A.N.
Thing ONe: Thank you for the lovely response on our last chapter.
Thing TWo: We worked very hard on it and are so very glad that you enjoyed it.
Thing ONe: Just for some clarification, Lauren and Sirius did do the Mattress Mambo the night of the dance.
Thing TWo: And yes, there will be consequences. Well, amusing ones at least.
Thing ONe: This chapter was our longest yet, beating the last chapter by 2 pages.
Thing TWo: Sixteen pages of nothing but our crazy writings.
Thing ONe: Warning, this is the second to last chapter. The play will be the last chapter, and then an epilogue, and then the series shall be over!
Thing TWo: So please enjoy this chapter! And please review!
Disclaimer: "Love means never having to say you're sorry" is from the movie 'A Love Story'. Dopiest line ever committed in cinema, people, but really, really sappily good. We'd like to apologize to Joss Whedon for accidentally moving Harry and Hermione's relationship into the season 3 Buffy/Angel zone. The line "We're afraid that we might lose you young," is from Lori Summers' Hero With a Thousand Faces. Go read it. Various Moulin Rouge! songs belong to Baz Luhrman
Thing ONe's CD of the Week: John Mayer, Any Give Thursday, since this is what we were listening to while writing 50% of this up and were too lazy to change it out. And when we did get around to changing it….
Thing TWo's CD of the Week: Coldplay, Rush of Blood to the Head. Damn you Gwyneth Paltrow! DAMN YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
"Well, given this school's rumor mill, and the fact that this was a very serious, private matter, I'm sure you all know about what happened last night." Lauren told the cast. She had called an emergency cast meeting. It was Boxing Day, and most students were back in their Common Rooms, sleeping or doing homework, but not these teens. They were seated in a circle, listening intently to Lauren.
They had heard about it. It was already noon the next day--who hadn't? Word had spread quickly through out the school. Some were panicked, a death eater, in Hogwarts. Others dismissed it as nothing to worry about. Either way, the news was that Draco Malfoy had tried to kidnap Hermione Granger, and for once, no one was trying to stuff it full with other rumors.
"Draco is currently in Ministry custody, though from what he told us last night under the influence of a truth serum, I have a feeling he will not be detained in London long. In fact, he will probably become another important ally. However, he still could be potentially dangerous, which makes me now wish that we had understudies. Hermione is talking to Dumbledore now, and she should be back to rehearsals tomorrow. Any questions?"
"Where's Harry?" Lavender asked.
"With Hermione." Lauren answered. "He stayed with her last night." Everyone in on the pool exchanged knowing glances. "He'll also be back tomorrow, no worries. And speaking of worries, does anyone have anything they want to voice? Anything that you're worried about?"
All of the students shifted uncomfortably. "Just wondering when the Death Eaters are going to kill us all. Oh, and that Potions test I have to take next week" Sally-Anne said cynically.
"Yeah, nobody tells the students anything." Ginny said, obviously peeved. "I have to rely on third hand information from Ron, which he gets from Harry, who gets it from Dumbledore. I know Dumbledore's trying to tells us, but he really isn't it. He may think he's trying to keep us from worrying, but it just gets us even more anxious."
There was a chorus of 'Yeah' and 'What's happening' and 'Why don't we know?' and 'Why don't you tell us anything?'
"I know, I know." Lauren said. "I should tell you, I'm the Auror on vacation here, but Dumbledore has asked me not to. I know, I know," she said, as everyone started to yell at her some more. "I don't think his policies are the best either, but think about it from the point of view of someone else's mum and dad. They might not want their children to be told about what's going on, even if your parents are okay with it. If Dumbledore did tell everyone about what's happening, he'd be swamped with complaints, and not just from parents; the Ministry, Fudge, the press. It'd be a horrible nightmare."
"But isn't there some way?" Justin asked.
"I'll talk with Dumbledore, but I doubt there's anything we could do without getting anyone mad." Lauren said. "I know it's horrible for you, but you have to admit, we've been keeping you posted about attacks, and if there was any real threat to the school, we'd tell you and evacuate you immediately."
There were groans of 'All right' and 'Okay', from everyone. They're smart kids, Lauren thought, they understand what's going on, and that they can't change the world. But they're still just kids, and they have to complain.
"You're free to go." She told them. They didn't move. "Go! Scoot! Shoo! I have no time for you anymore!" She yelled. They got the point and laughed, all of them a bit more assured and a bit happier.
~~~~~~~
Harry had never before stayed awake all night, but there's a first time for everything.
All night and all morning he had stayed with Hermione, not daring to go to sleep in case she needed him. Every time he felt himself drifting off, Hermione would stir or call out in her sleep, and he was alert again, holding her, whispering that he loved her, singing softly in her ear. It always calmed her down, but not as much as he wished it would.
