Changed (Drarry)

Chapter 26

"Do you know what your sibling is going to be called?" Draco leaned over the back of Harry's armchair in the Hufflepuff common room, Harry back at Hogwarts.

'Not yet, they're not going to think about names until Flower is further on.' Harry signed, using a sign name for Lily. She was Flower, James was Stag, Sirius was Dog, Remus was Moon, Lucius was L, Narcissa was Bird, and Draco was Dragon.

Harry had been too scared to give Lucius a specific sign name; he knew Lucius wouldn't yell at him no matter what sign name he gave the man, but he had a cold air around him that scared Harry more than a little. Narcissa had told Harry that she was distantly related to veelas, which were like birds, hence her sign name. Draco's was just his translated name.

"I also get to act like an older brother to them, right?" Draco seemed just as excited about this child as Harry was.

'Why wouldn't you?' Harry signed, turning to look up at Draco with large eyes.

"Well, some people wouldn't want me to because there's a very slim chance that we might not be together forever." Draco emphasised that it was unlikely to impossible that they would separate. "But even if we're not always dating I hope we'll always be close."

'I don't want to lose you.' Harry signed, his eyes large as he stared into Draco, who blushed.

"Neither do I. I love you." Draco leaned further forwards, his feet leaving the ground as he managed to press a kiss on Harry's forehead.

-----

"Hey." Ginny gave a small wave as she stood awkwardly in front of Hermione, shuffling her feet.

"Hi." Hermione returned her greeting, she knew she had agreed to this meeting, but she was feeling rather uncomfortable seeing Ginny again.

They had been exchanging letters for a long time now, and Ginny was starting to gain a French accent from her time in Beauxbaton, but she was still one of the people involved in her losing who she was, and losing her friends. She felt guilty, but that didn't undo what she did, and while she had used a love potion to be so clingy to Harry, but she still did it somewhat willingly.

"I- I'm really sorry. I don't remember if I already told you, but I'm in therapy now. It... might help if you go to a magical one too. What we put you through wasn't okay, and it will probably help you to work through it. If you don't want to see me again I will accept it." Ginny didn't meet Hermione's eyes, and was playing with the hem of her dark red pinafore she was wearing.

She was wearing a pale blue shirt under a dark red pinafore with two large pockets and black tights. She was wearing ankle length tan boots with red flowers embroidered on the side. Hermione was wearing a black and gold mini dress with large, hidden pockets as a top and light blue jeans underneath. Her hair was in braids that she had then tied into bunches.

"I'm looking for one. My family isn't exactly rich, or well connected in the Wizarding World, and St Mungo's is just as slow as the NHS. I don't want to blame you, you're younger than me." Hermione was looking at Ginny's hair that looked like fire in the light. It was beautiful.

"I can try to help you look for a cheap one." Ginny offered.

"That's..." Hermione hesitated, she was in need of the help, but did she really want it from Ginny? "Really nice of you, thanks." 

"Of course." Ginny brightened up at Hermione's acceptance.

"Hermione?" The sound of Khadija's voice made Hermione's head snap to her location, cheeks warming, which Ginny noticed.

"Khadija? What are you doing here?" Hermione's voice was a little higher pitched than normal.

"Well it is a Hogsmeade weekend, and this is one of the quieter cafe's. You're meeting Weasley?" Khadija's smile seemed a little strained as she looked at the red haired girl.

"I agreed to try to be friends. She's younger than us, and didn't exactly have any protection from their plan." Hermione tried to defend Ginny, as she just hung her head.

"Still, be careful 'Mione, she was still involved." Khadija frowned. "Anyway, I need to go, I promised to talk to Luna about the new type of creature she found."

Hermione's eyes followed Khadija as she left, her eyes warm and soft and almost longing.

"You're in love with her?" Ginny played with her straw, looking up at Hermione almost shyly.

"Yeah." Hermione sighed, turning back to her cake, smiling sadly. "I already confessed if you're wondering. She doesn't feel the same, but we're still friends."

"I'm sorry." Ginny frowned slightly.

"Don't be, I'm fine. I still love her, but I'm fine being friends. Isn't it more important that she's happy than that I'm someone who stands beside her romantically?" Hermione smiled, but her shoulders were shaking slightly and her smile was a little wonky.

"You're still allowed to be sad about it." Ginny tilted her head as she spoke gently. "Have you let yourself be sad about it yet?"

"I-" Hermione's smile fell. "I... I don't want her to think that I was only friends with her to try to date her, it was after we started being friends that I realised how incredibly pretty she is. And... And... I don't want to feel so pathetic."

"It's not pathetic to be sad." Ginny took one of Hermione's hands. "It doesn't mean you were selfish in your friendship, it means that you tried, it didn't work out, and you need to let yourself feel that to fully get past it."

"She was the first girl I've ever confessed to, especially after-" Hermione wasn't sure why she was telling Ginny any of this, but she was definitely not ready to tell anyone about being trans yet, especially not Ginny. "She was really nice about it, and I didn't care as much before as now. Before I confessed it was just that sometimes I couldn't deal with how pretty she is, now it's like she's always on my mind, and then I remember that she doesn't, and won't feel the same way."

"It's okay, it will take time, but it will go away." Ginny tried to reassure her, stroking the back of her hand.

"I just wish one of us felt the same as the other." Hermione didn't really care if she wasn't in love with Khadija or if Khadija was in love with her.

"I know."