Disclaimer:

This story is based on characters and situations created and owned by JK Rowling, various publishers including but not limited to Bloomsbury Books, Scholastic Books and Raincoast Books, and Warner Bros., Inc. No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended.

ONE: Head Girl

Hermione Granger looked in the mirror and smiled in pure female satisfaction. Looking back at her was a willowy brunette. She had finally grown up this summer. Now she had curves in just the right places, at least if the stares and whistles she got at the beach were anything to go by. And her hair had finally sorted itself out. Who'd have thought that all it needed was an extra five inches. The extra length added weight to her now waist long hair and it fell down her back in large soft curls. It was also highlighted with strands of dark gold. She had used a lemon rinse before and after going to the beach and exposing her hair to the sun. And after using a simple charm it would stay that way for as long as she liked. Her gaze drifted to her face and she softly patted it dry before applying some soft bronze eye shadow. She studied her face as objectively as possible. Her eyes were almond shaped and a startling shade of honey brown. "Gypsy eyes" a besotted Frenchman had called them. Her nose was alright. A "cute" upturned button of a nose. It wrinkled as Hermione giggled remembering how that same Frenchman had said it made him want to "eet 'er up".

"Those French sure are weird," she thought "but great kissers."

Another giggle. Next her gaze wandered to her lips, not too full and not too thin.

"Just right, Goldilocks".

Hermione applied some strawberry flavored lip gloss to her lips. She smacked them and thought of tonight.

"Hmmm... another layer or two should do it," she thought with another giggle.

She admired her "tantoo" as Emma called it. It was something the two girls had picked up while beach hopping along the Cote d'Azure in the South of France. Since quite a few of those had been swimsuits optional beaches, they had gotten quite an eyeful and noticed these "tantoos". The sun worshippers had placed stickers on any part of their bodies everyday they went to the beach. By repeatedly placing the same sticker on the same spot a tattoo was made in the contrast between the tanned and the untanned skin of the body. Hermione had gone through several sheets of dragon stickers before she had used an undetectable sticking charm on her dragon. She had chosen the spot just to the right of her left hipbone below her belly button, which was now pierced. Hermione wore a dangling diamond teardrop in her belly button. Both were only visible if she wore low rise jeans or hip hugging skirts. This was always, now, thanks to Jean-Luc.

Hermione smiled fondly as she thought of Jean-Luc. Jean-Luc was in the fashion industry in Milan. When she and Emma had run across him in a fashion show they thought it love at first sight. He was a total babe. Unfortunately for them he was also as gay as they came. But they had laughed off the girls' foiled attempts of hitting on him and become fast friends. Jean-Luc had helped Emma and Hermione build up a totally catcall worthy wardrobe from all the left over designer clothes from his fashion shoots. And had his partner (in life), a make-up artist teach them how to achieve a "she doesn't need make-up" make-up face.

Hermione wrapped a towel around her now dry skin and went to her wardrobe. Thank goodness she had left a couple of club outfits along with her bikinis, shorts, and tanks and not sent them home along with the rest of her wardrobe. Not that she had actually worn those bikinis often. Hermione shivered and still couldn't believe her daring. Where had she found the courage to go nude? Probably from Emma. But she did have an awesome all over tan to show for that.

"Thanks Emma," she thought. "Thank goodness for Emma." Hermione had befriended Emma when the girls were both seven years old. Ever since then they'd become inseparable. Emma even knew about Hermione being a witch. She was a bit envious about that but "it looks like it involves a lot of homework. You're always doing homework, Hermione." And if something involved hard work, Emma played least in sight. Emma put forward an innocent, goody-two-shoes face to the world. But if you got to know her as well as Hermione had you were in for a shock. Emma liked to party – hard. And Emma simply loved boys—men. Hanging around Emma, Hermione's badder self developed even more over the summers when she was away from the dubious influences of Ron and Harry. Emma had seen a couple of photos of Harry and Ron and she could see where Hermione got off on liking Ron.

"But Harry's way cuter! Not to mention more famous, but after last year, I can see where Ron has acquired more appeal." Emma had said one afternoon.

"Yes, he is. But Harry is also like a brother to me. I love both him and Ron. Ron's just -- you know. Anyway, Harry's with Ginny now." Hermione had responded. And that had been the end of that conversation.

She picked out a cream colored satin mini-skirt with a black scallop trim on the hem, a tan tank top with a tan mesh overlay and a thong. Panty lines were a definite fashion don't, according to Jean-Luc. She got dressed and pulled on some black flip-flops. She usually ended up dancing barefoot and losing her heels, so why bother?

"There. Done." Now she had a few minutes to think about tonight. She was going to a club in downtown Madrid with Emma and two Spanish boys that Emma had found. And later they were going to go for a walk along the beach.

"Ah, the beach" she thought. She had probably visited every beach in France, Spain, and Italy. Thanks to her repeatedly being the top student at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, her parents came up with this idea of backpacking across Europe. They waited until Hermione was almost seventeen, made her take her best muggle friend Emma (thank goodness they had no inkling of what Emma was really like), and had made her swear up and down that she wouldn't do anything "irresponsible or stupid". Hermione winced as she thought of what she knowingly was getting herself into tonight. Definitely classified as "irresponsible" AND "stupid".

"But Ron's worth it."

Hermione thought about her plan for her seventh and final year at Hogwarts. She had worked hard all summer to get the perfect body. When going to the beach, Hermione had actually gone swimming and not just lain on the beach towel as Emma had. Now she had a well-toned body, not too muscular though.

"Hopefully that'll be enough," thought Hermione. "Maybe with my more feminine figure, Ron will finally see me as a woman and not as a bookworm. And when Ron gets me – boy will he be pleased!" Hermione blushed, thinking about what she'd done all summer. She was still a virgin, not that the cute European guys hadn't tried to cure her of that. She mentally rolled her eyes. She could've had any one of them if she had wanted. But she wanted her first time to be special. Mostly those European guys had been used as practice for Ron. To say that her snogging skills were "acceptable" would be the understatement of the day. She wasn't top student at Hogwarts for nothing. Fast learner that she was – she'd become a pro.

Hermione's eyes took on a dreamy look as she thought about her situation with Ron. Or more accurately, the lack of a situation between them. She was going to try her hardest to rectify that. She'd decided that when she walked into Hogwarts this year she'd be a virgin. But she'd sure as hell walk out a woman! She'd gotten her letter from Hogwarts that morning. Hermione had been named Head Girl! She'd sent her parents, Ron, Ginny, and Harry the good news as soon as the owl had revived itself. She wondered a moment as to who the Head Boy was. She hoped it was Harry, but she'd find out soon enough. Oh well. Instead she thought about how as Head Girl she'd have her own living quarters – shared with the Head Boy, of course – but still, all her own. Hermione thought about how, when she and Ron finally hooked up, she'd invite him to her dormitory and there they would finally ---.

Her thoughts were abruptly interrupted as Emma burst into the room.

"Hermione! You ready yet? Great! Let's go! Ramón and Carlos are waiting in the lobby. Just wait till you see them! Mmmm. Yummy. I've outdone myself this time if I do say so myself. And I do. Oh they're just beautiful! I call Carlos." All this in one breath.

"Whoa Emma! Breathe! I'm coming." Hermione said laughing.

"Yeah – whatever. Just think of all the "practice" you'll get out of Ramón tonight!"

Hermione's face lit up with a mischievous grin and a speculative gleam entered her eye. She wondered if the Spanish really were as "hot-blooded" as they claimed.