Chapter 6

Try Outs

What's the difference between you and me?

I do what I want

And you do what you're told

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Hermione was at breakfast before Ron and Harry Wednesday morning. She wanted to get an early start at revising her Arithmancy notes from previous years.

'You're up early.' Harry said to Hermione as he grabbed some toast and set it on his plate.

'So, Mr. Quidditch Capitan, what are the plans for tonight?' Hermione asked before taking her last bite of toast.

'How are you holding out?' she asked him while placing her hand warmly across his with sincerity in mind. 'I mean about…'

'Sirius…' Harry trailed off. 'I'm doing ok, Hermione, thanks to you.'

'Hey guys.' Ron said awkwardly with about four books in his arms, along with his Divination book. Hermione quickly took her hand away from Harry's and quickly looked at Ron, realizing that he had a few too many books to be Ronald Weasley.

'What's this, Ron? Suddenly becoming a bookworm?' She asked scornfully, while picking up a book. '"So, you want to be a muggle?" by Helga Bandersash. "Your one step guide to everything muggle, with a magical touch."' Hermione read aloud.

'Your dad hasn't read that book has he Ron?' Harry asked, remembering the time when Harry and Ron took Arthur Weasley's bewitched car to Hogwarts in their second year.

'No.' Ron replied sheepishly as Hermione reached for the second book.

'"You want to be the next big star: a step by step." By Edward Crookstone, "It isn't theatre without magic" by Sam Featherlite, and, oh this seems good, "History of the theatre: Traditional and Magical." Oh look Ron it includes an interview with Nathaniel Pepper…a famous "magical" actor.'

'Shove of Hermione.' Ron started to go slightly pink and he reached for his books.

'Oh Ron cool your head, I'm only joking' she said and handed the books back to him.

'Planning to become,' Hermione looked at the top cover of the book, 'the next big star.'

Ron set the books back on the table on top of Hermione's and continued to go along with his argument.

'I'm just trying to get associated with theatre before I go and try out, so I don't make a complete fool of myself.' Ron defended her comment of his unusual liking to books.

'You're actually going to try out with me?' Hermione asked dumbfounded.

'Yea. Why were you joking?' Hermione and Harry both knew that his slight laugh at the end of his sentence was to cover up that Hermione had hurt him.

'No, I just didn't think that you would actually try out.'

'Of course I'm going to try out…uh, you know something else to do besides homework. I may even get a lead role, you never know!' he joked.

'Oh, I have to get to class, bye Harry, bye Ron.' She said as she got up and grabbed her books, as well as one of Ron's books by mistake. "History of the Theatre: Traditional and Magical."

'You ok Ron?' Harry asked with concern as they headed to Professor Trelawney's classroom.

'No.' Ron said quickly. 'We're going into the attic of death! Let me guess… today, anyone who has black hair and an irregular scar on their face somewhere will die on the 13th of this month.' Harry laughed with him and as the perfume and essences filled their noses.

Ron made a loud cough as they sat down at a table. 'Wanna read a book? Hey, this is Hermione's, Ron said as he looked at the Arithmancy grade 6 book. Blimey, she must have taken one of my books. I guess I'll have to find her after class and give it back to her, not that it would be of any help then.'

'Welcome, children, welcome.' Professor Trelawney said with her mystical show voice. Parvati and Lavender were staring intently at her waiting for what she would say next.

'This may be a very sad year.' She grieved, putting a hand to her head and waiting for a moment before speaking.

'Already have that covered,' Harry said to Ron.

'Anyone in the new play, to watch yourself… bad things come with the new year.'

'What is she going on about?' Ron said, looking disgruntled. 'I don't think she knows that you aren't trying out for the play.' Harry laughed at Ron's remark.

'Probably thinks I'm going to or something.'

'Shhhhh!' Lavender turned around and hissed at them. Harry rolled his eyes and then Parvati turned around.

'No one makes you take this class you know.' Things have always been weird between the two since he asked her to the Yule ball and then ditched her after the first dance.

'For most of you, the stars tell me that you will have a good year, but for some,' she hung her head low again as if she were praying for their souls.

'For some, the stars say that death, and pain will be in your future.' Harry noticed that for once she wasn't directing the death at him, but at Neville Longbottom. Harry gave Ron and inquisitive look but apparently he hadn't noticed because he was sniggering. Harry shrugged it off and decided to just lightly daze off while she talked endlessly on about all the possibilities how people could die.

