LOCKED IN A HALL CLOSET

Next Idol Chapter 5

"Alright students," Dumbledore announced. "It is time to pick your songs." Everyone looked towards the empty tables, puzzled.

"-By drawing lots!" He finished. They all groaned.

"Drawing lots!" Dean protested. "We could get a song meant for girls!" The rest of them nodded in agreement.

"No matter." Dumbledore said, silencing them. "Whichever song it may be, it is for your group." Draco Malfoy raised his hand.

"Sir, that's bull-"

"Shhhh!" Hermione silenced him. Draco glared at her. Hermione rolled her eyes.

"First song!" Dumbledore said brightly. "For Ms. Granger's group." He rummaged around in a small red bag without looking. He held up a slip of paper. "Lady Marmalade!"

Hermione's eyes widened. "What??"

The other contestants whooped and whistled while a few of the guys sighed in relief. Ginny, meanwhile, started conversing with Cho on their upcoming performance, her eyes gleaming as Cho listened to her eagerly.

"This can't be happening!" Hermione said, covering her head with her hands.

"Oh, it's happening Granger." Draco said, grinning wickedly. "So let's see Granger. How do you look a,oh yes, a corset?" he said, emphasizing the last word. Hermione narrowed her eyes and aimed a kick at his shin, narrowly missing his leg.

"Who says I'm wearing a corset?" she retorted.

"Me." He retaliated.

"Shut up, you arse!"

"Sod off."

Hermione lifted her led and stomped on his foot, which set him yelping in pain. "I believe I aimed well." Hermione said smugly. Draco gave her a look of utter loathing and limped back to his friends.

"Settle down, settle down." Dumbledore called out. "Now the next group, Mr. Malfoy's." He dug his hand once more in the red bag. After reading the slip of paper, he gave a chuckle. "'I Will Survive'"

Draco and his group groaned. Ron was grinning. "Who'd want to sing to that?" he joked. And the whole room burst out laughing.

"Ron," Harry told him gently, his shoulders shaking. "You're part of that group."

Ron looked stared at him. Then he grew pale. And soon, torrents of swear words were erupting from his mouth.

"Sir!" Draco protested "That song is completely and absolutely-"

"Quiet, Mr. Malfoy." Dumbledore told him. "You agreed to all the terms and conditions prior to participating in this competition and a song has already been selected for your group. No exchanging of songs." He said firmly.

Draco muttered fiercely under his breath. "What terms? They didn't make us sign anything. He bloody made that up!"

Blaise shrugged. "No regrets. I think it's rather interesting." Draco scowled at him.

Dumbledore nodded at approvingly. "For our next group, Mr. Corner's." He dug into the bag and drew up a slip of paper. "'Play that Funky Music'" he read. Michael nodded happily.

"Sounds more like 'Play that Fuckin Music' to me." Draco muttered. Blaise snorted and slapped hands with him.

"Boys." Hermione muttered, rolling her eyes.

"And the song for Ms. Bell's group is 'If You Can Read My Mind'." Dumbledore announced. Katie's group smiled at each other.

"Ooh, I love that song!" Padma exclaimed.

"Oh really?" Dean teased her. "Then maybe I'll play it on our next date." Padma giggled.

"Just stop it!" Parvati said angrily, whacking Dean. "You're going out with ME remember?"

"Uh...er.." Dean stuttered. The group let out a collective gasp.

"No!" Padma said firmly. "He is clearly going out with me!"

"I'm his girlfriend!" Parvati screeched. The group let out another "Oooh"

"No you're not!" Padma yelled. "You're too stupid to go out with him! I'M his girlfriend!" And with that, Parvati lunged at her sister and began to attack her. Padma retaliated by pulling at her sister's long plaits—hard.

"Dean." Blaise congratulated him. "Two of the most prettiest girls in school. Fighting over you." Dean grinned.

"I salute you." Ron said, admiring his fellow Gryffindor and giving him a high-five.

"Well you should, Weasley." Draco scoffed. "You could use all the help you can get. You can sure use some expertise on the matter of GIRLS."

Ron turned red. "Why you-"

"Stop it!" Hermione commanded, separating the two.

"You two are acting like morons." Ginny said.

"He's the moronic one." Draco yawned, pointing at Ron. Ron started to advance toward him, ready for a fight.

"Ron!" Hermione snapped. "Stop it right now or else I'll tell them what you did three summers ago!" Ron froze and looked at Hermione, horrified. Dumbledore clapped his hands to get their attention. "Silence! Students, listen to me and be quiet.."

"You wouldn't." he said slowly.