He didn't care if Malfoy was under a curse, he didn't care if he was sorry, Harry knew that he was going to do something to him. Something…primal had surfaced in him, something that scared him just a bit, but fueled him even more. Malfoy had tried to hurt Hermione, he had scared her, and that made Harry…mad wasn't a strong enough word. Homicidal didn't fit either. This was different. A sort of rage he hadn't felt for a while. The rage of someone he loved being hurt and wanting everything in his power to get back at the person who did it.
"Harry?"
His thoughts of murder and madness were interrupted by Hermione's small voice.
"Harry?" She repeated, opening up her eyes.
"Hey," he said quietly, "How you feeling?" Stupid question.
"Like I've been run over." She whispered. "What time is it?"
"Eight." He told her, smoothing back her hair. "Do you want to go see Dumbledore now?"
It was obviously the wrong question. Hermione's eyes widened, and a sudden shiver went through her body, like she'd been pierced with a needle. She clamped her eyes shut for a moment, reopened them, and fiercely shut them again. Harry watched this all, not sure on whether he should comfort her or not.
"Hermione," he said, desperate to distract her, "I was thinking, I don't want our relationship to be a secret anymore. I can't do it. Let's just tell Ron and the others and get it over with."
Hermione
cocked one eye open, and then the other. Harry was surprised to see that she
was mad. "Oh no, we're not going to do that" she said. "We're going to keep
this relationship secret for as long as we can. It's a challenge! To test our
skills. You want to be an Auror, right?" Harry nodded, eyes wide behind his
glasses. "Well, then, you're just going to have to live with keeping
secrets! In fact, since you seem to be such a critic, I bet you ten galleons
that we can make it to the play without telling anyone! Now kiss me."
Harry, though severely shocked
by Hermione's mood, kissed her gently. He pulled away and looked at her. "Do
you want to go to Dumbledore now?"
She nodded. "I need to change though." Harry made a move to leave, but she stopped him. "You don't need to go." She said. "I trust you not to do anything. And I know there's something you want to say, and if you walk out of the door, you might lose your nerve, and regret it later."
Harry stared at her, open-mouthed. "How'd you-"
"I've been you're friend for seven years." She smiled, almost sadly. "Give me some credit."
"I just…" Harry started as Hermione changed out of her old clothes. "When you came running into the Entrance Hall, crying, and looking so scared, and knowing that Malfoy had made you that frightened, it got me mad. Really mad. I didn't care if he meant to do it or not, he tried to hurt you. And you were so scared…" He broke off. He didn't know what he was saying; it was all coming out of him.
"Harry," Hermione said. "I know. I love you for how much you and Ron protect me from everything, but you can't protect me from everything. We knew a threat on my life would happen some day. I wish you had taken a chance to teach me how to defend myself in the situation instead of locking me away in an ivory tower." She stopped, and then added. "I was so scared." And then Hermione broke down.
It started out as small sobs, and grew into huge gasping cries that went through her whole body. Harry took hold of her and gently let her onto the bed. Every time he tried to say something, she would sob louder, so he resolved to just holding her.
In times like this, words are never enough.
Harry got Hermione calmed down enough to walk down the halls without creating any suspicion. Luckily, most people were in their common rooms or the library, so they didn't run in to anyone. Harry let her go into see Dumbledore on her own, and he waited outside in the hall for an hour. He checked his watch. It was 11:30. He rubbed his hands through his hair again. This was taking forever.
Finally, the gargoyle leaped aside, and Hermione stepped off the moving staircase. She looked a good deal better than she had an hour before. Harry jumped up to embrace her, thought better, and stepped cautiously towards her. She smiled at him and took his hand.
"Hi." She said quietly.
"Hi." Harry said back. "Are you okay?"
"I'm better now." Hermione said, starting to walk down the hall, hand in hand with him. "You were right, talking helps. After a while."
Harry's mind shot back to three years before, talking with Dumbledore only hours after the rise of Voldemort. After seeing Cedric die. He thought of the pain, the horrifying realization of all that had happened that night.
"I'm sorry." He whispered to her. "I'm sorry for putting you through all this. I'm sorry for being Harry Potter."
"No." Hermione said, pulling him into a hidden alcove on the side of the hall. "Don't ever be. I love you because you are Harry Potter; everything that's happened to you is what makes me love you," she traced the side of his face with one graceful stroke, and whispered. "It's what's made me love you for such a long time now. Besides, love means never having to say you're sorry."
He kissed her gently in response. "I love you." Harry said quietly when they broke away from each other.
"I know, Harry." Hermione answered, wrapping her arms around his neck and putting her face to his chest, so she could just hear his heart beat. "I know."
~~~~~~
Ron met up with them later and proceeded to almost break Hermione by hugging her so tightly.
"Okay, having trouble breathing." She said, and Ron instantly let go of her. "Thanks."
