"Highheels"
Summary: High heels can be the bane of any man existence, why? It is unknown. All that is is that somehow they made girl 'hotter'. Alternates between Lily Evans and Hermione Granger and one set of heels. Warning: slight LJ, HD
-------------------------
A knock echoed throughout the house of Petunia Dursley. She scowled and decided not to reach for her broom to awaken her nephew to do it. He'd been stroppy ever since he'd gotten back from that place and if he didn't answer it would prove to her finally that her power of him was over.
She pulled open the door to see a girl standing there looking very confused.
"Hello?" She asked in a stiff tone and the girl jumped spinning around. Her hair was wild and bushy, only being vaguely tamed by both a headband and a hair tie. Her brown eyes were curious and inquisitive and as she raised her arm to rub her nose nervously Petunia Dursley could tell the girl had a beautiful future to grow into. She just hadn't yet. Her limbs were gawky and tall, a curse to all girls for a man didn't want a girl that was, simply put, taller than him.
The girl smiled.
"Hello... I'm not sure if you've heard of me, but my name is Hermione Granger... I was wondering if Harry Potter was here." Petunia blinked and frowned. Her eyebrows knotting as if under pressure.
"No. He's not here." She stated about to slam the door closed when the girl let out a heavy sigh and bit her lip, looking behind her as if she was scared.
"What do you want him for?" The girl - Hermione - jumped and let out a heavy sigh.
"It's just I needed to talk to somebody and Harry is my friend-"
"Don't you have any female friends to talk to instead of bothering me." Petunia snapped and the girl's eyes clouded for a moment. It became obvious that she didn't.
"What did you want to talk to him about? I'll relay the message." Petunia didn't understand why she didn't just shut the door but something about the forlorn and ill at ease girl stopped her. Her clothes didn't call out witch and yet she asked for Harry Potter.
"Well... Just tell him... It's about last year." She said biting her lip and Petunia blinked and rolled her eyes.
"If you've got boyfriend troubles. Don't talk to a boy about them. Go shopping. Don't bother me." And with that she slammed the door in Hermione's face.
Hermione blinked and turned, almost in confusion as she saw a red bus pull away from the street ahead. Muttering to herself she bolted.
-break-
London. It was considered a must see by the majority of tourists and dreamers around the planet. It was a place where anybody could live happily. A dream. A place where anything could be possible. Most forgot that so many atrocities had happened in London. They forgot that the ground that they walked on over thousands of people had died on.
By Plague.
By War.
By Pestilence.
By Faith.
It was a city that had once reigned supreme and a city that was a modern landmark, more so than that of New York or places similar. It had a tourist quality similar to that of Rome. City of Empires.
Such a dreamy place and yet one red head didn't think it was so lovely. In actual fact she hated London. She hated the river, for the dirt and grime that stuck to it. She hated the streets that she was doomed to walk on but, but most of all she hated the girl in front of her that was forcing her to go shopping with her.
Her godforsaken sister.
"These are the shoes Lily." The fifteen year old jumped and she turned to see the eighteen year old to be tapping her heel against the cold stone.
"Those?" She said gulping and Petunia Evans nodded vaguely and smiled.
"I will be wearing the silver heels: four inches and rather strappy," She smiled and Lily nodded absently. The silver heels went with Petunia's traditional white dress and pushed her to be about an inch shorter than her fiancé instead of being five inches shorter. They also went Petunia's tiara. Ever traditional was Petunia. That was probably why she hated Lily for being able to do Magic. It wasn't ordinary. It didn't follow her rules. Her rules that she'd set for society. Petunia had rules for everything, always had, always would. Magic broke those rules. Therefore she hated it.
"Because I'm having a traditional wedding your cousins Rose and Amelia and my best friend Gertrude will be Brides Maids, you as my sister will be the Matron of Honour. You understand Lily." Lily nodded again absently looking around the store.
"They will be wearing a red dresses and-"
"And I'll be wearing the a darker red dress with gold trimming. I know Pet. It's been you dream since you were seven." Petunia nodded and placed two very strappy gold heels into her hands. Lily blinked. She was a short child by nature and the heels... were not she guess at least five inches on the heels.
"Is it possible to walk in these?" She said frowning at Petunia, who nodded and walked to the cashier.
"I'd like to purchase two pairs of these. Size 7." The cashier nodded leaving Lily to blink.
"Um... Pet. I only need one pair." Petunia turned and raised an eyebrow.
