AN: I don't own Harry Potter. Wish I did, but nope.
Thank you all so much for the reviews, follows, and faves. Seriously. I say that in every chapter of every story of mine, but I always, always mean that.
So, I said that this would be a four or five chapter story at the most. Yeah, to be honest, I don't see that happening. I'm actually beginning to believe I'm not capable of writing short chaptered stories.
You know who Melissa Etheridge is, yes? Oh, I love her. Her song 'I'm The Only One' is what gave me the inspiration to write this chapter. Until that, I had a small bout of writer's block. But, to make up for it, I made this a bit longer than usual.
Alright, my lovelies. Enough of me. Go! Read and enjoy!
"You coming with us to Grimmauld Place, Mione?" Harry asked as the large group left The Pink Pagoda later that night.
Hermione shook her head. "No, not tonight. I'll probably be at the arena for a few more hours." she said, sipping from the to-go cup she had gotten.
"Oh? Why?" he asked with a furrowed brow, not understanding why she'd have to go back instead of spending the night with them at Grimmauld Place.
"Rehearsals for tomorrow night's show, love." she smiled.
"Well...do...do you want me to come with you?" Harry asked hesitantly.
"No, that's alright." she said, smiling. "Go home and get some sleep. I'll see you guys tomorrow at the show."
"At the show?" Sirius asked excitedly.
Hermione nodded. "I'm giving you guys seats to tomorrow's last show."
"Front row seats?" he asked with wide eyes.
Hermione laughed. She swore if he had a tail in human form, it would be wagging right now. "No, not front row. Fifth row center from the runway." she said. "Those are the best seats, in my opinion."
"What about the people who were supposed to sit in those seats?" Sirius asked.
"Oh, it's alright, Siri. We've got that all worked out. Don't worry about it." Hermione said.
"Alright, Hermione." Harry said, hugging her and kissing her temple. "We'll see you guys tomorrow, then." he said.
Walking over to where her parents were saying their goodnight's to the adults, she wasn't surprised to be brought in for a hug by Molly.
"We'll see you tomorrow, sweetheart." Molly said. "You were just brilliant up on that stage, Hermione." she said, pulling back to look at her with a wide smile.
"Thanks, Mrs. Weasley." Hermione smiled.
"What did you have in mind for your final performance, love?" Christine asked as the three walked back to the arena after watching the others apparate home.
"Melissa Etheridge, probably. Maybe we can get Vic in to rig up some special effects, too?" Hermione suggested.
"We'll see." Christine said. "Talk to Vic when we get over there and see what he says. I mean, if he and the boys can rig up what you have in mind before tomorrow night, I'm all for it." she smiled. "How about fireworks? I've always thought they added a certain something, you know."
"Well...it's not like I want to burn the place down, mum." Hermione said with a smile. "I was thinking just something small, like a lighting effect, or something."
"Oh. Well, if that's what you want, love." Christine said. "Now, come on. We need to catch up to your father before he gets hold of a golf cart."
Hermione laughed at that. Her father was just a big kid at heart, and loved to grab one of the assistant's golf carts and make laps around backstage, making 'vroom-vroom' noises and doing wheelies.
"So," Christine said as they entered the arena, "you go find Vic and get that worked out, and I'll go..." she started, only to stop when Hermione's father raced by them, honking the little horn and waving.
"Catch daddy." Hermione finished, already walking toward where she knew she'd find Vic and the lighting guys. "Have fun with that." she said over her shoulder, hearing her mum let out a sigh.
"Two Velvet BlackBird shows in two days! Oh, can you believe it, Moony?" Sirius asked as he and Remus stood in the living room of Grimmauld Place the next night, waiting for everyone else to arrive or finish getting ready.
"No." Remus said, shaking his head. "I'm still trying to wrap my head around the fact that they raised Hermione." he said.
"Yeah, that was a shock, wasn't it?" Sirius asked with a snort.
"I'll say." Remus laughed.
"Come on, you guys! Shake a leg!" Sirius shouted upstairs as he slapped the banister with each word.
