Oh boy most of this does not belong to me. The characters I'm borrowing' from Miss J K Rowling. The plot twists and occasional lines are being borrowed from Austen and Maybe one of the Bronte sisters. The only thing that belongs to me is the original characters.

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Summary- Hermione finds herself in a heap of trouble as she find that two brothers are not what they seem. Why does one have all the goodness and the other all the appearance of it? How will she deal with the cousin who posses misguided notion as to what she is all about? Will she find love in the quirky mixed up family?

Pairing- HG/SS (you have been warned)

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Petticoats and Plaid Taffeta Dresses- Prologue

She had to wait a term to get a new roommate. The last one she had was a crazy nymphomaniac with bad taste and bad timing. Ever since she started going to Oxford she had been placed with horrible roommates. Being that she received a full scholarship she had little choice over the matter of housing. She didn't want to pay them any extra so she kept getting new roommates. This next one would be her fourth roommate in the two years she had been there. She thought the whole experience to be unbearable because the administrators did not even try to match her up with anyone even remotely compatible. She just hoped this time she wasn't going to be put with a raging narcissist.

As she opened the door she took a deep breath. She found herself staring at a girl lying upside down on her bed. She had short bobbed hair cut. Her hair was black and her eyes were golden. Around her eyes there was heavy black eyeliner. She was dressed in a red shirt with a black skirt over red-striped pants. In the background there was a poster for some band or something with what looked like a nude girl on the poster. It was nothing explicit in any way but you could still tell she was not wearing a peach body suit. In the background some music played. It was heavy but not incredibly displeasing. The voice was a seductive female voice.

The girl flipped over onto the ground. Stood up and smiled.

You must be the new roomie. Hermione Granger, isn't it? Claudia Bell, let me help you with your things, Claudia spoke first.

Why thank you, but I have everything right here. I don't really have a lot being that I move from dorm to dorm with such frequency, Hermione stated.

God I know. The people here are so annoying. I've been through two roommates this year alone. A lot of the girls can't stand me. They feel squirmy around me. I guess it's from my charm and my intelligence, She said sarcastically.

I know exactly what you're saying, Hermione said sighing.

This looks a little bit better though. What year are you in? Claudia asked.

Well I'm currently in my second year here. I'm studding Arithmancy and I am to receive a minor in Transfiguration. I come from a small suburb in England and I formally attended Hogwarts. My best friends are Harry Potter and Ronald Weasley and no I will not set you up with them. No I will not get their autographs for you and if I want to talk about them I will on my own free time.

Hermione found herself repeating this every time she met someone knew. Once they learned she was friends with the boy who lived and the boy who also lived, as the papers had dubbed Ron jokingly. Voldemort's demise had come towards the beginning of her 7th year. She spent the rest of the year preparing for her NEWTS, which she received some of the highest scores that the school had seen in 200 years. She did this in all of her classes except for potions, which she learned she came within 10 points of defeating her professor's score from when he attended the school. She was mad at herself for a week after that had happened. She had come so close to being able to score perfect on all her exams.

Oh so friends with celebrities? That's got to suck, anyways I'm not interested in men. I could care less what the two did with their lives. Anyways I don't believe everything I read. It's a shame how one or two people get credit for what a dozen or so accomplished. Believe me, Hermione, I have my sources. She stated.

Hermione smiled at the girl. She seemed confident and very free spirited. She also came across as incredibly intelligent and cunning. Hermione couldn't help but wonder if she went to Hogwarts because she could not place her. She seemed familiar in some aspect.

Now what year are you in and where did you go? Hermione asked.

Well I went to Beauxbatons at my father's request. He felt it best I knew English and French. He and my mother were wary about sending me to Hogwarts. I don't mind, although there are only a few of us here from Beauxbatons. I am currently in my third year here studding Herbology with a minor in Potions. That, unfortunately, was at the request of my mother, She said making a face.

You don't care for the subject I'm guessing. That's fine, not my strong point I must say. Anyways I think we are going to get on very well. I normally can tell in the first few minutes if I can't tolerate a roommate. The first thing I always notice is the way they look at me. I'm happy to say you've been the kindest yet!

You've been definately the most charming and interesting one yet. I dare say we should get to know each other very well by the end of the year, The girl said smiling.

Hermione moved the rest of her boxes in from the hallway and soon began unpacking them with the help of Claudia. Her clothes were easy to pack away, there weren't very many of them. The books though were a bit more difficult and heavier. Her collection of text must have been every book through her 4 years she would be staying and then some for a master's study. When questioned about it Hermione blushed and muffled her response. She decided not to pry; from the looks of it Claudia wasn't even sure if she had friends! The last box though confirmed her friendship with the two who saved the day'. She studied the numerous photos. The earlier ones contained a smiling girl with frizzy hair, so much different from the girl that stood before Claudia. She was being patted on the shoulder from her friend Weasley, whom she had recognized from the paper. On her other side stood none other than the great Harry Potter. In back of her stood a giant or a half giant.

That must be Hagrid,' Claudia thought.

She had heard about him from her uncle, who reluctantly told them about the downfall of Voldemort. She could care less about politics and all these silly notions about blood. She really only half listened while her mother and father nearly hung on every word. Not to mention the praise from her grandparents, but that was the amusing part. She loved that part of the whole thing, watching her uncle break under the praise. He was after all only a man and men to her were very weak.

She smiled and this caught Hermione's attention. Hermione walked over and peered over Claudia's shoulder.

