Title: Filter Effect

Summary: In order to change the outsides of something you don't like, you have to change the insides, Hermione realized with a start.

Rating: M

Disclaimer: This story is based on characters and situations created and owned by JK Rowling, various publishers including but not limited to Bloomsbury Books, Scholastic Books and Raincoast Books, and Warner Bros., Inc. No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended.

Author's Notes: Oh my goodness. I'm posting a new chapter. Amazing. But, you know, I'm on my computer, I'm supposed to be doing homework, and I feel like typing. So, here you go. New chapter, yay. And I didn't get that many reviews for chapter six, so you assholes, review. :D You know you love me. And I love you. Thanks to those who did review, and to someone's question, all will be explained eventually.

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Flashback:

God, fucking, dammit, Hermione mentally recited, looking over at Pansy, who now was just smirking.

"Heylo, Hermione," the Slytherin drawled, her smirk widening into a shit-eating grin.

The two boys in front of her choked on air.

"Ah, fuck." Hermione rubbed her temples.

Jade looked between Pansy, Hermione, Draco and Blaise in confusion.

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No one said anything for a while. Hermione was struggling to find the words to explain what the hell was going on without revealing the existence of the magical world, and simply couldn't find an explanation good enough. Nothing really made sense- what could she say? Oh, they went to the same boarding school, and hated each other because they were from different cliques of the school? Actually— Hermione paused. That just might work. She might be able to- waaaaiiiit a minute. Why were three pureblooded wizards in London? In muggleLondon, and wearing muggle clothing, and hanging with Jade, who was, as far as Hermione knew, a muggle?

She had done nothing wrong- they were the ones who needed to explain.

Finally looking over at Jade, who had been trying to catch her eye for the last ten minutes, Hermione leaned back against a table and crossed her arms, steadfastly refusing to look over at either Blaise, Draco or Pansy, all of whom she could feel staring intently at her.

"Will someone please tell me what the HELL IS GOING ON?!" Jade finally exploded, waving her hands in the air for emphasis as nobody moved after her first few words.

Hermione sighed, really not wanting to get into this but wanting to clear the air all the same. "I suppose you should ask them, really," she drawled out emotionlessly, examining her nails and jerking her chin towards the three, smirking slightly as she did so. Pansy, who had been watching her the way you might watch an extremely interesting specimen from behind glass, arched her eyebrows in bewildered surprise. This couldn't possibly be the Granger that they remembered- there were no way in hell she could act that Slytherin.

Jade turned to Draco and Blaise, both of whom were staring at Hermione, not just a little confused. Where had the uptight, All-I-Care-About-Is-My-Marks, Hermione-The-Bookworm-Granger disappeared to? This petite, wild-haired brunette with the intense navy blue stare could in no way be the golden Gryffindor princess. This girl was way too relaxed, way too, well, hot, to be the girl they remembered exchanging snide remarks with not just a month and a half ago, and were slightly looking forward to bothering in just a few short weeks.

The girl standing before them exuded a quiet confidence, a presence that said, I don't give a shit what you think. And, Jesus Christ, when had she had that body? How could she have hidden those hips under her robes for all that time? Well, those robes were pretty shapeless…

Hermione heaved a giant sigh, rolling her eyes when no one spoke. "Jade, they—well—we, actually, go to the same school. And we don't really…get along that well, I guess. Basically, we reign on opposite sides of the school." She chewed her lip as Jade digested this piece of information. Pansy had tilted her head to the side, surveying Hermione with unabashed interest. Hermione met her gaze unflinchingly and raised her eyebrows as if to say, what, you like what you see? Pansy smirked softly and looked away towards Draco, who was pulling on one of his lip rings. He seemed content to sit there and say nothing, refusing to look up.

It was Pansy's turn to sigh. "Okay, whatever. Granger, I honestly don't give a fuck where you come from, okay? It doesn't matter that you're in Gr-" she cut off, masking her slip with a coughing fit. "That you're not part of our group," She finished delicately, ignoring Jade's raised eyebrow. "We're not in school right now. Plus, the place you hold at school really doesn't translate to the rest of the world, so it shouldn't matter now, now should it?" Pansy finished with a raised brow, meeting Hermione's stare unflinchingly.

Hermione cocked her head to the side, eyeing Pansy with renewed interest. "Interesting that you would be the one to say that," she said finally, crossing her arms loosely over her chest and smiling. Pansy shrugged.

"I'm probably the more open-minded one of those two bloody idiots over there," she said as a way of explanation, waving her hand towards the two seated at the bench.

Hermione snickered as Blaise's head shot up, a wounded expression on his face. "Hey! That's not fair. I'm open-minded." He puffed out his chest indignantly as Pansy and Hermione snickered together.

"Drake, they're ganging up on us already. They haven't even been talking for ten minutes, and they're already teaming up." Blaise whined and nudged Draco, trying to get him involved.

Shaking his head, the blonde threw his hands up in a gesture of surrender. "Oh, hell-fucking-no. There is no way I'm getting in the crossfire of either Granger's acid tongue, or Pansy's. Ah, well. They're on the same side, anyways, now, whether or not we try and gang up on them."

Hermione opened her mouth to protest that she was not siding with Pansy-bloody-Parkinson, thank-you-very-much, but froze when said girl slung an arm around her shoulders and snickered.

"Damn straight, Malfoy, and get used to it." Pansy smiled in a conspiratorial manner at Hermione and removed her arm. "So, whadda they call you now, anyways, Granger?"

Slightly confused, Hermione raised an eyebrow and shot a look at Jade, who was listening to the conversation with an amused smile curling her lips. "Uhm- well, I guess…" Reeeallll intelligent, Granger. "Uhm, Hermione is fine, I guess. Or Mya. Whatever." There, that was better. At least she could articulate now.

"I call her Mia," Jade interjected, startling Hermione into gaping at her open-mouthed. "What? I do," she responded primly, twisting the ends of her hair.

Hermione simply shook her head and seated herself, propping her chin in her hand.

This was way too weird for words.

A/N

Okay, yes. That was short, I know. So sue me. I needed to put up SOMETHING before you all tried to virtually rip my face off. The next one will be much longer, I swear! Review all you people who KNOW you love me!

Xoxo Cianyde