"Are you sure you're okay?" Ron asked. "Because if you want us to go and beat up Malfoy for you, it wouldn't be much trouble…"
"I'm fine, Ron," Hermione said sternly. "Talking with Dumbledore helped a lot. And I'm glad that I had Harry with me last night, too."
Ron mouthed "Thanks" to Harry and turned his attention back on Hermione. "So we're all good now? Everyone's happy and well-adjusted?" He asked. Hermione nodded, as did Harry.
"This is a rare and momentous event." Ron said gravely. "Let us remember it forever."
"I'm already ahead of you!" Hermione said, starting to run down the hall. "Come on, we need to get the to the library! We have reports to do."
"Wait up!" Harry yelled, and turned to Ron. "She seems all right."
"Too all right." Ron said darkly. "I'm waiting for her to crack."
"You mean crack again." Harry corrected him. "She already has twice."
"We'll watch her." Ron said. "Make sure she's okay."
Hermione had stopped at the top of the hall, waving them on. "You're going to fail your N.E.W.T's if you don't do these essays!" She yelled.
"Yeah," Harry said, starting to walk down the hall, "We'll watch her."
~~~~~~~~
On the last day of Christmas Break, when all of the students were finishing last minute homework, the teachers were finishing last minute grading. Well, at least Lauren Monroe was. At eight o'clock that night, she trudged out of her classroom, her bag sagging from the weight of the papers in it. She was just thinking how wonderful it would be to go back to her rooms, have some tea, snuggle under the covers with that new book she was reading, when a shadow fell across her path.
"Sirius." She groaned.
"We need to talk." He said.
"Do you see my bag?" Lauren asked. "See how it's overflowing with papers? Those are all the tests I need to have graded by tomorrow. Can we do this some other time?"
"I'll help you grade them." Sirius offered. Lauren ignored him and started to walk on. "You've been avoiding me."
She stopped, and let out a small laugh. "Me? Avoiding you? I was only avoiding you because you'd been doing the same to me."
"So this is like petty revenge?" Sirius asked.
"Exactly. No! It's not, I'm just- ooooooh you're infuriating!" Lauren snarled.
"Thank you."
"Why are you still even here? Shouldn't you be back in London?"
"Dumbledore asked me to stay on until the play. He wants me to be around since he thinks that the premiere might be the time the Death Eaters attack."
"Great." Lauren said, lengthening her strides. Sirius was still managing to keep up with her. "There's something else I can add on to my never ending list of worries that this play is going to be ruined. Thank you so much for helping."
"Why do you hate me?" Sirius said.
"I hate you because we've managed to prove everyone right. That we do like each other, that it would happen someday. And if there's one thing I've always strived to do, that's prove everyone wrong." Lauren said, her gray eyes flashing dangerously. She stopped in front of the door to her rooms. She quickly unlocked it while Sirius, very confused, stood behind her. "Now go away!" Lauren yelled, slamming the door in his face.
Sirius stood outside of her door for a minute. He stepped toward it, and put his face up against the dark wood. He started to say quietly, "I know you're slumped up against the door. I know you're starting to cry. I know you feel like crap and I know you're feeling confused. I know this because I know you, and you can't get away from that. Give me a chance, give us a chance. I know that you want to." He listened for a minute, sighed, and started to walk away, his hands stuffed in the pockets of his robe.
Inside her room, Lauren wiped a tear from her eye. Damn the man, she thought, why does he always have to be right?
~~~~~~~~
Things started to get a bit more normal after that. Daily life resumed. Students studied and did last-minute homework. People were sought after and others were avoided.
And high on the avoided list was Draco Malfoy, newly returned from London and cleared of all possible charges against him. Yes, he was innocent. Yes, he never wanted to do what he had done. Yes, he was in no way a Death Eater, but nobody seemed to really care about this. Every time he walked down the halls, some large group of people turned their backs from him and started to whisper loud enough so that he could catch the tone of their voice. Accusing, mean, frightened.
And he hated it. He hated it all, and he hated them too. Draco Malfoy was a walking fountain of spewing hatred.
He was just considering going back to his room for some serious brooding, when someone grabbed him and pulled him into a closet.
"What the Hell?" He shouted, trying to see who had done it. Draco looked wildly around and saw…
"Hi." It was Ginny Weasley. She was staring at him expectantly, the vibrant red of her hair and the paleness of her skin almost glowing in the dark. "Kiss me." She said simply.
"What?" Draco asked, pushing Ginny away from him. "What, why, what?"
"Do I need a reason?" Ginny asked impatiently.
"Yes, of course you do!" Draco exclaimed. "You can't just go around telling people to kiss you without a good reason."
"I'm rebelling." She said simply. "Now kiss me."
"No!" Draco said. "I will not. Your brothers would kill me."