"No, two. I will keep one and you will do something useful at Hogwarts this year."
"This YEAR?" Petunia nodded.
"My wedding is in December, till then you will be learning to walk in the other pair till you can do so, understand Lily." Lily swallowed and glanced at the shoes.
"Ok..."
-break-
"I think these shoes really trim down your figure." Hermione glanced at the saleswoman and pushed the urge to throttle her away. She had no idea why she'd taken Mrs. Dursley's advice. Actually she did.
In the past before Hogwarts, her cousin Amy had been through a break-up and used shopping as therapy. Shopping was a good therapy. It wasn't that she didn't understand Krum's reasons. And it wasn't that she didn't like how he couldn't pronounce her name. And it wasn't like she actually really liked that much, but... but all the same he'd made her feel special. He'd been the reason why girl's and guys alike had noticed that, for once, she, Hermione Granger, was female. And it was that that meant the world to her.
Ron had gotten jealous.
Harry had been left gapping. She had wanted to talk to him now, because he was her friend. He was somebody she'd be able to talk with who didn't gush about boyfriends, like Ginny, who wasn't able to be always with, what it seemed, his foot in his mouth, like Ron, or just didn't understand like her parents.
She sighed and walked into the next store. A second hand store. She was about to walk back out when something shiny caught her eye amongst the grim life that was modern day London.
A pair of shiny wedding shoes.
-break-
"Stupid Goddamn heels. Stupid Goddamn heels." Lily paced around the common room of Gryffindor wearing her heels the only way she knew how to do it. The heels were beginning to hurt and she had yet to travel a successful four meters without falling over, which was why she was in the common room - lots of pillows and soft things. It was past midnight which was why she was practicing - it would be embarrassing for anybody to see her so ungraceful. Actually she could just die if somebody saw her trip like she had so often.
That was when the portrait opened and she hastily jumped into a red sofa, grabbing a blanket to cover her legs, and consequently her heels. She grabbed the nearest book and looked up to see four boys enter laughing.
Sirius Black came first. His dark hair tied loosely in a ponytail, she guessed to prevent it getting in the way when he was causing mischief. He was grinning at a joke one of the others had told.
Next came a rather short boy, with blonde hair cut in a bowler style. He kept snorting as he laughed, which set the others off. He had not the mischievous aura that the others had but he had the type of eyes that told that if he liked the results of something he'd do it.
After that Remus Lupin appeared. Tall, gawky, brown haired and brown eyed. The prefect badge was doing it's best job to hide under a cloak, almost like he was nervous about breaking the rules.
Last came THAT Boy. The boy she hated. The boy sauntered into the room, laughing at the short boy. Peter Pettigrew. His hand sweeping through his black hair making it look like he'd just gotten off his broom his hazel eyes glimmering with the intent that said Mischief Managed. She glared and a smile alighted her face.
"I hope you boys had fun tonight. After all, it's a automatic detention to be caught after curfew." All four boys jumped and turned, looking at her. Peter blinked and James Potter swallowed heavily before he realised that it was not 'Minnie' but Lily Evans.
He grinned and Peter looked at him, an aura of confidence quickly taking over his face.
"Too bad you won't tell on us, Lils." She gritted her teeth. Lils. How she hated that nickname.
"Why not, Forks?" She asked in reply and he gritted his teeth. She destroyed his nickname as soon as she'd heard it. Prongs. She'd told him that only Forks had Prongs. So she'd called him Forks. How he hated it.
"You won't tell on the Mauraders!" Sirus stated a grin appearing over his face and she looked at him and raised an eyebrow.
"And why not?"
"Because we were pranking Slytherin's." Peter said cooly and she raised an eyebrow.
"That's worth at least the removal of fifty points, don't you think Lupin?" The all turned to look at Lupin who suddenly found the roof very facinating. She gave them an irritating smirk before returning to her book, which she discovered was called: The ways of the Animangus.
Four sets of eyes trailed down to read the cover and four sets widened.
"That's mine EVANS!" Roared Potter and grinned to herself mischievously.
-break-
She grinned to herself in spite of herself. They looked so beautiful and girly. She knew that those shoes would make anybody feel feminine. But wasn't that the job of such shoes? To take away what seemed to be a girl's masculinity, immaturity and make her look like a woman. Isn't that why girls wore such heels, certainly not for comfort that was for sure.
