A/N: Well here it is, the long awaited next chapter for this story. I am truly sorry it has taken this long, but I had lost all hope of getting past the writer's block I had been experiencing. Well I'll just shut up now and let you get on with it shall I? Goodness knows I've held it back from you long enough!
The day for the first task had arrived. Hermione had been rehearsing daily for her performance and Draco and Snape were anxious.
The other contestants were bustling around backstage in whatever outfits they were wearing to perform in.
Hermione peeped around the curtain to look at the students and quickly returned with a squeak.
"I don't think I can do this!" She stated woefully watching as the 8th girl was doing her juggling ferrets act.
"You'll be fantastic my love." Draco told her soothingly.
"Just remember, poise, controle, breathing…" Snape told her in a low voice, gesturing for her to breathe deeply as they waited behind the stage that had been set up in the great hall.
Every student in Hogwarts was there, talking excitedly and anticipating the show.
Hermione breathed as she was instructed and felt a little better.
"Wait!" She said panicking. "I'll be all alone up there!"
"No you won't." Draco reminded her. "Remember? Professor Snape will be playing piano for you!"
"Oh that reminds me…I 'm needed." Snape said longsufferingly before sweeping up to wait in the wings for his cue.
Susan Bones was going on next. No one but Snape and Terry Boot knew what her talent was.
"Susan Bones!" Dumbledore announced from the stage whereupon the crowd cheered.
Snape strolled on behind Susan and sat himself at the Piano.
He began to play "The Entertainer" as Susan Bones began to spin plates as she pranced around the stage in a skirted red leotard decorated with sparkling gems and sequence.
"Plate spinning?" Hermione whispered as Draco adjusted one of the white roses in her hair.
"So it would seem." Draco said distractedly now touching up her lipgloss.
Susan's act ended and she bowed as the crowd applauded.
Hannah Abbot was next, sporting a form fitting black gown with silver thread creating a pattern over it, and she walked up onto the stage carrying a violin.
She smiled engagingly at the audience, getting some wolfwhistles from the boys before she brought the violin to her chin and nodded at Snape.
Snape started up on the piano with the intro and accompanied Hannah as she played out "Eidelwiess" on the violin.
Hermione listened with rapt attention. It was such a pretty sound.
"She's wonderful!" She breathed enjoying the lilting violin.
The song ended and the crowd cheered with whistles and cries of "You rock Hannah!"
Hannah came off the stage smiling.
"That was fantastic Hannah!" Hermione said enthusiastically.
"Thanks Herm!" Hannah beamed hugging Hermione.
"Hey! Watch the hair Abbot!" Draco complained, straightening a rose that had been knocked off kilter by the hug.
Rolling her eyes, Hannah left them to it.
Angelica storm entertained everyone with playing the glasses and smashing several when her knee gave way.
Lavender Brown did some ballet/contortion combination, impressing everyone by bending her body into almost impossible positions!
Pansy Parkinson was next.
Hermione, Draco and Snape hadn't seen her backstage and were wondering how she was getting on with dealing with their little 'intervention'.
Surprisingly, she showed up looking relatively normal, save for a few lumps here and there which she had covered up with a sarong over her green bikini.
The stage was arranged for her, setting up what looked like a poolside complete with sunlight, sun loungers and drinks.
Blaise Zabini and a few Slytherin girls were also in beachwear evidently as her back up singers.
"As you can see, I fixed my little problem." She said triumphantly to Draco as she was passing, lowering her sunglasses to look at him haughtily.
"Do you know who did it yet?" Draco asked with a sneer.
"No…but I have some suspects…" She said looking at Hermione with a glare. "But it'll have to wait…If you will excuse me, I have the first task to win."
She and her crew pushed past Hermione and up onto the stage.
Pansy was singing "Fabulous" (High School Musical 2). The music was magically played for her as she sang along and Blaise sang too!
It was really quite impressive, although Draco and Hermione would never admit it.
Pansy finished her song and the crowd cheered sounding very impressed.
Pansy smiled and blew kisses as she walked off stage, stopping to belittle Hermione.
"Beat that mudblood." She sneered before walking off with her nose in the air.
Blaise looked pointedly at Draco before following her.
