Kneazle
Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter. All characters, places, etc. belong to JK Rowling, Scholastics, etc. Avril Lavigne, "Skater Boy", owns the song from the CD "Let's Go". "Longview" is owned by Green Day, from the CD "Dookie", and "You Gotta Be" is by Des'Ree. New Found Glory belongs to whatever company owns them, as does Green Day, Sugarcult, and No Doubt.
Rating: R (FOR LANGUAGE – THIS CHAPTER ONLY!)
Summary: All Hermione wanted to be was popular, well liked, and considered "cool" – anything but the bookworm that she was labeled. Now, in her final year at Hogwarts, can she achieve that or is everything just mismatched?
Author's Notes: PLEASE READ! I know that at least one person so far has said that they hoped that "MissMatched" won't go clichéd – you know, Oooh, she's so pretty now, everyone falls in love with Hermione – buck up! That won't happen. This story is going to be as realistic as I can possibly make it. Hermione's unhappiness in the story was my unhappiness, a couple years back. I suffered the same things that this Hermione is going through now (except the "fat" and "ugly" comments… I was called "too skinny" and still am called "anorexic" to this day). Hermione is a teenage girl who had no friends. A girl who doesn't have much self-confidence, or knew that people could actually be nice to you. My Hermione is going to go through the same self-discovery as I had, and of course, things will end up happily, though we all know that nothing is ever perfect or ends "happily ever after"; we all wish it did.
So without any more a due, the next chapter to "MissMatched". ~ Kneazle
CHAPTER TWO: Motivation
When I woke up the next morning, it was sunny. Oh goodie, no rain today, and that totally brightened everything up – until I remember yesterday and my vow. How was I going to get people to see past my bookwormish ways? There had to be a mathematical equation to solve that…
Sit around and watch the tube, but nothing's on
Change the channels for an hour or two
Twiddle my thumbs just for a bit
I'm sick of all the same old shit
In a house with unlocked doors
And I'm fucking lazy
I soon found myself looking at my calendar, contently remembering that it was a dress-down Friday. These "Dress-Down Fridays" had been introduced in my fifth year, as more and more Muggleborns had been coming to Hogwarts. We were allowed to wear what we wanted (with mild consideration), and this was great for most of the female population.
I myself needed a nice kick in the butt to get my morning started. I was one of the few who woke up early (I really don't think five is too early… I mean, you need to have your hour of exercise, then shower, clothes, hair, make-up, then breakfast), and was already ready to learn. Or maybe it was just because I was a Ravenclaw.
So with some motivation, I cranked my volume dial on my ghetto blaster, tuning to the CDs. Mr. C is actually a pretty good exercise method, when you truly think about it. Speed up the tempo, stomp your foot, hands on your knees and getting funky with it… yeah, that's Mr. C's "Cha Cha Slide Part Two" all right.
I left the blaster on while I took my shower, which woke me up to the third degree. After that, once I was done blow-drying my hair, I found myself looking in the mirror and wondering, am I really fat? Well, technically, no – I'm not. It's just the view that has been installed in our minds from models in magazines and movies.
Bite my lip and close my eyes
Take me away to paradise
I'm so damn bored I'm going BLIND!!!
And I smell like shit
So, with some difficulty, I realized that maybe I should try some make up and see what the results were. I knew I wouldn't be totally hot, or drop-dead gorgeous, but I could try.
My mother, God bless her, had tried the following year to make me look good. She had taken me to Boots, and then bought tons of cosmetics, and then we went to a popular and expensive salon where they also did makeovers. Using the tips that they had beaten (literally, with the proverbial blush brush and mascara wand) into me, I tried to recreate the face that I had seen in the mirror that day.
It wasn't a super model, but it was someone who knew what was their best feature and knew what to bring out in the open by enhancing it. When I was done, I stepped back from the mirror, and surveyed my handiwork.
Peel me off this Velcro seat and get me moving
I sure as hell can't do it by myself
I'm feeling like a DOG IN HEAT
Barred indoors from the summer street
I locked the door to MY OWN CELL
And I lost the key
Okay, Lavender Brown and Parvati Patil of Gryffindor could probably do better on me if they had wanted to, but for my first own attempt, that was pretty good.
I had used black mascara to "lengthen" my eyelashes, and that looked fine. Subtle lipstick and gloss was used to my give lips a pouty look, and with my frizzy brown hair, the natural smudged green eyeshadow made my eyes stand out – which was what I wanted.
Satisfied with my look, I put on my robes and Ravenclaw shirt and skirt, slipping on my Docs at the last minute before heading down to the common room and then Great Hall.
