Disclaimer: I do not own anything HP related, except possibly some merchandise...characters all JKR's!
A/N: And the next chapter is up! Okay, I know, my updating is slow... wah, I'm really bad on that account...but the chapter is up now, so please enjoy ^^;
The New 'Do'
Hermione bit her lip as she stood in front of the doors of the Great Hall. Hardly any students stayed this long for dinner. So it wasn't like she was stepping in front of the whole school. Then again, with gossipers like Parvati and Lavender, the news was sure to spread faster than the flu in a preschool. She sighed, knowing that she was being quite foolish. She didn't care what others said about her. She really didn't. Because that wasn't what mattered.
She really wished that her hair hadn't been cut.
As her stomach growled in protest, Hermione gave up and opened the doors. There were still a good deal of students there, chatting away about this or that. Oh, just her luck that tonight people decided to eat late. Hermione kept her eyes low as she walked across to the Gryffindor table, sitting herself down next to Harry.
Harry seemed genuinely startled. He turned around to look at the girl who had sat herself down. It took him a second to figure out why she looked so familiar.
"Hermione? Is that you?" Ron leaned forward to look around Harry, his mouth in a small 'o' of surprise, his food (piled twice as high as Harry's) forgotten. Hermione just bit her lip.
"Madam Pomphrey needed to cut a lot of it off...not enough supplies to get it all out." She reached out to grab some chicken to put on her plate, trying to ignore the other people at her table who were also now recognizing The Girl With Suddenly Shorter Hair who had plopped down next to The Boys Who Gaped.
"I'll say she cut a lot off. It's only down to your chin now!" Ron was such an observant person now, wasn't he?
"Yes, Ron, it falls to my chin now." She sighed before looking back at her two friends, ignoring the mutterings she heard around her as more people noticed the change. "It...it doesn't look that bad, does it?"
"No!" Ron exclaimed instantly. Hermione smiled, relieved now as she picked up a chicken leg.
"Well, except that it is rather bushy still...and it puffs out quite a bit...and it makes your head seem wid-Oof!" Ron finally stopped talking as Harry's elbow collided with his stomach.
"It looks great, Hermione."
Hermione gave Harry a thankful look, even if she felt twice as embarrassed now. Harry just gave Ron a quick 'why-do-you-say-those-things?' look before turning back to his dinner, acting as if nothing much had happened.
"Hermione, are you staying down in the common room to study tonight?"
"Well, I wasn't planning on it...I was going to just study in the dorm. It is quieter up there." Her gaze was fixed on her plate. Why was the Great Hall full of so many whispering voices? It was just hair!
"Well, alright then..." Harry said, unfazed. "I just thought you might like to hear what Hagrid said to me earlier, about today's lesson."
"When?" Ron interjected, trying to remember if they saw Hagrid after their small run-in with the Malaclaw.
"Oh, he talked with me while you were running from Fred's little joke." Harry stopped as he noticed Hermione's very confused expression. "Fred played a little trick on us - well, more on Ron then me - on our way to the Great Hall. I swear, he's really pleased about something. Didn't skip a beat as Filch threatened him with everything he had. I think he scared Filch a little as he walked off, humming happily to himself." The three of them glanced down at the table, where Fred was still looking extremely pleased, if not eccentric with glee. George seemed a tad bit confused, but at least he didn't look like April Fools Day had been scratched off the holiday list anymore.
"Oh..." Ron said, looking like he found this answer acceptable. Then he scowled. "I'll get him back. You just wait. I will."
"Well,...why not get him back tonight Ron?"
"What?" Ron looked at Harry suddenly, wondering what he was up to. Ron just SAID he'd get Fred back. He never had. Well, not yet anyway.
"Get him back tonight. Just..." Harry stopped, thinking quickly to himself. "I don't know, run up to his dorm color his robes neon green or hang a Hider Spider (Official Hider Spiders can be found with any Weasley twin, a mere 5 Sickles each!) from HIS bed, or -"
"Or turn his bed into the world's first Bucking Four-Poster?" Ron grinned, pleased with the chance he'd have ahead of him. He remembered vividly in his childhood when Fred had hid out behind his bed late one night, and every time Ron had been almost asleep, the bed would jerk into the air and then fall dormant again. Ron had slept on the floor for weeks, his bed thrown outside for fear that it would try to trample him if left in the room. Of course, now he knew more magic than Fred had then. Ron could make the bed buck about on its own as soon as someone put weight on it. He snickered at the idea.
"Yeah, Ron. That sounds like some nice payback. I'll be your alibi, in the common room. We'll just say we were studying. Of course...it'd be more believable if Hermione was there. But obviously, if you want to study in your room..."
"Why would you need me to make it more believable?" Hermione asked, not even trying to hide her dislike of the whole idea. (She was still Hermione, after all.)
"Because," said Ron simply, "when have we ever studied of our own accord?" Hermione just bit her lip. Fred had done some pretty rotten stuff to Ron in the past...
'Oh no,' she thought suddenly. 'George is corrupting me. Why else would I even *consider* helping them on such a pointless prank?'
