisfied with yourself, never feeling that you were good enough. Deirdre didn't need to be the best student in her healing class although she expected that she would be. It was nice that the pressure that her father put on her was a thing of the past.

"Deirdre, you're right. I've been living in the past. I was angry with myself for becoming a Death Eater and then turning my back on them. I've spied on the Death Eaters, but being a double agent only made me feel guiltier. Mostly I live through my students. I would love to see one become really great." Snape keep pace with Deirdre. "I hope that you would prove to me that my teaching had been all worthwhile."

"Harry wouldn't have defeated the Dark Lord without your help. You taught him not to be afraid."

"I taught the Boy That Lived to be brave, but I can't teach myself to be," Snape admitted. "I'll arrange for the press to talk to you and Harry at the school so the questions can be limited and Harry and you can be removed if things get out of hand."

"Thank you."



Chapter 24: Funeral Arrangements

Deirdre knew that Harry would be busy once the school year started. The wizard at the funeral home said he would take care of everything. Her mother would have a quiet little funeral in two days.

Hermoine and Pansy looked so bored as she was talking to the man about arrangements and plot that her family used for centuries.

The man said that she didn't need to stay at the funeral home and cry. "Dearie, I know this is a hard time for you. Perhaps, you should go out with your friends for tea. It's my job to take care of everything."

"The Malfoy estate should cover all this," Deirdre said.

"I've handled situations like this before. Your father can authorise payment from prison. Don't worry about a thing," the man said. "We'll take care of everything."

Pansy put her arm around Deirdre. "The man will take care of everything. Let's get some tea."

"Sure. She felt so alone with me starting a new family and the court not setting a date for my father trail and holding him without bail. I haven't even visited my father in prison." Deirdre started to cry.

"Pansy, go home," Hermoine said. "I'll take her there."

"Thanks, Hermoine. I should be at work." Pansy kissed Deirdre's forehead. "Take it easy."

Deirdre liked the idea of having girl friends. Draco had a number of girl friends his sixth and seventh year. He had preferred Millicent, Tracey and Luna company to Greg and Vince anytime. She doubted that she would have remained friends with Greg and Vince after school ended but she didn't want either of them gone either. Now, that Pansy wasn't pawing her she liked her.

Deirdre wrote a letter to Millicent while they were on the underground heading to where the Ministry was holding Mr. Malfoy. Millicent was staying with her parents and Hegwig could delivery it after Deirdre returned home.

Several guards brought her down to a room with a glass divider. There was a wireless phone that used magic instead of electricity. Deirdre picked it up. "Father, I'm sorry that I haven't visited. Are they treating you well?"

"They feed me enough, but I'm bored out of my skull. My barrister tells me to be patient but he can't even get me a hearing," the man said.

"Mother killed herself," Deirdre said. "The funeral home will need your authorisation for payment. You need to set up someone as your heir."

"Harry says that Dean Thomas is a brilliant chap," he said into the plastic device that looked like a toy phone that muggle children played with.

"He did very well in school and he's engaged to Pansy Parkinson."

"I'll have my lawyer set up the papers. I can't let the ministry get the estate while I'm rotting in here."

"I'm sure your lawyer can arrange a meeting with the boy. Father, I'm so sorry."

"The Ministry wants to fry someone for the terror the Death Eaters caused and I'm the only one left. Daughter, don't blame yourself."

"I insisted that you stand trail," Deirdre said.

"You thought I would be pardoned. I'm not blaming you. Do something fun."

"Sure, Father." Deirdre held in the tears.

"I have to have to meet Tonks and Moody for my training," Hermoine hugged Deirdre. "See you around."

"Thanks for accompanied me." Deirdre watched Hermoine walked away.

Deirdre apparated to the shopping district of Manchester. She would find a telly there. She would have the shopkeeper roll it outside after she purchased it and then apparate once no one was looking. She could borrow a neighbour's phone and have the service hooked up. She looked at the televisions at the shop and saw one with a VHS player built in. That would make things easier.

She read the instructions with it as she waited for a salesman to complete her order. He asked dumb questions like how she would be paying for it or if she wanted it delivered. She counted out the cash to the nearest pound and then fished in her purse for the coins.

"Exact change," the salesman said.

"My friend will come by with her car soon so just roll it outside," Deirdre said.

"Very well." The salesman put it on a dolly and rolled it into the alley behind the store.

Once the salesman was back into the store. Deirdre put her hand on the telly and apparated home. Nothing could be easier. Now, she can to figure out how to use the video and turn the bloody thing on.

She went to a shop that sold videos in the village and brought a number of them that looked like they might be interesting including Mary Poppins, wanting to know why Harry called his carpetbag a Mary Poppins' bag.

A neighbour visited as Deirdre was setting up the telly. She showed Deirdre how to insert the tapes. "Would you like some tea and scones?"

"Another time."

"Very well." Deirdre didn't want to be rude but she had lots of things in her houses that might raise an eyebrow or two in muggles. Deirdre didn't know if she wanted muggle friends.

It was strange living in New Jersey in a muggle's flat. Besides, she hardly had enough time writing letters to all her witch friends. Hermoine would tell her wizard, wanting to take wizard to mean both male and female.

Harry lost that constant, intensive longing for her, but he adored her nevertheless. He wanted them to have a family together.

Harry was going to sleep with other people she could accept that except why did he have to choose Severus Snape? Deirdre respected him as a father figure. He was always brooding, correcting her mistakes. She couldn't imagine him loving anyone. He was as cold and distant as her father. It gave her chills to think about it. Harry liked him and there was enough love in Harry for more than one person.

She couldn't remain jealous if she wanted to be. The feeling would slip in moments like any other negative feeling. She knew being happy all the time was unnatural but she didn't want to dwell in the misery her mother suffered. She put the tape in the machine and turned it on. Disney didn't have the magic quite right but the movie was cute and the songs were rather catchy.

She started to sing "A Spoon Full of Sugar," as she cleaned the house without the help of magic. Deirdre went hours without touching her wand. She liked the solitude of having her own little cottage.

In a month, she would be starting class and be surrounded by nine other witches, trying to learn the same things. She knew that Pansy and Lavender would be in her class. Millicent didn't have the grades. She wondered if anyone else she knew would be taking the class. Probably not, a number of older witches took healing classes. Usually less than half were recent graduates.

An owl arrived saying that Pansy would be out for afternoon tea. Deirdre made stew with meat, beans and vegetables. They could walk over the bakery for fresh bread. She hoped Pansy didn't wear clothes that looked ridiculous to muggles.

Pansy, Millicent and Lavender arrived in her living room. Millicent was heavier than before. Was she pregnant with her father's child or Millicent just putting on a few pounds? Deirdre was afraid to ask.

"I made soup." Deirdre pulled the table out from against the wall. It was a close fit in her kitchen and she had more space when it was pressed against the wall but that way only three chairs could fit.

Deirdre didn't care what they talked about as long as it wasn't her mother. The funeral director promised to handle everything and she didn't want to think about making final arrangements.

She had faith that the funeral director would handle everything quietly and efficiently. Pansy and Millicent wouldn't laugh if she cried about her mother, but she was too much in shock to cry.

Pansy pointed her wand to the open cabinet where the bowls were visible. "I'll serve."

