AN: Thank you so much to everyone who followed and favorited this story! It means so much to me! Special huge shout out to KaneWolfe and Ravsi and the guest who reviewed this little story - your kind words mean so much to me! So, in this chapter we get lots of Ginny, because I love her character and once I started I just couldn't stop. Please follow/favorite and especially review, hearing from readers is so amazing :)

But without further ado, here's Hermione...


Changing Scenery

Chapter 4: Cinderella

Hermione looked up when the bell over the door jingled. After checking the last seven times the door had opened, this time it was finally the person she was looking for.

"Ginny!" She waved a hand to get the redhead's attention.

Ginny looked over and smiled broadly when she caught sight of Hermione and Luna sitting at the corner table. She hurried over, paying no attention when her overly-large purse hit the shoulder of an older woman sitting at a table between the door and Hermione's table.

"Ginny! Apologize," Hermione scolded.

Ginny turned back to look at the disgruntled woman. "Sorry!"

The woman harrumphed before turning back to her companion.

"Girls! So amazing to see you again." Ginny grinned, plopping into the third seat at the table.

"How are you, Ginny?" Luna asked, her soft voice a stark contrast to Ginny's exuberance.

"Bloody brilliant. This season was fantastic." Ginny couldn't seem to stop grinning.

Hermione smiled. Ginny had gotten back from her season with the Holyhead Harpies on Tuesday, but they hadn't been able to meet until Friday. Whenever Ginny was off-season, Hermione, Luna, and Ginny would meet regularly for lunch and, because it was Ginny, gossip. "I read that you guys finished well in the league."

"Third! Best since I started playing for them."

"That's wonderful," Luna said. "That explains the billywigs."

Ginny laughed. "I imagine. So! I feel like it's been forever since I've seen you girls. Tell me everything that's been going on." She leaned her elbow on the table and cupped her chin with her hand.

"The dirigible plum has started blooming," Luna said brightly.

"Oh? Are you going to make more earrings?" Hermione asked.

Luna nodded. "Oh yes. Last year's have dried out and once that happens they must be replaced."

"Why's that?" Ginny asked, taking a sip of the tea Hermione had ordered for her.

"They start to make you think about ordinary things, instead of extraordinary," Luna replied seriously.

"Oh, well then I suppose that makes sense," Hermione said doubtfully. She'd never quite been able to follow Luna's thoughts.

"Don't worry, Hermione," Luna said, patting her hand, "I'll make you a pair. I'm sure you'll need them."

Hermione frowned. "For what?"

"If I told you, you'd only twist the threads," Luna replied.

"What threads?" Why couldn't she just explain things rationally?

Ginny waved a hand. "Never mind that. You know she won't tell you anyway. What's new with you?"

Hermione rolled her eyes. "Not much. I think I might resign from the DMC."

"You define that as not much?" she exclaimed.

"Well I haven't resigned yet," Hermione defended.

"Hmph. Why?"

"Why haven't I resigned yet or why am I resigning?" Hermione asked, just to be prickly.

"Both." Ginny smirked at her.

Hermione rolled her eyes again. "Because I'm waiting for a good time, and because I'm not satisfied there anymore."

"You're spending too much time with Harry, he rolls his eyes too much too," Ginny pointed out.

Hermione coughed to hide her blush.

"Why aren't you satisfied?" Ginny asked, apparently deciding to overlook teasing her about her embarrassment in favor of answers.

Hermione shrugged uncomfortably. "I don't know. I just feel like something's missing in my life lately. There's nothing left for me at the Ministry. I'm just loaded down with paperwork all the time. That's all I ever do anymore, even on weekends. It's not what I'd imagined when I started." She blew out a breath, moving a strand of hair off her face.

Luna nodded sagely. "Your head is full of wrackspurts."

Ginny examined her with narrowed eyes. "You do seem a pit peaky. Are you getting enough to eat?"

