The Makeover - COMPLETED

Disclaimer: All recognizable characters belong to JKR. All situations are mine. No $$$ is being made from this fanfic.
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Chapter 6 ~ The New Hermione

A crack of thunder announced the arrival of the new Hermione Granger outside the gates of Hogwarts. Filch, who was raking up a huge pile of fallen leaves on the grounds squinted at the sound, dropped his rake and walked to the top of the rise so he could see who was coming in. He was quite a distance away. All he could tell was that it was a woman and a short one. His rheumy eyes tried to focus. He couldn’t make out her features but he could make out her shape…and this witch had a shape. He grinned lasciviously. It had been years since the squib could get it up but that didn’t keep naughty thoughts from rising up through the cobwebs of his mind.

“Now there goes a real pip,” he said to himself, watching Hermione walk toward the castle.

He stood there and waited until she entered then returned to his work. Damn, he’d have to talk to Snape about getting a few Gryffindors out here to help him. The Professor was always helpful in assigning detentions specifically to help the old caretaker out. Filch would throw in cleaning out the thestral stables as extra incentive to the Potions Master. The dark wizard liked nothing better than the idea of Gryffindors up to their elbows in thestral shit.

Hermione entered the castle. There were a few students walking through the main hall. Classes were over for the day, but it would be another hour or so before supper. They glanced at her, not recognizing the Spells Mistress at first and went about their business as she turned down the dungeon corridor. A group of Slytherin witches were walking up the corridor and saw her. A six-year’s jaw dropped.

“Spell Mistress?” she said in an incredulous voice, “Is that you?”

Hermione stopped and smiled at the amazed witch.

“Yes it is,” she replied.

All of the witches stopped and stared at her, their eyes washing over her hair, eyebrows, mouth and robes.

“Are you…wearing a glamour?” the witch asked her.

“No, I’m not. I just had a bit of a makeover,” she said.

“More than a bit,” another witch whispered to her friend. “She actually looks pretty, except for her skin…but even that looks better than usual.”

Hermione opened her door, said good-bye to the staring students, then entered her rooms and closed the door behind her.

The Slytherin girls looked at each other.

“She looks a million times better. Who would have thought that’s how she looked under all that ugly,” one third year said as they all started up the hall.

“Looks like Trelawney is now the ugliest female staff member at Hogwarts,” another witch said. “She’s not going to like that.”

The Slytherins all grinned. The Divination teacher was a lot of fun to watch when she got pissed off. Normally she would fume for a bit, glaring at whoever got her goat, the she would retire to the North Tower, get blasted on sherry, then return to start an argument, shored up by liquid courage. A few times she would attempt to duel and Albus stunned her and had her taken back to the North Tower to sleep it off.

The last few times she had performed, it was on their Head of House, Professor Snape. She came striding into the Great Hall through the student entrance, red-faced and staggering slightly as she marched up to the High Table and stood directly in front of Severus, who stopped eating and stared down at her scowling.

“I will nosh be ignored,” she hiccupped, her hands on her hips for balance. “I demand you acknowledge me as your wo…wo…witch!”

Severus had pinched his nose and looked at Albus for help. The Headmaster’s eyes twinkled back at him.

Severus looked at Sybil.

“You are not nor never will be my witch, Sybil. I want nothing to do with you…now stop embarrassing yourself,” the Potions Master replied coldly, returning to his meal.

With surprising speed, Sybil drew out her wand and cast a love spell at the wizard, who dove to the side just in time. It hit the wall and ricocheted, hitting Professor Flitwick, who went all dreamy eyed as he looked at the skinny, bangled witch.

“Headmaster! I demand you do something about this now!” Severus bellowed from beneath the table, scrambling so the witch couldn’t get a bead on him. Sybil’s wand waved back and forth in an attempt to lock on to the Potions Master.

“Sybil. I must insist you stop this instant,” Dumbledore said, grinning at the Potions Master’s predicament.

The students were laughing openly. They never saw the dark wizard scrambling for his life before. This wasn’t wise, but they weren’t thinking of the repercussions at the moment.

