Why me?
Chapter 2.
Hermione yawned widely without opening her eyes, she stretched out fully on her bed, pointing her toes and pushing her arms up above her head. She rolled onto her side and threw out an arm to touch - nothing. Her hand hit the mattress; she blearily squinted at the empty space next to her, and then remembered.
"Muhhhhh," she groaned, lying flat back on the bed, in the buttery yellow sunlit room. From out in the hall she heard the clock chime, once... she waited patiently for the next peal, but after three minutes it still hadn't come.
"Shit!" she sprang out of bed and grabbed at her bedside clock.
13:00
The number flashed up red, at her on the LCD screen. Hermione whacked her head with her palm, "Shit," she swore again, running into the kitchen in her pyjamas. Her answer-phone was blinking red at her. Making a mental note to dispose of everything electrical that flashed irritating red lights at her, she poked feverishly at the button.
'Hermione,' Ginny's exasperated voice came from the speaker, 'Where are you? It's half twelve! We were meeting at eleven. When you get this owl me and let me know what's going on...' Hermione jabbed at the button, deleting the message and ran over to the counter on which a large cage was sat. Inside, was Hegwig, Harry's elderly owl and her offspring, Henry. Hermione opened the door and coaxed Henry out,
Gin -
I overslept, sorry. I'll be there in ten minutes, meet me at Madam Puddifoots' - I'll be in need of caffeine
- Hermione x
She rolled up the hastily scribbled note and tied it to Henry's outstretched leg. She crossed the room again and threw open a window, she tossed the small snowy owl out into the bright sunshine and watched as it soared away. She showered quickly and pulled on jeans and an old shrunken Gryffindor Quidditch Team tee-shirt. She roughly towel dried her hair and grabbed her wand off the side board, not paying much attention she directed it at her head and muttered a drying charm. Then with a loud crack, she apparated.
Diagon Alley was ridiculously busy. Hermione has never seen it so, except at Christmas. The street was seething with people, jostling each other, to get into various shops; some braver souls were fighting the general stream and battling their way up in the opposite direction to the flow, many receiving elbows in their faces, and other injuries for their trouble. Hermione let herself be swept along, until she spotted the side street she was after, she practically dove through the crowd and managed to squeeze out the other side. She jogged up the road, and pulled open the door to the quaint tearoom.
She spotted Ginny, accompanied by Lavender and Luna sat around a small, round table covered in doilies and a frilly tablecloth, and headed over to them. She dropped into a seat and sighed,
"Sorry - overslept."
Ginny waved her hand at Madam Puddifoot, who bustled over and set a cup of steaming coffee in front of Hermione. "Thanks," she said gratefully, sipping the hot liquid. She noticed the silence, and looked up. All three pairs of eyes were fixed on her, twinkling amusedly.
"What?" she asked suspiciously. Ginny smirked, and cleared her throat.
"Ehm... you're hair..." she said delicately. Hermione frowned,
"My hair?" she repeated, taking the small compact Lavender was offering her over the tablecloth. She snapped it open and glanced into it.
"AHH!" she yelped. She couldn't even see all of her hair in the tiny mirror, but what she could see very much represented a peak-of-Jackson Five-career afro. She stared aghast at her reflection for a few minutes, and then patted her head gingerly; her fingers came into contact with a virtual bird's nest of frizz.
Lavender and Ginny had dissolved into hysterics, while Luna blinked serenely at her. Hermione pushed back her chair to head to the bathroom, her movement however upset her mug which toppled and split hot brown liquid down her front.
"OWW!" She yelled, daubing at her wet tee-shirt frantically.
FLASH.
A blinding burst of blue-white light flashed, leaving stars twinkling behind Hermione's eyelids, rendering her temporarily sightless, the light was accompanied by a billow of pearly smoke and a flurry of words,
"Miss Granger - is there any truth in the rumours you and Harry Potter are to marry at the end of this month?"
"Will you be selling the photos to The Snitch for a substantial amount of royalties?"
"Will Mr Ron Weasley - Quidditch extraordinaire - be best man?"
"Where will the ceremony be held?"
"How do you feel about the statistic that one in ten wizarding marriages fail?"
"Are you and Mr Potter planning a family?"
As the smoke cleared and Hermione's sight returned, a gaggle of frenetic reporters came into view, camera's flashing and clicking, recorders extended and taping. Hermione goggled for a second then ran, full pelt, for the ladies toilet. She slammed the door and locked it.
She looked in the mirror and groaned, her hair was a fright wig of epic proportions, her scruffy tee-shirt had a large, soggy brown stain on it. She looked a mess. Feeling a tremble of emotions where she didn't know whether to cry, scream or laugh. Behind the door, she could hear a considerable scuffle occurring. The reporter's shouts, mingled with Luna's shrieks and Ginny's loud and utterly x-rated threats and insults. Hermione took a deep breath and pulled out her wand, she prodded her hair and mumbled a taming spell, watching it fall back into glossy chestnut curls. She quickly shed her clothes and transfigured them into a more appropriate outfit. Feeling more composed, though still a little dazed; she turned back to the door. The kafuffle seemed to have died, as it was quiet, there was a sharp knock followed by Lavender's voice.
