No, it's not a cruel, sadistic joke! I have actually finished Chapter Three! This may not seem like such a big deal, but I've only had time to write about a paragraph a night, so this took forEVER. But now it's up and I can do my I'm-not-a-crappy-writer dance! tapitty tap tap

Well, anyway, please review. You can help speed the process! If I get enough reviews I may do something drastic, like write instead of sleep form 12:30 to 5:45 (my only real available time at the moment)! That wouldn't make my doctor happy but, hey! It'd go faster!

Draco lay stretched across his bed with Pansy, Blaise, and Theodore staring over his shoulder at the paper in shock.

Romeo- Draco Malfoy

"It has to be some kind of mistake." Nott stated.

"Right." Draco nodded.

"Duh." Pansy replied, narrowing her pink-tinted eyelashes.

"Wait, why 'duh'?" Draco asked shifting to face her.

"Well, I mean can you imagine? Draco Malfoy... ROMEO!"

"I gotta agree with Pansy, Draye. Not that you would have any trouble just...." Theodore replied.

"Romeo is sweet and romantic and deep and you're... Malfoy." Blaise continued.

"I could do it if I wanted to." Draco frowned.

"We know that. But you don't want to." Pansy cocked her head to the side quizzically. "Do you?"

"Of course not." Draco snapped. "But... I mean... it is the main part. And..."

"And Potter didn't get it." Theodore looked enlightened.

"No." Malfoy's eyes glittered. "No, he didn't."

Ginny stood by as Ron held his cast sheet at arms length before bringing close to his face and then holding it out again.

"Malfoy." Harry stated dully. "Malfoy is playing Romeo."

"Across from my sister!" Ron suddenly realized. "Oh my god! I'm going to kill him!"

"Ron," Hermione began, once again the voice of reason. "You can't kill Malfoy just because he was cast as Romeo."

"Oh, I can't?" Ron looked at her. "And why not?"

"I agree with Hermione, Ron." Harry chimed in. " I'm afraid we'll need some sort of excuse before murdering him, or we're bound to get in trouble."

Hermione rolled her eyes.

"Okay, here's a reason. Ferret-boy has to kiss my sister!"

"What, they kiss?" Harry looked at his book in confusion. "Where does it say that?"

"I don't know." Ron huffed. "But I saw the play once with my dad! I didn't understand any of it... But they definitely kissed!"

"Okay, then, let's kill him!"

"Harry!" Hermione rolled her eyes again.

"What?" Harry grinned at her. "You know, you do that too much. Someday your eyes are going to get stuck like that!"

"Yeah, like Neville when he messed up on physical metamorphosis in Potions!" Ron exclaimed.

"Yeah, and Snape tried to fix it and some of it spilt on him...!" Hermione dissolved into giggles.

"Oh my lord! That was almost as funny as the time when...."

With a little sigh of frustration, Ginny picked up her books and turned to go upstairs. They'd obviously forgotten she was there. She didn't quite know what to think of the whole Malfoy-Romeo thing. After all, it couldn't be that bad...

Wait. It was Malfoy. It was bound to be bad. And she'd have to kiss him...

But, kissing Malfoy wasn't the real problem. It was more of kissing Malfoy, or anyone for that matter, in front of people. People like Ron and Harry and... well, everyone!

People were definitely not Ginny's thing.

People weren't Draco Malfoy's thing either. Though, it was hardly the same. But, hey! At least they had some common ground.

Draco had been trying to understand Romeo and Juliet since he had received the letter on Friday. Now, Monday morning, he had officially grasped that the play took place in Verona; two kids fell in love, and died in the end. He didn't think he could pass with that.

"'Alas, that love, whose view is muffled still, should, without eyes, see pathways to his will! Where shall we dine? O me! What fray was here?' Okay, Romeo's a loser. I get that."

Draco ran his hand through his hair, talking more to himself that to Nott, who was sitting in front of him staring ponderously at his copy of Romeo and Juliet.