"Exactly!" Ginny said.
Draco's eyes narrowed. "Is this some way to kill me off without making it about what happened on Christmas? Because I didn't want to-"
"Of course not!" Ginny scoffed. "Didn't you hear me, I'm rebelling." She turned away from him and ran her hands through her hair. "I'm sick of being the youngest Weasley. I'm sick of being 'The Good Girl'. I'm tired of being seen as 'Innocent Little Ginny'. I want to get out. I want my family mad at me, I want boys to want me and girls want to be me. I want to break free of this stupid shell. And the best way to begin is to snog with a boy in a closet. And there can't be anyone my family hates more than you, so that's a great start."
"No." Draco said. "I can't. You're a good person, and I don't want to do anything to your reputation."
Ginny's eyes widened, and then formed into angry slits. "Fine." She said. "Fine. You know, I thought you were a bad guy, you with your big reputation, with all your girlfriends. I guess I was mistaken. I wish someone had told me you were just a big coward who doesn't know what to do with a girl in a dark closet. I'll leave."
As she started to leave, something went off inside Draco. It was like the last piece of the puzzle had fallen in. Ever since he had defeated his father, he had mellowed out and been pleasant, but now it became clear to him: He could be mean without being evil.
Draco grabbed Ginny's wrist and pulled her back in, bringing the door closed with a satisfying SLAM. He shoved her against the wall and whispered into her ear "Oh no you don't." and then kissed her roughly. He could feel Ginny smile for a moment and then kiss him back just as harshly. It wasn't romantic; it wasn't heartfelt like Ginny had always hoped her first kiss would be. But as their tongues clashed and her hands started to grab at Draco's hair, she knew this was just what she needed.
~~~~~~~
New Year's came and went. Classes started up again. Tests were handed back, old papers were turned in and new ones were assigned. Hermione submerged herself in work, and Harry and Ron watched her carefully, but she seemed to be fine.
Once Malfoy was back, rehearsals started again with a vengeance. Lauren worked them harder than she had before with a renewed intensity. By late January, Harry was starting to suspect that Oliver Wood might've possessed her.
"Is it just me, or does she seem a bit…" Lavender asked, searching for the word she needed.
"Nazi-like?" Parvati offered, rubbing at her legs, which were sore from the eight hours of rehearsal.
"Exactly!" Lavender said. "It's like she's putting all of her concentration into this to shut everything else out."
"She's right." Ginny said, putting her hair up into a bun. "We haven't had a test in her class since before Christmas."
"Where have you been?" Hannah asked suddenly, just realizing Ginny had been absent for the last ten minutes.
"Bathroom." Ginny said quickly.
The other girls all knew this was a lie, but kept their curiosities in check out of their tiredness.
"Okay girls, Zidler's Rap and the Can-Can, let's take it from the top!" Lauren yelled over. The dancers all groaned.
"But Lauren!" Padma yelled. "It's ten o'clock!"
"Tough." Lauren said coldly. "The more we practice now, the less we practice later."
Back in Hermione's room, where she was supposed to be finishing some homework, she and Harry were in her room, practicing instead.
"Come what may!" They sang loudly, smiling like loons. "Come what may! I will love you, until my dy-ing daaaaaaay!" They fell back onto the couch giggling loudly. "Next scene, then?" Harry asked. "Which one is it, again?"
Hermione looked at the script. Her giddy smile fell. "Death scene." She said quietly.
Harry moved closer to her and stared down at the script. It was written in such plain, bold black letters. So much emotion pushed into such a formal space.
Lauren had wisely been avoiding that scene since Christmas, as had Harry and Hermione whenever they did these private rehearsals. The thought of that scene, Harry holding Hermione's dead body and weeping over it, had become all too real of a thought. The threat was real, and it was there.
Harry put an arm around Hermione's shoulder. "It won't happen." He said quietly. "I won't let it happen."
"You can't do it all Harry." Hermione said. "You can't protect everyone at once. And you shouldn't have to."
"But you're special," Harry told her, a small grin on his face. "We have to take care of you."
"I'm not the princess in the ivory tower." Hermione pleaded. "I'm not a helpless being who needs a big strong man to protect her."
"I know you don't. I know you can take care of yourself." Harry said. "But I don't know what I'd do if you weren't here."
"I don't suppose brining your mortality into this would make it worse?" Hermione asked. Harry didn't answer, so she went on. "I hate thinking of you dying too. It's the only thing is this world that I'm scared of. It's what keeps me up at night. I worry over it. We all do. Ron, Ginny, Sirius, it's all we worry about. We're scared we'll lose you young."
~~~~~~~
Classes again the next day. Lauren had given the actors and dancers their weekly break so they could do homework. Honestly, she had done it more for herself than anyone else. Her crackdown on rehearsals had been so she could shut her other thoughts out.
