Chapter 2
It was about a month since she got home and was actually enjoying herself. She had been spending time with her cousin Cynthia. Cynthia was the closet thing to a sister that Hermione had. Being an only child has its good points but she also lacked in the companion part that came with having siblings. She had spent a lot of time telling Cynthia how Hogwarts was and what she went through this year, which was how they came on the subject of Harry.
"So what happened to make you so angry with Harry? Last time we spoke you were totally smitten with the boy," Cynthia asked.
"It's just a lot of drama. Basically I went back to my dorm room late yesterday evening to find Harry shagging Lavender in MY bed," Hermione said with a sigh and started to rub her temples.
"But I thought you and Lavender were friends. I thought you said that she was the only person you told about liking Harry," Cynthia said thoroughly confused.
"Obviously Lavender and I are no longer friends. She didn't care anything about me. It's almost as if she did all this just to spite me but you know what I'm just sick of it. I'm sick of being the one everyone teases, and uses to get answers for work. I'm sick of people lying to me and most of all I'm disappointed. I'm disappointed that I let myself be used like this. That I put myself on hold because I thought that Harry would come around but I finally realized that he won't. He just doesn't think of me that way and I'm not so sure I want him to anymore. Harry has changed so much over the years Cynthia that it's not even funny.
With Sirius getting acquitted he know lives with him and being that he killed Voldemort and most of the Death Eaters are in special cells in Azkaban he's become even more of a celebrity than before. Now girls are just throwing themselves at him and he let's them. He's not the same shy boy who always looked out for people and thought of his friend's best interest before his own. Now it's all about how much sex he can get without being in an actual relationship. I swear he's almost as bad as Malfoy.
I've made a decision to not be who every one wants me to be and just be myself. I'm going back to school the way I am when I'm with you and Greg and Shawna. I can't and will not continue to live the way my parents want me to be, the way my peers perceive to be, and the way I thought Harry would like me to be. I just have to be me. I swear Cynthia…sometimes I look in the mirror and I honestly don't like what I see…what I've become. And that's just not me," Hermione said letting a tear fall down her eyes.
Cynthia enveloped Hermione in a hug and rubbed her back. After Hermione calmed down a bit Cynthia pulled away from her and looked at her for a minute as if she was thinking about whether or not she wanted to say what she was thinking. After a minute she looked up at Hermione and said, "How about we do a little make over. You like the way I look right?"
"Yeah…why?" Hermione asked.
"How about I drive you down to the salon I go to and get you a perm then we can hit the mall so that you can get yourself a new wardrobe. Just get your father's credit card and we can go," Cynthia said thoughtfully.
"You're not going to make me something I'm not are you. Because I know your idol is Britney Spears and I'm no Britney," Hermione said hesitantly.
"No I'm not going to change you and Britney isn't my idol. I just think that the girl has great style and you can't deny that the girl can put on a show," Cynthia said.
"The girl can perform but back to the question at hand. What are you going to do to me?" Hermione asked.
"I'm just going to get you a perm then they'll wrap your hair. The perm will soften you hair and make it feel silky. They'll wrap your hair around you hear. Almost like a turban but much small and cuter. That way you can comb it down and you're hair will kind of frame your face. Then we'll go to the mall and get you some girly clothes. Nothing too outrageous. Just some long denim skirts, some form fitting jeans, sleeveless shirts…just more girly clothes but conservative. We're just going to get some clothes that bring out the Hermione that you've been covering for the past year and a half. We'll go pick some up some hair schrunchies and some lip gloss," Cynthia said.
"Okay. That's seems like it's a good idea," Hermione said after a while of thought.
"Well then cheer up and get your father's credit card so we can do some damage," Cynthia said with a chuckle.
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Cynthia and Hermione got home later that day with their hands full of bags and Hermione's mood had improved a lot. Hermione was laughing at the joke Cynthia had told her when her father came to the door.
"Hermione?" he asked.
"Hey dad," she said.
"You look beautiful sweetie. What'd you do to your hair?" he asked as he ran his hand through he extra long and silky brown tresses.
