There's a Place for Us
Summary- after two years of turmoil, the wizard world is finally at peace again. Sacrifices have been made, and people have died, but in the end, the light side prevailed, leaving one of the strongest wizards in a hundred years, Voldemort, dead. People's lives have changed and people appreciate the life they have more and more, well….some do… Now the kids are all back at Hogwarts, Harry, Hermione, And Ron are in their final year, just wishing for some peace and normalcy, so Dumbledore takes a few measures to ensure the kids have a well deserved break in school, along with a little fun. Less homework, double the quidditch games, and a musical to unite the two most feuding houses, so the question is…is trying to unite a Slytherin and Gryffindor a good idea? Could there really be a place for it? Title taken from a song in West Side Story-Somewhere
Disclaimer- I do not own any of the Harry Potter characters or anything related to the Harry Potter world. Ms. Rowling has the pleasure of that. Nor do I own the plot of West Side Story or related songs. All things you do not recognize are probably mine, and you're more than welcome to borrow them with permission.
Authors Note- Thank you for taking an interest in my story, so let me tell you more about my writing. I am the author of three other semi- novel length fics, including 'Love is Worth Forgiving For', 'When
Love and Hate Collide' and 'A New Kind of Enemy'. I've also written seven other songfics/one shots to date. My writing style, I think is my own, but, I have to warn you, I am a terrible speller. Not even spell check can help me half the time. And I'm stubborn. I don't like the idea of a beta reader, although I know one would be helpful. I also only write Draco/Hermione fiction, as of now. Everything I have written involves them. I don't like the idea of Hermione hooking up with Ron or Harry, in my eyes, their too good of friends, and sometimes relationships can ruin that. I think that sooner or later in the series Draco Malfoy will turn around. In the real series that is. He is simply too cocky and arrogant to be anyone's puppet. How he will turn around remains to be seen, but I do hope it's in the name of love :D
Spoilers- Harry Potter and the Sorcerers Stone,
Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets,
Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
Pairings- This is a Draco Malfoy and Hermione fiction, but other pairs may develop along the way.
Chapter one- Tattoos of Memories
~
Draco Malfoy walked away from the extravagant grave with a sigh. He couldn't understand the human race, why did it have to lie? He took one more glance at the polished stone:
Lucius William Malfoy
Loving father and husband
1947-2003
May his soul rest in peace
~
"Welcome one, welcome all
Back unto this place
I've been here a hundred years or more
But don't recognize every face
So you must be the newer ones
Another generation to teach
But first you need a house, a home
And that's just what I'll preach
Hufflepuffs are loyal and good
They always do what's right
Being honest, being true
And fighting the good fight
Ravenclaws are a clever breed
Working hard and long
If this sounds a thing like you
Ravenclaw is where you'll belong
Gryfindors are another kind
Facing every day with a grin
If you've got the right attitude
Gryffindor will help you win
And then the regal Slytherins
The proud and the real
Obtain any goal you set
Slytherin will help you feel
So try me on and sit right down
I'll look inside your mind
Then I'll decide what house you'll be in
And where you'll find your kind"
"Welcome to another year at Hogwarts, students."
Dumbledore smiled down on the four house tables. His aged eyes still glittered behind his half-moon spectacles, which sat unmoving on his rather crooked nose. He looked around the large Great Hall, and gazed at all the faces, old and new alike. He glanced over at the Gryffindor table, decked in deep red and gold, a proud Lion roared over it. He watched as his new head girl sat laughing with her friends, the same sight that always made him smile. This was their last year at Hogwarts, their final year of learning before they are expected to know everything, the last year of their youth. He was glad they where laughing, glad they still had something to laugh about, glad they still had the power to laugh.
Another turning point
a fork stuck in the road
The wise wizard then glanced to the opposite side of the room, this table was by far the most sullen, as well as the most sparsely populated. It still was decorated in the regal green and silver, and angry looking serpent intertwined around a large S, as if it was guarding it. It was hard to imagine the horrors of the last two years hit this house the hardest.
Four two years, the reign of Voldemort took its toll on the wizarding world. Every year Hogwarts remained open, successfully staying the single safest place in all of Europe, and probably the world. But every year, the numbers dwindled, and it all started with Cedric Diggory.
So many people had died, all for a strong cause that they dedicated their lives to, either the dark side, or the light side, but it didn't matter when a person was inches form death what side they were on, only that they died for a cause they felt was worth dying for.
Of course Sirius Black had died soon after Cedric, he died a hero's death, and Dumbledore saw that the ministry cleared him and gave him the Order of Merlin, first class.
Vincent Crabbe and Gregory Goyle where two of the students that no longer attended Hogwarts, ate the lunches, or slept in the large four posters. They both started out as deatheaters, following their fathers to share in the Dark Lords power, but somewhere along the way, A voice awoke in Crabbe, and he became a spy, and in the end, in a face off with Goyle, they hit each other with the same renowned killing curse, both dying with smiles on their lips.
Severus Snape was a far more successful spy for the light side then Crabbe, and relayed many important messages. Unfortunately, the right side of his left leg was permanently paralyzed, and you could often see the potions master limping with a cane. He had since become a much better person, although still a very strict Professor.