And speaking of other thoughts…
"We need to talk." Sirius said, stopping her in the hall. "Again."
"Sirius…" She groaned, trying to pass by him.
"No." He said. "We are going to talk this out."
Lauren sighed loudly and looked at him. "Fine." She said. "Fine. I give up. You want to talk? We'll talk. We'll work this out like responsible, mature adults."
They stared at each other. Students passed by them in the hall. They kept on staring. Finally,
"Wanna go snog in a broom closet?"
"All right."
~~~~~~~~
It was like the school was all secret romances. Harry and Hermione. Lauren and Sirius. Draco and Ginny. And if it wasn't secret romances, it was secrets in general. Ron was still hiding the betting pool from his two best friends. Hermione still hadn't told anyone about her Auror testing. Justin hadn't told anyone about Harry and Hermione, as had Sirius (though we suppose that would go under the secret relationships category, right?).
And if there was one thing that Lavender Brown hated most, it was a secret. Especially secrets, plural. If one was to be the Supreme Gossip Queen of Hogwarts, then one had to know all the secrets. And she had been doing so well at it for the past years. She was first to know when Hermione had gotten her first kiss from that dreamy Krum guy and the first to report the news that Voldemort had risen again, whether it was true or not.
And here she was now, half a million secrets under her nose, and she had no idea about any of them! Oh yes, she knew there was something going on, especially with Ginny Weasley. She was seeing someone in secret; there were no doubts there. That girl had come late to rehearsal with her hair mussed and lips swollen too many times for there to be something not going on. But Lavender had no idea who with. She had her ear to the ground and her contacts alert, but nothing had turned up.
Was it possible that people the people in this school were actually learning to keep secrets secret?
No, she thought, Hogwarts students may be smart, but no one outsmarted Lavender Lilah Brown when it came to their own private matters.
~~~~~~~~
There was a broom sticking in her back, but that would make sense, because this was a broom closet. Draco had her pushed up against the wall as he ravaged her neck while Ginny kissed any part of his face she could get at.
They'd been meeting like this for almost every day for the past two weeks. They'd see each other in the hall, and if they smiled at each other, then it meant that three minutes later they'd be snogging somewhere.
Ginny had been getting more and more open about kissing him. Dark hallways that were just off the main pathway, closets where she knew the Prefects would look, she'd even openly flirted with him one day after lunch while going to class.
She knew that she had to be this shameless. You could snog with a bad boy all you like, but it didn't mean anything until someone found out.
But blast it all, no one had found them yet. She was beginning to get frustrated, and more than just sexually so.
Ginny checked her watch and pushed Draco away from her. "Classes start in about five minutes." She said simply.
"What a good girl." Draco drawled.
Ginny watched him smooth down his hair just before she opened the door. 'God', she thought, 'with his super white blonde hair and my overly pale skin, our children would be transparent'.
She was turning around to walk out the door when the implications of her thought reached her. She ran into the doorframe. Ginny could hear Draco's laughs of glee behind her. She glared at him and then ran out, her cheeks flaming.
'NO!' she yelled to herself. 'No, no, no, no, NO! This is not part of the plan'. Ginny's plan was all very simple. It was to make Draco fall in love with her and then publicly humiliate him by breaking up with him in front of everyone in the Great Hall. The plan was not to start thinking about carrying his children.
"Miss. Weasley, are you all right?" Prof. McGonagall asked when Ginny sped into her class at top speed. "Your cheeks seem flushed. Are you ill?"
"No," Ginny heard herself say in a distant, far away voice that did not sound like her own, "Someone just played a trick on me."
~~~~~~~~
And then, all of a sudden, it was March. Valentine's Day had come and gone, and half the school had focused their attention on Harry and Hermione for the entire day. Alas, nothing had happened out of the ordinary, a large sigh of annoyance was released, and everything was back to normal once more.
But what the student body had no idea of was that Harry and Hermione had met at midnight in the Quidditch stands on the eve of Valentine's Day.
"Harry, it's freezing out!" Hermione complained as he led her up to the top. "Why are we out here?"
"Because I have something I want you to see." Harry told her. "It won't be but ten more minutes, I promise."
"Harry," Hermione warned. "It's late. We have classes tomorrow."
"Just ten minutes. Okay?" Harry pleaded. Hermione was silent.
"Harry?"
"Yes?"
"We should really be studying for our N.E.W.T'S"
"Hermione, it's three and a half months away!"
"That doesn't mean we shouldn't study. These tests are very important; they determine what we are going to do with our lives."
"But I already know what I'm going to do with my life."
"Still. We're going to spend a week and a half taking them. You might as well study."
"I'll start in April."
"Harry!"
"Fine. Next month."
"How much longer are we going to be out here?"
"Five more minutes."
