The House of Hell

by Love2Love

The WWNC thinks it's a great idea to start a reality show with an unwilling group of magical teenagers before their seventh year at Hogwarts. Hermione does not. Enter a pointy faced blond with his two close friends and let Hell-er, the summer, begin.

19. Sexy Back

Author's Note: My semester is awful. In case anyone is interested. On the bright side, I'm totally in love with Dan from Big Brother! Go Dan! Also, in regards to the song Gay Bar I have heard a version with a verse about money, but the one I downloaded did not include that verse, so it is not included in the performance.

OK, this chapter is dedicated to cemicool, whose review was quite funny and caused me hysterical laughter, as I totally agreed with her!

Here's the clip,

'Poor thing about Jacob but i couldn't care less cause hah! This is a Dramione and Jacob can go die with renesmee :D (who was, btw, SUCH a horrible plot bunny. eugh breaking dawn so ruined my twilight haze)'

Here are the results for who you think the songs are going to be sung by. As well, this is the actual order of the songs, as it has changed since the last chapter.

Gay Bar – Blaise (5)
Sexy Back – Draco (3) Blaise (1)
Pocket Full of Sunshine – Ron (1) Pansy (3)
Light Up the Sky – Ron (1)
Its My Life – Harry (3) Ron (1)
I Kissed a Girl – Hermione
Vindicated – Draco (1)
We Might As Well Be Strangers – Ron (1)
Stop and Stare – Draco (6) Harry (1)

Disclaimer: I'm not sure J.K Rowling really ever had the events in the coming chapter planned or even imagined them, they are so not canon. So I just use her people for my own satisfaction. Haha. I also don't own any music groups or lyrics.

Hermione had always known there was an extent a person could take before they went crazy and started screaming. She knew that there was a reason people had to go to therapy, endure anger management classes and estranged people with their natural anti-social behavior and depression. She'd always imagined (she didn't think about these things regularly, but if she pondered over it) that after the one turning point, the person would become completely irrational and would, as was the common phrase, crack.

So why, after glancing at Draco as he slept in the passenger seat for the umpteenth time, had she not gone off shrieking and wailing? Why hadn't she had a mental breakdown (a big one, not just the small period where her emotions got the best of her the previous day) and collapsed? Obviously if she was so eager to feed her mind with images of Draco (no matter how soft, peaceful, delicate and beautiful those images were, though she would deny this in her head) and didn't cringe at the sight of him, she was insane. Gone. She'd cracked.

Except she didn't feel different. She felt as well as she usually had, albeit quite tired and bit more fond of Draco than she'd definitely been before they left the house. But that was inevitable, right? Anger at what had happened, reluctant acceptance, and then what feelings would develop would take over. She was sure Ron and Harry were getting along with Pansy better in any case.

It was probably because she kept driving the overnight shifts.

Earlier…

"You complete imbecile!" Pansy yelled, punching Ron on the arm. "Are you stupid? How did you do this?"

Harry sighed, running a hand through his hair as the redhead dodged away from Pansy's blows. "He didn't do anything."

"So what's the problem?" Pansy asked furiously.

"We're out of gas." Harry explained, staring at the car and then town they could see about a mile away. With no incoming or out coming traffic that they could see. "Meaning, the car won't work until we push it there."

"You're joking." Pansy said after a moment's silence, looking back and forth between their destination and their position.

"Nope." Harry said, looking tired. "So we may as well start now."

"No. Who knows how long that could take! Can't we wait for someone to come by?" Ron asked, staring in disbelief at the car.

"Who knows how long that could take?" Pansy said mockingly, "Ugh. Fine. Start pushing, then."

"You have to help," Ron told her, frowning.

"No, I don't. I'm delicate, unlike you two. You can do the grunt work, I'll look pretty so some guy can save us on the off chance that he goes by." She smiled snottily at them and strode a few meters forward, before stopping and placing her hands on her hips. "Shall we?"

"Come on," Harry sighed, tugging Ron's arm and they both walked behind the car, lining themselves up on either side of the back. "On three, alright? One…two…three."

They pushed, muscles straining, and moved about a centimeter. Harry gritted his teeth, shoving his entire weight – which, incidentally, wasn't much – into the push. It barely moved. They both fell back, panting and Harry shook his head. "This won't work. We have to wait until someone comes and helps us. If all else fails, I guess an hour of this counts as our hour towards stopping."

Ron moaned. "Great."

"Don't worry, I've got this covered." Pansy said, tossing her hair and throwing up her arm. "STOP!"

The big car that had been driving (one that Harry and Ron had evidently not noticed in their fruitless efforts of physical labor) screeched to a halt and, after a moment, two men stepped out. They appeared to be in their late twenties or early thirties and were dressed casually in jeans and t-shirts. "You need help?"

Harry couldn't help but become suspicious; who stopped and got out of their car to help people on the road anymore? The answer became very clear when Pansy giggled slightly and twisted her hair around a finger. "Would you? Thank God! These are my two brothers." She gestured at them, "Most of what they say doesn't make much sense, they're a bit…." She waved her finger in circles around her head.

"I'm not crazy!" Ron yelled, his face turning so red the men didn't question whether he was or not, most likely from fear.

"Do you have any spare gas?" She asked, "We just need to get to town."

"Sure," the first man said a bit stupidly. "Just a sec."

They walked around to the back of the car and Pansy gave them the thumbs up. Harry grinned back, but Ron just scowled, face sulky. The second man came back around a minute or so later with a large bottle in hand. Looking a bit pompous, he took of the cap to the gas tank and filled it, leaning against the car. With aplomb he popped the cap back on, screwed the lid onto the bottle in hand and smiled lazily, running a hand through his hair and effectively putting oil in it.

"Gosh, thanks so much." Pansy said, somewhat sarcastic. When the men didn't move, she resumed her snotty tone. "Do you need something? When you stand there like that, it looks creepy."

