Chapter Twenty-Nine:

Moving On For The Sake Of The Play

6th of May, 2011. Friday.

Ginny Weasley was outraged. Frustrated, she exclaimed, "Sod off!"

Her boyfriend-by-law was upset. Harry didn't understand what Ginny was so mad about. He tried to remember what he could have done wrong- but he couldn't think of anything. He would have liked to moan and complain about Ginny moaning and complaining, but he knew that wouldn't help him.

When the Gryffindor asked what he did wrong, Ginny simply scowled, "I'll tell you once pigs fly," and grabbed her bag.

She started to walk across the lounge room towards the door that she'd open and leave. Suddenly she moaned, mad, and walked back at the table to pick up her wand. The moment scared Harry. He frowned as she stuffed the wand back into her robes.

"Ginny-," he started, un-sure whether sounding stern would help Ginny listen to him or make her angrier.

"And don't get any ideas Harry!" Ginny added, practically growling. She was too engrossed in her own drama that she didn't even notice that Harry was trying to command her to stay with him. She glanced at him and then hurried towards the door.

"About flying pigs?" Harry asked, resisting the urge to roll his eyes. "Ginny, please, I don't understand why you're so mad at me."

Ginny scoffed and then opened the Dorm door and closed it behind her, leaving Harry in the room feeling confused and guilty. He walked to his bag and grabbed it. He'll see Ginny in about an hour. Period One, he has potions. Period 2 was astronomy, but it had been cancelled because everyone in the Marriage Law are to spend period 2, 3 and 4 presenting their plays. Harry and Ginny had come up with a play days ago but they hardly ever rehearsed it and it normally ended in fights Harry wasn't sure why started.

He doesn't know how the play is going to go. He already knows that everything that's happened so far is recorded and that the play will be as well. Even though he'll get a result for the assignment, he wont see it until the end of the year. Harry didn't like that. A lot. He'd prefer to know straight after… though right now, he's worried that the play won't go so well and he wanted a year with full top marks.

He walked alone to Potions. Shortly after, Hermione walked up to him. I was walking behind her, miserable.

Unfortunately, Harry noticed. "What's wrong with you Draco?"

"What?" Hermione asked and looked at me, "Draco? What's wrong?"

"Nothing."

"You look almost depressed," Hermione stated. She looked annoyed. I looked depressed all morning but she probably thought I was fine just walking behind her or at least, for the moment.

"I just don't get why we have to be the first people in line waiting for class," I shrugged, standing next to Harry and Hermione. I was not in the mood to talk to Hermione about my issues and definitely not in front of Harry Potter.

"I thought you loved Potions," Harry mumbled.

"Well what was the point of staying in the Dorm?" Hermione snapped, both of us choosing to ignore Harry's comment. "Would you have preferred to stand in the kitchen then to wait here?"

I opened my mouth to reply but I didn't have a reply. I inwardly sighed.

Harry looked at Hermione and I, "Are you two okay?" he said, frowning slightly. I noticed dark circled under his eyes and I was able to understand all the consequences that fighting with his girlfriend had created. Looking into his eyes, I was sort of reminded of myself... when I was always mad and a bastard- before I fell for Hermione. Harry's eyes were clouded and I could practically make out the fighting and confusion for the Gryffindor. I hoped that Harry's situation would get better soon: it was unnerving seeing him in this distraught.

Looking back to Hermione I sighed softly and muttered, "Yes."

"Whatever," Hermione scoffed.

"Ginny and I are fighting as well," Harry said, his face flickering a cloud of emotion. Hermione and I glanced at each other. Yeah, we noticed. "I don't even know why!" Harry added, staring at Hermione.

I was stuck in my own mind frame when suddenly I noticed Harry was still staring at Hermione seconds later. What? Why is he staring at her like that? I turned to Hermione, but she's frowning. Maybe she's confused like me.

Then Hermione's face turned to surprise. "Oh, no! No, no! Harry-" She cutted off. Looking at Harry, she sighed, "She won't tell me anything! I've already tried- I know as much as you at the moment."

"Fine," Harry sighed and dropped his gaze to the floor.


The play.

Saying I was not excited, was a very big understatement. But I'm not going to show this to Hermione though. I know how she feels; helpless or possibly upset because she can see that I'm upset. If I saw her in the state I'm in, I'd be upset myself. So, I pulled myself together. I can block things quite easily (if I bother/care or need to) so I was sort of back to my normal self by the time the period of our play arrived. If Hermione asks me what happened, I can just tell her that I'm not a morning person. Easily, she'd believe that.

