All's Fair in Truth or Dare

7

Ever since the kissing incident with Harry the day before, Hermione had been trying even harder to attract Ron's attention. If Harry could like her, it was possible Ron could, too.

The morning of a Hogsmeade visit, Hermione was sitting in front of a mirror trying her best to make herself look presentable. She had tried nearly every trick, muggle or wizard, to get her hair to lie flat and shiny like Lavender's, but so far she had had no success, and her hair was as frizzy as ever.

Just as she was about to give up, Ginny entered the room. Her red hair was lying perfectly straight and she wore a black and gray beanie that matched her heavy black eyeliner. "Ginny!" Hermione exclaimed. She recognized a beauty guru when she saw one. "I need help. You have time?"

Ginny took a glance at Hermione's frizzy hair and pulled up a chair. "Bring it on."

"Oh, Ginny, I need to tell you about what happened yesterday, too."

Hermione was so overjoyed that she could tell Ginny about yesterday's events and that she would be receiving help from such a beauty queen, that she didn't even protest when Ginny summoned up a case of makeup and began applying it to Hermione. She knew Ron would be at Hogsmeade and she wanted to impress him.

But Lavender would be there as well.

* * *

"So, Parvati, how do I look?" Lavender twirled around. She was quite relieved the spell she had cast had stopped her skirt from lifting up and exposing her underwear.

"Oh, Lavender! You look so beautiful! How could he refuse you? If I wasn't straight, I'd probably snog you now!" Parvati squealed.

Lavender backed up a few paces before speaking again. "I know, right? Hermione has no chance. At all. Ever. She's finally going to get the wakeup call she's always deserved. No average girl outdoes one so radiant, sparkling, and all around spectacular as me. Besides, inside this flawless body, I have a bubbling personality!"

"You're so modest," Parvati said sarcastically.

Lavender placed her arm around Parvati's shoulders and let out a sparkling and beautiful laugh.. "Hun, when you're like me, there's no need to be modest!"

* * *

"What'cha doing, Ron?" Ginny asked of her older brother as she bounced up and down on the balls of her feet.

Ron was sitting in one of the big armchairs in front of the fire, and Ginny was standing next to him. They were in the Gryffindor common room and were surrounded by dozens of students chatting excitedly about Hogsmeade, crushes, and gossip. The first and second years still didn't seem to be entirely enjoying themselves as they furiously scribbled on parchment and attempted different charms.

"I'm waiting for Hermione, Ginny. Harry, she, and I are supposed to go to Hogsmeade together, but neither one of them has showed up yet." Ron seemed uneasy as he answered her question. "Do you think they forgot?"

Ginny grinned. "No, I think Hermione's just late!" As the last word left her lips, Hermione came gliding down the stairs from the girls' dormitory, where she had been awaiting her cue. Ron's jaw dropped in a gape.

The other Hermione had bushy hair, little freckles, and plain brown eyes. Her bushy hair almost always looked as if she had just placed her finger in an electrical outlet. She normally wore clothing that did nothing for her figure and made sure she wouldn't be singled out in a crowd. Needless to say, she wasn't normally the most attractive girl in the year.

But the Hermione that came gliding the stairs was nothing like the Hermione known by all. This Hermione had silky, shiny, straight beautifully brown hair that fell to somewhere around her waist. Some of her hair had been pulled back to be clipped behind her head by a single clasp.

Her normally dull eyes shone with delight at the sight of Ron and Ginny, as she neared them. Ron took in her tight purple shirt and black skirt with interest, and she couldn't help but grin. "Sorry I'm late, Ron. I had something I needed to do."

"That's fine, Hermione. I was just waiting for Harry, but he can catch up with us." Hermione noted with satisfaction that although Ron was looking at her, he was not making eye contact.

"Well, I could go in his place."

Hermione whirled around to see Lavender looking more like a goddess than ever. "Actually," Hermione began. "Ginny was going to tag along until we found Harry, so there's really no reason for you to follow."

"Oh, but I'm sure you wouldn't mind having another member of your group, would you, Ron?" Lavender gazed down through hopeful blue eyes at Ron.

"Well, I suppose-" Hermione cut him off. "Yes, he would, Lavender, and if he doesn't, I do. You see, Ron, Harry and I have a sort of tradition to always go together, and when there's another member in our group, it's Ginny. Just Ginny. Too bad, so sad, Lavender, but you'll just have to go with Parvati and the rest of your group."

Lavender gave Hermione a look of death but refused to leave. "Well, you could always start a new tradition, couldn't you? I mean, wouldn't it be nice to have more than two friends, Hermione?" Hermione began to retort, but Lavender* wasn't done. "Well, you and Harry could always go together after what happened the other night. I'd just be afraid of the outcome. Having more Potters running around would be tragic."

Hermione stood, not even blinking for a few seconds. She knew. Somehow or another,* she knew. It was impossible, but somehow she knew.

"Hermione, what's going on?" Ron asked, looking from her to Lavender. Out of the corner of her eye, Hermione saw that Ginny hadn't moved either and was biting her bottom lip.

For one,* horrid moment, Hermione thought she was going to cry, but instead of her anger being let out in tears, it left in a much different way than Hermione would have ever expected. She raised her hand and slapped Lavender hard across the face.

Lavender let out a shriek. A boy yelled, "Catfight!" and suddenly the whole common room was silent, watching the two girls.

Lavender turned back to face Hermione, a pink handprint showing where she had been hit. "You're going to regret that!" She plunged her hand into her robes and drew her wand, yelling a spell. Fortunately, the spell missed Hermione by a long shot. Unfortunately, Professor McGonagall, who had heard the commotion while passing in the hall and had come to investigate, was his square in the face.

A pink explosion blinded Lavender, Hermione and the rest of the students as McGonagall staggered back, hands holding her face. As soon as the light went away, Hermione instantly wished it was still there, and that she was still blind.

Minerva McGonagall no longer resembled an old* Transfiguration teacher. Instead, her head had been turned that of a donkey, complete with long ears. This change, however had not rendered her speechless. In fact, she was anything but.