"I don't mind lading the soup by hand," Deirdre said. "We don't have any fresh bread. I wasn't expecting this many guests for high tea."

"I'll get some," Lavender said. "I insisted that Milly and I go." Lavender disappeared.

"So you're really married to Harry Potter," Millicent said.

"And pregnant," Deirdre said.

"You didn't waste anytime," Millicent said. "I'm working at my uncle's shop. My father says a girl like me should be looking for a husband. I was betrothed to Vincent Crabbe. Now, my parents need to negotiate a new agreement. Since your father lost his wife, my parents are thinking that he might be a good catch."

"Draco and I were betrothed since birth." Pansy jumped in.

"No one bothered to tell her that I was gay," Deirdre said.

"You're a woman," Millicent said.

"I knew I was gay before I started at Hogwarts. I might have not had that word in my vocabulary but I wanted to marry another boy," Deirdre explained. "I've looked at muggles' book about the phenomena of a man believing himself to be a woman. A few muggles have even restored to surgery so their bodies match what they feel what they're inside."

"And you didn't get the antidote," Pansy said.

"I might have been born this way. Harry killed the Dark Lord so I can't question him," Deirdre said. "Harry ordered me to make and drink a sex change potion. I never regretted it. I love that I can have multiple orgasms. I like that all Harry has to do is move his hand over any part of my body or just lick my fingers and I feel like I'm melting. Ladies, if I knew sex as a girl was this good, I would have had Snape make me that potion while we were at school."

"He wouldn't have done it," Pansy said.

Deirdre continued. She didn't want to hear about Millicent's parents fixing her up with her father before her mother was in the ground. She didn't want to know Millicent was pregnant.

"He would have said that I was too young to know my mind. A woman has this little organ that's only purpose is to give her pleasure. The clitoris has over twice as many nerve endings as the penis. When I have an orgasm, I can feel it all the way from my toes to the top of my head," Deirdre said. "Men don't know what they're missing."

"Men think about sex all the time," Millicent said.

"I never felt that way," Pansy said.

"I have. When Vince kissed me, it was like I had melted butter in my veins instead of blood," Millicent said.

"You'll find another man," Pansy said. "Dean comforted me after my father died. He didn't want to date me while I was at school because we were from competing houses."

Millicent started to laugh. "Draco, you were never what anyone would call masculine."

"I always liked that about myself. It made me less like my father." Deirdre poured out tea.

"How is your father taking it?" Millicent asked.

"Taking what that I'm married to Harry, pregnant or a girl?" Deirdre handed at cup to each of the girls.

"All of it?" Millicent asked.

"My father is proud of me for marrying Potter. It's like the first thing he patted me on the back for. He actually smiled," Deirdre said. "Imagine him proud of me because I bagged a fellow. I even managed to get myself pregnant the first week of our marriage. Any muggle could have managed it."

"Not to Harry Potter," Pansy said.

"I had a crush on Harry Potter since the first time we met. The Dark Lord gave me a love potion and told my mother that I would marry him when he managed to steal a human body. He planned to steal Harry's body, but Harry's mind was too strong. My father gloated about how it was working when Harry and I arrived at the Dark Lord's hideout as husband and wife," Deirdre said.

"Your father wanted to marry you to that vile creature," Millicent said.

"You're lucky you never had the honour of meeting him," Pansy said. "When I refused to join him after three bouts of crucio, he did crucio on my father. My father told me not to join him no matter what he did to him. I didn't weep when he killed my father immediately after saying that. I spit on him and started to leave the crowded room. He then took my little brother by the arm. Joey is only five."

Pansy started to cry. "He couldn't understand. I gave in and Joey ran back to my mother's arms. I couldn't watch him hurt my little brother."

Deirdre hugged her. "Pansy, you did the right thing. The Dark Lord was crazy."

"My mother hugged me and said that she would have made the same choice as I did. My father understood; Joey couldn't," Pansy said.

"I'm sorry," Millicent said. "Pansy, anyone would have done what you did."

"Draco was so brave at that meeting. He put himself between the Dark Lord and my father causing himself to be stroke with crucio as many times as my father. Draco screamed crucio at the Dark Lord a number of times although his wand never fired the spell," Pansy said. "The Dark Lord said when Draco interrupted that he wasn't going to kill him because he had other plans for him."

"Deirdre, you were either brave or very foolish," Millicent said.

"I spat on him a few times before this. I was expecting torture or being put under impedius for my arrogance. My father had begged for him to spare my life many times and he needed my father to work for him willingly," Deirdre explained.

"Can we talk about something other than the Dark Lord?" Millicent asked.

Deirdre smiled. "Sure. Boys is always a good subject."

Deirdre couldn't tell them that Harry was the Dark Lord or what remained of the Dark Lord. Harry seemed to prefer to call that part of him Tom. Tom wasn't as scary. It was just an ordinary muggle name.

"Do you know if will be a boy or a girl?" Millicent asked.

"Not yet. There was curse placed on my great-grandfather that only one boy would be born a generation in my family. I believe the curse only effect the male side, but I'll have ask grandaunt to be sure," Deirdre said.

"That wouldn't make a difference. You're the only child of this generation so you have an equal chance of a boy or girl this time. If there is a curse then if you had a boy, you wouldn't have a boy afterwards," Millicent said. "Remember what we learned about curses our last year."

"Let's talk about baby names." Pansy sipped her tea.

Lavender arrived with two loaves of bread. "Fill me in?" Lavender tore off a piece of bread and served herself soup.

"Do you like any boy name?" Deirdre asked.

"You know the sex?" Lavender asked.

"Not yet. We can talk about either," Deirdre said. "We were talking about the Dark Lord before you came."

"I'm a Gryffindor. I don't want to hear his praises," Lavender said.

"Slytherins didn't praise him," Millicent said. "They feared him."

"I stand corrected." Lavender started to eat.

Her friends didn't leave to close to ten p. m. Harry wasn't home, yet. Deirdre didn't mind as much as she expected. She had her friends, her books and a baby on the way. She didn't need Harry in her life every minute.

Millicent laughed right before leaving that it was easy to forget that Deirdre was ever a boy. Deirdre knew that she had never been a man. It didn't hurt as much she thought it would. She wondered why the Dark Lord would have located such a potion, but perhaps, it was just a potion in his repertoire and never expected to use on anyone. On a normal boy such a potion would have royally fucked him up.

Deirdre laughed trying to imagine Vince or Greg looking in the mirror and trying to see if there was a girl inside. Vince was dead and his mother said that one should always respect the dead or was that Binns, the ghost that said that bored them to tears in his class?

She picked up one of her books on muggle health and started to read. Muggles were quite fragile creatures. Neville told stories of his grandfather dropping him from many stories to prove he wasn't a squib.

Deirdre knew she wasn't a squib, but she would never have the power that Harry or Severus had and that upset her. However, she was going to be a great medi-witch and make history in her own right. She continued to read about muggle diseases until she was too tired to keep her eyes open.



Chapter 25: Lesson Plans

Harry went to the Headmaster Office in the morning. "You asked to see me," Harry said.

