AN: Hello readers! It's so good to get reviews from you and so I was so motivated by them, I finished this story in 2 days.
Part of the reason why I wanted to get this up is because I would like to thank my readers. This is the first time I have this chance so here goes:
Thank you for those who have reviewed:
ladybella101, georginacastleorpington, MrsBlaCKwIfeY and Erindanus1123
Thanks for those of you who have added this story to their alert list:
ladybella101, georginacastleorpington, MrsBlaCKwIfeY and minerdude
Thank you to the people who have favourited this story:
MrsBlaCKwIfeY, Kit-Kat931, elainamichelle
And thank you ladybella101 for adding me to your favourites and alerts
Special thanks to Erindanus1123 for all her help and I really haven't thanked her enough! =MWA= kisses
Once again, please R&R! Long reviews = Love
Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter or any of its characters apart from Aira, Cadria and Chantelle. They are mine! You can have them if you want though :)
Queen Bees and Wannabes
Chapter Two: Ugly ducklings and fake lashes
It had been a whole week since Hermione had last spoken to Pansy in her room. After being dumped, Pansy was getting thinner, a sure sign that she wasn't doing too well. Hermione desperately wanted to help her, to question Pansy why she was letting a bastard ruin her life, but every time the brunette got close to her and made a move to speak she was immediately greased off by Pansy and pushed away by those around her. So Pansy did have friends after all. Hermione felt relieved at this but could not help but wonder why they had not come to her rescue that time.
It was another week before Pansy made a move to talk to Hermione. This time Pansy's dark hair was loosely falling onto her shoulders and her aura, if possible, was even more attention demanding than before. So Pansy was better.
"Granger, I've come to do what I promised. Let's just get this over with."
Few other thoughts were entertained n Hermione's mind before Pansy had grabbed her by the arm and dragged her in the direction of the dungeons…
Hermione found herself face to face with the group of girls that were around Pansy before, the ones who had shoved her away. She swallowed nervously, not knowing how Pansy was going to explain this to them. Little explanations were needed however, as she realised that these girls were in fact smiling at her. Or at least opening their mouths and showing her their perfectly white teeth.
There was one girl who stood a head taller than the other two. Her complexion was smooth and olive toned. The girl's features were aristocratic from the tall European nose to the prominent cheek bones. Dark, glossy, brown waves lusciously cascaded down her shoulders reaching her waist. Hermione thought that this must have been one of the most beautiful girls she had ever set eyes on.
Not to outdone by the obvious authority of the previous girl, the two other girls were brilliant blondes. They were twins. One stood up tall and proud with an air that said: People adore me and so should you. The second girl shrunk into her thin frame but her bright eyes were focused shyly, albeit intensely on Hermione's. Both girls were adorned with the same beautiful features: Blue-green eyes shielded beneath long, thick lashes. The two girls remind Hermione of a pair of dolls. The proud girl wore her hair with the fringe pinned back and the rest of her hair in two long pigtails. The smaller, shyer girl's hair was cropped short and stylish with a straight fringe that cut across her forehead.
"This is Aira, Cadria and Chantelle." Pansy pointed out each girl to Hermione in turn.
She then turned around to give brief instructions to the group of girls who all gleamed at Hermione before looking towards Pansy.
"Alright girls, I want a thorough job. No excuses. And at least try to tame that thing on top of her head."
Despite Pansy's words, Hermione could see a glint of excitement in her eyes as she attacked Hermione with a pair of scissors.
Standing in front of the mirror, Hermione's eyes were wide with amazement. True to her word, Pansy and her friends were experts in fashion and had turned the ugly little duckling into a beautiful white swan, fluffy white feathers included.
In the reflection stood a girl of Hermione's height and build. The girl behind the glass donned a black, strapless, silk dress that cinched at her waist and ended just before her knees. A thick white sash of smooth material ran across her stomach to form a bow at the back. It was simple but it suited her. Moving her gaze downwards, following the thin legs she stopped at the feet, which sported a pair of black stilettos. Quickly she shifted her eyes to look back up again and found herself to be wearing a long pearl necklace which had been wrapped twice around her neck and settled just under her chest. She gingerly reached up with one hand to touch it and knew the pearls were real, not some cheap imitation. Her wrists were similarly decorated with matching jewellery, but the whole effect was kept to a minimum and not overdone. They had done a good job. Hermione was surprised to find that even her hair had been tamed. What was normally a frizz of revolt, the girls had taken advantage of its natural contour and Pansy with her scissors had thinned it out. It now sat piled on top of her head in a loose yet classy bun and the loose hair that had once driven Hermione mad now fell about framing her face, and made a statement that said: casual, but nevertheless elegant.
