Disclaimer: Never owned the Harry Potter series, never J.K. Rowling and never will be

A/N: Yes, I'm back! I've updated again! Sorry cause I just came back to hell (aka school) after a long vacation. So, here it is, enjoy!

Chapter 10: Having a New Look

"She hasn't come back," Ginny said, paling and while wringing her wrist nervously. "Oh, we have to tell Dumbledore. We have to tell him."

It was already a Monday but the Head Girl was still missing. And it wasn't a joke anymore so following Ginny's idea, the three went to the Headmaster's office.

Once Professor Dumbledore heard about Hermione's friends' worries, he couldn't help but to chuckle. The three stared at the old man, thinking he was off his rocker when he only laughed at the loss of one of his students.

"This isn't a joke," Ron said, having the courage to tell it to the old Headmaster.

Professor Dumbledore calmed down. "I apologize for my forgetfulness. I am sorry for I have forgotten to tell you that Princess Hermione was sent to her house in the castle by Queen Helen's request and would be back at the 19th at the Welcoming Ball."

And there was silence. The three students only stared at Dumbledore and Ginny suddenly had burst into tears while Harry hugged her for comfort. The reason why Ginny dissolved into tears was because she was so relieved that Hermione wasn't kidnapped or as what she says 'Princess-napped'.

Now, Professor Dumbledore looked troubled. "Miss Weasley, are you quite all right?'

Ginny then made a wet laugh. "I'm fine, Professor, I'm fine. I'm just… just relieved to hear Hermione's all right. I'm sorry for crying."

Harry chuckled while Ron and Dumbledore smiled.

"Well, I'm going to warn you three before the Princess' exposure," Professor Dumbledore said with a serious look on his face. "Miss Granger, Miss Gardner rather, would become quite famous and so, she needs some protection. I'm very well sure that you know the feeling of being famous."

Harry gave a weak smile, knowing that what Dumbledore had said was true.

"So, be ready."

Hermione stared at the blaring light of her adopted parent's dentist room. It was already the time for her to have some braces.

"Now, Hermione, this wouldn't be painful," Mr. Granger reassured her while cleaning a sharp object.

Hermione paled and gulped. 'Help me, Merlin.'

"My dear daughter, just relax," Queen Helen said, holding Hermione's right hand. She felt it was cold and clammy.

Hermione nodded numbly and paled once more.

"Open your mouth now," Mr. Granger said.

Hermione bit her bottom lip.

"Hermione, open your mouth," Mrs. Granger said.

Defeated, the brunette opened her mouth.

"Wider," Mrs. Granger instructed.

She opened her mouth so wide that the corners of her mouth started to become painful. She closed her eyes as she felt the cold metal inside her mouth.

After hours…

"I told you it won't be painful," Mr. Granger said.

Hermione wanted to talk but she can't. 'Only because it was very painful.'

Hermione looked at the mirror and showed her teeth (it was painful just to do that). She examined her new braces (colored purple, her choice) and thought it wasn't bad at all.

"Well, it isn't bad at all, my dear daughter," King Troy said, voicing out Hermione's thoughts.

"Now that you have your braces, you now need to see your new glasses," Queen Helen said. "Where is her new spectacles, by the way, Mrs. Granger?"

"Wait, I'll get it," she said then went out of the dentist's office. When she arrived, she was holding rectangular-shaped glasses which was colored red with some color black visible.

Hermione got hold of the glasses then looked at the mirror again. She wore the glasses and like her braces, it wasn't bad at all. 'Only, I still look like a nerd.'

"Thank you, Mr. Granger, Mrs. Granger for your help," King Troy said.

The next day…

"Now, Hermione, we would teach you how to have some poise," the Queen said. "Having poise is very important when you have a royal blood. It gives you some elegance and an air of respect. People might think a person with poise is a person who is arrogant -"

" – which isn't true," the King piped in.

"So now, sit down here," she said, pointing at a three-legged stool.

Obediently, Hermione sat down.

The Queen then tapped the brunette's back with her wand. "Now, back straight and don't slouch." She got a thick book and placed it on top of Hermione's head. "You'll be in that position for 2 hours."

