Muggle Camp

Chapter 2 - Heels for Hermione

Dear Mr Potter,

I am writing to inform you of this year's muggle camp...

Harry stared down at his letter. The number of times he had read it and he was still doing it. He sighed and folded it up. Placing it in the top pocket of his shirt he got up and walked to the window. The Granger's were late but it didn't matter. It was nice enough for them to pick him up in the first place - Surrey meant they had to go backwards before they got to London where the Granger's lived, but Hermione had explained to him that it was no problem. He could have travelled on the Knight Bus but the Granger's had insisted that they did not want him travelling alone at two o'clock in the morning.

Anyway, he wasn't too happy with the wizarding world at the moment. He was furious in fact. Cornelius Fudge and all of his office, it was their fault that all of this had happened. Not only that, but he had had to sit here and stew for a whole month on Sirius's death. He shook his head as he felt hot tears prick the corners of his eyes. No! He wasn't going to cry, he had cried enough. It was time for him to let go and to get even; to get even with Voldemort for all of the pain he had caused him. He had not forgotten the prophecy - the prospect of either being murdered or being a murderer was not a pleasant. How many people knew about this? How many people knew that the fate of the wizarding world lay in his hands?

Harry sighed a deeply. He had thought all of these things through a million times already over the past four weeks. Oh well, he would think about it when the time came. Right now he was looking forward to two weeks spent with Ron and Hermione. Two weeks in a camp where you had to live like muggles, this was going to be a laugh. Harry sniggered at the thought of Malfoy trying to light a camp fire with Crabbe and Goyle blundering around trying to put up a tent. And what was all this about defence camp? He had thought it was a good idea, but how many people would be willing to learn? Certainly not Malfoy and the other Slytherins! At least many of the DA members would be attending and Ron and Hermione would look forward to it. Of course he would have to tell them about the prophecy and everything else that Dumbledore had told him two months ago, but that he thought, could wait.

He was distracted by the sound of a horn beeping outside the window. He had been so deep in his own thoughts he hadn't even noticed the bright headlights of the car as it pulled up. Slowly, he walked over and picked up his school trunk and his camp bag. The Granger's had offered to drop Harry's trunk off at the Hogwarts Express when they took Hermione's.

Opening the front door of number four, he dragged his case down the front path then ran back to pick up his back. Locking the front door, he turned to face Hermione who was striding up the path towards him. He waited as he expected her to fling her arms around him and did not have to wait long for the attack of bushy hair. He smiled as she pulled away.

'Hey Hermione!'

'Oh Harry! I'm so happy to see you! But I need to ask you a favour. Can I borrow you're house?' She said this all very fast.

'My house? What do you want to borrow my house for? We're late already!' He looked puzzlingly at her.

'I'll explain in a minute. Get in the car, I'll lock up for you.' Harry just stared at her disbelievingly as she ran, bushy hair flying, into number four. Picking up his bag again he walked over the car. 'Hello Mr and Mrs Granger!'

'Oh hello Harry I don't think we've been introduced properly. I'm Bob and this is Mary,' replied Hermione's Dad as he helped lift Harry's case into the boot of the car.

'Nice to meet you Harry,' called Mary out of the open car window as Harry hoisted his pack into the boot of the car.

'Nice to meet you to Mary and er...Bob!' Harry turned to see Hermione shutting the front door. She ran barefoot to the car shouting 'right, let's go everyone!'

Harry had just realised why Hermione had needed to use his house.

It was to get changed.

'Hermione!' Harry's mouth dropped open, 'what are you...your clothes! What the...?'

'Just get in the car and I'll explain.' she said hurriedly hopping in the back seat.

Harry jumped into the back seat and closed the door as the car sped off down Privet drive. Harry turned his head to look at Hermione again. She was wearing a low cut top that showed her midriff and she had a belly-button ring - just like the one Dudley's girlfriend wore! There was definitely something odd going on here. Harry saw her take out a pair of high heeled shoes from the bag she had carried into privet drive. Hermione...wear high-heeled shoes?

'OK, OK, that's enough what in the world is going on? Hermione Granger does NOT wear belly-tops and high heeled shoes. I demand an explanation right now. And WHAT in your right mind made you pierce your belly button?' exclaimed Harry feeling very flustered.

'Just a minute Harry, I'm trying to figure out how the hell you put these stupid things on,' Hermione replied coolly. She was now attempting in vain, to put one of her high-heeled shoes on the wrong foot

'Nah-ah. I want to know right now' said Harry making a snatch for the high-heeled shoe but missing.

'Hermione dear, watch your language please. Now we have at least an hour until we reach King's Cross, please put Harry out of his misery and tell him what's going on. And by the way dear, that's the wrong foot.' Mary Granger gave a little laugh which she quickly turned into a cough, 'my daughter isn't very skilled when it comes to er...girly things.' Harry laughed but quickly desisted when Hermione shot him a sharp look.

'All right,' she said looking defeated, 'I'm trying to impress Ron.' Harry looked at her with a disgusted look on his face. 'Please tell me you're joking!'

'Yeh I am,' said Hermione who had burst out laughing at the look on his face, 'Ha! As if! Nope, this is all part of an experiment.'

'An experiment? But we haven't even started school yet! How can you have started an experiment already?' Harry looked at her exasperatedly. 'Oh, this hasn't got anything to do with spew has it?'

