I'll Always Be There for You...

I'll always be there for you...

The next morning I got up feeling stiff and tired. It took me a few minutes to remember where I was, and when I did, I frowned; feeling grouchy, I remembered the events of the night before.

I glanced at my side table clock and saw that it was seven o'clock. Glad that I was on time, I went to the bathroom and brushed my teeth and washed my face. Then I got dressed in corduroy pants and a sweater.

At exactly 7:29, I made my way downstairs. The studio was once again empty and so was Malfoy's office.

The door was open and I wandered in, since I had nothing else to do. His office was neat and organized. There was nothing in there that could make me judge his character by, because there were no personal touches, like notes or photos or the like.

Since I was born Muggle I knew Muggle technology and I could tell that he had a nice laptop. I turned to look at one of the paintings when something outside caught my eye. It was a red Corvette coming to a stop outside the building. It stopped and Malfoy came out of it.

Shoot! I quickly turned and left the office. I couldn't remember if his office door was open or closed. It was probably closed, I guessed. So I quietly closed it and scrambled to the stool, pretending as if I was there all along.

Malfoy came in a minute later with coffee. He stopped near his office and then turned to me. "Did you go into my office?"

"No," I lied. "Why?"

A smirk played about his lips, like he knew I was lying. "The door was open."

Oh shit! I was such an idiot. The door was open!

Trying to sound nonchalant, I said, "Oh? I just came down right now."

He looked like he didn't believe me. He was wearing a suit and he looked professional. He handed me a coffee and a small brown bag.

"Thanks," I said, opening the coffee and taking a big gulp. It immediately hit the spot. I opened the bag to find a bagel in it. Getting me breakfast was a nice touch, but it wasn't going to make me suddenly like him.

"When you're done stuffing your face, Granger," he said, walking to his office, "we're going to go see the Versace show."

I almost choke. "Versace?"

He nodded. "It's to show you how real modelling is done, so that you might be able to learn something."

I rolled my eyes at his retreating back, but continued to sip my coffee. Versace, eh? That was pretty cool, just as long as Malfoy didn't bug me.

The strangest thing was that a few days before I could have cared less about fashion and how I looked and now I was going to be a model. That is, if I could learn how to pose.

I finished my breakfast quickly and then Malfoy and I went to his car. Looking at his brand new car every day made me mad. These cars were so expensive and the money Malfoy used to buy it with could have been used for something better. Like donating it to the hospital or to a local school.

When we were on the road I asked him, "Are Brandon and Monique going to come?"

"Later in the day," he said, not taking his eyes off the road. "I think they need to rest after all the work they did yesterday."

'All the work' basically meant me. I knew he was mad that I still couldn't strut and pose, but what can I do? Just my best, right?

But I didn't say anything else and in a few minutes we were in a big hall where the show was taking place.

At the door Malfoy showed his card and we were let in. Inside it was like a zoo with a bunch of people milling around. There were refreshments to the side, but Malfoy walked past them.

Soon the show started and people began to take their seats near the runway. Malfoy led me to front and centre seats in front of the runway and I said, "Good seats."

He didn't say anything, just sat down, so I also sit down.

Versace had outdone itself that year, I could tell. There were a lot of cool fashions coming out that looked cool, and yet a lot of not so cool ones. These models, though, were professional and seemed to know exactly what they were doing.

Some of them were wearing four-inch heels and still appeared as if they were floating on air. They had legs that seemed to go on forever and smiles that said 'Come to me'. They were also super skinny, and I know about 99% of them weren't that way in real life.

The show is one hour long and when it finished, Malfoy told me to go sit in the car. When I asked why, he said, "I need to speak with someone. Go."

So I went outside and found his swanky car. The passenger door opened for me. I imagine there was a spell put on it currently so that it only opened for me.

I sat down in the car but within a few minutes I was freezing. It was below zero outside and my breath was coming out in cold puffs. So I took out my wand and muttered a spell and instantly the car was warmer.

