Finding Heather

Year 4 Chapter 4

Author's Notes: This chapter involves shopping for clothes and other basics of life in the wizarding world. I'm basing much of this off the movies more than the books, as there isn't much detail given about wizarding outfits except robes and clashing muggle outfits. Please forgive the creative license.

Generic disclaimer that I don't own Harry Potter or its associated trademarks. I just enjoying using them.

Chapter Four

In the end, it wasn't the next day but four days later that they were able to make it to Diagon Alley. Unceasing rain coupled with Mr. Weasley having to work a good deal of overtime, meant that Mrs. Weasley was having trouble finding a day to take them. Finally, the following Thursday, with Bill and Charlie tagging along, they managed it. Using floo powder, something Harry was getting more comfortable with, they arrived at the Leaky Cauldron, school lists in hand. Fred, George, Bill, and Charlie quickly wandered off on their own, and Mrs. Weasley took Ginny to visit their vault and to get Ginny new robes. Harry, Hermione, and Ron set off for Gringotts too, Harry needed to refill his money bag, and Hermione had to exchange her muggle pounds for wizard coins. Emerging from the bank an hour later, they set to completing their lists as quickly as possible so they could sightsee before meeting back at the Leaky Cauldron for dinner. Harry was the only one of the three who didn't need new robes. Unlike Ron who had shot upwards over the summer, Harry was still maintaining his slim figure. Whether that had more to do with the lack of food at the Dursley's or something else, Harry wasn't very concerned. Being smaller was helpful as a Seeker, and it meant he was most likely still the same size as Hermione. Their next stop was Flourish and Blotts, to get this year's textbooks. Even though Hermione had dropped Divination and Muggle Studies after last year, she still ended up buying more books than either Harry or Ron. One by one they checked off stores they had to visit until they were almost done with their lists, the last thing they needed being dress robes. None of them had any idea what those were for, and just as they started to wonder what store would sell them, Mrs. Weasley and Ginny found them."There you are, you three." Said Mrs. Weasley, her arms full of shopping bags, and looking slightly flustered. "Have you gotten your dress robes yet?""Not yet, mum. "replied Ron, "What are they for?""Smart parties and such. Your father has a set." She turned to Harry and Hermione, "If you two want to head on and get them, you can buy them at Gladrags. I need to take Ron with me to...to get him some stuff."Her face had gone red and Harry was sure he knew what was going on. Mrs. Weasley didn't want to admit it out loud, but he was sure that she was going to take them to the second-hand store for Ron and Ginny's dress robes."If you want Mrs. Weasley," offered Hermione, "Harry and I can take Ginny with us to go shopping. I promised her that we'd go shopping while we were here. We can get what she needs while she's with us."Mrs. Weasley looked at Harry, slightly taken aback. "You're going shopping with Hermione, Harry?""Err...." Harry stammered, looking at Hermione to rescue him."He's going to carry our bags." Hermione said quickly. "I asked you yesterday, don't you remember Harry?" Hermione cut across him.Catching on quickly, he nodded. "That's right Mrs. Weasley, I just forgot.""Well, in that case, Ron do you want to just go with them?" Mrs. Weasley asked him."Erm, no. I don't think I want to go shopping with girls." He replied, giving Harry an odd look. "I think I'll just go find Fred and George after we're done getting what I need.""Well, then alright then. Ginny, here's some money for your dress robes. Remember to meet us for dinner. Have fun girls, and Harry." She amended. Turning with Ron they walked away down the alley in the direction of the second-hand robes store and were soon lost in the crowds.Hermione led Ginny and Harry towards Gladrag's Wizard Wear, one of several clothing stores in Diagon Alley and bodily pulled Harry through the door. Once inside Harry tried to take up the roll of the boy holding onto the shopping bags while the girls dove through the many racks of clothes dedicated to young witches. First priority was for them to find dress robes, and soon both girls headed off towards the changing booths, arms loaded down with possible choices. Harry began to wander aimlessly through the now empty rows. He had a rough idea of his sizes based on what Hermione had given him to wear last