Hello all- I am sorry this is taking so long to update, but serious writers block long chappies long long time to get out.
Anyway- I was trying to decide if I should use Draco's try-out, and decided that it wouldn't be a good idea. Too long, and its pretty much the same thing as Hermione's. So here we go!
Disclaimer: If I owned Harry Potter, would I be writing a chapter here on ? NOOOOO. I didn't think so. And the whole "Beauty and Beast" movie and all of its songs and related stuff are owned by Disney. And the song "Heaven's Light"(which I altered a bit) is from "the Hunchback of Notre Dame" which is also owned by Disney. Great company!
(WARNING: This is going to be a very long chapter, as I decided to put the practices, AND the performance or at least the main parts of it here in this chapter)
The Play
Draco couldn't believe what he had just seen. Hermione had- well, had acted... not like Hermione!
"Next!" Parvati yelled from on the stage. She was smiling profusely, as if she had just gotten the best present in the world. Draco and a young blond from Hufflepuff walked onto the stage. "Well, you know the deal. Lets go!"
"Yes, alright, alright. You were pretty good. I'll give you that."
Draco and Hermione were walking down the main hallway to breakfast the next day. The try-out results were supposed to be hanging right outside of the Great Hall that morning.
"Pretty good? Is that all? Hmmm. I think someone is jealous of my talent!" Hermione joked.
"Jealous? Me? Well, I never..." Draco grinned.
"Wait- that's it, isn't it? The list!"Hermione pointed to a wall where a bunch of students were pushing each other, apparently thrilled to see something. Without even waiting for an answer, she rushed forward. Draco followed.
"Congratulations, Hermione!" Shouted someone. Hermione turned to look, and saw several people giving her a thumbs-up. "You're going to be awesome!"
"Well, that kind of ruins the surprise, doesn't it?" Draco whispered into her ear. But Hermione wasn't paying attention. She had pushed her way to the front, and was now reading the paper on the wall.
"Draco! Draco! Come quick! Draco! I'm Belle! I made it! I got the part of Belle!"
She ran back and practically tackled her boyfriend. He steadied himself on a group of first year boys passing by, who mumbled angrily and glared.
"Woo! Hold on, breathe! Calm down!"
"I made it! I made it! I made it! Beat that!" She sang, dancing in a circle. Draco sighed and rolled his eyes.
"Might as well..." He walked up to the sign and searched for his name. "Draco...Draco... hmm... ah, here we go..." He paused and stared at the paper. This must be a type-o. He couldn't have gotten that part. He wasn't that good... he didn't even really WANT to be in the play.
"What did you get?" Hermione appeared beside him. He pointed to his name. There was a pause, and Hermione gave him a huge hug. "Congratulations! Wow, the Beast! How good were you?"
Draco shook his head absentmindedly. "How did that happen? I don't think I was too great."
Hermione looked at him for a moment. "Maybe Parvati just thought you were right for the part." She looked back at the sign, "It says the first practice is tonight, in the Great Hall. We'll get our scripts! This is going to be awesome!"
Later on that night, Hermione showed up to practice, beaming. Looking around, Hermione saw that there were about 60 people sitting in chairs that formed a giant circle, Draco being one of them. She walked up the Parvati.
"Hello, Hermione! Here's your script. Take a look at it; we're going to run through it tonight once everyone is here.""
Hermione nodded and walked over to sit next to Draco. He was so into his script, he didn't notice her until she coughed. He looked up.
"Did you know that I turn into a monster?"
"What, I don't even get a hello?"
"Yeah, hi. But I turn into a monster!"
"Well, I would call it a Beast. Not a monster. There is a difference."
"That's great. But I TURN INTO A MONSTER."
"Yes! You do! That's the part!"
"No, you don't understand me." He paused to search for the correct words. "I- I do not have a costume. My costume is myself for the first and last part, and I actually am TURNED into a monster for the play! With a spell."
"What? No, that's- that's not safe. Parvati wouldn't do that. So many things could go wrong!"
"Yeah, if she was doing the spell. But she's not. She got Dumbledore to help out with the play- he is going to be the voice we here at the very beginning, telling how I got turned into a monster. And he is turning me into it. And everyone who has to be turned into something- Dumbledore is going to handle it."
Hermione looked at him for a moment.