"Did he just ask where they're have dinner?" Theodore asked, incredulously . "I think he did. But that can't be right, they're talking about love. 'Oh, gee I love her. So much, I'll ramble on for hours! My love, who I'm not even going to end up with, because I'm a fickle jerk! Ah! Where are we going to have dinner?'. I don't understand!"

"You see, this is why muggle literature should never be forced upon ignorant young wizards." Blaise smiled from across the room. "Lesser minds cannot comprehend such complexities."

"That's easy for you to say," Draco cast a glare in her direction. "You only have one line."

"But what a line it is!" Grinning, she wrapped her velvet-green cloak around her shoulders and walked out the door. "'Thou shalt not stir a foot to seek a foe!'"

Theodore shook his head.

"Some people just...."

"Says the guy with five lines." Draco cut him off.

"Good point." He nodded. "Maybe you should get Pansy to help you. She definitly has more than five lines."

"I don't think so. The last time I saw her she was screaming 'Mrs. Ron Weasley' and stabbing the mirror with some lip gloss."

"Yeah. Who would have thought she'd take it so personally."

Pansy had indeed taken it personally. She hated Weasley, almost as much as Draco himself. The Weasleys and the Parkinsons didn't have the rivalry that they did with the Malfoys, but the resentment was still there. This didn't really influence Pansy, though. Most of her resentment seemed to stem from pug-nose comments.

Draco didn't really understand Weasley's perception of beauty. Sure Pansy's nose was a little squashed (by her own admittance) but it wasn't that much of an eyesore.

The whole "Pug-Nose Parkinson" thing bothered her more than she let on, Draco knew.

"Do you really think I'm THAT ugly? I mean I know my nose is all wrong and I'm too short and a little chubby but... Well, you know what? Never mind. Who cares what Weasley thinks anyway."

But she did. Draco hated that.

Even if he didn't like Pansy in THAT way, it didn't mean he thought she was ugly. When she wasn't snarling, she really wasn't that bad looking. Pretty even. Weasley's insults would anger anyone who cared for Pansy.

Which Draco didn't.

And besides, he reminded himself, who cared if something hurt Pansy's feelings or not. Malfoy's didn't care about that sort of thing, anyway.

"Why are you poking me?" Draco snarled angrily. Nott recoiled quickly, as if he'd realized he was poking a cobra by mistake.

"We... have... class. Remember?"

"Yeah." Draco threw his copy of Romeo and Juliet into his bag. "Yeah, right."

'Don't look at him. Don't look at him. Whatever you do, don't look at him. Just stare strait ahead. Listen to Sinclair. Don't look at Malfoy. Just don't look at...'

"Miss Weasley? Hello? Are you listening to me?"

Ginny snapped out of her thoughts.

"Yes? Professor... Sinclair?"

Ginny blinked, staring straight into the face that was barely a foot from her own. Professor Sinclair was leaned over her desk staring curiously, her glasses on the very tip of her nose.

"Do you... um... yes?" Ginny stammered, moving backwards.

"We're on page 'But Montague is bound as well as I, in penalty alike; and 'tis not hard, I think, for men so old to keep the peace'. Where are you?"

"Page... eight?"

"Uh HUH." Professor Sinclair nodded in smug satisfaction and turned, walking down the aisle, hot pink robes billowing after her.

"Well." Professor Sinclair reached the front of the classroom, turning to face the half-asleep students. "I think it's about time to start."

"Start what exactly?" One of the Slytherins asked, skeptically.

"Well, you know." Silence. "Our play! Like-thingy."

"Today?"

"Why not today?" Sinclair looked confused.

"Because we haven't had time to memorize, you imbecile." Apparently Malfoy couldn't stay out of any conversation involving degrading a teacher.

"Well," The blond professor looked stumped. "You can use your books."

"Then what's the point?" Malfoy wanted to know. "Why are we even doing this?"

"Because it'll be fun." Professor Sinclair said with finality. "Now get changed."

