Jezebel

"Who're you going with?" Ron called after her.

Hermione walked up to her dorm, waving back at Ron as she climbed the stairs. As soon as she reached her room, she ran inside and threw herself on the bed.

Of course he asked Fleur to the ball. She was older, beautiful, and it didn't hurt that she was part veela. Hermione banged her head against the headboard as she berated herself for ever hoping that Ron would ask her.

She had eventually given up on him and agreed to go with Viktor, and just three hours later Ron works up the guts to ask that blonde, empty-headed twit to the ball.

How dare Fleur act that way? Flipping her thick, perfectly straight hair over her shoulder, smiling as to better show those perfect teeth, making all the boys love her and enjoying it immensely.

If it wasn't for Fleur, Ron would have asked her to the ball. Wouldn't he?

I've given love the best I can,

But you don't seem to understand,

It's not always deep, but it's always true,

And he does not belong to you.

Over the next few days, Hermione continued to seethe. Not helping matters was Ron's constant pestering over who she was going with. As if she was going to tell him, not after what he did.

It didn't matter, he was going with Padma Patil anyway. Hermione groaned again. He had actually suggested that Harry and Ginny should go to the ball, while he and Hermione went together. She had been on the brink of agreeing before she remembered Viktor.

It was probably a good thing anyway. Ron was such a sexist pig. But he was the kindest, funniest, most wonderful sexist pig she'd ever known.

That settled it. She was going to have to do something.

Hey I do not forgive,

And I do not forget,

I will fight for love,

Until the death.

Ron continued to act insane every time he saw Fleur. That, of course, put Hermione in an almost constant bad mood. What did he see in her?

What was Fleur up to, anyway? She seemed to be half flirting with Ron, dropping him a wink when they passed in the hall. But that was ridiculous. Ron was so much younger than her.

And then she caught that scathing look Fleur threw her. Fleur cornered Hermione in the library on the day before the Yule Ball.

"You leetle trollop," Fleur hissed. "How could you do zis to me?"

Hermione was at a loss for words. What had she done? Why was Fleur mad at her, of all people?

"You know very well I waz going to take Viktor to zee ball," Fleur said. "But you stole 'im from me!"

"I did no such thing," Hermione denied. "He asked me, not you."

"Well, 'e was going to ask me," Fleur insisted. "But you interfered!"

"I didn't do anything, Fleur," Hermione said hotly. "It's not my fault Viktor didn't want to go with a little blonde tart like you."

Fleur smirked. "But zere are uzzers who do, no?"

"What's that supposed to mean?" Hermione demanded.

"Zat leetle friend of yours," Fleur said slyly. "Ze redhead wiz zee freckles? He'd die to go wiz me to ze ball, wouldn't 'e?"

"You little tramp," Hermione seethed. "You are playing with his feelings because you have a grudge against me. Cut it out."

"Make me," Fleur said, raising one eyebrow. That made Hermione mad, because she was pretty sure she couldn't do it.

Jezebel, save your charms,

He'll be back here in my arms,

Oh how quickly you forget,

He's not yours yet.

He is not yours, not yet.

Hermione was just going to have to take desperate action. Calling on the aid of Lavender and Parvati, she quickly laid out her plan.

"You want us to make you over?" Parvati asked excitedly. "You'd let us?"

"I've been wanting to do this for ages," Lavender said gleefully. "You'd be so gorgeous if you'd just straighten your hair, stand up straight, and wore some nice clothes. Add a touch of makeup, nothing too heavy..." She turned to Parvati. "Why aren't you taking notes?"

The three girls made a last minute trip to Hogsmeade, after Parvati declared Hermione's dress robes, "Out-dated and old fashioned. Brown, Hermione? How could you?"

Lavender had gone into hysterics when she caught sight of that set of robes, the ones made out of that floating, light blue material.

"Hermione, these are the ones!" Lavender declared. "They'd bring out your complexion, and highlight all that dark hair."

On the day of the ball, Hermione agreed to meet the girls in the dormitory at five o'clock, because they said they needed plenty of time.

After using copious amounts of Sleekeazy's potion, Parvati finally got her hair perfect. She twisted it up into a French knot, "The better to show off that swan neck of yours."

Lavender, the official makeup expert, spent thirty minutes making Hermione look like she wasn't wearing any makeup at all. "It's the natural look, Hermione. Everything you've already got, except brought out better by the shadowing."

Hermione understood none of it. All she knew was that, when she slipped into her robes, she felt like a different person. A glance in the mirror confirmed that she looked different, also.

"Remember to stand up straight," Lavender lectured.

"You go down first and get out of here before Ron comes out of the dormitory," Parvati said with a wink.

"What is that supposed to mean?" Hermione asked.

"Well..." Lavender said slyly. "We know you don't want him to see you yet, right?"

"This is to get back at Fleur, Lavender," Hermione insisted. "Ron has nothing to do with it."

"Sure," Parvati said archly. "That's what they all say."

Gonna throw on this cotton dress,

Put a lilac scent on the back of my neck.

I'll walk barefoot down that mountainside,

Straight to your door,

Girl you can't hide.

Hermione walked down to the entrance hall, studiously ignoring the incredulous looks given by her fellow students. Remembering Lavender's advice, Hermione pulled her shoulders back and stood up straight, looking in front of her, not at the floor.

When Viktor saw her, she was pleased to notice that he looked distinctly surprised.

"Herm-oh-ninny?" he gasped. "You look...very much different."

"Thank you, Viktor," Hermione said with a smile.

They waited for the other champions and their dates. When Fleur walked in with Roger Davies, she shot Hermione a look of pure venom. Hermione just smiled cheekily.

Hey I do not forgive,

And I do not forget,

I will fight for love,

Until the death.