"Pads, calm down. We still have half an hour before we absolutely have to leave." Remus said.
"Yeah, but I don't wanna be late." Sirius said, just as the floo lit up and one by one, the Weasley's appeared. "Finally." he sighed. "Now, if everyone upstairs would hurry up!" he shouted again.
"Calm down, mutt." Severus said as he walked down the stairs. "We're coming."
Sirius sighed again as he caught sight of everyone else walking down behind him. "Let's go, let's go, let's go!" he shouted, walking toward the front door.
"Knock knock." Hermione heard as the door to her dressing room opened.
Looking up, she saw Harry's smiling face in the mirror as she finished getting ready. She laughed when she saw Ginny and Ron trying to push him aside to get in before him.
"Come on in, you guys." she said, putting down her makeup brush and spinning around her chair to face them.
"Hey, Hermione." Ron greeted. "We wanted to come see you before you went on." he said, sitting down on the sofa.
"Yeah, we wanted to wish you luck." Harry said, leaning against the vanity she sat at.
"Thanks." she smiled, turning back around.
"Hey, are these for anyone?" Ron asked, walking over to the small area in the corner where there were bags of different kinds of crisps.
"Help yourself, Ron." Hermione said, meeting his eyes in the mirror.
"You look great, Mione." Ginny said, standing on the other side of her.
Ginny honestly meant that, too. Hermione was wearing a pair of dark colored jeans, like last night, tucked inside a pair of grey suede round toed thigh-high boots with a five inch heel, and a faded grey Journey t-shirt that molded itself to her body. She had foregone a necklace or earrings, instead having added her Gryffindor charm bracelet to her wrist. Her hair was hanging down, just pulled away from her face on either side and pulled back into two small pigtails.
"Thank you, Gin." she said.
"I have to ask, though, what's with the heels again?" Ginny asked, tilting her head as she studied Hermione's boots. "I mean, for the last seven or so years I've known you, you've only worn heels a couple of times, and never twice in a row." she said.
Hermione shrugged. "Why not? They're comfy, stylish, and they make taller." she said before spraying some hairspray in her hair.
"Why's it matter that they make you taller?" Ron asked as he joined the three, mouth full of crisps. "You've always been the shortest person of us all."
Hermione rolled her eyes as she capped her hairspray and picked up her brush again to finish her makeup. "I'm aware of that, Ron. And I don't know why it matters, it just does. Mum's the same way. You'll never see her on stage without heels of some kind." she said. Frowning, she murmured, "I never realized that was weird."
"It's not, Mione, ignore him." Ginny said, elbowing Ron. Reaching forward, she picked up a package and read the label before grimacing. "You actually wear fake eyelashes?" she asked, eyes wide.
"No, Gin. Those are my mum's. She's got all kinds of those things. They hurt my eyes to wear them." Hermione said, putting on some light lip gloss over her lipstick.
Harry looked down at his watch and noticed they had about ten minutes until the show started. "Ginny, Ron, we need to get going." he said.
"Oh, alright." Ginny said. Leaning down, she gave Hermione a tight hug. "Good luck, love." she said.
"Yeah, good luck, Mione." Ron nodded, following her to the door.
"Thanks again, guys." Hermione smiled.
Harry lingered for a moment, taking the opportunity to kiss Hermione gently and chastely on the lips. "I know you don't need luck, babe. You got this." he whispered, smiling at her.
"Thanks, Harry." Hermione whispered, smiling up at him.
"You guys having fun so far?" Velvet asked the crowd, getting a cheer in response. "Good, good. Well, BlackBird and I are gonna take a little break, but don't worry, we haven't forgotten you." she laughed.
"Does this mean Mione's coming out?" Ron asked in Harry's ear, getting a nod from him.
"Yeah, I think so." Harry said.
"Ladies and gentlemen, our daughter, Hermione!" Velvet announced, making the crowd cheer again as Hermione walked out on stage.
"She looks just as fabulous as last night." Molly yelled to Minerva, watching Hermione hug her parents and set her water bottle down by the band.
