Hermione was agitated.
No, she was just tired.
No, it was more like worried and stressed.
Will you just shut up?! Hermione growled at her own jumbled thoughts.
After nearly 5 days of waiting and planning, her birthday was the next day. The day when she would finally shed her old skin and step into her 19th year as the new Veri Lestrange. The day when she would be put on display in front of Voldemort and the Death Eaters. The day before she left for safety, per her parents wishes. The day her divorce with Potter became official and she got half his fortune. She smirked at that. Her father had been particularly vengeful in his proceedings. Granted, Harry had more than enough to spare, but it would put Ginny's jaw out of joint. "Money grubbing whore," Hermione muttered to herself and then mentally kicked herself for even thinking about it. Happy thoughts, happy thoughts.
She sighed and sat at her vanity, looking at her reflection for perhaps the last time ever. Ok happy thoughts aren't working apparently. Closing her eyes, she breathed deeply in and out to calm herself. Yes, it wasn't everyday your body changed overnight. Gods I hope Celeste was pretty. But it wasn't like she wouldn't be the same on the inside, was it? I've already changed so much though since Ron… well I don't think he would even recognize me anymore. A tear slipped down her cheek at the memory of her lost friend and first love.
Flashback
The trio had gone back to Grimmauld Place first after Bill and Fleur's wedding, as it was the last known location of the locket. Once found by Hermione in Kreacher's cupboard, the three had set to work attempting to find ways to open and destroy the locket. After a frustrating three weeks of research, all three were ready to bang their heads against cement. Ron, in a fit of pique, whipped out his wand and threw the Killing Curse with all his strength towards the locket on the table. Hermione dropped the tea tray she had been carrying through the door and attempted to magically shove Ron out of the way of the rebounding curse. Unable to fire the shot off quickly enough, Hermione watched in horror as Ron's chest absorbed the curse, his blank eyes staring at her as he crumpled. Harry had been standing on the other side of the room, frozen and watching.
End Flashback
Hermione sighed once again and wiped away more stray tears. She wondered what he would say about all of the things that had gone on since. She had never gotten up the nerve to tell him about the Lestranges, and she was still happy she hadn't and that their last days together had been peaceful versus fraught with fighting. She wondered what he would have thought of her marrying Harry for reasons other than the obviously lacking love. She wondered what he would have thought of her just giving up to Draco Malfoy.
Malfoy, that name still caused her to shiver slightly. She still couldn't believe what had happened that night. It was like her mind had simply backed off and let her body take over for once. She had never planned on it and hadn't really consciously accepted that he was even remotely attractive, so what the hell?!
All she knew was that when he had come near, she couldn't think straight and her skin tingled. When he kissed her, she forgot everything but the two of them. She forgot that she hated him; she forgot that he was practically her family; she forgot that she had a duty to those other than herself. When she had kissed him, she felt like she had dived off a cliff and the exhilaration of the free-fall had cocooned her.
The small clock on her vanity chimed and she settled her mind. She glanced in the mirror once more and thought, I suppose I might as well hop to it then. She picked up a vial of Dreamless Sleep Draught and swigged it quickly. Walking slowly to her bed, she muttered "Finite" and the lights flickered off. She opened the drapes a little to look out on the moon, saying her last goodbyes to the Ron and Harry of old and opening her heart to what might have been.
Her parents waited anxiously outside for her pacing to stop. They had both acknowledged their need to watch over her, this night of all nights. Both held slight reservations about the change. While Bella had accepted long ago that her husband had not willingly cheated on her, she wasn't sure she could bear to see memories of that woman's face everyday, should Veri resemble her birth mother.
Ironically, Rodolphus felt the same. As beautiful as Celeste had been with her sleek strawberry blonde hair and statuesque features, she had been both fragile-looking and damn annoying. However, her personality traits seemed to have mellowed out in their daughter.
Rodolphus glanced at his wife in the well-lit hallway. They had been together since seventh year, initially battle partners under the Dark Lord, their ability to attune themselves to the other spread from the battlefield into the bedroom as well. The pair had been through more than most couples could ever endure in one lifetime. His wife's long black hair with white streaks, coupled with her classical Black looks, blazing blue/green eyes (which admittedly could turn red when she was overset), and voluptuous body had not decreased in attractiveness over the years. Her face was a bit more hollowed than before Azkaban, but so was his own.
His formally buff 6'3 body had lost a lot of shape and definition within that Hell, but was slowly coming back. His sleek black hair, now shot with silver, was slowly growing back. His eyes too held a slightly haunted look upon occasion, but even that had begun to fade as the years out of prison increased.
Once Veri's room had been quiet for a while, the two slipped in and sat on the edge of her bed, waiting for the hallway clock to strike midnight. The moon shone in on her prone figure, curled under the covers. Both parents glanced fondly down on the one other human being to whom they could show their true selves.
