To talk to Dumbledore

Hermione decided had heard of Trelawney talking that way only once before, on the day that Peter Pettigrew escaped to go find Voldemort.

She hadn't believed it then, thinking that Trelawney was a right old fraud. But between her being correct on that day, plus the fact that she created the prophecy that Harry would defeat Voldemort almost 20 years ago, she was beginning to think that she had just witnessed Trelawney had actually received a vision of the future.

As she arrived at Dumbledore's portrait, she saw that he seemed to be waiting for her.

"I heard you rather upset the guardian of Gryffindor Tower, Hermione." He said. He spoke calmly, but with Hermione picked up tones of disappointment.

"I... I didn't mean to, professor..." Hermione began. "I-"

Dumbledore raised a hand. "What's done is done. I confess, her name has been somewhat lost to students, but it is knowledge Gryffindors tend to overhear by the time they are in their seventh year."

Hermione wanted to discuss what had happened with the Fat Lady, but there were more pressing matters on her mind. "Professor, I was warming up in the North Tower..."

Dumbledore turned to her sharply. "Did Professor Trelawney catch you like this?"

"Well, yes, but I don't think she'll remember it. Anyway, please listen!" Hermione recited the words Trelawney had spoken and acted before she had collapsed drunk.

Dumbledore for a brief moment had a look of surprise. "I'm glad you told me this, Hermione," He began, "but, as you know, Divination is a fluid subject. Not every prophecy that has ever been made has come true."

Hermione stared nonplussed. She didn't know what Dumbledore was trying to say.

"See, a prophecy can be real, even if it doesn't come to pass, and, given how you described it, I believe this is the third real prophecy of Professor Trelawney's."

Hermione asked the question that was burning inside of her. "So what does it mean for me?!"

Dumbledore looked Hermione in the eye. "It may mean nothing, but I must ask. Do you intend, fully and of your own accord, to complete the rest of the House tasks?"

Hermione froze. The only reason she had done the tasks so far was because the Slytherins had those photos of her. If she gave up, they'd distribute them everywhere in the Castle! So did that mean she wasn't doing it because she wanted to?

But that wasn't quite the whole truth. As she looked back, she realized that she was enjoying it. She loved being degraded like this, even if she would refuse to admit it to anyone else. If she had wanted to, couldn't she have just used the invisibility cloak, waited outside the Slytherin common room, and ambushed the three girls? Modified their minds and destroyed the pictures? She could have ended this whole affair after doing the first task the Fat Lady had given her.

She wasn't doing this because of the ****. She was doing this because she was having the time of her life.

After a few moments of consideration, her gaze returned to Dumbledore. "Yes. I'll do the other two challenges of my own free will."

Dumbledore's voice turned business-like. "Then there is work to be done. I must get started now, Hermione, but I dare say that I will find you when I am free."

"Hold on- wait!" Hermione blurted, but it was too late. Dumbledore had left the portrait. She had wanted to ask the Fat Lady's name or what to do if Trelawney did remember the sight of Hermione's naked body, but she'd have to deal with those questions later.

Hermione decided to head down to breakfast to see the Slytherins were already there, putting jam on toast.

"Well, look who decided to not get dressed today!" Daphne snickered.

"I couldn't get into Gryffindor Tower." Hermione explained, sitting down to help herself to some sausages and toast.

"Why not?" Pansy asked, putting the jam back in the middle of the table. "Your pussy not a good enough password anymore?"

"Wait, what?" Millicent asked, stopping right before she took a bite of her own toast.

"Galloping gargoyles!" Pansy smacked her hand to her forehead. "Didn't I tell you? The Fat Lady told me that if Hermione wanted to get into Gryffindor Tower naked, she'd have to flash her open pussy to her!"

Millicent and Daphne fell over with laughter at that.

Blushing, Hermione sat down naked at the table.

She dealt with their comments all throughout breakfast.

"So how far do you go with your password now, Mudblood?"

"I bet there's another place you'd like to shove that sausage!"

After she had breakfasted, she got up from the table, the Slytherins still laughing at her state of undress.

She made her way to the entrance hall. Of the robes she had to wear, she had one left that was in her size, two that could be lengthened, and 11 borrowed from the laundry, all of which she couldn't get to until after lunch. She contemplated what she should do between now and then.