Sorry I forgot this on my last chapters, but here's the long-awaited disclaimer:

I own a car, Draco, Harry, Hermione, and Ron. I'm lying.

Lotsa Shakespeare in this chapter, so if you don't like old Billie-boy, I suggest that you stop reading…NOW. Otherwise, have fun and PLEASE review!!

Here's Chapter 4…Enjoy!

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Chapter 4 – Have a Seat

Moody had finished distributing scripts. "I suggest you read the short summaries before each scene that I have prepared for you," he rasped. "Where is my Bianca?"

A short, blonde girl stepped forward.

"You will work with our Lucentio for your love scene in the garden. Go now – read from your scripts but read with feeling! We have but three weeks."

Moody turned his head and fixed his eye on Hermione. "I would recommend finding your Petruchio and working on Act II, Scene I – after Baptista, Tranio, Gremio, and Hortensio's exit…"

He waved her off and turned to Ron to assign his time with Gremio and Hortensio.

*bloody 16th century names…I know enough about Shakespeare to know that he should find some names that end in a different vowel*

In a bitter mood, Hermione scanned the room for Malfoy's platinum hair, but he seemed to have disappeared.

"How now, sweet Kate." A mysterious whisper pierced the happy chatter around her. She cringed and whipped around to face a smirking Malfoy.

"Bloody hell, Malfoy – will you STOP that? I swear…you just pop out of nowhere scaring people…" she trailed off, noticing Ron's head snap up at the sound of her frustration. She saw him excuse himself from his rehearsal group and stalk over. Hermione put a hand on her forehead and shifted her weight uneasily.

*Oh no…Ron, please don't make a scene…PLEASE…*

"What did you DO, Malfoy?!"

*Great…just great*

Everyone looked up from their places at the new scene that was writing itself before their eyes.

Ron was beet-red and furious, glaring at Malfoy.

"Easy, Weasel…I didn't realize the stupid little Mudblood was on the endangered species list…"

Ron clenched his fists, barely able to restrain himself from strangling the blond boy then and there.

"MR. WEASLEY! Kindly return to your place and leave others to rehearse ON THEIR OWN!" Moody asserted icily from the middle of the room.

Ron stammered. "But – I…"

"THANK YOU MR. WEASLEY." Moody glared at him coldly and pointed a bony finger to Ron's former seat. Ron tramped away, not before giving Malfoy a frigid stare and Hermione a worried glance.

*He's so protective…he really could be my father…weird…and creepy…*

As much as she loved her best friend for watching out for her, Hermione was slightly annoyed at his outburst.

*I can completely handle myself – and Malfoy…I'll show them all…*

She turned back to her scene partner and glowered at him defiantly. "Let's get this over with, Malfoy."

"With pleasure," he sneered, flipping to the scene summary and dictating in a mocking voice: "Bianca has three suitors wanting her hand in marriage. She, however, cannot be married until her older sister – Katherine – is wed. Petruchio – that's me - decides to help his friend Hortensio (who is an inquiring suitor for Bianca) by marrying Katherine. He tries to win her affection…"

He stopped and glanced up, looking like he had just swallowed something sour. He cursed Moody under his breath and began his lines:

"I will attend her here,
And woo her with some spirit when she comes." He grimaced, but continued.
"Say that she rail; why then I'll tell her plain
She sings as sweetly as a nightingale…" He glanced up at her, muttering, "Granger? Sing? Yeah right…" He picked up where he had stopped.
"Say that she frown, I'll say she looks as clear
As morning roses newly wash'd with dew…"

*He reads like a robot*

"Say she be mute and will not speak a word;
Then I'll commend her volubility,
And say she uttereth piercing eloquence:
If she do bid me pack, I'll give her thanks,
As though she bid me stay by her a week:
If she deny to wed, I'll crave the day
When I shall ask the banns and when be married…" He resumed his sour look.


"But here she comes; and now…"

Hermione interrupted him, putting her hands on her hips. "Draco Malfoy – I don't think that anyone could corrupt the brilliance of Shakespeare better than you! And WHY all the commentary? I know you hate me, and you know that I detest you! OBVIOUSLY you aren't making this easier on either of us!" She humphed and picked up her script, noting the delight in his eyes at getting a wild reaction out of her.

"This is my entrance," she muttered, her rage calmed.

"Good morrow, Kate; For that's your name, I hear," Malfoy spoke without looking at his lines.