"You look gorgeous!" It was Aira, the eldest of the girls who had spoken. As if motivated by this comment from the second in command, the two younger girls which Hermione had yet to recall the names of started excitedly talking at once.
"Oh my God! You TOTALLY do, babe! We did a good job, riiight?" Cadria ―or was it Chantelle― had all but jumped in front of Hermione in her excitement.
"Um…. Yeah….thank you!" Hermione was at a loss for words because the voice of Cadria (she had remembered the name after a minute) was way too high and girly for her liking.
Hermione found that she much preferred Chantelle's demureness than Cadria's loud and girly personality. The small girl turned towards Hermione, her voice soft and childish sounding. "She's right you know. You look pretty." No large gestures or loud screaming in her ear (unlike Cadria) was needed for Hermione to experience the meaning and truth behind those words. Hermione found that it was too easy to like the shy girl.
The only one who had not made a comment was Pansy. All four pairs of eyes turned to look at their leader, who simply said to her audience, "Come on. Time to show off our work."
By now it was dinner time and they four girls were almost running late. On the way to the Great Hall, Hermione found herself whispering in the ear of Pansy.
"I really like this new makeover, but how exactly is this going to help me become popular?"
"Shush. Listen to me and follow my instructions. I promise you that pretty soon every boy will be falling at your feet."
"I don't want…." Hermione peered over her shoulder to catch the smile that Pansy threw her. She smiled back and wondered whether this might be the first time Pansy, the Queen Bee of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, had done so. And more importantly, she thought to herself, whether that smile will happen again.
Pansy, Hermione, Aira, Cadria and Chantelle stood in front of the massive doors which lead to the Great Hall. They were officially the last students to enter.
"Ready?" Pansy whispered into Hermione's ear.
Hermione took a deep breath and nodded shakily.
"Relax," Aira smiled at her (Hermione was starting to get used to having the most popular and prettiest girls in school smile at her now), "We have to show the whole school our newest project."
Though normally Hermione would have instantly felt anger at being referred to as a 'project', Aira's words were said without malice beneath them and strung together in such a way that she felt sudden calmness.
That was before the girls pushed the doors open. Immediately thousands of pairs of eyes were fixed on the group, and mostly importantly, HER. Hermione forced herself to meet the eyes of everyone in the room and found on their faces, unadulterated shock. Her eyes went to the Gryffindor table to see Harry with his mouth open, food still in it. Ron's face was flushed every bit as red as his hair and this took her back to fourth year, the Yule Ball. She bit back a smile. Ginny managed to catch her attention and silently mouthed to her 'congrats' and raised a thumbs up.
Unintentionally, Hermione's eyes drifted to the Slytherin table where Draco sat. She was surprised but happy that even the Prince of Slytherin, who was in no dire lack of gorgeous girls, was ―dare she say― eyeing her with lust. She smirked his famous smirk. Feeling quite courageous now, she caught the eyes of several boys and winked at them, then proceeded to blow kisses. She could hear the laughter of delight coming from behind her and turned back for a brief moment to give them a slight wave, before heading off in the direction of the Gryffindor table.
A hand grabbed hers and she was surprised that Pansy was tugging at it, pulling her in the direction of the Slytherins. Hermione gave a little gasp at was Pansy was requiring her to do, but Pansy gave her a look that said: 'Protest and I will have your head' and all but dragged her to the table of green and silver. Hermione felt an arm wrap around her waist and looked up to meet the sly look in Aira's eyes. Caught between Pansy and Aira, the unwilling Gryffindor was taken towards the rival house, with Chantelle and Cadria following behind giggling.
Hermione was confused when Pansy's group made for the head of the table, the place where Draco and Blaise were dominating. Sensing her confusion, Pansy whispered to her, "The top will always sit at the top. Everything is fine between us now."
As if proving her point, Draco cheerfully greeted them.
"Pansy, Aira, Cadria, Chantelle. We were all waiting for you. And tell me, what have you done with Hermione Granger?" Draco flashed Hermione a wink at this stage and this gave her a slight jolt. Draco Malfoy, hater of all muggles, Gryffindors, know-it-alls and virgins (the four core points that defined Hermione's existence) had just winked at her. The last time Hermione checked, mortal enemies who hated each other did NOT go around giving each other suggestive winks. When at last she registered this fact, the other girls were all seated in the only spare chairs.
"Need a chair Granger? Come sit here." Draco patted his lap, which made Cadria and Chantelle cough hard to stifle their giggles.
"That's enough Draco. Hitting on a girl in front of your ex-girlfriend is not nice, especially when she also happens to be the friend of said ex." Pansy's voice was light and teasing, but the message beneath her words did not go unnoticed. So Pansy wasn't as over Draco as she made out to be.