With a disparaging look she strutted over to the driver's seat, slid in and waited until Harry and Ron followed her before starting up the engine. As they pulled past the two men, Harry and Pansy high fived.

Ron flipped him off out the back window and his teammates laughed. "All in a day's work." Pansy said flippantly. Ron grinned at her, his bad mood forgotten.

-

-

"I think this is it." Hermione said from the driver's seat. The building she had turned into was quite large looking with a brightly colored neon sign reading, 'The Flaming Cobra' and made of dark purple brick. She recognized it as the highly reputed wizard lounge with high ranking performances.

"Oh, God." Draco said in a strangled voice beside her.

She looked over at him and saw that his face was drawn in nervousness. "You'll be fine," she assured him. "No one can possibly expect us to be fantastic."

"I suppose." He glanced quickly at her. "That's not exactly why I'm nervous."

She looked quizzically at him but he just shrugged and opened his door. Blaise smirked slightly and shrugged at her as well, sliding open the door and Hermione followed suit.

They got out their bags (Hermione took down the Bloody Fuckers sign from their Confession Box and brought it, too) and hurriedly dragged them up the front door and through. There was a small lobby with wooden floors and light purple walls. Just inside were Sheila and James.

And they were alone.

"Congratulations on being the first ones here!" James said, beaming.

"Yes!" Blaise crowed and pulled Hermione and Draco into one armed hugs. They were all grinning with happiness at their success.

"You can hurry down and take the first door on the left, that will be your dressing room. Check out your clothing and such, eat something and get ready for the dress rehearsal. We'll send someone for you when we're ready."

Wide smile firmly fixed on her face Hermione led her group down the small purple hallway and hung up their sign on the tack protruding from the door. After surveying it with satisfaction, they walked inside and the colors changed drastically. She blinked at the pale blue walls. Three chairs stood in front of dresser like tables with large mirrors perched on top. In front of each was a chair with a cloth seat and their name written on the back. There was a small door to the left of the room. In the center were two small couches and a glass coffee table in front with wooden legs. On top was an assorted array of food.

With interest she walked over to the chair labeled with her name. Two plastic casings on hangers were on her mirror and she unzipped them, taking in the outfits and the shoes underneath. Excitement bubbled within her.

Blaise and Draco similarly looked through theirs and, after several excited exclamations they sat down to eat.

It was going to be so much fun.

-

-

They did dress rehearsal half an hour later, but everyone except the performer or group had to wait in the back so as not to ruin the surprise of the song. They wore plainer versions of their clothes to avoid any unwanted rips but still make sure they knew the feeling of the cloth.

As she'd expected, rehearsing as a group had been quite fun. It was a bit nerve wracking because Jacquelyn and Marsha were sitting around one of the large circular tables in the room, making sure they all did it properly. Surprisingly, she found the hardest thing wasn't looking at her group members in interest at what they were doing, but not laughing out loud when she saw some of the more humorous parts.

She, Harry and Ron had a small chat before she was ushered away earlier than the others. Blaise, who'd asked anyone if they had paper, was still scribbling away in her diary (no one else had had any and she hadn't even used it yet) and she decided asking for it back would probably not be appropriate. Draco mouthed the words to his song, moving his head to the beat.

She'd been told to shower and then let the specialists take over from there. She sat in the chair the five people surrounding her watched her, lips pressed together. "We can work with this." Said a woman, finally, and began issuing instructions.

After what felt like a short period of time but must have been longer – her fingernails had been done, her hair was dry, her face was covered in a moisturizer and her toes were being covered in polish – Draco came through, took a shower and then Blaise followed.

When she looked semi-normal – meaning that her hair was a mass of fuzz, as it always was after coming in contact with a hair dryer – the people who'd been working on her beamed, exchanged compliments and left. After forcing her into her first outfit, the one for her group performance, three new people plunged into the task of her hair with enthusiasm.

After everything was done, she was left alone with her team. Blaise and Draco were both leaning back into their chairs, nearly bouncing with excitement. Or nerves, it was hard to tell. They looked over at her and grinned nervously.

"You two look great." She said, smiling back. After they'd both turned to each other she stood up to get a full-length look in the mirror. Her hair was in waves – the result of being straightened, straightened again and then curled – and her eyes were glittery and red. She had an emerald green sweater on that only came down a few inches above her belly button and had a swirling white design on the hood to the front of her chest. Underneath – it was partially zipped up – they'd given her a full length purple tank top. The skirt was snug around her hips and fell two inches or so above her knees. It was also green and pleated. Her shoes consisted of mid-calf length fake leather – which was good, because she would have refused the real kind – and they weren't as tall as the stilettos she'd had the unfortunate experiences of wearing.

Draco and Blaise were dressed similarly. They had on slim jeans and hooded sweatshirts – theirs were full length – with the same white design as hers. Draco and Blaise's were black and silver, as were their colors as assigned in the house, which created interesting effects. Their hair was arranged in a casual yet sexy way. With bemusement, Hermione realized that it always looked that way and was not the result of the people who'd been dressing them.

Someone knocked on the door and she jumped, before turning and following the man out the door. He spoke into a walkie talkie and she tried not to fiddle with her skirt. They were led down the slight stretch of hallway and through a door at the end. The Pansy Pickers were just inside and Pansy was practically giddy with excitement. "Hello!"

Hermione blinked, just as she had when they'd walked into her dressing room, but it wasn't because of an abrupt change in color. Pansy's pants were tighter than she had ever seen anyone wear in her life and when she moved it sparkled like a thousand diamonds. Her shirt was navy blue, loose on top and had a tight band where it met her pants. Harry and Ron had pants of the same material that were a bit snugger than she knew either were very comfortable with and open collared shirts. Harry's was red and Ron's was gold. The latter's hair was spiked messily with gel that sparkled a bit, as did Harry's, though it looked like any attempts to arrange his hair had failed.

