…
-Chapter One-
-Before the Storm-
…
"Hermione, please, talk Parvati out of this! I won't ask anything of you ever again, I swear - but don't let that girl get her hands on me!"
Ginny was distraught. Every day for the past year Parvati Patil (whom Ginny did not particularly care for at the moment) had been wanting to do Ginny's hair and makeup. And, in turn, every day for the past year Ginny had said, "You can do it tomorrow." Finally, Ginny had no more excuses. She could not put it off any longer. Ginny, who was in her sixth year, was currently pleading to her close friend, Hermione.
"Ginny," Hermione said with an air of calmness and peace that upset Ginny, "Parvati doesn't mean any harm - she just wants to… exercise her creative side a bit."
Ginny's eyes widened, and she quickly snapped back, "Well if Parvati 'exercising her creative side' results in me looking like a muggle clown, I will not be part of it!"
The disheveled and angry redhead plopped down on the edge of her bed in her dormitory defiantly, crossing her arms.
"Ginny, it could be fun," Hermione said in a delicate voice, as a mother would persuade a child. "I mean, it's not very productive, but I admit, it might be an entertaining experience. And –" she said, her voice lowering mysteriously, "Your boyfriend would be speechless."
Ginny snorted. Her boyfriend – Harry Potter – would be speechless. He never talked to her, anyway.
Ginny seemed to consider this before saying, "Well, I don't need someone to do my hair and makeup, especially from the primped-and-dolled up Parvati monster! I don't like makeup. If you think that it is such a good idea, then by all means go ahead and take my place!"
Hermione forced back a scowl. "I don't absorb myself in my looks," she said simply.
"Well neither do I!" Ginny exclaimed, throwing her hands up in the air. "What's the difference?"
Hermione chose to ignore that question. "Ginny," she whispered pleadingly, "If Parvati gets this out of her system then she won't do it again for a while. Think about it: You could be the savior for all the other innocent girls she's preyed on." Hermione smiled, knowing that Ginny would give in.
Ginny was at a loss for words. There was nothing she could do now.
Nothing could save her.
…
Two hours later, Ginny looked like a clown, just as she had predicted. Ginny and Parvati were in the Parvati had pulled a few strings and purchased Ginny some decent garments (decent material, that is). Ginny was now surveying herself in the mirror with a look of frank disgust on her face.
"Parvati, I don't feel comfortable in skirts. I'm not used to wearing them," Ginny said, whining. "I really only wear my uniform."
Parvati was admiring her handiwork, and her smile broadened at Ginny's words. "That's the point, silly – you need to get used to wearing different clothes, because you look amazing in them."
Ginny scowled as Parvati started working on her hair again. She was tempted to say, "So what, I don't look amazing unless I'm wearing minimal clothing?" But she resisted; she knew the answer to that.
Her body was nice, and her hair made a statement, but overall Ginny was a rather plain looking person. She didn't know why she was dating Harry Potter in the first place, it's not like he actually paid attention to her. Ginny thought about her relationship (or lack therof) with Harry, her eyebrows furrowing.
Her hands automatically went up to stroke her chin, a corny little quirk she had for whenever she was thinking hard. Parvati instantly swatted her hand away.
"Don't mess up your make up," she said loudly, shaking her head at Ginny in disbelief. She resumed working on Ginny's hair, muttering about not furrowing eyebrows because it will cause premature wrinkles. Ginny just continued to scowl.
…
When Parvati finally shoved Ginny down the entire length of the stairs (Ginny just wanted to change into different clothes and wash her face) to show off her 'masterpiece,' there were not many people there. Harry and Ron, (they are never apart, Ginny thought), Neville, and a ghost that was floating by.
Harry and Ron were immersed in their chess game. When Parvati cleared her throat to draw the attention away from the chess game and towards Ginny, they all looked up. Their reactions were exactly what Ginny expected.
Harry looked up, shrugged, and then went back to his chess game. Ron's ears immediately turned pink. He stood up and marched toward Parvati.