Hermione sighed loudly. "Harry," she said quietly. "When did you fall in love with me?"
Harry looked at her, astounded. "Why?"
"I'd just like to know." Hermione said. "I've been in love with you for almost five years, although I'd be the first to admit I never let myself acknowledge the feelings."
Harry stared at her intently. Her cheeks were bright red from the cold and a thick strand of hair had fallen into her face (Harry didn't have that many Mysteries Of How Girls Work left to uncover, but one he could not figure out was how girls could stand to have hair in their face all the time).
"I've loved you since probably the end of our first year. I didn't realize it until the end of our second." Harry told her, brushing the hair out of her face, "But I didn't fall in love with you until last year. And since then, all I've wanted is to be close to you."
"Really?" Hermione asked.
"Yeah, Mione," Harry said, leaning into kiss her. "Really."
The kiss was short and sweet. Harry pulled away suddenly to look at his watch. "Is it finally time?" Hermione asked.
"Look at the sky." He told her, unsuccessfully hiding his excitement. Hermione glanced at the sky and gasped.
It was a meteor shower. Thousands of shooting stars lit up the sky, each leaving it's own trail behind it. The sky looked like a concert of colors and light. In short, it was beautiful.
Harry watched Hermione stare upwards. "Oh, it's wonderful." He heard her say softly.
As Harry slipped his hand into her own, he whispered back, "Happy Valentine's Day, Hermione."
~~~~~~~
Where were we? Oh yes, it was March. On Sunday night's rehearsal, Lauren called them all together to listen to an announcement.
"This is very exciting news." She informed them. "You'll bow down and thank me when you hear it. Actually, you'll probably worship me."
"What is it?" All the cast members asked in unison.
"The play will not be starting in April. I moved it up to two weeks from now." Lauren told them, smiling widely. It fell when she saw their faces.
There were fifty faces staring at her in outrage. Finally Parvati said, "Why the hell did you do that?"
"What?" Lauren asked.
"We're not ready!" Ginny exclaimed.
"There's so much work still to be done!" Lavender yelled.
"Now wait a minute." Lauren said. "We've been working on this for five months. The only thing we have left to do is sets. We rehearse three times a week. Everyone knows their lines and almost all of their cues. All that's left for costumes is to make sure they all still fit. We're ready for this."
Everyone looked at each other uncomfortably for a minute. Then, Hannah said softly, "We still haven't done Roxanne."
Everyone's gaze immediately turned to Draco and Hermione. "I can do it." Hermione finally said. "We can't dance around this, or not dance as the case may be, around this forever."
"She has a point." Harry said, breaking his silence. "Since it seems like we have no choice but to do the show in two weeks, we might as well get as much work on it as soon as we can."
"Great," Lauren said, breathing a sigh of relief. She as glad they had brought it up and not her. For the past three months they had avoided that entire part of the script altogether, choosing to work on the first half instead. "Okay, we'll start it now. Dancers, into your positions."
They spent the next three nights practicing that one dance. After a cumulative eighteen and a half hours working on it, the twenty-odd dancers, Lavender, Morag, Harry, Hermione, and Draco all knew their steps and cues. It was ready to finally be put all together. Morag did his opening monologue with only two mistakes. Then, he began to sing.
Roxanne
You don't have to put on that red light
Walk the streets for money
You don't care if it's wrong or if it is right
Roxanne
You don't have to wear that dress tonight
Roxanne
You don't have to sell your body to the night
Then Harry began his part of the song.
His eyes upon your face
His hand upon your hand
His lips caress your skin
It's more than I can stand
As Harry drew the last note out, his voice began to mix with Morag's.
Why does my heart cry?
Roxanne!
Feelings I can't fight!
Roxanne!
You're free to leave me but
Just don't deceive me!
...And please believe me when I say
I love you
Hermione and Draco continued their scene during the break in music. When Draco started to yell at Hermione, Lauren was surprised to find that it looked as if Hermione was shaking with real fear. As Draco began to chase her around the table, Morag's constant chorus of "Roxanne" and Harry's tortured "I love you" mixed with Hermione's screams.
And just as suddenly as the chaos began, it ended. The dancers all stood back from their places, as though not sure where to go. Hermione had moved a few inches from Draco and a few inches closer to Harry.
"Good." Lauren finally said. "Good. Well, I think you can all go to bed now. See you tomorrow to work on sets!" As everyone left, she grabbed Hermione and pulled her aside.
"Hermione, I have a large favor to ask you."
"What is it?" Hermione asked cautiously.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"What is that?" Ron asked disgustingly, looking at the liquids Hermione was mixing.
"I told you Ron," Hermione said exasperatingly. "It's red hair dye. I have to dye it for the part."
"But can't you just use magic?" Ron asked painfully, trying to wave away the smell of the dye.