"You look great!" Pansy continued without waiting for a response. "You guys, too."

"Are you nervous?" Ron asked her.

"I'm not quite sure, actually." She replied, which was true. She had thought that by this time she would be a nervous wreck, but instead she felt bubbling anticipation and slight excitement. "You?"

"Yeah. Look," Ron pointed to a large white bristol board that listed their names in the order of appearance. The first name was 'The Pansy Pickers.'

"The Weird Sisters?" She asked in surprise after scanning it.

"Yeah. Apparently we have a twenty minute break after the group performances for us. They're filling the time." Harry said and flattened his hair nervously. It sprang back easily.

"They're filling time?" She repeated. The wording implied that they were just there to provide entertainment while they couldn't.

"Yeah…Apparently, this show has become much more popular than any of us think." Ron let the words sink in, before continuing. "Nice outfit."

"Thanks," she replied and watched his pants sparkle. "You look…bright."

Before he could respond someone stuck their head around what she'd previously thought was the wall intersecting the curtain. "Follow me, if you will."

They did, with smiles popping up and fading in flashes. He led them onto the stage – the curtain was closed – and across to the other side. There was a sort of lounge with an orb projecting the image of the stage and scanning the audience. They had a very nice view of where the performers would be.

"Oh!" She exclaimed, pointing, "They're mostly Hogwarts students!"

"I just saw Ginny." Ron said thoughtfully and Harry's head shot up.

"Is that Millicent?" Pansy asked as Draco murmured, "There's Theodore."

"Look, Dean!" Harry pointed, "And Seamus."

"Is that Longbottom?" Pansy asked in surprise.

They crowded around the projection, pointing out faces they knew until James waltzed over. "Hello! How are you all doing?"

"Good!" Hermione said cheerfully and Sheila beamed at her.

"So, the Pansy Pickers, if you will come out with us to the front." Shame ushered them through as the three exchanged anxious glances.

"Good luck." Blaise said quietly as they left and then the three sat down.

"Welcome to the Flaming Cobra!" Sheila called out as she and the Pansy Pickers slid in front of the curtains, to loud cheers. "We are your hosts Sheila-"

"And James! We're thrilled to have such a nice crowd!" James said, almost looking more excited than the audience.

"WE LOVE HARRY POTTER!" A chorus of high screams followed.

Almost.

"First on our line-up is the Pansy Pickers!" Sheila announced, "Pansy, Harry and Ron are here with us and do they look excited or what!?"

"Then we've got the Bloody Fuckers, the Weird Sisters and solos! After each performance, we'll show you some of the work they did on the songs, but not before so we don't ruin the song! If the Pansy Pickers would find their places."

The three friends moved back and the two males climbed onto the table. Harry stood up tall in the center, Ron was at his side with his arm resting on Harry's shoulder and Pansy stood in front, her hands on the table and legs shoulder width apart.

"Without further ado…THE PANSY PICKERS!"

A familiar guitar solo started up the music from the small pit where the band that would accompany them rested, but before Hermione's mind could place it they had started and the curtains were pulled back.

"You," Harry pointed into the audience and shrugged off Ron's arm. "I wanna take you to a gay bar. I wanna take you to a gay bar. I wanna take you to a gaybar," he swung his hips to the left, "gay bar," then to the left, "gay bar!" Back to the right.

"I'd go with him." Blaise muttered beside her and she grinned.

"Let's start a war." Ron stepped forward and Harry slipped off the table. "Start a nuclear war. At the gay bar," he mirrored Harry's movements, "gay bar, gay bar. Wow!" He let out a scream like noise on the word 'wow' and followed Harry off the table, leaving Pansy as the center of attention.

Pansy was moving her shoulders back and forth in a way that made Hermione want to burst into laughter, mostly because of some of males' faces in the audience. Ron's leg was bent moving with the beat.

"At the gay bar," she sang halfway through the short interlude, her leg tapping the beat just as Ron's had. The two males strode around the stage, somehow managing to look like they were doing something, yet it was still engaging. At the end of the somewhat clashing note, before it started up the tune from the very beginning, they all froze mid-step and looked at each other, smiles tugging at their lips. Hermione was watching with excitement. Pansy would sing next.

"I've got something to put in you. I've got something to put in you. I've got something to put in you. At the gay bar, gay bar, gay bar." She swung her hips as well, smirking into the audience.

"You're a super star." Harry sang in a deep voice.

"At the gay bar," replied Ron.

"You're a super star." Pansy sang and they began to back up.

"At the gay bar," was Harry's response.

"Super star." Ron said slowly and they all repeated it together. "Super star." The music cut out with Harry standing back up on the table, hand on hip and one in the air. Ron sat on the edge, one leg bent on the table the other dangling. His head was thrown back and one hand clutched his hair. Pansy leaned against the table's front leg on the opposite side, arm thrown across the table, smiling.

The audience burst into loud, energetic cheers and the curtains closed. After a moment they all relaxed, Pansy hugged them and they walked up and past the curtain. Even as she clapped Hermione was thinking.

Their routine was good. Maybe even a bit better than the other's, because it was longer, but she wasn't sure if it would stand up to the other group's. Not only did the world love Harry Potter (it wasn't his fault, but she had to include that in her assessment) but Ron was apparently considered quite attractive. While Draco and Blaise would have no trouble attracting the female population's attention, that left the males up to her. Which created a bit of a problem.

She would have to do something to get votes or they would lose it. The only other chance would be their solos, but she wasn't sure they should depend on them, just in case.

"Excellent job!" James was saying as the Pansy Pickers stood beside him. "Wow! That was very good!"

They all looked pleased.