"I arranged for a press conference so you can tell what happened. Mrs. Potter isn't required to be there. Monday, the students will arrive. Professor Snape says that you're interested in becoming housemaster of Slytherin," Dumbledore said.

"We were just discussing the possibility. We feel a little camaraderie since he's the next youngest professor," Harry said. "Severus doesn't have time for a social life being here all year round. He teased me about needing to be sorted in Slytherin first."

Harry scanned Dumbledore's mind. He wasn't using occlumency to keep Harry out. Harry wondered if Dumbledore felt the gentle probe as Harry kept his screen up as high as ever.

"You almost were. I'm glad that you and Severus are becoming friends although I thought after your experience with occlumency that wasn't likely."

Harry continued to scan. He could feel more thoughts about Snape's private lessons, but nothing that showed if he trusted Harry or not.

"His lessons made my mind strong enough to defeat Voldemort," Harry said.

"Going in there without your wand was quite a risk. One of his underlings could have killed you." There it was. Dumbledore believed Harry was still a naïve boy going into places that angels feared to tread. He pulled out of Dumbledore's mind; he didn't want to be caught probing. Dumbledore trusted him too much. He didn't seem at all aware that Harry probed his mind.

Dumbledore wasn't Severus Snape that always had his guard up. Then, Harry had his guard up around Severus. He knew how awful it felt when Severus pulled his bad memories to the surface. He didn't like Severus in his head. Then, Dumbledore was too trusting, seeing Harry just as a boy. He could eliminate Dumbledore with a thought, but the old fool was useful as headmaster.

"Deirdre was there with her parents to prevent that from happening. Mr. Malfoy wouldn't kill his daughter's husband or allow someone else to kill him. It was a rather elaborate dance. Voldemort and I have a mental link and he tricked me two years ago, but I've learned from the experience and I tricked him to trust me. He didn't expect me to be resistant to Dark Magic. I wish I could explain what I did but I don't know how to explain it to myself."

"Son, are you ready to start teaching?"

"As ready as any first year teacher. I can't be worse than Dolores Umbridge."

"I expect your first and second year classes to be mostly lecture."

"Would you like to look over the syllabus?"

"I come by your office tomorrow. I'm sure you'll be fine. If you're missing something on your syllabus, we can add it later. Good luck, Harry. The press conference is Tuesday at 7:30 in your classroom if that isn't a problem."

"No, Headmaster."

"You may go."

Harry worked on the lessons plans for the first few days of class, not quite sure how much he could cover in fifty minutes. He would adjust his plans as he became familiar with teaching. Considering Lockhart and Umbridge, he didn't fear that he would be the worst teacher that his students ever had. Harry reminded himself that the school needed to make a year of Muggles Studies a requirement; he would mention it at the staff meeting.

Madame McGonagall arrived at his office as he was writing. "Harry, how do you feel?"

Harry wouldn't bother to scan Minvera McGonagall's mind. She wasn't worth the bother. He would keep his defence up like he did always and look for clues if she was lying, but no more. "A little nervous. I'm too young to be teaching."

Harry's wife made arrangements for her mother's funeral. The woman was a loose cannon; she needed to be eliminated. A simple impedius caused her to poison herself. No one would link it to Harry and the only one that knew Harry had visited with Narcissa Malfoy was her daughter and he could erase Deirdre memory of him visiting her mother if it came down to that. He didn't think anyone would ever suspect it was more than suicide. The woman had a history of depression and was separated from her husband. There was no reason to suspect foul play.

Now, the only ones that knew that Harry was the Dark Lord was Lucius Malfoy, Peter Pettigrew, Severus Snape, Hermoine Granger and his wife. His wife was under his control. He trusted Snape and Hermoine. Wormtail was serving a life sentence and Lucius was still being held for numerous charges. He could arrange for an accident to kill Lucius in prison. Killing Wormtail was a waste of time and effort. He could meet with Lucius's barrister before the next court date and find out if the man was a threat.

"Severus wasn't much older than you," McGonagall said. "You'll be fine."

"I hate writing all these lessons plans knowing once I start teaching I probably won't use them." Harry would act his part. What a joke the Dark Lord was teaching the Defence of the Dark Arts!

"They are a good reference even if you cover more or less than you plan. No advance curses for students below fifth level."

"I'm following the text and my own notes. I taught my classmates for three years."

"Dumbledore's Army."

"It was educational. What saved me from Voldemort besides occlumency was my knowledge of muggle reasoning. I think we should require the students to take at least one year of Muggle Studies, offer a class on critical reasoning and have a debating club."

"And we should have choir as well, but it is a small school. When we had over a thousand students a year, we had more electives. You could start a debating team that meets once a week. The students have so much with their regular classes that they don't have time for extra activities. Some students spend four or more hours studying each day. No public school require so many hours. We expect a lot from our students."

"I'm writing a girl in America and she says that they learn both magic and science. Their magic education isn't as intensive as ours but we could discuss what wizards need to know going into the 21st century."

"Harry, you're new and you see all this need for change."

"The students need to understand the real world. We can't close ourselves off from the rest of the world. I suspect that the wizard schools in Canada and Australia are more progressive."

"And there are only so many hours in a day."

"I understand that."

"Harry, I can look into it. Don't expect that the curriculum to change overnight. We've been teaching wizards and witches for centuries."

"Thank you, Madame McGonagonall."

"Minvera."

"Ma'am?"

"Maybe after you've been teaching a few years. It took Severus seven years before he addressed me by my first name. Sibyll just ignores me."

"She used to predict that I would die each week. I think she's afraid to speak to me as a fellow teacher."

"She's a nice girl, but a little aloof."

"Do you have children?"

"Grown. I started teaching when my youngest was attending Hogwarts. She had my class two years. I graded her harder than my other students. I didn't want to be accused of favouritism."

"Severus and Sibyll are single and aloof. I'm trying to convince Severus that there is a world beyond the school. Deirdre and I hope to have a large family."

"How is she?" McGonagonall appeared to have difficulty saying she but Harry didn't look into her mind.

"She's excited about starting St. Mungo's School. She has yet to see a muggle doctor about her pregnancy, but she has time. I'm trying to encourage her to eat more, but she's still rather thin."

"That is more than I wanted to know."

Harry looked into Minvera McGonagonall's mind a moment. "She's happy."

"Inform that she's welcome to use the facilities of the school. I'm sure Poppy will be glad to give her an exam."

"I'll pass that on to her." Harry returned to writing his lesson plans.

"I see you at the staff meeting."

"Or before." Harry looked up from his notes.

"TTFN."

Minvera McGonagall and Albus Dumbledore trusted Harry emphatically. No other teachers had any secrets that Harry was interested in. Snape's mind would be his easy enough. Voldemort might have failed, but he didn't have Harry's sex appeal. Harry would teach The Defence of the Dark Arts by the book. No one would learn Dark Arts from him.



Chapter 26: Love Guilt and Shame

Harry avoided Sibyll Trelawney when he walked to the Great Hall. Sibyll was a loner and he didn't believe that she could really see the future but he didn't want to change a meeting with her anyway. Looking at her eat at the other end of the table, she looked very young. One could easily mistake her for a woman in her twenties although she was over forty although Harry didn't recall if she ever mentioned her age in class.

