The Ultimate Payback
Disclaimer; I do not own Harry Potter and I am not getting any payment or royalties from this story. Everyone and everything Harry Potter related belongs to J.K Rowling. Only the plot is mine.
Chapter 1; Lavender Brown
"I really don't think this is a good idea guys." Ginny said to Luna, Colin, and Neville.
"It's a great idea!" Colin countered. "Now stop moving."
Ginny Weasley sat in a chair in the empty History of Magic classroom. Luna, Neville, and Colin had dragged her here after the feast. Colin was determined to give Ginny a whole new look. He had made Luna and Ginny sort through their trunks for some decent clothing he could alter for Ginny.
Right now Colin was cutting her hair as Luna sorted through the clothes they had brought.
"It's not going to be too short right?" Ginny asked fearfully, she loved her long hair.
"No, it will stay pretty much the same length; I'm just adding some style to it." Colin answered as he titled Ginny's head to the side.
"How come I have never seen you wear any of these Gin?" Neville asked. He was sorting through all her old jewellery.
Ginny looked over at the necklaces Neville was holding up. "Because they are all tarnished sliver." Ginny wrinkled her nose in disgust.
"Let me see those Neville." Colin said. He stopped cutting Ginny's hair and held out his hand for Neville to pass him the necklaces. "These will work great. They go perfectly with the look I have in mind."
"But they are faded sliver. It's gross and old." Ginny said wrinkling her nose again.
"A simple charm will make the sliver shine and give it the look of new sliver that is meant to appear tarnished." Colin said waving a hand at Ginny's statement.
"Oh I know that charm, here pass me those and continue Ginny's hair." Luna said dropping the shirt that was in her hands.
Colin went back to Ginny's hair and Luna started working on all of Ginny's old jewellery. Neville stood there awkwardly for a moment before picking up where Luna had left off with Ginny's clothing. Moments later though the clothing and jewellery was forgotten as Luna and Neville watched in awe the transformation of Ginny Colin was creating.
"What about this gold jewellery?" Luna asked Colin moments later when she realized she hadn't been doing anything. Neville quickly followed suit.
"No, gold wouldn't go with Ginny's complexion." Colin said without looking up.
"Uh... Hi, I'm right here."Ginny said. She hated it when people talked as if she wasn't in the room. "And what's wrong with my complexion?"
"Nothing, it's just that you're pale, which is good, it makes you hair stand out. But gold would just make you look washed out." Colin explained.
An hour later Ginny's hair had been cut and some highlights had been styled in magically. Colin finally allowed Ginny to look in the mirror and Ginny was shocked at the sight that met her eyes.
Colin was right. Her hair had stayed almost the same length, but now she could see all different layers. There were white blonde highlights that gave it the perfect dimension. Ginny looked closer and could see that the entire underneath was now black instead of red.
"Wow!" Ginny said as she ran her fingers through her new hair.
"Do you like it?" Colin asked a little nervously.
"I love it! It's so different! So... Not me!" Ginny exclaimed.
Colin beamed. "I was worried you wouldn't like the black."
"I love it! Thank you so much!"
"Wow Ginny you look great!" Luna smiled.
"You look completely different... In a good way though." Neville said a little awkwardly.
"Thanks!" Ginny beamed.
"Okay, now for your makeup." Colin said clapping his hands together.
"Why? We all have to go to bed soon." Ginny pointed out.
"No, you're going to strut around the Great Hall and the common room like this for a bit." Colin explained as he pulled out all of Ginny's and Luna's makeup.
"You can keep all that Gin." Luna said watching Colin pull out the makeup. "I never wear it, except the pinks and blues; those are my favourites."
"She mainly needs the whites, blacks, and dark browns." Colin said before Ginny could thank Luna.
"Okay, I never wear those; I don't even know why I have them." Luna smiled.
Half an hour later Ginny's makeup was finished. Once again Ginny didn't recognize the person staring back at her in the mirror.