"As promised, we'll look at some of your best moments now!" Sheila said and everyone turned to the way she was facing. A large muggle t.v was built high into the wall. It flashed on and Pansy's face appeared.

On screen…

"So we got the song 'Gay Bar,'" she said into the camera and then laughed. "I've never heard of it. It should be fun."

-

"I'm a bit nervous." Harry's face flashed up. "I can't really sing…At all. And my dancing is probably worse than my singing."

-

"I dunno." Ron said, shrugging. "I don't know muggle music, but it sounded OK."

-

"So your part is first." A man with dark hair said to Harry and he looked down at the music with a dubious expression. "Sing after me. 'You…I wanna take you to a gay bar.'"

"Er…Do I have to?" He asked meekly. The man glared and before you knew it he was singing.

-

"Hello." Pansy said brightly as she walked through.

"Hm." The man said. "Here's your music. We must start fast, because if not you'll fail."

"Oh…OK," Pansy said, a bit startled.

"Now, this song is about a gay bar." He said, "Are you gay?"

"Er…no." She said slowly, looking a bit unnerved.

"Hm. What a pity. I have daughter. She's eighteen. Big fan of yours."

"Oh…Cool." Pansy said, nodding awkwardly and coughing. He continued to watch her for another minute and then shook his head, murmuring, 'pity' under his breath.

-

"The only thing you really have to know for this dance is how to move your hips." A woman who looked a bit like Marsha was speaking to Ron. "Now, move!"

He looked a bit confused.

"Like this," she demonstrated, bending her legs and moving her hips.

"Er, OK." He jutted his torso out one way and his legs out the other, moving. "Like this?"

"No." She said flatly.

-

"Five, six, seven, eight!" She called, clapping. "Dun, dun, dun, dun, bah, hips, hips, hips! Good, Pansy!"

-

"How about this?" Ron asked, moving his hips back and forth without bending his legs, causing his entire upper body to move with them.

"No! Like THIS!" She showed his again.

-

"Hm. Who knew Harry Potter could shake it?" The woman said into the camera as Harry stood in front of the mirror, practicing under her 'supervision.' "He's much better than Ron…"

-

If showed the woman with her hands on Ron's hips, forcing him to bend his legs and sway.

"Yes! Yes! Like that!"

"Really?" He asked excitedly.

"No." She said, sighing.

-

It then showed them all, in three individual cuts on the screen, moving their hips and singing. Ron had actually managed to do it quite well.

The screen went black and everyone clapped again.

The Pansy Pickers were beaming at each other and Pansy said something to Ron, who laughed out loud.

"Up next are…the Bloody Fuckers!" Sheila called out, patting the three teenagers in front of her on the shoulder. "Please get right into position! And once again, great job Pansy Pickers!"

She looked at Blaise and Draco, who were barely containing nervous grins. All three pulled up their hoods and after wishing Blaise luck, she and Draco walked across the stage and stood just out of view on the other side. The blond nodded to her, "Ready?

The beginning music to 'Sexy Back' started.

For a moment her heart stopped beating, as Draco mouthed the counts into the song (1, 2, 3, 4. 1, 2, 3, 4. 1, 2, 3, 4.), then he winked and strutted out. He looked like a model and Hermione watched him, staring. Every three steps he stepped onto his toes with his front foot, then his back and then back to his front toes. While his weight was on his front foot he stepped forward with his left foot and continued walking. He stopped in the middle of the stage.

With his left foot forward and right back, his turned slightly so his head was facing the audience, but they mostly saw his side. Raising his microphone he jutted his chin up, "I'm bringin' sexy back. Yeah!"

She looked across the stage to Blaise, who nodded and they both strutted on, mirroring Draco's beginning stride. At the same moment they turned forward and stood up on the two stools a meter or so behind Draco as he sang, "Them other boys don't know how to act. I think it's special what's behind your back."

She and Blaise popped their chests to the beat, which she found quite humorous and had to look away not to laugh.

"So turn around and I'll pick up the slack."

"Take it to the bridge!" Blaise sang and Draco turned, microphone held to his lips to pick up the next bit.

"Dirty babe," he smirked as she responded with, 'uh huh.' "You see these shackles baby I'm your slave (uh huh). I'll let you whip me if I misbehave (uh huh). It's just that no one makes me feel this way (uh huh)."

"Take 'em to the chorus!" Blaise sang.

She stepped off the stool and strode forward, trying to do it the way Marsha had instructed her to. (Keep her legs a bit more forward than her torso, sway her hips slightly and move her shoulder with the opposite leg moving.) "Come here girl."

"Go 'head be gone with it." Draco (who had taken her place on the stool) and Blaise sang together.

"Come to the back." She sang, nearly skipping back and forth across the stage. "VIP (go 'head be gone with it). Drinks on me (go 'head be gone with it). Let me see what ya twerkin' with (go 'head be gone with it). Look at the hips." She moved back and walked around to stand between the two stools. "You make me smile (go 'head be gone with it). Come here child (go 'head be gone with it)." She ushered the audience with one finger.

This was it. The unplanned, un-choreographed part of her new and improved group routine. She hoped Marsha didn't kill her.

With a smirk she moved forward, still walking like Marsha had told her to, and to the stairs leading off the stage.

"Get your sexy on." She sang on the way down, smirking at the people she passed and hoping it was as effective as Draco's was. "Get your sexy on (go 'head be gone with it)." Thankfully, the other two made no indication that she had done something unexpected. "Get your sexy on (go 'head be gone with it). Get your sexy on (go 'head be go with it)."

Her eyes scanned the crowed as they did a book, taking in information and analyzing what would be most effective to remember. Her eyes landed on someone and she smirked into the words. Perfect.

She strode over quickly. Two more left. "Get your sexy on (go 'head be gone with it)." She stopped in front of them and took their hand, leading them to their feet. "Get your sexy on."

