So close, but she was not, in fact, in the clear. Lifting her head, she glared at her reflection once more. Light brown eyes regarded her, framed by a frizzy head of hair. A slightly rotund face completed the look of bookish Granger, the face she'd come to know and love. But now he was telling her to give that up too.

With a soft sigh, Hermione plopped unceremoniously into a chair. Ever since the summer of third year she'd tried to hide it. Careful analyses and hours spent perusing case studies had told her that was the best option. And she'd seen for herself, that one time in her fourth year when she'd foolishly decided to let loose for once. The Yule Ball, and no one could stop gawping at her.

Since then she'd vowed never to make that mistake again. It'd been a close one, at that. Sleakeazy potion? Like she'd -ever- put that goop into her precious hair. Three years spent in this façade and now she'd have to take it off for that idiotic candidacy bull they were giving her. Being her real self would suck. With a deep exhalation, she pointed the tip of her wand at her forehead. "Finite incantatem glamour!"

All at once the room was engulfed in a hazy bronze light. Blinding sparkles swirled about, leaving a cloying lavender smell. Coughing lightly, Hermione waved a hand in front of her, as if that half-hearted gesture would actually rid her senses of the scent and bright lighting. But coincidentally the lights subsided, the scent faded, and she was once again left in the Gryffindor tower dormitories. The clock pinned onto the wall squealed happily, an enchanted piglet racing about its face to the melody of the song "Old McFarmer". One hour left before she needed to leave; she really had no more time to waste.

But waste it she did. Her eyes roamed the far side of the room, studying that quaint little crack in the wall above one of the canopied beds as if it were the most important thing in the world. ~I wonder how it got there. Oh, yes, the time Seamus dumped Lavender~ With a faint giggle, she didn't realize her eyes had left the crack and traveled to the object she was trying to avoid all along, unbidden in its effort. At once her giggling ceased, and she lightly fingered the back of the mirror, delicately-wrought lilies adorning the handle. This is what it really came down to. Squeezing both eyes shut, her left hand deftly twisted the handle until she knew the mirror's face was now turned towards her. ~Okay, now's the time you're supposed to open your eyes~ A voice in her mind told her.

~Well, I know that. I'm not an idiot or anything~

~You do realize you still haven't opened your eyes?~

Hermione snorted. ~You know, you're starting to irritate me.~

The voice echoed her snort. ~And you know I'm only a part of you, I'd say the wiser half of you. Which techinically means that you're irritated with yourself?~

Hermione flushed slightly. ~Okay, here goes.~

One eye slowly, ever so slowly cracked open, not daring to look. She angled her head so that it was fully facing the mirror and.

~Oh boy.~ Both Hermione voices echoed in unison.