Hmm... another chapter.. .

The Moonlight Glares

Disclaimer: I don't own any of JK Rowling's wonderful world or characters.

Chapter 6

"They're coming today! They're coming today!" A screaming Anna was jumping up and down in Hermione's room, while Hermione herself was groggily opening her eyes. She looked at the alarm clock and groan. It read 5:00 am.

"Anna, get out, the sun hasn't even risen yet," Hermione said, and rolled over. Anna, however, would have none of it, and pushed Hermione over and gave her a fierce glare. Hermione glared back and slowly sat up. "Do tell little sister of mine, why do we have to be up this early?"

Anna was grinning, "So we can get ready 'course!"

Hermione raise an eyebrow, "They're not going to be here until ten a.m."

"Precisely," With that, Anna grabbed Hermione's hand and dragged her off the bed and all the way over to the closet. As Hermione stood there half awake, Anna went through outfit after outfit until she finally pulled one out. Hermione, however, did not see it, as Anna was at the next second pushing her into the bathroom.

"You need to wake up. Take a bath," Anna said, shutting the door in her sister's face.

Hermione looked around the bathroom bewildered for a moment, before a girl walked in who Hermione had never seen before. The girl was about Hermione's own age, but dressed in what seemed to be a maid's uniform. The girl walked over to the tub and turned on a certain set of nozzles, then went to fetch a towel and a bar of soap from the opposite cupboard. She looked up at Hermione for a moment. "Well, get in," the maid said.

Hermione paused for a moment, ". . . Erm . . . who exactly are you?"

The maid put her hands on her hips, "I'm apparently your lady-in-waiting, your highness." She said with sarcasm, "Now get in,"

Hermione slid slowly over to the tub and slipped off her nightgown before getting into the warm water.

"Really though, who are you?" Hermione asked the maid, who was folding laundry in the corner.

The girl sighed. "My name is Melvissa Peron. I was hired by your mother to help take care of you this summer. No, don't get in a fret. It's only that pureblood society is very different from muggle society. Seeing as I've lived in both, and you've never lived in this one, she felt it was best if someone could teach you how not to embarrass yourself the rest of this summer."

"Er. . ." Hermione didn't exactly know what to say, "But I've been here a week already. . ."

"Humph." said the maid, "Well, I couldn't get here until now. In addition, you haven't been out of the house, am I right?"

Hermione scrunched her nose as she thought, and, though she hadn't realized it (mostly because of the massive amount of books she'd been able to read), Melvissa was right, she hadn't been outside of the house all week. "Oh," she said quietly.

Melvissa turned to leave, but Hermione stopped her. "Hey. . . Melvissa?" the maid turned around. "Do you mind if I call you Mel?"

The girl gave her a small smile, the first Hermione had seen from her. "It's what my family calls me." And then she left.

Hermione soaked for awhile longer, taking in the lavender scent that was for some reason in the bath. She scrubbed her hair, and was in the process of combing it out when Mel came back in, laying out a set of robes.

When Hermione had gotten out and dried off, she picked up the robes to find what seemed to be three sets, two of which were more like dresses than robes.

"Um . . . Mel? Why do I have three sets of robes?"

Mel, who at the time was setting something out at the counter, smiled, "You really are clueless to wizarding society, aren't you?"

Hermione crossed her arms, "I've been at Hogwarts five years, I'm not that hopeless."
Mel laughed, "Hogwarts. . . they only teach you the magic there, not the etiquette." She pointed to a frail-looking set of white robes that were in fact very thin and looked more like a one-piece dress than anything "These are underrobes. Sort of like underpants." She pointed to a set of blue-grey robes that also were in a form more similar to a dress, "These are your formal robes. . . I'm not exactly sure why they're called that, because really they're just the second layer you wear." She pointed to the last set of robes, these the familiar grey of Hogwarts robes, more similar to a bathrobe of sorts. "And these are your outer robes, which are the kind all the Hogwarts students are required to wear on top of any muggle clothes at school,"

Hermione groaned, "You mean I have to wear all three layers today? It's the middle of July!"

Mel nodded, smirking, "It's not that bad, actually. . . they're charmed to keep the temperature okay. Now let's get your underrobe on before we go have breakfast."

Half and hour later found Hermione sitting patiently in her underrobe in her room. The dratted thing had taken twenty minutes to put one, and now Hermione knew why wizarding society was considered so different from the muggles'. The amount of ties, sashes, buttons and in addition, the charmwork, it required to put on the equivalent of underpants would drive any muggle insane. (Except, of course, those poor ladies that had in past times had to deal with wearing corsets like in Jane Austen's novels).

After a minute, Mel came in with a tray and some very good smelling breakfast. Hermione began gulping down orange juice and eating up eggs as fast as she could when Mel set the tray down.

Mel stared at Hermione for a moment, as if not believing what she was doing, and then took out her wand and muttered "Arretez l'Heure."

Hermione's fork stopped halfway to her mouth, along with the rest of her body, although her eyes darted around and landed on Mel. It if was possible to glare without narrowing her eyes, she did that just then.

Mel sat down and made a display of setting everything around the table properly, and began to take tiny bites. After a moment, she seemed to realize Hermione glaring at her, and flicked her wand.

"What the heck was that! " Hermione yelled.

Mel looked quite smug, "Your mother didn't hire me to let you eat and have manners like any ordinary muggle. Although, I must say, if that's how all muggles eat, a banquet with them would be like taking place in a pig sty."

