I just wrote this, and I've been wanting to post something for years. So, here it is. Enjoy!
DISCLAIMER: I do not own Harry Potter or any of it's components.
Hermione watched the rain slide across the multicolored glass of the window, at times unsure if the wetness she was seeing was the rain or her own tears. She was sitting alone in the Gryffindor girl's dormitory, as she had been for the last twenty minutes, while the rest of her classmates celebrated just downstairs. Gryffindor had beaten Slytherin in the match- or should she say battle?- for the Quidditch Cup an hour before, and half her house was in the common room below laughing and dancing and drinking the night away. She knew she wouldn't be missed up here. Ron had Luna, Harry had Ginny, and she had no one.
She wasn't sure what had gone wrong. Well, that was a lie. She could pinpoint it to the day Ron asked Luna to go to Hogsmeade with him. Luna, of all people! Hermione had been so sure that he was in love with her that it had not once occurred to her to cement it. Instead, she had spent all of her time in the Library and McGonagall's office, doing double homework and taking on all the Head duties. assuming that Ron would wait patiently. She had been so sure of her life. She would graduate Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry with flying colors, become an Elf Rights Activist, and buy a flat with Ron, maybe a cute little cottage, and there they would live out the rest of their days with their bushy haired, freckled children, falling more in love each and every day.
So much for that. Ron and Luna had hit it off straight away, him finding her babbling completely endearing and loving the fact that she had a "plausible" reason for his ears turning red every five seconds. Right. Because Ron was definitely a distant relative of the Blast-Ended Skrewt. Ha! She had been sure that it was just some passing infatuation; that they would both come to their senses- well, Ron, anyway, seeing as he actually had senses- and the whole thing would be forgotten. But for some reason, months later, they were still together and more in love than ever.
Fresh tears rolled down Hermione's cheeks as she replayed the first time Ron told Luna he loved her. Christmas morning, it had been, in front of the whole Great Hall. Romantic as hell, of course, and all Hermione had gotten was a knit sweater in her least favorite color that she already had six of and some chocolate frogs. She had spent the rest of Christmas cooped up in the restricted section of the library, looking up Dark curses and knowing she would never use them. It had made it easier to deal with at the time, though.
What had happened with Ginny and Harry? True, she had spent no more time with them than she had with Ronald, but Ginny was her best friend. Surely she could understand that Hermione was a little busy? Harry, too. They had each other, though, and so they probably weren't missing her much either. She wasn't angry at them like she was at Ron, though. On the contrary, she thought they were adorable and was quite excited to be a bridesmaid at the wedding that was sure to take place.
She stood up with a sigh, letting the blanket that had been covering her fall to the floor, and for once not picking it up. She wasn't sure anyone would notice if she did. To be honest, she wasn't sure anyone noticed anything she did for them. Harry and Ron had been getting her help with homework for so long…was it simply expected now? What if she didn't turn in a homework assignment? What would they do?
"Yeah, right," she murmured to herself, knowing she could never not turn in homework. Something else… She began walking toward the door, ready to go back to her own Heads dorm and take a sleeping potion, but caught sight of her reflection in a large mirror hanging on the wall. Hermione slowly walked toward it, mentally going over what people had mentioned to her over the years. Hair too bushy. Eyebrows unkept. Clothing too modest. Her eyes were large and framed by thick, dark lashes, though. She supposed a little mascara couldn't hurt. She naturally had a slight tan and clear skin, thanks to her mother's genes. She didn't spend much time in the Dining Hall, which explained her thin frame. She could stand to gain a few pounds, even. Her legs were slightly toned from her regular walks around the lake.
It wouldn't hurt to get a haircut…maybe look into some glamour charms. She had never been against such things; she just hadn't ever seen the point in them, and didn't feel like getting up early just to apply them. She remembered that there was a trip to Hogsmeade just the next day, and a smile spread across her face as she rushed down the stairs.
It took her all of two seconds to find Ginny and Harry draped across each other on a sofa, staring blissfully into each other's eyes. She approached them cautiously, unsure how to break up such a moment.
"Erm…Ginny?," she finally said timidly. "Could I have a word?"
The redhead tore her eyes from her boyfriend to stare, rather confused, at Hermione. "Of course. Back soon, love," she told Harry. He nodded and untangled himself.
They retreated to a corner and Hermione filled her in on her plans. "So, basically, I want you to help me. I think it's time I grew up a little."
"Hermione! Do you have any idea how long I have been waiting for this day? Oh my, we have so much to do! We must go through your closet, decide on a hairstyle, a budget…"
Hermione smiled, happy to see Ginny so excited. "Thank you so much, Gin. I know I've been really busy lately. I've missed you, though."
"I've missed you too. Honestly, you should come to the dorms more, I feel as if you've disappeared lately! I know it must be nice having your own common room and bedroom and all, though.Wish I was Head Girl!"
"Yes, if only they were my own! But of course I get to share it all with Malfoy," Hermione replied with a sigh. "I know it's been bad, though. It's just that I've been so afraid to ask Malfoy to do anything; he bites my head off if I so much as sneeze too loudly!" As she said this, she realized that she didn't remember the last time the Head Boy really had insulted her. Honestly, it must have been weeks. They weren't exactly getting along, of course, but they had worked together on a few different projects this year as a part of their Head duties. Maybe they had both grown out of that phase? No…she was probably going to walk in later tonight and be called about ten different foul names because she walked too heavily or something equally ridiculous. Ugh.
"Well, what did you expect? Why don't you talk to McGonagall about it? She can make him do more work," Ginny suggested.
"Maybe. I'm going to go to bed though, night Ginny! Thanks again!"
"Okay. See you at eight sharp!" Ginny smiled innocently, but it did nothing to ease Hermione's feeling that tomorrow was going to be a very long day.
Well, that sets up the story a bit. I really just wrote this on a whim with no clue how I planned on going about it. Honestly, I hadn't planned on starting another story until this summer, but the urge struck and i followed it. Reviews are, of course, welcome