I need a little bit of a change but that doesn't mean I've abandoned my other story. I have a new chapter set up I just don't have that computer up and running. Once it's set up I will upload that one but until I have all this unused writing urge and want to try something new.

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I frantically raced around my room, my hair slipping from its unstable messy bun into my face. Blowing the loose strands away I dug under my bed for all my books. I came crawling out as my mum knocked on my door.

"Dear, what on earth are you doing?" She gazed at me with a perplexed but amused look.

"Finding all my books. I've had my new school books by my trunk for weeks but I need to find some interesting books to read at the burrow."

"Hermione, honey, I think you've packed enough books." She peered in my trunk noticing the entire bottom littered with materials to read for pleasure and my new school supplies.

"Well if Harry and Ron decide to play quidditch everyday then I'm going to need plenty to do."

She smiled and let me continue packing casually grabbing clothes and slipping them in when she thought I wasn't looking.

- The Next Morning -

"Oh Hermione, we will miss you so much. I love you and please write to us so often it's as if you never left."

My mum pulled me into a tight hug and I suddenly felt homesick even though I hadn't left yet.

"I love you too. Don't worry I'm sure you'll hardly know I'm gone."

I tried to shake the heart wrenching feelings that struck me as my parents pulled away from the burrow. This was the end of my summer and I would have fun here. I have to.

"Hermione?!"

I spun around as Harry and Ron came running from the door instantly relieved that I came.

"Oh I've missed you guys!" As we hugged Fred and George came ambling up behind and each hugged me as well. Ginny was next to arrive outside and then the awkward silence hit as we tried to find what to talk about. I had so much to say but didn't know where to start.

"Oh Hermione I bet you're excited for dinner." Ginny grinned, her eyes sparkling.

"Oh? Why?" I looked at her curiously and she glanced at Harry.

"We didn't really see any need to tell her. It's not like she would care that much, she hates quidditch anyway," said Harry.

"Tell me what?"

"There is just going to be a special dinner guest." Ginny said in what she probably thought was a nonchalant manner.

I was about to question Ginny when George took me by the arm and began leading me to the house.

"Hermione, let's not worry your pretty little head over special dinner guests. You'll be far too busy to let things like that weigh on your mind."

Fred came and slid my other arm through his and nodded in agreement.

"I'll be busy will I? With what exactly?"

"Our joke shop of course. We have the grounds all set to rent, but what we need help with is appealing to the female population." Fred's smile was so full of excitement it was impossible to turn them down.

"I'm not the typical female if you haven't noticed. Why is Ginny not worthy of this job?"

George tried to contain his smirk as he began to speak. "She won't admit it, but I think she is rather smitten with our long expected guest."

"So it's a boy?"

"Well we certainly hope so. Or we will have both spectrums of the population to worry about Ginny dating."

Before I knew it I was sitting in the twins room on George's bed as he began to explain some products that they thought girls might be interested in.

"We have your standard non-illegal love potions. This purple one is just basic infatuation; the yellow is pretty much lust at first sight, and the green is for 'true love' seekers. The green is special because it helps the drinker express their true feelings. So let's say we slip Ginny a bit of this. It wouldn't make her fall in love with the first person she looks at or anything, oh no, she would confess her love to the person she actually likes!"

Brilliant! Very frightening but bloody brilliant.

"How on earth did you come up with that? Plus, how do you know it works?"

Fred offered a sheepish smile but wouldn't exactly make eye contact. George however slipped me a sly grin before explaining their test subjects.

"You tested it on…no, you couldn't have." I shook my head in disbelief.

"Oh but we did Hermione."

"That's awful!"

"Well I really think Ron deserved it. Telling us that they wouldn't work. We had to prove it to him." George stated calmly.

Fred laughed at the memory.

"So he…." I couldn't even finish my sentence.

"That's right." Said Fred.

"He confessed his love to Fleur." George said.

"Didn't you even think about his feelings?! How embarrassing that would be for him and for Fleur when she had to deal with the revelations?" I was beginning to get very frustrated with the twins lack of remorse let alone their lack of caring what they did.

"Look we apologized and he forgave us."

"I find that hard to believe that he moved on that easily."

"We made a bit of a deal with him actually, we promised to give it to someone else. Whomever he wanted."

Well this sounds even worse the farther we get into it.

"And the other person you gave it to, are they mad?"

"We haven't given it to anyone yet. We have a subject that Ron asked us to do it to though. We've been plotting and the right opportunity hasn't made itself available to us."

"George no! You can't really do that to someone else. That must violate some wizarding law!"

"Nope, I checked. Don't worry Hermione I'd never give it to you."

Fred decided it was time to intervene. "Well if it makes you feel any better we are also going to test it on ourselves."