'Finally' Harry said when they left her perfumed room, and inhaling a deep breath of air. Ron did the same.

'Where do reckon Hermione would be, this text book is heavy, I wonder how much it cost.'

'Ron, do you really want to try out for that play? Or are you doing it just because Hermione asked you to do it with her?' Harry asked, interested.

'Uh… I dunno. Like I said, anything beats homework. I think it'll be fun, I doubt that I'll get a big part.' He laughed.

'What about you? Are you glad to be captain.'

'What do you think?'

'Uh… naw, you've had much better accomplishments!'

'ROOOOON!' Hermione yelled while running to catch up with them. She ran into a group of fourth years that said nasty things about her.

'Get over yourself' she yelled at them. 'Sorry.' She said to a group of frightened first years whom she almost tackled until she reached the two stunned boys. 'You have…my…book' she said, while bending over, hand on one knee catching her breath.

'I know.'

'You know! And you didn't do anything about it! Ron! I needed that book, I didn't just sit in Trelawney's the whole time dozing off.' She said irritable.

'I wasn't dozing off, I was paying attention' he fought back.

'There's a first' Hermione said while grabbing back her text and handing him his text on the theatre. 'You'd best read quick, try outs are tonight.' She said while walking with them to their next class, history of magic.

'Yea, well maybe I don't want to try out for your stupid play anymore.' The words came out of Ron's mouth too quickly before he could even think about what he was saying.

'I thought that's how you felt.' Hermione mumbled and walked away from the two.

'She'll get over it.' Ron said when he saw the look on Harry's face.

'Ron, last time it took a troll for her to get over it. Are you going to go find a troll?' Harry and Ron entered the room where they noticed Hermione sitting at the front of the room with Seamus and Dean, who were talking to each other completely ignoring Hermione.

Hermione was slouched over her opened books, writing down today's date and title of the subject that was being covered today.

'I think you should apologize, Ron.' Harry whispered to Ron as he noticed Hermione writing lazily.

'Why? She mocks my intelligence all the time. Why should I have to apologize to her for what she started?' Ron whined silently to Harry.

'Because, she's more insecure then we are.' Harry said, just thinking of the first thing that came to his head that made reasonable sense.

'Could have fooled me, she seems to be pretty sure of herself.' Ron said hotly.

'Ron, just apologize.' Harry quietly, but sternly told him.

'Harry, just drop it.' Ron said in the same tone as Harry.

For the rest of the class neither of them talked to each other. Hermione didn't stay at dinner very long, she hurried to the Dark arts room before anyone else got there and started to eat her supper alone.

'Hello.' Came a sweet voice. Hermione looked up from the floor where she was reading chapter 3 of her Arithmancy book, the chapters that she had missed today. 'You're a little early sweetie.'

'Sorry, I was just waiting. I can leave if you want me to.' Hermione said closing her book and starting to get up to leave.

'No, don't bother. Come inside.' Professor Darling opened the door to her room and allowed for Hermione to enter first.

'What's you're name?' she asked, walking over to a bookshelf and pulling a stack of paper off of a shelf and setting them on a table.

'Hermione Granger.'

'That's you. I heard you had gotten a detention with Professor Snape yesterday.' Hermione looked at the floor in shame. Her first impression was that she was a troublemaker. 'I also heard you were a very clever witch beyond your years.' She added.

She then took out her wand and bewitched the papers so that three copied of each landed on each desk perfectly. She took the extras and put them on the front desk in front of Hermione, where she read, "Romeo and Juliet".

'Thank you'

'So what part were you hoping for, or have you ever heard of this play?' Darling asked in an inquisitive tone.

'I've read the play before. Both of my parents are muggles. As of which part, I'm not sure.'

'I'm half and half.' Darling admitted and leaned on the table across from Hermione, who gave her a shocked look. 'My mom was a muggle and my dad was a wizard. A good wizard too, he worked for the ministry of magic.'

'What does he-' Hermione realized that she was talking in past tense and then stopped in mid sentence. 'Sorry' she added quickly.

'Its all right, they've been-gone- for many years now.' She looked down at her hands and played with a ring on her finger. 'He was an Auror for the ministry a good 25 years ago I guess.'