"Come on, Hermione. It's not like you'd be doing the prank! You'd just be studying in the common room with Harry. I'll study too, when I get back. See? Won't that be good?" Ron glanced at Harry, wondering if he could say anything to convince her.
"Really, Hermione, do you think this is so bad? One little bit of payback for Ron. And I could tell you about what Hagrid said then." Harry was hoping she'd just give in already.
"Oh alright." Hermione said finally. "But this better not become a weekly event, covering for Ron while he plays childish tricks on his brothers." She pushed her plate away, deciding she was quite done with eating. Harry and Ron stood up with her and they walked down the length of the table.
Hermione only stole one glance at George. He had looked up as Harry and Ron passed, but his mouth dropped as he saw Hermione just behind them. Hermione gave a small embarrassed smile before jogging to the side of her two friends, perplexed as to why he reacted so strongly. Honestly, it was just hair!
* * * * *
Hermione had to grab her books by her bed before she could study downstairs. That's where she saw Lavender and Parvati.
"Oh! Hermione is that you!"
"Did you cut your hair then? It's so much shorter!"
"Though, I must say, *I* see it as an improvement."
"Oh, me too. Long and bushy is not in."
"Then again, short and bushy isn't either."
"Well, short is less bushy, in a way."
Hermione wasn't sure if she followed this conversation, but obviously Lavender and Parvati were pleased with the change. That meant that it couldn't be bad at all. Lavender and Parvati had by far shown that they had no qualms criticizing Hermione. If they didn't like something, they'd say it. For once, Hermione was glad for their opinions on appearance.
"Well, I mean, thanks Parvati, Lavender." She smiled as she turned to go, heading down with her books in hand. She didn't hear the rest of Parvati and Lavender's conversation, though it went along the lines of "Still a little bookworm though," and found its way to "I know! That Terry Boot has just the most AMAZING eyes" startlingly quickly.
Downstairs, Hermione set her books down next to Ron and Harry's pile. She sat herself down next to Harry at one of the couches, while Ron took a glance around the room.
"Alright, you two, I'm gonna head up. If Fred or George comes in, distract them alright?"
"Sure thing Ron." Harry closed the book on charms they'd stopped at the library for, as Ron took another look over the spell he'd copied out. After all, one doesn't just learn to make a bed buck about like a bull in normal class lessons! The mayhem that would ensue...
"Alright, see you guys in a bit." Ron winked as he headed towards the 7th year boys dorm.
As soon as he was out of earshot, Harry spun on Hermione, suddenly serious.
"We need to talk."
A/N: Thanx to all of you guys who read this. ^^ R/R, reviews make my day bright and happy.
A/N: And the next chapter is up! Okay, I know, my updating is slow... wah, I'm really bad on that account...but the chapter is up now, so please enjoy ^^;
The New 'Do'
Hermione bit her lip as she stood in front of the doors of the Great Hall. Hardly any students stayed this long for dinner. So it wasn't like she was stepping in front of the whole school. Then again, with gossipers like Parvati and Lavender, the news was sure to spread faster than the flu in a preschool. She sighed, knowing that she was being quite foolish. She didn't care what others said about her. She really didn't. Because that wasn't what mattered.
She really wished that her hair hadn't been cut.
As her stomach growled in protest, Hermione gave up and opened the doors. There were still a good deal of students there, chatting away about this or that. Oh, just her luck that tonight people decided to eat late. Hermione kept her eyes low as she walked across to the Gryffindor table, sitting herself down next to Harry.
Harry seemed genuinely startled. He turned around to look at the girl who had sat herself down. It took him a second to figure out why she looked so familiar.
"Hermione? Is that you?" Ron leaned forward to look around Harry, his mouth in a small 'o' of surprise, his food (piled twice as high as Harry's) forgotten. Hermione just bit her lip.
"Madam Pomphrey needed to cut a lot of it off...not enough supplies to get it all out." She reached out to grab some chicken to put on her plate, trying to ignore the other people at her table who were also now recognizing The Girl With Suddenly Shorter Hair who had plopped down next to The Boys Who Gaped.
"I'll say she cut a lot off. It's only down to your chin now!" Ron was such an observant person now, wasn't he?
"Yes, Ron, it falls to my chin now." She sighed before looking back at her two friends, ignoring the mutterings she heard around her as more people noticed the change. "It...it doesn't look that bad, does it?"
"No!" Ron exclaimed instantly. Hermione smiled, relieved now as she picked up a chicken leg.
"Well, except that it is rather bushy still...and it puffs out quite a bit...and it makes your head seem wid-Oof!" Ron finally stopped talking as Harry's elbow collided with his stomach.
"It looks great, Hermione."
Hermione gave Harry a thankful look, even if she felt twice as embarrassed now. Harry just gave Ron a quick 'why-do-you-say-those-things?' look before turning back to his dinner, acting as if nothing much had happened.
"Hermione, are you staying down in the common room to study tonight?"
"Well, I wasn't planning on it...I was going to just study in the dorm. It is quieter up there." Her gaze was fixed on her plate. Why was the Great Hall full of so many whispering voices? It was just hair!