*He has apparently done a little reading…Fine…I'll play his little game…*

Hermione was pleased with herself for studying Shakespeare. She had successfully memorized many soliloquies from a few of his major plays. Fortunately for her, The Taming of the Shrew was one of her first. She rose herself to her fullest height, but still being a good 6 inches shorter than he, decided to make up for her stature with the aggression that she KNEW Katherine must be feeling in the scene.

"Well have you heard, but something hard of hearing:
They call me Katharina that do talk of me." She threw her script down, relying completely on her memory.

"You lie, in faith; for you are call'd plain Kate,
And bonny Kate and sometimes Kate the CURSED…" He emphasized the last word and smirked before continuing, "But Kate, the prettiest Kate in Christendom
Kate of Kate Hall, my super-dainty Kate,
For dainties are all Kates, and therefore, Kate,
Take this of me, Kate of my consolation;
Hearing thy mildness praised in every town…"

Hermione took pleasure in the grimace on his face that increased with every compliment he gave her. She knew he wouldn't stop.

*He can't stand to lose a game – especially to ME…Malfoy pride comes in useful sometimes…*

He scowled. "Thy virtues spoke of, and thy beauty sounded,
Yet not so deeply as to thee belongs,
Myself am moved to woo thee…" He paused. "For my wife."

Hermione hated to admit it, but she was impressed. It must have taken a lot of initiative to memorize all those lines. She grinned at him, thrilled that she would now be able to return all of his compliments (although she knew they were empty and not sincere), with a smart-aleck remark – only to hear him commend her all the more.

*He won't lose the game…He couldn't. This is bloody brilliant! I love seeing him like this! Ha!*

She sauntered up to him and tossed her hair. "Moved! in good time: let him that moved you hither
Remove you hence: I knew you at the first
You were a moveable." (A/N: sorry for interrupting, but in case you're lost – Petruchio is praising her in every way imaginable and she's telling him to get out…hee hee…I love Katherine…)

Draco snorted, continuing the game, "Why, what's a moveable?"

She snapped at him, "A join'd-stool."

He smirked, sitting down on a nearby wooden chair. "Thou hast hit it: come, sit on me."

*Wouldn't it be funny if I surprised him by "forgetting" my lines…and actually taking his invitation?* Hermione simpered to herself. *This is going to be fun…*

Without any further hesitation, she marched over and sat on his lap. She turned to his face, expecting to see a look of disgust. What she saw was a complete surprise.

*Is he staring at my…EW! *

She snapped her fingers in front of his eyes. "Malfoy! My face is up HERE!"

He grinned at her with a mischievous spark in his gray eyes.

*Why isn't he recoiling from me? Why isn't he pushing me OFF, darn-it!!!? I'm in over my head here…how was I supposed to expect THIS? *

She was even more astonished when he placed his hand on her waist, and she squirmed uncomfortably.

He was obviously enjoying her uneasiness, and he took his time in the loud silence before lazily commenting, "You know, Granger – you were supposed to call me an ass…"

*That ASS!*

Moody observed the couple, unnoticed, but with a strange smile of satisfaction on his deformed face.

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A/N: There we go….whatddya think?

Devin-Jamie: Hee hee….you found out who it was….are you disappointed?

Whynotu: AWWWW thanks alex! I luv you, girl! Hope you liked this chapter!

PsYcHoJo: I love Ron soooo much, and I thought puppy-ness suited him – glad you liked it!

CH127: So….how's the Shakespeare? I was trying to get the mood of the characters in the play to reflect the mood of the actors towards each other….took me forever to find an appropriate play, but I had to use Shakespeare…I'm glad you liked the line about his "Moderately Eccentric" eye…hee hee….

Kami: Thankx! I hope you liked this chapter, too!

Kate: lol…just so you know, I'm a Kate too and in no way am I trying to suggest that "Kate"'s are "shrews"…hee hee…I love Katherine's character…

You're right about being "locked" in…per say. The doors behind them disappeared…sort of to say that "once you go far enough, you can't go back…" Thanks for your review! Hope you liked the Shakespeare!!

Totaloser: A beta reader is someone who previews the chapters and corrects/makes suggestions to the author before it's actually posted – sort of like someone who gets a "sneak peak." A prick is a British curse word…synonymous with "penis"…and a prat is just an insulting term for someone who is excessively annoying…

Hope that cleared some things up! And you're right….DRACO is YUMMY!!!

That's it for now! REVIEW PLEASE!!! Xoxo-Kate