Oh that was in our second year. Man we were so carefree then, before the war. All we had to worry about was exams and finding who opened the chamber of secrets. Not my year, not only did I turn myself into a cat person for a week I also got myself petrified, Hermione said laughing.

A cat person? Claudia asked.

Yea I brewed a polijuice potion and accidentally had some cat hair in the hair I was using. It was horrible.

Wait a minute? You brewed a Polijuice potion in your second year? I could barely do it in my 6th year and I was one of the more advanced students. Hermione you should be taking my classes not me! Claudia said.

I never liked it all that much. I think I'd like it better if it weren't for that prat of a teacher I had, Hermione said quietly.

Claudia laughed a bit nervously. It was bad enough she had to learn the hard way the first year at the university that her uncle was defiantly not the favorite teacher for Hogwarts students. Hell his own students in his house hated him. Hated was a nice word for the way they described him. She quickly learned not to divulge that she was in fact a member of the Snape family. Luckily she did not carry the last name or the nose. If she had just one of those traits she would have been hiding under a rock by now.

Anyways that was so long ago. Here's a more recent picture, Hermione said handing her another frame.

It was a picture that must have been taken within the last year. They were all in someone's yard with picnic blanket that had a checkered pattern. The three of them were sitting on the blanket, Hermione was seated next to Ron who was holding her hand and Harry was sitting next to him with at girl who had fiery red hair like the man. It had to be a Weasley. They were all conversing and smiling.

Are you two? Claudia began.

God no. I love Ron like a brother nothing more, Hermione stated.

Claudia smiled at this comment. She had a chance but she had to wait till the right time to take it. This was definately not the time. She knew it would take a little while because the girl did seem a little prudish. Anyways it was not everyday that a smart gorgeous witch came along, and she didn't want to scare her off on the first day.

I love them all, they're just so good to me. Everything has brought us closer over the years. No matter how horrible the situation I'm grateful that we were only drawn closer together. I know sometimes traumatic events can cause people to drift further away, She said with a hint of pain.

Yea I know what you mean, Claudia said frowning.

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Months passed and exams soon crept up on the now good friends. They spent most of their time in the library helping each other. It had even gotten to the point that they decided to spend some time over the summer together. One day as they were discussing this matter an Owl flew in. It returned with a letter from her parents in response to her last letter. Hermione kept the letter until dinner when she could actually afford some time to read it.

She scanned the cafeteria in the school for Claudia and soon found her sitting in the back corner with a smile upon her face. The girl had pulled back her jet-black hair into a French braid that day and looked rather sophisticated as she dawned on some fake eyeglasses. Hermione sat down across from her.

Letter from your parents? More pleasant than last time I hope, Claudia stated in her frank manner.

Hermione sighed opening the letter. Her parents no matter how hard they tried just seemed not to quite get it anymore. They had always secretly hoped she'd go to the muggle portion of the university. They were disappointed and it showed in there lack of financial interest. She had hoped they would pay for some necessities besides food and books. She had been wearing the same clothing for about 3 years now, and they were reluctantly buying her undergarments. They had told her many college students get jobs but she was not a regular college student. Her habits forced her to constantly be doing extra work for her assignments. They just didn't or wouldn't get it.

She read over the letter and frowned. She wanted to cry at the news. Her roommate noticed the horrific state this girl was stepping into and intervened.

Spill it now Hermione, She demanded.

My parents have decided to leave me at home this summer while they go explore Europe. They feel it in my best interest' to not over exert myself. Funny how they never thought of this before. It seems like a poor attempt to ditch me. It gets worse and worse every year. Something else always goes wrong. Granted they will always love me, but I'm not their little girl anymore. They feel to distance me into adult hood I guess. It was inevitable. I hate to paint such a poor picture of them. They really were some of the best parents that a girl could wish for. Unfortunately they weren't there when I needed them most. Then again how could they understand the differences? I lived through a war they never had. I'm sorry I shouldn't dwell on it too much, Hermione apologized.

Yes you shouldn't because you are going to owl them back stating you already had other plans. You are coming with me to a family cottage. Don't worry though if my family does show up it's usually for only two weeks. Even then it's usually only my mother, my father, and my uncle Cassius. Occasionally he'll show up with someone else but it's only happened once or twice. I don't think that the rest have been there since before I was born. It's got a lovely garden and yard, Claudia stated.

Thank you. I will do that. Thank you so much, here I was thinking I was going to spend the majority of my summer alone Um you wouldn't mind if I invited some of my friend?. Not a whole lot but normally we get together during July or August and I'd be heartbroken if I don't see them this year. It won't be for very long.

Mi casa es su casa, my dear. Don't worry about it, you'll go grey prematurely, Claudia said getting up.

Hermione caught the girl giving her a wink and smiled. Somedays Claudia just could get her into better spirits. Anyways it would be nice to learn more about her and her family. She always found the dynamics of a family very interesting and the Bell family she was sure was no different. As she ate her food she began to write the letter to her parents in her head. While she was at it she was going to write the whole gang to tell them the good news

Dun dun dun. Well sorry to my beta, who has to put up with my shenanigans with my obsession on all things Austen and Bronte. Lol well this is the prologue. I promise more characters in the next parts. I have to break out my Austen and review the various plots before the next parts. Not to mention finish past the mission. But I needed to be a bit lighter hearted in this one (instead of constant angst I ooze in my writing).