"Well, alright then..." Harry said, unfazed. "I just thought you might like to hear what Hagrid said to me earlier, about today's lesson."
"When?" Ron interjected, trying to remember if they saw Hagrid after their small run-in with the Malaclaw.
"Oh, he talked with me while you were running from Fred's little joke." Harry stopped as he noticed Hermione's very confused expression. "Fred played a little trick on us - well, more on Ron then me - on our way to the Great Hall. I swear, he's really pleased about something. Didn't skip a beat as Filch threatened him with everything he had. I think he scared Filch a little as he walked off, humming happily to himself." The three of them glanced down at the table, where Fred was still looking extremely pleased, if not eccentric with glee. George seemed a tad bit confused, but at least he didn't look like April Fools Day had been scratched off the holiday list anymore.
"Oh..." Ron said, looking like he found this answer acceptable. Then he scowled. "I'll get him back. You just wait. I will."
"Well,...why not get him back tonight Ron?"
"What?" Ron looked at Harry suddenly, wondering what he was up to. Ron just SAID he'd get Fred back. He never had. Well, not yet anyway.
"Get him back tonight. Just..." Harry stopped, thinking quickly to himself. "I don't know, run up to his dorm color his robes neon green or hang a Hider Spider (Official Hider Spiders can be found with any Weasley twin, a mere 5 Sickles each!) from HIS bed, or -"
"Or turn his bed into the world's first Bucking Four-Poster?" Ron grinned, pleased with the chance he'd have ahead of him. He remembered vividly in his childhood when Fred had hid out behind his bed late one night, and every time Ron had been almost asleep, the bed would jerk into the air and then fall dormant again. Ron had slept on the floor for weeks, his bed thrown outside for fear that it would try to trample him if left in the room. Of course, now he knew more magic than Fred had then. Ron could make the bed buck about on its own as soon as someone put weight on it. He snickered at the idea.
"Yeah, Ron. That sounds like some nice payback. I'll be your alibi, in the common room. We'll just say we were studying. Of course...it'd be more believable if Hermione was there. But obviously, if you want to study in your room..."
"Why would you need me to make it more believable?" Hermione asked, not even trying to hide her dislike of the whole idea. (She was still Hermione, after all.)
"Because," said Ron simply, "when have we ever studied of our own accord?" Hermione just bit her lip. Fred had done some pretty rotten stuff to Ron in the past...
'Oh no,' she thought suddenly. 'George is corrupting me. Why else would I even *consider* helping them on such a pointless prank?'
"Come on, Hermione. It's not like you'd be doing the prank! You'd just be studying in the common room with Harry. I'll study too, when I get back. See? Won't that be good?" Ron glanced at Harry, wondering if he could say anything to convince her.
"Really, Hermione, do you think this is so bad? One little bit of payback for Ron. And I could tell you about what Hagrid said then." Harry was hoping she'd just give in already.
"Oh alright." Hermione said finally. "But this better not become a weekly event, covering for Ron while he plays childish tricks on his brothers." She pushed her plate away, deciding she was quite done with eating. Harry and Ron stood up with her and they walked down the length of the table.
Hermione only stole one glance at George. He had looked up as Harry and Ron passed, but his mouth dropped as he saw Hermione just behind them. Hermione gave a small embarrassed smile before jogging to the side of her two friends, perplexed as to why he reacted so strongly. Honestly, it was just hair!
* * * * *
Hermione had to grab her books by her bed before she could study downstairs. That's where she saw Lavender and Parvati.
"Oh! Hermione is that you!"
"Did you cut your hair then? It's so much shorter!"
"Though, I must say, *I* see it as an improvement."
"Oh, me too. Long and bushy is not in."
"Then again, short and bushy isn't either."
"Well, short is less bushy, in a way."
Hermione wasn't sure if she followed this conversation, but obviously Lavender and Parvati were pleased with the change. That meant that it couldn't be bad at all. Lavender and Parvati had by far shown that they had no qualms criticizing Hermione. If they didn't like something, they'd say it. For once, Hermione was glad for their opinions on appearance.
"Well, I mean, thanks Parvati, Lavender." She smiled as she turned to go, heading down with her books in hand. She didn't hear the rest of Parvati and Lavender's conversation, though it went along the lines of "Still a little bookworm though," and found its way to "I know! That Terry Boot has just the most AMAZING eyes" startlingly quickly.
Downstairs, Hermione set her books down next to Ron and Harry's pile. She sat herself down next to Harry at one of the couches, while Ron took a glance around the room.
"Alright, you two, I'm gonna head up. If Fred or George comes in, distract them alright?"
"Sure thing Ron." Harry closed the book on charms they'd stopped at the library for, as Ron took another look over the spell he'd copied out. After all, one doesn't just learn to make a bed buck about like a bull in normal class lessons! The mayhem that would ensue...
"Alright, see you guys in a bit." Ron winked as he headed towards the 7th year boys dorm.
As soon as he was out of earshot, Harry spun on Hermione, suddenly serious.
"We need to talk."
A/N: Thanx to all of you guys who read this. ^^ R/R, reviews make my day bright and happy.