"Yes, Mrs Weasley." Hermione just barely resisted the urge to roll her eyes again. "Harry makes sure of it."

Ginny glared at her and then smiled slyly. "Does he?" Ginny asked.

"Yes. I mean no! No! Not like that! I mean, we eat lunch together often. We have the same lunch hour. And we like to eat at the same café." Hermione knew she was babbling and promptly shut up.

Ginny grinned and waved a hand carelessly. "No worries, darling. I moved on from Harry years ago. Got my own man now. But you seem a little too defensive. Is something happening between you?" Ginny leaned forward eagerly.

"Their threads are intertwined," Luna told Ginny, as if imparting a great truth.

Great, now Luna was encouraging Ginny and Ginny would never believe that nothing was happening. And nothing was happening. Nothing at all. Even if she did think he had very nice, broad shoulders. He looked strong everywhere, in fact. He could probably pick her up easily. Useful for having… No! He is my best friend and I absolutely do not think of him that way!

"You should really do something about those wrackspurts, Hermione." Luna smiled blithely. "I have something, if you need it?"

Hermione flushed. "Uh, no thanks, Luna. And absolutely nothing is happening between Harry and I," she said firmly.

Ginny grinned like the Cheshire Cat. "You took far too long to answer that question. This is bloody fantastic! I'm so glad you moved on from Ron. Bloody idiot, he is."

"Language, Ginny," Hermione said primly, trying desperately to ignore the nagging thoughts Ginny's questions had pried up.

"But do you have feelings for him?" Ginny asked eagerly, clearly unwilling to let the conversation die.

Why wouldn't she let it go?

"Of course not. I think of him like a brother." Liar.

"Liar," Ginny said, mirroring Hermione's thoughts. "You think of Ron like a brother, that's why you dumped him. And no one turns that red because of sisterly thoughts."

"It's warm in here," Hermione argued defensively. Oh yes, it's not at all because you imagined a certain someone with dark hair holding you against a wall and shagging the living daylights out of you. Not at all.

"It's actually quite cool," Luna commented.

Hermione shot her a look. Not helping! "Anyway, Ginny. I didn't realize you were seeing someone," she said, desperately trying to change the subject.

Ginny gave her a look that said she knew exactly what Hermione was trying to do and was just humoring her by going along with her subject change. "I am. He's tall, dark, and handsome and likes Quidditch. I really can't ask for anything else in a man." She looked insufferably smug.

"Anyone we know?" Luna asked.

"Oh yes," Ginny smiled secretively.

"Are you going to tell us who it is?" Hermione asked. It was a rhetorical question. Ginny would tell them when she was good and ready.

"Of course. Tonight." Ginny grinned.

Hermione got a very bad feeling. "What's happening tonight?"

"We're going out," Ginny declared.

"That sounds lovely," Luna said.

"I know! We haven't been out together in ages. That's the one bad thing about Quidditch." Ginny looked briefly put out before perking back up. "But the season's over and we are going out and having a good time!"

Luna looked at her watch, which didn't look like it worked, but apparently told Luna whatever she wanted to know. "I have to go check on my radishes, but I'll be there."

"Perfect, I'll owl you the details." Ginny leaned over and gave Luna a hug.

"I'll see you later." Luna stood, gave Hermione a hug, left a few sickles on the table, and then glided out of the restaurant, waving before the shut behind her.

"It's this great new club, comes highly recommended –"

"Ginny, I don't have time, I can't go." Which wasn't entirely true, but Ginny didn't need to know that.

"Come on, Hermione," Ginny whined. "It'll be such fun. If you're really not seeing Harry, then you can come to meet someone."

Hermione's eyes widened. "Absolutely not. I am not going to a bar to pick up some guy."

"It's a club, not a bar. And come on, Hermione. You haven't dated anyone since what's-his-face –"

"Anthony, you know his name is Anthony," Hermione interrupted.

Ginny rolled her eyes. "Whatever. That ended two years ago and you haven't been with anyone since."