Sibyll had predicted his death numerous times in her class and she probably didn't want to talk to him anymore than he wanted to talk to her. For now, keeping a distance seemed, the best way of dealing with the strange woman.

Snape greeted him at the Great Hall for dinner. "You should go home and eat your wife's cooking."

"I had a meeting with Dumbledore and Minvera wanted to talk to me. I have only half my lesson plans done. You have lessons for all the previous years that you taught. We never had a good teacher for the class," Harry said.

"You don't need detailed plans. Harry, take a break."

"I want to do a good job."

"You will."

"I plan to start by telling my students that the best weapon against dark magic is the mind. I destroyed Voldemort unarmed with my mind. I want my third and fourth year students to have a class debate every two weeks to learn deductive and inductive reasoning. I want them to be able to talk their way out of potential dangerous situations. Without the threat of Voldemort, people will get lazy," Harry said.

"Start slow. You have a good textbook as a guide."

"And tons of personal experience. I need seven lessons plans. I've only done four."

"You need to rest."

"You need a life outside Hogwarts."

"So do you."

"I've only been here a few days."

"It becomes years and you wonder where all the times has gone. Perhaps, I should turn over being housemaster to someone else. Harry, your wife is expecting a baby. She needs you home more than one or two nights a week."

"Have you even dated since you started teaching? We need to talk about the staff members having no life."

"You're new. Don't try to take over the meeting."

"Severus, you shouldn't live for Hogwarts. You have the right to have a life beyond teaching potions and monitoring the students in your house."

"I'll talk to Albus about it."

"Thank you."

"Why do you care?" Snape touched Harry's arm briefly.

"Because you're still young. One day, you'll look back in regret that you didn't marry and have children. You want to retire from Hogwarts but you'll have no place to go." Harry flashed a brief smile. "Besides, I hoped that I was your friend. Sev, you can't live your life letting no one in."

"We can talk in your office while you write. It isn't like writing lessons plans acquires full use of your brain."

"You seemed to know things about the muggle world."

"I have a few muggle-born students and they talk."

"In Slytherin?"

"I don't only teach students of my house. Many Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff students do very well in potions. I have a Ravenclaw graduate work for me as an apprentice for a number of years until she decided that working at Hogwarts and having a family were mutual exclusive."

"Are they?"

"No. Her fiancé wanted to travel and she was pregnant with their first and she feared that if she stayed he would find another girl. Men are polygamous by nature while women are monogamous. Women want the best provider for their children and men want as many children as possible."

"Then, why do many pureblood have small families?"

"Pansy has an older sister, a younger sister and two little brothers. It's choice. Do you put all your attention in one child and raise him to be the best he can be or do you put your eggs in many baskets? Pureblood want sons over daughters while halfbloods seem to prefer daughters. I'm sure if your parents had lived you would have had sisters."

"Deirdre wants one son and many daughters and I'm halfblood. Deirdre thinks there are more opportunities for girls than boys."

"There might be," Snape said.

"I'll meet you at your quarters. I can work on your bed," Harry suggested.

Snape read over his class notes looking terminally bored as Harry filled parchment after parchment with lesson plans. "You know what to teach them." Snape moved a few of the scrolls off the bed and closed Harry's textbook.

"We had no good teachers for this class. Levels five to seven nearly need the same lessons."

Snape put his hand on Harry's back. "I'll put a privacy spell on the door. Close your ink and put your scrolls to the side." Snape put a rough hair through Harry's thick unruly hair.

Harry closed his ink, moved his supplies onto the floor and waved his wands and they all neatly went into his book bag. "I need to tell Deirdre the love potion that I gave her is timed it will expire in three to six months. I can feel it weakening in me. She's pregnant what if it's only love potion and she falls out of love with me." Harry looked at Snape.

"It would be your own fault. She likes who she is the first time in her life. She's looking forward to going to class at St. Mungo's. She was under all this pressure from her father to be the best. You made her life easier."

"Her mind is very easy to read."

"I tried to teach him Occlumency but he has no skill."

"I needed Dumbledore's help. Your lessons were too cruel. You can't always build someone up by tearing them down."

"The military does it and the Dark Lord did that."

"It doesn't work with many people. Voldemort lost more than half his Death Eaters because they were unable to handle his harsh methods. Deirdre's mind is fragile. You can't assault her like you assaulted me and expect her to be able to defend herself."

"Are you going to teach her?" Snape started to undress Harry.

"I can use my own skills to block her mind like I've done with Wormtail and a few others." Harry watched Snape remove his robes. "You're gorgeous. You shouldn't keep yourself lock up away from people your age."

"You're just a boy." Snape kissed Harry's shoulders.

"A part of me is rather old."

"A part that you need to keep concealed."

"Tom's personality is blending into Harry's over time. It's a delicate process. I can't change too much at once. I've stopped having a problem with Tom's accent. If I didn't work at Hogwarts, the accent wouldn't be an issue. I could claim that I've made a number of friends in the working class and picked up their bad habits."

"You could still work at the Ministry," Snape teased. Snape unhooked Harry's trousers and slipped them down. Harry kicked them off. "Harry, you should tell Deirdre that the love potion will expire."

"What if she hates me? I could feed her another potion, but I would know that it was the potion not her loving me." Harry removed his boxers. "Her mother died and I'm here with you instead of comforting her. I don't know what to say. She took the same potion that she feed to Deirdre. I'm afraid if we're ever separated that she would take her life, too. What if she leave me when this potion expires and she can't handle the withdraw from the other potion and kill herself and my baby?" Harry's voice was shaking. He killed Mrs. Malfoy it wasn't withdrawal from dark magic, but he couldn't let Snape or his wife know that.

"What do you feel as it expires?"

"I like her a lot. I hate all her weakness. I picked her because I thought she was strong, but she disappoints me. I look at her and see that she wants to make me a nice home and give me children. I want her to be more than someone I fuck to get pregnant. Why couldn't her mind be as strong and wonderful as yours?"

"Why would you make a potion that make a man feel like a woman?"

Voldemort didn't create it; it was in one of his many books and it wasn't even dark magic. It could be dark if used without the person's consent, but all magic was potentially that way. Intent made magic dark or grey. A spell that locks the door is dark if it keeps someone there against his wishes. "It causes a man to doubt himself. I have a counter. In two days, he won't know what is wrong with him but doubt every decision he makes. I gave Crabbe the antidote in three days, but I ended up killing him anyway. He wouldn't obey me unless I gave him so much impedius that it made him stupid and he was stupid enough to begin with."

Snape moved his hands over Harry's naked back. "So you can give Draco the antidote."

"Why? It would only harm her. Draco was only effeminate boy I gave it to. He first doubted himself like the other boy that I gave it, but soon he felt curious about these feelings and wanted to express his femininity. He liked the way it makes him feel; I can't take that from her." Harry rolled to face Snape. "You believe that I'm this evil man but I'm not. I care about people. I was responsible for over hundred deaths either directly or by giving the order for them to be killed. My children didn't want the things that I wanted and I ended up killing them and not advancing my cause."

"You feel remorse," Snape said.

"I haven't felt it for a long time. As Tom, I believed my cause was right. I had support and other wizards and witches that believed in what I believed. Now, I've been out of power a long time and I returned to a world that didn't believe in the same things. I didn't have the skills to learn what they needed and how to get it for them," Harry explained.

