Romeo, Romeo…
Harry hastily added the finishing touches to his potions essay the next morning at breakfast. It was really a shame that the first hadn't made it to the grading process, he thought, eying the paper critically. He'd tried his best to make this one the same, but it still seemed different without Lisa there helping. He shrugged and rolled up the scroll. At least he'd managed to finish before class.
There was a bit of commotion at the entrance to the Great Hall and Harry looked up. He couldn't help the laugh that escaped. After all, he'd known Hermione and Ron both for years and never would have bet even a knut that he'd see the smartest witch in his class beg for help from the red-head.
"Please, Ron!" she was saying as they came closer to the table. "I can't make it through another session with those Slytherins. We haven't got anything done!"
Ron shook his head and started piling food high on his plate. "Not a chance, 'Mione. I can't even stand them in class, and you want me to go see them after school?" he snorted and shook his head again.
Hermione sighed, obviously fed up with pleading, and sighed. "Alright, then," she said. "You won't help. I can respect that." She picked up her fork and took a small bite of eggs, chewing contentedly.
Ron looked at her suspiciously. "Really?" he asked, and Harry could tell he thought she'd given up too easily. Truthfully, he thought so too.
"Mm-hmm," Hermione confirmed and continued her breakfast.
Ron watched her for a few moments, then smiled. "Well, okay then," he said and turned to start a conversation with Harry.
Harry finished his breakfast as Ron rambled on about the new beater the Chudley Cannons had taken and started gathering his stuff. "What's that?" Ron asked, sputtering his usual breadcrumbs, and pointed to Harry's rolled scroll.
Harry picked it up. "It's the potions essay we had to rewrite for class today," he answered. Ron started coughing, his face turning an alarming shade of red. "Whoa!" Harry cried and dropped his papers to pound his friend's back.
"That was due today?" Ron finally managed to ask some time later.
Harry nodded. "How could you forget?" he asked, not quite believing that something so major as a teacher's desk bursting into flames could simply slip anyone's mind, even Ron's. "It was only yesterday that Snape gave it to us. Again," he sighed.
"I've slept," Ron muttered, his cheeks, not quite returned to their normal freckled paleness, flushed brighter. The panic faded though as he looked over at Hermione, who still sat next to him finishing her breakfast quietly. "Hey, Hermione," he started casually.
"Hello, Ron," she replied, just as easily, though she had to know what was coming next. She'd been sitting there the entire time. Then it dawned on Harry, the reason Hermione had given in so quickly. He smiled to himself and looked down, gathering his belongings once more. It was better that Ron learn for himself.
"So, you'll help a pal out, right," Harry heard as Ron finished his explanation of why he hadn't completed the assignment, and why Hermione should help him. It had been a short explanation.
Hermione gave Ron her best 'we'll always be friends' smile and said, "Not a chance." Then she stood, picked up her stack of books and made her exit as Ron stared after her in shock.
"Wha?" he said then stood, nearly falling over the bench. ""Scuse me," he muttered to Harry as he took off after the girl. ""Mione, wait!" he called, bumping more than a few students out of his way as he followed her out of the room.
Harry sighed, grabbing Ron's books and heading to class at a more sedate pace. Ron would never learn. You just didn't anger the people you needed help from, and he would always need help from Hermione. By the time he arrived at his Defense Against the Dark Arts class, nothing had changed. Ron was still begging Hermione for help and she still answered his every plea with a simple "not a chance." He laughed a little as he slid into his desk.
Class that day was relatively easy. Harry had already learned most of the spells they would be studying today and so his mind was free to wander. He practiced his lines from Act One silently. It had taken so long to learn them, and at such a price, that he didn't want to take even the smallest chance forgetting them.
Fortunately, at least for Ron, McGonagall ended Transfigurations early when Seamus, in an attempt to turn his pencil into a snake, managed to turn Neville into a toad. While Harry and most of the class could appreciate the irony of that, McGonagall apparently couldn't and escorted both Seamus and Neville the Toad to Dumbledore's office. Ron didn't so much as pause to catch his breath before turning to Hermione and once more begging for help, the pressure of a deadline resting heavily on his shoulders.