"You-you giggle have to turn into a beast! giggle" She burst into laughter.
"Shut up! Do you have any idea how hard that is going to be?"
But whether or not Hermione had any idea how hard it was going to be, we will never know. For at that moment, Parvati spoke.
"Well, welcome to the first practice of Hogwarts performance of 'Beauty and the Beast'!"
There was a slight cheer from the 60 kids sitting in the circle.
"Now that we are all here, I would like to quickly introduce the main characters. When I call out your character, stand up. Belle."
Hermione stood up to applause.
"The Beast."
Draco stood up to almost utter silence. Someone coughed slightly. No one was really sure if he could do it. Parvati cleared her throat, and a few kids clapped.
"Gaston."
Ernie McMillan stood up, to everyone's applause.
"Lumiere."
No one stood up.
"Lumiere?"
No one.
"Well, er..."
At that moment, a young boy came running into the room.
"Ah, Ron, I see you decided to join us."
"Sorry, Parvati, forgot about the time. Quidditch practice and all..."
"Right. Well, (she turned to everyone sitting) this is Lumiere."
People seemed a bit confused, but clapped anyway. Ron smiled a bit, and then sat down next to Hermione, who gave him a confused look. He mouthed "I'll explain later"" as Parvati announced the next character.
"Codsworth?"
A boy from Ravenclaw stood up. Everyone clapped.
"Mrs. Pots?"
A young girl from Gryffindor, one Hermione had never talked too, had stood up. She had a very motherly look to her, as she was naturally plump with blue, kind eyes. Everyone clapped; it was obvious that she was perfect for the part.
"Chip."
A young boy, obviously a first year(but he looked even younger than that), from Ravenclaw stood up.
"Finally, Lafou."
Neville stood up. Hermione was surprised she hadn't seen him there. He definitely didn't seem the acting type. But she clapped loudly all the same. Neville gave her a bashful smile and sat down.
"Very well. Now that everyone has seen who will be playing who, lets have a run through, shall we? For everyone who didn't know, our own Headmaster Dumbledore will be supplying the voice of the Narrator. I will do his part for now, since he has many more important things to be doing than this! Now--"
She was cut off as the doors to the Great Hall opened. There was Dumbledore, in all his glory, a slight smile playing on his lips, his eyes twinkling as always.
"I am terribly sorry for interrupting, Miss. Patil. I was just given the notice that the first practice was today, and decided not to miss it. Is there anything I can do?"
Parvati almost fell over. She had NOT been planning on the Headmaster being here for the first practice, and as she was not use to him addressing her, it was a bit of a shock. After regaining her composure, though, she invited him to sit.
"I am sorry our chairs are so hard, Professor. Well, we are-er- having a run through of our play. We were just beginning- would you like to start?"
He smiled pleasantly and accepted the script Parvati had passed to him. "I would be honored."
She smiled. "Okay, well, it will start out with Draco at his castle. The beggar woman, to be played by Hannah Abbot, comes to offer him a rose. Professor, if you would like to start..."
Dumbledore smiled, and began. His voice was, for loss of a better word, magical. The words drifted around the hall, and all who listened seemed to be caught in a spell.
"Once upon a time, in a far away land, a young prince lived in a shining castle. Although he had everything his heart desired; the prince was spoiled, selfish, and unkind. But then, one winter's night, an old beggar woman came to the castle and offered him a single rose in return for shelter from the bitter cold. Repulsed by her haggard appearance, the prince sneered at the gift, and turned the old woman away. But she warned him not to be deceived by appearances, for beauty is found within. And when he dismissed her again, the old woman's ugliness melted away to reveal a beautiful enchantress. The prince tried to apologize, but it was too late, for she had seen that there was no love in his heart. As punishment, she transformed him into a hideous beast, and placed a powerful spell upon the castle, and all who lived there. Ashamed of his monstrous form, the Beast concealed himself inside his castle, with a magic mirror as his only window to the outside world. The rose she had offered was truly an enchanted rose, which would bloom until his 21st year. If he could learn to love another, and earn her love in return by the time the last petal fell, than the spell would be broken. If not, he would be doomed to remain a beast for all time. As the years passed, he fell into despair and lost all hope. For who could ever learn to love a beast?"
There was a pause of silence, when the hall burst into applause. Dumbledore just smiled as if he had done nothing at all, and peered at Parvati over his half-moon spectacles. Once the clapping had died down, Parvati went on.
