A BEAUTIFICATION POTION was due to be brewed that rainy Wednesday morning in Potions Class. Gryffindor and Slytherin were paired for said class as they usually were, and Professor Snape wasted no time in showing favoritism to the students of his house. That was, however, until a loud smack! could be heard throughout the classroom and those sitting in the front, including Hermione Granger and Neville Longbottom, turned to see what had happened.

"Miss Parkinson, I do believe this is the second time I've had to call you out for not paying attention in my classroom. I believe a change in seating is in order, as obviously Miss Greengrass is too much of a distraction to you." The professor's nasally voice degraded his student, and then he turned and cast his eyes around the classroom. Neville made the mistake of not adverting his eyes, and this sparked something within Snape's dark, cold ones. "Mr Longbottom, you and Miss Parkinson will be trading seats for the entirety of this potion. Move."

Neville's mouth opened in shock, and he turned to face Hermione with a pleading look. She frowned and kept her gaze cast downwards. "Hermione, you've got to make him change his mind! I'll fail without you..."

"I'm sorry Neville," her voice was barely above a whisper. She looked as though she wanted to say more, but then a presence made itself known behind them.

"Ahem, I'm fairly certain our professor just told you to move, Longbottom." It was Pansy. She had her textbook clutched tightly against her body, cauldron hung off her arm, and a far-too-pleased expression on her face. The blond, pudgy boy stood slowly, gathered his materials and made his way towards the back amongst the Slytherins. The dark-eyed girl took her seat beside the Gryffindor and kept her head faced forward.

Hermione stared at her in shock. The Potions Master had given everyone permission to move about the classroom and gather their needed supplies for the potion: unicorn hair, fairy wings, ginger root, etc. However, both of the girls remained seated, the Gryffindor's arms crossed over her chest with an indignant look on her face.

"You had no reason to speak to Neville like that." She scolded her new Potions partner. "He's done nothing to you, absolutely nothing."

Pansy turned and eyed her, eyebrows raised in a mocking manner, as if silently asking her, 'are you done?' She blew a breath. "I don't have to have reason to be mean to Longbottom. He's pathetic, and I'm constantly left in wonderment as to how you can associate with someone like him: he brings shame to your house's name."

Hermione stood, chair scraping against the floor as she did so. Her caramel-colored cheeks were tinged a deep red with anger. "I think you and I have a very different idea as to what brings shame to a house's name, Parkinson."

The Slytherin watched as her Potions partner stormed off towards the supply closet. It was minutes before the Gryffindor returned, sidled alongside her ginger-haired friend and Potter, and by the way she gesticulated as she spoke, the black-haired girl knew she could only be ranting about her. She glanced back towards where all of her friends and housemates sat, catching eyes with Blaise. He sent her a wink, gesturing towards the irate witch and she rolled her eyes.

"You'd do well in weighing the ingredients." Hermione spat once she'd returned, dropping everything onto the table. She then began to light her cauldron and double-check the directions she'd written.

"Isn't this potion typically meant to fend off ugly things, such as Red Caps and the lot?" Pansy asked, now attempting to make small-talk with her partner. The brown-eyed girl just gave her a look as she moved to pull her brown, bushy hair into a ponytail.

"If it's ugly things we're trying to get rid of, I fear I'll soon be working on this potion alone." And that was a low blow, even for Granger. The girl realized this: Pansy could see it in her eyes, though she appeared to be biting her tongue from apologizing. And yes, the Slytherin honestly felt as though she deserved that one. After all, Granger could've just been referring to her personality and not her physical appearance, right?

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"That girl is a menace!" Hermione Granger raved once she'd returned from her final class of the day alongside Harry and Ron. "An absolute menace!"

"Tell us what you said to her again, Hermione, won't you?" Ron asked, his blue eyes hopeful. He had a smudge of ash on his pale, freckled forehead from when his cauldron had let out a small explosion, and his vibrant red hair was splayed this way and that.