Theodore Nott looked, needless to say, a bit bemused as she began to lead him back up to the stage, still singing. Blaise and Draco were getting off their stools. "I'm bringin' sexy back. The motherfuckers don't know how to act. Girl let me make up for the things you lack. 'Cause you're burning up I gotta get it fast."

"Take 'em to the bridge." Was Draco a few steps from his stool.

"Dirty babe." Blaise sang, watching her with amusement as she danced up onto the stage. "You see these shackles baby I'm your slave."

She moved to where Draco stood and left Theodore to Blaise. She knew Theodore was friends with him and would therefore not be anxious when he used him as a prop, because she would not be able to use another body as effectively as he would.

"I'll let you whip me if I misbehave." Blaise said threw an arm around Theodore's neck, pulling him close. "It's just that no one makes me feel this way."

"Take 'em to the chorus!" Draco sang and Hermione resumed where she had been standing to take the chorus. The audience expected her to find someone else, which was a good thing as she noticed no one slouching in hopes of being ignored. With a smirk she began to comb the crowd and pulled up someone who wasn't from Hogwarts. She seemed to enjoy it and began to dance with Theodore, much to his apparent disappointment. His eyes flickered back to his seat more than a few times.

"You ready? You ready?" Hermione sang striding confidently away from the pair.

"Uh, yes."

"I'm bringin' sexy back." Blaise sang after her part and she smiled from where she was. He loved this song. "Them motherfuckers don't know how to act. Boy let me make up for the things you lack."

Apparently everyone noticed his alteration of the lyrics, as they began to scream approval. "'Cause you're burnin' up I gotta get it fast."

"Take 'em to the bridge." Draco sang, catching Hermione's eyes and making her smile.

"Dirty babe." She sang and they stood behind her, one on each side as they all popped their chests. She'd found the whole act quite hilarious when they did it, but judging from the cheers they got it didn't look funny. "You see these shackles baby I'm your slave. I'll let you whip me," she conjured up a whip very quickly (her wand was hidden in her sleeve, so she let it slide into her fingertips) and hit the ground, before bending slightly and rolling her torso back up, "If I misbehave. It's just that no one makes me feel this way."

"Take 'em to the chorus." Blaise sang and this time Draco took it. Following what she'd done he sauntered down the stairs and weaved through the tables, before holding a hand out to Ginny, who took it. Hermione hid a smile of appreciation. By taking Ginny's hand, not only would it make her friends want them to win, but it would make Ginny feel more involved and less hateful of their group. Or of the two Slytherins, in any case. If the Pansy Pickers won, there was no doubt in her mind that Ginny would be coming on the show, so by Draco doing that, it might make her opinion ease up slightly in preparation for her arrival. It would also make Harry insanely jealous, but Hermione wasn't sure if that was intentional.

He looked over to the side and Hermione knew it was.

"You ready?" She sang. "You ready? You ready?"

"Uh." Was Blaise.

"Yes." Draco whispered into the microphone, though somehow it sounded a bit dirty for whispering.

"I'm bringin' sexy back." Blaise sang, moving towards a reluctant Theodore and the dancing girl. "You motherfuckers watch how I attack. If that's your boy, better watch your back." He wrapped an arm around Theodore's waist and tugged him slightly, smirking at the girl. "'Cause he'll burn it up for me and that's a fact."

"Take 'em to the chorus!" Hermione sang and Draco brought up the final person to the stage. To her intense amusement, he went to Harry from the side and led him out, an expression of mortification on the raven haired male's face. However, when he let go of his arm near Ginny, the bushy-haired Gryffindor nearly died with hilarity. It all seemed so funny, maybe because it was impulsive, and maybe because the audience seemed to enjoy it.

Halfway through Blaise picked up the chorus and pointed to the audience for the 'go 'head be gone with it's. Hermione sidled up to Draco and took out a pair of handcuffs. Quick as a flash she closed one side around Draco's wrist and the other around her own. All three of them took off their hoods and the lighting on the stage began to change color.

Hermione and Draco began to dance. Hermione held out one of her arms (the hands were clenched in fists) to the left and other over her chest. The hand attached to Draco was the one that ended up over her chest and he held the other over his own chest. They both popped six times, the movement of their linked hands traveling through their bodies. The next part was the hardest. They turned so their joined hands were between them, crossed their outside legs over the other and turned inward, pulling their arms over their heads while they spun to the floor.

"You ready?" Draco sang as they stayed low to the floor.

"Yes." She replied.

"You ready?" He asked again.

"Yes." She sang and then on the last beat he stood up. She used her feet to spring slightly and she ended up with her legs around his waist, their locked hands on his side and the other clutching his back for deal life. It was all done in one fluid movement and she smiled widely at the success. "Yes." They all ended together. Blaise stood, one arm resting on Theodore's waist and the other with his microphone by his face, head tilted.

The curtain closed amid roars of screams and she got off Draco. "Nice job." He said to her and they walked up to the front of the curtain where Blaise was waiting. After smiling to the four on the stages (Theodore, Ginny and the other girl descended the stairs while Harry went back to where he'd been) they met Sheila and James.

"Wow. That was very nice!" Sheila said, smiling at them all. Her eyes fell upon Hermione and Draco's wrists, still locked. "Are you keeping him?"

The audience laughed and she unhooked them, not in the least bit embarassed. The euphoria was still in her system. "Well, onto your best moments!"

The screen turned on.

"We got the song 'Sexy Back.' Errm…I've never heard of the song, but it goes very well with Malfoy." Hermione confessed laughingly.

-

"It's a good song, nice beat." Blaise said, shrugging.

-

"A bit repetitive, but otherwise I enjoy it." Draco said, "Though it's frustrating that I only know the part because there are holes in it."

-

"If they thought it would be easy, they were definitely wrong."