With a wave of her wand, a curtain appeared on the left side of the room. With a triumphant grin she pulled a huge cord on one side. Behind it was rack after rack of clothes. There were tights and feather caps, medieval gowns and coats with tails. There were peasant costumes and queen's robes, lace-up boots and satin slippers. And all housed in a room that seemed to stretch forever, housing mirrors and even sitting areas, equipped with couches and coffee tables.

For once, even Malfoy didn't have a sarcastic comment.

"Uh huh, yeah, that's nice."

Well, almost.

"But really, I think you should try to make it more muggle." Malfoy drawled, sarcastically. "It takes so much imagination after all."

Professor Sinclair tapped her wand on her chin thoughtfully.

"Hmm... You think so?"

She was met with silence.

"Maybe later! Tick tock you know! Now get dressed everybody!" She gestured with her wand and Ginny noticed that it sparkled the same color pink as her robes.

"I think you'll find that knowing the right costume is easy!"

Looking at each other cautiously, the students got up almost as one, and walked into the hanger.

"Wow." One of the upper class Gryffindors whispered, feeling a noble's dress then cautiously picking it up. "This ones mine."

'How can she tell?' Ginny wondered, slowly stepping into the room.

But once she was inside it was quite easy to tell. Among thousands of dresses on one wall, one gown seemed to be shockingly perceptible, almost glowing in contrast. Ginny lightly ran her fingers down the satin frond, tracing the ribbons and tiny pearls.

"I am not wearing tights!" An objective voice rang through the space, immediately snapping Ginny out of her reverie.

"Now Mister Malfoy," Sinclair's patient voice sounded. "They aren't tights they're... very manly leggings."

"They're tights and I will not wear them. I'm a Malfoy, not a dancer for the ballet!" Malfoy sniffed.

"Well, I don't have any Shakespearian jeans!" Professor Sinclair exclaimed.

"Shakespearian... what?" Malfoy looked confused.

"They're pants, Malfoy." Ron piped in, looking smug.

"Like... Dragonhide pants?" Pansy Parkinson asked, looking as confused as the rest of the Slytherins, but appearing slightly more interested that Malfoy, who looked as if he might not bat an eye if his tights had suddenly come alive and brutally attacked Ron.

"Sort of. They're cut the same way. But, really, they feel way different. Kind of like the inside of a Banarae coat. And they're usually blue. So, they call them blue jeans."

"Ah. The light is shed. Thanks to Weasley, the muggle dictionary." Malfoy drawled.

Ron glared.

"Says Malfoy, the only ferret ballet dancer. How do you think you're going to fit in those teeny tiny little tights?" He replied.

"You got something to say, fuchsia boy?" Malfoy gestured to the costume folded over Ron's arm.

Ron pinkened.

"It's more magenta really." The formerly silent professor spoke up.

"Say, I'm getting some negative vibes here." She gestured to the herd of Gryffindors behind Ron, then to the mass of Slytherins behind Malfoy, both of which looked ready to jump on the other. "Is there some kind of... rivalry I should know about?"

"You really are clueless aren't you." A drawling voice sounded from the doorway.

"'Lo Professor Snape!" Sinclair sounded happily. "We're getting ready to start our first scene! Did you need something?"

"No, I just have so much free time on my hands I decided to come visit." Sarcasm dripped from his voice.

"Well, how lovely!" The blond gushed.

Snape ignored this comment.

"I'm here because a letter arrived in Hogsmeade this morning. Muggle post. Someone actually addressed it 'To Hogwarts School Of Witchcraft And Wizardry'. The Ministry is in an uproar. Can you imagine how many muggles had to be memory wiped?"

Professor Sinclair was starring out the window.

"It's addressed to a Clair Sinclair." Snape rolled his eyes.

Sinclair jumped.

"Ooh!" She waved her hand in the air. "That's me! I'm Clair Sinclair!"

"You would be." Snape glared. Dropping the letter on her desk, he swept out.

