A/N: I just want to thank everyone for reviewing with the most positive attitude, and to harley( ), if I were to have put that he was living I would have gotten bad reviews too. However, I would like you to know that I am a very devout Christian, and did not mean any harm to anyone by that comment!!

Chapter X: Piping Hot Mad

The first group practice for the play was the next Saturday. Hermione and Draco had met many times previously, always doing homework at the table in the library. Now they were sitting next to each other with the rest of the 'royal family'. The Gryffindor girls were not speaking with the Gryffindor boys, and vise versa. McGongall rose to speak.

"Now then, since everyone is accounted for, we may begin. First, I need Hermione, rather, Aurora's parents."

Alicia and George stood up, and glared at each other as they walked up the stage.

"Now then, stand close to each other."

Alicia and George both threw disgusted looks in the other's way, and then moved so that there was about five feet between them.

Professor McGonagall rolled her eyes. "You are married! You have just given birth to a beautiful baby girl! Look happy at the least!"

All the professor received was looks of revulsion. With a brisk wave of her wand, McGonagall managed to move the two so that George's arm was around the waist of Alicia. Alicia glared at George, who smiled menacingly, then tightened his grip around her waist.

"Come on sweetie, we've just had a beautiful little girl who looks nothing like us. Be happy, darling." George whispered. He squeezed a little harder.

"George, I can't breathe."

"Who needs to breathe?"

"George…" Alicia gasped.

"What?" asked George, with a sense of fake innocence.

"Mr. Weasley! Is there something you would like to announce to the group?" McGonagall and the rest of the students were all watching with interest.

George looked around nervously.

"Err, no Professor. Please continue." He loosened his grip on Alicia's waist.

"Good. Now then…"

After the practice that afternoon, Hermione was still having problems with her lines.

"It's no use Ginny! I just can't seem to be able to memorize these lines! Ginny? Ginny, are you listening?" Hermione asked.

Ginny was sitting next to Hermione in the Gryffindor common room, looking lustfully in the direction of a certain black haired boy. Hermione rolled her eyes.

"Ginny, are you even listening?"

Ginny snapped out of her trance. "Sorry Mio, I just… I like him so much, and I can't tell him because he's with Cho and…" Ginny burst into gigantic sobs and fled to the girl's dormitory, attracting much unwanted attention as she ran. Hermione thought about going to comfort her, then decided that Ginny probably didn't want comfort, just Harry. Hermione sighed and attempted to go back to studying her lines, when Harry came over and sat down next to her.

"Hermione, is Ginny alright? She seemed kind of upset, and I was wondering if I could do anything for her, you know, to comfort her."

"If you only knew…" Hermione thought. "I think she'll be alright, just needs a little time to herself. You know, guy issues and all."

Harry looked at her, dumbfounded. "Guy issues?"

"Well, see there's this boy, and Ginny has liked him for a long time, but he's already taken, and she wants to tell him how she feels, but can't, so it upsets her."

Harry looked at his feet, sadly. "I'd think that it was me," he sighed "But Cho and I broke up days ago. She told me that we weren't meant for each other, and she liked someone else. So it's over."

Hermione's jaw dropped. "You're kidding!"

"Does it look like I'm kidding?"

Hermione suddenly regretted her last words. "No Harry, I just meant…"

Harry smiled weakly. "It's ok, Mio, you were just trying to help."

Hermione suddenly had a revelation. "Harry, you're a genius!" she told him. She got up, grabbed her script, and ran out of the common room, leaving quite a baffled Harry.

Hermione turned the corner to where she thought the Slytherin common room was located. "It should be here somewhere…" Just then, she heard footsteps coming towards her. As Hermione craned her neck to peek around the corner, she saw Draco coming towards her.

"Hey!" she called out.

Draco looked up, startled. "Hey Mio, what are you doing down here?"

"I came to find you and ask you something."

"Well, you've found me, ask away."

Hermione looked sheepishly at her feet. "I need some assistance."

Draco raised an eyebrow. "Oh really. I think the word you are looking for is 'help'."

Hermione glared at him, and he burst out laughing.

"What's so funny?" she asked coolly.

Draco smirked. "You just look so hot when you're mad."

Hermione couldn't believe what she was hearing. Brushing his comment aside, she asked, "So, you'll help me?"

"Of course, you're helping me, aren't you?"

"Yes, I am."

"Alright then. What is it you need help with?"

"Memorizing my lines for the play."

"Why come to me for help?"

"Because you're good at this."

Draco smiled smugly. "Off to the library then, dearest Aurora."

A/N: A bit longer than my other chapters, but I just couldn't stop!! Read and tell me what you think!!