I rubbed my hands together and was at ease. Ten minutes later, the git, which I call Malfoy in my head now, came back.

As soon as we were on our way back to the studio he asked me, "What did you think of the show?"

I give him a brief two-second opinion of it how 'it's great, looked cool and the models look so professional'. I wasn't in the mood to tell him what was really in my head, which were doubts, doubts and more doubts about this job.

Malfoy said, "You know as soon as you get some form of the basics, then you can make it better with magic."

"I can?" I asked, staring at him.

He nodded. "I just want Monique and Brandon to know that you aren't some professional already and that it did take some hard work."

"Oh," I said, surprised.

When we got to the studio I saw that Monique and Brandon were already there. They look exhausted from the day before, but I felt alive after watching the models.

Monique told me sit on the stool again, but I said, "I actually want to try walking."

She looked surprised but with a nod from Malfoy, she said, "All right." She then led me to a small runway in the studio that they had set up. By small, I mean in comparison to the Versace one, but actually, it was pretty big.

So I get up on the runway and start walking. They corrected me many times, but I could tell that they were pleased with my walking.

Once I had done it about ten times and it looked okay Monique handed me a pair of stilettos.

"No way," I said, looking at them. I hated high heels. Absolutely hate them. I didn't see the purpose in wearing them, especially when they were so bad for posture and hurt so much to wear. "Malfoy..." I started to say, but he ignores me, talking to Brandon.

Monique helped me into the shoes and I wobbled as I stood up. Everyone seemed...smaller now that I was bigger. I felt so much taller with so much power.

As I took the first step, I fell flat on my face. As I struggled to get up I could see Malfoy smirking.

"Don't even think about it," I said, holding Brandon's hand as I tried to regain my balance.

It takes about an hour and twenty minutes, but finally I can walk easily on my own in the shoes. It was still a bit scary, because I was so much taller and I also felt like I would fall over, but I got used to it.

My punishment for taking so long was that I had to wear the heels for the rest of the day.

By the time Brandon and Monique left, I was not in a good mood. It was only five o'clock but I didn't know what to do now.

I really wished I had a kitchen upstairs, because I loved to cook my own meals. I hated relying on Malfoy, even for food.

When they left, Malfoy asked me, "Do you want to get something to eat?"

I looked at my aching and swelling feet. I didn't think I could stand for another minute on the heels.

"Can I stay here?" I said, after realising how tired I was.

He considered it for a second and then said, "Sure. But if you become a model, you'll get invited to lots of parties and you'll need to know how to eat properly."

"What's wrong with the way I eat?" I demanded.

He sighed. "Nothing. There's just a way that you have to learn how to do it. Like which fork is used for what meat and what glass is used for wine."

I plopped down on a chair in the conference room. "As long as I can sit and do it, it's fine."

But it turned out it wasn't fine by the time the food arrived. Malfoy transfigured things into various spoons and forks and I had to learn which ones were used for certain things.

It wasn't that hard of a task, but it was just that I was so tired anyway. It took me half an hour to grasp it, unlike the ten minutes it normally would have taken.

When I was done, I realised that I hadn't actually eaten that much because I had spent so much time learning everything.

After we were done, Malfoy started shutting off the lights in the studio because he was leaving.

"How do you know no one's going to rob the studio?" I asked, as I watched him lock the door to his office.

"Because I lock it," he said, as if stating the obvious, which he was.

I rolled my eyes. "I know that. What I meant was a Wizard. A lock's not going to stop them from getting your things or..." Me was what I wanted to say, but I didn't.

But he understood. "You're safe, don't worry. Along with the locks, there are a series of charms and spells surrounding the place."

I was now relieved.

"Tomorrow I have some other models' shoots to prepare for, so Monique will help you."

I nodded and then he left. As I stood there in the dark, I felt strange and all alone. The dark seemed to engulf me, the dark shapes growing larger and getting closer.

