Disclaimer: It all belongs to J.K, Rowling.
How Harry Helped Hermione
Hermione fell back on her four-poster, cramming the pillow over her head and screaming into it. She was through with dates. It was over. Never again. She'd already been on two and it was enough! She had never really wanted to go on them anyway, but Ron had set her up with Seamus, and Ginny had set her up with a guy from Ravenclaw that she knew was in Hermione's Arithmancy class. Why? Why did all her friends insist she go out with someone! Hermione had always thought it was dumb. What was the point in going out anyway? Nothing ever developed when they were this young anyway. Watching Ron go out on three consecutive dates with Lavender had been sickening enough. He had come back from all of them like someone had just given him the Chocolate Frogs Factory, and wouldn't get back to normal for several days, and then it was time for another visit to Hogsmeade, another date with "Lav". It wasn't like Hermione liked Ron in that way, but it was just disappointing seeing one of your best friends change interests completely. He HAD been interested in quidditch -- like Harry. But he missed the Gryffindor team try-outs so he could go on his second date, and Hermione had seen all that she wanted.
She had made Harry promise that he wouldn't go on dates, and that he'd study with her while Ron was gone so she could keep her mind of the "insanity". Hermione had to admit, that had been a bit extreme, but Harry agreed and had kept his word, as usual. Finally, when she was beginning to except the "new Ron", Ron set her up and made her go through the terrible dating experience first hand. NEVER AGAIN!
Seamus talked about how much he hated Trasfiguration the whole time. Hermione's favorite subject and he loathed it! She had come back to the common room that night, where Ron and Harry were waiting. She told them NEVER AGAIN! But then Ginny came along. She was so excited that she'd set everything up and Hermione just couldn't say no, so she went out with what's-his-name Ravenclaw, and the prat had the nerve to grumble about how much he had wanted to be in Slytherin, not Ravenclaw. Hermione ran out right there, and now she was laying on her bed, a pillow muffling her cries of distress. She never had been one to take things in stride. She had always been dramatic and picky, but she didn't want to date! And she wondered how come people couldn't see that. She was perfectly happy studying and spending time with Harry and Ron. (Minus Ron when he had just come back from a date with "Lav".)
It was then that the person she least wanted to talk to at the moment walked in the room and approached her bed.
"Hey, Hermione," Lavender smiled.
"Hi," Hermione said from under her pillow, her comfort.
"How was your date with Jeff?"
"Was that his name?"
Hermione remained under the pillow.
"You didn't know his name?!"
Lavender acted like this was surprising.
"No, but it doesn't matter...never again."
Lavender sighed, and Hermione heard her slip off her shoes and sit down her her creaky bed, "I think Harry wants to talk to you. Seemed worried. Evidently, you ran past him when he tried to call your name earlier."
"Thanks," Hermione mumbled, removing her pillow and collecting herself before going downstairs.
()()()()()()()()()()
"Hey, Herm. How did your date go?" Harry asked, looking up from his Divination homework as Hermione slid into the chair next to him.
"Don't even ask," Hermione buried her head in her arms.
"That bad?" Harry shoved away his parchment and books and rested his head on the table so he was eye to eye with Hermione.
"Worse. Our first conversation topic was how much he wants to be in Slytherin."
"Ew, not a way to impress anyone, let alone a Gryffindor girl," Harry observed, lifting his head back up and sinking down into the chair.
"Definitely," Hermione agreed, "But anyway, where's Ron?"
For the first time since she'd come downstairs, she scanned the common room.
"I don't know. I guess he's out with Lav," Harry drawled her nickname, emphasizing how stupid he thought it.
"No, Lavender came back. She's the one that said you wanted to talk with me."
"How - ."
"You're Harry Potter, the tower keeps a constant tab on what you want or what you're thinking. She probably heard it from someone who heard it from someone..."
Hermione trailed off, allowing Harry the opportunity to gather his books and yawn.
"I'm going to bed. G'night, Herm. I'll see you in the morning," Harry patted her on the shoulder as he made his way over to the boys' dormitory steps.
"Good night, Harry," Hermione bit her lip, "Oh, wait!"
Harry leaned over the banister, "Yes?"
