Beyond Appearances

Title: Beyond Appearances


Author: Liadyn Malfoy


Archived: Fanfiction.net & adult-fanfiction.org


Summary: Harry and Draco are returning to Hogwarts for their seventh year. Though this year is different. Alliances are formed and together they learn that there is always something beyond the appearance and that everyone wears a mask.


Rating: NC-17


Pairings: Harry/Draco, Ron/Hermione...may be others!!


Beta: Candlewyk


Disclaimer: Hey There Guys!!! I know you already know this but I have to tell you again. I don not own Harry Potter or anything related to him. I'm not making money off of any of my stories. I just do this for the fun of it.




Chapter Two


The Burrow




Upon landing Harry stumbled forward, not being used to that form of transportation, although he couldn't really complain. It was faster then flying and cleaner then the Floo Network.


"Whoa, Harry." Ron chuckled, reaching out to steady him. "Careful mate."


Hermione flicked her wand and charmed Harry's trunk to follow behind her. "Come on then, Mrs. Weasley's made us some lunch."


Harry and Ron stopped all conversation and followed eagerly. If there was one thing they agreed on it was Molly Weasley's cooking. Nothing was better.


"Harry!" Molly cried when they came through the door. She stopped what she had been doing and enveloped him into a tight hug. "How are you?"



"I'm good, and you?"


"Just fine." she smiled, brightly. "Are you hungry?"


"Famished."


"How about some homemade waffles and maple syrup?"


"Sounds heavenly." Harry smiled, sitting down at the old wooden table. He smiled to himself as his hand slid along the worn table. It had been through a lot and each scratch held a memory. He heart warmed at the thought that he had been a part of many of them. Whenever he was here he felt like he belonged. He was home.


"Do you need any help Mrs. Weasley?" Hermione asked, coming down the stairs after taking Harry's trunk up the stairs.


"No thanks, dear. I've got it under control, but if you wouldn't mind calling Ginny and the twins in from the quidditch pitch that would be great."


"The twins are here?" Harry asked, grinning.


"They are."


"When did they get here?" Ron asked.


"When you left to get Harry." Mrs. Weasley replied. "They said something about testing a new prototype, so I suggest that you don't accept anything from them."


Harry and Ron shared a knowing look as Mrs. Weasley set a plate of waffles down in front of each of them. After knowing the twins for any amount of time you learned quickly that it was never a good idea to accept things from them unless you knew exactly where they came from, otherwise you'd end up walking around looking like a bird.


"Harry, mate!" Fred cried, coming in through the kitchen door. "Can I interest you in a chocolate?"


Harry laughed. "No thanks."


"What about you Ronnikins?" George cooed, sitting down beside his twin.



"I don't think so." Ron said, shaking his head. "There is no way that I'm willingly going to be your guinea pig."



"I don't know about you George, but I think little Ronnikins would look adorable with some long blonde curls."


George snickered and studied his younger brother. "Don't forget about the ribbons and lace, dear brother. What do you think, Gin?"


"I'm more into dark hair." Ginny said, smiling sweetly as she seated herself directly across from Harry. "Hi Harry."


"Hey Gin." Harry greeted through a mouthful of waffles.


"You look really good with your new tan."


"Thanks." He managed to get out without choking on his lunch, completely oblivious to what was going on. Unlike Ron and Harry everyone else noticed.


"Close your mouth, sis." Fred smirked. "Your drooling."


"Shut it."


"Hey I'm not the one that's making doe-eyes at a certain Gryffindor."


"Ginny's got a crush!" George sang.


"Really? Who?" Ron asked, looking up from his meal. "It better not be Seamus. I swear that guy's like public transportation. Everyone gets a ride."


"Ronald Weasley! Don't talk about your classmates like that." Mrs. Weasley scolded. Everyone else was trying to contain their laughter. They all knew how Seamus spent his free time. "What someone does in the privacy of their own room is none of your business."


"Except when they share a room with four other people. Then it's everyone's business."


"Enough Ronald! I don't want to hear another word."


"But mom..."


"Not another word!"


Ron huffed and went back to polishing off his second helping.


"Don't worry, Ron." Ginny smiled, glancing up at Harry. "I don't like Seamus at all."


Harry may have been slow but he wasn't that slow. He had caught that look and he knew exactly what it meant. He looked back to his plate quickly, blushing slightly. This was a problem. A big problem.


Ron stretched and pushed his empty plate into the middle of the table. "Anyone up for some quidditch?"