Ginny's eyes were a smoky black with pure white highlights and heavy liner and lashes. Her face had lost almost all its freckles and her cheeks were a subtle pink. Ginny's lips were now only a shade or two lighter than blood red.
"Scary." Neville said. "But amazing." He added quickly.
"I like it, it seems to fit." Luna said dreamily.
"I like it too, but it's going to take some getting used to." Ginny said remembering the way she normally looked; makeup free.
"Outfit time!" Colin nearly hopped on the spot in excitement.
Colin grabbed a pair of pure black jeans that Luna said Ginny could have. He did a simple charm to make them appear faded, grabbing some old gold necklaces Ginny assured him she would never wear he attached them to the legs of the pants. The jeans had three chains on each leg and soon became Ginny's favourite.
Colin did nearly the same thing to all of Ginny's pants. He would fade some, rip them, slice them, add studs and jewellery, and some he would add a belt to. In the end Ginny had ten newish pairs of pants that she absolutely loved.
Colin started sorting through Ginny's shirts next. He'd pick out mainly tank tops and tee shirts, only a few long sleeve shirts sat in the growing pile. Most of her shirts Colin would either rip three gashes in the front, back, or sides. A few he would connect the rips with chains or other material to make them look like stitches.
Luna conjured up a temporary wall and had Ginny step behind it so she could change. When Ginny walked out everyone let out a shocked gasp. The Ginny they knew always wore baggy shapeless clothing, but now she had tight jeans that showed her shapely legs, form fitting tops that allowed a peek at her modest cleavage and showed an inch or so of her flat stomach. She looked amazing, and nothing like Ginny.
"Do you like it?" Ginny asked nervously.
"Love it!" They chorused.
"Good. So do I." Ginny smiled.
"There are just a few things missing." Colin said with a puzzled look on his face.
"What?" They all asked together.
Colin thought for a moment. "Jewellery."
He grabbed a few necklaces and wrapped them around Ginny's wrists, some of the longer ones he'd put around her neck so they hung just above and just below her breasts. Finally he topped it all off with a thick satin choker with a tarnished heart that Ginny had found in her attic a few years back. When he was done Colin stepped back to admire his work. Ginny looked amazing.
Draco and Blaise sat in a comfortable silence at the Slytherin table in the Great Hall. Almost every other student had already retreated to their dorms so Draco and Blaise were pretty much left alone.
"So you finally stood up to your father then?" Blaise asked with a smirk.
"All I said was that I wanted to be out of school before I was initiated." Draco replied rolling his eyes.
"Yes, but you won't be going back this summer so..." Blaise trailed off.
"Whatever."
The two sat in silence once more for a few moments. Draco hated it when Blaise or anybody else brought up the topic of his father. It wasn't that Draco disagreed with his father because he didn't; not about everything. It wasn't as though he all of a sudden loved Mudbloods; because he didn't. Draco just no longer cared.
"Hey look, it's that girl you fancy." Blaise said.
"What are you talking about?" Draco asked without looking up. He knew exactly what Blaise was talking about but he refused to acknowledge it.
"The red head." Blaise said smirking. He knew he was going to get a rise out of Draco. "And it looks like she adopted a new look."
Draco still refused to look. "Would you look?" Blaise said jabbing his mate hard in the ribs.
"Ow." Draco rubbed his ribs. "If I do will you stop?"
"No, but if you don't you'll regret it."
Draco's curiosity got the better of him at that point. Sighing he looked up and was completely shocked at the sight that met his eyes. Ginny Weasley stood a few tables away and she looked unbelievable. Draco's eyes quickly looked over her; from her tight jeans and top to the chains hanging off her delicate neck, and finally up to her new hair style.
"It's the Weasley girl, what about her?" He asked looking back at Blaise.
"Don't play coy with me, I know you like her." Blaise cocked an eyebrow.
