Chapter Four: Preperation Time

Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author.

Many thanks to VIVAvivacious for her help as my beta and all of her input into improving this story.

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Two days before Christmas really was an inconvenient day to go shopping. The streets were packed and people were shouting, swearing, and bustling around in a hurry, trying to ensure they secured their gifts before someone else did. It was a dirty business to be out and about this time of year. It was freezing cold, the streets were full of loud, rude shoppers, and nearly everything had already been sold.

Hermione did her shopping earlier on, glad to beat the rush of people who forgot to get things and did last minute shopping. But this year, she had managed to forget a few little gifts somehow and was left to face the streets. As much as she hated it, she would have to do it for being so damn forgetful.

She got out of bed early that morning and showered before dressing in a comfortable white blouse and a navy v-neck sweater with a pair of long grey slacks. She had a bowl of porridge for breakfast, and before leaving through the front door to Apparate to Paris, she pulled on a knee-length, Muggle-style black winter coat, long, black leather boots under her pants, and a soft cream scarf.

As she predicted, it was rather cold out, and with her sparse flesh, it felt even colder. She left from the bare apple orchard behind her house and soon found herself in an alleyway of the bustling French city. She stepped out on the cobbled sidewalk and immediately ran into someone who was running past.

'Sorry,' she mumbled softly when the person turned back and shot a glare at her.

She realized then she had forgotten to use the more elaborate glamour she usually used and had only covered up the evidence of her sleeplessness and her starvation. Ducking back into an alley and Disillusioning herself, she fixed the charm. She was no longer Hermione Granger but a woman with similar facial features and long, black hair rather than her signature brown curls.

She supposed she would have to use the altered glamour later when she got her hair cut, but she decided she'd leave that for last. With renewed vigor, she headed onto the streets, not really caring if she bumped into anyone on her way. She marched toward the place where she knew she would find little Lesley a gift, as well as something Harriet would enjoy.

The girls had always wanted pets, but they were still too young for that. Hermione had an idea of the next best thing. Paris, because of the shopping district, had managed to attract one of the finest toy shops in the whole of Europe, and that was exactly where Hermione was heading. She arrived at the Paris branch of Harrods and sought out the section where the stuffed animals were.

When she found them, she felt a small stir in her chest – reminders of her childhood and the collection she had accumulated in the bedroom of her family home came unbidden to her mind. She found a soft, chocolate-brown bear perfect for Lesley, who like Hermione as a child, adored the soft creatures. It had a velvet nose and glassy eyes with a white silky bow wrapped around its neck.

After looking around a little, she didn't think Harriet would appreciate being given a toy for Christmas. Hermione decided to seek out a bookshop and buy her something to read. Harriet was a very sharp girl, something Hermione had known from the day she was born, not to mention the girl was her goddaughter. She eventually stumbled upon a less-crowded bookshop and went in, pleased to see that at least this place had well-stocked shelves.

In the end, Hermione did not buy a book there and instead headed for Wizarding Paris. She found a bookshop similar to Flourish and Blotts and entered, glad most witches and wizards were out buying other useless inventions people came up with to make their miserable lives better. She found a small tome on Magical beasts with animated illustrations for every animal.

It was perfect. She paid and had it gift-wrapped to avoid having to complete the tedious task later. Dear Harriet would be enthralled when she unwrapped her book of magical creatures, especially with all the animated pictures.

'Is that all for today, ma'am?' the boyishly handsome shop clerk asked with a dashing smile.

Hermione noted his badge displayed his position as manager, and she was fairly certain that he was flirting with her. Alarmed, Hermione pulled out some Galleons and put the payment on the counter. 'Yes, thank you, this will be all,' she said immediately, waiting for her change before grabbing the book and fleeing.

She had never gotten used to the arrogant men who flirted with her glamoured self. It irked her to think they liked her better that way than when she was brunette. Then again, that image of her had gone to the dogs.