Hermione shrugged. "I think you'll find that I would. If you don't step away from Malfoy." Ron took in a deep breath and relaxed slowly. With one last uncertain glance at his best friend, he inched away from Draco. "..Ms. Patil and Ms. Patil," Dumbledore droned on. "Get yourselves together and resolve your disputes after we are done with this meeting.."

"Well?" Draco asked her eagerly. "What is it? What did he do?"

Hermione folded her arms. "I'm not telling you, you idiotic moron."

"I'll give you two Galleons." Draco offered. "You could use it."

"I'd rather you give me your whole fortune." Hermione told him. "That way, we'll be rich and you'll be the one begging for money." Ginny grinned at her friend. "..And lastly," Dumbledore continued. "for Mr. Longbottom and his group, 'Build Me Up Buttercup'.."

Draco scowled. "Oh never mind." A few laughs were heard after Dumbledore's announcement. Neville grinned nervously at his group.

"So what did Ron do?" Ginny asked her, after Draco had gone away.

"You didn't know?" Hermione said, surprised. She whispered something into Ginny's ears and the two of them erupted into giggles. "..As for the lyrics," Dumbledore said. "They will be distributed later in the afternoon. The same procedures as follows." And with that, Dumbledore left the room.

The noise in the room gradually intensified as soon as Dumbledore left. Ron was passing, going to his group when he passed Ginny and Hermione giggling. And they giggled even more when Ron passed them.

"What's so funny?" he asked them confusedly.

"It's nothing." Hermione hiccupped.

"Just a funny story Hermione told me." Ginny said, trying to keep a straight face.

"About what?" A baffled Ron asked.

Ginny covered her mouth. "Three summers ago." And the two of them burst into laughter.

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A few days later, Harry and Ron were playing chess in the Common Room while their fellow Gryffindors milled about.

"Did you see what was going on with Hermione and Ginny?" Ron asked his best friend.

"No." Harry said, without looking up from the chess pieces. A pawn was trying to convince him that he should move the bishop the left but Harry was hesitant. "What were they saying?"

"I dunno." Ron said, taking his turn. Something about 'three summers ago'."

"I bet its nothing." Harry said, moving the bishop to the right.

"Guess you're right." Ron said, shrugging off the incident. He moved his king forward and captured Harry's. "Checkmate!" he said proudly.

The pawn banged its head.

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It was a warm day, yet a group of students were gathered in the Slytherin Common Room, some were sitting down comfortably on the plush sofas yet a few of them were standing rather uncomfortably, refusing to sit down.

"Why are we here again?" Ron demanded, his feet hurting terribly from standing up too long.

"It would be easier if you sat down, Weasley." Draco said languidly, stretching his feet and propping them on the table infront of him.

Blaise saw Ron hesitating. "It'll be over in minute." He told Ron. Draco sighed impatiently. "Forget him. We have other pressing matters to discuss."

"The performance, you mean?" Zacharias put it.

"Of course the performance!" Draco snapped. "And that stupid song we got!"

Ron couldn't resist retorting. "But why here?" he argued.

Draco raised an eyebrow. "You prefer the Gryffindor Common Room?" Ron shook his head. "I guess not."

"So what are we gonna do?" Zacharias asked, puzzled. "I listened to the song the other day and it was…" he trailed off.

Draco exhaled sharply. "Point is, we have do well in this round, no matter how fucking horrible this song is. So, any ideas?"

Blaise was looking amused. "We could don these crazy little things muggles call 'wigs' and use them." He suggested.

"What are wigs?" Zacharias asked.

Blaise grinned mischievously. "Hair."

"WHAT?!" Draco, Ron and Zacharias yelled in horror.

"We are NOT using that." Draco told him.

"Never." Ron said, looking horrified at the thought.

"Absolutely not." Zacharias agreed, shaking his head. Blaise shrugged nonchalantly. "Then what ARE we gonna do?"

"I have an idea." Ron said suddenly.

"Oh look," Draco mimicked. "The Weasley has an idea."

"I think it's a brilliant one." Ron said indignantly.

"Well," Blaise said brightly. "Let's hear it then."

Ron looked uncomfortable. "Well, how bout we all do stage acts and wear costumes?" he suggested timidly.

"That is the worst idea I've ever heard." Zacharias declared. Ron glared at him. "Let's see you then." He challenged.

Zacharias shrugged. "Swirly lights?" he said in bored tone.

It was as if a light bulb had popped into his head. Draco tilted his head and listened to his group mates arguing amongst themselves about the performance. 'Wigs..costumes..swirly lights..and an old Disco song..' Draco thought. And it came to him. "I got it!" he said, snapping his fingers together.

"Got what?" they all asked at once. Draco leaned in closer to them and told them about his sudden idea.

"Amazing!" Blaise said admiringly, when he was done explaining.