"Will you do me a favor?"
"What kind of favor..." Harry smiled.
"Um...I uh," Hermione blushed, "May I borrow some of the hair gel that you wore last year at the Fifth Year Banquet?"
"Why?" Harry felt an embarrassing story coming out, and he was preparing to tease.
"I just want to put some in my hair tomorrow. I'm hoping it'll get rid of some of this frizz," Hermione held up several strands of hair for Harry to see.
"Yeah, sure. I think the tube's at the bottom of my trunk."
"Say, Harry, why didn't you keep gelling your hair. It looked -- decent -- that night," Hermione really had hoped that he would. It hadn't just looked decent. It looked rather good.
"Didn't want girls all over me," Harry winked and went on up the stairs, missing the roll of parchment that Hermione had aimed at his head.
()()()()()()()()()()
There was a pounding on the boys' door at five in the morning. Harry was the only one who awoke. Neville was snoring like a freight train, it took several minor explosions just to bring Ron back to consciousness, and the other two were heavier sleepers than Ron.
Harry moaned and stumbled over to the door in his candy-striped pajamas (a gift from Dobby). He pried open the squeaky door and shuffled out into the hall when he saw who it was.
"Herm...it's five in the morning. That can't even be considered morning, really," Harry yawned, shutting the door behind him so they were standing out in the hall.
Then his eyes began to adjust and he saw why Hermione was knocking on his door at a ridiculous hour of the morning, "Too much hair gel?"
Harry was now fully awake and grinning.
"Shhh!" Hermione grabbed him by the arm and led him down to the common room where he got a better look at the mess Hermione had made of her hair. It looked exactly like Harry's.
"What happened?" Hermione snapped, "It looks like YOUR hair and I can't do anything about it!"
"Is it a bad thing that it looks like my hair?" Harry asked defensively.
Hermione pulled at the ruffled black locks in frustration. Harry decided to pull a serious face, "Okay, tell me everything you did."
"I put a little of the gel in, I said the charm that it directed on the bottle, and POOF! The Potter look!"
"Let me see the bottle," Harry held out his hand, and she produced it from behind her back.
After surveying it for a moment, he determined the problem, "You used the wrong spell."
Hermione sighed and resigned to rationalization, "I followed the spell that it said to on the --."
Harry tapped the edge of the tube where Hermione had read off her spell. It said: HAVE FUN WITH YOUR HAIR! MAKE IT LOOK LIKE ALL YOUR FRIENDS'. AFTER ONE PERSON USES THE GEL, SIMPLY SAY THE FOLLOWING SPELL TO TURN YOUR HAIR INTO A COPY OF YOUR BEST FRIENDS' OR YOUR BIG SIBLINGS' OR YOUR PARENTS'-- .
"Oops," Hermione sank into an armchair in front of the fire, "Does it say how to get rid of it?"
Harry read the tube twice before replying, "It says that we need another tube of a special kind of gel," Harry frowned, "But it should wear off anyway in two to three days."
To his immense surprise, Hermione laughed, "Looks like I'm going as Harry Potter this week!"
She stood up and Harry wrapped an arm around her shoulder, "Well, if you're going to go all out...there's a few things you should know -- ."
"Oh, no! Potter pointers!" Hermione pretended to groan in agony.
"I choose to ignore that," Harry ruffled her, well, HIS hair, "There, now you really look like me!"
Hermione gave Harry a quick hug, "I'm gonna go finish getting ready. This'll be an interesting day. Just pray that Ron doesn't try to set me up with another guy!"
Harry smiled, "Oh, he won't with hair like that!" Harry then realized he had cracked a joke at his own hair and muttered a self-rebuke under his breath.
Hermione giggled and ran up her dormitory stairs.
()()()()()()()()()()
"Did I miss something?" Ron asked when he sat down across from Hermione at the breakfast table.
"There was a little mix up with some of Harry's gel that I used and well, er," Hermione gave a flashing smile, "Do I look like a dashing young hero?"
Harry snorted into his pumpkin juice, "Keep that up, and I'm gonna hex your head so it won't grow ANY hair!"