When Harry got there, accompanied by Parvati, his jaw dropped. Parvati gave Hermione a wink and a smile. She returned them both.

She turned to the staircase, not wanting to miss Ron. When he saw her, he stopped dead in his tracks. She smiled and gave him a little wave, which he did not return. Padma Patil was looking at her with a confused frown.

Instead, he stalked by without looking at her again. Hermione sighed. At least she had kept his attention away from Fleur.

Jezebel, save your charms,

He'll be back here in my arms,

Oh how quickly you forget,

He's not yours yet,

No he's not yours, not yet.

Throughout the ball, Hermione was conscious of Fleur's eyes on her. She laughed and talked to Viktor, determined to enjoy herself if it killed her.

She ignored Ron's dirty looks and Fleur's indignant rage.

When Ron snapped at her and accused her of fraternizing with the enemy, she ran out of the Great Hall and into the closest girls' lavatory.

Not two minutes later, Lavender and Parvati rushed in.

"What's going on, Hermione?" Parvati asked worriedly.

"Why did you leave?" Lavender added.

"Ron said some...awful things about me," Hermione said, not looking them in the eye. To her surprise, they both burst out laughing.

"It's not funny," she spat.

"Sure it is," Parvati contradicted. "He's mad with jealousy. Padma told me that he isn't dancing at all. You've accomplished your goal, Hermione."

"My goal," Hermione said, enunciating every word clearly, "was to keep him away from Fleur. She was playing with him."

"Well, that's done," Lavender shrugged. "He can barely keep his eyes off of you, according to Padma. But I have to get back, Seamus is waiting."

"You are the only one that's having a good time," Parvati said. "Harry won't dance with me at all."

"So ditch him," Lavender said. "Find one of those cute Beaubaxtons guys. He won't care."

"She's right," Hermione said. "He wouldn't care."

"Glad I'm so special," Parvati said, although she was laughing. "Did you see the way he keeps trying not to look at Cho Chang?"

"Ah, love is in the air," Lavender proclaimed in a dreamy voice. Then she continued, in a more serious tone. "Hermione, you better get back in there. Ron's probably all over Fleur in your absence."

"I hope not," Hermione said vehemently. "I'd have to wring the wench's neck. And then maybe wring Ron's, too."

"We'll help you bury the bodies," Parvati assured her.

"I second that," Lavender said. "Now get your bum back in there."

Standing out in the pouring rain,

Calling out my lover's name.

Know he won't leave me in the cold,

Send my baby home!

Hermione went back into the Great Hall, only to find that Ron and Harry had both disappeared. Parvati was dancing with a boy from Beaubaxtons, and Lavender was laughing with Seamus at an otherwise empty table.

"Looking for someone?" Ginny asked, coming over to stand by Hermione.

"Where's Neville?" Hermione queried.

"He's gone to get some punch," Ginny said. "It's a good thing for my feet, too."

Hermione laughed. "Is he really that bad of a dancer?" she asked.

"Yes," Ginny said, nodding her head. "But he's really nice, so that's okay."

"Do you like him?" Hermione asked interestedly.

"No," Ginny said, looking scandalized. "He's Neville, for goodness sakes."

"Oh yeah," Hermione said. "Harry?"

"Ever since I've known him," Ginny agreed. "Am I still totally obvious?"

"No," Hermione said encouragingly. "You're really a rather good actress. If he asks, I'll tell him you were over him months ago."

"Thanks, Hermione," Ginny grinned. "I mean, I like him and all. But not in that whole 'no one else in the world' thing you and Ron have going on."

"Ron and I do not have anything going on," Hermione insisted.

"But you're both miserable without each other," Ginny pointed out. "Ron has spent the whole night glaring at you like you were Malfoy or something. He's madly jealous."

Hermione grinned. "I have to go find Viktor."

Not paying any attention to where she was going, Hermione ran smack into none other than Fleur Delacour herself.

"You think you're so good," Fleur smirked, "just because you 'ave a fancy dress and some 'air grease. But once you take all zat stuff off, no one will give you a second look."

"That's what you think," Hermione said, raising her eyebrows. Both of them, dang it. "I'm prettier, smarter, and funnier than you any day of the week," she said. "You are nothing but a mindless, humorless automaton that has to rely on others to give her a sense of self-worth. Well, I don't need that. I know I'm worth something, and that's all that matters. I don't need anyone's approval."

Fleur gasped and, spinning on her heel, walked quickly away.

"That's telling her," Parvati said in a low voice as she passed Hermione on the arm of a good-looking French boy. Hermione just grinned.

I do not forgive,

And I do not forget,

I will fight for love,

Until the death.

"Well, you know what the solution is, don't you?" Hermione yelled, not caring who was watching.

"Oh yeah?" Ron hollered back. "What's that?"

"Next time there's a ball," Hermione shouted, "ask me before someone else does, and not as a last resort!"

With that, she stomped up the girls' staircase, leaving Ron gaping behind her.

Up in her room, she peeled off her robes, pulled the hairpins out of her hair, and washed her face. She looked in the mirror, and saw the old Hermione staring back at her. She smiled, knowing that the old Hermione was loads better than the new, improved version.

"You sure let him have it," Lavender said in awe, as she and Parvati entered the dorm. "He stood there gaping for two whole minutes."

"He deserved it," Hermione said with a smile.

"You knocked some sense into him, that's for sure," Parvati said. "I guess he knows you're a girl now, eh?"

"At least I kept him away from Fleur," Hermione replied in a satisfied voice.

Jezebel, save your charms,

He'll be back here in my arms,

Oh how quickly you forget,

He's not yours yet,

No he's not yours yet,

No he's not yours...

Never.