Fred and George Weasley ran a successful joke shop in Hogsmeade and Diagon Ally, putting Zonko's out of business. During the war, they, along with Ginny, spent countless hours making magical weapons, and creating new spells for the light side.
Harry Potter, Ron Weasley, and Hermione Granger all fought for the light side, alongside their classmates Dean Thomas, Seamus Finnegan, and Neville Longbottem. Neville is currently in St. Mugos, trying to regain his sanity. He jumped in front of a crutacuous curse aimed at Seamus, and was under it until Hermione found the strength to stop the curse, and killed the death eater that cast it- Lucius Malfoy.
Hermione nearly went insane herself after that, insane with remorse. She was not built to be a fighter, a killer, although she saved countless lives herself. Ron and Harry pulled her through it although, and to the world, it was Harry Potter that killed one of the most ruthless deatheaters known, not Hermione Granger. Hermione wanted it to stay that way, she couldn't stop feeling the guilt that consumed her, but Harry and Ron where there for her, now she concentrated on bringing Neville back to them.
Harry Potter, as everyone had assumed, finally finished off Voldemort, but with the combined powers of Hermione and Ron. It was your basic fairy tale, the trio where strong, special, and their powers and love for one another finally caused Voldemorts downfall, cliché yes, but aren't most fantastic stories cliché?
Time grabs you by the wrist
directs you where to go
Ron lost his vision for a few weeks, and everyone was so sure he would never regain it, but Hermione had other ideas. She thought that if her, Harry, and Ron's power where enough to kill something that wasn't even truly alive, surly they could restore Ron's vision, and, miraculously, she was right. Hers and Harry's were foggy for a few days, but it soon cleared away, leaving them all as if nothing had happened.
Hermione couldn't figure out what it was. She wasn't special. She came from an all-muggle family, with no special talent to thin of. She was clever yes, oh she was very clever, but special? No, not really that special.
So much had happed. Dennis and Colin Creevy where dead, they died in a joint effort to save a Ravenclaw boy they had never even talked to, from dying. They where both giving Order of Merlin, First class. Marcus Flint, former captain of the Slytherin quiddich team, was dead, thanks to Ron, who killed him before Markus could kill Blaise Zambini, who fought for the light side.
Many other nameless people died as well, not just the ones Hermione, Harry, and Ron where close to. People from other houses that he had said hello to once or twice no longer roamed the halls, and Gryffindors that they used to play exploding snap and quidditch with where gone, but a picture of the Creevy brothers wave to them from above the fireplace, in every Gryffindors eyes, they where truly the bravest.
Dumbledore glanced around the room some more. His old eyes finally lying to rest on another pair, much younger, these silver eyes.
These eyes belonged to the most subdued Slytherin of all. Dumbledore used to think Harry Potter had the hardest life, the most troubled fate, yet this boy with piercing grey eyes proved him wrong. Very wrong.
Draco Malfoy was a question in himself. Not too many people knew his story, other than he was never tried as a deatheater, as many believed he was. Only very few knew his story, if any did at all. Oh, they all knew his facts, he was seventeen years old, a Slytherin, heir to the biggest wizard fortune in the world. Everyone knew his parents were dead as well, fighting for the side of Lord Voldemort. Yes, now Draco Malfoy was just like Harry, and orphan.
"I do hope this year will prove to be your best year here at Hogwarts." Dumbledore said to the listening students. "In light of recent events, we have many things to be thankful for, as well as many reasons to mourn, for we have lost many, many brave souls over the past years." He paused. "I want you all to know that this is not the same Hogwarts you came to know, especially you older students. Look around you, your classmates from other houses, they are not the same as well. This year I will not tolerate any sort of fighting, as we have had far too much of that. You are all starting out on clean slates."
The students in the hall were looking at each other. Hermione looked from Ron to Harry, wide-eyed, then over to the Ravenclaw table, and her eyes locked with Padma, they nodded to one another, and Hermione's eyes moved to the Slytherin table. She saw Draco Malfoy sitting there, his face so emotionless, yet his eyes were a storm of every emotion imaginable to Hermione. No one really knew his story. Nothing about him. Something definitely intrigued Hermione about Draco. After all, he was head boy, but how? Hermione and her friends always figured his dad paid the school to let him be a prefect, but his dad was dead…so was he a prefect all this time on his own merit?
"I have come up with a few new ideas to make this school year more enjoyable for everyone." Dumbledore continued on, smiling. "Number one, there will be no final or mid-term exams, and homework will be reduced considerably. Just be to do what is given. Two, there will be double the quidditch matches. Each house will play the others five times. Spells and enchantments shall be put on the quidditch pitch to ensure adequate playing. And finally, we are to have a musical."
Dumbledore's eyes twinkled with amusement and mischief when he saw the various reactions of the students in the great hall.
"Now, more then ever, is the time to be able to get along with one another, and we will be performing the musical 'West Side Story' for those of you familiar, you will see a connection, and for those of you who aren't, I have several hundred copies of the script."
