A/N: I hoped to get this one out a bit faster, and I'm estimating that my story is probably going to be pretty long, but I still want to thank those of you who review this!!

Chapter VIII: Good News and Bad News

Before Hermione even reached the Fat Lady, she could hear the screaming. She recognized two loudest female voices to belong to Alicia and Angelina, and the two loudest male voices to belong to Ron and Fred. She sighed, quickly gave the password (Flourus Faunas), then walked into what seemed to be the biggest mess in history.

Alicia and Angelina were standing on one side of the room, screaming at Fred and George, who were wearing false eyelashes, loads of eye-shadow, and were screaming in Swahili. Katie and Parvarti were cursing each other's hair to take the form of multi-colored animals, though it seemed that Katie was 'winning' because of her transfiguration classes, and Ron and Ginny were wrestling in the far corner. The other students were nowhere to be found, save Harry, who was cowering under a footstool. Hermione silently chose a safe path to reach Harry, and picked up her script on the way.

"Harry," Hermione enquired. "What in the bloody hell is this?"

Harry shook his head. "Ever since you left, they've been going at it. Katie was found putting itching powder in Parvarti's robes, and that's when they started cursing each other. It's actually quite amusing, you see. So, anyways, that's about when Ron decided to 'come to her rescue' per say, and curse Katie. Ginny tackled him just before he could draw his wand, and they've been at it ever since." Harry stopped to take a breath.

"So when did Angelina and Fred and them get into this battle?" asked Mio.

"George came into the common room, and was ambushed by the mascara and eye-shadow brushes of Angelina and Alicia. Then, when Fred came in, they got him too, but he got hit with a curse that sent him into speaking fluent Swahili. I think that one was sent by Alicia." Harry shook his head. Hermione didn't speak. So much for her good news. She bid Harry a good night, then headed up to her room to look over her part.

It was later that evening when Ginny finally made it up to the dorm. She was sprouting a bruised eye when she came in. The first thing she noticed was the title of the gigantic book laying on Hermione's bed.

"Oh my gosh, Mio… congratulations!!!" She jumped to hug Hermione. "Lead role. I can't believe it! Oh my gosh! Well, I did believe it, I mean, I knew you could do it, but what I mean is oh Mione this is wonderful!"

Hermione smiled and laughed. "Yes, now let's get that eye of yours fixed up." Hermione slid off of her four poster bed, and began digging through her medicine drawer. Ginny immediately plopped herself down onto the now empty bed, and began flipping through the pages of the book.

"Mio…" she began, evil laughter in her voice. "Who, may I ask, is the male leading role?"

Hermione stopped looking through the drawer she had been and moved onto the one below it. "Umm… it's Draco. Why?"

Ginny grinned ear to ear. "What happens in the end of the story of Sleeping Beauty?"

Mio rolled her eyes. Everyone knew this story! "The princess is awakened by her true love and they live happily ever after in a kingdom far, far away."

"Yes, but how does he awaken her?"

Hermione shot up from what she was doing, causing her to hit her head on a drawer she had previously opened. "He kisses her. Oh my gosh, Ginny! I have to kiss Draco on stage!"

Mortified, Hermione began to ramble. "But I can't do that!" she started. "I can't kiss him, especially in front of everyone in school! I'll become the laughing stock of Hogwarts! They students will pass on the story of 'The Sleeping Mudblood and her Pureblood Lover' forever! But I, but I…" Hermione began to sob. Ginny slid off the bed, and put her arm around Hermione's shoulders.

"Shh…" she crooned. "It's ok. No one is going to laugh at you."

"Laugh at Hermione for what?"

Alicia, Katie, and Angelina had just entered the room soon enough to hear the last of Ginny's consolance.

"Hermione's concerned that because of her part in the play, that people are going to make fun of her."

Angelina snorted. "Seriously, it can't be that bad. I mean, what do you have to do; kiss Draco Malfoy?"

Hermione's eyes flooded with tears.

"Oh Hermione, I didn't mean it, honestly, I just…"

It's ok," sniffed Hermione. "You didn't know."

"Wait," Katie said, with a sense of enthusiastically. "If you have to kiss Draco, and there's only one kissing scene in the play, that means… Oh Hermione! Congrats!" Alicia chorused in with Katie, hugging Hermione.

Hermione smiled a soggy smile. "Thanks, but I should probably get back to memorizing my lines. We start tomorrow."

Angelina, Katie, and Alicia took this as their leave, and on their way out, Alicia reassured her that if anyone had anything to say to Hermione about the kissing, to send them to her and the other girls. Hermione thanked them for their caring, then picked up the bruise cream that she had been searching for in the drawers.

"Sit still, Ginny." she commanded.

Ginny did as she was told, while Hermione spread the cream around the now puffy and almost swollen-shut eye. When she was finished, Ginny thanked her, and went to get changed for bed.

Later that evening, when it seemed that everyone but Hermione was asleep, a soft voice was heard coming from the bed next to her.

"Mione?"

"Yes, Ginny?"

Is the play before or after the Winter dance?"

"The night before. Why?"

"Because," Ginny said, smiling with every word. "You win the bet!"

A/N: Hope you enjoyed, R&R!!