Hermione Granger
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I'd even cut my hair and change my name
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The war had been a nightmare for Hermione, of course it had. But Hermione had been prepared for that. She knew that living for months in a tent hunting for items when they weren't even sure what those items were, let alone how to destroy them when they did eventually find them, having to hide from everyone and eventually fight the most evil wizard there could ever be in their lifetime was going to be hard. What she wasn't expecting was the aftermath.
For weeks since the battle had ended she hadn't been left alone, neither had Harry or Ron. Of course Harry was getting more attention, but she was getting too much for her liking. This sort of thing wasn't supposed to happen to the bookworm. But everyone knew that was what she was, that she was 'The Brains Behind The Boy Who Lived', or at least that's what the papers were calling her. Hermione wanted a break. They hadn't left her alone for more than five minutes, constantly being asked by the press how she felt, what the battle was like, how it felt to be on the run and was it true she had a scar on her arm saying mudblood.
Rubbing her arm as she thought about that night, she sped down the busy muggle street thankful that no one here knew who she was. She'd managed to slip the press as soon as she entered muggle London. They didn't know it as well as her, and she was able to apparate a few times from deserted alleyways to throw them off. It wouldn't take them long to catch up though, they were always following her. They'd even shown up at Fred's funeral. The Weasley's had lost a family member and the press decided to crash the funeral and try to interview everyone about how it felt to lose someone close to them. Hermione couldn't believe how inconsiderate some people could be.
She looked up, this was it. She ducked inside the door and hurried over to the front desk.
"Emily Williams" she said, when she was greeted, "I rang up last week and made an appointment."
"Of course," the woman on the desk said, checking her computer, "Right this way, Emily, Sarah will be with you shortly. Would you like a drink? Tea? Coffee?"
"Thank you," Hermione said, removing her coat and taking a seat, "Tea would be lovely – one sugar."
"Of course," the woman answered again before sending someone who looked like a trainee into the kitchen to fetch Hermione her drink.
Hermione knew she didn't have to change her name for this place, it was purely muggle, but she couldn't be too careful. Who knew whether someone here had a daughter or sister that had turned out to be a witch.
"Hello, Emily?" a woman with purple hair said as she approached. Hermione hadn't seen her before, she must have come out of the back room, "I'm Sarah and I'll be your stylist today. What can we do for you?"
"Erm, I want to change my look. Completely," Hermione told her with a smile, "I want it cut and dyed a completely different colour and style. I've had the same hairstyle since I was eleven and I thought it was time for something new!" Hermione laughed, "Plus I want to completely shock my best friend."
"Ahh yes, I remember reading in the notes for your booking, a cut and colour. What colour did you want to go again, dear?"
"Blonde, please. Quite a bright blonde too if you can?" Hermione phrased it as a question, but she knew places like this could do it easily. She could have done this herself using magic, but a muggle hairdressers was less detectable than magic and less likely to go wrong.
"Yes, we can do that for you. And do you have any idea of how you want it cut?"
This Hermione hadn't actually put much thought into; she just knew she wanted it short. That way it would be less bushy and less noticeable.
"I'm not too sure. Short, I think. Not too short but short enough that it isn't so bushy if that's possible."
"Of course, Emily. Now, I'm going to put you in the hands of Marie who's going to lighten your hair and I'll be back in a little while to see how you are."
Hermione smiled and thanked Sarah, turning to face the new woman and let her know what she wanted doing to her hair.
It took a while, but eventually Hermione smiled at herself in the mirror. She was completely unrecognisable. Maybe now she'd actually be able to get some peace and quiet and mourn the friends she had lost in the war.
Words: 794
This is For:
BS Card Game Challenge;
Rockstar by Nickelback.
If You Dare;
350 - A New Angle.
A-Z Competition;
H - Hermione Granger.