It was only mid-way through lunch when Harry heard Ron's triumphant crow echo even above the dull roar of the Great Hall. He looked up from trying to memorize his lines in Act Two, with less luck than the day before, to see Hermione leaning close to Ron, talking quietly. Ron's quill moved quickly across the paper, obviously copying every word Hermione fed him, with a few pauses here and there as she corrected his spelling.
He was a bit surprised. Harry had thought Hermione would last a bit longer than only half the day. Then he saw the touch of smugness at the corner of her smile. When she looked up and winked at him, Harry knew for sure that the girl had won. And why wouldn't she? Blackmail had been working for years, so it was sure to help any Gryffindor willing to use it.
The next morning, Harry strode into the Great Hall a good thirty minutes later than usual. He'd overslept and was now attempting to put his robe on and read more of his script at the same time. It was less than successful. He nearly tripped walking past the Hufflepuff table, just managing to regain his balance before walking right into another student. Harry stumbled back a few inches and sighed. "Sorry," he muttered, not bothering to see who he'd run into as he bent down to grab the script that had fallen from his hand.
Instead, he managed to tangle his arm with his robe. Then, trying to free himself, stepped on the edge and tripped, landing hard on his other arm. "Damn it," he muttered, frustrated. Not that anyone could hear it over the laughter that erupted through the room. He finally pulled his arm from the robe and sat up straight, testing his other for signs of broken bones. That fall hurt just a little more than it should have.
There were some spots that looked as if they'd bruise but Harry didn't think he'd broken anything. He sighed his relief. He hadn't eaten well last night and really needed some breakfast if he was to make it through the day, something he wouldn't get if he spent the morning in the hospital wing with Pomfrey. "How long do you intend to sit on my robe?" he heard the familiar voice ask coolly from above. He looked up. Malfoy was glaring down at him, had obviously long since lost his patience.
Harry fought his usual impulse, to shoot back some equally insulting look, and simply muttered, "Sorry," again before standing. After all, the boy was helping him, with ill grace, but still helping. Malfoy snorted and stalked away, robes billowing behind him in a manner that left no question as to who taught him.
"Harry, I'm so proud of you," Hermione gushed as he finally made it to the Gryffindor table.
"What for?" he asked, settling into his seat and propping the script against his cup. He needed to memorize as much of Act Three as he could before rehearsal this afternoon and Malfoy's 'list' seemed to be doing the trick.
"You didn't get into a fight with Malfoy," Hermione pointed out, taking a sip from her goblet. "And for a moment there, it looked like you would."
"Yeah, mate, what's wrong with you?" Ron asked around a mouthful of toast. Harry shrugged and turned his attention to his script, letting the flow of conversation wash over him as he tried to study the words, with much more success than before. It wasn't until he felt Ron moving roughly at his side that Harry realized it was time for classes.
"A plague on both your houses!" Seamus called out loudly later that day. Harry grinned at his friend. The Irish boy apparently could hold in his enthusiasm no longer and was standing in front of his chair, script rolled in one hand and the other clenched against his chest. Harry shook his head. Only Seamus could turn the death scene into a comedy.
It seemed as though his extra study had paid off because Harry had yet to make a fool of himself during this rehearsal. His delivery was bland, but at least the lines were coming out right, and he'd hardly had to look at his script. The one time he'd chanced a glance at Malfoy, the other boy didn't have that familiar pained expression, was in fact smirking slightly. Harry took it as a sign that, though he may not have gotten good, he at least didn't suck as badly as he had before.
Even so, it was with no small pleasure that he read the first few lines of his last fight with Tybalt and he grinned as he said, "Either thou, or I, or both, must go with him."
All heads turned to Malfoy, breath held in anticipation. Though no one would admit it aloud, it was this showdown between Harry and Malfoy- Romeo and Tybalt- that they been looking forward to. "Thou wretched boy that did consort him here, shalt with him hence," Malfoy responded, voice chill with anger and face impassive. Except those eyes. Harry thought it was a shame the audience wouldn't be able to see the hatred that glowed in Malfoy's steady gaze. It would give goose bumps even to those who thought Snape a cuddly old man.
