Wow, really sorry about the length of time it's taken to finally write another chapter for this… I was in a bit of a rut with all my stories, so I tend to just write another one that's completely different… I've done several… So now I'm back. Cheers for the reviews, everyone =D
Disclaimer: Not belonging to me, it's all JK's. Mostly, I believe, anyway…
Welcome to St Trinian's
Hermione tapped her nails against the mug in her hands absent-mindedly as she waited for Aspasia to arrive at the small but impeccably neat flat that she shared with Percy Weasley (it had been a move of convenience - she didn't have the heart to remove the memory modification she had placed upon her parents during the war, and so had left them going about their business as the Wilkins' and decided to look for a place to share – as time had passed, Hermione found Percy quite easy to live with thanks to their mutual desire for cleanliness, respect and rules and had grown quite fond of the swotty Ministry worker).
"Granger, please abate your incessant tapping."
It amused her greatly that the third eldest Weasley used her family name. Closing her hand around the warm mug, she humoured him, and looked to the fireplace before glancing at the clock resting above it on the mantle.
"She'll be here momentarily to take you to that peculiar school." Percy assured the brunette witch, pushing his glasses further up his nose before assuming a serious expression. "Miss Granger…" He started, before pausing, causing her to look at him, but he seemed to have changed his mind.
At that moment the floo flared a brilliant emerald green and the unmistakable, curvaceous figure of Aspasia Flint stepped into the lounge area, dusting soot from her clothes.
"Hermione, darling!" She crooned as Hermione stood, carefully placing her mug on the coffee table, in order to greet black haired witch. Embracing briefly, Aspasia kissed the air beside Hermione's cheek.
"Hello, Aspasia. How are you?" Hermione asked politely.
"Fine, fine." Aspasia had just registered Percy's presence, and Hermione followed her gaze.
"This is Percy Weasley, my roommate." She introduced the red haired man who had risen at Aspasia's entrance. "Well, ex-roommate, I suppose, now."
Indicating that they move into her room, where her belongings were waiting to be removed, Hermione finally grasped what she was doing.
"I'm really going to St Trinian's." She said quietly, feeling a little overwhelmed.
Aspasia merely laughed airily, making Hermione wrinkle her nose.
"Don't laugh. It's is quite big change from roughing it while on the run from Riddle and all his moron minions." She defended herself, shrinking her belongings and placing them carefully in her brown travelling bag. It was spelled in a similar manner to the beaded bag she'd had at Bill and Fleur's wedding.
"But, of course." Aspasia agreed as they walked back into the lounge, her face still holding a smile. Her eyes suddenly went wide as she remembered something. "Oh, bollocks."
"Hermione, darling, I've forgotten Chelsea's shoes. I'll be back in a moment." With that, she grabbed a pinch of floo powder and vanished into the flames, leaving a rather startled Percy and a nonchalant Hermione, who was used to Aspasia's occasional bouts of flightiness.
As they waited for Aspasia to return, Hermione was surprised when Percy turned to speak to her, his voice less pompous than normal.
"If…if you ever have the need…Gwynevere's Nest is always open, whether it be for a couple of days, or an indefinite amount of time." He barely had time to finish as Hermione launched herself at him, hugging him tightly and knocking his glasses askew.
"Thank you, Percy."
He patted her back rather awkwardly.
Pulling away, Hermione wiped her eyes and smiled at the Weasley boy just as Aspasia re-entered the apartment.
"Touching, touching, I know. Now let's move, girlie." She shepherded Hermione to the fireplace, waved her fingers daintily in farewell to Percy, before calling out, "St Trinian's" and exiting through the green flames in the fireplace.
Hermione followed, with a small "bye" directed at Percy who merely nodded in response.
**
"What' Marcus up to?" Hermione questioned Aspasia as they walked from the fireplace into a rather oddly furnished reception area – if by 'odd' Hermione had meant 'creepy'. What appeared to be shrunken heads hung in a glass cabinet, and there were a number of voodoo dolls wearing Cheltenham girls uniforms; a well known, entirely muggle, school for girls.
"The usual." The dark haired girl replied, waving her hand in the air in a vague manner. "Now, I do believe it's time for you to meet Miss Fritton – in person."
Hermione felt that the gleeful manner in which Aspasia had expressed the imminent meeting was rather peculiar, but she shrugged it off, and followed her friend to the large, ornate door on the opposite side of the room, the gold name plate displaying 'Fritton' glinting in the mediocre light.
"Ah, Miss Flint! I see you've brought our newest recruit." A high pitched voice from the window seat drew Hermione's attention. A tall woman, with an obvious overbite, held a small dog against her pink (and rather hideous, if Hermione was to be honest about it) dress.
"Miss Granger, I've heard only good things about you. I hope that you are, shall we say, easily able to assimilate into our charming school." Miss Fritton smiled at Hermione, who answered appropriately.
"Yes, Miss Fritton, I do hope so."
"Well, then, Hermione Granger; welcome to St Trinian's!" And on that note, Miss Fritton shooed them out of her study.
As the two girls left, the dog barked, and Hermione was sure she heard Fritton say, "Mr Darcy, remove that frown at once". The woman was obviously a bit loopy.