"I said, 'if it's ugly things we're trying to get rid of, I fear I'll soon be working on this potion alone.' Really, it was a spur-of-the-moment thing. I hadn't meant to say it aloud-"

"Our Hermione," Ron beamed, draping an arm across her shoulders. "A young savage come to light."

The trio headed towards some unoccupied chairs near the fireplace in Gryffindor Common Room and settled in. Hermione pulled out some parchment to do homework, and Harry and Ron soon found themselves entranced by a game of wizard's chess. However, the Gryffindor lioness didn't get to study long, as soon three rowdy boys made their way into the common room and began patting her on the back and congratulating her: it was Fred and George, as well as Lee Jordan.

"We've just heard what's happened in Potions today. Good on ya, 'Mione." Fred Weasley beamed, taking a seat beside the Fourth Year. She looked at him with her eyebrows knit.

"How'd you hear?" She asked him, a frown quickly etching itself onto her face.

"It's all anyone could talk about!" George Weasley butted in, taking a seat on the armrest beside her. She was sandwiched between the twins, who eyed her with newfound respect. "Dean and Seamus were sitting behind you and Parkinson during class and they heard the whole thing! Seamus can't stop talking about it."

Her eyes narrowed. Of course it would be Seamus blabbing to everyone: he was such a gossip. "Why, I ought to-"

"Hey, wait!" Lee claimed. "Why not enjoy the fame while you've got it? It won't be long before someone's one-upped you again — namely us."

"What have you lot got planned?" Ron asked curiously, losing focus on his game and soon Harry was taking down one of his knights. "You bloody tosser!"

"Oh, nothing," George said slyly. "Just the usual nobody's-safe-when-the-twins-are-around kinds of pranks... though Filch has appeared particularly prank-worthy as of late."

"You two will land yourselves in detention!" Hermione remarked in a singsong voice. Fred smirked at her.

"Only if we get caught."

The troublesome trio left towards their dorms, most likely to scheme, and Ron Harry and Hermione were left to their own devices once more. Again, this didn't last long as soon Lavender Brown and Parvati Patil were making their way into the common room, Fay Dunbar following awkwardly in tow. The blonde-haired girl spotted Hermione and rushed forward, stopping only when she saw Ronald sitting at the brown-haired girl's feet intensely focused on his game of chess. The girls caught eyes again and she huffed a breath.

"Hermione, Daphne Greengrass is at the bottom of the staircase yelling for you. She's refusing to leave until you speak to her."

The brown-eyed girl's eyes widened. She set aside her parchment and stood to her feet slowly. Both Ron and Harry were staring at her with confused expressions on their faces. She held the same expression, as she couldn't recall having ever spoken to the Slytherin in her life. What could she possibly want with her? Unless of course she was there on behalf of Parkinson...

"I'll uh, I'll be right back." She made her way towards the portrait hole, faltering as she approached it. When she looked back, Lavender had moved to her seat and was trying to capture Ron's attention — though he was still too focused on Hermione and his game, the one which Harry had now abandoned altogether and had moved to stand and walk towards her.

"Do you want some company? Incase things get-"

"A witness for my inevitable murder? Yes, please. Bring your cloak." She waited half a beat longer as the green-eyed boy rushed to grab his Invisibility Cloak from his trunk and then walked with him through the portrait hole. Once outside and the Fat Lady's painting was closed, he draped the shimmery material across himself and disappeared. Hermione descended the stairs and heard his quiet breaths behind her, comforting her to a degree.

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At the bottom of the staircase, Daphne Greengrass stood with her arms crossed and blonde hair appearing ridiculously shiny. "You cost me my Potions partner today, Granger." She spat menacingly.

"I'm sorry, but I couldn't really do anything. It was Snape's choice. If you have a problem, bring it up with him." The Gryffindor responded, crossing her own arms over herself. "Is this really what you've called me out of my common room for? I have homework to do, and-"

"Of course that's not the only reason!" Daphne declared in frustration. She took a step forward and Hermione took a step back: the girls were almost chest to chest. "Who do you think you are, Granger? Did you really think I'd let you just sit back and steal away all of the attention while I was left and forgotten about?"