I ran upstairs and peeked through my curtains to see Malfoy reach his car. The street below is deserted and looks ominous. I see Malfoy stop beside his car and look at the sky. I looked up as well to see it a dark blue, tonight, with dark clouds lining it.

Just as I look back at him, I saw him looking up at my window. I quickly stepped back so that he wouldn't see me.

When I looked back at the street, his car was gone and I felt very alone.

I changed into my pajamas and lay down in my bed. Sometimes I just wished I was back at Hogwarts where things were safe and nice and I had friends. There was, of course Ron and Harry and then Ginny, Lavender, Parvati, Seamus, Neville, and Dean, people whom I had grown very close to in the seven years that I lived there.

But everything's changed now but I find myself wishing for those times again.

Hugging my pillow tightly, I fall asleep. During my fitful sleep, I have strange dreams. My mother came to me and told me that I would be who I wanted to be, because I kept settling for someone else.

I saw myself looking into a big mirror and saw myself as everyone else sees me.

When my parents look at me they see a schoolgirl wearing her Hogwarts uniform. A girl who does not yet know what she wanted and needed protection from the outside world.

When Harry looks at me, he sees his best friend, a bookworm and someone whom he can always count on, someone who always bosses him around.

When Ginny looks at me, she sees her best girl friend, someone who she has to tell to stick up for herself, someone who must always be telling things how to do.

When Ron looks at me, he sees the girl who he is dating, his fiancée and his so-called best friend. He also sees a girl with a temper and someone who he has known for a long time.

When Draco looks at me, all he sees is a girl he must reform, because she's so lost and screwed up.

But I don't know what I see. When I look at myself in the mirror, a dark shape comes out and tries to engulf me in its arms.

I screamed loudly and struggle to wake up. The dream, however, is difficult to awake from. The shape wouldn't let go of me, and the harder I tried to break free, the stronger it is the shape holds on to me.

Someone is calling my name. "Hermione! Hermione!"

I pushed the creature away. This time I could actually feel it touching me, with its cool touch and slippery hands.

I screamed louder and pushed it farther away and finally woke up. I was in a cold sweat and my blanket was thrown near my feet. The light was shining above me and it took me some time to open my eyes and looked at what was happening.

Malfoy's was there and he looked pretty confused. I was breathing heavily and tears were running down my face as I try to sit up.

"What happened, Hermione?" he asked me.

I shake my head, my heart pounding away. I couldn't believe that it was a dream. It had felt so real.

I just cried harder and my whole body shook. "A shape...it was...so real..." I managed to say, shaking from cold and from the sobs.

"It was just a dream," he said, stroking my hair. I closed my eyes and could still feel my heart pounding away. The shape reappeared in my imagination and I screamed, "Go away!"

Malfoy looked at where I was looking and then said, "There's nothing there, Hermione. Shhh, don't cry."

He wiped my tears and I wrapped my arms around him and closed my eyes, trying to breathe normally. I liked being held by him. It made me feel safe and protected. After a few seconds, I could feel his arms around me.

I don't even know why he was in my room or how he had come to be here, but I didn't care. I couldn't just hold on to him forever like this.

I then felt my bare cheek against his bare shoulder, which meant he wasn't wearing a shirt. He was really muscular, I could tell from having his arms wrapped around me.

Several minutes pass by, but I'm still holding on to him. My breathing is back to normal and so is my heartbeat, but I didn't want to let go. My eyes start to feel heavy and drowsy.

He set me down gently on the bed and took his arms off of me. "Don't," I whisper, and grab his hand as he starts to move away.

"I'm here," he said, his cool hands touching my face. "Just go to sleep."

I closed my eyes and felt his body weight lift from on top of mine. The lights turn off and I see his dark form lie down beside mine.

Within a few minutes, I'm walking through my conscious again and there is the dark monster waiting to devour me. I woke up again, scared. Some people say that I have a very vivid imagination, but it's true. It's from all the stories I read that have made me feel as if everything in my dreams is real.