Draco scrunched up his nose in disgust at Blaise's words. "Well she looks incredible. I could never understand your attraction to her before; she was so plain. But now...." Blaise let out a low whistle that filled Draco with unexplainable rage. "But I mean, if you don't like her then maybe I'll have a go at her." Blaise said looking Ginny up and down.
"If you want the dirty little blood traitor go for it." Draco shrugged even though he felt white hot anger fill his veins. He didn't understand where it all was coming from.
Blaise laughed out loud; which only caused Draco's anger to increase. What was wrong with him? Even though his eyes were on Blaise Draco could see the littlest weasel in his peripheral vision. At that moment one of Ginny's friends whispered something and Ginny laughed out loud. The sound carried its self over to the Slytherin table and Draco found it absolutely intoxicating; he wasn't able to stop the miniscule smile that crossed his features.
"What's so funny?" Draco asked Blaise in an attempt to keep his mind away from the weaselette.
"I'm not going to steal your girl Draco. Mates don't do that." Blaise explained.
"She's not my girl, and if you don't stop you won't be my mate anymore." Draco said scowling.
"Ouch. That hurt Draco. How will I ever go on?" Blaise said sarcastically. "And if you'd stop being so damn proud you'd see that even though she is a blood traitor, she could be your girl." Blaise added smirking.
Draco didn't say anything. "Haha. I knew it!" Blaise exclaimed triumphantly.
"Knew what?" Draco asked with a raised eyebrow.
"That you'd like the idea of Ginny Weasley being your girl."
"Fuck off Blaise." Draco spat.
Blaise laughed again but Draco barely heard any of it. His eyes and his mind were back on Ginny. She was now talking to that Looney Lovegood girl; she had such strange mates. He watched as Ginny smiled and nodded then stared to leave the Hall.
"I'm going to my dorms." Draco said to Blaise moments later.
"Uh huh sure you are. Just remember to stay at least twenty paces away or you'll look like a stalker." Blaise smirked.
Draco just rolled his eyes and stood up. As he left the Great Hall his mind was racing; thoughts of how much he hated Blaise, how the youngest weasel looked, smiled, and laughed clouded his ability to think. If Draco hadn't known Hogwarts as well as he did he would have gotten lost on his way to the head boy and girl dorms.
God damn Blaise. Draco thought to himself as he turned the corner. Draco knew that he did not fancy the Weasley girl. And even if he did it wouldn't matter; they came from separate worlds that could never collide. But Blaise had this incredible, and horribly annoying, gift that could make anyone question their own thoughts and feelings. Draco was sure that given the right opportunity and proper persuasion Blaise could make The Dark Lord himself question his beliefs on muggles and muggle-borns. But nothing Draco thought, felt, or Blaise had said could make Draco deny that Ginny Weasley looked amazing.
It was a week into the school year when one morning at breakfast Ginny finally got the very thing she needed to set her plan in motion.
Ginny's makeover had caused a lot of attention at first, and things had definitely changed but not in the way Ginny wanted.
Now Pansy would say that the ripped shirts and jeans just showed off Ginny's rolls and fat. Padma and Parvati continued to say that she would never get a boyfriend; only now they said it was because boys would be afraid of her. Millicent was no longer able to say that her clothes were shapeless, but she would still joke about the state of them, claiming they were ripped and torn because she couldn't afford better, not because it was a style. Draco hadn't mentioned her clothes or her looks but he, as always, had continued to call her a pathetic dirty Weasley blood traitor. But Lavender was the worst; she said that Ginny looked horrid now; instead of just ugly and that her new look only increased her homely appearance. The only comforting thought was that Lavender was Ginny's first victim and now she finally had the means to take her revenge.
On the train ride when Luna, Colin, and Neville had discovered Ginny's plans they had all convinced her to send a letter to Fred and George asking for a mixture of supplies to start some pranks this year. Ginny had also asked if they could include some particular items to make sure her plans would go the way she wanted.
Finally now, a week later, Ginny had gotten a letter back congratulating her on wanting to keep up with their traditions. Fred and George also sent a dozen wrapped packages filled with supplies.
