Fan Fiction ❯ More Than You Think You Are ❯ Rip away the tears! Drink a hope to happy years! ( Chapter 3 )

Disclaimer: I don't own J.K. Rowling's Harry Potter series. I do not own Harry Potter, although I wish I did. This is just a fan's dedication. Frankly, I'm not done playing with yet! Harry Potter belongs to J.K. Rowling, whom we should all thank for her wonderful series. Here, here!

Story Summary: This is more or less answer to Severitus' challenge. There is a twist I have yet to see anyone write. What if Harry Potter was born a girl, and discovered Severus Snape was her biological father? What if her name wasn't Harry Potter in the first place? Will she accept the truth, or deny her heritage? I don't follow the story to a tee, so don't expect to read an exact re-printing of Rowling's printing with the only difference being in gender.

AN: Thanks to the following for reviewing. Lady Lightning, angel_1215, momma-dar, Mytst4Drgn, Jewelclaw Lady of Wind, Atari420, katrina, Eugiebear, Sestsuna Meiou. Proceeds to glomp! To those that don't like Ron/Hermione stories, don't worry.. I feel your pain. I for one have always loved the thought of Ron, Harry and Hermione meeting someone new!

More Than You Think You Are

Chapter Three: Rip away the tears! Drink a hope to happy years!

"Bugger off, Malfoy."

Harri growled with feigned malice. How was it she always managed to find herself in aunwanted position with Malfoy close by? Were the fates that upset with whatever she had done in a past life or something? She simply said nothing, not giving Malfoy the satisfaction of seeing her upset. Harri had always known he was one of those people that rejoiced in getting a rise out of people.

"No need to be so cold, Potter. I just came out for a bit of a stroll." He said with an innocent smile. Though his mouth may have told otherwise, his eyes told otherwise.

"You decided to come out after hours and to the greenhouse in particular? Yeah right Malfoy." She said smirking with amusement. Draco returned hers, with one of his own.

"You're not very good at lying, you know that Malfoy?"

Harri asked looking at the star her mother had deemed their own. She wished she had a centaur to talk to, because as much as her mother had claimed she would instantly be able to identify the constellation, Harri had yet to do so. Instead, with her knees tucked under, and her arms wrapped around her legs, she thought in silence temporarily forgetting Malfoy was even there.

Despite how cold her legs were, she sang a song that she remembered hearing once before. She could not place who or how she had heard the song, but it had been beautiful. Malfoy cleared his throat, and her voice stopped singing. She looked into his eyes, and he looked away, saying nothing. Though both young teens almost always spoke with harsh words, their eyes always said something else.

"If you're listening, sing it back." Harri suggested to the blond Slytherin, continuing her song. He said nothing but grunted, averting his gaze.

"I do not know the words." He admitted quietly.

Harri shrugged, and stood up, grabbing her wand. 'Tis but a song anyway. A reminder of what once was." She said with a sad smile, going downstairs back to her room. Before she was out of the room completely, she had heard him call her.

"You never answered my question, Potter." Draco said softly. She nodded solemnly and left hastily.

"Goodnight Malfoy." Harri said hastily, quietly exiting the greenhouse.

Draco sighed, and sat back down on the rooftop. Ever since second year, there had been an aura of mystery about her. He was confused about his disdain for her now. How deep did it go? Did he still loathe her, or had she swayed him somehow? Too many things about her were changing, and he didn't understand them, nor did he believe he ever really would. Should he remain content in his animosity towards her, or was she slowly breaking his walls. Or had she already?

The silver-eyed boy sighed, and with a hop off of the greenhouse, he headed back to his own Slytherin house. He had been careful to leave everything as it were before he entered. No sense in incurring the wrath of the green thumbed Professor Sprout.

Harri crept quietly to Griffyndor tower, luckily to not run into anyone else that. So far, she had madeit up to her room. She changed out of her clothes, and put on her pajamas, asquietly as she could, but still she could be heard by her second best friend Hermione.