"No! No, you must try harder! Like this!" Marsha commanded Draco and Hermione saw that they were practicing the handcuffing part. She spun downwards with him, but his arm was twisted the wrong way and he fell over. "No! Not like that!"

"I'm trying all right!" He nearly shouted, scowling.

-

"You're not hitting the right note." Jacquelyn told Blaise, her cheerful face a bit strained. He looked like he wanted to hit the piano, hard. "We don't want it to be down here. Laa." She sang the note he had evidently been singing. "No, up here. Laa. Again."

"Dirty babe." He sang, eyes on her.

"Yes, that was good. Let's do it again." She said and made him repeat it ten times. "OK, you go that half the time. But half isn't good enough in a performance."

"Can we just move on?" Blaise asked, looking like he wanted to rip up the music.

-

"Come on, Hermione! We want sexy sexy sexy! You have a whip!" Marsha clapped her hands at Hermione, who looked very annoyed. "Again! Try again!"

"I'll let you whip," she whipped the floor but Marsha was already frowning.

"You look like you want to cause physical pain!"

"Maybe because I do!" She snapped at the woman, who frowned at her, but still backed up a few feet. "I'm just not good at this!"

Marsha proceeded to lecture her about being the weak link in a group, at which point Hermione burst into tears and glared. "I'm not a bloody weak link! Just because I'm not a bloody whore-"

"Don't use those words!" Marsha snapped, "Now do you want to do this or not?"

"How about not?" Hermione snarled back, hands clenched in fists.

"Too bad, you'll do it anyway!"

They glared at each other for quite some time, before Marsha clapped in her face. "Now, position!"

Hermione scowled, but went anyway.

-

"It's really frustrating." Hermione said in the Confession Box, looking close to tears. "I'm not a dancer or a singer, but I'm trying and all they can say is I have to do it better! I'm not a sexy person, I'm not good at being sexy and-" She wiped away at her eyes. "I'm not the weak link. I don't care what she says, I will do this right at the performance. I will."

-

It showed them all individually (for Hermione and Draco it was the part where they had to do their dance together and Blaise was singing, so they just cut out Marsha) dancing in practice, concentration evident on their faces, and then flashed to their performance in real costumes, doing it better than they had ever thought possible. As funny as it was, Hermione looked a bit disbelieving in the clip. Then it flipped back to the practice, where Hermione began to jump up and down in excitement because she'd gotten it, Draco laughed for reasons unknown and Blaise flipped the camera the middle finger.

The screen darkened and everyone was clapping. Blaise put his arm around her shoulder and gave her a comforting squeeze.

"Next up, the Weird Sisters! Thank you, Bloody Fuckers, for such a delightful performance." James said and they nodded at him, before leaving the stage.

"You weren't a weak link." Draco murmured to her as they left, but it was so quietly spoken and the crowd was so loud she could have imagined it.

-

-

In twenty five minutes (after spending the time rehearsing in the dressing room) Pansy was standing in the middle of the stage and the curtains were pulling back. Her legs were spread slightly more than shoulder width apart and she was wearing a pink dress that was slimming and had sparkling sequins on the strapless top and poofed out at her waist in a multitude of skirt layers, ending just above her knees.

Hermione stood on the side in her solo clothing, extremely excited for what was coming. They'd changed clothes and, faster than she'd thought possible, her hair was put into a messy but still fancy bun. Her spirits had, opposed to been dashed by the video, risen several decibels. She'd done what she'd needed to do, and more, and it had been done well. What else would she need?

"Ooh, yeah, yeah, yeah." She sang as soft music filled the room. Hermione recognized with easy certainty 'Pocket Full of Sunshine' and smiled. The band picked up the music's pace and, "I've got a pocket, got a pocketful of sunshine. I got a love and I know that it's all mine, oh. Oowaaooh."

She walked across the stage and her skirts swayed. "Do what you want but you're never gonna break me, sticks and stones are never gonna shake me, oh. Oowaaooh.

"Take me away, a secret place. A sweet escape, take me away. Take me away, to better days. Take me away," she smiled into the microphone, "A hiding place.

Hermione was very impressed. Pansy was pretty good. Her voice was clear and she didn't falter, even when there was a slightly off note. She didn't have musical experience, or anything, but she was listening quite intently.

"I got a pocket, got a pocketful of sunshine. I got a love and I know that it's all mine, oh. Oowaaooh. Do what you want but you're never gonna break me, sticks and stones are never gonna shake me, oh. Oowaaooh.

"I got a pocket, got a pocketful of sunshine. I got a love and I know that it's all mine, oh. Oowaaooh. Wish that you could but you ain't gonna own me, do anything you can to control me, oh. Oh, no."

She clapped her free hand with the one holding the microphone as she sang the chorus, eyes closed. The audience quickly caught on, a sea of moving arms and a resounding clap, miraculously – there were some people who just couldn't carry a beat – altogether.

"There's a place that I go that, nobody knows where the rivers flow, and I call it home. And there's no more to lies in the darkness there's light. And nobody cries, there's only butterflies." She tilted her head back, eyes still closed, and held the microphone to her lips, holding the note.

"Take me away," she turned, jumping slightly and landed, body absorbing the shock as the music picked up again. "A secret place. A sweet escape, take me away. Take me away, to better days. Take me away, a hiding place.

"Take me away," she held the microphone in the direction of the audience, who dutifully sung back 'a secret place,' "A sweet escape, take me away." She walked back across the front of the stage, moving with the beat. "Take me away, to better days. Take me away, a hiding place.

"Take me away," she was strutting like she was in a fashion show and singing her heart out. "A secret place. To better days, take me away. Take me away. To better days. Take me away, a hiding place."