"Well, this is where we go to the first song. Lets have a go at it, shall we?" She waved her wand, and music started to play in the background.
"That practice was amazing! I love it so much! I can't believe I got the part of Belle! Aren't you just ecstatic?""
The practice had ended, four hours later. It was now 10 o'clock, and Draco couldn't help but laugh at her excitement. "Someone's rather happy."
"Yes! Aren't you?"
He grinned. "Sure. I just can't wait to be turned into a hairy monster."
"Aw, don't worry, I am sure you'll look great."
"I do not care what I look like, what if the spell goes wrong?"
"Well, I can see you don't care about what you look like, or else you would choose a much better shirt than that for a practice."
"Piss off, Hermione."
She kissed him on the cheek, flicked his nose, and ran off to the common room.
"That hurt!" Draco called after her, rubbing his nose. She smiled to herself.
After four weeks of practicing, the cast of the Hogwarts production of Beauty and the Beast were perfectly ready for their big night. The opening production was to be done the next day at 7:00 pm. Parvati was a wreck.
"Okay, okay, okay. Lets breathe. Everyone just calm down. We're ready. We are! Okay. Okay..."
"Parvati! Calm down," Hermione urged, "you're the only one who is nervous! We are ready! We know we are."
Parvati smiled at her. "I know. You are. Alright! Everyone. We have run through it several times, and I know we are going to do great! Everyone go and get some sleep. Get here at noon tomorrow, we will run through it once more before the show. Hermione, Draco, I was wondering if you would mind staying after with me for a while."
"No problem." Draco replied.
"Sure." Hermione nodded.
"Great. Everyone else, sleep well! See you tomorrow here at noon sharp!"
The crowd of students left the Great Hall chattering happily.
"Good," Parvati exclaimed, turning to Hermione and Draco, "finally, some peace. Anyway, the reason I asked you to stay was because I think we need to work a bit on the ball dance during "Tale as Old as Time". I don't think you have it quite down pat, as you seem to be stepping on each other's feet at the moment." The two blushed. "Now, Hermione, I think you really need to put on your dress for this, as you REALLY need to know what it is going to be like. Here."
She handed Hermione a beautiful golden ball gown. There was a sharp intake of breath from Hermione as she looked at it. It was obviously one of the most delicate dresses she had ever worn.
"Well, don't just stand there looking at it! Go put it on!" Parvati scorned, yet with the trace of a smile.
Hermione beamed and ran off to get dressed. Draco watched her go with a smile.
"She really loves you, you know." Parvati said as Hermione left.
"I know." Draco breathed.
"You're lucky to find love like that. It doesn't come along all too often."
"I never thought in a million years that it would come to me. I always thought that I was too---cruel. Cold...... but then I met Hermione. It's like heaven with her."
Parvati looked at him. "You should tell her that."
Draco was silent until he heard Hermione's footsteps. They were soft and slow, as if she were favoring each and every one. He looked up to see her enter the room.
He caught his breath. She was stunning. Even with her hair down, she looked more beautiful than he had ever seen her. The dress copied that of the movie; a stunning golden ball dress. It was tight at the top, with two straps that went around her arm rather than her shoulders. The skirt was long and full, with a lace trim, and slight arches where the fabric was sewn to look bunched.
"Hermione, you look positively radiant!" Parvati exclaimed, running to examine her closer. "Is there anything wrong? Too big? Too small?"
"No. Its perfect." Hermione looked at the dress with as much excitement as Parvati. "What do you think, Draco?"
He just stared. He couldn't speak at the moment, as it seemed the wind had been knocked out of him.
"Draco? What do you think?" Hermione asked again, looking up at him.
"I think he likes it." Parvati whispered. Draco nodded absentmindedly.
"Alright. Now, both of you, get together and lets take it from scene 12. Try not to step on the dress, please. I can fix it, but I'd rather not have to."
Draco and Hermione met in the middle of the Great Hall. They held each other as Parvati instructed them, but when they started dancing, she sighed in exasperation.
"What? We're doing it right, aren't we?" Hermione asked.
"No! Well, yes. I mean...well, it doesn't look natural. You look like you've practiced it a lot."
"We HAVE practiced it a lot!" Draco moaned.
