HARRY POTTER AND THE SOUND OF MUSIC, CHAPTER SIX

I don't own harry potter, les mis, or the sound of music. I promise.

Sorry if you hate this chapter, I do.

Chapter Six: The Goblet of Love

Hermione was gliding around her room, vowing to eternally love her mother for buying her all the Muggle musical CD's she could get her hands on. She was currently listening to Les Miserables. Her dorm mates had left the room and were at dinner. Hermione was becoming so obsessed with musicals that she sometimes forgot about petty things like eating. Hermione sang with all the passion and desperation in her heart.

On my own
Pretending he's beside me
All alone
I walk with him till morning
Without him
I feel his arms around me
And when I lose my way I close my eyes
And he has found me…

And I know it's only in my mind
That I'm talking to myself and not to him
And although I know that he is blind
Still I say, there's a way for us

I love him
But when the night is over
He is gone…

I love him
But every day I'm learning
All my life
I've only been pretending
Without me his world will go on turning
A world that's full of happiness that I have never known

I love him
I love him
I love him
But only on my own

Hermione sighed and gazed at her moving picture of Ronald. He was currently sleeping, as he usually did, but Hermione didn't care. Tonight was the first rehearsal, and Hermione was excited beyond belief.

Ron was downstairs eating an early dinner because rehearsal started at seven. He was sitting with Ginny who was completely silent all throughout their meal. Harry decided he'd get some Quiddich practice in before Sound of Music practice, so he was just walking in as most of the students were finishing their suppers. Ginny kissed him on the cheek as he sat down. Some of the kids at the table "Oh"ed and "Ah"ed and "I always knew you liked him!" At that comment, Harry told Neville to stuff it. Neville quickly stuffed his mouth with more mashed potatoes. Ron however, remained quiet.

"Ron, you can't be upset forever," Ginny whispered.

"Wanna bet?" he said as he stabbed his fork into his dinner roll.

"Ron get over it! I like Harry and Harry likes me! Don't be all upset just because you're jealous!"

"Jealous! What are you talking about?"

"It's not my fault you're too stupid to tell Hermione how you feel! And don't say you don't like her because it's obvious and everyone knows it. Just get over yourself and go and kiss her Ron, actually kiss her!" At that remark, Ron left, fully intending not to kiss Hermione.

"If I don't have to see them for half an hour more, I won't." Ron trudged back upstairs and flopped down into a chair in the empty common room. Something squealed as soon as he sat down. Ron looked at the auburn blur jumping off the chair.

"So now you're trying to kill him are you?" Hermione questioned from the staircase.

"I didn't see him… I'll buy him a get well soon card or something…"

"I can tell that you really don't want to see me… or anyone right now."

"You can. Good, then it's obvious that I am skipping rehearsal tonight."

"What? Ron! No! I don't care how much you don't want to see me, Harry, or Ginny, you HAVE to go to rehearsal. We're only just reading through the whole thing, that's it! I've already asked Professor Flitwick."

"I'm not going…"

"Ron, don't shut out your problems."

"I'm not going!"

"Ron, you made a commitment to this musical!"

"I'm not going!"

"Ron, you are going to explode if you don't talk to someone about what's upsetting you!"

"I'm NOT going!"

"Ron, you know I'm right!" Hermione gave up, and sat right in front of him on the floor.

"Maybe…" he said in a doubtful tone.

"Maybe you shouldn't give up. Someone told me that a while ago and it's really been helping." She gazed into Ron's angry eyes and sighed. "I know you're upset about Ginny and Harry… and I know you're uncomfortable with me right now… but you can still talk to me, we're still friends, right?"

"Right," Ron mumbled.

"Just think of all the other guys Ginny could be with that you didn't approve of. At least you like-" At that word Ron groaned. "You two are best friends. At least you… approve of Harry, don't you?"

"Eh." Ron responded.

"And don't be mad at your sister for having feelings for him."

"Okay."

"And stop pouting! You look like you're five! Well… a massively tall five year old…" Hermione said, slapping Ron's knee.

"Ouch." He looked even more pitiful then before.

"Okay then… next subject… me… I mean… us… I mean… me." Hermione pulled her hair in frustration.

"I've already talked about you with Hagrid."

"And…?" Hermione said, trying not to sound hopeful. "You're going to have to tell me eventually."

"I guess…" Ron was quickly turning a deep shade of fuchsia. "I… Hermione I really… everyone says I like you…and I guess I… they're right."

"What?" a stunned Hermione said.

"I like you, and I know that sounds like we're in first grade or something…"

It sounds perfect, Hermione thought as she took Ron's hand in hers.

"Ron, I like you too."

"Huh? I never thought…Hagrid was right?" he stumbled out. Ron's world was suddenly a lot brighter after this brief counseling session. He was on cloud nine.

"Hagrid told you I liked you? Why, I'm goina do something really-"

"Hermione, don't be mad. He just wanted to tell me because I wasn't getting any of anyone's clues."

"Oh…I just thought that I would always be the one to tell you." Ron laughed.

