HENRIETTA and HERMIONE

ACT II, SCENE I

The Gryffindor Common Room

Ron: And then add powdered worm brains...

(enter Henrietta)

Henrietta: What are you doing? Where are Harry and Hermione?

Ron: At a prefects' meeting. I'm doing my potions homework.

Henrietta: Oh. I've finished mine. Do you want some help?

Ron: I'd rather just talk to you.

Henrietta: Actually that's my preference as well.

Ron: Henrietta, why do you have to marry Harry?

Henrietta: My parents made me. They're sending me to work at Azkaban and then disinherit me if I don't marry him. I don't love him though! I'm so unhappy.

Ron: Well, our detention with Snape should cheer you up. Do you know what he's making us do?

Henrietta: I overheard him talking to Dumbledore. He's sending us into the Forbidden Forest- at night!

Ron: Is he mad? What for?

Henrietta: Um, I think he wants us to weed it!

Ron: Weed it?! He is crazy!

Henrietta: I know.

Ron: Hey, Henrietta, I just remembered- we'll get a whole night on our own in a cold forest with no-one watching!

Henrietta: Ron...

Ron: I know you're engaged to Harry and all that, but I... I...

Henrietta: -Madly adore you!

Ron: Yeah! (kisses her)

Henrietta: Thank-you!

(enter Harry and Hermione)

Harry: Hi you two. Guess what? Dumbledore told us what you two have to do for detention. You have to-

Ron: We know. Henrietta overheard him and Snape.

Henrietta: We know what we have to do but not when.

Hermione: Tomorrow night at seven o' clock.

Ron: Great.

Harry: Well, I'm going to quidditch practice. (exit)

Ron: Hermione, can you help me with my homework?

Hermione: Honestly Ron, no I can't. You should be able to manage by yourself. I'm going to the library.

(exit Hermione followed by Henrietta)

Ron: Add powdered worm brains...

~ * ~

ACT II, SCENE II

The Corridor outside the Common Room

Henrietta: Hermione! Wait a minute!

Hermione: What?

Henrietta: Well, you're like my best friend.

Hermione: Er...

Henrietta: Yes you are. And I've got to tell you, but don't tell anyone else- Ron and I are a couple!

Hermione: You are? Oh congratulations! What about Harry, though?

Henrietta: I don't know. We'll cross that bridge when we come to it. Just don't tell him. And Hermione, you know that detention- it'll be a perfect chance for Ron and I to, er, you know...

Hermione: You mean in the forest?

Henrietta: Yes. We wouldn't get much privacy anywhere here, especially with all this Harry business.

Hermione: Well, congratulations again. Henrietta, I'm nervous about bringing up this subject, but since you're with Ron and you don't seem to care for Harry- Well you see, I've um... developed a, well...

Henrietta: Feelings for Harry, you mean?

Hermione: Yes that's just it! I don't know how or when but the point is that now I... I love him.

Henrietta: Well, I hope you get him! I won't be jealous of you. Friends now I hope?

Hermione: Of course!

(they give each other a hug then Henrietta exits throught the Portrait Hole.)

Hermione: Oh this is ridiculous! Hermione Granger eaten up with envy and plotting how to catch a boy! Still, I've got a good idea that will hopefully make Harry turn from Henrietta to me. Oh, here he comes!

(enter Harry carrying his firebolt.)

Harry: Hi Hermione, what are you doing standing around in the corridor like a lost sheep?

Hermione: I've just been talking to Henrietta.

Harry: Oh right. Say anything interesting?

Hermione: As a matter of fact, yes. She told me in the strictest confidence, but I think you should know, that she and Ron are going out and that they're planning to keep it a secret.

Harry: WHAT? How dare they? I hate him- he's taken my fiancee! And I guess the forbidden forest...?

Hermione: You've got the jist.

Harry: What can we do?

Hermione: I did have an idea.

Harry: What is it?