"No, I mean, you look like you are trying to look like you are dancing instead of actually dancing."
"Its hard with you there, picking us apart!" Draco complained, obviously annoyed.
Parvati looked as if she was about to retort, when she stopped. She looked as if she was thinking, when she smiled. "Alright. I've got it. You two- practice here, together. I am going to go take a break. Try to really dance, not practice dancing. Just, dance. No steps... no plans... just- dance."
Draco raised an eyebrow at her, and she winked. He shook his head in annoyance as she walked away.
"What are we suppose to do now?" Hermione asked.
"I would presume she meant for us to dance." He took her in his arms and tried to dance as if it was normal. It was just too hard- too many steps and circles, trying to get it all in time with the song.
"Dammit! This is impossible!" Draco screamed. "It wouldn't be so hard if every step wasn't planned exactly as Parvati wanted it. This damn music is controlling us!"
"Then lets turn it off!" Hermione replied, waving her wand. The Background music of "Tale as Old as Time" turned off. She walked back to Draco and put her left hand on his shoulder, and took his in her right. "Now, lets try to just dance."
Draco nodded, and they both started. It was a lot easier when they didn't have to think of what they should be doing at that moment. As they danced, Draco thought about Parvati and what she had meant by telling Hermione what he felt about her. Surely she already knew, right? She had to! But as he thought about it, he realized that Hermione might not. And the thought came to him that even if she did, he could tell her again. He would tell her every second of the day, if he had to.
A memory came to his mind of when he was a child. He had been watching a muggle movie while his mother looked in a muggle dress store. She had been told to get one for a party- a costume party. Draco had wandered over to a video store and seen a movie being played in a tv in the window. The song came back to his thoughts now, and he started to softly sing it.
"So many times out there,
I've watched a happy pair
of lovers walking in the night.
They had a kind of glow around them,
it almost looked like Heaven's light.
I knew I'd never know
that warm and loving glow,
though I may wish with all my might.
No heart as cold as my heart,
was ever meant for Heaven's light.
But suddenly an angel has smiled at me, ( He looked into Hermione's eyes)
and kissed my cheek without a trace of fright.
I dare to dream that she,
might even care for me.
And as sing these words tonight,
my cold dark heart seems so bright.
I swear it must be Heaven's light!"
Hermione looked up at him with tears in her eyes as he sang. Soon they were staring at each other, not really notcing that they were now dancing perfectly. They were lost in each other's eyes, forgetting about everything in the present. They flew around the ballroom, circiling and spinning. The only other people who noticed this beautiful sight were Parvati, Harry and Ron.
"Do you see why I got you, guys?" She asked quietly, watching the two float around the room. Ron was glaring, but now that glare held more sadness than anger. Harry was watching them apprehensively. Parvati continued. "I know Draco seems evil, and I know you all have had your differences (Ron coughed slightly). I also know that both of you are still having some bad thoughts about the two of them, mainly Draco. But just look at them! They are in love. You can't find that love just anywhere. That is true love."
"B-but Malfoy is evil. He is! I know he is..." Ron argued, more to comfort himself.
"He was evil, Ron. He WAS evil. I look at this as a Beauty and the Beast parallel.(Harry raised an eyebrow, so she continued.) Draco is the beast. Maybe not on the outside, but inside. Now, however, after meeting Hermione, he has learned to love. And in learning to love, he has now changed. He isn't the Beast anymore. Now he is in love. That's why I chose Draco for the part. Not because he was the best, which he wasn't, but because he IS the Beast. He IS the monster, and he HAS changed. Do you understand?"
Ron looked at her and back to the couple. Harry looked like he believed her, but he didn't really want to. Parvati sighed, and waved her wand. The music of "Tale as Old as Time" came on in the background. She sang the words, glancing at Harry and Ron.
"Tale as old as time.
True as it can be.
Barely even friends,
than somebody bends. Unexpectedly. (She adds, laughing to herself.)
Just a little change,
small to say the least.
Both a little scared, neither one prepared,
Beauty and the Beast.
("But, but they were enemies!" Ron argued.)
Ever just the same!
Ever a surprise.
Ever as before,
Ever just as sure as the sun will rise! (At this moment, the setting sun filled the windows of the Great Hall, illuminating Draco and Hermione, who still seemed to be oblivious to the fact that they were being watched.)