She flipped them over, certain that they wouldn't be her size. For her height she knew she had unusual sized feet. Sevens usually. And to her surprise the shoes were sevens. She grinned to herself as she marched towards the checkout.
The shoes would go wonderfully with the dress she'd purchased a stores ago.
-break-
Lily smiled to herself and lay against the sofa. Making herself comfortable.
"Really James? I didn't know you were that interested in Transfiguration. Do you want to become an Animagus?" Peter laughed.
"He doesn't want-" He began but Sirius's hand covered the smaller boys mouth and he gave him a warning look.
"Pity, you'd only become a Vulture. Ugly creature." James' eyes flashed eerily as she curled her blanketed feet onto the sofa.
"Give me back my book Evans." She grinned again, a grin similiar to the grin that the boys had given each other when talking about their mischief.
"Aw, is Forks going to get angry?" She taunted and he forced out the next words.
"I hate you Evans." She blinked and then smiled again.
"Yeah, don't be scared. The feeling mutual." She said and turned the next page.
"Oh, wow! It says that-" She didn't get to finish her sentence for James Potter had hurled himself at her, missing and over tipping the sofa.
She lay on upside down sofa for a moment blinked dazedly and then fury over took her as she realised what James Potter had done. She stood up and glared at the boy on the floor.
"That's it Potter. You're dead."
-break-
Hermione gave a small sigh as she looked at her reflection. The heels looked okay, she guessed and the creamy coloured cocktailed dressed with gold trim looked nice as well. She smiled and let down her hair. Her bushy hair which she glared at and puffed beside her head but there was almost nothing she could do to it.
She gritted her teeth and walked back out into the street, which instead of the muggle city she'd been in before now was the muggle community. She thanked the gods that she knew how to walk in high heels and walked out, holding on her bag and going towards the street. Her parents had handed her money to be transferred this time. Apparently they trusted the fifteen year old to be a big girl. She was going to buy her books, and she was going to do it in a new outfit. Why? Because she felt like it.
However luck was against her and halfway through her shopping the sky let out an ominous growl and she swore as the rain began to pelt down.
"Damn it!" She yelped as it hit her and she bolted, not thinking of any spells (if she'd been allowed to use them anyway) that would keep the rain off of her.
That's when she realised that high heels weren't made for running in and she tripped, falling, falling, falling.
Until somebody caught her. She blinked in surprise and looked up into an even taller person than she was. He must've been at least six foot three for she was easily (without the heels) five nine, and to her disappointment still growing (her mother had once done an analysis of her hands telling that she'd be at least six foot by the time she stopped growing which she discovered to her horror was out of time with the other girls. ) His blonde hair fell about his face, dragged down as her own was by the rain.
"Thank you." She muttered and he blinked and slowly the realisation dawned upon each other and they sprung away from each other as quickly as they could.
"Malfoy!"
"Granger!"
-break-
He stared at her in shock. She still looked exactly like the girl he'd spent most of his schooling with... except something was different. Something had changed her.
Did she look more mature? No.
Was she wearing make-up? No.
Was it the dress? Defineately Not.
What was it then? He scrunitised her again trying to think of a hex that would make this feeling go away, as she glared at him straight in the eyes. Something about her made her more attractive. Made her like the girls he snogged in the hallway. Made her look more beautiful then them. For now she didn't look like a snot nosed prefect, which he knew her to be. That's when it hit him.
She was taller.
Had she grown?
He looked down at her feet, shapely feet.
With shapely ankles.
He bit his tongue.
It was the shoes.
It must've been.
They made her... they made her... They made her look hot.
They changed everything about her.
-break-
Lily glared at him but to her annoyance he wasn't responding. She smiled and spun, ready to go upstairs... that's when she realised she was walking in the godsforsaken shoes. She grinned and started to walk away when she heard a throaty voice behind her.
"Evans!" It called and she turned slightly. There was Potter and he was staring at her like she'd grown two heads. She raised an eyebrow.
"Forks?" He glowered and she did a loose grin.
"Evans, don't you ever wear those shoes again." The grin faded and she stormed upstairs in fury. The door slam was heard in the common room. Sirius whistled.
"You know, Prongsie. I'd say that you were staring at Evans like you stare at Alice when you know Frank isn't looking." James spun and Peter spluttered.
"That's because Alice is beautiful." Sirius raised an eyebrow and Remus coughed.
"Do you think Prongsie that Lily is beautiful." and James started to shake his head hard before he stopped.