I decided to move closer to him. He wrapped his big, strong arms around me and I suddenly felt better. I closed my eyes and put my arms around his middle and finally fell asleep.

****

Thankfully I didn't have any more horrid dreams, so I woke feeling tired, but at ease. I stretched in bed and for some reason the bed feels empty.

I opened my eyes and looked beside me. There was no one there, of course, but for some reason I thought there should have been.

For some reason, I didn't remember having that wretched dream, so I found it strange why I felt so awkward and scared.

I got up and showered and dressed. As I was brushing my hair in the mirror I felt strange. I didn't know why, but I was scared of my reflection.

I shook my head and put the brush down. I glanced at clock and then panicked. It was nine thirty. I was late!

I ran downstairs and for once found the studio very full. There were people going this way and that, running past me.

Realising I was in the way I moved to the side as a woman came rushing past me. I looked for Malfoy and found him instructing a model.

For some reason I was nervous to approach him. I knew I was really late and I also knew he was going to yell at me.

There was a bunch of people instructing the girl, who was wearing black Capri pants and a halter-top. There was a bench and a fake background of woods with trees that had red and orange leaves.

Slowly, I walked up to him.

"Sorry I'm late," I said quickly before he noticed me.

He was wearing a maroon dress shirt with black pants and a tie. He was always so professional. I didn't know why I always took note of his wardrobe, but I just did.

He looked up. Suddenly, for some bizarre reason, I have an image of him without a shirt on.

Things start to click on my brain. "Were you in my room last night?" I demanded.

He didn't answer, but I knew the truth. "Why did you come in the middle of the night?" I asked.

"You were dreaming," he said, walking to the lights. I followed him.

"So? Who gave you the right to barge in there in the dead of the night?"

He stopped and I bumped into him. "You were screaming," he said, turning to look at me.

"So what if I was? That gives you no right to keep Apparating and Disapparating when you please," I said. "Just because you own the place and have let me stay here doesn't mean you just pop in and pop out without any manners." Thank goodness I didn't remember the rest of what happened last night. I didn't know what I would have done to myself if I knew.

He just stared at me, his grey eyes surveying me. Did I say blue before? I didn't know how they could have been blue, because now they are so grey that they reminded me of the constant grey London sky. There was a blue iciness there.

He didn't respond to what I had said. He just said, "Monique's going to take you today."

Monique, upon hearing her name, was by Malfoy's side in a second.

She smiled warmly at me and said, "Follow me."

I gave Malfoy a dirty look and then followed Monique down some stairs to a whole separate section that was separate from the studio.

It was a floor by itself and many aestheticians, stylists, and makeup artists stood waiting.

I was made to stand before them, before Monique said, "All right, guys. This is our project for the day." I finally realised that I was getting 'made over' as people say. That might hurt.

Before I could protest I was led to a separate cubicle where a woman was preparing something in a bowl.

Monique smiled and left me.

The woman turned around and I saw what she was preparing in the bowl. Wax.

Two and a half hours later, I didn't think I would walk ever again as I stiffly left the cubicle. My arms and legs were completely hairless and I could barely recognize the bare skin underneath. I was wearing a white cotton slip, and was freezing.

Monique found me and asked, "How are you doing?"

I winced as she helped me into a chair. "Not so good."

"That's ok. You can just sit for ten minutes and then we'll do the next bit."

I nodded and then a man handed me tray of fruit, vegetables, and dip.

"From now on, no more junk food," he said.

"Junk food?" I asked. "Where's the bread, the butter, the cream cheese?!" Maybe I didn't mention this before, but I love bagels and orange juice. It had been my standard breakfast every day and it was a sign that if I didn't get my bagel and juice, it wouldn't be a good day.

"No more of that," he said. "That's all carbs and sugar. We aren't going to starve you, but you need to eat healthier."

