Choices

A/N: Chapter Three now revised. I’m also looking for a beta, so if anyone’s interested, please let me know.


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Chapter Three: Don't Mess with My Girls

Hermione woke the next morning with a feeling of dread that she couldn't place. She just knew that the day was going to be awful, but why? Then it all came back to her, like a bucket of ice water dumped over her head. She groaned and pulled her blanket over head. 'Why can't life ever be simple and easy?' she thought. Sucking up her courage, she threw the blanket back and climbed out of bed.


Hermione was just finishing her morning routine when there was a knock on the door, and Elkara's voice calling, “Hermione, are you almost ready? We're going to be late for breakfast if you don't hurry up."

She called back, “I’m almost ready, come on in."

The door opened and the black haired girl walked in. She sat on the bed and just stared at Hermione, thinking. Finally she said, “You know, you'd look a lot better if you left your hair down."

"I would, but it's all bushy and it looks awful, “Hermione replied, self-consciously running her hands over the tight bun she'd twisted her hair into.

The other girl thought for a moment, then asked if she could try something. Hermione conceded, and in less than a minute her hair was smooth, straight and shiny. Both girls were amazed at how quickly and how well the spell had worked.

"Wow. It's never worked that well before. Oh well, let's go eat, "Elkara said with a grin.

When they finally made it to breakfast, Hermione immediately noticed that Ginny was missing. They got closer to the table and saw that Harry and Ron were looking ready to kill.

"What happened?” Hermione asked Harry, knowing that Ron would shout the entire story.

Harry turned to face her and said, “Them."

"Who?" she asked.

He pointed to the end of the Gryffindor table, where Dean Thomas and Seamus Finnegan were sitting and laughing about something.

"What did they do?" she tried again.

At this point Ron broke out in a furious whisper, “They were making funny of Ginny liking girls. They called her all sorts of names, and even threatened to show her what she was missing by not sleeping with guys."

Hermione looked murderous. She stormed to where the two boys were sitting and slapped them both. She said in a deadly whisper, “Don’t you ever fuck with her again, or I will kill you both."

Dean had recovered from his shock by the time Hermione got back to her seat. He yelled, "Aw, isn't that sweet? We have to carpet munchers in Gryffindor, and they're in looooove!"

It was Elkara's turn to get angry. She got up from her seat, eyes flashing, and walked very slowly to where Dean was sitting. She grabbed him by the collar and whispered something in his ear. The boy paled and his eyes widened. Elkara let go of him and walked back to her seat.

"What did you say to him?" Harry asked.

She grinned, “I merely explained what the consequences would be if he didn't stop messing with my girls."

Hermione grabbed a piece of toast and said, “Can you guys get Elkara to Defense? I want to go find Ginny."

Elkara shook her head. "No, Hermione, McGonagall said I'm supposed to stay with you. Besides, I'm sure they have guy stuff to talk about. Don't you?"

Both boys, sensing that this was not a female to mess around with, quickly agreed that, yes, they did have extremely important guy stuff to talk about.

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Hermione and Elkara found Ginny in the second floor girls' bathroom, as that is where crying girls tend to run first. The redhead was actually talking to the ghost that haunted the bathroom, Moaning Myrtle.

"You shouldn't pay them any attention, you know? They're teenage boys and you won't spread your legs for them. They're bound to be nasty," they heard Myrtle saying to the young Gryffindor.

"She's right, Ginny,“ Hermione said, laying a gentle had on her friend's shoulder.

Elkara kept herself in the background, not wanting to intrude. She had desperately needed to see Ginny, just to look at her, which is why she had insisted on going with Hermione. She Couldn't explain where her sudden, undeniable attraction to the redhead had come from, she just knew that she would die inside if she tried to deny it.

"Who's this?" Myrtle asked. "An eavesdropper, a spy, a DARK witch?"

Hermione rolled her eyes and said, “No, Moaning Mushball, that's Elkara, a new student. Let's go ladies; we don't want to be late on the first day of classes."

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A/N: As always R&R