"You can just be Harry Potter, our new DADA teacher. You don't need to solve the problems of the wizard world."

"They still rest on my mind. I want to make up for all the damage I caused. I want us to be great."

Snape kissed him briefly. "I can understand that."

"I want you to love me." Harry laughed, falling prey to human emotion.

Snape kissed Harry's back. "As soon as I coat my fingers with oil, I will."

"I need you inside me." Harry stretched out on the bed. His mental shields were intact. Snape wasn't getting into his head just because he was feeling lust.

"You're allowed to feel things. It's part of being human." Snape kissed Harry's back and moved a finger over his crack.

"I want to feel you, deep." Harry felt his body relax under Snape's fingers.

"All in good time." Snape kissed his back and inserted finger inside Harry.

"Locate my prostate." Harry wriggled his arse.

"Doesn't Harry feel guilty about all the deaths you caused especially the deaths of his parents?"

"I want to enjoy having your fingers in my bun. We'll talk about what I feel after you fuck me." Harry put Snape's hand on his softening cock. Snape's hand stroking it gently brought it back to life. "Fuck me hard."

Harry moaned slightly as Snape's rather thick rode pierced him. It burned slightly, but it felt good. It made Harry feel alive like the feeling of spicy food in his mouth. It was a good sensation, one that he hoped to feel as often as possible.

Snape might have been inexperienced, but he wanted to please him. Harry wondered if he could get Snape to use a whip or paddle on him. The idea of being powerless under that strong man was turning him on to no end.

"You feel so good."

"Harder, faster," Harry urged.

Snape pounded his a few more times. Harry enjoyed the sensation of Snape hard body hitting him. It was so good to be alive again. Harry moaned a little as his prostate was stimulated. Snape's aim was better this time. Snape's hand pulled him to completion.

A few sounds later, Snape screamed, "Tom," convulsing on top of him. It was a lie that one could feel the semen inside but he could feel it as Snape pulled out and during it he could feel Snape's fellow become large right before and smaller as he was firing. The sensation was incredible.

Snape continued to shake from the aftershock as he pressed his head into Harry back. "That was incredible."

"It was. You shouted Tom when you came."

"I'm not going to call you Dark Lord when I have my prick in your arse."

"We can talk about my feeling now." Harry rolled toward Snape and pulled the man's head into his chest and fingered his long thick hair.

"Do you feel guilty about all the deaths the Dark Lord caused?"

"Yes, but I can't change the past. It was the right thing for both of us to become one body and mind. The awareness that Tom brings to things counterbalances the pain. As part of Harry's mind, Tom can make things right. He can bring power to wizards and not destroy them in the process. This teaching position is the first step. Maybe I could lecture throughout the wizard world as the man that destroyed the Dark Lord. We can't make all those people live again, but we can make the world better for those in it."

"That sounds very reasonable," Snape said.

"Feeling guilty and ashamed won't make the world better. I need to make the world better by teaching wizards to think. I can have a good effect on the students we teach and their parents. I could open eyes to all the things we can do to make the world better for us and our children."

"I agree that children need more than memorizing spells by rote. Harry, when I was as young as you, I thought I could mould children into great wizards but only some have the desire."

"We have to reach that few." Harry put on his robes. "Severus, thanks. Deirdre is probably asleep by now." Harry picked up his bag.

"My door is always open," Snape said.

Harry left the room and walked through the dungeon. Harry didn't feel guilt about his parents' deaths. Tom didn't feel remorse for doing it so it wasn't on his mind. Tom had remorse for failing the children of his Death Eaters. He had remorse that he didn't understand their needs and couldn't bring them to a better society. He had no remorse for the deaths that he caused when he thought his actions were right. He didn't like to kill people to make his Death Eaters afraid of him and spilling blood for naught. Harry left the dungeons and headed out of Hogwarts until he was out of the castle's wards and could apparate home.

Deirdre was asleep under black satin sheets. He wondered what she would look like large with his children. He put his finger over her forehead.

Deirdre moaned lightly.

"Princess, go back to sleep."

"Do you want something?" Deirdre asked.

"I'm too tired," Harry said honestly. "You can give me some in the morning when we are both awake."

"Fine." Deirdre yawned.

Harry undressed to his pants and climbed into the bed beside her. She was so beautiful. "Can we talk a moment?"

Deirdre nodded.

"I wasn't being completely honest when I said the love potion was irreversible. It's timed to fade between three and six months. I'm starting to feel it fade in myself." Harry kissed her forehead.

"I desired you long before I was given that potion."

"You desired Harry. I'm both the Dark Lord and Harry. Can you desire me now?"

Deirdre kissed him briefly. "Yes. I'm having your baby. I want to give you a dozen children. That won't change."

"I'm going to spend long hours at the school."

"I have my healing classes. We'll have the weekends together. Luv, go to sleep."

"I'm sorry that I didn't eat your dinner."

"I understand." Deirdre was asleep.

Harry snuggled beside her and closed his eyes. Sleep came quickly without nightmares. Harry always had nightmares but since the night the Dark Lord entered his mind, he couldn't recall having one. The combination was good and right. No children of Slytherin would die needlessly. Wizards would be powerful again no longer under the rule of the muggle authorities. Everything would come into place this way without having to resort to terror. Harry Potter was loved and it was nice to be on the right side of things.

Deirdre smiled at Harry in the morning. Harry wasn't feeling completely awake as Deirdre's tongue moved over his balls and her fingers fondle his manhood. "What a good way to wake up?" Harry moved, so he could lick her pussy. He wasn't into 69 but he would do her after she did him. He liked finger fucking her when her mouth was on him. He loved to have his head pressed against her belly. He looked forward to seeing it extended with his child.

Deirdre licked the tip. Harry was engulfed in pleasure. He allowed his mental shields to slip. Deirdre didn't have the power to read his mind and he wanted to focus completely on what she was doing with her tongue and lips as he lightly moved two fingers inside her. She was so wet. Soon he would put all his attention on her needs. Harry felt himself want to scream Draco but changed it to Dee as the word came out of his mouth..

Ad Deirdre licked him dry, he positioned his head between her legs as his fingers moved inside her. She was moaning lightly; the soft feminine moaning was so sexy. He put his mouth against her. He loved the slightly fishy taste of a woman. He sucked her clit as his fingers kept moving inside her. She started to wriggle like she wanted free, but Harry sucked her harder and continued to move his fingers inside her. She was so wet and good.

"I need you inside me," Deirdre shouted.

Harry moved his head to her belly. "You taste so good." Harry slowly lifted up her legs and put them against his chest. He started to suck on Deirdre's toes. With her foot in his mouth, he penetrated her. Deirdre squeezed her muscles around him; she felt so good. Harry didn't take nearly long enough before he came inside her. He moved so he could nibble on her inner thigh as he enjoyed the afterglow.

"What a way to wake up," she said.

"We have to do it in the morning more often," Harry said.

"Rest a moment. I'll make you breakfast."

"Porridge is fine. Don't bother with dinner. I want to have one week of lesson plans before I start teaching. McGonagall warned me that I wouldn't follow them to the tee but they were a nice reference to have."