Professor Flitwick hopped off his seat and made his way down to the end of the dais, hopped to the main floor and approached Sybil. She was so focused on getting Severus she didn’t see the diminutive wizard until he clasped her around both legs.

“I love you, Sybil! Be mine!” the Charms Master declared passionately.

With her legs locked together, the inebriated witch couldn’t keep her balance and toppled, the Charms Master landing on top of her legs and climbing up her body, then giving her a passionate kiss that turned the stomach of everyone in the Great Hall. A great groan went up.

“Albus, stop this, please!” Minerva implored, as the Headmaster stared at the scene in front of him, both bushy white eyebrows raised.

He pointed a finger at the couple. Sybil seemed to be getting quite involved in the kiss and wrapped her skinny arms around the wizard. Another deeper collective groan went up as students gagged and covered their eyes. Severus had returned to his seat and watched the scene without expression. He had seen horrible things before after all. Better Flitwick than him.

“Finite!” Albus said, and suddenly the couple froze, their lips still locked as cognizance returned to them. Flitwick blanched as Sybil turned colors.

“Get off me you little troll!” she gasped pushing the Charms Master off her bony body.

“I…I…beg your pardon, Sybil. I have no idea what came over me,” the Professor said, flushing.

Filius was mortified. He didn’t find the Divination teacher the least bit attractive…and if his wife found out about this…good gods!

All right. That was a rather extreme example of Sybil’s antics, but hopefully she would do something equally entertaining when she got a gander at the Spells Mistress. It was common knowledge she targeted the young witch at every turn, making fun of her looks. Well, she wouldn’t be able to do that now. So maybe she’d get more physical.

The Slytherins grinned.

They could only hope.

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Everyone was in the Great Hall, Albus, the staff and the student body. The only one absent was Hermione.

“She’s probably passionately involved with a spells book,” Sybil quipped, the other witches tittering.

Albus glowered at the Divinations teacher. Sybil really had a nasty streak when it came to Hermione. Hopefully he’d be there to see her reaction to the witch’s makeover.

Severus was busily tucking away a Salisbury steak, mashed potatoes and peas, trying to get out of the Great Hall as soon as possible. He was involved in brewing a potion and so arrived late. He scowled as he ate and glared at the students just for the entertainment value. He didn’t notice Hermione wasn’t in attendance. He didn’t pay attention to things like that.

Suddenly the staff door opened and Hermione walked in. She wasn’t wearing robes, having decided to take Adam’s advice. She still felt fat, but trusted the vampire’s opinion. She wore a pair of cream colored slacks, and a brown and white print blouse and brown patent leather shoes. She had also put on a bit of cover-up for her blotches. Feeling self-conscious, she walked over to her seat and sat down, ordering her food. Severus paused as the scent of jasmine washed over him. One of the few things he liked.

The entire hall went silent, everyone staring at the witch in shock and amazement. Sybil turned several shades of red as her large eyes swept over the now very attractive witch. What was worse, she didn’t seem to have on a lick of makeup.

“Is that the Spells Mistress? Where’s her unibrow and buck teeth?” the students whispered to each other as a salad appeared in front of Hermione.

Minerva was the first to speak.

“Hermione! What have you done to yourself?” the Transfiguration teacher asked her.

“Well, I won a makeover at the Love Bites beauty shop. They fixed me up,” she replied.

Marcus Delaluci stared at the witch incredulously, his violet eyes washing over her curves and hair.

“I’ll say,” he said to himself.

It was like a miracle. A basilisk turning into a Veela. Marcus unconsciously ran his fingers through his blonde hair.

“They cast a glamour on you didn’t they?” sneered Sybil, her brows drawn together.

Hermione scowled back at her.

“Actually, this is all me, Sybil with the exception of a little cover-up on my face until my skin clears,” Hermione replied, “I have an allergy to fatty foods.”

Sybil’s scowl got blacker. This was all Hermione? Damn it. The witch was very attractive and curvaceous.

