Chapter 4
The much awaited day when random selections would be made in the big auditorium of Hermione Granger's college finally rolled around. She did not have any particular interest in acting or theater plays. When she was young, she would go to theaters with her parents. But she never attended one out of sheer willingness.
When Hermione stepped into the vast auditorium space, there were already a lot of students and teachers gathered around the big stage. She walked up to the second row of seats in the second column. She heaved a huge sigh of relief when she managed to get herself seated in one of them.
After about ten minutes passed, Miss Rachael stood before the microphone on stage. Her appearance caused all the students to shift their focus on the big podium.
"The play we will be organizing in honor of the final year of college is the epic tragic love story which is none other than Romeo and Juliet by Shakespeare, " Miss Rachael declared; her both hands holding the microphone close to her mouth.
When Miss Rachael revealed the name of the play, Hermione's eyes flitted to the silver haired boy Draco Malfoy seated a few seats away from her who gagged at the utterance of Romeo and Juliet. A couple of seconds later, he clasped his mouth with both hands as if he were preventing himself from puking.
"We will make arbitrary selections. The character who will play Juliet will be chosen first. The first name that comes up is obliged to play the female protagonist, " Miss Rachael's hand clawed around the big white bowl placed on a table beside the microphone before finally managing to get hold of a single piece of paper.
"The female protagonist will be played by Hermione Granger."
Hermione gasped. Her eyes grew as big as saucers. She clasped her mouth in sheer astonishment. The girl who had zero interest in acting had been chosen arbitrarily out of so many females. She knew that she would have to do it no matter how she felt about the entire thing.
"And now for the guy who will play Romeo…."
Hermione gained back her composure and straightened herself. Miss Rachael plucked a piece of paper before returning to the microphone.
"The part for the male protagonist goes to Draco Malfoy, " Miss Rachael's voice boomed into the microphone throughout the entire auditorium with loud reverberations causing Hermione's mouth to open so wide that any insect could have entered into it.
The person she could not even tolerate for a second would be her love interest in an epic tragic Shakespearean play. The guy who did not miss any opportunity to belittle her with his snarky comments would have to make fake declarations of love.
Draco's reaction was something that Hermione's watchful gaze could not escape. He had this pained expression as if he were afflicted with a very dangerous flu. His grey orbs glowed red at this unexpected turn of events. He knew that he could not alter Miss Rachael's decision. It was beyond his control. Draco hatred knew no bounds.
Not being able to control anything was what Draco loathed. He was used to getting his way. Only this time the situation was quite the contrary. Hermione felt that his eyes had the power to murder someone. She was not unaware of his wrath. She had witnessed it the other day.
Hermione would not cower under Draco's untamed rage. She would stand her ground. She prepared herself to work with him on agreeable terms. She would not get angry at his petty remarks. She would wear this impassive expression that his attitude had zero influence upon her.
But there was this fact that she could not deny. The close encounter they had the other day with Draco's face hovering a couple of inches above hers was something that lingered in her mind with vivid clarity. The butterflies and the sparks it unleashed were the things she feared the most whenever Draco got close to her. That was what troubled her the most.