"You know what Ginny said? She said…haha that I should… I'm sorry this is just too funny. She said that I should find you and kiss you. Isn't that hilarious?" Ron noticed that Hermione wasn't laughing.

"Well, it's not like you haven't done it before," Hermione sighed.

"What? I'm not rea- I mean I didn't think that you would be ready for me to… um… kiss you."

"RON DON'T YOU GET IT! I'VE BEEN READY FOR THAT FOR YEARS! I L-" Hermione suddenly went completely silent. "I have to go… rehearsal will start soon…" Hermione ran out of the room, astonished by what had just happened. How stupid could I be… I can't tell him I love him, she thought. The Great Hall was just clearing out when Hermione got there. She had to talk to Ginny, no matter how busy she was. And she might as well tell Harry because Ginny would probably tell him anyway now that they were unofficially "going out."

"So… do you think he actually did it?" The whole table seemed to be debating the reason of Ron's abrupt exit.

"No way, he wouldn't take your advice and actually kiss her," Harry said.

"You're right," Ginny breathed. "Unfortunately."

"But, he could have…" Neville chimed in.

"I dunno. Ron can be very predictable. I don't think he did."

"Why not?"

"Because Hermione's right there and she doesn't look too elated." Harry and everyone else at the table turned around to look at the morose girl in front of them.

"What's wrong Hermione?" Ginny asked comfortingly.

"He'll never get it will he… unless I strap him down with duct tape and directly tell him, he'll never understand."

"Then you've got to tell him!"

"I'm not that stupid! That's like asking for rejection! At least… well…" Hermione said smiling, "he did confess that he likes me."

"Then what's to worry about?" asked Harry.

"Oh… that I have to still keep my love for him contained, he still doesn't want to even kiss me. He's so immature. Stupid hormones, I don't even know why I love him anyway." Hermione banged her head on the table and accidentally knocked over a bowl of mashed potatoes that landed in Neville's lap.

"Oh! Neville, I'm so sorry… "

"That's okay Hermione… I'm used to it by now," Neville said as he slopped the mashed potatoes back in the bowl and left to go change his robes. As the room cleared, the students who were in the musical were wondering where they should go exactly, for it was a big room. A point of the wand and a strident BOOM later, the students were trapped in the Great Hall. Snape had closed the doors, an obvious sign that rehearsal had started. They all made their way and sat down on the edge of the "stage" while Snape lingered in front of them, Professor Flitwick in his shadow.

"We have concluded… tonight's rehearsal will consist of a read through of the script and a sing along of all the songs."

"I didn't know there was going to be a sing along!" Hermione said, looking around for Ron. And just as she did, the gigantic doors opened and in stepped her red haired love. Snape glared at him.

"I'm sorr-"

"Ten points from Gryffindor."

"Never mind," Ron said as he sat down at the back of the crowd.

"Now there's no need for that!" Professor Flitwick tried his best to glare at Snape, but it just looked like he was smiling extra wide.

"Fine then. Nine."

"Three."

"Seven."

"Four."

"Five, that's my final offer." Snape was in a particularly appalling mood now.

"Okay then. Only five points from Gryffindor." Professor Flitwick beamed at Ron as if he had done his civic duty for the day. The rest of the rehearsal went about as planned. The entire cast read through their scripts in a group session, Hermione, without looking at her script. And after that, the sing along occurred. Ron was thankful that they didn't have to act out the songs. Harry was dreading the ensuing choreography on one of his least favorite songs, "So Long, Farewell." But all in all, the rehearsal went by without another BOOM, except for the one boom… Draco had fallen off of Goyle's shoulders. He had demanded a "piggy back ride!" This meant Goyle holding Draco on his shoulders and his script in his hands, holding it up for Draco to see, and directly blocking his vision. He shoved his carrier when he complained that his arms were tired, resulting in the tumbling and eventual BOOM that was Draco Malfoy and Gregory Goyle.

Throughout all this, Hermione and Ron had made no contact. They read their scripts from opposite sides of the room and refrained from coming closer together for the sing along, which Hermione lead. Flitwick was overly joyful with Hermione's performance. Snape faked a smile. This directing duo was not working out, and everyone knew it. It was like playing good cop, bad cop, or in this case, good Bobbie, bad Bobbie.

"That was thrilling," Hermione said when they were done, two hours later.

"I never knew the script was so..."

"Long!" Ginny finished Harry's sentence. "I have so many lines; I don't know how I'm going to memorize them all in 8 weeks. Hermione, do you want to switch roles? You could memorize half the library in 8 weeks."

"Ginny, you'll be fine, just don't procrastinate," Hermione said.

"Has anyone seen Ron?" Harry asked.

"I think he left just as soon as we finished the last song," Ginny responded.

"Did he pick up the rehearsal schedule?" Hermione inquired.

"Not sure, I can share mine with him…" Harry stopped.

"What is it?" Ginny asked as they were exiting the Great Hall.

"I really don't like it when we're mad at each other, it makes sharing a room a real hassle."

"You sound like you're married, Harry." Ginny laughed.

"It does! I can't help it if I share a room with my best friend."