"I have also decided that it will be a musical between the Gryffindors and Slytherin's seeing as that the two houses are quite unfriendly still. I'm sorry to disappoint the Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw house, but do not fret, you will have plenty of other things to do in helping of getting the musical together.
The great hall erupted in a mixture of disappointment, delight, and scorn. From the looks of things, the students where eager to get out of the usual hum-drum of the school year, Hermione in particular.
"West Side Story!" Hermione said excitedly.
Harry smiled. "I saw that on TV once." He said. "It was kind of old fashioned, but a really cool story."
Ron, on the other hand, looked confused. "Never heard of it." He said.
Hermione smiled. "It's a muggle musical." He explained brightly. "One of my favorites."
"What's a musical?" Ron asked. "And what's so great about a story of a west side?"
Hermione looked as though she had been slapped. "What's a musical?" She said, amazed at how ignorant the wizard world was. "A musical is like a play, only whenever strong emotion is being portrayed, or someone is explaining something, it can turn into a song, and there's usually a lot of dancing. West Side Story is about America in the early 1900's. It's a story about the rivalry and hate between two groups of people, the Puerto Rican immigrants and the Americans that have been established there. The Americans are angry because at that point in time, the Puerto Ricans where immigrating a lot, and the Americans felt that they were moving in on their territory. They viewed the Puerto Ricans as lower citizens, not as good as themselves."
Hermione took a breath, and continued. "Then one day, something out of the ordinary happens. At a dance, where both groups of people are allowed to be, called open territory, Tony, who pretty much started the American gang, called the jets, fell in love with a Puerto Rican girl names Maria, who's brother is coincidently the leader of the sharks, the Puerto Rican gang. The play shows that no matter what the odds, two people from completely different worlds have the power to overcome their own doubts and fears, and can find the power to love one another."
Hermione had a look of dazed lust on her face, thinking of how romantic it all was.
Ron snorted. "So what happens?" He asked with a smirk. "Maria and Tony get married, and live happily ever after, right?"
Hermione looked sad for a moment. "No." She said. "Tony gets killed, shot with a gun in the back by one of Maria's supposed friends. Tony dies in Maria's arms. He died because hate killed him."
Harry and Ron where quiet for a moment, letting it process in their minds. Then Harry said, "It's kind of what the war was about, huh?" He mumbled thoughtfully. "It was Puerto Ricans against those Americans, and the war was basically about pureblood and muggle born power."
"Are you going to try out for a part?" Harry asked Hermione.
She blushed. "I'll just try out for a backup dancer." She said. "I'm not a very good singer."
Harry laughed. "I think I'll try out for the brother, Bernardo right? Yea, He seems a lot like me. You should try out for Chino Ron, you guy have the same temper."
Ron's eyes opened wide. "Oh, I don't think so. No singing for me, uh uh, no way."
Hermione jumped in. "Chino doesn't have any singing parts! But Harry is right, Chino is very much your character."
Ron looked at them. "Ok, who is Chino exactly?"
"The guy that kills Tony." Hermione said simply, taking a bite of bread. "He was supposed to marry Maria, but Maria fell in love with Tony, so Chino became enraged and killed him."
Hermione smiled sweetly at her friend, who was growing very red.
"How am I like him?" Ron asked, confused and slightly angry.
"You have a fiery temper." Hermione said
Ron smiled and relaxed. "Yea, I guess I do, but I do recall saving your butt a few times with my temper."
"And I have had to save your butt as a result of your temper." Hermione retorted, making Harry laugh.
"Alright." Ron said. "I'll do it, as long as I don't have to do a lot of singing."
"None." Hermione said. "You'll just have to try out acting, that's all."
"Alright." Ron said with a smile. "Maybe I get to shoot a Slytherin."
"That's not funny" Hermione said, looking away.
"It was only a joke, Mione." Ron said, regretting the comment. "I'm sorry."
"It's alright." Hermione said. "I'm still a little touchy, I have to get over…get over it."
Harry walked over to his friend and wrapped her in a huge hug. "Don't worry about it Mione." He said. "You are not to blame. It was either you or him, and we would have killed him anyway if he hurt you."
Hermione closed her eyes and breathed in. Harry smelled so good, fresh and clean, and completely safe. He was so warm, and soon she felt another body-Ron. She smiled to herself, despite it all, she was lucky, too lucky really.
It's not a question
but a lesson learned in time
(A/N)
oooo! Look at that! Another fic! lol. I've had this one in my head for a looong time, so its nice to get it out. Please forgive me if I end up not putting out another chapter regularly like I should, I will probably make the chapters shorter for this fic, since I am still working on When Love and Hate Collide. Reviews keep me motivated! If you like what you see, tell me and I'll write more. I have a system. Whenever I get a review, for whatever story, I write two more paragraphs for that story ( If it's a one shot, then I just write two paragraphs for whatever fic I'm currently working on) so if you review, that's two paragraphs closer to a new chapter, all because you took the five minutes to tell me what you think.
Also, this fic really could go one of two ways. If you have seen West Side Story you know what happens at the end (or you could read what Hermione says up there ^) soooo, happy or sad ending? It's up to you.
Xoxo/ariel