Disclaimer: Don't grumble, grumble own more indistinct grumbling Harry Potter…dejected sigh

Chapter 6

As much as she didn't want to admit it, the replacement had done a far better job portraying Cinderella than Lavender Brown ever had. Well, with any help from Merlin, Miss Brown won't recover from her mysterious illness in time for me to tell her she's been replaced. Now the only problem is what to do with Miss Parkinson? She can't seem to read well enough to be given any sort of speaking role. I'll keep her in the part of Mouse 4 I believe. She wasn't even grateful to me for getting a larger role this afternoon. Looks like I need to re-open auditions for an evil step sister.

Professor Trelawney was having trouble sleeping that night. The only thing she could think about was her beloved play, and thinking of that never brought her any rest. It was several hours later when sleep finally claimed her, and haunted her with dreams of Pansy Parkinson breaking all of her glass slippers.

"Well Miss Brown, I am pleased to inform you that you have nothing to worry about." Madame Pomfrey said with a smile on her face. "Unfortunately, though not harmful, the vertasirum will remain active in your system for at least another four to five weeks. It was quite a dose you were given."

"VERTASIRUM!" Lavender screeched. "What in the bloody hell is vertasirum doing in me!" She was near hysterics when realization finally dawned in her eyes. "Parkinson. I knew no Slytherin low-life would ask a Gryffindor for help in Divination. 'Oh Lavender please help me…' How could I have been so stupid? The lying scum tricked me, thinking she would take my part! That…."

"Now, that is quite enough now Miss Brown." Professor McGonagall had appeared on the scene, her mouth set in a grim line. "Do not say anything you will regret, or I will be forced to take points from Gryffindor. Miss Parkinson will be punished for her actions. In the mean time, please calm yourself and let the situation be handled by the proper authorities."

This did very little to calm Lavender's temper. Though normally a very sweet natured girl, she had quite the temper. Being an actress always had been her dream, and now it was gone. When else would she get another chance like that? The first thing on her to do list was to beat the bloody pulp out of Parkinson. The though that she had a wand to curse her into oblivion had totally slipped her mind. Lavender Brown finally understood what it meant to see red.

Madame Pomfrey had seen that look before and there was nothing else in the entire wizarding world to calm a temper like a good sedative. The next thing Lavender knew, she was slipping into dreamland with all thoughts of violence pushed from her head. Sleep was a very rarely recognized cure to a violent temper, and sleep Lavender did for the next 36 hours.

Professor Snape's head snapped up as he heard the knocker on his door send a resounding boom echoing off the dungeon walls.

"Enter." He said and watched as the Headmaster appeared through the opening door.

"My apologies for interrupting your class Professor, but I'm afraid it is urgent that I speak with Miss Parkinson."

Pansy's stomach sank to the dank dungeon floor. I thought Zabini told me it was untraceable. Oh, wait until my parents hear about this. Those two seconds were all the time she had for thought when she heard Professor Snape call for her.

"Miss Parkinson, it appears the headmaster would like a word with you. You are expected to make up this potions lab this evening. Be at my office at seven o'clock, and please remember that late students receive detentions."

Pansy gulped and nodded. With out looking at his face, she stood up and walked in Dumbledore's general direction. She focused on the dull grey floor, scorched from the millions of cauldron fires over the ages. The heat started to rise on the back of her neck and she felt the eyes of her classmates on her back, curious as to what she had done. Losing focus on what she was doing, she caught her foot on the leg of a chair and nearly fell into the Headmaster. Even the most controlled student couldn't contain their snickers and Pansy wished she could simply drown in her embarrassment to get it over with.

After what seemed to be an eternity she finally reached the Headmaster's office. He murmured the password and Pansy reluctantly joined him on the staircase leading to his office. She took the chair facing his desk, tucked her legs under her chair, folded her hands in her lap, and determinedly refused to look at him.

"Miss Parkinson, I assume you know the reason you are here."

No reply.

"Come now, the silent treatment doesn't work on old men. I have far too much patience for that, but I must say, if you refuse to explain your actions then I will call in Miss Brown to do so for you."

With out looking up, Pansy began to explain. "Yesterday morning I slipped a vial full of Vertasirum into Lavender's tea when I asked for her help in divination. I just wanted to be Cinderella in the play and I didn't think she deserved to have it." She met his azure blue eyes. The disappointment written there was worse than any punishment he could have given her, and she would have done anything to erase it.

"I'm afraid I must take fifty points from Slytherin for such abominable behavior in addition to three weeks of detention with Professor Snape. I would not have expected anything as childish as that from a sixth year student. Good day Miss Parkinson."

She nodded and headed for the door. Never had she felt such shame in her entire life.

Draco knew exactly what Pansy had done the moment Lavender spoke up during rehearsal. The vial of what she had told him was perfume wasn't really perfume at all. There was only one thing that made a person tell the truth all the time like that, Vertasirum. I just wonder how she got it. Must have paid some one else to do it for her, that would be the only way.

As he sat and pondered her tactics, his mind wandered back to the rehearsal. Granger was doing an excellent job playing Cinderella, much better than Lavender had on even her best day. In fact, she was entrancing. Stunning. Captivating. What in the heck is happening to me? Mudblood captivating? Not possible. I need to get to sleep earlier tonight I think; I'm going a little bit loony. In fact I'm almost giddy about being Granger's Prince Charming…

Just at that precise moment he relented to the urge to bang his head against the wall. What…bang, the bloody hell…bang, is the matter with me? Bang, bang, bang. He had just admitted, albeit to himself, that he a) was giddy about being with Granger b)had called her something other than mudblood, and c) thought the word giddy.

What in Merlin's beard is happening to me?

A/N: Sorry it's been almost two weeks since I've updated, and also for the large number or errors you are bound to find in this chapter. To be honest I haven't even read though it. I' m on what I call 'burn out.' Homework is the devil, and had made me too lazy to write lately. In fact, I have a Calculus test in less than 36 hours that I'm not remotely prepared for… oh well. sigh. Thank you all for the wonderful reviews, I try to take all of your opinions to heart! I read somewhere that you're not allowed shout outs, so unfortunately I'm going to have to discontinue them …tear

Happy Reading!

Doulos