"What are you doing back here so late?" Hermione demanded, looking at her friend's sorry state. Harri shrugged, and lay back agaisnt the sheets.

"Go back to bed Mione." Harri whispered slipping the covers over herbody. "I'll tell you in the morning."

Harri would have liked to say she had done the very heroic thing and wept, like every tragic heroine does when she discovers soemthing horrendous in her life, but she wasn't a heroine, and she was more confused about the entire situation, then truely upset.

Wasn't this what she had always wanted? A family to call her own? Someone who loved her, and whom she could love in return. Of course, she had never thought it would come in the guise of Severus Snape. Harri yawned quietly. She didn't want to think about this anymore if she could help it. Her green eyes were closed, and Harri finally succumbed to sleep.

*

Though he was known as being a calm, collected person, right now Severus Snape was on edge. After his blow up at Dumbledore, and the untimely fleeing of his- what was she? What did it matter anyway? As much as he tried to deny it, there was no way, in which Lily could be wrong. Perhaps it was his lingering love for her, but whatever the woman said he'd have believed. She was more than that- more than a woman, more than his lover... She was so much more to him than that.

Severus felt such a conflict of emotions he didn't really know where he stood. To think that tomorrow, he was just supposed to go on teaching her, treating her the way he had. As much as he desired telling Harri that her he had never hated her, he would be forced to bite his tongue. Even he was neither ready nor willing to give his reasons for his silence.

Whatever he was going to do, they would have to talk soon, regardless of how either felt. Things like these shouldn't just fester, and grow. He glanced at Lily's letter, rereading it for what had to have been the seventh time. His tears had dripped on the parchment, forcing him to stop reading for a moment.

Dearest Severus,

I hope this letter finds you well. Please do not begrudge me for having to marry James. James would have conniptions if he knew I was to writing you. If only my best friend, andmy love could settle their differences-but I digress. I only hope that we can be reunited soon, but if you are reading this letter, than I am dead. We both knew that something had to be done to throw Voldemort off of us. How would it look, for a muggle-born witch and a pureblood to marry? I am sorry to have been forced to leave you, in living world, and in marriage, but know that I have always, and will always love you. Jayda is in her fifth year at Hogwarts, I presume? She would be known as Harriet Potter. I want you to know that she is your daughter. Yes Severus, yours. Surely you do not think I would forsake my love for you and bed James? We are married only in name, Sev. She will be a Potter in name, but when she discovers her true origins, she shall be a Snape in name and blood. Please take care of yourself, and her. I love you both very much.

Yours Forever,

Lily Snape

"I love you too." Severus said aloud in the empty office. There was so much he missed about her. It was her very presence that gave his life meaning. To him, Lily was life.

"She was a good woman." A voice said softly.

Severus didn't even bother turning to see the man. He swiveled his chair to face him.

"I miss her so much. I know Harri probably thinks I despise her."

Snape said with a grim frown. Dumbledore nodded, and sat down in the chair in front of Severus' desk.

"You haven't given her much reason to feel otherwise, Severus."

"It was only because I have to Albus. You know I am a spy. Besides, it was hard to feel anything but disdain for the offspring of someone that should have been mine." Severus spat bitterly.

"Ah, but she is your daughter. You've spent so much time disliking her for being the daughter of James Potter, when she never was. Tell me, are you going to let animosity you felt for a deceased man get between your chances at finding happiness? At having a family?"

Severus sighed. He rubbed his forehead trying to let the headache ebb away.

"I know you are right Albus. It is a petty thing really. It's just that Voldemort is the reason for all of this. For taking Lily away from me, for having me not know my daughter. I bet she hates me even more now. I've made her feel the way my father made me feel, and I can't do that to her."

Dumbledore said nothing, but just smiled at his enlightened friend. He stood, leaving Severus to his private thoughts.

"If you ever need to talk Severus, you know where my office is." Severus nodded, mumbling something along the lines of "sentimental old fool" quietly to himself. He barely heard the chuckle of the older man.