Hermione gave him a withering look. Lavender, who was magically lowering the sink, sighed loudly. "You can't just use magic to change your appearance. Unless you're a Metamorphmagus, your body just isn't supposed to be magically changed."
"Well you had you're teeth shrunk in our fourth year." Ron said.
"That was going to happen because of my braces anyway." Hermione told him. "But my hair is not just going to turn red on its own, so a Muggle dye is the only way."
Ron grimaced as Lavender washed Hermione's hair and added the color on. "Why did you bring me here for this?"
Hermione cocked an eye open. "You know, you didn't have to come."
"That's right." Lavender said. "You saw us in the hall and asked if you could come along. It's not like we forced you to come here."
"Right then, I'm off." Ron said, running out of the room.
"Boys." Hermione and Lavender muttered under their breath at the same time.
~~~~~~~~~~
"Ahem." Harry heard Hermione's voice behind him. He turned around and stood in shock.
Hermione was standing in front of him with long red locks just like Ginny's. He'd almost think that they were twins if he didn't know her.
"Wow." He said. "It's just…wow."
"Thank you." She said. "But you don't seem that happily impressed."
"It's looks wonderful. It's just…it's just a surprise, that's all." Harry assured her. "Can you believe the play's in a week?"
"No," Hermione said wistfully. "It seems like we've been working on it forever."
"Don't forget, we're doing the promo tomorrow in the Great Hall." Harry reminded her. "Are you ready for it?"
"I'm afraid I'll make a fool of myself." She admitted. "And if I'm afraid of it only for a five minute scene, how will I be able to do an entire play?"
"You'll be able to do it because you're Hermione." Harry whispered in her ear, "You're perfect in everything you do."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The next night in the Great Hall during dinner, the stage was pulled out. Everyone was staring at them; the soft clatters of forks and knives just loud enough to make the performers nervous. Standing on it was half the cast: Harry, Hermione, Ron, Justin, Draco, Morag, Terry, and Colin. The background was a rich red. Draco was seated and the others stood in front of him expectantly. Draco asked, "What's the story about?"
As Ron stammered, Harry yelled out, "It's about love! Love, overcoming all obstacles."
"And it's set in Svitzervand!" Ron said excitedly. Harry continued with the story, complete with lines from Justin, Ron, Hermione and Draco. As Harry was pushed out of the way by Justin, his singing began.
Spectacular,
Spectacular
Spectacular, spectacular
No words in the vernacular
Can describe this great event
You'll be dumb with wonderment
Returns are fixed at ten percent
You must agree, that's excellent
And on top of your fee...
You'll be involved artistically.
Then
they began to dance. Draco's bemused expression was just frightened enough to
make some in the audience laugh.
So exciting, the audience will stomp and cheer!
So delighting, it will run for 50 years!
So exciting, the audience will stomp and cheer!
So delighting, it will run for 50 years!
Elephants! Arabians!
Indians! And courtesans!
Acrobats! And juggling bears!
Exotic girls! Fire-eaters!
Muscle Men! Contortionists!
Intrigue, danger, and romance!
Electric lights, Machinery,
Powered with electricity!
So exciting, the audience will stomp and cheer!
So delighting, it will run for 50 years!
So exciting, the audience will stomp and cheer!
So delighting, it will run for 50 years!
Spectacular, spectacular
No words in the vernacular
Can describe this great event
You'll be dumb with wonderment
The hills are alive, with the sound of music...
So exciting, the audience will stomp and cheer!
So delighting, it will run for 50 years!
So exciting, the audience will stomp and cheer!
So delighting, it will run for 50 years!
Draco: Yes, but what happens in the end?
The courtesan and sitar man
Are pulled apart by an evil plan...
But in the end she hears his song...
And their love is just too strong.
Many of the girls in the hall sighed after Harry sang. Hermione resisted the urge to claim him as her own in front of everyone
It's a little bit funny,
This feeling inside...
So exciting, the audience will stomp and cheer!
So delighting, it will run for 50 years--!
Sitar player's secret song
helps them flee the evil one...
Though the tyrant rants and rails,
it is all to no avail!
Justin: I am the evil maharajah! You will not escape!
Hermione: Oh Harold, no one could play him like you could!
Justin: No one's going to!
So
exciting, we'll make them laugh
we'll make them cry!
So delighting --!
Draco: And in the end should someone die?
So
exciting, the audience will stomp and cheer!
So delighting it will run for 50 years...!
Everyone applauded loudly at the end. The players bowed and Harry yelled out. "Moulin Rouge! opens this Saturday at eight o'clock! Come see this once in a life time opportunity!"
They could still hear the thundering applause as they left the Great Hall.
~~~~~~~~~~~~
Five days later, Harry, Ron, and Hermione sat in the Three Broomsticks, all thoroughly tired. "Opening night is tomorrow." Hermione sighed.
