AN- Thank you to those who are taking the time to read this story! It's something that I had been working on a long time ago, and just recently found again. It is likely a well worn theme, but I hope to make it at least an enjoyable one. Please let me know what you think, reviews are welcome!

The year of change.

Chapter 1

Seriously?!' She thought. 'Can puberty last this long?'

She was nearly 18 damnit! She was supposed to be an adult now! But no, she groaned as she took off her bra. Instant relief flooded her senses as the constricting undergarment was removed.

This was just one of the changes she had noticed over the summer. Now, of all things her breasts were getting bigger.

"I guess that means I'll have to wear my sports bra and go shopping tomorrow." She mused quietly as she got ready for bed.

Other changes that she had experienced over the summer included her hair having had a growth spurt. If that was possible. In one month it had grown nearly 4 extra inches. So now her mass of unruly curls fell haphazardly to the middle of her back. She was now 5'7", which she wasn't sure about because it made her legs look ridiculously long. Even though her mother said not to worry because guys liked that.

And lastly every blemish she had ever had faded significantly. The deep scars she had obtained during the war were now barely there faint lines on her otherwise flawless skin. When she had noticed this she had thought smugly to herself that Lavender Brown could go kick bricks after suggesting that she use skin cream last year.

Three more days and she'd show that tart! This Hermione had better skin then that simpering banshee could ever hope to have! What the hell had Ronald ever seen in her?

Her heart fluttered as she passed by her already packed trunk. She was going back to Hogwarts. It was technically her 8th year but seeing as how she never actually experienced her 7th year she was excited because she would be sharing some of her classes with her best girlfriend Ginny Weasley.

Harry and Ron were coming back as well, and she was excited to see who else. The war had devastated many, and she would be surprised if there were some that chose simply to move on with their lives. Her class had been offered the option to test out. Which she thought was ridiculous because there was bound to be material on there that they couldn't possibly know, and then what would be the point if you didn't do your best! Besides that, she had spent the last couple years having to be more grown than she felt. And she just wanted to have at least one year in which she could just be a student. Just a girl with mediocre problems and not life threatening ones. Although Padma would probably argue with her that the wrong outfit was life threatening. …

She sighed. She wished that could have been the worst of her problems growing up.

Crawling in bed she turned out the lamplight and snuggled in. Tomorrow she was going to go shopping and then to the burrow for the last few days of summer break before school started.

Maybe she could just be a girl this year, with normal girl problems. That would be nice.

oOo

Furrowing her brows she held up the item inspecting the quality.

She was bra shopping and being the practical girl she was she was trying to find something that was sensible and supportive.

"What are you looking at?"

"A bra Ginny, what does it look like?"

"S'it fer yer grandmum?"

She side glanced at her friend glaring at her briefly before turning her eyes back on the undergarment.

"I need new bras." She stated simply as she placed the garment she was inspecting in her basket. To which Ginny promptly snatched it out of the basket and tossed it back on the rack.

"No. I'm holding a one woman intervention. I don't think yer mom would wear that."

"Ginny, seriously, I need a bra."

"An' you'll get one. A good one with matching panties. Maybe several. Even if I have to buy them for you. I can't in good conscience let you buy granny undergarments for yourself. You're a beautiful woman and you need to start embracing it!"

The determined red head had dragged her over to the section that held the more racy selections. Everything from push-up bras to demi, and strapless. In various fabrics from silks and satins to lace and…less lace.

After much pestering her friend had gotten her new bra size out of her and now was tossing various sets into her basket. These sets included thongs and lacy shorts style panties to dainty bikini cut numbers that barely covered her bottom and it was decided for her that they would hit the spa to….tend the garden as Ginny had so tactfully put it.

She rolled her eyes at the thought as they made their way out of the boutique. They had three more hours before they were going to meet the boys. So they decided to go to the wizarding spa to handle business. Ginny dragging her along had said it would be her treat. Congratulations for Hermione getting Head girl, to which she was reminded that she had also been made secondary Head girl. But was waved off and told to deal with it, because it was happening.

So she let herself get dragged into the spa. Much to her disdain Ginny had also decided that they were getting manicures and pedicures and something was going to be done about the thing on her head. Hermione pouted at that, but relented to the girl's enthusiasm.

It was likely not going to do any good, but she had learned a while ago that if Ginny wanted you to do something you should indulge her or else you would get a lot of attitude. And this was hardly something worth fighting over.

So now here she was sitting in a chair while some wizard was scrubbing her head roughly glaring down at her while she was leaned back at the hair washing station.

"It should be a crime to let one's hair get this bad." He looked over his shoulder at her friend who was at another station getting her pedicure. "You weren't exaggerating about having an emergency dear!"

Hermione rolled her eyes as the man finished rinsing and then wrapped a towel around her head and led her to another station.

"Alright, so what are we doing with this?" He gestured despairingly at her head. Hermione sighed again and flipped her hand outwardly towards Ginny.

"Ask her apparently she is the one with the emergency." She rolled her eyes again.

The man looked back at Ginny who grinned wickedly. "Whatever you think is best Raulie"

The man suddenly looked positively giddy.

"Free reign?!" He clapped excitedly.

Hermione couldn't help but wonder what the hell she had gotten herself into.

Several hair treatments later a trim and some chestnut lowlights to 'create more dimension' in her hair. It now lay in loose spirals all over and much to her unwilling delight she could now run her fingers through it and not run into snags.

It had been layered a somewhat and now she had bangs that fell just past her eyes but swooped to the side slightly. Showing off a freshly shaped eyebrow. They had used a technique called threading. Muggle tactic really but it had been explained that while magic was used in most cases, an area as small as the eyebrow could be easily messed up unless the caster had an extremely steady hand. And since her brows were in need of some serious TLC, they option for a more hands-on attempt.

A slip of paper with straightening spells and a bag full of product, her fingers in a French manicure and her toes a dark plum, and certain areas still stinging…. Ginny and herself finally met up with the boys.

She silently thanked Ginny for her intervention when she saw Ron's face turn pink and he started sputtering his hellos. Harry grinned at Ginny.

"Nice work."

Hermione frowned . "Why do I feel like there is a conspiracy in there somewhere."

"Who do you think funded our treatments?"

"Your treat my arse GINNY!" She swung her bag at the laughing girl.

"Come on, let's get back. I bet yer mum has supper ready and you know how she'll get if we're late."

They all nodded at Hermione's words and as they made their way to the apparition point she couldn't help but smile inwardly when she noticed Ron kept stealing glances at her.

oOo