Pansy stopped in the same place she'd started in, "Mm. Yeah…Mm. The sun is on my side, and takes me for a ride. I smile up to the sky, I know I'll be alright. The sun is on my side, and takes me for a ride. I smile up to the sky, I know I'll be alright."

She waited, microphone still up, bent slightly forward and then straightened, smiling as the music stopped. "Thank-you."

After her 'best moments' were shown for the crowd she walked off the stage, face turning into one of glee and she nearly ran after she was out of sight. She high-fived Harry and Ron, who both complimented her. "It feels so good to be done!" She exclaimed, just as a look of dawning horror grew on Ron's face.

"Oh Merlin, I'm next!" He cried, eyes wide.

"Next up, we've got Ronald Weasley from the Pansy Pickers!" James called out, "Ron, if you will!"

Everything seemed to be moving so fast, Hermione noted even a she discerned every moment the others made.

Harry clapped him on the back and he gulped, before walking out onto the stage. A few seconds after he'd taken up a position right near the edge of the curtain, electric guitar filled the eager silence and the curtains retracted. "You're making a choice to live like this. And all of the noise, I am silence." He was in the same position Pansy had started in, though his foot was tapping the beat and his left arm was moving slightly upward to the left as he sang.

"We already know how it ends tonight, you run in the dark through a firefight. And I would explode just to save your life, yeah I would explode." He counted up his fingers even as he finished the note, arm still held up parallel to the ground, one, two, three four. Then he jumped in the air at the point where the phrase began, but it was like he was hanging in silence, because the music had stopped for a moment as he turned in a complete circle. "Let me light up the sky. Light it up for you. Let me tell you why, I would die for you. Let me light up the sky."

He walked across the stage, bent slightly over the microphone in his hand. "I can't find a wall to pin this to. They're all coming down since I found you." He walked down the stairs into the audience. "I just wanna be where you are tonight."

He turned to the first girl he could find, holding out a hand in her direction and singing to her. "I run in the dark looking for some light. And how will we know if we just don't try? We won't ever know."

He smiled into the speaker and then jumped slightly the side using one leg, landing in time to keep striding, bending with each strong beat. "Let me light up the sky. Light it up for you. Let me tell you why. I would die for you. Let me light up the sky. Light it up for you. Let me make this mine. I'll ignite for you."

He'd walked around the table and came back to the girl, who was blushing furiously. He held out his hand, this time indicating he wanted her to take it. She did and stood up as he tugged her gently. "Let me light up the sky, just for you tonight. Let me help you fly, 'cause you won't have time. To cover your eyes or get your disguise. They won't ask you why, they'll just watch you die."

He lifted his arm and twirled her (she was a bit slow on the uptake) under his arm and walked backwards up to the stage. "And it's still so hard to be who you are, so you play this part and the show goes on. But you've come this far with a broken heart, yeah you've come this far and you're broken.

"Let me light up the sky," he sang in a more quiet voice, holding her hand. "Light it up for you. Let me tell you why, I would die for you. Let me light up the sky, light it up for you. Let me make this mine, I'll ignite for you."

He did the slight-turn-jump step again, pulling her across the stage, still watching her and singing the chorus. It was impressive, in all honesty, Hermione had thought Ron would be a bit worse than he was. She noticed imperfections, of course, and he didn't have the best voice, but it was a good performance. And the audience was reacting well. She was torn between pride and slight disappointment momentarily, as it would be harder to win if they didn't blow the audience away, but pride took over.

"And it's still so hard to be who you are, but you've come this far and you're broken." He'd led her back to her seat, where she sat down and after smiling at her, he leapt back up to the stage.

"Light up the sky," he sang as the room lost all light, except for one blue beam pointing right at him. "Let me light up the sky." He finished where he'd started, head tilted slightly and eyes open with relief. Hermione vaguely noticed the amount of head tilting there had been going on as she clapped, exchanging impressed looks with Harry. "Thanks." He said, nodding.

It seemed that while their friends performed, they forgot what was to come, but as soon as they were done, horror would rock through each person when they realized who was next. After Ron, Hermione wasn't altogether surprised when Harry suddenly gasped. It didn't have anything to do with Ron singing on the screen as it showed his best moments, either.

"You'll be great!" Hermione called after him as he walked stiffly away from them. Ron cheerfully clapped his back, muttered something and came back, grinning. Pansy hugged him excitedly, beaming.

"This is so great!" The blonde said happily and Hermione congratulated the red-head as well. Blaise shushed her.

Harry stood in the middle of the stage while Sheila and James introduced him and advised him to get in his place, adopting a similar position Draco had had at the beginning of 'Sexy Back.' The heavy beat that picked up was familiar and she felt a big smile stretch her face. It was such a perfect song! As the two hard notes hit, Harry nodded his head twice. They hit again and he used a fist, punching the air beside him. And then-

"This ain't a song for the broken-hearted." He sang, to Hermione's delight. He moved to the beat, faster and more exaggerated, hinting that he was going to do something big. "No silent prayer for faith-departed. I ain't gonna be just a face in the crowd. You're gonna hear my voice when I shout it out loud."

When the two hard notes hit again his entire body seemed to move with the force of his weight transferal from his left to right foot and back, twice. HE jumped outright, landing in time to pick up the song as it became heavier, "It's my life. It's now or never. I ain't gonna live forever. I just wanna live when I'm alive. It's my life. My heart is like an open highway. Like Frankie said, I did it my way. I just wanna live when I'm alive," he nodded his head once more, raven hair jerking in a mass with the movement. "It's my life."

He walked across the front, crossing one foot across the other and surprisingly managed not to look like a deformed crab. "This is for the ones who stood their ground. For 'Mione and Ron, who never backed down. Tomorrow's getting harder make no mistake, luck ain't even lucky gotta make your own breaks."