*

The next morning, Harri woke up early. She dressed quickly, and began to do her hair. Ever since it lost its messiness, she found her hair more agreeable. Instead of having to fight with combs and brushes, (usually breaking them) her hair was straight and thick. Sheliked it very much. Harri braided her hair into along braid going down her back, which she tied with a thin forest green ribbon. She wore a black skirt, and a dark green sweater.

She barely noticed her choice of clothing, but for some reason she wondered why she developed a sudden preference for black. Harri looked at her friends, and nudged them awake. Hermione got up with no trouble, but Lavender was another case.

"Come on. Up with you Lav."

Harri urged, nudging her. When that didn't work, Harri sighed grumpily. Hermione decided to take matters into her own hands, and waved her wand in Lavender's direction. She mumbled what Harri thought was a tickling hex, but it was early morning and she didn't care much.

Whatever it was, it got Lavender up withno trouble, and after a bitof haggling with the two of them, her two friends were in the Great Hall munching on breakfast. Ron was already there, and she plopped down next to him, and Hermione took the opposite seat.

"Morning mate, bit of toast?" Ron offered, and Harri took it.

So far, the morning had gone okay, but she knew things were bound to get screwed up. They ate breakfast in happy moods, and everything seemed to be going well until Hermione dredged up last night's escapades.

"So Harri, are you going to tell me about why you got back solate from the library?" Hermione asked while buttering a muffin.

"Er, it'll have to wait Mione. I'll tell you later." Harri said, with her head down. She continuing eating, ignoring the pointed look Hermione was giving her.

Just when Harri thought her day could not begin to get any worse, he showed up. Draco and his stupid Slytherin friends. She didn't want to see his face this morning despite what had happened last night. Snape would be teaching them today, and she really couldn't be bothered.

She tried to block out the sounds of everyone, and think. If her mother had placed charms on her, or a spell she wanted to know which ones. It didn't suit her to look like a man she was no relation to. She had been changing before she knew her who her father was, and even then people would comment on her appearance. Did this mean she would look like her true self? Harri was eager to see how she really looked.

If her mother had charmed her to look like her fa- James Potter, that meant her mother knew something would have happen even up until she was fifteen to keep her physical appearance hidden. Harri would definitely look into this more. Harri got up, gathering her books.

"Where are you going, Harri?" Ron asked, taking a sip of his orange juice.

"I thought I'd go to the library and do some research."

"Research? Harri it's the first day of school mate." Seamus said giving his concerned input. "Hermione's been too much of an influence on you."

"Hey! I resent that remark!" Hermione said angrily. She frowned at Seamus, who flicked a pieceof toast her way.

"Well, you'll have to do it after class, Harri. We've got Potions with them next." Ron said pointing to Malfoy and his gang.

Harri looked at Malfoy and his gang and rolled her eyes. So what? It was Draco, and she could handle him any day of the week. Harri caught his eye, and he smirked at her. Harri quirked an eyebrow, and smirked back. She looked back to her friends, expectantly.

"Well hurry up, or we'll be late!"

The five friends got their backs and rushed to class. Luckily, Snape hadn't shown up yet. He was almost never late, and Harri knew immediately that it was because of her. She wanted to forget that she ran off, that they were...

"Take out your books, and turn to page 347." Snape said ignoring the chatter. Everyone did as they were told.

Harri flipped her book, and looked with mild interest at a Time-Warping Potion. Were they brewing a Time Warp potion today? She had always been fascinated by the ability to go forwards or backwards through time. Even by magical standards, it was something amazing.

"I want you all to partner up." The students gave one another happy looks. "With partners I assign. Today we will learn about the time travelling potion. We will only brew it, though it won't work anyway, since none of you know the correct chant to be taken anywhere in time. "

Hermione raised her hand toask a question. Snape frowned, but acknoledged her regardless. leave it to Granger to be inquisitive about everything.

"Why are we brewing this spell, Professor?"