'Shut up will you and let me explain. It's not spew, it's S.P.E.W. and no it's nothing to do with that.' She took a deep calming breath and continued as this was costing her great energy. 'It is an experiment I am conducting for my mum,' she shot an accusatory look at her mum and continued. 'As you know, mum is a dentist but lately she has got it into her head that being a dentist is not for her and it is time for a career change.' She shook her head as if this was a ridiculous idea and carried on. 'So she is doing some kind of social science.' She took a quick look at Harry's confused look and continued before he could say anything. 'You know? Social Science, it had to do with society and people. Anyway, as a part of her course she is doing research into people's place in society in accordance to their appearance. Therefore, she wants to conduct an experiment to see if people's attitudes towards a person would change if their looks changed. So, guess who turned out to be the guinea pig?' Before Harry could answer she plummeted on. 'Me, that's who! Mum thinks I am the ideal candidate. In her words, I can go from Plain-Jane to Gorgeous-Goddess by making some slight changes to my appearance. Oh, and it's my job to record how people's attitude's toward me change.' She paused to take a breath.

'Slight changes?' said Harry with a snort

'That's what I said; I mean me, Hermione Granger, wear makeup and high-heeled shoes? It's ridiculous! Anyway, it might be interesting to see what happened as a result of this. It's all in the name of muggle science after all!'

'But Hermione, you got...you've pierced you're belly-button and you're so...so...' he could feel the heat rising in his face, 'big!'

'Hey!' She sounded outraged.

'Well they're a bit hard to miss!' Harry could feel the heat rising in his face once more. He could hear Mary trying in vain to stifle a laugh.

'Oh okay. They're false. Mum insisted they were an integral part of the experiment against my wishes.' Hermione looked angry again, 'oh and the ring's a fake.' She pulled it out with ease and twisted it between her fingers before putting it back. 'It works with magnets.'

'You better get a move on dear; it might take you a while to get those shoes on.' Harry sniggered again and Hermione clipped him around the head.

He continued to watch with increasing interest as Hermione remodelled herself. She applied makeup on her own which was a surprise to Harry. She explained this was a skill she had attained through intense training from her mother. Harry asked her why she hadn't just got changed at her house.

'Do you understand how uncomfortable it is to be dressed like this?' her mum tutted in the background and Harry could just see her roll her eyes. 'Oh and don't tell Ron!' she added hastily, causing her to slip with a liquid pen she was using for her eyes, drawing a big line across her temple. Harry burst into fits of laughter. It was great seeing Hermione make mistakes, as awful as it was to admit it. She growled angrily and seized the tissue her mother had automatically held out. When Harry had recovered he continued. 'So, why can't I tell Ron?'

'Because!' Hermione sounded exasperated, 'I want to see how Ron reacts - as part of the experiment!'

'Oh,' said Harry sounding apprehensive. How would Ron react? He didn't have a clue but he didn't think it would be good. 'I don't think that's a good idea Hermione, he may go all weird.'

'Don't be silly!' She sounded exasperated again. 'I mean it took him three years to figure out I was a girl. He probably won't even notice!'

*

They arrived at Kings Cross cutting it very finely. Hermione turned to Harry. 'Now remember Harry, don't tell Ron. Oh, and another thing. When I get out and show myself, I need you to take a look around and see other people's reactions. Ok Harry?'

'Ok,' Harry replied looking apprehensive. This experiment was going to have interesting results - Mrs Granger had certainly chosen the perfect test subject.

Harry stepped out of the car to find Ron standing there alone, shivering. Come to think of it, it was freezing. Why, in the middle of summer?

'About bloody time! How long does it take?' He heard Ron shout at him from in front of the car.

'What, to get from Surrey to London? About an hour,' he retorted with a laugh.

'Yeh well leave earl...oh hello Mr and Mrs Granger!' Harry went round the back of the car to drag his trunk out of the back of the car while Ron talked to Hermione. He looked round - all of the sixth year Gryffindors were here. He suspected most of the other sixth years were as well. He picked up his trunk and dragged it over to the pavement.

'So...' Harry began, thinking of asking how he was but he was cut off.

'What the hell was...that?' Harry was taken aback by Ron's tone. He should have expected this. He had however, promised Hermione he would play along.

'Don't ask me, I just went along with it. Looks like Hermione has some kind of a Barbie complex!'

'Barbie?'

'Don't worry. Sh! She's coming back.' Harry could see Hermione walking with all the grace and poise of a movie star. He was very impressed at how well she was acting out her role. Harry walked back to the road and looked around. He could see Ron and Hermione having a heated conversation but decided to let them continue. If it was a reaction Hermione wanted, then it was a reaction she was going to get.

He started at the other sixth years who had apparently noticed Hermione's new look. Most of the males were looking at Hermione as if she were a completely different person. They had their mouths open and might have been drooling if they had forgotten where they were. Maybe this wasn't as stupid a project as he had first thought. Harry had never thought that Hermione was an ugly girl, so why was everyone else so surprised? He looked at the girls. Parvarti and Lavender had looks to kill. He smiled to himself as he watched them swapping terse whispers.

'IF IT MEANS I HAVE TO STICK METAL RINGS THROUGH MY STOMACH TO LOOK DIFFERENT THEN I THINK I'LL PASS!' Harry spun around to see Ron and Hermione seething with anger. Hermione's hair had kinked in places and Ron looked fit to burst.

'Thankyou Mr Weasley, for kindly getting the attention of the class.' Harry spun round as Professor McGonagall's stern voice filled the street breaking the awkward silence. 'Weasley and Granger, you both have detention. Please see me afterwards. To everyone else, welcome to Muggle Camp!'

Harry stood rooted to the spot. This was going to be an interesting couple of weeks.