Dress Code - Pansmione

Chapter 8 - Sex? Drugs? And Absolutely NO Rock and Roll...

In her room, Hermione tried in vain to wash the juice from her clothes, but it didn't work. She wondered if Pansy had spelled it to be difficult to remove, or if pumpkin juice just stained.

Probably the latter; Pansy's attack didn't seem to be particularly complex. Maybe it wasn't even premeditated. She just saw Hermione and thought, You know what would be fun? Completely humiliating her in front of everyone, if only I had something to douse her with. Oh wait, I do! Pumpkin juice! Brilliant idea, Pansy. Okay, maybe Hermione did hold some resentment towards Pansy for the attack. Yes, she had a right to be upset, but being upset and drenching someone in juice are two drastically different things.

Hermione showered, and cried, and changed her clothes. Even after her shower, she still smelled like pumpkin juice—not an unpleasant aroma, but it did leave her feeling tainted. There was humiliation in knowing that when she left the sanctuary of her room everyone would know what had happened, and they would be able to smell it on her. It was like Pansy had marked her as her victim.

Though Hermione supposed that choosing pumpkin juice as her weapon was a kindness,; there were much more disgusting substances she could have chosen. Pumpkin juice really wasn't that bad in the grand scheme of things. She was glad she wasn't doused in soup or gravy, that would be much grosser.

Hermione felt suddenly annoyed at herself. Merlin, was she seriously feeling grateful that Pansy hadn't chosen something grosser? GROW A SPINE HERMIONE, a voice in her head urged, but Hermione barely listened. Right now she was focused on returning to the halls of Hogwarts not looking like a mess, personal growth could come later.

She focused on her hair more than usual, crafting her curls into something that looked put-together. She just wanted to prove she was okay, she had washed the pumpkin juice out of her hair and she had washed away the feeling of shame that came with it. Or at least, that's what she hoped her peers would believe.

She looked in the mirror one more time, practicing her expressions. A smile that said totally not reliving all of my childhood trauma of being bullied right now. A smile that said, I actually love being coated in pumpkin juice, it really wakes you up. A smile that said, not fearing for my life at all. A smile that said, Pansy Parkinson? Pansy Parkinson who? A smile that said, I am okay.

She was ready, so she left her sanctuary before she decided to crawl in her bed and hide from the world for all eternity.

The halls were mostly empty, which was good, she didn't need to be swarmed by a crowd of gossips trying to get the inside scoop on her feud.

"Hermione!" Dean called after her from down the hall and ran to catch up to her.

"Dean! What's up?" Hermione grinned at him, feeling grateful he was not Lavender who would definitely have something to say about Pansy Parkinson. Dean, who was normally a beacon of serenity, looked incredibly nervous, like he expected immediate admonishment for what he was going to say next. "Dean?" Hermione prompted again, nervously.

"You know what, you've had a rough day, it might not be a good time," Dean said. A rough day, the understatement of the year. Still, Hermione had to put on a brave face. If Dean, one of her friends, was worried about her fragility, then everyone must think of her as some type of basket case. That just wouldn't do.

"No, no. I'm fine, say what you need to say."

"Hermione, I've got a question for you, well sort of a request?" Dean scratched at his neck and sucked in a harsh breath of air. "Wow, I really should've gotten Seamus to do this, he's much bolder, but I..." Dean trailed off like he wasn't sure how to continue.

"Yes?" Hermione encouraged.

"Listen, don't be mad at Harry, but he let us know that you let him borrow your room," Dean spoke in a rapid-fire of words and began what was sure to be an unpleasant conversation. A conversation that would likely end in more sex in Hermione's bed between a couple that did not include Hermione. Not ideal, to say the least.