*
Hermione shivered slightly as Lavender rang Diego de Vasco's bell. Anyone could plainly tell this house belonged to a Spaniard, the traditional English charm had been replaced with an exciting Spanish air.
"Hola, puedo ayudarle?" said a woman in an apron. " Si usted está buscando Diego, él está en su sala" (A/N- [to the kewl people who actually speak Spanish] I got this Spanish off a translator. According to me friend SSJ's sister, they're very unreliable. It's probably wrong...so sue me ^-^)
Hermione shot Lavender a confused look. She smiled and tossed her brown hair. "We don't speak Spanish." Lavender said.
"Eh? No entiendo." the woman said, shaking a feather duster at them.
"er..." Hermione said. "No....Hablo...Espanol?" she said, uncertainly.
"Oh, oh...si! " the woman beckoned for them to follow them. She led them to a parlor, where a stunningly handsome man, dressed all in black, sat.
"Hello, Lavender."he said, his words blended with a brilliant Spanish accent. "Who's your beautiful friend?"
Hermione felt herself blush at the flattering mention of her. "I - I'm Hermione Granger..." she stuttered. Hermione found herself become nervous under his sharp gaze.
"Well, hello Hermione Granger. I am Diego de Vasco." Diego took her hand and kissed it, smiling mischievously.
"So, anyways." said Lavender. "We came over to ask you if you would go double with us. You would be Hermione's date and I'd go with someone else."
"That sounds ... wonderful..." he said, still staring at Hermione.
"Er...Lavender..I don't feel very well... I think I'll go back and lay down for a while..." Hermione said. She hadn't been lying, either. The fact that any man, aside from Ron, was giving her such a look...well, it made her feel sick. Especially in light of the whole affair that had gone on just that morning.
"Oh...ok, then..." Lavender said. "I guess I'll come with you, then," she turned to Diego and gave him a sickening flirtatious smile. "See you at seven!" She turned and exited the room.
"Audious." said the woman with the feather duster as she showed them the door.
"...Er...Yeah...Bye..." said Hermione. She winced. The pain in her head was enough to make her want to throw up. "Lavender." She said when they had gotten half way home. "I really don't feel so well."
"You're just nervous. I don't blame you. Diego is enough to make anyone nervous," she giggled.,"I remember the first time I met him..."
Hermione only half listened as Lavender talked and laughed at her first meeting with Diego. This little *meeting* seemed like a date to Hermione, and she said so.
"What...? What gave you that idea?" she said, fidgeting with her shirt.
"Well, you were at a restaurant and you went to his house afterwards..."
"I would never cheat on Ron!" She said, her face beginning to turn slightly pink. "I've already told you that!"
"Er. Sorry, then... I didn't mean to upset you..." Hermione said, as Lavender glared.
"Well,...I don't like being accused of things I would never do! I *highly* disapprove of cheating."
Hermione noticed Lavender's gaze shift as she said this, but decided not to press the issue. Lavender was the only person she could stay with at the moment, as she wouldn't go back to Ron's apartment for her life and he'd be able to get to her easily at the Weasley's house. Ron knew very well that Lavender wouldn't let him near her house, so Hermione was safe there.
When they reached 378 Mulberry (A/N - Lavender's house, remember?), Lavender called the doctor. He prescribed a certain potion, for he was a wizard, for her headache and left without a fuss.
Hermione drank the bitter tasting potion in a single gulp. "Ick," she said, making a face. "That tastes disgusting."
"That's too bad." Lavender said, distracted. She was busy trying on dresses for their dates tonight. "How's your head feel?"
Hermione got the distinct impression that Lavender was more worried about success of the date then her health. "Much better, actually,"
"good. Then we can get you ready for tonight." She wandered over to Hermione and brought her to her closet. Her wardrobe was as splendid as her house was; she must have had hundreds of dresses in her enormous walk in close, all of them cut rather low. She walked up and down the row of dresses muttering to herself, occasionally grabbing one.
"Here we are!" Lavender said, happily, as she set an assortment of frocks for Hermione to choose from.
"Oh, dear...I don't think I can choose..." Hermione stammered, admiring the dresses.
Lavender laughed and tossed her hair. "I know the feeling. It's just ever so hard choose, isn't it? If you don't mind the suggestion, I think red looks best on you."
"Erm... no, I don't mind at all...I guess I agree... I haven't given 'my colors' much thought, really..."
"oh, you should! All women need to know what looks good on them,"
"er...I suppose so..."
"Here," Lavender said, handing Hermione a short red dress. "go try this on."
"Okay..." Hermione took the dress and headed for the bathroom. When she had gotten it on, she spun before the mirror to see how it looked. It was a very pretty dress, dark scarlet with an A-line hem. Hermione stepped out of the bathroom.
Lavender looked up. "Oh, yes. that'll do nicely " she paused. "now...for the make up" She went into the enormous bath and went through the cabinets, pulling out a tiny make up case. "Stand back," she said.
"Wh - 'Hermione began, but was cut off as the make up case expanded and grew before her very eyes. "Wow!"
"Yeah, isn't it cool? I got it the other day at Diagon Alley."
"
"Put it on, silly," she said, laughing shrilly. "Hm.. lemme see..." she looked at Hermione for quite awhile before pulling out compacts of eye shadow, blush, and lipstick of every color, some shining or glittering. She beckoned to Hermione. "We're going to start with some lipstick," she pulled out a tube of red lipstick with gold swirled in it and applied it to Hermione's lips. She stood back and smiled. "Yes, that 's perfect." She finished with Hermione's make up and started on her own.
They were ready. Hermione, in her red dress and gold eye shadow, and Lavender, in her long sparkly blue gown and pale blue make up, walked elegantly down the stairs, and to the parlor. A few moments later, the doorbell rang, and Diego and Terry (A/N - lavender's date..you guys should really pay more attention...[jk] lol) stood on the stood, both looking dignified and handsome. Hermione let go of her fears slightly.
It wouldn't be until later that she realized that was her first mistake.
*
AN - I end with an exciting thingy mabob! riiight. so...review!
oh, and this is dedicated to Ashley (magicalangel) who only bugged me three thousand and four times to get this up. Three thousand and five is when i lose it..^_^