"Hello, again." Hermione said with a little laugh after her parents left the stage. "Alright, let's get started, shall we?" she asked, the crowd cheering as the band began to play.
The lights went to a dark red, except for the spotlight that was on Hermione, who walked in time to the beat to the right side of the stage.
Please, baby, can't you see, my mind's a burnin' hell
I got razors a rippin' and tearin' and strippin' my heart apart as well
Tonight you told me that you ache for somethin' new
'Cause some other woman is lookin' like something that might be good for you
Go on and hold her till the screaming is gone
Go on believe her when she tells you nothing's wrong
But I'm the only one who'll walk across the fire for you
And I'm the only one who'll drown in my desire for you
It's only fear that makes you run, the demons that you're hiding from
When all your promises are gone
I'm the only one
Hermione walked to the left side of the stage, again in time with the music, singing the next part.
Please, baby, can't you see, I'm trying to explain
I've been here before and I'm locking the door, and I'm not going back again
Her eyes and arms and skin won't make it go away,
You'll wake up tomorrow and wrestle the sorrow that holds you down today
Go on and hold her till the screaming is gone,
Go on believe her when she tells you nothing's wrong
But I'm the only one who'll walk across the fire for you
And I'm the only one who'll drown in my desire for you
It's only fear that makes you run, the demons that you're hiding from
When all your promises are gone
I'm the only one
As she finished that last line, Hermione walked down the runway to the end, leaning down and grabbing the crowd's hands as they reached for her on the walk down.
Go on and hold her till the screaming is gone
Go on believe her when she tells you nothing's wrong
But I'm the only one who'll walk across the fire for you
And I'm the only one who'll drown in my desire for you
It's only fear that makes you run, the demons that you're hiding from
When all your promises are gone
I'm the only one
Yeah, yeah, yeah
And I'm the only one who'll drown in my desire for you
It's only fear that makes you run, the demons that you're hiding from
When all your promises are gone
I'm the only one
As Hermione finished singing, and the lights went back to normal, the crowd burst out in applause and whistles, making her laugh again.
"You guys want one more?" she asked, laughing harder as the crowd got louder in approval. "Alright, then. Hit it, boys." she said to the band, who started playing as she began swaying back and forth.
You made me weep, and wanna die
Just when you said we'd try
Lovin', touchin', squeezin', each other
When I'm alone, all by myself
You're out, with someone else
Lovin', touchin', squeezin', each other
You're tearing me apart, every, everyday
You're tearing me apart, oh, what can I say
You're tearing me apart
It won't be long yet, till you're alone
When your lover, oh, she hasn't come home
'Cause she's lovin', yeah she's touchin', oooh she's squeezin', another
She's tearin' you apart, oh, every, everyday
She's tearin' you apart, oh, boy, what can you say?
'Cause she's lovin', now she's touchin', another
Now it's your turn, boy, to cry
Hermione started waving her left arm back and forth in the air, prompting the crowd to join her
Na na na na na na
Na na na na na na
Na na na na na na
Na na na na na na
Na na na na na na
Na na na na na na
Velvet and BlackBird walked back out on stage and joined Hermione in the end of the song, also waving their arms in the air for the next several minutes as Hermione, the band, and the audience kept singing. Harry and the others didn't know the song, but couldn't resist joining in waving their arms.
Na na na na na na
Na na na na na na
Na na na na na na
Na na na na na na
The song finished and Hermione took her bow to a huge round of applause and whistles, laughing as she hugged her parents before she turned to go backstage.
"Let's hear it one more time for our baby!" Velvet shouted, getting the crowd riled up again for the second part of their concert.
Review please.
Songs - 'I'm The Only One' by Melissa Etheridge-'Lovin', Touchin', Squeezin'' by Journey
I don't know about any of you other gals out there, but when I'm getting ready to go out, I'm all over the place. A little bit of doing my makeup, then my hair, then a bit more makeup, getting dressed, then I finish my hair and makeup before I'm ready. I have a terrible time just doing the one thing. Of course, if I do one thing at a time, I end up being late. Ugh.
Til next time!
XOXO - Onyx Obsidian