"So? I'm perfectly happy," Hermione stated firmly. You had to be firm with Ginny.

"Are not. Harry owled me and said you're bored and that's why you're resigning." Ginny smirked.

She was going to kill Harry. "That doesn't mean I'm not happy."

Ginny flipped her hair over one shoulder. "Doesn't mean you are, either. Please? It'll be fun!"

Hermione shook her head. "I don't want to."

"I don't care. Parvati discovered this place–"

"No!'" Hermione said, a little too loudly. Several heads turned in their direction, including the lady Ginny had wacked with her purse who gave her a disapproving look. "I am not going out with Parvati again, not after last time!" she said more quietly.

Ginny sighed dramatically. "Oh please, she promised that wouldn't happen again."

"I mean it, Ginny, no." Hermione looked at her firmly.

"We're leaving at nine, I'll pick you up."

Arguing with Ginny was like being run over by a steamroller. "I said no."

"I've got this great dress you can wear. I picked it up when we were playing in Paris, you'll look fantastic in it." Ginny looked her up and down. "Yes, fantastic."

I'm talking to a wall. "I'm busy tonight."

"No, you're not. You're resigning, remember?" Ginny smiled smugly.

Hermione glanced around furtively. "I told you I haven't announced that yet, keep your voice down."

"You're the one drawing attention," Ginny argued. "I'll be over at eight then, yeah? I'll bring the dress. Oh! And I've got this great pair of heels that we can size to fit you. I'll bring those too."

"I am not going!" Surely Ginny hadn't gone deaf?

"Make sure you shower before I get there, that way you'll be mostly ready. Oh, and don't forget to use Sleekeazy's. I wish you'd let me teach you some beauty charms."

"I told you, they're too much trouble. And I will be doing paperwork tonight, so I don't have time to go out."

"I thought you said you were busy?" Ginny said slyly.

Hermione spluttered.

"Great! I'll see you at eight!" Ginny grinned, dropped some sickles on the table, and then flounced out of the café before Hermione could come up with another reason not to go.

"I'm sure I said no," Hermione muttered as she dug change out of her beaded bag.

Half-seven that evening found Hermione in a towel and staring into her closet. She was desperately trying to find something that would keep her from having to wear whatever dress Ginny had decided that she should wear. As she stared into her mass of office robes, she knew she was out of luck before she even started looking. She never went out on her own, so she just didn't own anything. Whenever Ginny dragged her out she always brought over whatever she wanted Hermione to wear, knowing that very thing.

"There must be something." She glared into her closet before reluctantly starting to flip through the hangers.

After ten minutes, she gave up. She only had two dresses that weren't for the office, and both were more suitable for a Ministry function than a night at whatever place Parvati had found. She resigned herself to having to wear whatever Ginny brought over.

Casting a Tempus charm and realizing she only had twenty minutes before Hurricane Ginny landed, she hurriedly started getting ready. She finished drying herself off, spelled her hair dry, and then took a seat in front of her vanity to start the long process of taming her hair.

By the time she heard the pop of Apparition, she had managed to get enough Sleekeazy's into her hair that it was curled neatly instead of raging madly.

Ginny burst into the bedroom. "Excellent! I'm so glad you decided to come out with us tonight." She grinned.

Is that your word for ignoring any and all of my objections? "I don't recall having a choice."

Ginny laughed. "Of course not. You'll have fun. Promise."

With a flourish, she dropped a garment bag onto Hermione's bed. She watched with trepidation as Ginny carefully unzipped it and then pulled out something Hermione would never, ever have chosen to wear in a million years.

"Ginny! I am not wearing that!" Hermione protested, standing up from her position at her vanity.

"Nonsense, you'll look amazing. Blokes'll be falling all over you." Ginny held up the dress in front of her. "Great color for you."

"I don't want blokes falling all over me. I'm not looking for someone, remember?" Hermione felt like she was having déjà vu.

