A/N: Here's the next edition.  To smegul and everyone else wondering about poor Harry: patience, my good people :)   I'm not good enough of a write to intertwine their tales; I'd confuse myself much too easily.  But for you, I've put the next two up in a row, which closes out the Hermione-only portion of our tale.  After this, we'll get about five fun-filled chapter of the wacky adventures of Harry, before everyone meets up again (sorta) for the next death-defying school year.

Sorry TimGold, Harry and Hermione won't be together until the end; just a lot of unadulterated friendship until then, but I'm trying to add a fluffy chapter before that to quench your thirst; unfortunately it's not for another 14 chapters though…

Ack! Am I drawing this out too long?  Too much nothingness?  Well, it's already written, so I'm gonna post them once I edit 'em.  Tell ya what though, skip until I get to Chapter 21, when everyone's back at Hogwarts (sorta), and I'll give you a summary in the A/N about what happened over the summer.

Otherwise, enjoy!

14. Girls' Night Out

Two weeks after Spring break, Hermione found herself eating alone during lunch, finishing a few inches of parchment for her Arithmancy course.  Ron and Ginny were at the Quidditch pitch, choosing to spend the lunch break practicing for their upcoming match with Slytherin.  As Hermione finished up, she looked up in mild surprise as Lavender and Pavarti approached her and asked to sit down. 

Hermione smiled at her two roommates and nodded.  Although she was friendly with the two girls, Hermione had never been especially close with them.  Part of it was because she had always spent her time with Harry and Ron.  But a bigger reason is that she just never felt at ease around them.  It was silly, she knew; she wasn't a nine-year old child anymore.  She was sixteen and had done so much and seen so much in her short life.  Yet, something about being around her pretty roommates just put her on guard.  They were nice to her, for sure, but deep down she expected at any moment to be on the receiving end of a snide comment about her hair or her looks or her bookishness.  Although those kinds of comments had stopped early on in her first year (well, except from the Slytherins, and the one time in fourth year when everyone was jealous of her because of Victor), Hermione was always aware of the possibility that all she had to do was say the wrong thing, and she would be that little girl again, taunted by her schoolmates.

Hermione put those thoughts aside.  "Hi," she said.

"Hi Hermione," Lavender said, looking slightly uncomfortable.  "We were wondering if you could help us with that Potions assignment Snape just gave us?"

Pavarti nodded.  "We were so incensed by what Snape said about Neville, and all those points he took, that we weren't paying attention," she said, somewhat sheepishly.

Hermione smiled.  "Sure, I'd love too.  Snape was definitely ghastly, wasn't he?" she said.

"Most definitely!" Lavender agreed.  "Why, I haven't seen him be so mean to anyone since Harry left – ouch!"  Lavender glared at Pavarti, reaching down to rub the shin that was just kicked.

Hermione looked uncomfortable.  "It's ok.  You can talk about Harry around me," she said, trying to reassure them.  But the damage was done.  They quickly arranged a time to meet ("Tonight in the library after dinner") and made their awkward goodbyes.  Hermione sighed, and then finished up her parchment.

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Hermione found Lavender and Pavarti already waiting at a table for her, one of the tables tucked away to the side.  She smiled at them and then casted a proximity-based silencing charm, so they speak without incurring the wrath of Madam Pince.  They got to work immediately.  For Hermione, it was a little strange to be working on homework in a group that didn't include Harry or Ron.  It wasn't that she didn't help anyone else; it was just that Harry or Ron, or the both of them, somehow managed to be part of the group.  But Ron was off focused on Quidditch, trying out the latest plays that Hermione helped him draw up.  The three worked quickly, only speaking about Potions and the dire consequences of not using the right ingredients at the right time.   After an hour Lavender stretched, and then flipped her textbook to find the ingredients for the next potion.

"Yuck!" Lavender said.  "These kappas are disgusting-looking.  I hope we don't have to take their scales off ourselves."

"Oh, I don't know," Pavarti replied, looking closely at the drawing of a kappa in their Potions textbook.  "Reminds me of Goyle with his bristly hair," she said giggling.

Hermione laughed.  "Oh, I don't know Pavarti.  I think the kappa is much cuter.  At least it has better skin."  Lavender and Pavarti looked at Hermione for a moment before laughing.  After that, the ice had been broken.  The three girls continued to work on their potions, but rather then finish the assignment in a total of two hours (as Hermione had estimated in her head), it took them nearly three and half, as they took frequent breaks to talk, gossip, laugh, and giggle.  Lavender and Pavarti were positively shocked at Hermione's lack of knowledge on the latest events in Hogwarts social scene ("For such a smart witch, there's a lot you don't know," Lavender teased gently).  For Hermione, it was a strange feeling, laughing and joking with two girls, rather then two boys.  She found it refreshing, since Quidditch talk barely made an appearance, and only then to discuss the physical attributes of the male players and the benefits provided by a Quidditch uniform.  Finally, as they were gathering their books to return to the common room, Lavender turned to Hermione.

"Hey Hermione.  Pavarti and I were thinking of organizing a sixth-year girls' only trip to Hogsmeade in two weeks.  Would you like to come?" she asked.  "Please?"

Hermione initially looked at her with a slight feeling of suspicion.  Her nine-year old self told her it was just a trick; they would get her to go, then all make fun of her.  But one look into the earnest and sincere faces of Lavender and Pavarti convinced her otherwise.  "Sure," she said brightly.  "I'd love to."

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"What?!" Ron exclaimed.  "You're doing what today?"