Hermione: Well... I thought that as they can't be alone in the forest doing detention and we're prefects-

Harry: Hermione- you're a genius!

Hermione: Let me finish. As I was saying, we're prefects so we should be able to get Dumbledore's permission to supervise their detention. They wouldn't know that though and we'd follow them and catch them kissing or whatever.

Harry: It's perfect! Thanks for telling me about them, though. I could almost kiss you for it!

Hermione: Please do.

Harry: What? Oh all right.

(he kisses her stiffly on the cheek)

Hermione: Oh...

Harry: Not satisfied? You surely don't want a full on the lips job, do you?

Hermione: Yes...

Harry: Oh Hermione. I don't know how this happened, but I don't like you at all like that.

Hermione: It's all right Harry, I just thought...

Harry: I'm sorry...

Hermione: Shall we go and ask Dumbledore for his permission about the forbidden forest?

Harry: That's a good idea! Let's go.

(exeunt)

~ * ~

ACT II, SCENE III

A classroom

(enter Fred, George, Lee, Katie, Alicia and Angelina)

Fred: Well, are we all here?

Alicia: You'd better take the register, Professor Weasley!

George: Stop teasing my poor brother!

Fred: Ah, ahem. Alicia Spinnet?

Alicia: Presesnt! What part do I get?

Fred: Oh yes, your parts. Er, Alicia, you have the lead role: you are-

(enter Professor McGonagall)

Professor McGonagall: Excuse me, am I interrupting something?

Lee: Actually yes, Professor.

Professor McGonagall: I'm sorry, Mr. Jordon. I'm afraid I'll need this classroom for the staff meeting in half an hour.

George: But we need to rehearse the play for the engagement party! We've only got a week.

Professor McGonagall: Well, you'll just have to rehearse elsewhere. (exit)

Fred: Old cow! Anyway, as I was saying, you Alicia play Juliet.

Alicia: Yes! I can play her very well. Listen to this!

(she strikes a theatrical pose and smotes her forehead)

Alicia: 'O Romeo, Romeo! wherefore art thou Romeo?

Deny thy father and refuse thy name;

Or-' (IIii, 33-35)

Lee: I think we've got the point, Alicia.

Alicia: And I was really just starting to get into the part!

Fred: Shall I continue? Good. George Weasley?

George: Absent.

Fred: Good. George, you have the lead role as well: you play Romeo.

Lee: Hey, that's favouratism! He's your brother!

Fred: If it was favouratism, then I would have myself for the part. However, it isn't such a blessing- George- you've got to kiss Alicia!

Alicia: Hey, what's wrong with that? I'm very attractive!

Katie and Angelina: Oooh!

George: Oh, damn you Fred!

Lee: Good one, Fred!

Alicia: I still don't see the problem! Still, if you'd rather not take the part on, then I could play as fine a Romeo as ever lived!

'Did my heart love till now? foreswear it, sight!

For I ne'er saw true beauty till this night.' (Iv, 54-55)

Don't you think I'd make a good Romeo?

All: NO!

Fred: Well, I'll continue. Lee Jordon- you play Friar Laurence.

Lee: Oh great- and me being an atheist.

Alicia: I'll do it! I can just imagine me doing-

'Affliction is enamour'd of thy parts,

And thou art wedded to calamity.' (IIIiii, 2-3)

Fred: Just give us a break and shut up, will you, Alicia? Katie Bell, you play the Nurse.

Katie: Ooh yeah! She gets to make all the rude remarks, doesn't she?

Alicia: Can't I play her? You know-

Fred: Katie is playing the Nurse and that decision is final!

Angelina: So who do I play?

Fred: You? Hmm. You play Paris, Mercutio and Lady Capulet.

Angelina: Who are they?

Fred: Well, Lady C. is Juliet's mother and a snob. Mercutio is Romeo's friend. He dies.-

Angelina: He?!

Fred: -Paris is Juliet's fiancee. He dies as well.

Katie: Are you sure this is a suitable choice for an engagement party?