"Because Miss Granger, it is important because one day you might need to use it. This is a very new potion though, as it has been added to Potente Potions but a year ago. But I am going off track. Prepare to be assigned partners, gather up your things."

Hermione got paired with Lavender which was pretty normal. Neville ended up with Seamus. Dean was upset as they were best friends. He got Parvati, and Harri waited to be paired with Ron. It never happened.

"Looks like I'll have to break up the dream team." Snape said with a sneer.

Ron frowned, and Harri growled. Just less than twenty-four hours ago, she discovered that this greasy git of a man was her father, and he was still being an asshole.

"Weasly, you'll go with Goyle, and Potter-"

"Hey that's not fair!"

Ron said in an outburst. Everyone else got paired with their own house and he was going tomake the tow of them workwith Goyle. Even Crabbe looked upset by the outcome.

"Twenty points from Griffyndor. You need to treat your elders with more respect, Weasly. Potter, you're with Malfoy."

"WHAT!" Both teens screamed simultaenously.

"I will not work with him!" Harri yelled- an a unusual outburst in Snape's class.

Snape gave her a piercing glare. He walked over to her and stood over her.

"You can and you will. See me after class Potter. Ten points from Griffyndor."

Harri angrily took a seat next to Draco. Although he didn't make an out burst like Harri did, he too wasn't pleased with the arrangement. Harri sighed, and looked to the page. They began mixing the ingredients, and class resumed. So far, everything was going normal, until Neville mismatched the ingredients, and overheated it.

Soon, Seamus was covered in green goo, and Neville wasn't much better. They ignored Snape's tirade over the two of them. Although Draco sniggered when house points were deducted from Griffyndor. They silently chopped, pounded, and molded the correct amount of ingredients in the right order. Surprisingly therewere no shouts of "idiot", "bitch", or "bastard" flying around.

Harry poured the ingredients into the cauldron, while Draco stirred. Harry began reading further about the Time Warppotion. It was meant to be drunken, but before the brewer drank anything, an incantation must be spoken, and the desired place of travel said.

Soon, their potion was finished, and Harri looked ta their work with pride. Surely this would garner an A+, even if she earned it while working with a Slytherin, especially Malfoy.

"Wow. We did a good job, eh Potter?" Draco said stirring it slightly. Unfortanately, the potion was still to hot to touch, and he ended up getting his finger burned. Draco cursed, and licked his finger.

"Great, what the bloody hell have you done now, Malfoy?"

Harri hissed, hoping Snape wouldn't notice anything amiss. Harri moved the cauldron closer to her, but like Draco, she suffered the same fate. Just like boiling hot potion had spilled on DRaco's finger, the same thing happened to her. Cursing angrily, she licked her red finger, and turned to him.

"Only you would do something like this Malfoy!" Harri said angrily.

"Excuse me for living Potter! Ugh, why did Snape choose you as my partner? Anywhere would be better than being here with you!"

"Is that so?! Well you're not exactly the most fun to be around either you prat! You know you Malfoys are all alike! No wonder my parents disliked your father. It runs in the family that egotism stuff doesn't it? In fact I wish I was right there while your father was still in school so I could tell him what a bloody git he'd have later on!"

"Really?! Well then I wish I could go back in time and tell your parents not even bothering having you, because you aren't worth dying for!

They contiued arguing, while Snape had to break up an argument between Hermione and Lavender on the proper phrase the brewer must say when time travelling.

"-it's not 'Ascio Cidere' Lavender-"

"-yes it is Hermione!"

"Bloody hell, you brats!" Snape yelled. "The correct incantatation is 'Asporto alius meton intransit indigentia'! HAVE YOU GOT THAT! All of you say it with me!"

"Asporto alius meton intransit indigentia!" The entire class said the incantation.

Immediately, there was a loud screeching sound, and the students watched in horror as Harri and Draco began to disappear. Harri tried to scream but no sound cameout. She looked at Draco, her eyes full of sheer panic, much like his own. The last thing she remembered, before everything went black, was the odd shine of his silver eyes she had never noticed his eyes possessed.