Because I had been putting on my makeup, I was running a bit behind schedule. I would now walk in on the busiest time of the Great Hall breakfast. Everyone would be there, and I wasn't sure if I was confident enough to do this. But, I pushed through, Des'Ree in my head once more, and stepped through the doorway.
I walked down towards the Ravenclaw table, and sat in a seat on my own, away from everyone else. I buttered my toast when a shadow fell across my plate.
"Well, well, well, if it isn't the little fat Mudblood herself," sneered Pansy's voice. I glanced up, and there was a shocked silence, before Pansy broke into fits of laughter again.
"Oh my God, what did you do to your face, Granger?" she gasped off. "You look like an escaped clown from the circus! Oooh, Mudblood, were you trying to make yourself look better by wearing make up?" She then turned and walked away, leaving me staring silently at my plate. Ravenclaws, Gryffindors and a few Slytherins had overheard Pansy, which wasn't too hard considering she had nearly been yelling.
I GOT NO MOTIVATION
WHERE IS MY MOTIVATION?
NO TIME FOR THE MOTIVATION
SMOKING MY INSPIRATION
Sit around and watch the phone, but no one's calling
Call me pathetic, call me WHAT YOU WILL
My mother says to get a job
But she don't like the one SHE'S got
When mastur-bation's lost its fun
You're fucking lazy
Whispering started when I stood, gathering my books and keeping my head down as I walked towards the second floor loos. I knew that they would be empty, as Moaning Myrtle liked to haunt them.
I stepped in and found a relatively dry stall. Placing the toilet seat down, I sat on it and after a while of trying to hold the tears in, they leaked out.
I sniffed once, and then twice, before letting the sobs out. I heard Myrtle distantly laughing and crowing that there was someone else in misery other than herself, but I could barely hear the other voice until they knocked on the stall door.
"Hermione?"
Bite my lip and close my eyes
Take me away to paradise
I'm so damn BORED
I'm going blind
And loneliness has to suffice
Bite my lip and close my eyes
I was slipping away to paradise
Some say, "Quit or I'll go BLIND."
But it's just a myth
I sniffled loudly, before shifting my position in the stall to unlock the door and peek out. A girl, a year younger than I and in Gryffindor was standing there, looking concerned at me.
"What do you want?" I choked out, blinking back tears. "Come to tell me how fat and ugly I am too?"
The girl looked startled before flushing a brilliant red like her hair. "No! Merlin above, is that what Pansy Parkinson always says to you? That you're fat and ugly? That bitch!"
The tears had stopped, and through sniffles I looked at the girl. Slowly, I asked, "who are you? And what do you want?"
The girl smiled at me, digging in her pockets before pulling out some Kleenex and handing it to me. "Here. I'm Ginny Weasley, a Gryffindor sixth year. I heard Pansy yelling at you, and saw you get up and walk in here. I wanted to know if you were all right."
Surprised that someone would care about me, and that they wanted to know if I was all right, I looked up in shock. The whole thing was rather absurd. Did I look all right?
Blinking in surprise, I asked that to the girl. "Do I look all right to you?"
My voice must have been sharp because she visibly flinched. "Sorry… well, I guess you want to be alone then…"
As she turned, I found myself calling out quietly, "No, please don't go. Please."
The Weasley girl paused, before turning around. There wasn't any hurt tin her eyes, as far as I could see, but pity and a soft, almost sisterly hue to her blue eyes.
"Now, why would I leave? We'll have to re-do your make up, now that it's all washed away," grinned the girl. "I hope you can trust me enough to say that… well, green isn't your colour."
"Oh, gee thanks," I replied, sniffling slightly, but with a happy tone. "Now I find out."
The Weasley girl placed her hands on her hips and glared at me. "You know, there's the door, Hermione – don't let it hit you on your way out. I thought all Ravenclaws were supposed to be smart… you're acting real dumb right now."
That certainly makes me feel better. I looked at her, shaking my head. "Sorry, Ginny… it's just no one has ever been this nice to me before, other than my parents and my brother – well, my brother doesn't count because he's bigger than I am now and henceforth can technically beat me up…"
Ginny let out a peal of laughter. "Well, that makes two of us, 'cept my brothers are all older and are all pain in the backsides. Now… C'mere and lets get working with this… I believe Ravenclaw seventh years have potions (She shuddered) with Professor Snape first thing this morning. How horrible!"
"It's fine, really," I said, trying to change her mind. "I really like potions, and today I think we're learning about the"—
"Save it for the classroom, brainiac," smiled Ginny. "I don't need to be lectured."