I was seething when he left me. I picked up a strawberry and popped it into my mouth. It wasn't that bad, but I wanted my bagel!

Ten minutes passed quickly as I gobbled up the fruit. Monique led me to a chair that looked like one in a dentist's office.

I sat down and the dental hygienist looked at my teeth. "Your teeth are perfectly straight." I smiled as I heard that, remembering when I had shrunk my teeth at school. "But we're just going to whiten them a bit."

I nodded. Since my parents were dentists, I knew it wouldn't be a painful job. Twenty minutes later, I looked into the mirror and found myself looking at dazzling white teeth, like in the commercials.

The dental hygienist put his things away but I had to stay in the chair, semi lying down.

Three aestheticians surround me. One gets to work on my feet, one on my hands and one on my face.

They give me a pair of headphones and I listened to music as I get a pedicure, manicure, and a facial at the same time.

As I wasn't a girly-girl, I didn't like these things and it was my first time getting it done. But I found I rather liked it. It was as if I was getting pampered because I was just there; with my eyes closed, they do everything.

Three hours later I had been plucked, waxed, threaded, exfoliated, manicured, and pedicured.

I didn't dare look in the mirror at my whole body yet. But when I looked at my face, I can already see the big difference. My bushy eyebrows are now beautifully shaped. I could tell that I had been given a natural look, because most of the models I saw had fake, drawn on eyebrows.

There was no more hair on my upper lip and no more hair on the side of my face.

When that was all done, I was led to a stool where I was made to stand and let people take my measurements.

Malfoy wandered in, eating an apple. "How's it going?" he asked Monique, who was supervising.

"Great," she said.

Tanya, one of the designers said, "Sir, she's a little bit...um...chubby."

I frowned at her and also blushed. I'm no anorexic but normal instead. I didn't like being called chubby.

"Leave it," Malfoy said.

I stared at him, as Tanya measured my arms. "What? Are you saying I don't need to get surgery or anything?"

He smirked, but said, "No."

"Why?"

"Do you want it?" he asked me, with one eyebrow raised.

"No!" I said. "It's just that I thought..."

He nodded. "I know, but with you, I'm going for something different."

It was my turn to raise an eyebrow. "Different how?"

He smirked, and then winked at me. "You'll see."

After he left I stood for about another hour as measurements were taken and clothes were tried on.

After that, I lay down and a light bronzer was put on my skin to make it lightly hued.

During this time I talked to Monique. "Why is Malfoy letting me stay all...fat?"

Monique looked up from her notes and smiled. "You're not fat, Hermione."

"Well, no. But I am chubby," I mimicked Tanya.

She laughed though. "You're not chubby, you're normal. You're healthy. And the boss wants you to stay that way because he thinks it's more natural."

"But I thought all models are supper skinny and tall?" I was confused.

"They are," said Monique. "And that's why you're our big project. Because you're different. We want to try a new campaign to launch a normal, healthy model into the media and see how it goes. It's the boss's theory that everyone's tired of seeing those kinds of models and people want to actually see normal, healthy models."

So that was why Malfoy wanted me for this job! Strange, but interesting.

A man came up to Monique. "Do we need anything pierced?"

Monique glares at the man. "Jo! We're going for a normal, elegant look. Not a punker look."

The man shrugged. "Sorry, I was just asking."

He started to go but I said, "Wait!"

He turned around with a surprised look on his face. "I want to get my nose pierced."

I didn't know who looked more shocked, Monique or Jo. I had no idea where that came from, but it just came.

"Hermione," said Monique. "I don't think that's what the boss wants."

"I don't care what the boss wants," I said.

"But it won't go with the look!" said Monique, panicked.

I shook my head. "Monique, I don't want those big nose rings that go through the middle of my nose. I just want the small ones, like some Indian girls have."

Monique took a deep breath, trying to calm down now she knew I didn't want the middle pierced. "Oh," she said.