"She probably have used the same lesson plans for fifty years." Deirdre put on a nightgown.

"Her classes weren't that boring." Harry put on a dark jumper, navy trousers and a nearly black robe.

"You look so sexy." Deirdre walked down the stairs.

Harry kissed her briefly as the water was boiling.

"You need to get to work," Deirdre said. "Hermoine and Pansy are going to help me with the arrangements for my mother's funeral. I took the same potion and it's hard for you to deal with that."

"I'll try to get Saturday off," Harry said. "Deirdre, her husband was in prison and the authorities are holding him there indefinitely. She had been depressed many years and she never had a job or any friends. Her whole life revolved around you and your father. You have nothing to worry about. You're starting St. Mungo's School. You have dozens of friends. The world is your oyster."

"I can handle the funeral arrangements without you." Deirdre stirred the oats into the water. "I won't isolate myself like my mother did. You have nothing to worry about."

"I hate that she gave you that potion." Harry poured himself some water, warm it magically and made tea.

"She gave me the book that the potion is in. I read the potion. If you should leave me, all I need to do is find a new lover to counteract the depression." Deirdre kissed Harry briefly and hugged him.

"I'll never leave you. I want us to have a dozen children together. I want them to grow up loved. I don't want you to feel like your mother did when her only child grew up that she no longer felt needed."

"Did she talk about that when she help you pack?"

"I don't want to talk about what she said." Harry made his voice sound sad.

"She didn't say that she was going to kill herself."

"No. She said that she didn't know what she was going to do now that you were on your own and she didn't know if it would be a month or several years before your father's release. She lived her life for your father and without him, she felt like she was nothing."

Harry caused his voice to sound like he was holding back the tears. Deirdre would never know that he was responsible for her mother's death. Harry picked up his outer robes without eating breakfast and apparated to Hogsmeade so he could walk the rest of the way to Hogwarts to work on his lessons plans.



Chapter 27: First Day of Class

After another long day at work, Harry looked at the telly and stacks of tapes when he arrived home. How long were those there? Harry shrugged his shoulders. One less thing he had to buy. It was a nice model that came with a stand and VHS player.

Deirdre knew nothing about muggle currency, but he didn't care. She was the only heir of a huge estate why should she concern herself about money. Harry found a pot full of soup and a half of a loaf of bread. He put the soup in a bowl and warmed it with magic. He looked at the clock in the kitchen. It was nearly midnight.

After eating, he showered and dressed for bed. Deirdre rolled over in the bed. "Princess, I'm sorry I'm home so late. I fell asleep in the office."

"Likely story," Deirdre said.

"The Tom part of me forgets that I need sleep," Harry said, honestly.

"I don't care if you were with him. I just don't want you to lie about it," Deirdre said. "You and he laugh at me. You're both legilimens and my mind is an open book."

"Neither us laugh at you. Professor Snape admires you and you know I adore you." Harry kissed her briefly. "I wasn't with him tonight. I don't intend to tell you each time that I am."

"You love him, too," Deirdre said.

"I like being with him. I want things with him that you can't give me."

"Like a prick in your arse."

"More than that. I want someone to dominate me."

"I could try."

"And I would only laugh."

"That is because I'm tiny." Deirdre kissed Harry and pulled him down to her.

"No. I could see Hermoine telling Ron to strip and to perform on her command."

"Do you think anyone could strike you knowing that you can kill without a wand?"

"I don't know. I like imagining that he could. I brought him some toys." Harry opened his carpetbag and pulled out a few whips of differing thickness. "I have a blindfold and ease release handcuffs."

"And this is what you want?" Deirdre asked.

"From him. I'm sick and vile." Harry put the toys back in the bag.

"Killing children is sick and vile. Wanting to feel alive isn't," Deirdre said. "I've been thinking about it. Maybe a threesome isn't a bad idea. He might be more willing to whip you if I'm in the room."

"I would need to buy you a leather bikini," Harry teased.

"And I'm going to wear it when I out to here." Deirdre put her hand far out in front of her belly.

"I'm drooling thinking about it." Harry planted his head between her breasts. "We'll make love in the morning."

Harry woke to sound of running water. Deirdre came back to the bedroom only wearing a towel with her hair dripping. "I can use a spell to dry my hair."

"Dry it with a towel only. I want to make love to you while you're still a little damp. You're so sexy wet." Harry pressed his naked body against her pressing her head into his chest as he stroked her back. "I love hugging you."

Deirdre lifted her head and stood on her toes. Harry tilted his head down to close the space between them and kissed her briefly. "Let's go to the bed."

After finishing teaching his first day of classes, he started to work on his lesson plans correcting for amount he actually covered. He would make two sets of lesson plans: one that he could use year after year and ones just for a particular class.

McGonagall showed his a good spell for copying his work since there were no photocopy machines in Hogwarts. Harry wondered if he would teach as many years as McGonagall.

Snape had showed him his lessons plans; they were fairly simple. He wrote out the potion that he would discuss and/or have his pupils make. He had reference materials that he could look up each potion that day before he had his class prepare it. Snape told him that he didn't need hours of preparation to teach each class, but Harry wanted to impress Headmaster Dumbledore. He didn't want anyone to believe he earned the position for destroying the Dark Lord, but that he was truly deserving of the position. There were fifty-seven new students sorted his year; most were from wizards' families.

Harry looked up the statistics about how many muggle-born students completed the seven years. Over eighty percent went on to take their O.W.L.s, but less than seventy percent completed their seventh year and more than half returned to living in the muggle world in less than five years.

Dean's family believed he had wasted his time getting go to Hogwarts and often wanted him to go to a public school. They didn't have a high chance of succeeding in the wizard world. There weren't many jobs and competition was fierce for them and many would hire a pureblood over a muggle-born with similar qualifications.

Some families had businesses that overlapped both worlds like restaurants, bookstores, factories and farms. Harry had many questions on how all these people managed to live without the general population of the world knowing about them. The answers had to be at Muggle Relations. He would volunteer to work there during summer holiday. He could befriend a few of the employees and with his skills as a legilimens, he would have answers much faster than if he researched them himself.

Snape arrived as he was taking notes from the fifth year textbook. "How was your first day teaching?"

"Good. I felt like I was on the wrong side of the desk. I told the students that defence was more than knowing hex and curses."

"You can spread out on my bed and write your notes. I brought new Egyptian cotton sheet."

"Wizard made?" Harry asked.

"Of course. We have our own factories. We even have factories that make goods for muggles. There is so much they don't teach at the school," Snape said.

"I'm starting to appreciate it. The Dark Lord was blind to complexity of the world."

"He wanted to see things as good and evil and the world isn't like that. Most things in this world are shades of grey. Did you eat?"

"I haven't had time to go to the Great Hall," Harry admitted.

"Go to the kitchen. The house elves will make you something. You could go home and floo back here after you eat."

"I like to stay once I go home." Harry put a privacy charm on the door so students couldn't overhear the two teacher's talking. "I love you but I also love her."

"I need to meet with my prefects. Luckily, neither the head girl nor boy are from my house so I don't need to supervise them."

"Both are Ravenclaws," Harry said.