I sat silently while Ginny applied some of her make up on my face, hopefully covering up the disastrous outcome that happened when I started crying.
"Why are you doing this?" I finally asked, twenty minutes later when she was done. Ginny was putting away her make up in a carry-on bag, and she paused at my question.
"Truthfully?" she asked, glancing back up to look her blue eyes right into mine.
"Yes…" I looked her right back.
Finally, Ginny sighed and settled herself on her haunches, placing her hands lightly on my knees. "Because no one should be treated the way that everyone in this school is treating you."
"H-How… how do you… know?" I whispered, shocked. Ginny had known what people had been doing – making fun of me, mocking me, imitating me – and hadn't said anything until now?
She glanced away quickly before her eyes met mine again. "Yeah. Most people in the Gryffindor house have classes with the Slytherins, and they like to mock you when you aren't around… and since Gryffs hate Slythers… well… we naturally stick up for you – not only because of that, mind you – but because that's who we are. I've tried so many times, since my second year actually, to find you when you weren't being…" she glanced away again and took a deep breath. "When you weren't being teased or bullied. But you always seemed to disappear. If Harry hadn't read Hogwarts: A History so many times now, I could've swore that you apparate away."
I blinked stupidly. After everything she said, all I heard was: 'If Harry hadn't read Hogwarts: A History so many times'… 'If Harry hadn't read Hogwarts: A History so many times'…
"Harry Potter has read Hogwarts: A History?" I asked stupidly.
Ginny gave me a weird look. "Duh. He's one of the smartest students in the school besides you and Draco Malfoy. Why do you think he made Head Boy?"
"He did?" I blinked again. "I must've been concentrating on something else, to not notice…"
Ginny smiled. "Well, congratulations Hermione. You'll do splendidly. I'm sure of it." The younger girl beamed at me.
Finally, she stood and held out a hand to help me up. I took it and stood, smiling cautiously at her. "Does this…" I coughed. "D-Does this mean… ah, we're… um… friends?"
Ginny laughed out loud. "Of course, silly! For someone smart you sure can be dense some times. DO you think I would just waltz in here and say, 'Here, I'll fix you up', then leave? Noooo… a Weasley never does that."
"Weasley." I frowned, thinking. I've heard that name before. "Is one of your brothers' Percy Weasley?"
Ginny nodded, and linked her arm through mine as we exited the second floor loos. "He's the third oldest. The oldest of my brothers is Bill, then Charlie, Percy, Fred and George, Ron, and then myself. It's quite the household."
"Indeed," I agreed pleasantly. "What are you taking for electives?"
"Care of Magical Creatures, Divination, Ancient Runes, Astronomy, and the new course that is being offered by Professor Cardigan," replied the redhead.
"Oh wow," I answered. "Do you know what the course is about? I didn't check into it, though I suppose it's common knowledge that I take one of everything at some time or the other."
Ginny laughed. "Of course. You're quite the academic."
"I don't know whether to take that as an insult or compliment."
"If it comes from Ginny Weasley, it's a compliment," a new voice said, joining our conversation. We spun, and I was surprised to see Harry Potter and Ginny's older brother Ron Weasley standing together a few feet away from us. Ron hastily shoved something behind his back, though I didn't see what.
I stood awkwardly off to the side as Ginny explained why she had missed the end of breakfast and why she was heading down to the dungeons with me. A couple of times, I saw Harry's eyes flicker over to my face, but I stubbornly kept my gaze on the floor.
"Well, we're heading to Herbology, we can escort Hermione there. It would be bad enough for you, Ginny, since you're at the other side of the school," said Harry.
"Other side of the school?" I asked, snapping my head up to glance at Ginny. "You didn't tell me that! If that were the case I wouldn't have let you come with me… I appreciate it, I do – but you'd be late for your class!"
"Nonsense," argued the petit girl, but at Ron's silencing glare she snapped her mouth shut and sighed. "I'll see you at lunch, okay, Hermione?"
I nodded, not trusting myself to speak at the moment. I was going to be left alone with Harry Potter and Ronald Weasley. I think I was going to faint.
"Hermione Granger, right?" asked Ron, stepping a bit forward. I nodded, still averting their eyes. Finally, someone sighed; it turned out to be Harry.
"Look, we're not going to bite you, you know," he said, kindly, but forceful enough to make me look up.
Nodding again, I kept my head up, but still didn't look them in their eyes. "Well, Herbology is through the Main Hall, so we can split there, since the passage to the dungeons is that way."