"That is going to look so amazing when they give you two swords," Seamus whispered to him at the close of the scene, barely able to contain his excitement. Harry nodded back, smiling half-heartedly.
Harry leaned back in his seat, chewing thoughtfully on his thumbnail as he watched Lisa and Pansy read their lines. He didn't know how to fence. He supposed he wouldn't really have to, but the thought of getting on the stage and fighting with Malfoy, even if they were only acting, made him both nervous and excited. At least he knew he would win, he thought with a grin.
Friar Lawrence was going to be played by a Slytherin, something that Harry found vaguely ironic. Malcolm Baddock didn't seem any more happy with it than Harry did, but was strangely quiet about his role. Every so often, more so when he was reading his lines almost as painfully as Harry had been, he would send a glare over to Malfoy. Which really didn't make any sense, because Harry figured the boy would be more angry with him. After all, if he hadn't shown up for the auditions, chances were pretty good that Malfoy would have been Romeo. He watched as Malfoy curled his lip in disgust at Baddock's recitation. Then again, maybe not.
The rest of the reading was simple, though Harry blushed when he and Lisa read their farewells. The inevitable 'awws' and knowing giggles from the girls in the two circles didn't nothing to ease his discomfort and he was glad that those were the last of his lines for the act.
Predictably, Trelawney ended rehearsal at the end of the scene five. Harry guessed even she could only deal with the poor acting of most of the group for so long. Binns warned the group to expect a long rehearsal on Monday, an announcement that inspired a few groans.
Harry stood from his chair and stretched, then picked up his cloak and script. Turning, he noticed that Malfoy hadn't moved and the blond glanced down at the chair next to him before narrowing his gaze meaningfully on Harry. He sighed, then turned to Seamus, who usually left with him.
Seamus was still unsuccessful in his attempts to corner Dean. While Harry felt bad for him, he also couldn't help but be thankful that he was so familiar with the schedules of the four boys with whom he shared a room. "Seamus, you know Dean's in the library right now, right?" he asked casually.
Seamus looked at him suspiciously for a moment and Harry silently cursed. Did it seem too much like he was trying to get the other boy to leave first? "How do you know?" Seamus asked cautiously.
Harry shrugged. "Remember last night when Ron beat him at wizard's chess?" Seamus nodded. "Well, he didn't have any money, so Ron's making him help with the stage set-up. He's trying to get an early start on his homework this week."
The words had barely left his mouth when Seamus bolted through the room, pushing aside more than one person in his rush to get to the library. Harry sent another silent apology Dean's way and waited for the room to clear. When everyone else had left, Harry walked over to where Malfoy was still waiting patiently.
"You've been practicing," Malfoy observed and Harry nodded. "What are you doing Saturday morning?"
Harry frowned. As if Malfoy didn't know. He was still the Slytherin seeker. "Quidditch. Why?"
Malfoy shrugged. "You need to learn delivery. What about Saturday afternoon?" He stood, brushing wrinkles from his robe as he waited for an answer.
"Nothing but homework," Harry answered slowly, trying not to respond the feeling that told him he'd just been insulted. Everything Malfoy said sounded like an insult. Fighting with the boy over it wouldn't get him though this play with his dignity intact.
"Good," Malfoy drawled, picking up his script and tapping the papers against his shoulder. "Escape your fan club for a few hours and go to the usual spot. Maybe I can get you to sound like you know what you're doing by Monday evening."
Harry grit his teeth and nodded, then brushed past Malfoy on his way to the door. He wouldn't be able to deal with the Slytherin much longer. He wasn't a saint. "Potter," Harry looked over his shoulder. "Bring some Almond Joys next time."
Harry nodded stiffly, trying not to grin. So that was why the other boy was so eager for another lesson. He must have run out of chocolate.
A/N: I am so sorry it's taking so long. I actually like this story more than I thought I would. So I'm spending more time trying to get it right. Heh. Anyway, thanks to trillium248, NiceAsPie, jo, xnyxchanx, SwarmOfFangirls, Nessa's Night, Brionyjae, and an anonymous reviewer (*shrug*) for reviewing last chapter. You guys are still awesome!