"Why can't you just do that instead of testing it on other people? I don't want you to test it on yourselves either but at least you have the option to say no. These other people are just victims because you think it's funny and want to get some money! I'm astounded at your behavior and frankly at this point I don't think I can assist you in anyway."

Before I gave them the chance to protest I left. I saw Harry sitting in the living room trying to read while Ron was fighting with Ginny.

"Well I heard what the twins did to Ron." I sighed and dropped myself onto the couch. To my surprise Harry actually laughed.

"Harry! I don't think this is funny and neither should you!"

"C'mon Hermione you should have seen it. Him professing his love, "Oh Fleur! I've wanted to tell you for so long!" He shook his head laughing even harder. I couldn't help the smile that began to break loose and take over my face.

"Well I still don't think that you should have done that."

"At least it's over with now. Ron is over it and never wants to talk about it again."

"Well with that said then we should change subjects. Who is this mystery guest coming to dinner?"

"Look, Hermione, it's really not a big deal. Ginny is just being Ginny and getting worked up over nothing." Secretly Harry was a bit jealous that their guest had this affect on girls. The perk to being famous he didn't even have. He was nervous and spazzy around the opposite sex and that might never change.

"If it's no big deal, then why can't I know?"

"Hermione please, just wait. He will be here possibly later tonight. Unless he gets held up after the game you will know tonight."

I was about to ask about this game but Harry had already left with a smile on his face. Who could I weasel it out of? Ron might crack but it seems his ego has taken quite the blow already this summer. I don't think I could contribute to the demise of it after what he's gone through. Ginny walked in the room as I contemplated who to go have my chat with.

"Hermione, what are you doing just sitting there? You need to start getting ready! He could be here in a couple of hours and you don't want to see him dressed like that."

"Thanks, Gin, you really know how to lift a girls spirits." I laughed knowing she hadn't meant it the way I implied.

"I just mean you might want to try and impress our guest. You will thank me in the long run. I could help you, you know. I have the techniques down to a T."

Ginny began to circle Hermione who sat nervously on the couch.

"I feel awkward. Yet like a caged animal that you watch at the zoo. And still with your ever-so-observant eye looking for the slightest imperfection I feel like I'm being judged."

"Hermione, don't speak you are breaking my concentration. I have the craft to perfectly align the hairs on your head, the proficiency to flawlessly apply makeup and yet the uncanny ability involving fashion, to force out the figure that you may try and hide under your comfortable style."

"I happen to love my clothes!"

"Of course you do, but you know why you do don't you?"

"Well I certainly should hope so considering I purchased them." I couldn't help but wonder where this conversation was headed.

"Again, not my intended meaning there, I'm merely implying that you wear what you wear because you feel it's a conveyer of who you are. Yet did you ever stop to think that instead of conveying you, it hides you?"

"I wear what I wear because I like it."

"Exactly. It says something about you, your fashion interests. But it isn't actually you. I'm not saying there is anything wrong with jeans and a black sweater, but aren't you more than that? There's no color, no life in this outfit! You're incredibly intelligent, sarcastic, witty, a slight perfectionist, yet your clothing tones down your personality."

"I wear this because it's comfortable and it fits me nicely. Not to convey my inner personality to others or my traits."

"Will you let me change what you wear for just tonight? Maybe do some makeup application and something with that hair of yours?"

I nervously reached up and stroked my vicious curls. "What's wrong with my hair other than the fact that it's untamable?"

"You have the potential for gorgeous hair. Curls are in. They're sexy and edgy. Adding to the personality a sense of feistiness and charm. They scream sexual appeal. Boys love it."

At this point in time I found myself hysterically laughing.

"Gin….I don't contain what boys would think of as "sexual appeal" let alone do I convey that in my hair. I'm just not the kind of girl you read about in your Wickedly Witchy magazine or whatever the name might be."

"For your information I don't read that trashy magazine. I read Fiendish Fashion, Entice, and Foxy Sorceress."

"Well those don't sound sordid or sleazy at all."

"All I'm saying is my magazines are targeting the older teens. They are in the up and up of the teen magazine world. I keep track of the polling, the editorials and the photography of many magazines. The ones I read are the higher quality and the most accurate on the media points of view."

"Ok ok, I just felt I should point out that the magazines on those topics are reasonably cheap and as I stated trashy."

"Point taken and noted. Though I still hold strong to my abilities concerning the more and vastly overused superficial context in this conversation. I realize that looks aren't the most important matter but it's also wonderful to know you look good and have someone else notice. Compliments help the body and mind."

She let me think for a moment before she continued her scant speech.

"There is no point in arguing. I get what I want and I would love to help you. Therefore, I will."