The day of the Hogsmeade trip, the "girls' night out" had arrived quickly.  Ron has naturally assumed they would go down together, and then split up as he went in search of all things Quidditch, and she went in search of all things bookish.  Instead, Hermione told Ron of her plans to spend time with the girls.

"I never thought I'd see the day!" he said melodramatically.  "Hermione, gossiping and talking about hair, make-up, and clothes!  What is the world coming to?"

Hermione punched him gently in the arm.  "Shut it!" she said, but with a warm smile.  "I'll meet you later after dinner."

"You better.  And you better tell me everything anyone said about me, or else," he warned.

"Or else what?" Hermione said with amusement.

"Or else I won't help you with your homework anymore!" Ron cried and then ran off, avoiding another punch to the arm.

Hermione smiled as she watched him scamper away, and then left the common room to meet up with her roommates.  All the other sixth-year girls were there except for Slytherin girls, who all "had better things to do."  Hermione couldn't shake her nerves as the girls shopped en masse at Gladrags Wizardwear.  It was different then the library, where once they started joking, Hermione felt at ease with her roommates; after all, they've shared the same room for six years.  But now she was with her roommates plus six other girls, and Hermione felt uncomfortable.  Finally after an exhausting shopping session (where she allowed herself to be talked into buying a new robe, one that "accentuated her cheekbones," according to Mandy Brocklehurst), the girls headed towards Madam Puddifoot's for some tea (and also a fine opportunity, according to Lavender, to catch up on who's snogging who).

They quickly bustled into the small teashop and claimed three round tables, pushing them together.  They immediately started several different conversations, usually centering on the clothes they just bought, the couples in the teashop, and the latest happenings at school.  Hermione participated sparingly in the conversations, not feeling able to simply relax, but no one seemed to mind or notice.  Eventually, another round of tea and biscuits were called for, and Hermione volunteered to get them.  Lavender joined her as Hermione placed their order with Madam Puddifoot.

She looked at Hermione.  "I'm so sorry about the behavior of the other girls, Hermione," she said with apologetic eyes.

Hermione grew worried, "wha-what do you mean?"

Now, Lavender looked downright grumpy.  "Oh, you're nice to pretend not to notice, but some of the girls just can't get over being near you.  They just need to relax!"

Now, Hermione was confused.  "Lavender, I have no idea what you're talking about."

Lavender looked closely at Hermione, trying to decide if Hermione was being honest.  "You don't, do you?" she asked slowly.  Hermione shook her head, and then Lavender grabbed her hand and dragged her to the counter, where they found seats.

"Wow, Hermione!  I mean wow!  I can't believe you never noticed!" she began.  "Haven't you always wondered why so many of the girls at Hogwarts seem nervous of you?"

Hermione did indeed notice, but had attributed their actions to disdain, not nervousness.  But to Lavender, she said, "maybe just a little."

"And you never wondered why?"

"Not really.  But I do now.  Why?"

"Oh Hermione.  I'll say it again.  For such a smart witch, there's a lot you don't know," she said with a smile.  "Most those girls," she pointed towards their table, "are so in awe of you that they don't know how to be themselves when you're near."

Hermione was shocked.  Was this some kind of joke?  "What are you talking about Lavender?"

"You really don't see it, do you?" Lavender asked, surprised.  "You're like their…role model.  You're the witch that every girl wants to be!" 

Hermione stared at her dumbfounded for a moment, then let out a short bark of laughter.  "Wants to be like me? Are you sure you have the right girl?  I mean look at me!  I'm not nearly as pretty as you or Pavarti" she exclaimed, grabbing at her unkempt hair and the decidedly non-trendy clothes she wore underneath her robes.

Lavender shook her head.  "It's got nothing to do with your hair or your clothes or how you look, Hermione.  You're so smart, everything comes so easily to you, and you're so confident, like nothing ever fazes you.  You're so brave and smart, Hermione!"

"Well…well, you're brave too, Lavender.  Remember when Hagrid's blast-ended skrewts got loose?  You stayed and helped while all those Slytherins ran."

"Ha!" Lavender laughed out loud.  "I would never have been able face of those Death Eaters or that Lestrange lady, and that's not even counting the adventures you've gone on with Harry!  Everyone just looks up to you, especially the younger girls."  Lavender leaned in, and whispered, "Everyone was sorta worried when Harry left, because he always protected us and all.  But people feel better knowing that you and Ron are still here.  Besides," she said in a normal voice, "everyone just knows you're going to be Head Girl next year."

Hermione blushed and then said, "well, no one knows for sure."

But Lavender dismissed her comment with a wave of her hand.  "Anyways, I hoped that some of the girls here would be more comfortable with you, but they can't seem to relax."

At that moment, Madam Puddifoot motioned them over with their completed order.  Hermione and Lavender took their refreshments to the table.  For a while, Hermione just sat there, trying to process everything she just heard.  "The witch that every girl wants to be," is what Lavender called her.  It was a strange; she was used to being the odd girl out, the girl people looked down their noses at.  There were times when Hermione asked herself if she made the right choice, coming to Hogwarts.  While she loved her experience at Hogwarts, it would have been a lot safer if she stayed at her Muggle school, and she'd still be the same bookish girl that she was at Hogwarts.  But never in her wildest dreams did she imagine she would ever be really liked outside of Harry and Ron.  And now, thanks to her "adventures with Harry," Hermione was actually respected, a role model even.  All of a sudden, Hermione felt happier than she ever had since Harry left, and she turned her attention back to the conversations in front of her and felt, for the first time, at ease.