"Cynthia recommended I get a perm and I took her up on it. I must say that I like the outcome. Oh here's your credit card. Thanks for letting me use it," Hermione said handing her father back his gold Master Card.
"You welcome. Oh your friend Ron called while you were out. He uses the phone rather well these days," Hermione's father said while walking off.
"So are you going to call Ron or what?" Cynthia asked.
"Yeah I'll give him a ring. Just let me put my bags in my room," Hermione said as she walked up the stair to her large bedroom.
Hermione's room was beautiful. She had a white queen sized sleigh bed. She had a white bedroom set with matching nightstand. Her walls were painted white and she had white sheets, two white pillows, and a white skirt around her bed but her comforter and four large throw away pillows were decorated in Calista embroidery in off white. Her bedroom was spotless and very organized and she liked it that way.
After she put her clothes away she picked up her phone and called Ron. The phone rang for a few minutes before someone picked up. "Hello?" an eager voice spoke loudly into the phone. Hermione immediately recognized the voice as Mr. Weasley.
"Hello Mr. Weasley. Can you put Ron on the phone?" she asked politely.
"Sure hold on a minute," he said loudly.
Hermione waited a few minutes then Ron got on the phone. "Hello?"
"So what'd you want?" Hermione got to the point.
"I wanted to know if you wanted to spend the rest of the summer with me and my family. Harry already agreed to come," Ron said.
"No thank you but thanks for asking," Hermione said calmly.
"Did you send Harry his birthday gift?" Ron asked changing the subject.
"No…I really hadn't even thought about it. I'll buy him something today and send it off," Hermione said nonchalantly.
"What's going on between you and Harry? It's seems as if you can't stand to be anywhere near him and that's strange because we all used to be close," Ron spoke.
"Nothing's going on between us," Hermione said evenly.
"Okay…I'll let you get back to whatever you were doing," Ron said before hanging up.
"Now what in the world am I going to get Harry for his birthday?" Hermione mumbled to herself.
"Cynthia!" Hermione called for her cousin.
"What?" Cynthia asked as she walked in the room.
"If you were me in my predicament what would you give Harry for his birthday?" Hermione asked.
"It seems to me that what he really needs is a box a condoms," Cynthia said.
"That's so rude," Hermione said.
"But hey it works on so many levels. I mean at least you'll know he's at least having protected sex and when he gets the box he'll most likely think it's a gag gift anyway and you won't have to spend all your time and energy trying to get him something," Cynthia said.
"Can you pick it up at the store for me?" Hermione asked.
"Sure," Cynthia said as she picked up her car keys and took the money from Hermione.
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Harry was eating breakfast with Sirius and Remus when two owls flew in through the window. They both landed in front of Harry with packages tied to their legs. Harry opened the bigger one first. It was from Ron. It had a book on the Chudley Cannons and his first subscription of the Brinkster's Brooms Catalog. He set down the books and picked up the smaller package he assumed was from Hermione.
Harry had been waiting for this present. He was wondering what she would send him since they haven't talked since the incident. He slowly opened the package not noticing that Sirius and Remus were paying attention at how he approached opening his gifts. Harry opened the package and found the small box. It was a 3 pack of Trojan condoms. Harry shook his head and laughed then put it in his pants pocket.
"Who sent you that?" Sirius asked with a smirk on his face.
"Hermione," Harry said simply.
"Why would Hermione be sending you condoms?" Remus asked.
"Because of something that happened the day before I came home," Harry said before taking a bit of his hot cakes.
"Are you dating Hermione?" Sirius asked surprised.
"No…no nothing like that it's just that we haven't been talking for a while because of a mistake I made before I left," Harry said.
"What'd you do?" Sirius asked.
"Nothing I care to repeat," Harry said before pushing his plate and walking back to his room. He had already opened the presents the well wishers and Remus had sent along with the one's that Sirius had purchased.
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It was two day before Hermione had to take that ride back to Hogwarts. It seemed as if the summer literally flew by. She didn't understand how the best summer of her life went by so quickly. Oh well. At least I already bought my books, thought Hermione as she pulled back her bed spread and hopped in her bed. She was going to enjoy sleeping in her own clean bed because it would be the last time for the next ten months.
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