"Okay Hermione, you are next." Draco said bracingly. "Don't forget what we taught you."
"Right," Hermione said trying to get it together. "Poise," She straightened up "controle…and…and…oh no! what's the last one?"
"Breathe." Came Snape's voice from behind. He was carrying the sheet music for her song.
"Yes, breathe." Hermione repeated before taking a deep breath in and letting it out again.
Dumbledore announced her and she gulped.
"Wait." Draco said suddenly before leaning in and giving her a long, sensuous kiss. "Knock them dead."
Hermione felt weak in the knees thanks to that kiss!
"Draco…time!" Snape said hurriedly, giving Hermione a little push towards the stage. Where he followed her on and took his place once more at the piano.
Hermione stared at the crowd, her heart threatening to burst from her chest and her stomach in knots.
"Oh gods…" She whispered.
Snape cleared his throat meaningfully and she looked at him.
"Breathe!" he mouthed.
Hermione took another deep cleansing and calming breath before nodding at Snape.
Snape began to play the intro to "My Immortal" By Evanescense.
She glanced briefly at Draco in the wings and he patted his heart telling her to sing from it.
And so she began…looking at Harry and Ron in the front row who were smiling up at her encouragingly.
The audience seemed almost captivated as they listened to her sing the melancholy song.
Lavender and Parvati were dabbing their eyes with handkerchiefs.
The song ended and the crowd leapt to their feet cheering.
"Mione!! YOU CAN SING!!" Ron cried at her as he and Harry and the rest of Gryffindor house bellowed and clapped their praise!
Hermione curtseyed graciously several times as roses were thrown at her feet.
Snape stood at his piano and bowed before waiting for Hermione to leave the stage, and then he followed her off.
Draco was waiting for her and she found herself being lifted off of the ground as he embraced her.
"That was amazing!!" He gushed kissing her repeatedly.
"Very good Miss Granger…very good indeed." Snape said awarding her with a small smile.
"Thank you Professor." She smiled back.
Dumbledore went on stage and announced that it was time for the scores.
"Ten being the highest, and 0 being the lowest, send your scores in please for Miss Susan Bones and her amazing plate spinning talent!"
There was a moment of muttering and such as the judges held up their scores.
"An overall score of 16!" Dumbledore announced.
Susan burst into tears.
Hannah scored 40…quite high indeed considering the highest possible score was 50 as there were five judges from the ministry of Magic.
Lavender scored 37 and she seemed pleased enough with that.
Angelica storm scored 14, the judges were simply not impressed by her breaking the glasses.
The other girls scored alright, several pouting as they knew that they had failed the first task.
Pansy's score was announced as 50 at which she smirked and preened. "Fabulous!" She quipped.
This smirking and such was shortlived however, when Hermione's score came up at 50 also.
"POW!! How do you like them apples!" Draco said triumphantly punching the air in front of him.
"She won't get past the next round…its in competition with me!" Pansy threatened. "Just you wait and see."
"What do you mean we're competing?" Hermione demanded.
"Oh…did I forget to mention?" Pansy said feigning forgetfulness. "We are going to be singing together Granger at the next task!"
"I'll be ready." Hermione said glaring.
"Doubt it!" Pansy snorted before walking away.
"Pansy must have arranged to sing against you." Draco said.
"I can't say it's unexpected…you said in the beginning it would be a great idea!" Hermione reminded him.
"This is going to be fun!" Draco said grinning evilly.
"Oh yes…just fantastic fun!" Hermione said sarcastically.
That evening, 'Team Hermione' were celebrating their little victory in Snape's office.
"I can't wait until this is all over!" Hermione said wearily sipping from the glass of butterbeer she held in her hand.
"You did very well Miss Granger…the next task should be easy." Snape told her before sipping from his firewhiskey.
"We rock!" Draco cheered. "And the next task is doing what you do best…insulting Pansy! We can't lose!"
He cheerfully gulped down a glass of flaming brandy.
"Easy Draco…it won't do to have you drunk!" Snape warned.
"You're one to talk about getting drunk!" Draco retorted filling his glass with more brandy.
"Lets not go there." Hermione said flatly as Snape glared at Draco.
Draco smirked at Snape earning him a vicious look from Snape.