Hermione gave Mel a look that could kill, and proceeded to eat her meal slowly. When she'd finished her egg, Hermione eyed Mel, before asking, "Aren't you going to show me some proper etiquette or some such thing?"

Mel responded by handing Hermione a book labeled "Wizarding Society Today: The Elegance of Purebloods." Hermione flipped the cover open and saw it was more a book about etiquette than the history of the community. Then her eyes found the copyright.

"1752?" Hermione exclaimed, "Isn't this a little out of date?"

"No, Actually," Mel explained calmly, "It's actually very recent. Wizarding Society's culture has remained much the same for over two hundred years. Beyond that, actually."

Hermione looked at the book for a moment, and then asked, "Am I supposed to read this whole thing?"

"By ten this morning,"

Hermione spat out the sip of juice she had just taken.

"The family won't have you embarrassing them," Mel said plainly, "Now, let's get your make-up done."

So much for a loving family who just wants me to 'get to know them' Hermione thought glumly, following Mel into the bathroom again.

Another hour later, Hermione was grimacing as Melvissa messed with her hair. The entire hour had been so, oh, let's see. . . BORING BEYOND BELIEF. Hermione was actually slightly glad Mel had given her the book (which was exceptionally dry) but sitting through and hour of make-up and hair was too much for Hermione. She'd never been big on make-up. She didn't see why she had to have all the gunk on her face now.

She'd been concentrating on Chapter Three, Dining Etiquette: The Basics, when Mel had begun to pull at her hair.

"What the heck are you doing!" Hermione yelled

"Brushing out your hair," Mel responded, "Before I put it up."

Hermione narrowed her eyes but let Mel continue and had managed to get through the first hundred pages of the book before anything more happened.

"Alright, let's get you into your formal robes," Mel said, happily leading Hermione back across the room and beginning to fasten the silky grey-blue robe.

Hermione let the silence stretch out for some time before asking, "So, why do I need to all of a sudden know all of this stuff" she gestured towards the book.

Mel sighed. "Well, because you're now living with the Lanes, you'll be expected to attend all the same parties, balls, et cetera, that they do. Considering, of course, that you'll be invited out of politeness. And Mr. and Mrs. Lane don't want both you and themselves embarrassed because you know nothing other than muggle culture."

Lovely, though Hermione, my new family will only like me if I act perfect and hide myself. Just great. Hermione let these thoughts and others swirl through her mind as Mel dressed her, finished her hair, and the likes, until the clock chimed nine. (A/N: Yes, I know, four hours to get ready, but don't forget: bath, robes, hair, make-up, breakfast. It can be a lot. )

At this point, Hermione had put the book away awhile ago, and Mel was fastening the last ties on her outer robes, just as Anna came bouncing in. She was in the same style of clothes, an underrobe, formal robes, and an outer robe. Her formal robes, however, were a light pink.

"Hi!" Anna said brightly, "Are you really just finishing? I think I finished getting ready half an hour ago!" She bounced over to a chair and plopped down on it. Hermione glared at her sister, but Mel turned her around to face the mirror at that instant.

"Do you like it?" Mel asked, grinning.

Hermione didn't know what to say. The girl looking back at her was not by any means her, it was some high-class pureblood. The robes hugged her exactly right. Her hair was up and back in a magnificent twist, with little ringlets falling here and there. Her make-up was very fine, a touch of blush, and light blue eye shadow, just enough to draw attention, not a drop more. Hermione felt her breath stop for a second as she took it all in."Just one thing." Hermione said, "Why are you two making me do this right now instead of teaching me a week ago?"

Alright, random author rants! yet again!

First, thanks to all my reviewers: jalapeno1011, DragonOfWinter, The Future Mrs. Thomas Andrew Felton, lazer-angel, Whitelight72, takigirl, zalamandra, Cal8907, LaNi-GoLDfiSh

Second, props to zalamandra, who was the only one who got the question right! go zalamandra

Third, thanks to all of you who put this story on your alert list! yes, all 35 of you!

1. .x.X.x. xesha .x.X.x. 2. Avanell 3. bloomingfelton 4. brokenflower 5. Cal8907 6. ccrawley10 7. CrimsonNightchick 8. curvychick 9. dagworth 10. dark firey phoenix09 11. DragonOfWinter 12. Evangeline01 13. Fan-Of-HP 14. Firecrane930 15. Flying Tiger 16. hplover90 17. jalapeno1011 18. Jess-Granger 19. LaNi-GoLDfiSh 20. lilybookworm 21. Listona 22. loveGD 23. malfoylover1 24. mandy g 25. May May 15 26. mike tike tofu 27. Moxterminator 28. QueenCate 29. Rikku and Gippal forever 30. runrigrocks 31. skoolsucks 32. The Future Mrs. Thomas Andrew Felton 33. Whitelight72 34. yenyen 35. zalamandra

Fourth, thanks to all those who put this story on your favorites list:

1. .x.X.x. xesha .x.X.x. 2. bloodydreams 3. BluePhoenix 711 4. Cal8907 5. CrimsonNightchick 6. deadgirlythings 7. Fan-Of-HP 8. Jess-Granger 9. lazer-angel 10. lilybookworm 11. MagickOfTheArtz 12. Penthisileia 13. popmalfoy 14. runrigrocks 15. ScienceGeek101 16. StAr LiOnEsS 17. takigirl 18. Whitelight72 19. yenyen

Last, QUESTION: How is Draco related to Sirius' Murderer? (full name and relation)