A/N: Hi all, I'm updating finally-hope you liked my last chapter-I only received one review though (thanks, Kagome19-you're awesome,but I've said it numerous times already), so you guys better step it up!

I don't own anything except the plot and the characters that don't appear in the original Harry Potter books. Oh, and "Mama, I'm a Big Girl Now", "Welcome to the '60's" and "Miss Baltimore Crabs" all belong to whoever wrote the musical "Hairspray".

Chapter 2: On the Town

"Good dancers have mostly better heels than heads." –I don't know who said this, but it wasn't me.

The five of us raced out to the street. "Taxi!" screamed Ellie, waving her arm madly. Soon enough, one stopped for us.

"Lookin' good, ladies," the cab driver commented.

I looked around at the other girls. We all were wearing the same style dress, but in different colors: mine in black, and Malia's in red, of course. Lindsey was stunning in a white dress with turquoise jewels dazzling at her ears. Katelyn's forest-green dress complemented her strawberry-blonde highlights perfectly, and Ellie looked fabulous in a bright peacock-blue outfit.

"Broadway, theatre five," Ellie instructed. Being seated next to her, I caught a whiff of her breath. Already, she had been drinking. I rolled my eyes and stared out the window at the bright lights of NYC. After almost five years of living here, I was still in awe of the city's magnitude.

Eventually we made it through the congested traffic to the theatre. Stepping inside, we showed our tickets to the men waiting at the doors, then picked our way past the numerous souvenir shops to find our seats.

"Front row?" gasped Katelyn in surprise. "How much is this costing me?" she hissed at Ellie.

"Don't worry; I know some of the people in the show, I have connections," Ellie responded dismissively.

Within five minutes, the show started, and we all quit our chatting and drank everything in: the visual effects, the singing, the choreography, the acting talent. It was a fluffy show on the surface, but there were a lot of underlying morals. I was surprised. Ellie had good theatrical taste. Who knew?

Speaking of Ellie, during intermission, she left the theatre with Lindsey, who needed a bathroom break, and returned with an apple martini in her hand.

"Haven't you had enough?" I asked with my eyebrows arched.

"Relax, Mya," she slurred, "it's only my second."

I rolled my eyes yet again and returned to my playbill, skimming it for names I recognized. Chaley Dawn Miller as Velma von Tussle? I couldn't believe it…she was a quiet, sweet girl who took her private voice lesson right before me (I was taking lessons as part of my Broadway-prep requirements, just in case). I just couldn't envision her as a racist, power-hungry mother…

I got an even bigger shock when I found the actress listed as Motormouth Maybelle.

Angelina Johnson?

I couldn't believe it! Another witch in the Muggle performing arts world?

I turned in my seat. "Hey, Ellie, any chance I could talk to some of these actors after the show?"

"Oh, yeah, they'll come out to meet some of the fans sometimes."

"Great." I settled back in my seat, straightening my dress straps. The second act began, and we sat, mesmerized by the show.

Before we knew it, the actors lined up to take their bows. All five of us stood up, cheering and applauding loudly. The rest of the audience followed, and the people on stage smiled hugely. I wondered: What would it be like? Just to be up there, with adoring fans cheering you on…

After waiting in the lobby for fifteen minutes, the cast finally came out in street clothes to greet the people. I congratulated Chaley, and then made a beeline for Angelina, who gasped when she caught sight of me.

"Hermione! Wow-how are you? It's been way too long!"

"I'm alright-you were amazing!"

"Thanks," she replied modestly.

"Well, what's new?"

"Um…I'm engaged!" She stuck out her hand so I could see a glittering gold ring with a diamond the size of a fat blueberry residing on her ring finger.

"Wow-who's the guy?"

She blushed a tiny bit. "Oliver-he messed up his back at Quidditch, so he's working on the lighting design team here. Quite handy, actually-if a light goes out, he uses his wand-no one in the audience, or the cast, for that matter, is the wiser."

I laughed. "What about Katie and Alicia?"

"They each married a Weasley twin-Katie and Fred, Alicia and George, I mean. Oh," she got a sly look on her face, "you know Ron's still a bachelor, right?"

I stammered nervously. "Um…er, no-I didn't know…"

"Well, he dated Parvati Patil-I never liked her much- but I guess it didn't last long. Last I heard, he's still single."

"Oh…okay." I wasn't quite sure how this information made me feel. "Well, I've got to run, but I'll see you quite soon, I'm sure of it."

We bade each other goodnight, and I headed back over to the girls.

"It's 10:30," Ellie commented, checking the old grandfather clock we were standing next to. "Too early to go home on a Friday night."

"Hey, I know this club we should check out-it's salsa music-El Cuarto Loco? It's supposed to be fabulous," Katelyn offered.

"Okay, then…vamos!" Ellie yelled joyfully.