"It could work!" Zacharias said, nodding his head.

"It's brilliant!" Ron proclaimed. "But who's going to do the research work?"

They all looked towards Draco expectantly. Draco looked up from his parchment, where he was jotting all of the ideas down. "Oh fuck." He said, horrified. "You cannot be bloody killing me."

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"You have to tell her." Cho whispered.

"Me?" Ginny said, aghast. "Why me? Did we already make a decision?"

"Yes!" Cho said, exasperated. "It was the first thing we decided on!"

"But why do I have to do it?"

"Because you're her friend!" Cho hissed.

"Damn." Ginny muttered. "I knew friendship came with a price." She looked at Cho doubtfully. "And if she refuses? She's quit stubborn, you know."

Cho frowned. "I realized that." She searched the library and saw empty tables and vast shelves of books. "And where is Romilda Vane?"

"Dunno," Ginny said, shrugging impatiently. "Of snogging Dean or someone else."

"Dean?" Cho said, surprised. "I thought he was dating both Patil twins!"

"Well I guess she's another girl involved in their love triangle." Ginny said. "Thank god Harry and I don't have a complicated relationship."

"Speaking of complications," Cho interrupted Ginny. "YOU have to tell Hermione."

"And I said no!" Ginny argued.

"No to what?" A voice asked curiously.

It was Hermione, carrying an armful of books. Cho and Ginny exchanged a look. Cho nodded at Ginny. "Er-Hermione," Ginny started. "We need to talk to you."

"Concerning?" Hermione asked, setting her books down on the table and pulling out a chair.

"Our performance this Saturday."

Hermione looked at her inquiringly. "What about it?"

"Our costumes." Ginny said meaningfully. Hermione's face contorted to a look of confusion.

"Our costumes…?" Then it dawned on her. "What?!" she shrieked. Cho and Ginny winced. "See?" Ginny told her. "Stubborn." Cho glared at her. "This isn't over." She looked at Hermione.

"Hermione," she pleaded. "You absolutely HAVE to wear it. We all are and we could advance if we wear it. Don't you want to advance to next round?"

Hermione flushed. "I do! But a CORSET?! Where the hell did you get that idea anyway?" Hysteria was taking over her. A corset. She had to wear a corset. In front of a live audience. Oh god, no!

"Well," Ginny continued, glancing at Cho. "We got the idea from Malfoy. We overheard the two of you arguing a few days back and we just happened to hear the word 'corset' and that's where we got the idea. Hermione? Hermione, are you alright?" For, Hermione was dangerously turning into a dark shade of red.

"Draco Malfoy?!" she exploded. Madame Pince made a shh-ing noise at her but she ignored it. "You got the idea from him??" she yelled. "I'm gonna kill that bloody Slytherin!" She pushed her chair away and stomped out of the library.

Ginny and Cho looked at each other in horror and ran after her.

Hermione had turned a corner, barking at people if they knew where Draco Malfoy was, when she bumped and tumbled to the floor with a tall someone with platinum blonde hair. Aha! Draco Malfoy. Just the person she was looking for.

"You!" she accused.

Draco looked surprised and revolted. "What?" he snapped. What was this mudblood doing? Accusing him? Of what? All he was doing was heading over to the library to do some research work for their bloody performance and he got the feeling it would not be there anyway.

"You." She repeated, piercing him with an icy stare.

"What did I do now?" he protested. The mudblood seemed to be blaming him for every sodden thing gone wrong. It was infuriating. Even though most of them WERE his fault.

"You gave them the idea." Hermione accused, pointing a finger at him.

"Excuse me?" he said, annoyed.

"You gave them the idea about the corsets!" she yelled.

"Hermione!"

Ginny and Cho were running towards them, looking panicked. "Don't tell him!" Cho shouted. But it was too late.

"Corsets?" he said slowly. Then it came to him. "You and your little group are wearing corsets to the performance!" he said gleefully. He grinned evilly.

"Don't you dare!" Ginny told him. "If anyone finds out.."

"You expect me to keep a secret?" Draco scoffed.

"Yes!" the three of them burst out.

"Sure." He said, standing up and smoothing his robes. "When I grow poor." He smirked and walked away from them.

"The jerk!" Hermione said angrily. "He can barely keep his mouth shut for five seconds!"

"Well there goes our surprise entrance." Cho said sadly.

Ginny was thoughtful. "A swimsuit…bikini maybe?"

"No!" Hermione and Cho cried in unison.

"No more skin!" Hermione said firmly.

"But-"

"No!" Hermione said stubbornly.

"Fine." Ginny sighed dejectedly. "It was good while it lasted."

Cho nodded sympathetically.