First thing Ginny had to do now was learn Lavender's routine. That sounded easily enough but since Lavender hated Ginny as much as she did there was no way Ginny would be able to get close enough to find out what she did on a day to day basis.
"Hey Gin."
Ginny looked up to see Harry sit down across from her. Slowly, as not to seem suspicious, Ginny carefully folded the letter the twins had sent her and put it in her robes pocket.
"Hey Harry." Ginny smiled.
"What's all this?" He asked with an amused expression as he nodded towards Ginny's many piles of packages.
"Uh..." Ginny faltered for a moment. "They're from my secret admirer..." She tried knowing it sounded lame.
"Yeah I'll bet." Harry smiled.
Ginny rolled her eyes. She was sure she had heard a hint of suggestion in Harry's tone. Ginny sat silently eating and debating whether she should say something or not, soon after the decision was made for her though.
"Hey mate, hey sis." Ron said as he sat beside Harry. "Ginny you really need to stop dressing like that. You're going to give people the wrong idea." He said looking at Ginny's tight shirt under her open robes.
Ginny rolled her eyes. "And what wrong idea would that be?" She asked cocking an eyebrow.
"That you're solely trying to get the guys to notice you by dressing like that." Ron said his ears going slightly pink.
"And what if that is not the wrong idea?" Ginny smirked.
Ron's ears flared crimson. He was about to open his mouth, probably to scream at her, when Harry spoke. "Leave her, it won't make a difference."
Ron turned his attention to piling food onto his plate; his ears were still a bright red. Ginny rolled her eyes. Of course, Harry saves the day again. She thought as she turned her attention to her own food. Ginny was expecting Ron to mention all the packages piled beside her just as Harry had a moment ago. When nothing was said for several minutes Ginny looked up to see Ron stuffing his face as usual. Ginny rolled her eyes again; Ron doesn't notice anything if you put food in front of him.
"Morning Harry, Ron." Hermione said as she plopped down on the other side of Harry across from Ginny. "Wow Ginny! Who loves you?" She asked looking at all the boxes.
Ginny heard Hermione's tone and had to fight the urge to glare at the older girl. "Lots of people apparently." Harry said almost bitterly. At this Ginny did roll her eyes.
"WhataboutpeoplelovingGinny?" Ron asked with his mouth full as usual.
"Ew! Ron that's disgusting! Swallow your food!" Hermione snapped.
Ginny didn't say anything; she didn't trust herself to talk at the moment. Her brother, Harry, and Hermione had turned Ginny's good day into a foul one and it was only breakfast!
"Hello Ginny."
Ginny looked up and saw Neville and Colin standing behind her and smiled. "Hey guys. Are you done breakfast?" The two nodded. "Great. Do you mind giving me a hand with all this so I'm not late for class?"
"Sure." They chorused. The three Gryffindors gathered up all the packages. Ginny stood and without so much as a backward glance at the golden trio she walked briskly out of the Great Hall.
Later that day, after classes were over, Ginny, Neville, Luna, and Colin sat in a secluded area of the library. They were attempting to devise a plan to give Lavender the items Fred and George had sent without arousing suspicion. This was proving to be far more difficult than any of them imagined.
"What if we put it in some of her beauty creams?" Neville suggested.
Ginny shook her head, even though it was the best idea they had so far. "We would never be able to get near them, she keeps them with her at all times."
The four students sat there in silence trying to come up with something that even had a remote chance of working. They were all beginning to think this was hopeless.
"What if we just gave it to Lavender?" Luna said in her usual dreamy tone.
The others stared at her in confusion for a moment. "Sure! 'Here Lavender, have this, it'll make you ugly!' I'm sure that'll go over really well." Colin said sarcastically.
Luna stared at Colin with her large blue eyes for a moment causing him to shift uncomfortably. "I meant; what if we just get some high end beauty cream and mix the potions in ourselves? Then give it to Lavender." Luna explained.
"That could work!" Ginny said excitedly, her face fell a moment later though. "She would never accept it from us though."