"Flitwick likes doing meetings. I'll send my prefects to go to his meeting; I prefer teaching to meetings any day. Harry, if you want to spend the night, come to my room after curfew."

"Thanks." Harry put his hand on Snape's arm.

Snape opened the door breaking the privacy spell. "More students were sorted into Ravenclaw than to other houses. I'm expecting great things from our first years. Ellen Weasley was put in Hufflepuff; she was first Weasley that wasn't sorted into Gryffindor automatically for a very long time. I expect great things from her."

"I argued with the hat to prevent it from placing me in Slytherin, but I'm pulled to that house. As a student, I was always looking at their table and I'm now considering becoming their housemaster."

"We'll talk later. I have to meet with some students." Snape left Harry's office.

Harry went to the kitchen and ate several bowls of the ham stew and a good helping of candied carrots. Harry asked, "May I have more bread?"

A house elf handed him half a baguette. "Your wife is more than welcome to eat here."

"I'll mention it to her," Harry said. Deirdre liked to cook, but Hogwarts didn't pay as well as he would have liked and the house elves made more food than necessary. He didn't think they had waste, but he didn't know much about house elf magic. "Thank you for the food."

"Anytime, Professor Potter," Dobby said.

Harry returned to his work with a full stomach. He looked up from his textbook and saw it was after ten. He liked that his office was on the first floor near McGonagall's office but at the same, time he wondered if the old woman spied on him. Was she curious how many hours he worked? Harry spent more times in the books as a new professor than he ever did as a student. He knew that in a few years that he would have his lectures put to rote.

McGonagall didn't look at her notes at all and Snape had this pile of parchment on his desk that he only glanced at time to time. Snape only read from his notes or a prepared text when each word was extremely important.

Harry glanced at his battery-operated clock; he preferred electricity to magic for simple machines. He understood how batteries made chemical energy; there was no guarantee that magical energy would be there one minute to the next. However, magical clocks never ran out of power and batteries needed to be replaced frequently so magical clocks were more reliable it was just mysterious how they worked.

Harry put on his black teacher robes over his white collarless shirt and charcoal trousers. His boots looked spit shined; he didn't have house elves to polish his shoes only a rag, shoe polish and a simple spell.

Deirdre insisted appearance was important. Deirdre would have spit shined his boots, but he insisted that he do them himself. Deirdre insisted in ironing his shirts and trousers making them perfect.

Harry looked at the clock again; it was pass ten; he could go home or he could take his carpetbag to Snape's room. He had a change of clothes as well as many other things.

Snape yelled that the door was open when Harry arrived. He must have used a locking spell instead of doing it manually. Harry closed the door and put a privacy spell on it.

"Harry, I could stop by your class and observe your class a few minutes. I'm having one of my sixth year Ravenclaws lead the class. He says that he wants to be an apprentice potion master."

"We should complain that we don't get enough time to research," Harry said. "I had more free time as a student."

"Grubbly-Plank is teaching third and fourth years Care of Magical Creatures so Hagrid can do his duties as groundskeeper and continued to teach the upper classes. Dumbledore says he's looking for another potion master but no one ever meets his expectations. He wants me to have time for research, but it's not going to happen."

"Not if you let him push you around."

"Harry, you can't take over as housemaster of Slytherin. You'll have as little time as I do for a normal life and you have a wife and children to consider."

"Would you like to have children?" Harry undressed.

"I would need a woman in my life." Snape removed his dressing gown and put his arms around the naked man standing in front of him.

"Not necessarily. There are potions that will allow a wizard to carry a baby." Harry started to kiss Snape's neck. He liked that Snape was two or three inches taller than him and much broader.

Harry enjoyed having a large man pressed against him, enjoying the sensation of being overpowered even if it was just an illusion. Snape moved his hands over Harry's back.

"I brought some toys in my bag," Harry whispered.

"We don't need toys." Snape started to nibble on Harry's ear.

"I want you hurt me. I want to feel you break the skin." Harry closed his eyes as Snape fondle his body, as they stood naked in each other's arms.

Snape touching him was like heaven; Harry loved the feeling of being submissive to a stronger man. Harry was a slender man of average height; almost five-eleven and not even ten stones.

After Snape broke the embrace, Harry sat on the floor and opened his bag. He took out a thin very sharp long knife and moved the blade lightly over his arm just causing a red line but not breaking the skin. The knife was so sharp the slightly bit more pressure would slice the skin.

"I'm not going to cut you," Snape said.

"I want to be under power. I have whips, belts, and paddles. Use what you're comfortable with," Harry explained.

"I'm not going to punish you because you did evil in a previous life."

"I don't want to be punished. I want to feel under your power. I want to feel pain mixed with pleasure. I want to feel you raise welts on my backside."

As Harry talked about Snape hurting him, he was getting so hard that it hurt. He was talking about sex, not punishment for his crimes. Snape needed to understand that Harry wanted to feel Snape's power and it had nothing to do with Tom's past.

"Harry, I don't think I can hurt you." Snape moved his hand over Harry's thick long hair.

Harry took out a paddle. "Something simple to start with. You can use your open hand. Deirdre loves it when I make her bum red with my open hand. She enjoys it when it tingles but she isn't into real pain. You don't need to cane me the first time. I just want to feel it."

Snape took the small wooden paddle in his hand and felt the grain with his other hand. "Harry, stand against the wall with your back facing me."

Snape took a blindfold from the bag and tied it over Harry's eyes. "You're so beautiful trusting me like this." Snape moved his hand over Harry's back.

Harry couldn't see anything through the blindfold, but closed his eyes anyway. He waited for the first blow of the paddle. Snape was taking his time, which only increased Harry's excitement. He liked the idea of giving up control to someone else. It made him sweat a little and his heartbeat increased slightly.

Snape took a handkerchief and tied Harry's hands tightly against his back and positioned him so he was leaning against the wall with his back facing Snape. Snape didn't have to use the paddle. He had time to decide to use something else or just his open hand.

Harry felt the lash of a cat of nine tails against his arse. Snape wasn't afraid to cause him a little pain. Another stroke hit him; it burned slightly. Harry could feel the tingle through his body. There was no bodily damage only wonderful sensation.

Snape changed to the paddle; the first few strokes with the paddle tingled, giving Harry a rush. Then, Snape must have got his courage up and hit him full force. The pain made Harry call out. That was more like it. The Dark Lord had made his followers crumble under the horrible pain of crucio.

By the three more blows, Harry felt tears pouring from his eyes. Snape stopped after two more blows. He undid the blindfold and moved his hand over the tear soaked face.

"Severus, that was wonderful," Harry said, as he turned to look at Snape.

Snape untied Harry's hands. "I hurt you."

"I asked you to hurt me." Harry rubbed his wrists there was burn marks on them from them being tied too tightly.

"I love you." Snape kissed Harry's bruised wrists.

"Without love, life isn't worth living." Harry walked to the bed. "I need you to love me. You were Tom's student and now I'm yours. I want to learn from you."

"I know nothing about love." Snape kissed Harry's back.

"You love teaching. You love your students." Harry turned and kissed Snape deeply. "I feel like a child near you."

"You are a child." Snape moved his hand over Harry's chest.

"I'm eighteen and full time professor." Harry sat up.