After stopping for a small lunch of sandwiches and coffee at a café in Muggle Paris, she went to a small, out-of-the-way alley and altered her glamour so it displayed her true appearance, although changed so she didn't look so frail or tired. She went to a hairdresser nearby and walked in. She was immediately seated, and the hair stylist bustled about, getting equipment while Hermione prepared to listen to the women go over how she had such terrible split ends and a horrid hair style.

'My dear, your 'air style is lacking and ze split ends are bad,' the French woman gushed through her accent. 'What do you want me to do with zis?'

'Just get rid of the split ends and layer it, please,' Hermione answered politely. 'And perhaps you could suggest a new conditioner to help prevent split ends?'

The voluptuous blonde didn't have to be asked twice. 'Of course I can do zat for you. In fact, we stock a formula zat would be perfect for your 'air. I believe it would tame ze bushiness away also,' she replied.

Hermione nodded as a nylon towel was wrapped around her neck and secured in place with the clasps. 'Thank you, that would be most appreciated,' Hermione said with a small, wary smile.

One hour later, her hair was a good two inches shorter, only falling to her waist in gentle and silky waves. She paid for the cut and dry and bought some of the product they had used in her hair, noting gladly after reading the ingredients it was an organic formula. She waved and thanked the woman as she left. She found the alley she came from and Apparated back to the orchard.

When she first unlocked the door to her house, she hurried inside and closed the door to shut out the cold. Suddenly, a black fur-ball flew at her from out of nowhere, and she opened her arms up just in time to catch Jupiter. 'Hello, boy,' she said with a chuckle, patting his head lightly. 'Did you miss me?'

The small cat mewed in response, and she smiled and carried him to the kitchen along with her recently-acquired gifts. Setting the presents on the table, she carried the cat with her to the cupboard and held him up to a line of cat food tins. 'What would you like for dinner, my boy?' she asked brightly.

He began pawing at the gourmet chicken and vegetable, and she laughed softly at his choice. 'Poulet it is, then,' she said, taking down the tin and opening it with a wandless charm. She tipped it into his bowl. 'Enjoy your meal, J.'

After she was satisfied that she hadn't forgotten anything, she took the presents with her up to the study and put them with the rest of the gifts she had already bought earlier that month. She spotted her owl and went over to stroke his feathers lovingly, feeding him some of the bacon she summoned up a moment before. 'Hello there, Helios,' she greeted. 'Did you miss me too?'

The owl hooted a response and she shook her head with a smile. 'No, I suppose you didn't. I only feed you, after all,' she said with a heavy sigh. 'What do you think? Should I spend Christmas back home? Will it hurt like it always does?'

Helios ruffled his wing feathers in a bit of something that resembled a shrug. 'It's been seven years, hasn't it? Shouldn't I be over this by now?' she asked him softly. 'Well, I suppose you can't answer that either.'

When she got an affirmative answer to her last comment, she got up and walked to her room, shrugging out of her coats and removing her clothes. Once she had stripped down, she took a long, hot shower to melt away the chill she had gotten from being outdoors so much that day. She climbed out and turned the water off twenty minutes later and wrapped herself in the warmth of her flannelette pajamas and woolen bed socks. Finding it was still a little too cold for her liking, she pulled on her warm winter nightgown and slippers and returned to the kitchen.

Finding she was just too tired to do any more research for the day, she made a mug of hot chocolate, took it with her to the sitting room, ignited a fire, and curled up in an armchair with a thick book. She read for a while before she got drowsy and set it aside. Slowly sipping her drink, she gazed at the flames as they flickered and burned the wood in the fireplace. She would have to replenish her stock of firewood, she noted hazily.

Closing her eyes and summoning a blanket to her, she stretched out on her soft lounge chair and started drifting to sleep. Perhaps she needed a break from this life. Maybe staying just a little while with the Weasleys and her old friends at Christmas would do her some good.

With that final thought, she fell asleep, not to open her eyes for a few hours...

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A/N – Thank you for your patience and please review if you have time.