"Oh come on Pans," Draco used his favourite nickname for his friend, "You know I'm only joking. Besides, where is she going to sit?"
All it took was one look from Pansy to a wannabe that was sitting next to Blaise for the seat to be vacated. Hermione threw a questioning glance towards Pansy that asked, you want me to sit next to Blaise? Pansy shrugged to answer her question.
Hermione walked around the table to the side near the wall where the seat was and sat down. Now, the seating arrangement went: wannabe, fan girl, wannabe, wannabe, Hermione and Blaise on the side with the wall, facing all the other houses. Draco, of course, sat at the head of the table and on his left sat Pansy, looking every bit a queen surrounded by her royal subjects. Aira, Cadria and Chantelle sat facing Blaise and Hermione (and the desperate wannabe) in that order from the head of the table, down. Hermione was surprised to find that Crabbe and Goyle were not sitting with them and searched for them. She was sure that at the last dinner they had been sitting in this exact spot.
"They ate too much yesterday and fell sick." Blaise surprised her by reading her mind.
"Oh"
"I like the change, Granger."
"Thanks"
"Pansy must have cast a powerful glamour charm over you to make you look this good."
"Nope, she didn't. But thank you?"
"Are those fake lashes? Nobody can have eyelashes that long."
"No Zabini, everything is au natural except for the mascara."
"Really? Mind if I feel them to check?"
Hermione rolled her eyes good naturedly at Blaise's obvious flirting. She was astonished that talking to him would be so easy. Hermione at this point turned towards the teachers. Didn't they realise that the Head Girl, a Gryffindor, was sitting on the Slytherin table? Even more so, the Head Girl who happened to be Hermione Granger was sitting with people who were supposed to be her mortal enemies at the head of the Slytherin table.
Sitting wherever you want is one of the privileges of being a Head Granger. Besides, the teachers are probably overjoyed at what they think might be the unity of the Heads and the two rival houses.
The voice of Draco Malfoy had entered her head.
Hey! Get out Malfoy! Give me some personal space!
If you want personal space then why are you wearing that Granger? The sure fire way to guarantee personal space is to not shower for a week and wear the ghastly hair like you normally do.
Bugger off Malfoy. The only person I want personal space away from is YOU.
Ouch that hurts Granger, cut me real deep.
Good. Now, leave me alone or I'll hex you.
Fine. Not that I'm scared of you, but you are getting boring anyway.
Fine. Good.
Fine. I…
I thought you were leaving Malfoy.
I am. Just. Watch. Me.
Hermione was relieved when Draco got out of her head. What was with him anyway? One minute he would hate her and the next he was showing an unusual amount of interest in her. Boys, they were something that the female species would never understand.
Dinner ended without any further surprises, and soon Hermione found herself walking back to the Head dorms after parting hugs and kisses to her new girlfriends. Before she even made it there, Hermione was ambushed by a pair of hands. The first thought she had was that it was Draco, because he did share the dorm with her, but a woman's voice brought a smile to her lips.
"Ginny!"
Ginny Weasley had on a look of anger, but at the same time curiosity.
"Why did you sit at the Slytherin table?"
"Sorry Ginny, I was literally dragged there by Pansy and Aira. They wouldn't let me sit with the Gryffindors."
"So now you are on first name terms with them?"
Hermione had not realised that she no longer called Pansy, 'Parkinson' or Aira, 'Lettamen'. Cadria and Chantelle she had never met before because they were in the year below, Ginny's year.
"Sorry Ginny, I just wanted―"
"―to be popular." Ginny finished off for her. Ginny was her best girlfriend so of course she could read her mind. "Now, answer my next question. Are you willing to share your newfound popularity and male attention?"
Ginny smiled at Hermione to show that she wasn't angry with her.
"So, are you willing to share it all with me, your best girlfriend? Or am I dropped because you have other friends now?"
"Sure Ginny. You ARE my best girlfriend after all."
"Okay, I trust you."
The two girls mutually exchanged grins before parting each to their own ways, anxious to be in bed after a long day.
Preview for chapter 3:
"I'm serious, Granger. Why else would I wink at you at dinner last night?" Draco's eyes were wide with mock hurt. He blinked twice and put on an innocent face.
"You winked at me? I was under the impression that it was your eye twitching. Honestly Malfoy, I do believe you are under too much fatigue because of the Quidditch training." ...
R&R! I'm holding the next chapter hostage! Nah, just kidding. I love posting up new chapters too much to deny you them.
Love it? Hate it? Leave a review thanks!
- Y