A/N this is a challenge set by Webmistress MetaMuse. The deadline is 7th April (I think) but I doubt I'll have this finished by then because ive only started it today but I will try. I haven't written a HP fic in awhile. If you want to know the requirements to the challenge just say so in a review or sumit. Sammis.

Disclaimer: Sadly i dont own them. Not even the plot, well i kind of do and dont.

The Swan

Hermione stared into the bowl of soup that sat untouched in front of her. It was evening meal in the great hall but even with the great noise Hermione was still able to hear herself criticize the refection she saw looking back at her within the soup. The image was distorted from the lumps of vegetables and meat floating in the watery mess but yet Hermione saw that it didn't improve nor worsen her reflection. Not even the watery food could change the picture to be more grotesque then she looked. Taking in what she saw Hermione noted all the thing wrong with her looks starting form her hair down. Counting within her head she started repeating the list she had learnt of by heart from hours of looking in the mirror.

1, Hair is too fuzzy, dry, and unmanageable and the colour made her look skin look horrible.

2, her skin was dry and had too many blemishes.

3, her eyebrows was close to becoming one and taking over her forehead.

4, her eyes were too big, they made her look like a house elf, and the colour just insulted her skin like her hair.

5, her nose was too wide and flat.

6, her mouth was too full, if some one was to wet her lips and then stick them to the ceiling Hermione would remain daggling there for years.

7, her teeth wasn't straight even, even though Miss Promfey had help make them even she didn't help them to be white and not crooked, fair even it was only the one tooth out of line but it still helped to make her ugly.

8, her chin, or should she say her chin's. Both where covered with more blemishes then she would like and the dry patch of flaky ski wasn't helping the matter either.

9, her neck, as wide as her face only helped to make her look like a hamster.

Hermione moved over the bowl so she could see her chest but before she could carry on with her list she was distracted by a large piece of her dry hair falling into said bowl. Fishing it back out Hermione tried to get all the bits of food out of the dangled mess. 'Damn it all'. Pulling out her wand at a last resort Hermione charmed the food away only causing her hair singe as the magic did its work. Looking at the burnt bit of hair tears began to swell in her eyes. It seemed no matter how hard she tried she could never get it right. This was another thing she had failed at. She would never be beautiful.

She wiped quickly at a tear that escaped, looking around the table to see if anyone had seen her and to what has become the 'norm' no one was. Harry, she noticed from the last time she looked up had moved from his new piece of 'fluff' neck to her mouth. Ron as what had become another 'Norm' had his tongue down is longer-than-3-weeks-this-time-girlfriend and his hand firmly pressed on her chest. You would think they would go somewhere more private to have sex then to dry hump in front of the whole school. Not that the school seemed to mind the visible display of hormones, well all apart from the members of staff and only when they actually took the time to look around and notice them. At least Ginny wasn't that bad. She is just sitting next to Justin while she ate, it looked like she was embarrassed by Ron and Harry too because she had a slight red tint to her cheeks. Justin was for some reason was eating with his left hand even though he was right handed. The explanation for this was that his right hand was under the table doing…No wonder why Ginny's got the blush!

Repulsed by those around her Hermione stood from the table forgetting her meal altogether, it wasn't like she could eat after that anyway and quickly made her way from the hall to her place of peace, the library.

"What's with her?" Ron asked as he pulled away from the fifth year Ravenclaw.

"Must be some sort of homework she just got to do this minute!" Harry voice got higher at the end as he tried to imitate Hermione. His attempted was rather successful as those who were in hearing range laughed.

"She is getting so annoying lately. All it is with her is work, work, and work." Ron exclaimed. "She lucky she got us because otherwise she wouldn't have any friends at all."

"Yeah, I know mate." Harry agreed before going back to Hannah Abbott.

The library was where Hermione wasn't afraid of what she looked like, didn't care if her hair was a mess. There was no need to pretend she was happy with in the tombs. Heading towards the table she has spent most of her time in the library at Hermione thought sadly how much things have changed as it reached the end of their final year at school.

The trio wasn't as strong as it was before Voldemort's fall and to think that was only at the beginning of their seven year, and now it was nearing May and Hermione felt more alone then ever before. This change wasn't something that happened overnight. The first few months of Voldemort's defeat they had tried to keep their bond strong. Then the girls had started to appear, both Ron and Harry had felt the need to 'relax' a bit. Soon after Hermione was just the girl they spoke to when they needed help with homework or just someone to talk to, to fill the time until they could see their 'girls' again. Ginny was the same, it wasn't like she was that close to Ginny before hand but they just sort of drifted apart as time passed on. Ginny helping to fill the void in the gap Hermione once filled. Being pushed away by them Hermione turned to her books. They would never betray her. Never leave her.

Settling down in the chair Hermione prepared to spend the rest of her Saturday within the comforting wall around her.

A/N short chapter, I know. Just want to set a foundation for Hermione's current thoughts, feeling and life before jumping in with two feet and with out the knowledge of how to swim. Please Review.