"You have much to learn." Snape moved his head to Harry's belly as his hand stroked Harry to completion. "You're so beautiful and trusting. It's hard to believe that the Dark Lord's thoughts are inside your head."

"I trust you." Harry kissed Snape's neck. Not that Harry ever dropped his mental shields. Snape dropped his around Harry. Harry didn't bother to check if Snape's mind was vulnerable. He had no desire to attack his mind, at least, not at this moment..

Snape turned Harry to his side and prepared him for penetration. Snape penetrated Harry. There was no pain this time. Harry was so relaxed under Snape's loving touch.

Snape moved in Harry at a slow even pace making it last as long as possible. "Harry, you're so tight. You feel so good."

"Move faster," Harry begged.

"I want you to enjoy it." Snape moved faster. He came inside Harry collapsing against him shaking with the aftershocks. "I love being inside you." Snape shook almost violently as he held Harry firmly against him.

"You can have me." Harry stroked Snape's hair pushing the long strands off the potion master's face.

Snape kissed Harry passionately before closing his eyes and falling off to sleep. Harry rolled away from the sleeping man. He looked at Snape's face soften with sleep. Snape started to snore rather loudly and the sound was keeping Harry awake. Harry put his toys back in his bag and then dressed.

Harry found a floo connected to the network and was at Hogsmeade and then apparated home. Deirdre was asleep so he climbed into bed next to her. He wanted to talk to Snape in the morning about many things but he was home with his wife now. He woke to the smell of poached eggs and hollandaise sauce.

"The toast will be done in a minute," Deirdre said.

"Honey, I was with him last night," Harry mumbled.

"I'm not jealous," Deirdre said. "I could warm some sausage."

"Eggs and toast is more than enough," Harry said. "The house elves invited you to join me for meals. You can eat in the kitchen if you don't want to eat at the staff table. They make more than enough food and I know you get lonely."



Epilogue: Epilogue

James, Harry and Deirdre's son, finished first in this class. Dumbledore came over Harry's office to talk about old times. Dumbledore knocked on the door of Harry's office. "James is graduating at the head of the class."

"I realize that," said Harry.

"It seems like yesterday when you were being sorted."

"Albus, you didn't come here to reminisce about old times." Harry had a couple books on Dark Magic open. Over the years, he told Dumbledore that he needed those books for his class. Harry shut the books.

Dumbledore touched his long beard and straightened his hat. He then looked at the owl in a cage near the window. "Something happened to you the day Voldemort died," the old man said.

"A lot of things happened that day." Harry didn't have to probe Dumbledore's mind to know what he was about to say.

"Voldemort's body was empty because he poured himself into you." Dumbledore stood a bit straighter as if he was waiting for the death curse. "Eyes are the windows to the soul."

"How long have you known?"

"Harry, or should I say Tom, does it matter?"

Harry didn't face his old friend. "Voldemort wouldn't spend the last twenty years teaching. There are better things to do with a young healthy body than hide in a castle, not that I am that eighteen year old boy anymore."

Nineteen years had passed since he started teaching. James, his oldest had graduated from the Slytherin house as first in his class after serving three terms as perfect. Harry' daughters, Lily and Daphne, were also placed in Slytherin. Lily would likely be given a perfect badge. Harry was proud of all his children.

"I'm taking over as Slytherin house master next fall. Snape needs time with his wife and children," Harry said.

Snape had married Sibyll and they had a boy and a girl proving that witches were still in their prime in their fifties. Snape's daughter was sorted into Ravenclaw and he expected his son to go the same house the following year.

Harry continued, "I hope that isn't a conflict since two of my children are there."

"You aren't going to favour your house or your children?" the headmaster asked.

"I expect a lot from my children. I hope that I haven't issued too many detentions or taken too many points away from them just because they are Potters."

"Minerva was hard on her daughter. Snape's daughter is only finished her first year so we'll have wait and see. Harry, you have always been a fair, honest teacher." Dumbledore looked over Harry. Harry's dark hair was as full and unmanageable as it was when he was a teen; his skin was pale and unblemished making him look young for his age. "I've know that you were the Dark Lord since your second year teaching."

"I fought Tom for control and won. I've always had his magic. The boy who lived became the man who lived. There is nothing more to say on the subject."

"Harry, why?"

"It was the only way to stop the killing. I gave my soul to save the world."

Dumbledore put his hand on the younger man's shoulder. "I think you have more Harry in you than Tom. You have always felt the weight of the world on your shoulders."

"You, too, Albus. Let me release you burden." Harry entered the old man's mind a bit too easily. "Quiesco." Rest, be at peace.

Harry placed Dumbledore's limp body in an armchair. Harry knocked on Minerva's door. "Albus fell asleep in my chair and isn't breathing."

Minerva examined the old wizard. "Poppy is on her way. Harry, it was his time."

"He was like a father to me." Harry cried silent tears.

Minerva looked at the books on Harry's desk. "Know thy enemy."

"Since Voldemort died, it's been too quiet. I don't want us to get lazy." Harry put his hand over the book written in Parseltongue.

Minerva often talked about retiring so Snape would become new headmaster. He would take over Slytherin for Snape. Harry packed up his books in his carpetbag and he would look over his lessons plans for the following year.

Harry learned that the relationship between muggles and wizards were more complicated than Voldemort or he believed and he would need to work in Muggle Relations full time to understand how to it worked, exploring the minds of the few people that worked there wasn't enough. However, he could make a bigger difference as DADA professor and deputy headmaster than he could working in a musty office.

"Another dark lord should be rising from Voldemort's ashes." Harry wasn't going to say that it was he.

The wizard world had become lazy in Voldemort's absence and the time was ripe for a new dark lord. Lucius Malfoy had retired and enjoying his young wife and their many children. Millicent had a son first followed by many daughters. The children grew up as close as cousins since Millicent and Deirdre were close to the same age.

As Harry saw it, without Dumbledore, there was no one to stop him from ruling the wizard world; the only question remained was did he want to.

Deirdre and their four children watched Dumbledore's casket lowered into the ground.

Severus Snape put his hand on Harry's shoulder. "Minerva is going to be headmistress for now; she's going to need me deputy headmaster. I need you to be housemaster of Slytherin."

"You don't need me to be resorted," Harry teased.

Hagrid approached the front of the crowd, crying as dirt was poured on top of the plain wooden casket. The graveyard was covered with students, teachers, and graduates. Never was a man so loved as Headmaster Dumbledore.

Harry didn't feel guilty for giving the man peace; he had lived almost two hundred years and was using magic to extend his life. The spell Harry used was grey and didn't usually kill. It should have brought on a dreamless sleep, nothing more. Dumbledore died because his own life extending magic failed. Harry had no reason to feel guilty, but he did upon seeing the hundreds gathered for this solemn occasion.

"Could you use an assistant?" Deirdre smiled at Snape.

Snape put his arm around the noticeably pregnant woman. "Mrs. Potter, I would be delighted to teach you everything that I know about potions. I don't think I can handle being potion master and headmaster at the same time."

Minerva put her hand on Harry's arm. "He will be missed."

Harry wondered what he could accomplish if he lived a hundred eighty one years. Would he have filled the graveyard with mourners or would the world rejoice at his death?



end