Assembly took 17 minutes and then suddenly everything went mental- couples jumped and started editing or rehearsing their plays. Hermione Granger and I were one of them. It wasn't easy because I had to calm myself and yet still be there for Hermione.

Too quickly for my liking, we were up next to the stage. I started freaking out; about laughing in the serious play in front of everyone. Hermione began to look nervous. I couldn't open my mouth, otherwise I might've screamed, so I smiled to her. She smiled back.

It was some couple I didn't know, who was in front of us, already on the stage performing. Ravenclaws, I knew that. Their play is on truth. I didn't really pay much attention to it but from what I did, it looked pretty good. I was hoping that mean't that the play was easy one you started it. I heard some similar saying like that before- the problem was that I didn't believe much in those sayings.

Ginny and Harry had already done their play, being one of the few first to present their play. Ginny was the one who volunteered, startling Harry. She said something like "I just want to get this over with!" and they were accepted onto the stage. Their play wasn't that bad and Ginny didn't show any signs of annoyance to Harry… until they got off the stage.

We were called. After us were Luna Lovegood and Neville Longbottom. Then Ronald Weasley and Daphne Greenhouse and then some other couples I didn't know.

Hermione and I stumbled onto the stage after the Ravenclaws came off.

I start explaining what we are doing and the basic plot of our play, hoping I didn't sound stupid or like a monotone.

"Hermione Granger and I will use our wands to make us look much younger during the beginning of the play. Our plot line is putting the other person first. We use our wands again to make us look older in another part of the play. The point was as we grow up more, so does our responsibility and examples of putting the other person first."

Hermione and I used our wands to look younger. My hand was shaking viciously around the wand. I hope that the fear wouldn't get to me or show. I desperated focused on stopping my hand from shaking.

I didn't think about the stage. I didn't imagine what would happen if I laughed in the middle of the play. I focused on what was happening now and what I was doing. I'm doing a fucking play because Hermione wanted to. That's all…

Hermione turned to me and smiled. I smiled back and gave a thumb up.

Ready as I'll ever be, I thought wryly.


"Draco! Could you pass me the remote?" Hermione snapped.

"Nope, I'm watching TV!" I held the remote tighter in my hand, looking smug. I stared at the TV intensively as Hermione glared at me.

"Draco! Hand me the remote now!"

"Nope!"

"Draco-"

I poked my tongue out at her, "What are you gonna do?"

"Tell mum and dad."

A light went onto me; the stage is filled with light but the light put onto me seemed brighter. I stood up from a couch and explained that the scene that happened in front of the audience, was not an example of putting others first.

"This is an example of putting others first," I said, as I sat back down on the couch.

"Draco! Could you pass me the remote?"

"Why?"

Hermione pouted, "'cause I'm BORED and I don't like this show."

I glanced at Hermione and then smiled, "fine." I stood up and passed Hermione the remote.

Hermione got up and hugged me and then the light flashes on us and I step away from Hermione. She explains again that as we grow up there comes more opportunities to put the other first, it results in better results; such as the hug and the bond that would grow between the two in this situation.

We turned the couch around and used our wands to change ourselves into 22 year olds. That's when, all of a sudden- the fact of us doing a play on a stage and the silence around us, seemed too funny.

Hermione pretended to put a seatbelt on and I did the same, still trying not to laugh.

"Hermione…" I said, my voice a little shaky, "are you okay?"

Hermione nodded, her arms around an invisible steering wheel.

"You look tired, do you-"

"I'm okay, Draco. We're nearly there! Don't worry."

I kept quiet for a moment, pretending to gaze out the window but then I sat up straight and looked at Hermione again. "Hermione, do you want me to drive? You could crash."

"We're nearly there, Draco!"

I gained my voice back, "no, Hermione. Stop over there and get out. I'll drive the rest of the way. It doesn't matter if we're nearly there- there is a bigger chance of us getting into a crash right now."

Hermione looked to the side where she would stop and then sighed. She pretended to stop the car and stood up. We swapped sides in the car.

I drop my hands and the light turned to Hermione.

She smiled, "Thanks for watching. I hope you've enjoyed it!"

Hermione stood up and I followed her off the stage and behind the curtain. I breathed out a sigh of relief, grinning. "That was hard."

Hermione rolled her eyes but was smiling, "come on, we need to change back to normal."

Hermione Granger and I grabbed our wands turned ourselves back into our normal selves. I couldn't help but focus on how Hermione actually looked- I wasn't sure if that's how Hermione would actually look at age 22, but she was gorgeous. I couldn't help but focus on that- and I couldn't help but recognise it's been a very long time since I was with a female.