Fred raised an eyebrow. "We have a chaser, a seeker, a keeper, and two beaters. How do you suppose we will be able to play quidditch?"


"We could just play chasers and seekers."


"Alright I'm in." Ginny agreed, standing up and putting her plate into the sink.


"I guess we're in too." Fred and George chorused.


"Hermione?"


"No thanks, I think I'll keep my feet planted firmly on the ground."


"Harry?"


"Uh...I think I'll sit this one out and keep Hermione company."


Hermione raised an eyebrow in question but Harry signaled that he would explain later.


"You are slowly starting to freak me out. You’re becoming more like Neville with each minute."


Harry laughed. "Don't worry Ron. I have no plans on becoming Neville."


"Alright then, I guess I'll see you in a bit."


"Bye you guys!" Harry called, watching the four Weasleys head out to their makeshift quidditch match.


"You want to go for a walk?" Hermione asked.


"Yeah actually, I would!"


Hermione smiled and headed outside. They walked in silence, slipping through the trees that lined the far side of The Burrow. It was the only quiet place in the area and Harry loved it.


"So, what's on your mind, Harry?"


"Ginny."


"So you finally clued into that, huh?"


"I knew that she had a crush on me but that...that was different."


"Different how?"


"It...It was almost desperate. It gave me chills."


"Well she has been in love with you since first year. Her feelings have only increased over time, especially after you saved her in the Chamber of Secrets." Hermione explained, picking a spot by an old tree to sit down. "What do you think of Ginny?"


"I love her. She's part of my family."


"But?"


"I can't trust her." Harry sighed. "It's not that I don't want to. I just can't."


"Ginny wouldn't hurt you, Harry."


"I trust her with my life, Herm. That's not an issue."


"Than what is?"


"I don't trust her with my heart. She doesn't see me as anything but the boy-who-lived. I get enough affection for being something I'm not from the rest of the wizarding world. I don't want to love someone who does the same thing."


"How are you going to tell if someone sees you as Harry or The-Boy-Who-Lived?"


"I don't know. I just don't want to open up to heartache. I'm sick of doing that."


"You can't learn to love if you don't take a chance, Harry. You have to take the good along with the bad."


"How can you tell love from infatuation?"


"That's something that you're going to have to figure out on your own."


"You're probably right, you know. You always are."


"What can I say? It's good to be me."


Harry stood up and helped Hermione to her feet. "Thanks Herm. You're the best friend a guy could ask for."


"Don't let Ron hear you say that. He'd be crushed." Hermione giggled. "Let's go see if the others are finished with their quidditch game."


Harry nodded and together they headed back. When they arrived at the Burrow Mrs. Weasley told them that the others were still outside. Instead of bugging them they headed upstairs to wait.


"You know what?" Hermione asked, sitting down on Ron's bed.


"What?"


"Tomorrow I'm taking you shopping. Just me and you."


"What about Ron?"


"Ron is working at the Joke shop tomorrow and the others will be getting their school supplies next week. We can pick our stuff up then so tomorrow is just for us."


"Sounds good to me."


"So let's see what we have in this trunk of yours." Hermione smiled, jumping up form the bed and flinging open his trunk. The first thing she saw was Harry's Firebolt. It was his most prized possession. He spent more time on it's appearance than his own. Picking it up she set it on the floor by the bed. "I don't understand you and your flying."


"I guess we're even then because I don't understand you and your books."


Hermione laughed and began pulling things out of the trunk. As each piece of clothing was removed from the box it was placed in one of two piles.


"What's that pile for?" Harry asked, pointing to the smaller of the two.


"Those are the clothes that you are allowed to keep."


"And those?" He asked, pointing to the other pile.


"Are the ones that I'm going to burn."


"What? Why?"


"Harry, I'm incredibly glad that you decided to get ride of Dudley's old things but I have to be honest. You have no sense of fashion what so ever and these clothes prove it."


"But I just bought them."


"Then we'll drop them off at one of the good will stores in London, but I'm not going to allow you to wear them."


Harry sighed in defeat. He couldn't see a point in arguing. If Hermione was anything it was determined. Once she had her mind set on an idea there would be no changing it. "If I can't wear them than can I shrink them and give them to Dobby?"


"Excellent idea, Harry." Hermione beamed. "He'll love them."


"Well at least I have enough fashion sense to dress a house elf."


Hermione laughed. "Don't pout, Harry. That's why I'm here to help you. Come on let's go down to dinner."


Harry nodded and followed her down the stairs. He had a feeling that once tomorrow came he would regret agreeing to this.