"Miss Granger, the next task is in two weeks, what have you got planned?" Snape enquired tearing his glaring eyes from Draco and resting curious ones on Hermione.
"I…I don't know." Hermione replied worriedly. "I have two weeks to come up with and rehearse something!"
"Not to mention an outfit." Draco added pointedly looking at Snape.
Hermione was looking stressed again.
"Don't do that with your face!" Draco scolded "It causes wrinkles!"
Hermione's head snapped up and she stared at Snape silently for a moment.
Snape saw it…something inside of her snapped and he shifted nervously as her head turned slowly to face Draco.
Draco gulped. "I…I mean we don't want you to end up looking like McGonnigall do we?" he continued tentatively. "All pruny and…and I'll just shut up now." He finished lamely as Snape shook his head in warning behind Hermione.
Hermione was still staring dangerously at Draco, however and took slow deliberate steps towards him, speaking in a low dangerous voice.
"I have done everything you have ever asked of me for this whole thing, my back is constantly aching because I must sit up or stand straight constantly, my hair has been through world war three and my homework is starting to suffer because I spend so much time keeping it conditioned, my face is wondering what the hell is going on with all these facials and I have to sleep with cucumbers on my eyes every bloody night just in case I don't sleep too well! NOW YOU ARE TELLING ME WHAT EXPRESSIONS I CAN AND CAN'T WEAR ON MY FACE?? She screeched.
Draco winced. "I was merely pointing out-"
"I DON'T CARE!! IT'S MY FACE AND I WILL DO WHAT I WANT WITH IT!!" Hermione roared, red in the face and fists balled at her sides.
She was shaking with the effort of screaming at him.
"Perhaps," Snape's voice said breaking the ringing silence that had fallen "it would be best for Miss Granger to take a few days off from preparing for the second task to recharge her batteries."
Draco opened his mouth to protest but Snape stopped him with a look.
"Let her be herself for a few days, so to speak." Snape finished quietly.
Hermione tore her glaring eyes away from Draco and looked at Snape instead, her eyes wide and hopeful.
"Really? I can slouch, go to bed without a hairnet and cucumbers on, eat what I want and go make-up free for a few days?"
"Indeed." Snape replied. "You've earned it." He added with a pointed look at Draco who apparently was itching to jump in and ruin the peace Snape had created.
Hermione visibly slumped as she sighed with relief. "Thank you Professor!"
"Now I suggest you go and get some rest." Snape prompted her and she nodded, skipping gleefully out leaving the two men behind.
When she was far enough away, Draco opened his mouth.
"ARE YOU INSANE?? SHE'LL RUIN THE WHOLE LOOK WE'VE CREATED FOR HER!!"
Snape watched Draco as he paced up and down ranting on and on about Hermione's beauty routine and how important it was.
When he had finished, Snape replied.
"She needs a break Draco. Surely you saw her snap. She needs some time off from being who you've created her to be for a few days to just be herself. If you don't give her some time, she's going to break, and she'll do it at a moment when it is least convenient…say perhaps in the middle of the next task."
Draco deflated like a balloon. "Very well, you are right of course. Perhaps I was pushing her a bit too hard."
Snape nodded. "She responds well to pressure, but I think we've applied just a little too much and she's started to crack. But I think we've managed to head a complete break down off by giving her some time to be herself."
Something suddenly seemed to have occurred to Draco. "You don't think I've ruined our relationship do you?"
Snape looked pensive before answering. "No. I think Miss Granger is more mature than most girls her age…she'll calm down and all will be well again."
"Thanks." Draco said sounding more relaxed.
"I suggest you go do your homework, you are falling behind also." Snape said returning to his usual briskness.
"Yes Professor." Draco said heading for the door. "And…thank you, for the advice and heading off a disaster of a time for me."
Snape nodded, the smallest of smiles playing on his features. "I've bailed you out of situations before you came to Hogwarts, and I'll be bailing you out of them long after you've left Hogwarts."
"Well, then thank you in advance!" Draco said grinning before he shut the door.
He went to his dormitory, his heart a little lighter with the hope that Hermione would come out better than ever from her time to herself. And when she did, he was going to show her the time of her life on their arranged date!