A Little Polishing

Hermione clutched Draco’s hand and when his parents apparated away they walked into the castle together. Hermione was wearing low-rise, black jeans with pointy heeled boots. Her dark blue v neck sweater ended at her hips but clung to her waist. The new bras he bought lifted her, and it gave an hourglass shape that she didn’t have before. The sleek sleeves that came just past her wrists, gave her a grace that Draco said nobody would miss.

With her new straight hair and her perfectly applied makeup Hermione smiled at herself in the mirror before they left. She looked like a different person and she liked what she saw.

When she walked with Draco to the great hall after sending their bags to their room, she had a bounce in her step. She noticed several shocked faces as she walked with him. They made a good pair and it showed. When they got to the great hall she faced him and took his hug. She pulled away but he held her waist and her body against his own.

“I’m going to kiss you before you go to your table.” He said with a smile.

“Do you think that’s necessary?” She asked, keeping her smile in place. Draco had told her to keep looking happy in his presence to make sure Ron think.

“He’s looking at us, yes it is. Just a quick one then I’ll see you later alright.” He said. She nodded and he leaned in and gave her a quick kiss but her lips warmed up at the contact. She hadn’t expected his skin to be so soft, nor had she expected this reactions. It had to be nerves she told herself.

Draco’s plan to make her appeared noticeably, yet unattainable was working. She walked with a newfound confidence thanks to lessons from Narcissa Malfoy on how to walk in heels. She used her hips as she walked giving herself more balance.

She smiled at all her friends, handing out hugs and kisses with her thanks for gifts. She noticed that Ron was more silent then usual and Lavender was getting irritated at having to repeat things. She chatted with Ginny about her holiday mentioning all the people she had met.

“It’s amazing Ginny, I would never have been able to meet theses people otherwise.” Her excitement was genuine.

“That’s great, you made connections some people in the ministry don’t meet.” She said.

“Where did you get that?” Ron asked. She looked over at him.

“Where did I get what?” She asked.

“That necklace.” He said.

“Draco gave it me for Christmas.” She said, taking the pendant in her fingers and showing the snake and small pearl to Ginny. “Isn’t it beautiful?”

“Yes,” Ginny said, “it figures he would give you a snake.” She said with a chuckle.

“I know, I just love it……”

“Where did you get the clothes?” He asked. Hermione looked at him shocked.

“Ron,” Lavender asked from the side, “what difference does it make? So she got some new clothes.”

“She doesn’t wear clothes like that.” He said firmly.

Hermione wanted to laugh. Draco knew he would say something about her clothes. Draco told her to handle it in a certain way so she began. “What’s wrong with my clothes Ron’s?” She asked, laying the trap out for him.

“They are too tight, they make you look like a slut.” Hermione kept her calm. He had walked right into it, just like Draco had said. The surrounding conversation had stopped her housemates were listening closely.

She slowly gave the explanation Draco told her to give. “Ron, when I bought new clothes, I took a few tips from Lavender and Parvati. They wear fitted style jeans and always look put together so I thought I would try that style too.”

It worked. Lavender was glaring at him. “Are you saying I look like a slut Ron?”

“Or that I do?” Parvati said from next to Lavender.

“No of course not….you…I mean you…..” He stopped speaking and continued eating.

Hermione turned to Ginny and smiled at the grinning redhead. Dinner continued on without any other comments from Ron. Draco told her the answer would work perfectly. Not only would it make her appear as if she admired Lavender and Parvati, which in a way she did in a way, but the Lavender would also take care of Ron’s comments for her.


Throughout the next few days Draco and Hermione spent spare time together. Ron objected several times saying Draco was using her. Hermione dismissed his objections saying he was over reacting.

Around this same time he and Lavender began having problems. They were seen arguing several times. From Lavender’s enthusiastic statements she felt ignored and neglected. Ron let her have her say, unsure of what to do to placate her.

Hermione however was doubting this plan of Draco’s. Ron hadn’t sought her out alone, nor had he ventured to comment on her new look or the time she spent with Draco. She began to think maybe she shouldn’t have ignored his objections, but Draco seemed to think things were going fine.

At the end of January a Valentines ball was announced. Draco said it was perfect. They would go as a couple and Ron would be eating his own dress robes. They would go and get her a dress during the next Hogsmeade weekend.

Hermione was unsure about letting Draco pay for a gown for her, but he insisted. When he wrote to his mother to tell her to send his own dress robes she asked told him to pay for her gown. She would be on the arm of a Malfoy, and it was his responsibility to make sure that his date shined at the ball.

She had tried on about twelve gowns and Draco hadn’t been satisfied with any of them. She had liked a few but he had found a flaw in each one. When she emerged this time Draco’s jaw dropped. He slowly rose from his chair and looked down to her feet and back up again.

Hermione stood there and let him look. She was in a floor length black gown in a shiny silk, with straps made of pearls that criss-crossed on her back. It fit her like a glove and before she opened the door, she hoped he would like this one.

“Is it alright?” She asked.

He loved forward. “You look beautiful.” Hermione blushed, and her eyes darted around. “First time you’ve heard that?” He asked.

She nodded and blushed harder. He leaned down and kissed her cheek. “We’ll take this one.” He told the sales witch.

Hermione walked arm in arm with Draco back to the castle as he carried the dress, now wrapped in a nice parcel. Neither saw the look being directed at them by a ginger Gryffindor.