Grinning like a kid on Christmas, Sinclair began opening the letter with the tip of her wand.

"Umm...," She seemed to realize everyone was staring at her. "You can start now."

The back half of the room suddenly shifted into a stage, set with houses and statues and even real grass and birds.

"Scene One, Act One, Play One. Go."

There was a frantic scramble as everyone tried to pull on their costumes and find their scripts.

"Two households, both alike in dignity, in fair Verona, where we lay our scene, from ancient grudge breaks to new mutiny...."

Ginny's stomach lurched sickeningly. An hour and a half left. There was no way they could not get to scene three by then. She couldn't go out there.

"I can't go out there." She whispered to no one, turning to fleeing to the other side of the room. "I can't."

Draco watched, half asleep, as the first scene played out. The only interesting part had been when Potter and Terrance Higgs, who utterly despised Malfoy after he had lost the Seeker position to him three years ago, where supposed to sword fight. It would have been quite rewarding, Draco thought, if they had killed each other and saved him the trouble.

But Professor Sinclair said they'd save that for tomorrow (as she had forgotten to transfigure swords) and any attempt Higgs made to attack Potter was, of course, thwarted.

Draco's "dinner" scene was also with Potter. Potter who, of course, spouted off Shakespeare like it was an old nursery rhyme.

Draco felt that if he heard one more "thou" he would scream.

Luna Lovegood, in her enormous chicken wire costume was just saying, in an unnecessarily loud voice.

"God forbid! Where's this girl? What, Juliet!" Silence. "What, Juliet!" Still silence. Screwing up her face, Lovegood shrieked in a unbearably high-pitched voice, "WHAT, JULIET!!!"

Malfoy scanned the room lazily, but the only shock of red hair he saw was Ron Weasley's.

"Romeo," Professor Sinclair didn't even look up as Luna Lovegood continued to scream the same line over and over again. "Could you go get Juliet?"

"If you mean me," Draco drawled. "I certainly cannot. Or will not, at any rate."

Then again, anything to get away from Luna's cries of 'What, Juliet!'.

Rolling his eyes, he pushed himself off of the sofa. Looking around, he sighed exasperatedly. Were the hell had Weasley gotten to anyway?

Scrutinizing the room irritably Draco found himself in the back, not seeing anyone. The room seemed to go on forever, until he had to squint to see the stage and the voices had died into a low murmur.

Over the echo of his footsteps off the walls, he thought he heard something, like a shifting of satin. Turning to his right, he saw a small piece of red peeking over one of the sofas.

Ah. Well. No need to act interested, though. This would be the perfect time to do a little... redeeming.

Ginny wrapped her arms around her legs, laying her head sideways on her knees. Someone was bound to find her eventually. If they did she'd just have to do the scene. Her first line was... her first line... was...

Every line Ginny had learned was there, swirling around in one mass of words. But, feeling sick and dizzy, she couldn't put the words together, everything whirling and twirling around her mind, closing in and getting tighter until she couldn't hear, couldn't breath, for the roaring sound in her ears and the horrible tumbling in her stomach.

"Weasley," A voice spoke over the noise. "Weasley, it's your scene."

Ginny's stomach heaved violently.

"Weasley. Weasley?"

Vision swimming, Ginny squeezed her eyes shut as her stomach lurched and she vomited her lunch onto the floor.

Barely hearing Malfoy's almost concerned voice she slipped sideways, unconscious.

Okay, so I didn't reach my objective for this chapter. It'll happen next, I swear! This just seemed like the perfect place to end it.

So, will Draco take Ginny in his arms and rush in a flustered daze to the hospital wing all the while calling her by her name in a caring voice? Pffft, yeah right! You may have figured out by now that my Draco is not exactly a cream puff.

He's more like a metal pinecone.

I have been informed (by Thaelia), that the scene where they're choosing costumes is kind of doofy. However, I couldn't bring myself to cut it. Gods, if you could see it the way it is in my head, you couldn't either!

Please, review! It's a kind thing to do!