year, and so idly started picking through a rack of dresses that he thought he could fit. The store was fairly empty and so Harry hoped that anyone who saw him would think he was just trying to find things for his friends. He was gazing at a gorgeous emerald green ball gown when he heard a small cough behind him. Turning, he saw Ginny, who had a pink and green dress over her arm, watching him with a small smile on her face."That's really pretty, Harry." She said, stepping closer and keeping her voice low. "Thinking of it for anyone in particular?""No, I just like the color" he replied, probably a bit too quickly."It matches your eyes." She countered, reaching out to get a better look at it."I didn't even notice." Harry said, again too quickly to be casual. "Notice what?" Hermione said, coming into the row from the other end, cutting off Harry's escape route."Harry was just looking at this dress," said Ginny, pulling it off the rack to show her. "I was just telling him it matched his eyes."Oh my, it really does!" said Hermione in a voice that he considered far to loud. Then to his astonishment she held it out to his body, "and it's definitely your size."Backing quickly away and tripping over Ginny, Harry stammered something that didn't quite come out clearly."Oh, come on Harry," said Ginny, catching him as best as she could, her hand somewhere in the center of his upper back, "really, it's just a dress. It won't bite you.""Yeah," said Hermione, grinning from ear to ear, "It would look good on you.""Hermione!" Harry whispered loudly, finally able to get a word out. Ignoring his protestations, Ginny took the dress from Hermione and held it up again in front of Harry while blocking his way past her. Taking in the entire look, she commented, no longer bothering to keep her voice as low as Harry wished she would, "Hermione's right Harry, you'd look amazing in this." "What..." he got out, stammering again."Besides, you're already wearing a bra, so it's not like you couldn't wear a dress." Ginny continued, looking him dead in the eye. With a start Harry realized she would have felt it when she caught in moments ago. Panic overwhelmed any conscious thought remaining in Harry's head. A desire, no a need, to flee, to hide, stole over him and his eyes started to dart around quickly looking for a new escape route. His breathing became quick and labored. Seeing this, both girls reached out to hold his arms. "Harry, relax." Said Hermione quickly, trying to get him to look him straight in her eyes."Hermione, why don't you go pay for our dresses and I'll take Harry out of here, let him get some air." suggested Ginny, firmly gripping him by the arms and leading him towards the exit.Without being entirely aware of what was going on, Harry found himself outside in the sunlight, being led three stores up to Florean Fortescue's Ice Cream Parlour Ginny sat him down at a table, taking the seat opposite and staring at him with concern. The open air was helping him catch his breathe and Harry was starting to be able to process just exactly had happened. Ginny didn't say anything until Hermione showed up. It was crowded and noisy all around them, masking their voices."Harry, are you ok?" asked Hermione, taking the last open chair at the table.He nodded, not quite trusting himself to speak yet."It's ok Harry, "said Ginny, trying to reassure him, "I'm sorry if we scared you in there. I just thought you'd look good in that dress, and wanted you to know that. And that I know about, well that.""I figured you knew," he said quietly, not making eye contact with either one of them."It was rather obvious when I hugged you at the World Cup. What I felt inside the store only confirmed it." She replied, a kind smile on her face."And what do you think?" He asked, his heart starting to race again as she paused before answering."Well, I take it that since you're wearing a bra, you must like dressing like a girl. I don't think I have a problem with that." She answered evenly"You don't?" he answered, not sure if he believed her."Absolutely, I mean I have a friend in my year who's a girl and doesn't like girls' clothing much, so I guess it makes sense that there are boys who like dressing like girls.""Really?" He asked, "Who?""You don't know her, she's in Ravenclaw. But that doesn't matter. I did mean what I said, you would look amazing in that dress." Ginny stated.Hermione, who had sat quietly during all of this, spoke up. "Harry, it's just like I told you at the Burrow. Everything is ok.""It really is," added Ginny, "It also answers some questions I've had, well that everyone around school