"What? I thought you had to go through the two moving staircases to the left, then"—
Ron shook his head. "Who told you that? It takes you less time the way through the Main Hall…"
"Susan Bones," I whispered, tears threatening to spill over my eyes. They had purposely told me a lie so I would get in trouble by being late. It was so they wouldn't have to see me until I was in class… oh God…
"Are you okay?" asked Harry, placing a hand on my shoulder. "They shouldn't have done that. When did they tell you this?"
I blinked the tears back; there was no way I was going to cry in front of Harry and Ron. I purposefully avoided the question by saying that we should go, or we'd be late. I didn't want to tell them that Susan Bones had told me the incorrect way to the dungeons on the third day of school… in the first year.
It was a shock when I arrived in the Main Hall with Harry and Ron on either side of me. Most students in Hogwarts worshipped the two, as they had fought Voldemort many times together, though Harry was more famous.
There was a shocked silence, and then whispered started up throughout the hall. As we walked past, Ron and Harry chatted pleasantly about Quidditch, a game I was never in to. I never liked it when players purposely hit bludgers at the opposite team to knock them off. It was far too violent for my liking. Besides, I had always liked polo and crocket much more.
"… It's Gryffindor versus Slytherin on Wednesday. Why don't you sit with Ginny in the stands and watch? I doubt you'd want to sit with any of the Ravenclaws," finished Ron, with a bitter sound to the name of my house.
"Oh!" I smiled. "That would be lovely, thank you for the invitation."
Harry looked at me funnily. "Do you always speak like that?"
I blushed. "Er… no… it was just taught to me at a Muggle Finishing School. It was where I went before I came here."
"Finishing School?" asked Ron, confused. "What do you finish there?"
Harry rolled his eyes and I giggled lightly, before Harry muttered, "It's a Muggle thing Ron."
"Oh…" He was about to continue when a voice called out, "What did you do, Granger? Bribe Harry and Ron so they can pretend to be your friend?"
A group of people laughed, and I brought my head down, in shame and sadness. Of course that's what the school would think…
I was going to turn and slink away when I felt someone's hand on waist. I looked up startled to see Harry stopping me from moving. He and Ron were staring furiously at the boy who had yelled that out, and the group of people who were laughing. Ron's face was turning red, and I immediately knew that this was when I'd get to see the famous "Weasley temper" I had heard so much about.
"Justin Finch-Fletchley!" snapped Harry, his face livid. "How dare you say that? Twenty points from Hufflepuff for putting down a fellow student, not to mention the Head Girl."
Students who were laughing fell silent at Harry's outburst. No one had thought that he would stand up for Hermione.
He grabbed onto Ron's sleeve before the redhead could jump forward and physically hurt the now confused and frightened Hufflepuff. Slipping an arm across Hermione's shoulder, he spoke. "I think you'll need an escort to potions. We'll be there waiting for you when you leave too – I don't like the instability that's going on at the moment… you might be hurt some more."
"Yeah," put in Ron, "I don't think Professor Sprout will mind if we're a bit late anyway."
I smiled graciously, hugging both teens briefly. "Thank you. I was beginning to wonder if you were doing this just because Ginny and I are friends… but I'm beginning to see differently."
"Crazy girl," grinned Ron, squeezing my upper arm and rapping me lightly on the head. "You're nice, and if Ginny likes you, we like you. Besides, you're the smartest in our year and now you can help us with our homework!"
"In your dreams, Weasley," I retorted, laughing as he pouted. Harry laughed and together we walked down into the damp dungeons. Some people from my class were already there, and stared at us when we arrived.
The door opened and the students filed in, sending curious glances over their shoulders. Before I went in, I grasped Ron's robes and almost pleaded, "You'll be waiting for me here, won't you?"
Harry and Ron smiled, and I felt much better when Ron detangled my fingers from his robes, patting my hand comfortingly.
"Of course," they echoed each other, and I felt a swoop of gratitude and WAF feeling warm my body.
"Thank you again," I said.
"No problem," grinned Harry as they turned and left. I watched until they disappeared before sitting in my usual seat, alone in a corner. Whispers were all around, but no one dared to ask me what was going on.
Potions dragged on and on until finally the bell rang throughout the halls, and people scuffled out of the room. I packed my bags carefully and then followed the last stragglers out, wondering why the girls were giggling insanely and why some guys had started talking about who was going to win the Quidditch Cup this year.
Everything became obvious when I saw Harry and Ron leaning against the wall across from the potions room, waiting. They smiled when they saw me and waved, Harry slinging an arm across my shoulders again as we walked to my next class, with Ron telling me about Fred and George's pranks.
I barely heard a word he said, but nodded in intervals with a large smile on my face, from ear to ear. Only one thing ran through my mind:
They had waited for me.
*