It was nearby, so we decided to walk. Just for fun, we began singing tunes from the show. Yeah, immature, I know, but it was fun!

"Once upon a time I used to dress up Ken," sang Lindsey.

"But now that I'm a woman, I like bigger men," Malia finished suggestively. We all giggled like a bunch of sixth grade girls. They motioned for me to finish the ditzy verse. I obliged.

"And I don't need a Barbie doll to show me how," I sang. Wow-my voice had really improved!

"'Cause, Mama, I'm a big girl now!" we sang all together, our voiced blending almost perfectly (with the exception of Katelyn-she didn't take voice, and she was no natural Celine Dion). The blaring of horns swallowed our laughter.

"Welcome to the sixties, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh-go, Mama, go, go, go! Welcome to the sixties, oh, oh, whooooah, hey, Mama, yeah, yeah, yeah…"

I laughed. For a second, a mental picture of Parvati and Ron snogging made its way into my brain, but it was soon pushed out into the bustling traffic.

Finally, we heard the pulsating salsa music of El Cuarto Loco. We ran for the entrance. Katelyn whispered to the bouncer, and we were in.

It was packed with people drinking, people dancing, and people just hanging out. It was fabulous.

Malia and I decided to hit the dance floor immediately, while Ellie, Lindsey, and Katelyn headed for the bar. In my opinion, drinking just dulls the senses and you can't fully experience the dancing part.

As Malia and I strode to the dance floor, we received a lot of stares. I'm not quite sure if it was our dresses or just…us, but it was flattering, just the same.

For a while, Malia and I danced near each other, but then a very good-looking Hispanic guy took her by the hand and danced with her.

The infectious beat pounded through my body. I could feel a rush of adrenaline coming on…This was what I lived for-to dance! It produced a better high than ecstasy (though I can't say I've actually tried ecstasy before). People were starting to stare at just me now.

A brown haired guy, very cute, eventually came up to me and we started dancing and talking.

"Ever been here before?" he yelled over the music.

"No! My first time!" I shouted back.

"You like it?"

"Love it!"

"You're a great dancer!"

"Thanks!" Ah, small talk…

"Want a drink?" I could have seen it coming from a mile away.

I looked into his eyes, prepared to say that yes, a drink would be great, I was parched, and what would you recommend? A peach margarita? Then I made the mistake of really looking into those eyes.

Screaming baby-blue. That's what they were. Just like Ron's. Every time I looked into them at school, I mentally swooned.

On the dance floor, I stopped moving. People stared at me. Drink-guy said something, but I didn't hear him.

Ron…

A crash, and then a scream, woke me from my trance. The music suddenly stopped.

"What was that?" Drink-guy asked.

"Dunno…" I left Drink-guy on the dance floor to further investigate, though this was unnecessary. After a few steps, I saw.

Ellie had climbed onto the bar, knocking dozens of beer bottles and salty margarita glasses to the floor. One of her dress straps was off her shoulder, and she stumbled tipsily. I gasped, but it only proceeded to get worse…

She opened her mouth and sang horribly, "Childhood dreams for...for me were cracked…when that damn Shirley Temple? Yeah, thad's it, Shirley Temple, stole my frickin' act…when I was Miss Baltimore Crabs…"

"What the hell?" Lindsey said, horrified. "What is she singing?"

Ellie warbled, "Those poor runner-ups…hold grudges…they…they padded their cups...heehee, but I screwed the judges!" She laughed insanely. "Ha! Not a chance!"

"Get her down," Katelyn frantically said. "Get her down!"

Malia headed to the bar.

"I hit the stage…belting high C's…preparing soufflés…" Ellie swayed dangerously. "Thad's how I…I clinched Miss Baltimore Crabs."

"Oh my God," Lindsey gasped. "From the show."

I had recognized it already.

Malia found her way to Ellie. "Okay, Ellie, I think it's time to go…"

Ellie ignored Malia. "No, no, I never drank one chocolate malt, no dessert for Miss Baltimore Crabs."

Malia's dance partner yelled, "Mira, chica, no estas en Baltimore!"

Ellie decided to skip ahead to the most offensive part. "Would you swim-"was as far as she got. Thankfully, Malia covered her mouth with her hand before she finished.

"Let's go," she said commandingly, dragging Ellie from the bar and out the door. Lindsey, Katelyn, and I followed.

"Good thing she didn't finish," Katelyn sighed, obviously relieved. "Song lyrics opposing integration wouldn't exactly be the safest thing to sing about in a New York City nightclub."

We hailed a cab and were on our way back to the dorms, completely exhausted.

A/N: Okay-read and review, please! Oh, for the record, I am totally NOT RACIST-I love all people...African-American, Asian-American, Alien-American, and the list goes on... Anyway, review! Next chapter title: Owl Post and E-mail!