"It was those shoes." He muttered sitting down on the overturned sofa.
"They must be magical. It's her new trick against me." Remus coughed and Sirius spluttered before laughing.
"Prongsie. I'm afraid the only thing that's magical about those shoes is what's magical about every set of highheels."
"What? You must tell me." James looked desperate and Sirius sighed.
"You sound like your in love with Lily Evans." James spluttered.
"I can't get that damn image out of my head. With those shoes she was..." That's when Peter fired into life.
"Hot!" All four fifteen year olds nodded in acknowledgement but it was Sirius who explained it all.
"Prongsie, the only thing magical about those shoes is that highheels, dare I say it, have the power to make almost any female to the eyes of man, hot." James swallowed and the Marauders looked at each other sorrowfully.
"We have to find a cure for men everywhere!" James said resolutely and the four nodded.
In her dormitory Lily Evan shuddered, looking at the cursed shoes that had hurt her feet. She vowed that when she'd been to Petunia's wedding that she would sell them and Petunia's good pair. The hungry look she'd seen in James' eyes. Her worst enemies eyes. Had been far too scary to deal with. And it was the cursed shoes fault.
-break-
The fifteen year old blinked hard and shook his head to dispell any lingering spell as Granger stared at him like he was mad, or had grown another head. An idea grabbed him and he pulled her close and ran into the nearest store. It happened to be, conviently abandoned.
She pushed him away again.
"What was that about?" She asked spitting fumes and he smiled.
"It was wet out there." She raised an eyebrow and he almost choked.
"Why are you wearing that!" He asked exclaiming and curiously she looked down at what she was wearing.
"... I thought you knew I was a muggle." She said looking at him like he'd grown a second head.
"I mean you are the idiot who calls me Mudblood." He glowered at her and decided she had no idea what he was talking about.
"I meant the shoes Granger." She blinked and looked at the highheels.
"I know they are impractical for rainy weather but don't you think they look nice." He growled. It was obvious she was in a flippant mood, the Hermione he knew from school was nothing like this. Stupid know-it-all. Either that or she had discovered that was the best way to annoy him.
"Are you delibrately trying to annoy me?" Her eyes grew stony and his question was answered. Yes. She was.
"Don't wear them again." He stated softly and brown eyes met ice blue. Mud met Ice. Or so he felt like it did.
"Are you trying to patronising Malfoy!" She said glaring.
"No! I am not!" Her eyes met his, stating doubt. The rain wasn't letting up, in any case it was increasing.
"Really?" She sounded sarcastic and his eyes darted outside again.
"Look Hermione. Dangerous times have started. Why are you walking around dressed like that." He emphasised those words and she gave a small smile.
"I'm dressed like this Malfoy because it is my sixteenth birthday. Happy? I'm dressed like this because wizards don't see the importance of a sixteenth birthday. I'm dressed like this because nobody, nobody really cares if I am female." She stated staring at his eyes and he took a step back.
"So you are just going to flaunt it infront of everybody you see." She blinked and Malfoy sighed.
"I hate you Granger, I really do. However Hogwarts own looks after Hogwarts Own, if you know what I mean, and I'm pretty big on school spirit." She looked at him dubiously and he ignored the look.
"Just listen to me, Don't wear those shoes again. Especially in these dark times." And with that Malfoy left. Shaking his head trying to make himself actually think and Hermione blinked. Confused. What the hell?
Draco sighed as he left the store and into the dense rain, the friendly, but drunken voice of Theodore Nott floated into his head.
"Draco, you know, High heels make girls look hot. I mean they should become part of the school uniform. It would make Hogwarts a helluva lot funner if you know what I mean."
Draco decided to go straight home, his mother had asked him to pick up a jewellery piece that she hadn't trusted to be apparated or flowed or owled and he'd already done that. He was confused and needed to work that tension out.
-break-
At that moment, across time and place two boys sat down on their respective beds and groaned about stupid high heels. Deciding to ban them completely for that was the only healthy answer to their problems.
------------------------
AN/ Give me your opinion. I'm curious. Is it too long? Could it have been broken up better, Was it confusing? Tell me. I need to know! Anyway, the idea of this came to me when I remembered the words of a friend of mine when we had our formal rehersal at school, the girls wanted to practice with their shoes and he told us that we should wear these shoes instead of our school shoes because they make us look hotter. Personally although they hurt they make you feel completely different once your over the nervousness.