Fred: Of course! When we've had fun with it!

Angelina: Are you trying to tell me that I've got to play two men?

Fred: I'm not trying to tell you; I am telling you!

Angelina: But Fred...

Fred: I play Tybalt, the Prince and everyone else.

Katie: That sounds hard.

Angelina: At least you don't have to play a woman!

Alicia: Look Angie, if you don't want play those guys, I'll do them.

Fred: You've already got a part, OK?

Alicia: But-

Lee: Shall I give out the scripts?

Katie: I think it's more important to fix a rehearsal place for tomorrow at any rate.

George: Katie's got a point. Well, we can't use the classrooms, it's the Ravenclaw quidditch night so we can't use the pitch...

Fred: Since we need privacy, why don't we go in the Forbidden Forest?

Lee: Er Fred...?

Fred: Well? We can steak out the usual way. (he winks heavily at everyone)

All: Ah hah!

Katie: I'm scared!

Fred: Too bad.

Lee: What time shall we meet?

Fred: Er, let's see. How about seven o'clock in the usual clearing. Everyone know where that is?

Angelina: Sure.

Alicia: OK, so tomorrow, seven o'clock in the forest?

Fred: That's it, now let's get on with rehearsal. *(see the end of the chapter for a brief summary of R & J.)

~ * ~

ACT II, SCENE IV

Dumbledore's office

(enter Dumbledore)

Dumbledore: Oh dear. Those poor fifth years. What can I do? Hermione is obviously in love with Harry and Harry is still infatuated with Henrietta. All I need is a love potion... but how can I get one at such short notice? They normally take about a week to brew. I know- house elves can brew potions at an extra fast speed. I'll ask Plucky to make a love potion and give it to Harry when he's in the forest.

(enter Plucky)
Plucky: You wanted me, Mr. Professor?

Dumbledore: Yes. I'd like you to make a love potion for a student.

Plucky: Certainly. Which student, sir?

Dumbledore: His name is Harry Potter. He is a fifth year.

Plucky: Is he one of the ones who visit the kitchens?

Dumbledore: Probably. He's friends with a boy and a girl.

Plucky: Oh yes sir! I know who you mean!

Dumbledore: Well, will you make a love potion and give it to him in the forbidden forest tomorrow so that he will fall in love with Hermione Granger, the girl?

Plucky: But sir! Elvish love potions only work in a specialised way.

Dumbledore: Really? I learn more each day!

Plucky: Yes, sir. If you give an elvish love potion to someone, then they will fall in love with the next person they see.

Dumbledore: Hmm. Well, Harry and Hermione will be together because they are supervising a detention so there won't be a problem.

Plucky: Very good, sir! I'll go and prepare the potion now!

(exit Plucky)

END of ACT II

A/N: OK, so it should be really obvious what this is based on now! Review comments please!

*Plot of 'Romeo and Juliet' (skip this if you already know it!): The Capulets (C) and Montagues (M) are always fighting. One day Romeo (M) meets Juliet (C). They fall in love but because of the hatred of their families cannot confess it. Soon, Juliet is forced to marry Paris, a nobelman who is friendly with the Capulets. The next day, Juliet marries Romeo in private by Friar Laurence, a friend of Romeo's. However, after the ceremony; Romeo, Mercutio and Benvolio encounter Tybalt (C) who hates the M.s. He kills Mercutio in a duel and Romeo retaliates and kills Tybalt. The Prince then banishes Romeo from Verona. Romeo leaves, and when Juliet goes to Friar Laurence for help. He gives her a sleeping potion which makes her look dead. She takes the potion and everyone thinks she is dead. They bury her. F. L. sends a word to Romeo that she is actually asleep. The letter doesn't get through and Romeo comes back to Verona to kill himself because Juliet is 'dead'. He goes to the tomb and swallows poison. Juliet then wakes up, and seeing Romeo dead, stabs her. A very good choice of play for an engagement party!