Hermione stepped out of the airport lobby. Her heels clicked on the linoleum floor as she basked in the California sun. She took a minute to revel in it, pushing her sunglasses up her face to rest against her hair.
This was the beginning of her new life.
She had left her past in rural Iowa to chase her dream of being a dancer. There was nothing for her amidst the corn anyway.
A few weeks passed, and she got herself settled into a small, one bedroom apartment with the tiny amount of savings she had left. She needed to find a job - and fast.
She followed lead after lead, and ad after ad, for Dancers Wanted, but everything had already been filled, or they wanted more professional experience than she had to offer.
Then one night, she walked down the Sunset Strip and stumbled across a lingerie-costumed girl standing on the balcony of a building. A door opened as Hermione and the girl shared a smile. Next a middle aged man appeared, his long, black hair tied into a bun on his head. He ushered the girl inside. The damage was done; Hermione wanted to see more.
What she found was unlike anything she had ever seen. She saw a poster with a beautiful brunette in a white fur stole. The woman wore bright purple lips, which she was biting seductively. Beside her photo was a list of names:
Pansy
Daphne
Ginny
Millicent
Cho
Luna
Hermione hesitated for a moment, staring at the beautiful woman.
"We might not have any windows, but we have the best view on the Sunset Strip…" a serpentine voice called to her.
She turned to him curiously.
"Twenty bucks."
She dug in her pocket for her wallet and handed him her last twenty dollar bill. He smiled, listless.
"Enjoy."