"What if we just told her you're allergic to one of the ingredients?" Colin suggested.
"No, then she would know directly that it was me. I only want her to suspect it was me without being able to prove it. If she knows for sure we won't be able to do anything to anyone else without them being suspicious." Ginny sighed, this was stupid and hopeless.
"Well, we could just leave it in her dorm by her bed. If she sees you walking out before she finds it then she'll suspect it was you, but she won't know for sure." Luna said as if it was the most obvious thing in the world, which Ginny had to it admit; it was.
"This just might work!" Ginny smiled.
Ginny sat in the Gryffindor common room with Neville and Colin. Ginny was watching the two boys play chess, at the same time the three of them were keeping an eye on the stairs leading to the girl's dormitory. Suddenly Ginny's head snapped up; Lavender had just walked down the steps.
Colin and Neville exchanged a glance; silently making sure they each knew their role in the plan. They each turned to Ginny and nodded minutely. Ginny waited a moment before standing; just to be sure no one noticed Neville's, Colin's, and her own little interaction.
"I'll be back in a minute." Ginny whispered to the two Gryffindor boys. Colin and Neville nodded without looking up from their game.
Ginny couldn't help but smile to herself; everything was going perfectly so far. She walked up the steps leading to the girl's dorms slowly. Once out of sight of the common room Ginny looked around to be sure no was nearby.
Ginny silently opened the door to the seventh year dorms. She tiptoed into the room careful to make no noise even though it was void of all its occupants. Looking around Ginny spotted Lavender's bed easily. Ginny rolled her eyes; only Lavender would have all her expensive makeup on display to show off.
Crossing the remaining distance between Ginny and Lavender's bed Ginny opened her bag and removed the cream Colin had got for this plan. It was one of the more expensive creams in the wizarding world; Lavender wouldn't be able to resist it. Ginny silently thanked Colin for getting along so well with the shop owners in Diagon Alley and Hogsmead. Ginny carefully placed the cream on Lavender's table slightly in front of her makeup to be sure she wouldn't miss it.
Meanwhile down in the common room Neville had just 'lost' at chess.
"Hey Ron." Neville said walking up to the red head. It was a shock to see him in the common room without Harry, but also a stroke of luck.
"Hey Neville, what's up?" Ron asked politely, even though it was clear on his freckled face that he'd rather be left alone.
"Well... Colin just beat me at wizard's chess again... badly. I was wondering if I could borrow that book you mentioned you had on the game?" Neville said in a rush.
"Actually it doesn't give any pointers, just explains the game. It's more of a text really." Ron said with a weak smile.
"Anything would help me now."
"Okay sure." Ron shrugged. "Oh wait... Hermione borrowed it. It's still in her dorm."
"Oh..." Neville said pretending to look around for Hermione. "But she isn't here." Neville looked crestfallen.
Ron couldn't help but pity Neville. "Well... it is my book, and she has had it longer than she said she would. I'm sure Hermione wouldn't care if I took it back to lend to you for awhile."
"That'd be great! Thanks Ron!"
"Just have to find a seventh year girl to go and grab it because of that little staircase problem..." Ron trailed off looking around the common room.
"Uh... There's Lavender." Neville nodded towards the fireplace.
"Oh... Uh... Maybe I should ask her." Ron said knowing Lavender wasn't too fond of Neville.
"Good idea." Neville gulped.
After Ron stood and turned his back to Neville to hunt down Lavender Neville turned to Colin across the room and nodded.
Colin pretended to continue reading his book as he slowly reached into his robes and pulled out a small hand mirror that Luna had provided. From the corner of his eye Colin could see Lavender nod to Ron and walk towards the stairs.
"Ginny?" Colin whispered to the mirror.
"I'm here." Ginny's face replaced Colin's reflection.
"Lavender is walking up the stairs now."
"Okay. Tell me when she's out of your sight."