Jo grinned and said, "I know what you're looking for." He then showed me a black book with lots of pretty, small nose rings.

I found the smallest and prettiest one. It was an aquamarine colour and it wasn't an actual ring either.

I closed my eyes and held on to the hand rests of my chair, as Jo got the gun ready. I winced as I felt it eject into my nose, but a few seconds later there was no pain.

Jo handed me a small mirror and I took a look. My nose looked foreign with the nose ring now. But I loved it. As I paused to look at myself, I realised I didn't even look like the Hermione Granger everyone knew. I looked like someone else altogether.

That thought, for some reason, enthralled me.

It was now ten o'clock and I was starved. The process was not yet complete, Monique told me, but she did let me take a half hour break to eat.

The dinner was better than the breakfast and I ate everything on my plate.

After I ate, Malfoy came to check up on me again. He stared at me openly and then smirked.

"Nice touch," he complimented when he saw my nose ring.

I was surprised he wasn't mad, so I smiled. "Thanks. Now what?"

"Before we do something to your hair, you have to learn some manners," he said, taking a seat beside me as I ate my dessert, a yoghurt parfait.

"Manners?" I wrinkled my nose. "I think I know my manners better than you."

He shook his head. "This is a bit different."

So for the next hour and a half, I learned how to be mean from the master of mean himself.

Malfoy taught me to be cold, ruthless and mean. "These rules apply to everyone," he said. "If someone's not nice to you, treat them the same way. No more grovelling and no more putting yourself down, understand?"

I nodded and he continued. When he was done, I was led to the parlour.

Monique asked, "What hair colour, boss?"

Malfoy thought for a second and then said, "Definitely not brown or blond, they've been done too many times."

I had to agree on that one.

"What colour then?" asked Monique. "I mean she will change it of course, but she should have a standard colour and style in public."

Malfoy nodded. "Either black or red."

"Red?" I asked, thinking of Ginny's red wine tresses.

As if he read my mind, Malfoy said, "Don't worry, it won't be a Weasley red. It would be maroon."

I start to get mad, but then I remember his rule, Don't defend people who never defend you.

"Oh," I ended up saying.

"Well Kayla has burgundy hair," said Monique. Kayla was their main model right now.

"True," said Malfoy. "Black it is then."

So the hair stylist brought out a black die. It was blacker than black and I couldn't imagine what I would look with black hair.

Malfoy said, "Well, I have some business to take care of right now, so I'll be back at seven."

I glanced at my watch as he left. It was one.

First the stylist washed my hair and cut it a bit. Then she took the die and covered my hair with it.

I had to sit with it on my bed for about an hour. During this time, Monique brought me some snacks and a few magazines on how to be a model. They included tips like what to do at a party, what to do if someone complimented you, what to do if you trip on the runway. Things like that.

An hour passed by and then my hair was washed again to take out the excess die. Leila, the stylist, towelled my hair dry and then blew it dry.

With my new hair I couldn't even recognize myself. The black hair really suited me, I could tell.

Leila touched my coarse hair and said, "This hair is too rough. It needs body, silkiness and shine."

So she decided to give me a body wave. My head was stuck under a weird contraption with my new black hair filled with chemicals. Another hour passed by and then my hair was washed and dried again.

It now had body and volume and was thick and healthy. She then put some conditioners and shampoos in to make it silky and shiny. Even after she cut it, my hair still reaches my middle back with its waves.

By the time she was done it was three o'clock. My new hair looked awesome. I had been given side swept bangs that look gorgeous and my hair has never been so thick and healthy.

Monique, who claimed that we were behind schedule, then rushed me off to the makeup artist's cubicle.

My face was washed and foundation put on. Monique kept reminding the artists that we were going for a natural look and not to put too much on.

My eyes were lined with black eyeliner and my lashes defined by mascara. Monique kept telling me that since I had 'beautiful eyes' (her words, not mine!) we were going to play them up and make them more defined by just doing simple things.