"All our work comes to a finish." Harry said.
"All my family will be there to cheer us on." Ron said, his tired expression changing suddenly to fear. "I wonder if Lauren would mind if I dropped out…ow!" Hermione had hit him with her Ancient Runes book.
"This has been so much hard work." Harry said. "Especially for me." He added thoughtfully.
Ron and Hermione both turned to him with a look of death on their faces. "What do you mean?" Hermione asked "'Hard for you?' I had to dye my hair bright red, I have to wear a corset for all of my scenes, and I have to faint to the floor often with no padding to catch me! I'm bruised all over!"
"And what about me!" Ron said. "I have to wear that torture device just so I can look short! What do you have to do that's so hard?"
Harry thought for a moment. "I have to cry."
"So do I," Hermione said. "And a lot more often than you do."
"Fine, so it's not that hard on me." Harry said. "I just can't wait for it to be over an normal life to resume again."
"Here, here!" Ron chorused.
"To a good opening night." Hermione said, raising her glass of Butterbeer.
"Cheers." Ron and Harry said, taking long sips.
~~~~~~~~~~~
Lauren was about ready to kill the cast. And herself. Maybe everyone. She was running between every dressing room trying to hand off all the right costumes. They had all gotten out of order, and with everyone in make-up, there was no time for the actors to sort through them, so it was all up to her. Hermione's dresses were staring to pile up outside her room. Lauren was suddenly very thankful that everyone else had very few costume changes.
She knocked on the door. "Hermione?" She asked. Lauren heard a lot of shuffling inside. She curiously opened the door and saw Hermione close the closet.
"Lauren!" Hermione said. "What's going on?"
"I just wanted to make sure you were aware that your costumes were creating a road block in the hall.
"Oh!" Hermione said, going over to grab them. "Sorry about that."
"It's all right. I'm just glad you have clothes." Lauren joked. "Have you seen Harry?"
"Harry?" Hermione asked. "No, I haven't. Have you checked with Ron?"
"No, I'll do that next." Lauren said. She started to leave, but stopped. "Hermione, I'm sorry for having been so distant to you the past week. It's just, with your newly red hair and all the love scenes you have with Harry, it was almost, it was almost" she stammered, "It was almost like seeing Lily and James again. Like seeing a ghost." She turned around and left.
Hermione stared at the now closed door. She went over and locked it and then opened up the closet. "That was close." She said to Harry who came cautiously out of the closet.
"Too close." He said, straightening the jacket of his suit. "You look lovely."
Hermione looked down. She was wearing a bathrobe and her stage make-up looked garish this close up. "Thanks." She said. "You look very dashing."
"Thank you too." He smiled. "I should get going before she comes by here again." Harry kissed her quickly. Just as he was about to leave, Hermione stopped him.
"Harry," she asked. "What Lauren said, about me looking like your mum, did you think that?"
"Do you want to hear the truth?" He asked.
Hermione nodded.
"It's all I could think about the last two weeks."
And then he was gone.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
From the rafters, he watched as students filed in. They all took programs and sat down in the plush velvet chairs. Below him, the curtain divided the scene in half. Loud order among the audience and quiet panic from the cast. He watched the Malfoy boy run past one of the Weasley brats (it was obvious from the hair). The Death Eater looked to the ceiling painted to resemble the night sky. He smiled as the curtain began to rise.
"Showtime"
Big thanks to our reviewers! Note: These are the people who have reviewed since chapter 8 was posted. If you posted before then, please look on the chapter before this for your thanks!
Miya-chan3, MC (It took you awhile to see it!), Hermione512 (Thanks! Thanks again!), Aarien Star, Mrs. Radcliffe@missy1.com (this is why you should always read the disclaimers first), Emma Riddle/ Daughter of the Dark (Oh, c'mon. Everyone has potential), Titanic Hobbit (thank you, thank you, thank you for such a kind review! Sorry that we drained you emotionally, though), myman-harry 526, Finally Reviewing First Mate Meg etc [took you long enough. I only had to beat you into submission first-Thing TWo], Seeker Cho (there is a one-shot sequel planned. Let's just say that it brings up some of the book's real issues. Like Voldie), Lady Jynjr (I hope you got the info on how to work the site!), drizztranger, angela (From what we have understood, from the movie and the book on the movie, The Diamond Dogs is the name attributed to all of the girls at the Moulin, while the Four Whores are those main four, Nini, Arabia, China Doll, and Madame Fromage. Sorry for the confusion) JMCRonnie, kaykay (We don't think she be proud so much as extremely peeved that we're manipulating her characters so), RodKnee, Penny Shirley, Emma Riddle/Nessa, and mtm (We think J.K. will put Hermione and Ron together, but it would only last about a chapter. Besides, Harry and Hermione are quite obviously soul mates)
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