Colin nodded and continued to watch Lavender begin to climb the stairs. "Okay now. She'll be there any minute." Colin whispered hastily as Lavender disappeared from view.
"See you in a minute." Ginny said before cutting off the connection.
"What are you doing here?" Ginny turned to see Lavender glaring at her.
Ginny finished closing the door to seventh year dorms before answering. "Looking for Hermione." She said looking back at Lavender. "Have you seen her?"
Lavender rolled her eyes. "She's probably in the library. How should I know? It's not like I would hang out with her."
Ginny just nodded before walking past Lavender and back down into the common room. She smiled when she saw Neville and Colin sitting at the same table setting up for another game of chess.
"It's done." She whispered.
Ginny, Colin, Neville, and Luna all sat at the Gryffindor table the next morning; they all wanted to see Lavender's new look together.
"How long is it supposed to take to work?" Neville asked Ginny.
"It should only take fifteen to twenty minutes according to the twins." Ginny answered keeping her eyes fixed on the doors to the Great Hall.
"What if she put it on last night though? She'd never come down then." Neville said worriedly.
"It's morning cream." Colin said without looking at Neville.
"Lavender would follow its instructions perfectly." Luna said noticing Neville's worried expression.
No sooner were the words out of Luna's mouth that the doors to the Great Hall opened to reveal a very red, spotty, acne covered, and all over ugly Lavender.
Lavender flipped her hair, flashed a smile, and strutted over to the Gryffindor table. Luna, Ginny, Colin, and Neville could barely contain their laughter.
"I guess she hasn't noticed yet then." Ginny said covering her smile with her hand.
"Lavender! What happened?" Ginny heard Hermione ask.
"What are you talking about?" Lavender snapped back at the bushy haired brunette.
"Haven't you noticed that everyone is staring at you?" Hermione asked in a would-be-concerned tone if it wasn't for the slight twitch at the corner of her mouth.
"Of course they are! I'm beautiful!" Lavender smiled. "Don't worry Hermione, one day you'll find someone who likes you being plain; you'll just never have many boys wanting you like I do."
Hermione rolled her eyes. "Look in a mirror."
Ginny watched as Lavender sighed and reached into her bag. Bracing herself for the explosion that was coming Ginny kept her eyes trained on Lavender as she pulled out a hand mirror. Moments later a scream filled the Great Hall that immediately put a stop to all other conversations. Everyone's head turned towards the Gryffindor table and Lavender.
"MY FACE!" Lavender shrieked. "What happened to my beautiful face?!?!"
Ginny watched as people strained their necks to get a better view of Lavender. Once everyone saw what Lavender was talking about the Hall erupted in an explosion of laughter. Ginny took a minute to erase her smirk and put on a concerned expression.
"It looks like you may be having an allergic reaction." Ginny said. "Madam Pomfrey should be able to clear it up in no time." She added placing a supportive smile on her face.
Lavender didn't say anything. The pocket mirror dropped from her hands and landed on the table shattering. Not seeming to notice the broken shards of reflective glass on her lap Lavender stood from her seat and rushed out of the Great Hall. More laughter erupted upon her exit.
"Will Madam Pomfrey be able to clear it up?" Colin asked through his own fit of laughter.
"Not a chance." Ginny laughed with the rest of the hall.
A/N; I'd like to thank my reviewers; kiwiisemo, EmeraldGreyClouds, Nikki2009, opaque-girl, Laney Tate, .., LauraZabini, lucygirl07, bittersweetazn, BelhavenOnTap, SlytherinHottie94, Ravenclaw's Redhead, sing-me-this-lullaby, Alexandra Malfoy, The Puppeteer, Preetoaka Raven Potter Weasley, XxBreeLynettexX, DodgerMcClure, iMnOtReAlLYcRaZy, and HarryxPotterx4ever. Thank you all so much! Glad you like it so far! This story will be short, I've worked it out and it will have a total of eight chapters. The speed I get the chapters out all depends on my readers! So click the little button right there and leave me a review to get me off my butt and updating!