When the makeup was done I was taken to the stylist, who had a whole variety of clothes ready for me to try on for my first day as a model.

Monique sat down on a couch, exhausted, and watched me model some clothes. She didn't know what was good for my first day and we had a hard time picking something out.

We finally found something and I quickly changed into it. When I was done it was six thirty and I was exhausted. I hadn't slept a wink the whole night and I couldn't wait to look at myself in the mirror. I was starving as well.

Monique told me that she had prepared a mini show for me, in front of 'the boss' and all the people who helped me get ready, including Brandon and herself.

I was nervous at this idea, but remember what Malfoy said: Be confident in yourself. So confident that other's self esteem will lower.

I stood backstage and waited for my cue. I could hear people talking on the other side, waiting for me to show up.

The music started: my cue. I took a deep breath, not knowing what the hell I was doing, and start walking down the runway.

There were thirty people in the studio, all watching me. When I reached the end of the runway, I stop and stand on one leg with a hand on one hip.

There was silence all around and then people started clapping and cheering. Brandon took a couple dozen pictures and then Monique helped me down.

I was breathless from being so excited and nervous. People everywhere were smiling and congratulating me. My cheeks hurt from smiling so much.

I made my way to the back to look for Malfoy. He was there, standing at the back with Monique.

I was so nervous as I walked to him that I was playing with my ring on my finger, a nervous habit.

As I reached him, I find that I was a bit closer to his height because of my heels. I liked it.

For once, he genuinely smiled at me, showing me that adorable dimple. "You look great," he said.

I looked at the ground. "Thanks," I mumbled.

He put a finger under my chin and gently raised my head, so that I looked at him.

"Be confident," he said.

I nodded and smiled and he left me. Monique smiled at me then followed him.

I took a deep breath and then finally turned around to look at the full-length mirror behind me.

My eyes widened as I tried to recognize my reflection. I couldn't believe who I was looking at was really I.

My hair was midnight black and hung in thick curls and waves down my back, while having volume and body. My side bangs were angled. My dark brown eyes looked bigger because they were outlined in black outliner and also mascara. My eyebrows complimented my eyes by not being so thin, but also not being the thicker ones I had before. My face was otherwise hairless.

I wore a black halter dress that had a fitted bodice and a flowing skirt with an uneven hem that went from one knee to just below the other one at a sharp angle.

My fingernails were French manicured, as were my toenails. It wasn't the atrocious long ones, but rather the smaller, softer ones that looked natural.

My legs looked smooth without the hair and my feet looked pretty with the manicure and with the gorgeous black stilettos.

It really was true what people said about black making you look slimmer because I felt skinnier now as well.

The girl in the mirror stared at me and I stared back.

"Hermione?" came a voice. Monique was calling me.

I turned away from the mysterious girl in the mirror and went to Monique.

"I need you to get your purse and get ready to go, because it's time for your first shoot," she said. "The boss is going to go with you as well."

When I had been getting my makeover, Monique had told me that Malfoy was my agent and he found me shoots that had the most money and publicity. Since the firm was his and he was the boss, he usually only spent most of his time with the main model he was promoting. All the other models got to see Malfoy only a few times a week, but he scheduled all their shoots.

I grabbed my black purse and went and stood in the door, waiting for Malfoy. Several people passing by the office doors glanced at me and several actually stared out right.

A smile spread across my face and I felt really great. People thought I was beautiful and I felt beautiful. I had all this respect as well.

So I held my head high and when Malfoy said, "Let's go," I was totally ready and started to walk down the stairs, except I fell down the last two.

Malfoy grabbed my arm as I steadied myself on those stupid heels. "Are you all right?" he asked me.

I decided to play the part. I straightened my dress and flipped my hair over my shoulder. "Of course, Mr. Malfoy. Thank you anyways."

I then strode out to the car, this time without tripping- thankfully.