"Not all ugly ducklings turn into swans. Some just turn into ugly ducks."
Hermione had been told that in primary school. And she wasn't pleased with the images it conjured up. She felt like a freak until she had hit eleven and been told of magic and Hogwarts. Then she was just another kid going to school. Nothing unusual there.
She had been teased there as well. At first it had been things like being overeager or a know it all. She didn't really understand why those things were important.
Then came the attacks at her blood status. She hadn't understood them at first, but her inquisitive nature had fixed that quickly. And it frustrated her to no end. Picking on someone for something they couldn't change seemed like the lowest form of cruelty in her book.
And then, in her third year, they started attacking her appearance. She had always liked to worry about that as little as possible. But with the teasing she had started to worry a tad more.
In her fourth year, they had a ton of visitors. And Hermione had found herself worrying about her appearance more than she had ever before. She was painfully aware of her large front teeth and bushy hair.
She had assumed that there wouldn't be anyone willing to take her to the yule ball. She couldn't have been more wrong.
Viktor Krum, world renowned seeker, had asked her to the ball. She stammered and stuttered for a second, not meeting his gaze.
"Why?" she asked when she finally found her voice. "I'm just an ugly duckling. And not all ugly ducklings turn into swans. Some just turn into ugly ducks," she repeated.
Viktor wanted to laugh, but sensed it wasn't the best moment for that.
"I vant to take you because you are clever girl. And you don't vant me because of my job. You find it annoying vhen fangirls follow me. And you are pretty than you think."
Hermione wanted to believe him. She really did. But she wasn't sure he was telling the truth about her being pretty.
"Alright," she said. "I'll go with you."