Operation Humiliation

A loud roar greeted Gryffindor Tower. Sixth year Hermione Granger and fifth year Ginny Weasley stormed through muttering curses toward Draco Malfoy, who characteristically sneered at them about their families and friends on their return from the library. Harry and Ron looked up from their Transfiguration essay with puzzled looks as they watched the girls rage and stomp angrily up the spiral staircase that led to the girls' dormitories. They continued to fume until they had reached the fifth years' room, where they flung themselves onto Ginny's four-poster bed.

"UGH! I have never met anyone so rude, obnoxious, or sickening in all my life!" Ginny announced, pounding her pillow with her fists, allowing fluffy feathers to escape from the seams.

"Same here," an equally infuriated Hermione replied, and for her to be this angry with Malfoy's outrageous taunting was very unusual. "You know, maybe we should do something about this. Frankly, I've had enough of him."

"Hermione, you may be the cleverest witch Hogwarts has ever seen, but you just don't get it! Nothing we ever do will make him respect us! Nothing!" Ginny argued as she rose from the bed and leaned on the window sill, gazing at the stars.

"I don't want him to respect me! I want him to be intimidated by us, worried when we come around the corner, and humiliated every time he sees or thinks of us," Hermione explained, but as she spoke, her tone became less angry and more thoughtful.

Ginny had noticed this of course, and sat down next to her on the bed, impatiently waiting Hermione's next comment, because Ginny knew she had gotten a brilliant idea. And sure enough, Hermione began to smile mischievously--and almost sinisterly--as she pushed a lock of bushy hair behind her ear.

"Ginny. You have had much experience with men; you have six brothers, so you might know how they think a bit. What is the one thing, one emotion, that men have no control of?" she asked mysteriously and passionately. "And women too, now that I think of it, that no matter how hard they work and try to distract themselves, can't get out of their minds, thoughts," she paused, causing Ginny to nod encouragingly. "And hearts?"

With sudden comprehension, Ginny Weasley's eyes lit up, and she clapped her hands together excitedly.

Smiling at Ginny's reaction, Hermione leaned forward and whispered, "Now here's what we do..."

* * *

"I still don't get why you get to do it," Ginny said sulkily as she poured herself a glass of orange juice, the next morning at breakfast.

"How many times do I have to explain it to you, Ginny! There are many reasons. I'm in his classes. I have dealt with him more. And also, you are a Weasley, and if this backfires, your entire family might have to deal with detestable repercussions. You know his father; it'll be serious. And Ron. Ron would kill you. He would ruthlessly and brutally kill you in the most horrible and excruciating way he could conceive," explained Hermione exasperatedly.

Ginny nearly choked on her bacon. "Hermione, he'll kill you just as quick! You know the way he gets. I mean, if anyone even mentions the name 'Viktor Krum' he blows his top. He cares about you just as much as he cares about me."

"Ginny, that's ridiculous. You are his sister. His flesh and blood. I'm just a--a friend, that's all," she finished almost disappointedly, and she started butchering her scrambled eggs.

Ginny smiled mischievously behind her back and mumbled sarcastically, "Oh, that's right. You are just a friend. I forgot! Silly me!" Hermione glared at the fiery redhead, then sighed angrily, and grabbed her book bag, ready to storm off.

"If you are thinking what I think you are thinking, you have finally lost your senses. Ron and I are just friends. We could never be any more than that. It's just not possible, not even imaginable! We are two completely different people; sometimes I think that it's amazing that we are even as good as friends as we are! Besides, he has much better taste than that," Hermione finished dramatically, hoisting her bag a little higher, standing a little straighter, and staring into space for several seconds, before murmuring, "Have a good day, Ginny."

Ginny stared after Hermione as she tore off. Where would she head to at this time? The bell didn't ring for at least another twenty minutes. She was completely taken aback and confused by this informative and emotional outburst. Everyone knew that Ron and Hermione were going to end up together, whether Ron and Hermione knew it or not. But what Hermione said had completely dumbfounded her. She also knew that this was not to be repeated, and she wasn't even sure if Hermione was aware of what she even said. Ginny knew that the girl never thought very highly of herself, always down-playing her brilliance, loyalty, or kindness, and laughing when someone said that she wasn't ugly, like it was a joke. But did Hermione not think she was good enough for Ron? Why, it had to be one of the most deranged and inaccurate ideas she had ever heard, and being a Weasley, this was quite an accomplishment.

She was still gawking at Hermione as if she was standing right in front of her, when none other than Ron himself stumbled down next to her, closely followed by a very miserable looking Harry.

"What's wrong, Harry? You seem so...gloomy," she asked concernedly, as Ron began wolfing down bacon by the handful.

He sighed unhappily. "Gloomy? No. I'm positively ecstatic at the prospect of Potions. Double Potions, as a matter of fact. Couldn't be happier. Why I'm just dandy!" he replied and put on a sarcastic smile.