"'Mione? They've gone. Gin nearly got arrested, but she got rid of them... you ready to go?"
Hermione pulled open the door and Lavender examined her, looking impressed. She'd transfigured the scrappy jeans and dirty tee-shirt into a crisp sugary pink sundress, which was suspended by skinny straps and finished an inch above her knees, a thin satin ribbon belt circled her waist and tied in a neat bow. She'd even remembered to alter her scruffy adidas into chic matching sandals.
"You look pretty," Lavender commented, nodding approvingly at the dress and looping an arm through Hermione's, she towed her across the shop. Luna was stood at the doorway, she smiled at Hermione, then nodded at Ginny. She was arguing heatedly with a navy uniformed Law Enforcement Wizard. Hermione rolled her eyes, and swept down the steps and put her hand on Ginny's arm; she glanced at the wizard and flashed him a dazzling smile.
"Oh - uh, hullo Miss Granger," he mumbled, red patches flaring on his cheeks.
"Hermione - please," she said pleasantly.
"Oh, alright." He muttered, his eyes strayed to Ginny who jutted her chin out at him defiantly, "Ah... you miss,"
"This is Ginny Weasley, my maid of honour," Hermione whispered to the wizard, "But that's a secret - if you'd be so kind as to keep it for me," she added with a conspiratorial smile. The wizard struggled with himself a moment then nodded.
"Alright Miss Granger - just try and keep Miss Weasley here - uh - under control in the future."
"Of course," Hermione beamed, squeezing Ginny's arm. The Law Enforcement Wizard nodded again and shuffled off, Hermione blew out a breath of relief and turned to address Ginny, but he sidled back up to them and looking sheepish muttered,
"Uh - I couldn't get an autograph could I? For me wife, y'know?"
Ginny smirked, and Hermione looked mildly surprised and shrugged.
"Oh! Okay..." she took the scrap of parchment Lavender brandished at her, "Who should I sign it to?" she asked, glancing up,
"Um... Joe... with an 'E'..." He said hastily, catching Hermione's raised eyebrow, he hurriedly added, "More and more woman with male names... y'know... thank you miss... G'bye," he babbled, taking the parchment and trotting away into the bustling street. Ginny let out a peal of laughter and wound her fingers into Hermione's tugging her forward,
"C'mon ladies - dresses!"
- - - - - - - - -
Feathers, was not as Hermione remembered it. At all. She stood outside the large, bay window and surveyed the display. There were three mannequins, each wearing similar dresses. Huge, frothy, meringues of dresses, each with a truck load of frills, ribbons and bows a piece. Hermione wrinkled her nose in disgust and turned to Ginny.
"Uh - Gin..." She began slowly,
"You loved this shop when we saw it last time. Remember? You said you knew you'd get you're wedding dress in here." Ginny said earnestly,
"Last time I saw this shop was third year! My taste cannot be trusted from then!" Hermione exclaimed, slightly hysterically.
"Yes, but we've appointments... and Madam Rose is a friend of Mum's... I promised we'd be here..." said Ginny, glancing imploringly at her. Hermione sighed heavily,
"Fine. Let's get this over with," she said, screwing up her eyes and entering the shop, over her head a bell jangled loudly, signalling their arrival and spurning her impulse to turn and hightail it out of there. Instead, reluctantly, Hermione opened her eyes.
The shop was large, a ruby red carpet edged by bars on which hung dress, after dress. There was a doorway between two clothes rails, screened by a heavy, deep red velvet curtain. In the centre of the room was a platform, surrounded by a couple of squashy looking armchairs and a small sofa. From another doorway, unseen in the corner of the store, bustled a very short, very plump witch.
"Well, hello there!" The witch sang happily, beaming around at the four. Her gaze travelled onto Ginny and her smile widened. "Ginny - dear! Oh, your mother said to expect you."
"Hello Madame Rose," Ginny grinned, a little awkwardly. Madame Rose waved her fat hands,
"Oh - call me Lizzie." She insisted, bustling closer and peering at Lavender, Luna and Hermione in turn. She then leant in and grabbed Lavender's hand,
"The blushing bride!" she cried merrily, towing Lavender along with her. Ginny looked horrified, she threw Hermione an apologetic look.
"No - no, Madam - uh - Lizzie. That's Lav - bridesmaid, this is Hermione." Ginny said, pushing Hermione hard in the back, sending her towards Madam Rose.
"Ooooh," squealed Madam Rose, promptly dropping Lavender's arm and grabbing Hermione. "Aren't you just - beautiful! I have a million ideas already..."
Hermione shot a slightly terrified look back over her shoulder to Lavender, Luna and Ginny, before Madam Rose led her away.