Ginny yanked Hermione's towel off without a thought for modesty. "I know, because you're interested in Harry." She eyed Hermione's knickers speculatively. "Those aren't nearly sexy enough."

Hermione rolled her eyes to the ceiling while Ginny went to raid her drawers. "I am not interested in Harry! And my knickers are fine! Because I am not trying to attract someone."

Ginny looked up at her in shock. "You don't wear lingerie for a boy! You wear it for yourself! You wear it so you know that you look fabulous from head to toe, whether or not anyone else sees it or knows it. And with a dress like that, you will look sexy on the outside and I am going to make sure you feel sexy too." She fixed Hermione with a stern look. "And the first step to that is nice lingerie."

Ginny went back to pawing through Hermione's underwear drawer, which she'd found with surprising skill.

"Fine," Hermione conceded. "But don't you dare try to set me up with anyone."

Ginny grinned and stood up, holding a pair of black lacy knickers and the matching bra that Hermione had purchased on a whim after breaking up with Anthony. "I won't need to with you in these and that dress."

After that, Hermione resigned herself to letting Ginny play dress-up with her. The lingerie, which she had to admit did make her feel sexy, the dress, and the heels were on in record time. Ginny flatly refused to let Hermione see herself before she was completely dressed, insisting on fixing her hair and doing her makeup as well.

Cinderella had it easy. Her fairy godmother just waved her wand and everything was perfect. Hermione winced as the charm Ginny was using on her eyebrows seemed to yank out both of them at once.

"Much better," Ginny said with satisfaction.

But no, I get to be poked and prodded. "Are you finished yet?" Hermione tried very hard not to sound like she was whinging.

"Almost." Ginny applied more lipstick to her face, and then stepped back, scrutinizing. "Stand up."

Hermione stood from the chair in front of her vanity, faced away from the mirror at Ginny's absolute insistence. Ginny looked at her. Well, studied her, more like.

"Yes. I was right. You look bloody fantastic." Ginny grinned. "You may now look in the mirror."

Hermione scowled at her and then turned around. She held in a gasp, unwilling to be a complete Cinderella stereotype, but she was surprised by how good she looked. The short, tight, crimson satin dress that Ginny had brought really was a good color, and the fit accentuated all the right bits. The bra made her look like she had actual cleavage, and the black high heels made her legs look miles long.

She turned back around to face Ginny, noting that she was practically bouncing in excitement.

"So? What do you think?" Ginny asked impatiently.

Hermione finally allowed herself to smile, which quickly turned into a grin. "You're a genius."

"I know! Come on, let's go. We're almost late!"

Hermione picked up her wand and then looked down at herself in consternation. "Where am I supposed to put my wand? I don't want to just hold it all night."

Ginny laughed and then lifted the hem of her own short skirt dangerously high to reveal a black band hooked high around one thigh. "Thigh holster. Best thing ever invented for witches on the go. And I brought an extra." She pulled one out of her handbag, dangling it on one finger. "I figured you wouldn't have one. And you get to keep this, because you will definitely need it again if I have anything to say about it."

Hermione rolled her eyes and refrained from arguing. There was absolutely no point, as she'd learned earlier that day. She took the band of what felt like silk. She hiked up her skirt and then fastened it around her leg. When she smoothed the satin back down, she noted that there was no indication that she was even wearing it – no line or wrinkle.

"High quality Disillusionment charm woven into the fabric," Ginny explained when she noticed Hermione smoothing her hand over the fabric repeatedly. "Your wand and the band won't ever show beneath what you're wearing, no matter how…revealing." Ginny winked.

"Clever," Hermione murmured. She couldn't help but admire the design, which allowed one to holster and release one's wand surprisingly discreetly. After testing it a few times, she slipped her wand into the holster, knowing Ginny would have to Side-Along her.

Ginny offered an arm. "Ready?"