Ginny nodded sympathetically as Ron interjected, "Don't worry, mate. Maybe Snape won't be as hard on you--"

Harry turned at his friend and raised his eyebrows.

"--Okay, you're right. That'll never happen, ever, ever, ever, but think positive! We have Quidditch today! Just think of being up on your Firebolt again, and it won't be that bad," Ron encouraged while patting his friend on the arm sympathetically.

"I hope so," Harry grumbled as the bell rang and the three of them headed to class--Harry and Ron to Potions, and Ginny to Transfiguration.

* * *

The creaking of the dungeon door as Professor Snape glided in to his classroom only added to the dread that filled Harry's stomach, along with badly-digested bits of bacon. Hermione hadn't said much to neither Harry nor Ron as they took their usual back-of-the-class seats beside her. The two boys exchanged confused looks when she neglected their arrival. Both of them racked their brains, trying to figure out why she was acting so peculiar and out-of-character: why she didn't eat breakfast with them, ignoring them, and picking at her fingernails almost as if she was very nervous, like before a big performance.

Harry and Ron pulled out their homework from the previous night, cauldrons, necessary tools for class, and their books before they realized that there was something even more odd about Hermione, besides her behavior. Her hair was sleek and shiny, an almost metallic quality to it. Her normally bare face was made up attractively and colorfully, and she was sitting up very straight, with an almost forced look of daydreaming and charm.

Harry instinctually turned to Ron to see his opinion of this act, and saw that Ron was completely baffled as well, but in a different tone. He was gazing at his unusually pretty best friend with pleasant shock; his look of befuddlement was smoothly changing to that of longing.

"Today you all will attempt to concoct a Weakening Solution, the opposite of the Strengthening Solutions you all formulated last year," Snape announced unpleasantly, which was more than enough to jerk Ron out of his reverie, and aspire to produce a satisfactory Weakening Solution.

Nothing too unusual occurred, save Ron's frequent trances, and Hermione acting extraordinarily cheery and flirty. She kept throwing her enviable hair over her shoulder, humming to herself exceptionally loudly, as if to attract attention to herself. During one of these playful performances, Harry saw Lavender and Parvati sneak a sly glimpse at Hermione, catch her eye, and smile proudly, which confused Harry even more. What was going on? Why was Hermione acting so strangely? Better yet, why had she polished herself off to make her look particularly attractive and charming? Harry was obviously disturbed by this behavior. It wasn't like Hermione at all; she was unlike other girls, like Parvati and Lavender, who slaved over their appearances. Then a light bulb illuminated in his mind, so spontaneously that Harry expected one to be right above his head with the little string dangling just as if it had been pulled. Had Hermione been made-over by Parvati and Lavender? Did she finally give in and let them fix her up to be like them-glittery, fake, and unnatural? Harry's stomach made an indecisive movement.

He mentally started to stick up for the old Hermione. He hoped that she wouldn't stay this way. He wanted her to be the same old bossy, intelligent, worrisome, anxious, and helpful Hermione. He wanted the Hermione that was always there and an everlastingly reliable friend. She always cooperated with him and Ron no matter what she thought of their scheme, like at the end of fifth year (Harry's stomach gave another unpleasant movement), helped them out immensely with their homework, was honest and caring, and cooked up ridiculous S.P.E.W. projects.

Snape dismissed the class, and everyone grumbled up towards his desk to hand in their corked and bubbly Weakening Solutions. Then Harry noticed Hermione saunter past a particular Slytherin, and she was even more vivacious, flirty, and smiley than she had been all lesson. Since Harry was behind Hermione, he didn't notice her charming wink as she passed the anxious student. Nor had he noticed that this certain Slytherin had been glancing at her all through class, dooming his solution to go horribly wrong, but Harry definitely noticed the broad smile that played across his face as his best friend passed.

* * *

Next to Harry, Ron's demeanor changed from daydreaming to fury as Draco Malfoy smiled at Hermione. It wasn't a smile that was full of satisfaction, cruelty, or evil like every other smile before. It was a happy, honest smile, one that Hermione, Harry, nor Ron had ever received from the deceitful, rotten, scumbag.

Ron kept his composure until the students had all walked out of Snape's range of vision and hearing to verbally attack Malfoy.

"I don't know what you're plotting in that selfish and sick little mind of yours Malfoy but-"

"I wasn't plotting anything, Weasley," Malfoy corrected innocently. "Just smiling. I didn't know that was against the rules. I'm a prefect, if you don't remember so, and I thought that I had the rules down fairly well."

"Oh, don't give me that! I saw you smile at Hermione and I know well enough that you wouldn't smile at her for a good reason even if it killed you! And, in case you have forgotten, I'm a prefect too!" He finished triumphantly.

Malfoy raised his hands, as to show he wasn't hiding anything. "Honestly, Weasley! I'm not planning anything! I simply wanted to tell your friend, Hermione, that she looks absolutely lovely today, positively enchanting and exquisite." He smiled that charming smile again, nodded at Hermione, and trotted off to lunch.