"What is the meaning of this! You make her take that off right now!" Ron yelled at her, his face not looking too much different from a tomato. "I will not have my sister traipsing around in some little skirt while all the males –" He gestured briefly at Harry, who really wasn't paying attention, "- can't take their eyes off her!"
Ginny, for once, agreed with Ron, even though she wished that she didn't. "Yeah, Parvati, I really don't –"
Parvati cut her off, "Ron, for one, Ginny can't take off her clothes right this second, she's in the middle of the common room. And it doesn't seem to me that anyone is obsessing about her body right now except you!"
Ron glared at Parvati. "Well, Neville's looking at her," he said to Parvati, motioning to Neville.
Parvati turned to look at Neville and saw his mouth hanging open.
"But Ron," she said in an undertone, "It's Neville."
Ron seemed to consider this for a moment, and then just shook his head. "No, it doesn't matter, Parvati. I want my sister out of those ridiculous clothes now."
Ginny glanced over at Harry. He was looking bored, watching the fight disinterestedly, his eyes glazed over. Was this how he felt about her? Did he honestly not care if she was dressed like a slut, out in the open for all the boys to ogle her?
Ginny spoke up. "Harry, what do you think?" Harry snapped out of his stupor as Ron and Parvati turned to look of them, their arms crossed.
"Er, Gin, I don't really care either way," he said unconcernedly. "You do what you want."
Ginny's ears turned pink.
"You honestly don't give a damn about what I do?" she said, her voice like ice. There was an uncomfortable pause. "I mean, it's one thing to be a control freak –" she shot an angry glance at Ron, "-but it's another thing entirely to not care at all."
Ron and Parvati gaped at Ginny in surprise. Harry looked taken aback.
"I didn't mean it like that, Gin –" he said, standing up.
"You know, I think you did," spat Ginny. "We don't have a normal girlfriend-boyfriend relationship; as a matter of fact, we barely even talk anymore. I don't even know why you asked me out in the first place!"
Ginny glared at Harry, while Harry put a sheepish look on his face. Ginny turned to look at Ron, who was fidgeting uncomfortably.
"What's wrong with you?" she snapped at Ron.
"Nothing," he said quickly, turning a shade of puce.
"Don't lie to me," Ginny said, her eyes narrowed accusingly. "If you don't tell me what it is, I am going to tell everyone about those special magazines you have-"
"Okay, okay," Ron said hurriedly, cutting her off. "I….kind of…made Harry ask you out."
Harry's face turned red and he looked away, and Parvati was watching them like it would be the last piece of gossip she'd ever get to spread. Ginny's face immediately turned purple.
"Oh," she said. "You made him, fancy that, that is so like you. So you think you have that much control over my life, Ronald Bilius Weasley!"
Ron turned purple as well at her announcing his middle name to everyone. Parvati made a mental note about his middle name.
"And Harry, how dare you do this to me," Ginny said, screaming. She turned back to Ron. "You always try to control every single aspect of my life. I'm surprised that you haven't already investigated which types of brassieres I wear!"
At this point Neville exited the common room, mumbling something about important homework. No one noticed him leave.
"Well, you know what," Ginny exclaimed, "You can't control what I look like. I have decided that I am keeping this new look, and there is nothing you can do about it!
With that, Ginny marched up into the Girl's Dormitory, leaving Parvati excited, Harry looking guilty, and Ron on the verge of hyperventilating.
…
A couple minutes later, Ginny lay down on her bed, crying. How could Harry do this to her? How did Ron get him to ask her out? Why did he?
Ginny rolled over onto her side and curled into a ball, knowing that she needed to stick by her word on keeping her new look. She would show Ron.
Merlin, what had she gotten herself into?
…
A/N: NEED A BETA. PLEASE. This chapter was lengthened and edited. I have a loose plot going on here, so if anyone wants to make suggestions and tell me what should happen, I'm always open for your imput! Also - uses reverse psychology Do not review! Never, ever review! Never! (I hope you know what reverse psychology is: Review!) I need criticism so I can make the story better.