"But you're making it sound like you share a bed too!"

"Ginny!" Hermione exclaimed. Ginny lightly pushed Harry in the hallway. He lightly pushed her back. Ginny bumped him again. But before Harry could bump her back she took off.

"You'll never get me Potter!"

"Oh, thanks Malfoy!" Harry said, running after her, smiling.

"Alright, then, Chosen One, let's see if you're really as talented as people say you are! Catch me if you can!" Hermione tried to laugh at their antics, but something was holding her back.

"No…" she said to herself.

"I'm not… I'm…," Hermione said, alone in the corridor. She desperately climbed up the last bit of stairs.

"Jealous," Hermione cried.

"That's not the password," the fat lady shrieked.

"Oh, sorry, dingleberry pie. Hermione was sent into a daze. She followed her regular path to her favorite chair in the common room. She plopped down, noticing the chair felt a bit uncomfortable.

"Mione, ar oo mad a me?" a muffled Ron said from beneath Hermione's massive hair.

"Ron!" Hermione screamed as she leaped out of the chair. "No, no, I'm not mad at you… I'm sorry I sat on you. That's it, I'm going to bed… thanks for showing up tonight."

"What's wrong, I thought rehearsal went well sort of? Draco falling was hilarious. And Flitwick stood up for me!"

"I don't know… things are just going a little differently then planned. Goodnight Ron."

"Wait. Do you want to talk to me or something? I feel like this is my fault."

"No… it's mine… for caring so much."

"About… me?"

"Goodnight, Ron." Hermione couldn't fall asleep for hours. All she could seem to do was think. She was driving herself crazy. A few hours later, she finally fell into a restless sleep. She was running. "Ron? Ron, where are you?" She was on a bridge. She took one more step and the bridge cracked. "Ron!" She took another step and the wood broke. She fell through and was falling. No one was there to catch her. "Ron!" she yelled as she was falling. "Ron!" With a start, Hermione sprang up in bed. She was saturated with sweat and her voice strained from yelling.

"Hermione, what's wrong with you? I'm trying to sleep!" one of her roommates said from behind a closed four poster bed.

It had been two hours more and she had still not fallen back asleep.

"I can't take this anymore," she exhaled, finally giving up. She got up, walked a ways, and eventually came to the Prefects bathroom. "Just what I need…" After an hour, Hermione decided to get out of her relaxing bath. "Now maybe I can get some sleep." She was in her towel when she heard a noise. The bathtub was already draining, so she couldn't hide there. She went behind a towel rack and crouched down. She saw a boy enter the room, quickly throw off his towel (she couldn't see "anything", it was dark!), and dive into the remaining water. He started filling up the tub just as the moon peeked through the clouds. She was positive it was a boy. Just then, Hermione lost her balance and fell against the towel rack.

"Who's there?" a suspicious, cold voice said. Just great… it's Malfoy, Hermione thought.

"No one special," she said, coming out from behind the toppled over towel rack, "I was just leaving when you came in."

"Were you- Did you see-"

"No, don't worry about it. If I did I would have been traumatized beyond repair."

"Filthy Mudblood."

"I'm not filthy; I'm the one who's just taken a bath. And what sort of boy takes baths in the middle of the night anyway? That's a girl thing." Hermione left, her confidence in check. She walked back secretly, and whispered the password just as she heard another noise.

"Oy! Who's there?"

"Ron?"

"Hermione?"

"Why are you in a towel?"

"Why are you in the common room?"

"Couldn't sleep."

"Me neither… could you shut your eyes for a second… I kind of want to get dressed."

"Oh, sorry," Ron said uneasily, turning around, closing his eyes, and putting his hands over them. A minute later Hermione said,

"Okay. I'm dressed."

"Why couldn't you sleep?" Ron questioned.

"It's complicated," Hermione replied. "I couldn't stop thinking and I had a bad dream. I was on a bridge, only it broke so I was falling and falling… and you… well, no one was there to catch me. I woke up sweaty so I went to take a bath in the Prefects bathroom, unfortunately ran into Malfoy, so I came back quickly. Why couldn't you sleep?"

"I had a bad dream too… it was strange. I was looking for something only I couldn't remember what it was… and Harry kept on telling me to look closer. I don't get it." They sat there in silence for a few minutes looking at the dying fire.

"The house elves will be out soon… we'd better get to bed."

"Ron… do you really like me? Or did you just say that to make me feel better?"

"No, Hermione, I really like you…" Ron blushed. That remarkable deep shade of magenta was setting into his skin again. It was so dark that Hermione couldn't see it, but she knew it was there. She went half way up the stairs.

"I should, shouldn't I…?" She went back down stairs and stood next to Ron.

"Goodnight," she breathed, coming in for the kill. When their lips touched, Ron was in shock. He stood there, and eventually kissed her back. When the kiss broke Hermione smiled, her face lit up by the moonlight. She then raced back up stairs and hopped into her bed. "Now I can sleep," she said to herself before quickly falling into a deep and restful sleep.

I hope this chapter didn't suck. I tried my hardest!
sorry this has taken so long.

-0- Naomi -0-