9
"So did you do it?" Ginny asked Hermione at the morning meal as she twirled a bit of egg on her fork. She showed no signs of being tired, even though Hermione had learned what a night it had been for her friend.
"Yes. Any moment now, the charm will take effect," Hermione replied. Ginny smirked slightly at this news. "You know, she really does deserve this-" Their conversation was cut off by the sight of Harry and Ron coming towards them and sitting down.
"Boy, am I hungry," Ron stated, piling potatoes and bacon on his plate. Harry filled his plate more slowly, watching Hermione. For no particular reason, she found this slightly annoying, so she turned back to Ginny.
Ginny, however wasn't watching Hermione, but looking at Harry. Hermione sighed and tried her best to see over the tops of heads in search of Lavender. She hadn't appeared yet, but Hermione knew it wouldn't be long now.
"Hey, 'Mione, who're you looking for?" Ron inquired, his mouth half full with sausage.
"Oh, no one," she replied, sitting back down. What's taking her so long? she thought.
Lavender opened her eyes, studying the recently applied eye shadow in her mirror. She shook her head and tapped her temple with her wand tip, making the eye shadow change to a shimmering green. Satisfied, she straightened her shirt and left the dormitory, tucking a piece of parchment in her pocket as she left.
She stepped through the portrait hole and headed not towards the Great Hall and breakfast, but towards the Owlery. This time, she was careful to seem as inconspicuous as possible, and she was relieved that it no longer felt as if she was being followed.
Once in the Owlery, Lavender coaxed an owl down to her arm and tied the letter she had tucked into her pocket to its leg. With a screech, it took off into the sky.
Smiling triumphantly, she proceeded to the Great Hall, all too aware of the amount of people staring at her beauty. She tossed her hair and giggled, amazed at just how many people had finally decided to pay attention to her.
But something didn't seem right. Lavender watched one boy shoot her a look she had never encountered before. Grabbing her compact, Lavender studied herself. Relaxing, she put it away again; she was still just as beautiful as before.
As Lavender entered the Great Hall, she noted that Hermione Granger seemed to be looking for someone. Their eyes met, and Hermione's dropped back to her food. Smirking, Lavender decided to make her way over to them.
"Do you mind if I sit here?" Lavender asked Ron who was staring at her in an odd sort of way. "No? Good." Lavender sat down directly next to Ron, forcing Hermione a few feet down the bench.
Ginny addressed Lavender. "Erm, hi, Lavender. How are you today?" Ron continued to gape at her.
"Oh, fine, fine. And what about you, erm, Jenny, was it? Not short on sleep, are you?" Lavender knew perfectly well that the girl was named Ginny, but the effect of calling her Jenny was priceless.
"It's Ginny, you b-"
"-She's got a headache, Lavender. Don't mind her," Hermione quickly covered. Lavender shot Hermione a horrid look and turned back to Ron and Harry, who were, oddly, still gaping and silent.
"Well say something, you," Lavender instructed, crossing her arms.
A short silence greeted this until Harry finally found his voice. "We're fine, er, Lavender, right? Like, you are Lavender Brown, correct?"
Lavender just scowled at him. "Of course I'm Lavender Brown. Who else did you think I was? Millicent Bullstrode?"
"Well, you actually do have a bit of a resemblance to her..." Harry muttered, his face down near his plate.
"What?" Lavender asked.
"Oh, nothing."
Ron hadn't said a thing all this time, but he managed to finally croak something out. "Lavender, you, erm, look different. Like a lot different. What happened?" Ron wore a slightly disgusted and pitiful expression that worried Lavender.
"Nothing happened, Ron. I got ready the same way I always do. If it made me look even better, then so be it!" Lavender couldn't understand why they were all acting so oddly. What was going on? "Whatever. I'll be seeing you guys later!"
Lavender stood from the table and looked around for Parvati. Spotting her, she tapped her on the shoulder. Parvati spun around and nearly gagged on her fork. "Lavender!What-how-when-how-what happened?"
"Nothing, you git! Why's everyone asking me that?" Lavender nearly shouted.
Parvati just whispered, "Look in the mirror." Lavender grumpily reached into her pocket and pulled out her compact again. Looking, she was even more confused; she looked the same as always. "What are you getting at?"
Parvati quickly reached into her school bag and pulled out her mirror. Holding it so Lavender could see herself, she instructed, "Look."
Lavender shrieked and pulled away. Staring back at her was a girl who vaguely resembled her. This girl had huge, swollen eyes, crocked and chapped lips and greasy brown hair. All over her skin, little spots were erupting, adding to the effect. "What happened to me?"
Parvati just shook her head. "Come with me to the Infirmary." Lavender obeyed and put her hand to hide her face. She started trotting down the isle with Parvati when something hit her.
"Parvati! It was her! It was Hermione Granger! I'm sure of it!" Lavender shook with fury as she informed Parvati. Just as she said this, a shout startled everyone in the hall.
"Hermione Jane Granger, report to Professor McGonagall's office immediately!"
Lavender turned to Parvati and smirked. Hermione was getting what she deserved now.
-------
Hermione stood slowly from her seat, aware that every eye in the Great Hall was upon her. She wracked her brain in horror, trying to think of what she could have possibly done to upset McGonagall so much.
"What'd you do?" Ginny asked, leaning in towards her. She looked rather worried.
Hermione just ignored her and started her way out of the Great Hall and towards Professor McGonagall's office. Knocking, the door swung open, revealing a very angry McGonagall sitting in an armchair, eerily lit by a fire.
"Hermione Jane Granger. How nice of you to join me." McGonagall spoke in a hushed and sinister tone.
"Professor, I really don't know what this is about-" McGonagall cut her off.
"Don't know what this is about? Well, let's just take a look at this, why don't we?" snapped McGonagall, raising something.
In her hand was a piece of parchment folded into the size of a letter with the name "Professor Minerva McGonagall" scrolled in a familiar girly writing. Hermione gaped at it until she noted a faint scent wafting from it. She smelled lavender.