"I know the countercurse, I know the countercurse," Hermione sang, pulling out her wand and waving it over Harry's head.
"Anyway, Mrs. Potter," Ron winked.
Harry and Hermione both stopped what they were doing and turned to silently glare at Ron.
"Sorry, sorry," Ron held up his hands in surrender, "I just want to let Hermione Granger, forever to be an old maid, know that I've solved your dating problem!"
Hermione sighed, burying her head in her arms as she had done the night before.
"Uh...Herm," Harry tapped her on the back, "your elbow's in the porridge -- ."
"I know."
"Right," Harry coughed and turned back to his plate.
Ron continued, "So I've got you a date with none other than -- hold onto your hat -- Shelton Curry!"
"You sound like you're announcing a thousand Galleon prize," Harry rolled his eyes.
Hermione began to repeatedly bash her head on the table.
"Herm," Harry felt compelled to point out again, "you're banging your forehead into the jam -- ."
"I know."
"Hermione, Hermione," Ron waved a finger, "he's the most popular Gryffindor next to Harry. Opted to win Witch Weekly's Most Charming Smile Award. He'll be the youngest -- ."
"I don't want a bio!" Hermione wailed, "And I don't want a date with him!"
With that, she jumped from the table, and ran from the cafeteria.
"Think that means she doesn't want to go?"
Harry grabbed his bag (Ron was so dense) and went after her.
()()()()()()()()()()
Harry found Hermione in the library (first place he had looked, too) compiling a list of books that she wanted to read in the next month.
"Herm? You okay?" Harry timidly stepped from behind some bookshelves to approach her.
"Yes, Harry, I'm fine. At least I won't have to go out with that Shelton guy anymore," Hermione tried to reach the fifth shelf but couldn't quite manage, so Harry, who was a few inches taller, stood on his toes and pulled it down for her.
"Do you hate going on dates that much?" Harry asked. He himself had never been on date in his life and wasn't exactly jumping to go, but he imagined it couldn't be as bad as Hermione made it out to be.
"It's not dating so much, but the fact that I'm not compatible with ANYONE in this school!" she bent down to deposit some books on the floor.
Harry felt sympathy for her because he knew what it was like not to be compatible. Every time he tried to talk to a girl all they cared to do was goggle at his scar, "It's okay, Herm. You don't need anyone to be compatible with. You've got me and Ron. You just need friends."
Hermione nodded her head, "Thanks, Harry. That's what I needed to hear."
"Come on, we've got to get to Transfiguration."
They left the library, Harry heaving half of Hermione's books with him.
()()()()()()()()()()
It was the worst Transfiguration class Hermione had ever had. Not because of the actual lesson but because of what Professor McGonagall had informed her of at the end of class.
"Miss Granger, may I have a word with you?" Hermione went to the front desk.
Professor McGonagall was about to go into an explanation, but seeing someone in the back of the room waited, "Mr. Potter, Miss Granger will be just fine without a constant bodyguard. Get to class."
Hermione chewed at her bottom lip to keep from laughing.
"Now, Miss Granger, as you know, you are a sixth year Gryffindor prefect, and I have chosen you for a very high honor due to your status."
Hermione listened intently.
"As you may know, the ministry is holding a convention of sorts for young achievers which we be held this weekend in Hogsmeade, and I would be very pleased if you'd represent Gryffindor house."
Trying not to squeal, Hermione vigorously nodded her head in acceptance.
"Excellent! All you have to do is pack enough clothes for the weekend and choose your companion for the trip -- ."
"Companion?"
"Well, you will need to be escorted to the formal dinner at the end of the weekend and other various activities -- ."
"You mean like a date, Professor McGonagall?"
"Yes, I supposed like a date."
Hermione's head began to spin, "All right."
"Oh, you'd better be getting to your next class. I'll give you more details later this evening. That is all."
Collecting her things, Hermione turned to leave the room.
"One more thing."
"Yes?"
"May I ask what happened to your hair? It resembles Mr. Potter's so."
"Accident with some hair gel."
"Perhaps you could go see Madam Pomfrey."
"Maybe," Hermione walked into the hall, "I kind of like it though...."
(A/n: Review! Review! Review! Thanks.)