Startling them out of their reverie, a deep gonging was heard and the girl on the bed began to glow. Bellatrix and Rodolphus held their breaths as her legs and torso elongated slightly, her hips and chest altered, and her limbs shuddered with change. Last to commence was her face and hair. Her face seemed to ripple, wave by wave subtly changing the contours. Her hair flattened and rippled as well, but remained its same mid-back length. With a pulse of purple light, her body stilled and the change was complete.
Both parents let out their breaths and thanked the gods for their beautiful daughter. After kissing her lightly on the forehead, they both sneaked out the door and shut it with a light squeak, Cursing, they sprinted laughingly to their room and hurried in, both ready for a slight celebration.
Upon the squeak within the room however, the young woman on the bed awoke groggily. Ok you know its bad when not even DSD works. She growled, threw off the covers, glared at the dark room (Damn lights, should just turn on when I wake up) and blinked when the room was suddenly illuminated. Running a hand through her hair, she gasped when it could actually go all the way through. She hopped off the bed and promptly collapsed. What the Hell … my balance is all off …She looked down. Merlin's trousers! Where did those come from?! She rose shakily from the floor and clutched her wand. She summoned the floor length mirror to her, but it merely shuddered and stayed. Realizing how odd her wand felt, she tossed it across the room and glared daggers at the mirror.
"Get over here!" She waved at it in a frustrated voice.
It came and sat directly in front of her. Okaaaaaay … I'm not even going to analyze that right now … Holy shite!
She was probably 5'8, like before, and around 160 lbs, but now with well-toned muscles. Oh so now the working out shows! None of her limbs were very thin, but all looked very toned and even slightly tanned, a tribute to Celeste's Mediterranean roots. Her ass was no longer flat, but well shaped and firm. Her hips were nicely rounded and smoothed into a flat abdomen. Raising her eyes she took in her probably C-cup boobs and grinned. Her shoulders were a little broad, but that could be worked around.
Now the last… Finally looking herself in the eye, she took in her full lips, high cheekbones and arched eyebrows. Her nose was a mix of her father's patrician and what must have been a button nose on her birth mother. Her eyes were sea foam green, reminiscent of Giselle's, but Veri's had gold flecks in them. They retained a lot of their former character, she decided, but had merely changed hue.
A piece of hair drifted in front of her and she turned sideways to stare at her hair. A long, sleek black mane like her father's, but her hair had streaks of strawberry, red, silver, and even gold. It was by far the most interesting part of her. Some pieces were so black they seemed blue or green.
She smiled at herself in the mirror and screamed. My teeth! They're worse than Snape's!!! She immediately waved her hands at her teeth and yelped "Fix it, oh fix it please!" The teeth immediately began to straighten and shorten. Once they looked decent and she stopped, but she still scowled at that unpleasant detail. Once she had time to glance over herself completely, the DSD took over and she collapsed on the bed, pulling the covers over her head happily.
The next morning she awoke to her mother tossing a heavy robe on top of her. Smiling sheepishly at her nude form, she said "Welcome to the new and improved Veri Lestrange!"
Bella laughed and winked at her, "well I didn't want your father to have a heart attack! Happy Birthday dearest. So what are you waiting for?! Stand up and let me see!"
Veri crawled out of bed and stood a bit more confidently than before. She turned around in a circle for her mother to see, slipped the robe on, and beamed.
"Oh thank Merlin, you didn't get your father's teeth!"
"Those were his?! Aagh, I about had a heart attack before I could fix them!"
Bella snorted, "The Lorraines had a field day with him - they're Oral Healers."
"Well that explains the dentistry then. Oh … Mum, I think I need a new wand … or not one at all … this body seems to be fully equipped with wandless magic."
Bella raised an eyebrow, "You know, I think Rudy's mother had that trait, I wouldn't be surprised if it's hereditary. However, I do think you should get a wand, even if only to trick others into thinking you still rely on it. We'll go to Ollivander today under glamours and get you a new one – we need everything in order before tomorrow." She sighed, "I can't believe I'm losing you so soon after I found you." She enveloped Veri in a large hug.
"It is for the best Mum, even I understand that. I'm rather excited about it really." She patted her mother's back and kissed her cheek. "But lets think of happy things now – shopping and then the dinner!"
I can't believe I just called dinner with Voldemort a happy thing. I wonder if Draco will be there … I shouldn't have left so quickly. I wish I could tell Mum, but … I don't think I'm supposed to know he was here or alive, even if that's where her 'idea' came from. Hmmm…
"Huh?!" Veri looked up at her mother's expectant gaze.
"You mean, 'yes'?" Bella raised her eyebrow and continued, "You must act refined and respectful at all times. And pay attention! I asked if you were ready to go?"
Veri looked down and realized she was in casual blue robes, glamoured blonde like her mother, and huffed, "Apparently I am."