'My parents are dentists.' Hermione said, trying to make the situation less gloomy.

'Ah…good profession. I can't remember what my mother did, I think she was a stay at home mom.'

'So did you go to Hogwarts?' Hermione questioned.

'Definitely. I was living with my grandmother at the time when I got my letter. She nearly had a heart attack. She really didn't believe in magic. Even though I came home with a wand, she still didn't believe too much in it.'

A clock in the corner gave a little ring. 'Oh… eight. I wonder how many people will actually show up.' She said nervously.

For five minuets no one came. But that was all they needed. There were many people who came, there were hardly enough chairs to go around. Hermione noted that she saw Dean and Seamus, Colin and his little brother, Lavender, Parvati and even more from the Gryffindor house. However, she didn't see Ron. Hermione sighed heavily and picked up a script.

'Anyone who doesn't have a script please come and get one, you'll need one for a speaking part. So what's going to happen is, I'm going to give you each a role and you'll act that part for five minutes and then you'll switch that role for another role as so on. So we'll start with Hermione being Juliet, you there what's your name?' She asked pointing to Dean Thomas.

'Dean' he replied.

'Ok and Dean will be out Romeo. Let's see you ca-'

'Sorry to interrupt, I misjudged the time.'

'Well, come in, not too late.' She waved the red-haired boy into her classroom. He weaved his way up to the front and sat beside Hermione, picking up a script.

'I thought you weren't coming.' Hermione said roughly.

'Hermione, I'm sorry; I didn't mean anything like that. I didn't mean to hurt your feelings. I want to… try out…with you.'

'You can be Tybalt,' she said to Ron.

'Me?'

'Yes.' She confirmed. 'Now lets begin on Act one, scene…2'

There were several Romeo's and several Juliet's. To Ron and Hermione's secret disappointments, they were not Romeo and Juliet at the same time, but both got their hands at being the main character. Hermione could tell that Darling was quite pleased with both Dean's performance and Seamus'.

The group got through most of the play, but by eleven thirty, she let them go back to their tower to get some sleep.

'The cast list will be posted outside my door by Friday afternoon. I hope no one is disappointed with his or her roles. Everyone who tried out will be part of the play, whether on the stage or off. So I'll see some of you tomorrow and the rest of you Friday afternoon.

Hermione and Ron left with their scripts and headed for the Gryffindor tower.

'Apology accepted.' Hermione said on their way up the stairs.

'What?' Ron said. 'Oh… thanks.'

'What made you change your mind?' she asked, poking into his thoughts.

'I dunno, I meant it when I said I didn't mean it…' Ron trailed off and Hermione laughed. 'You know what I mean.'

'Siren's song' Hermione said to the Fat Lady and the two of the entered the practically barren common room.

'Goodnight Ron.'

'Night Hermione.' Ron said and then headed to his dorm. A couple of first year girls giggled as Hermione and Ron said goodnight, saying to each other that is was so 'cute' and 'adorable'. Hermione laughed silently to herself, while Ron turned slightly pink and rushed into his form.

Llllllll

By the time Friday afternoon rolled around, the dark arts room was surrounded in people shouting with happiness and sadness. Hermione squirmed her way though the crowed to try and see what role she had gotten, if a role at all.

Ron, being significantly taller walked up behind her and said, 'Hey! I got Tybalt!'

'Good for you Ron now what about me…am I on there anywhere? Oh I probably didn't get a part.'

'Shut up Hermione.' Said a Slytherin girl, Pansy, who detested Hermione. First of all because she was a Gryffindor and second of all going to the Yule Ball with Victor Kurm in fourth year. She pushed Hermione out of the way and stormed off.

'Don't worry Pansy, I was voting for you.' Hermione yelled after her, causing laughter among several of the Gryffindors that were standing there.

'Bloody hell Hermione, you've got the lead.' Ron said.

'What? Me? Are you joking? Well who else got the lead?' she was curious as to who would be playing her counterpart.

'Seamus Finnigan.'

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Wow… 2 chapters in one day…ok so not really, its 2 am! Well I hoped you like it and my days off are over… waaa I start work again tomorrow. I'll try and update… I like my story if I do say so myself…its fun to write… I get to escape the dull reality called my life…

Please review and thanks for review.

Yours truly,

Sweet Roses