I sighed and followed her up to her room where I knew I wouldn't enjoy my time until the guest arrived. Getting all done up has never seemed to send me into a frenzied state of mind. Perhaps because I never looked as lovely as those girls felt.

Harry and Ron sat in his room talking and wondering where Hermione had gotten herself.

"She's been gone for quite a while. What could she possibly be doing?!" Ron seemed to be a complete mess of nerves. Harry found his behavior to be quite odd. He hadn't acted this way while waiting for Hermione, so why now?

"What has gotten into you?"

"Me? Nothing. I'm fine. Why would I be any different?" He began to get very defensive.

"Well I don't know and I doubt its Hermione provoking this renovated personality so talk to me." Ron knowing he lost the battle with Harry and he'd have to tell him eventually.

"Her and Ginny are probably in her room getting all done up you know? I mean, he has a million girls swooning at his feet including my sister and our best friend. What does a normal guy have to get one girl? I mean you have your angle yet you still don't have all the girls he's got." Harry could tell Ron was getting a little embarrassed at even bringing this up.

"Look mate I know. You're preaching to the choir. I had this same discussion with myself earlier today. I'm not saying either of us fancy Hermione or that I fancy Ginny but even they want to make an effort for him."

-Meanwhile-

"Oh Gin no. I don't have even remotely the correct body type for this outfit."

"Do you have any idea how many other outfits we've gone through? This was my favorite and that would be why I saved it for last. You shot down every other combination I gave you so it's this or I'm just choosing. At least come out and let me see it."

Ginny watched as the doorknob moved slightly before it steadily but slowly began to turn. I was apprehensive but once the door was open I took a couple steps out.

"Hermione…you look…"

"I know! I look foolish. You might look good in this outfit but I just look outlandish." I began to fidget with the hem of the shirt and couldn't look Ginny directly in the eye. I felt my face burning.

"I was thinking just the opposite actually. These colors, the style of the outfit, you look gorgeous! This makes your features all the more striking. I am amazing."

Without another word Ginny led me back into the bathroom and began to do my hair. Within the next forty-five minutes my hair and makeup was done. I was beginning to feel truly beautiful. Rather than my hair being in an unruly mass it was trapped into silky spirals with a few pieces twisted back and pinned with bobby pins on the top of my head. My makeup was light but making my skin kind of glow. It appeared more even and healthy looking. My eye shadow was a darker skin tone with flecks of gold making my eyes pop out. On my lips she applied this shinny gloss that tasted like crème brulee. The outfit that she decidedly forced me to stay in I began to warm up to as well. The pants were mere jeans but a lighter colored fabric that stretched and fit lower but comfortably. The top was nice and long and the color of wine. It had tiny straps that tied around my neck and over the top she gave me a jean jacket. I felt more radiant than I had known I could feel and no one but Ginny had even seen me yet.

"RON! HARRY! You're dinner guest is here!" You couldn't mistake Mrs. Weasley's voice for any other. Ginny's eyes light up.

"Hermione! He's here! He'll love you." She began to dig through her clothes again.

"What are you doing?" I was perplexed at why she was digging through them again.

"Well now I need something to remotely stand a chance at being noticeable in comparison to you. If I can't look as good I would settle for looking good in my own way." She threw on dark colored jeans and a light colored green silk tank top then a black button up sweater over it.

We began to make our way downstairs and we could hear the boys talking loudly and I froze suddenly very self-conscious again.

"Hermione, what's wrong?"

"I can't do this. I was fine upstairs but now I'm a bundle of nerves. What if they think I look ridiculous?"

"They won't be able to think when they look at you. Don't worry, even if they can't muster up compliments to rival your beauty mum will have a million things to say."

She gently began to push me down the stairs and once I started moving on my own it wasn't fast enough so she ran ahead of me but slowed before the last few stairs, so as not to look too eager.

"Hey Gin, why you all dressed up?" Ron was attempting to ask this in a non-accusatory tone but failed.

Replying very nonchalantly and shrugging she said, "No reason."

I came down the stairs much slower going over the possible scenarios that I could face. Each I came up with had a horrible ending, making me want to walk even slower but then I feared Ginny would make a comment about me and draw more attention to me when I actually got down there. Soon there was no prolonging the inevitable and I reached the last step and stood next to Ginny. At first no one noticed me and I tried not to look at anyone out of sheer terror that they were looking at me too, until I finally looked over and met the gaze of one Oliver Wood.

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Ok! So I've basically worked very hard on this, I almost didn't post it but Michelle convinced me today to do it. I dedicate this to Mac, her hamster who sadly passed away on Thanksgiving. What a day huh? On the day of Thanks an animal passes away….there is something clearly wrong with this picture. If you don't like this I still maintain I don't want flames, they aren't something I can build a better story off of so keep it to yourself and don't read.

Love
kole