Hermione grabbed her little beaded bag off her vanity, check to make sure everything she need was inside, and then nodded. "Okay, I'm ready."

They appeared outside what looked like an abandoned warehouse, but Hermione was sure it looked different inside. Ginny practically dragged her to the door, which likely had something to do with that fact that Hermione was dragging her heels a little. Ginny was far stronger than her, however, and they were soon in front of a mass of rotting wooden slats masquerading as a door.

Ginny tapped her wand against the wood three times and it swung inwards. They stepped through and everything was immediately louder and smokier and darker. They'd entered what looked like a hallway with a line of people. The walls were painted black and a single line of lights hovered in the air. Ginny continued pulling on her arm, bypassing the line. Hermione started to protest but Ginny waved a hand to hush her.

"I know the owner." Ginny smirked over her shoulder.

Hermione sighed and allowed herself to be towed to the front of the line. A very tall wizard with a gratuitous amount of muscle holding a wand stood at the front of the line next to a smaller but still well-muscled wizard holding a parchment.

"Ginny Weasley and guest," Ginny said to the parchment wizard.

The parchment wizard glanced at them and then down at his parchment, which Hermione could see now had a list of names. "Go ahead."

The tall wizard stepped aside and they entered a small room, also black – Hermione was beginning to sense a theme – with a witch standing off to the side.

"Any robes to check?"

"No, thank you," Ginny said breezily, continuing to pull on Hermione's arm.

"I'm going to have bruises tomorrow," Hermione informed her, trying to be heard over the pulsing music.

"Not from me, but I'm sure plenty of wizards here would be more than happy to help if you want some in more interesting places." Ginny winked.

She dragged her into another room, which turned out to be the dance floor, up a flight of stairs off to the side, and then into a room with a wall of windows looking down over the dance floor, before finally releasing her. Hermione rubbed her arm and winced.

"I told you –"

"Yes, of course, you're interested in Harry," she said dismissively. "What do you want to drink?"

Hermione scowled at Ginny, but she had turned to greet the other witches who were already in the room and didn't see.

Hermione counted Padma and Parvati, Luna, Cho and Astoria, Katie, and Angelina. A nice group of friends, she had to admit.

She was greeted with a chorus of "Hermione!" and pulled into tight hugs.

"You look fabulous!" Parvati squealed. "You were so right about the dress, Ginny."

Ginny looked insufferably smug. "I know."

The conversation devolved into chatter about the week and about Ginny's season as they settled into the comfortable couches in the room. Several rounds of shots were ordered and consumed. By half past ten, Hermione was pleasantly tipsy and starting to relax. She was chatting happily with Cho and Astoria about work at the orphans' home when a screech from by the windows drew their attention.

Parvati, who had been engaged in an intense giggle-filled discussion with Ginny, was pointing at something on the dance floor. Katie and Angelina, who had been sitting on the other couch, stood up to go investigate.

"Is that Draco Malfoy?"

"He looks fantastic!"

"Not so pointy anymore."

"Look at that jawline!"

"And those cheekbones!"

Hermione lost track of who said what, but she was surprised that Draco would be at a nightclub. And more than surprised that none of the witches had mentioned anything about wings. Giving in to her curiosity, she joined them at the window and looked at the subject of their attention.

She had to admit, he did look good. Oh yes, because you didn't notice before.

She watched as he approached the bar and almost immediately received a drink. How on earth does he manage it? He turned back to the club, looking around and then glanced up, straight at her.

He's looking at the window, not at me. It's just a trick of the lights.

He stared at her for a long moment. At the window, not me. And then he slowly raised his glass, eyes never leaving hers, and took a sip, and she noticed that whatever he'd ordered, it was silvery grey. Like his eyes. And his wings, of which there were no sign. When he lowered his glass, he licked his lower lip to catch a drop and she didn't know how, but she could have sworn she felt his tongue trace over her own lip.

She raised a hand to touch her lip and found that it was damp. He winked.

Oh fuck.