Hermione looked up, to be met with a sea of faces, girls of varying ages. She glanced at Aspasia, who was closing the door behind them, and then back to the stud-
Hermione took in the now desolate hallway, befuddled.
Aspasia must have caught Hermione's confused expression, because she laughed suddenly and nodded her head towards the Headmistress' door.
"Fritton's a bit strange, yes. But she's at the top of her game." Flicking her long hair away from her eyes, she cocked her head to the side and smirked. "Time to meet the girls, I think."
Before Hermione had time to blink, the corridor and stairway were occupied by hundreds of boisterous students, screaming, pushing and shoving past each other, bumping into Hermione as they passed by her motionless figure.
"Come on, Hermione." Aspasia clasped her slender fingers around the brunette's wrist, and pulled her up the stairs, through the throng of girls.
Hermione let herself be lead, and observed the varying and somewhat adapted uniforms –so unlike those of Hogwarts - being paraded around: there were obscenely short skirts; dresses; vests, stockings, all sorts of make-up styles, jewellery…
Very, very different to Hogwarts, Hermione thought. Practically polar.
"Come on!" Aspasia whined, dragging out the 'on' as Hermione lagged behind, trying to take in her surroundings. "There's time to learn directions later."
As they walked down the landing, Hermione glimpsed three older girls being escorted into a nearby room by a cluster of smaller, babbling ones. The older students were garbed in fluffy pink robes, and didn't appear to have any pants or skirts (as far as Hermione could tell) and wore four inch heels that clicked against the wooden floorboards.
One of the smaller students, a red head, held a wand out and performed a fairly simple beauty enhancement incantation, causing the tallest of the senior students' hair to re-curl, taming any fly-away hairs as it pinned her long blonde locks atop her head.
"Aspasia, who are they?"
"Oh, them. They're the Posh Totties." She explained, as if seeing several scantily clad girls wandering through the school was a natural occurrence. Hermione felt a pang of concern.
"They have their own chat-line; earn a fortune every term." Aspasia continued. "Actually, I have to return some shoes, so let's go say hello."
Dragging the petite brunette behind her, Aspasia called through the door in warning to the girls.
"Cover up, Totties. We're coming in."
Entering the room, Hermione was surprised as her eyes were accosted by dozens of decorative lingerie sets, a number of fur-trimmed coats, and a veritable wall of shoes. It was as large as a medium sized shop, and had apparently been enlarged magically to allow for all the clothing to fit.
The curly-haired blonde glanced at them from where she sat in front of a large mirror, using her wand to touch up her make-up while the younger girls chattered around her, occasionally asking how she achieved a certain 'look'. The other two (another blonde, with a girl-next-door type charm, and an Indian girl who's dedication to fashion and beauty put Parvati to shame) were going through the racks on the other side of the room, searching for their next outfits as they babbled to each other.
"Who's your friend, Aspasia? And I do hope you're returning my shoes." The curly haired girl greeted, standing up as she completed her handiwork.
"Chelsea, meet Hermione Granger." Aspasia beamed, ignoring Hermione's gentle blush at being introduced to the stunning trio who were wearing rather revealing outfits that were more suited to a cover of PlayWizard than in a school for girls.
Chelsea's eyes gave Hermione a quick once over, making her feel rather exposed, but the blonde's expression gave away nothing as she extended a dainty hand in greeting.
"Charmed, I'm sure. I'm Chelsea Windsor." The gorgeous female introduced herself, before turning to Aspasia, a hand outstretched. "Shoes, Flint. Hand them over."
The other witch pouted, but her eyes twinkled.
"But you have so many shoes, Chelsea. Surely you won't miss this one pair." She argued half-heartedly as she pulled the strappy gold heels from her pocket and resized them. Chelsea took the proffered shoes, and handed them to one of the smaller students, indicating their place on the shelf with a careless wave of her hand. The child scurried to do her bidding, looking at the shoes in wonder.
"This, here, is Peaches, and, of course, Chloe." Aspasia introduced the other two girls. They were less subtle in their scrutinising of Hermione's appearance, but, to their credit, didn't say anything aloud merely leaving their comments to some raised eyebrows and a tiny wrinkle of the nose at the bushy hair Hermione had battled with for so many years.
"Nice to meet you." Hermione greeted meekly.
"And you, Hermione." Chloe said, amiably, taking her hand as Peaches seemed to consider something.
"Hermione Granger, as in Golden Trio, Hermione Granger?" She asked, curiously as she reached out a hand to their new classmate. When Hermione nodded shyly, she let out an excited squeal.
"Oh, goodness - how dreadfully exciting. It's lovely to meet you."
"Come now, Peaches. I simply must take Hermione away before she is completely corrupted." Aspasia interrupted, keenly aware of Hermione's ogling of the clothes and shoes. Opening the door she herded Hermione from the lavish room and led her up another flight of stairs.
Okaay. So Hermione's met the Posh Totties, and has started at St Trinian's. Next chappie will introduce the others, and hopefully, I'll think of/remember the plotline and/or adventure for this story (feel free to suggest anything (mostly)). Apologies for taking so long – I didn't update before I went on Euro-trip, so it's taken a while!
Hope you enjoy it (even if it is a slight filler/introductory chapter)