"What are you talking about?"

"Everything, Granger. The makeover, the popular date you brought to the Ball, and the fact that you were something desirable enough to be retrieved from the Black Lake! Do you think this is some sort of game?" The blue-eyed girl was going ballistic now, shaking with fury. "You're taking everything from me and I will not stand for it!"

"Wait, what?" Hermione held her hands up in a defensive gesture as Daphne moved to hold her wand out and point it towards her. "I'm not trying to steal anything from you! I don't want all of this attention... I'd much rather be left alone to my studies and-"

"Enough with the schoolgirl charade, Granger. You're a snake: a conniving, scheming little worm making your way into every little crack and crevice of this once great establishment. You're dirty, but then again, I assume that's fitting for someone such like yourself – a filthy little Mudbloo-"

"Daphne!" A new voice called, and further down the corridor, Pansy Parkinson and Millicent Bulstrode came rushing into focus. "We've been looking everywhere for you! It's after curfew and- Granger?"

"I had to settle a score, Pansy." The blonde snapped, turning back to face the Gryffindor. "Cross paths with me again Granger, and I swear I'll send you back to the Black Lake. And this time, there'll be no Krum to come and rescue you."

Suddenly, the small group heard a meow, and approaching down the corridor was Mrs Norris, Filch's shabby cat. This meant he couldn't be too far behind. The Slytherins ran in fear, Millicent muttering that 'we'll never hear the end of this!' as they turned a corner.

Filch came into view. "Who's there? I'll have you in a year's worth of detention if I catch you!"

Hermione felt her arm being tugged and suddenly she was being pulled under the Invisibility Cloak with Harry. The two began to make their way up the staircase very slowly, not wanting their footsteps to echo, though Mrs Norris made it increasingly harder as she kept attempting to snag at the ends of the cloak.

"Balderdash!" Harry spewed and the Fat Lady swung open though initially stirring from her sleep and demanding, 'who's there?!'

Once inside the common room, the pair removed the cloak as inconspicuously as possible and moved to rejoin Ron by the fireplace. He was, however, distracted in conversation with Lavender. The girl had her blonde hair curled around her finger and was giggling at something the ginger said. It was then they realized he was attempting to explain the game to her, though her blue eyes had remained on his all along.

"I think I'm going to be sick." Hermione muttered to Harry, and the black-haired boy nodded his head. "I think I'll turn in for the night..."

She made her way up the stairs towards the Fourth Year girls' dormitory. Inside, Fay Dunbar was spread out on her bed, textbooks littered wherever her limbs weren't, and glasses covered her face. Hermione sat on the edge of her bed, beginning to peel her socks and shoes from her feet.

"Lavender doesn't like you much, you know." Fay claimed, looking up from her work and the end of a quill she'd placed in her mouth. Her bottom lip had a thin line of ink smeared on it. "She's just using you to get closer to Ron."

"I figured as much," Hermione admitted, pulling her jumper over her head. Her brown hair fell easily against her bare shoulders and the straps of her tank top. "I heard her and Parvati discussing it the other night."

"It's not fair though." Fay sighed, now sitting up. "You're so kind, and they're so fake towards you. I never knew girls could be so mean..."

"You should've been at the bottom of the staircase about ten minutes ago," Hermione muttered, slipping into pajama pants. "They get meaner."

The girls didn't speak much after that. Hermione slipped under her covers, turning off her bedside lamp and Fay returned to her homework. A half an hour passed of silence: Fay working and Hermione staring at the hangings on her four-poster bed.

"Hermione?" The brown-haired girl asked suddenly, and the darker-skinned girl glanced over at her. "If it means anything to you, I don't think Ron would ever go for a girl like Lavender."

Hermione smiled. "Thanks Fay, means a lot."

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a kind message from cosmochild imbued me to update this fic sooner than i'd originally planned to. i love hearing from you guys!