"Splendid. We're off then!" And they apparated away.
Four hours and ten shrunken shopping bags later, they entered Ollivander's shop. He was standing at the top of a ladder attempting to organize a few boxes when the door closed loudly. He toppled off the ladder and most likely would have hurt himself had Veri not reached out her hand and levitated him down. Bella gaped at her daughter's magical ability, while Ollivander attempted to regain composure.
"Well miss, I'm not sure I know why you're here after that, but I do thank you." He glanced at a box that had been shuddering since she had walked into the store.
Veri blushed, "I … er … well I was hoping you might have a wand for me, it's much more familiar and comfortable."
Ollivander sighed and walked to the box. "Very well, I'd hoped I wouldn't have to give this away." He placed the box on the counter and unlocked it. "10 inches, a mixed core of dragon heartstring, unicorn hair, and phoenix feather bound in lead treated oak, gold treated pine, silver treated elm and bronze treated maple splinters all coalesced in a diamond shell. Probably the most powerful wand ever created and one that can only be wielded by a powerful and balanced witch in mind, body and soul. You apparently, my dear, have been chosen for great things."
Veri and Bella both stood staring as he handed Hermione the wand.
"Give it a wave dear."
She attempted a simple organizational spell and directed it at the upper shelves. The boxes, instead of merely straightening out, jumped into place according to their wand's size, core and wood. She could feel her magic bond with that of her wand. Her nervousness over the night ahead disappeared and she became more confident than she had been since she found Harry and Ginny in bed together.
"Oh, sir, it's perfect."
"I know, take it, it's yours – a wand like that cannot be priced. It is too rare and covered in destiny for me to attempt to take credit for it."
Veri curtsied, while her mother nodded to a weary Ollivander and left. Thoroughly exhausted the two women apparated back to the manor and took a nap before the big dinner that night.
Three hours, a long nap and luxurious bath later, Veri stood in front of her mirror contemplating her dress. It was gorgeous and showed off all the right spots. It was a long, black velvet evening gown, complete with train. Simple and plain, the left side had a slit up to her upper thigh. The neck was a halter style with a peek-a-boo slit down the center, dissecting her breasts. The halter wrapped around her neck like a collar, silver fabric with sapphires, rubies, emeralds, pearls, and diamonds sewn in that then went down her back on a thin strip of silver fabric to the base of her back, where it reconnected with her dress.
The dress was really low in the back, making the back entirely nude aside from the strip bisecting it. The back had strings of silver diamonds that spread from the base of her back to the train of the dress. She wore strappy black stilettos with black velvet ties around her ankles and jewel studded straps over her toes.
She had on very little make-up. A little blush graced her upper cheekbones and some powder on her forehead to counter-act the shininess, but that was really it. Her eyes were heavily done, however. She had lined them in black and then used green, blue and silver eyeliner around the back to soften it and expand. Her eye shadow was an opalescent that reflected the eyeliners. Her thick black mascara finished the look.
Her hair was the trickiest part of the ensemble. She had finally decided on an up-do to show off the non-existent back of her dress. Her hair was up in a sophisticated chignon, the right side tight against her scalp, but the left was looser and held up by a barrette, of the same jewels on her dress, against the chignon.
She wore a simple bracelet of the same alternated jewels (each with a different protective charm) along with a pearl ring from her father. She wore no bra, since neither the front nor the back allowed for one and no knickers for the same reason. I am so totally exposed here! She smirked at her reflection and then jumped at the knock on the door.
"Come in!"
Her father, dressed in dark silver dress robes, looked her over and commented, "Your mother has outdone herself … now, where is the rest of that dress?"
Veri giggled and help up a sheer silver over-robe, which would go over, but not hinder the dress in any way. "Here it is!"
He sighed and helped her into it. "Happy Birthday my dear. I've been sent to escort the party girl down. There is a splendid turnout – seems everyone wants to meet you. Are you ready for this?" He watched her face for a reaction.
Veri sighed, "Of course I'm not, but that doesn't mean I'm not going to go. I've had manners and dances drilled into me since I was three, and I've got both my wand and my hands to help." She grinned up at him and kissed his cheek. He raised an eyebrow at her. "What?! Just because I know them doesn't mean I follow them all the time."
He grimace, "So that whole chat I had with the Lorraines was rather pointless … lovely."
She giggled, "Oh I bet Papa didn't like that one bit. He's already so much of a stiff! How they ever let you near their daughter is beyond me."
He glared at her once more and she hushed. He pulled her arm light and they began walking to the grand staircase.
As they neared the sounds of the dinner-turned-ball, Rodolphus reminded her who was who and how to address them. Once they reached the balcony, she looked down and gasped at the nearly three-hundred people in their home. Oh Merlin. She took a deep breath and checked her wand strapped to her right thigh. Looking up at her father one last time, she nodded and squeezed his arm in agreement to descend.