And two hours, Hermione was in that position. Every time she slouches, the Queen would tap her back with her wand and she would have to straighten her back again. She was looking at her father, asking for help through her eyes but she only receives a shake of his head. She can't help but notice that the corners of her father's mouth were lifted up slightly.

At dinnertime, Hermione now was taught about table manners. She didn't have any difficulty in doing all the manners because as what Ron had commented, she already has manners ever since.

And now, the following days, Hermione had a make-over. They cleaned her face, removing pimples, black heads and white heads. They removed unwanted hairs at all the parts of her body. They shaved some excessive hairs on her eyebrows, thinning it. And lastly, they dealt with the most difficult part (Hermione believes) of her body, her long, bushy, brown hair.

"I'm warning you, my hair is stubborn," Hermione said, watching carefully as the hair stylist (a witch) brandished her wand and pointed it at the bushy hair.

"Well, that's nonsense," the witch said. Apparently, they stuck with the plan. The witch doesn't know that the one that she was fixing was none other than the lost Princess of the Wizarding World. The witch waved her wand and Hermione just stared at the mirror, dumbfounded. She can only think of one thing to describe her hair – she looked like a peacock.

"So, what do you think, Miss?" the witch asked the brunette with a smug smile.

Not wanting to offend her, she said politely, "Err… can you please just straighten my hair? I appreciate your effort for doing this with my hair but I appreciate it more if you just straighten it."

The witch smiled and didn't look like she was offended at all. "Of course, Miss, if you want too." And with a wave of her wand, Hermione's hair straightened. The brunette couldn't help but smile. After so many years of misery and sacrifices, she finally got rid of her bushy brown hair.

"I have another idea, Miss," the witch said, looking at the brunette's hair thoughtfully. "It would be better if there are some curls at the end. You know, it would be dull if you only have a straight hair."

Hermione thought of this idea and decided it wasn't bad at all. "Okay, if you think it wouldn't be dull."

The witch waved her wand and instantly, curls started to appear at the end of Hermione's hair. "There! You look gorgeous, Miss!"

Hermione smiled and thanked her. Once the witch was gone, Hermione called for her personal house-elf. "Mindy, come here."

A faint pop was heard and Mindy appeared. She bowed at the sight of Hermione. "Young Mistress called for Mindy. What does young Mistress want from Mindy?" she asked the Princess.

"Mindy, can you please call Mother and Father now?" Hermione asked.

The house-elf nodded and bowed before disapparating.

After minutes, she heard pops again and there appeared King Troy and Queen Helen. At the sight of their daughter, King Troy smiled appreciatively while Queen Helen hugged the brunette.

"Oh my dear daughter, you are so beautiful," Queen Helen praised. "I know for sure that you would shine among all the witches tomorrow."

'Tomorrow?' she asked herself. 'The ball would start tomorrow already?'

"Now, take a rest, Hermione dear," King Troy said. "We will go there at about 6:00 p.m."

And with that, they apparated back to the castle.

Dear Diary,

Time seems to move fast because tomorrow is already the Welcoming Ball. Why is it that tomorrow, I should already be exposed to Hogwarts as the Princess? If only I have my time-turner with me now. I could delay tomorrow whenever I want to.

Anyway, the Welcoming Ball gave me advantages. As I told you, I would already have braces and glasses and I did. Maybe I was just overreacting when I wrote to you that I don't want to wear them because now, I think they weren't bad at all.

And to my utmost delight, I got rid of my bushy brown hair! No one would dare tease me with my hair anymore because, as what Mother had said, I look gorgeous right now. I might be having an inflated head right now but I really think my mother's right.

Anyway, I have to stop here now. My parents would get angry with me if I am not yet sleeping. Goodnight.

Already changed,
Hermione

The brunette looked at her left, expecting to see the terrace of Draco Malfoy. But it wasn't there. Remembering that she was in her castle and not in Hogwarts, she shook her head. And then, a thought struck her and she can't help but to write it in her diary.

P.S.
What would be Malfoy's reaction if he knew I was Princess? Would he continue to tease me or not?

A/N: End of chapter! Next chapter would be the ball already! Review please :p