“You look like you need to lose a few pounds,” the Divination teacher said disparagingly, trying to find something about the witch to criticize.

“I don’t think so, Sybil,” Flitwick piped up. “Most wizards like a witch with meat on her bones.”

Sybil glowered at the Charms teacher, and Filius realized his mistake. Sybil was practically all bones wrapped in gauzy fabrics.

“Spells Mistress, you look amazing,” Albus Dumbledore beamed at her, “You’ve always been a lovely witch inside…now your outside reflects that inner beauty. How wonderful for you.”

“Thank you, Headmaster,” Hermione said.

“Yes, you certainly are a looker now,” Marcus agreed, waggling his eyebrows at the witch. “You should go out and celebrate your new look. I’d be happy to escort you.”

The wizard was wasting no time. Marcus knew Hermione had little experience with wizards, being that none would come near her before. She was ripe for the pickings. Sybil looked as if she were going to explode as she heard the wizard hit on Hermione. This was awful.

Severus looked at the witch speculatively. It had finally happened. Obviously Hermione’s mind had turned from things knowledgeable to things carnal. It probably wouldn’t be long until some shallow, handsome wizard had her flat on her back and her heels in the air. Ah well, at least she wasn’t loaded down with make-up and guilty of false advertising. He hoped this new look wouldn’t distract her from her work on the Mark too much. It was important. It figured this would happen right when the Headmaster assigned him to help the witch. He hated to work with people whose minds were not on their work. Well, he’d make it clear to the Spells Mistress that he expected her to be focused and not waste his time.

He’d heard Marcus hit on the witch. The DA teacher was the randiest male at Hogwarts, and known as a witch’s man. Tall, built, blonde-haired and ruggedly handsome, not to mention violet-eyed, the wizard got more pussy than a wizard could shake a broom at. Hermione would probably be another conquest.

Everyone expected Hermione to accept Marcus’ offer to escort her out, but the witch looked at him rather coolly.

“I don’t think so, Mr. Delaluci,” she said evenly, “At least not tonight. But I’ll keep your offer in mind, and if I decide I want to go out and have some company, perhaps I’ll let you know.”

Marcus was a gorgeous wizard, but he never gave her a second look before. Adam’s words came back to Hermione as she looked at the smiling, confident wizard. He seemed so certain she would jump at the chance to go out with him. If anyone was going to do any jumping, it was going to be Marcus, not her.

The wizard looked taken aback. She was turning him down? The saucy little chit.

“All right, Hermione,” he replied smiling outwardly, but he wore quite a black scowl inside.

At the end of the table, Severus smirked slightly at the Spells Mistress’ shooting down of the wizarding world’s Don Juan. Maybe she wasn’t a complete loss. The Potions Master couldn’t stand the smug wizard and was pleased that the man was publicly refused. He should have asked her in private, but no…his ego was too big. Good for the bastard.

Sybil and the other witches looked at Hermione incredulously. She turned down a date? Hermione? Who had never been out with a wizard at all? Obviously, her makeover made her even more stuck on herself. Now she had beauty and brains. The female staff with the exception of Minerva, all frowned at the witch, who ignored them and finished eating her salad. She drank down her pumpkin juice and excused herself, walking confidently from the Great Hall, though her stomach was in knots at being the center of attention. Once outside the Great Hall, the witch slumped against the wall and took a deep breath. That had been something else.

Then she smiled. Things were going to change for her…change for the better. She had faced the school, next…she had to face her parents.

The witch pushed off the wall and headed for her rooms. She felt elated but very, very tired. She was going to get some rest and tomorrow apparate to London and show her parents her new look.

She knew what kind of reception she was going to get, and was ready for it.

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A/N: So, Hogwarts got a good look at Hermione. Marcus dove right in and was shot right down. Sybil is furious. Hermione handled it well. She played it cool and it worked for her. Severus seems to approve of how she handled Marcus, but still seems to have no personal interest in the witch, change or no change in appearance. Well, let’s see what happens next. Please review.