Tale as old as time,
tune as old as song!
Bittersweet and strange,
finding you can change,
learning you were wrong.
Certain as the sun,
rising in the east!
Tale as old as time, song as old as rhyme,
Beauty and the Beast.
Tale as old as time.
Song as old as rhyme.
Beauty and the Beast."
"Off to the cubbord with you now, chip. S'past you're bed time!" she added, jokingly. "But really. Lets go- I am sure that they would like to stay here uninterrupted."
She tapped Ron and Harry on the shoulders, and the three of them left the Great Hall as quietly as they had come.
Ten minutes later, Parvati decided that her stars needed some sleep, so she entered the Great Hall. She felt rather bad about breaking them up, as they seemed to be having a very romantic moment, but it was either that or let them dance until people came in to set up for breakfast.
"Ahem." She coughed.
They didn't respond.
"Ahem ahem! Cough cough!"
They circled once more, Hermione lifting slightly off the ground.
"Guys!" Parvati screamed. The couple looked over suddenly, as if snapped out of a trance. "Thank you. I felt as if I should tell you that it is around 11:30, and you need some sleep. Go to bed, your doing wonderfully."
The couple stared at her for a moment, then blushed and started to walk out of the hall, mumbling strange apologies.
"Ahem, Hermione? The dress?"
Hermione looked down at herself and started to laugh. "Sorry, sorry. I forgot!"
Parvati grinned. "Yeah, sure. You're just trying to steal it! I know how you think..."
Hermione laughed and ran to get changed. Draco smiled at Parvati.
"Thanks."
After getting changed, Hermione and Draco exited out into the hallway. They walked back to where they turned to go to different common rooms, and turned to each other.
"I had a very good time at practice, Draco."
"I know you did." He smiled and kissed her.
"I love you" she mumbled.
"I love you." He replied, caressing her face. They stood there for a moment, staring at each other.
"Ahem."
Draco and Hermione turned their heads, but did not let go of each other. Pansy Parkinson stood there, grinning evilly.
"Can I help you?" Draco asked, with more than a hint of anger in his voice.
"Yes, actually, you can. You see," she took a step forward and handed Draco a letter, "this came for you." She giggled and ran off.
"What is it?" Hermione asked.
Draco turned the letter over and saw it was printed with a green seal. His face turned white.
"What is it? Draco, what? What's wrong?" She had let go of his shoulders, and was now peering curiously at the letter.
Draco''s voice shook. "It-it's my f-father."
Hermione took a step back. "What does that mean?"
"I-I don't know. But it is never good." With a shaking hand, Draco opened the letter. When he took out only a piece of parchment, he was confused. The only times he got a letter from his father was when he had done something wrong, and there was usually some form of a painful substance to punish him. It was eerie to receive only a letter.
"What does it say?" Hermione asked, carefully examining the backside of the letter.
"Draco,
Floo home.
Father."
"That's all?" Hermione asked, surprised.
Draco turned over the paper. "Yeah. That's it." His voice was shaking. "This isn't right. Something is wrong. Something is terribly wrong."
"What are you going to do?" Hermione asked tentively.
"Its obvious, isn't it? I've got to go home."
"What? Why? Your father will- he'll..." She trailed off.
"It would be much worse if I don't go."
"You can't! I mean, well..." she furrowed her brow, then, "Yes! You can't! Its impossible. There is no way for you to floo home! No teacher would allow you to use their fireplaces!"
Draco laughed a sigh of relief and smiled. "Yes, that would make sense, wouldn't it?" His smile snapped into a straight line, and there was no laugh in his face as he added "Aside from the fact that I don't need a teacher's permission."
"What?"
"Come on, Hermione! Do you seriously think that my father, one of the richest men on the planet, would want me to ask a professor if I could go home? No. He is much more clever than that. Follow me."
The two of them walked down to the dungeons.
Oh, CLiffy? My, my, my.. Dear me. I have forgotton how bad it is to get a cliffy. Oh well! You can deal!
And I apologize for not getting this out.... on time.... or ever....
SORRY!!!
I will give you a prize though! Ask for something, and I will give it to you! Name it!
REVIEW PLEASE! IT'S THE ONLY WAY I CAN GET ANY BETTER!(Which, believe me, can DEFINITELY happen...)
-SBR (check out my lj, too... )