has.""Like what?" Harry asked."Like why you use girl shampoo or why you walk more like a girl than a boy.""Yeah, Hermione started teaching me stuff like that last year." He replied. His breathing had finally returned to normal, leaving exhaustion in the wake of anxiety."He's been a good student." Hermione said, "Are you feeling better now, Harry?""I think so" he said, breathing easily for the first time in fifteen minutes."Then in that case, shall we keep shopping? Ginny and I still need some things, and you need dress robes Harry.""Yeah, and besides I want you see you in that dress" Ginny added, giggling. They returned to Gladrag's, and Harry was relieved to find that Ginny had been kidding. She did make sure to find and hold the dress again up to Harry, suggesting he try it on, but when he said no, she let the matter drop. He attempted to go back to just holding the bags like he had before, but neither of the girls let him. Everything they grabbed, from shirts to pants to shoes needed his comment. He soon got an idea of what each of them liked and disliked, and even started forming some of his own opinions. Hermione whispered in his ear that if he wanted her to buy anything for him, just to point it out and say that he kind of liked it. Harry perused the racks of clothes, doing his best to appear bored while the thrill of being able to shop for his own clothes raged through him. Soon he had picked out about a dozen things for Hermione to get for him. His first choice was a sky-blue dress that he thought would reach somewhere around his knees. Both of the girls exclaimed how cute it was when he pointed it out. Next, he quietly asked for their help picking out some pants. The two suggested several options before grabbing two a half dozen different styles of jeans. His excitement overriding his caution, Harry practically led them to look and pick out tops, of which about a dozen ended up being selected. Last, on a whim, Harry saw a purple one-piece swimsuit sitting on a pile, and pointed it out. Hermione looked at him, briefly considered him, and snatched it up. On their way to the register, Harry made sure to wander down the row with the green ball gown and very nearly grabbed it, but he knew there was absolutely no way he'd be able to smuggle that to Hogwarts. As a thanks for all their help, Harry slipped Hermione his bag of gold to cover all their clothes. He wasn't entirely sure but he thought he saw the tiniest hint of a knowing grin on the shop clerk's face as she rung Hermione up. It was by now close to five in the afternoon, which was when they were supposed to meet everyone. Heading back up the high street for the Leaky Cauldron, Harry kept looking back and forth at Ginny and Hermione, feeling incredibly lucky to now have two friends who accepted him. He doubted that anyone else would react as well as they had if he ever told them about this. It wasn't until they walked into the crowded dining room of the Leaky Cauldron and he caught the look Ron was giving him that his mood deflated a little. No, he thought to himself, Ron wouldn't react near as well as Hermione or Ginny if he ever found out. At the Burrow that night, Harry and Ron were putting their new clothes into their trunks. Ron did his best to hide his disgust at the robes Mrs. Weasley had bought for him, maroon with a hideous amount of lace, but Harry could tell how much he hated them. Ron's mood wasn't helped at the sight of Harry's emerald green set that the girls had helped him pick out. A very tense silence fell between them as they worked, with the strain mounting until finally it seemed that Ron had to have it out."So, what gives, Harry. You wanted to go shopping with the girls?" he asked, throwing his dress robes into his trunk. "I didn't think it was that big of a deal, Ron. Hermione asked me like she said and I just agreed without thinking." He answered."Yeah, alright, but that still doesn't explain everything. Like why you're acting so different." He said, not willing to let this go."What do you mean?" Harry replied, making a show of neatly packing his robes."Ever since last Christmas you've been different. Using girl stuff, spending more time with Hermione than with me, you even walk like a girl. Don't think I haven't noticed.""It's nothing Ron, I'm still the same Harry." He responded, trying to keep his voice level but risking to turn and look at Ron face to face. "Yeah, alright." Ron said again. "If you ever decide to let me know what's going on with you, you know where to find me." Ron said, slamming his trunk closed. With a loud huff, he stormed from the room.