Hermione flushed, she couldn't help it, and wondered if the changes were Harry's or the person who had coached him in his singing. Which was about the same level as Ron's, kind of horrible if it weren't for the lights, the stage, the live music playing and the people who cheered for him whenever he so much as took a step. As they did when he picked up the chorus and walked backwards a few steps.

"Better stand tall when they're calling you out. Don't bend, don't break, baby, don't back down." He whirled around and lunged to the side, his head thrown back as he sang. "It's my life, and it's now or never. 'Cause I ain't gonna live forever." Everyone cheered as he went into higher range.

"I just wanna live while I'm alive. My heart is like an open highway. Like Frankie said I did it my way. I just wanna live while I'm alive.

"And it's now or never," he continued, legs spread wide and almost all his weight on his right. "'Cause I ain't gonna live forever." When he went higher his face scrunched up in such an adorable way a few girls squealed. "I just wanna live while I'm alive."

He strode across the stage again, letting his shoulders bob slightly on either side as he did and keep pace with the beat. "My heart is like an open highway, like Frankie said I did it my way." He formed a fist with his left hand and hit his chest twice with it. "'Cause I just wanna live while I'm alive. 'Cause it's," he bent his legs slightly, "my," and he jumped. As he reached the highest point of the jump he finished the song. "Life."

They blackened the room completely, and the only noise was Harry's feet hitting the ground, before masses of screams filled the room. After a minute or so the lights flickered back on and a very embarrassed Harry stood, awkwardly raking a hand through his hair, which only encouraged them more.

"Wow. Harry Potter has many wonders!" Sheila said, winking at the audience. "Let's see how he fared!"

Harry's face appeared on the large television screen.

"Mmm…So, I guess the song is a good choice. I'm not sure attempting the Beatles would be a good idea." Harry laughed somewhat awkwardly. "Mark reminds me a bit of Sensei Joe, though…"

-

"You have to twist the words." Mark was saying, "Make it sound almost dirty. Don't be the loser who goes around singing, 'it's my life,' and smiling. No. Twist it! Kill it!" Mark slapped his hand with his fist. "Kill it!"

Harry blinked.

-

"It's, my, life!" The choreographer for that group was explaining, standing up on a makeshift stage. "You jump!"

She jumped up, bending her legs and then landed. "See, the lights will be off so I don't care if you end up falling and dying, just make the jump brilliant."

Harry looked a bit taken aback.

"Ron can't move his hips." She said, sighing. Harry snickered, but jumped when she snapped, "So let's see what you can do! Jump! For the sake of God jump!"

Harry turned to get onto the stage and gave the camera a she's-definitely-crazy look.

-

"It's a shame the two are complete psychos." He said, sighing, "Or I'd really enjoy it. If you two see this…Hehe. Just kidding."

-

The finishing video clip was of him mid-jump, hair flying behind him in a stream of black.

The image faded into the screen and then went black.

"Brilliant! Wow, Harry that was amazing!" Hermione said, grinning so widely her face was hurting.

"Thanks." He said, and imitated her impression. "I guess you're next?"

Instead of feeling the panic everyone else seemed to, she felt a surge of excitement. "I suppose! Oooh, wish me luck!"

"Luck," Blaise drawled in an exaggerated voice.

"Luck," Draco said as well and she beamed at them, before strolling onto the stage.

The velvety chair was in the middle and she sighed a bit regretfully, before climbing onto it. The dress she was wearing – about the same length as her skirt had been and was red with slightly poofy short sleeves. There was a small slit on the right side of it and a big yellow belt with a shiny black, square buckle was on her waist – thankfully allowed to arrange herself without difficulty.

When the curtains opened to the opening beat of 'I Kissed a Girl' she was sitting with her back leaning against one armrest, both of her legs hanging over the other and her yellow high heels pointed to the floor. Her head was facing the audience and she was smirking slightly.

"This was never the way I planned," she sang slowly, moving her torso forward and backwards with the song's beat. She heard laughter from the side and recognized Draco and Blaise, though it didn't discourage or embarrass her. "Not, my intention. I got so brave drink in hand, lost my discretion. It's not what, I'm used to. Just, wanna try you on. I'm curious, for you. Caught my attention."

She twisted so that her left leg, the one closest to the audience slipped down on the actual seat and touched the floor. Thankfully Marsha had taught her to do so without exposing anything underneath the dress. Her left elbow came backwards to rest on the opposite armrest and she turned her torso more to the front, leaning forward. "I kissed a girl, and I liked it. The taste of her cherry chapstick." She touched her lips with two fingers and made a small, innocent shrug.

"I kissed a girl, just to try it. I hope my boyfriend don't mind it." She smiled secretively. "It felt so wrong, it felt so right. Don't mean I'm in love, tonight. I kissed a girl and I liked it. I liked it."

Quick as a flash she stood up, resting her left hand on the back of the chair and slowly circling around the back. "No, I don't even know your name. It, doesn't matter. You're my experimental game. Just, human nature." She was back at the front and lifted her leg closest to the audience – her right, with the slit – onto the armrest of the chair, "It's not what, good girls do." She smirked again, transferring the microphone to her other hand.

"Not, how they should behave. My head gets, so confused." She lifted her right hand to her head, "Hard to obey."

For the chorus she launched herself away from the chair, using her leg as extra force and crossed up to the front. She strutted back and forth across the front, singing pretty well and accentuating certain parts. When the mention of cherry chapstick came up she took a few out from a pocket in her dress you couldn't see from the audience, used one and tossed them into the air.

"Us girls we are so magical." She smiled, she couldn't help it, at that part because it reminded her of when she and Blaise sang in the car. The choreography was just so similar. Apparently he remembered as well, as she heard his whoop loudly from off stage. "Soft skin," she ran her hand down her leg, "red lips," she blew a kiss, skillfully transferring the microphone to her other hand again "so kissable.

"Hard to resist so touchable," she ran a hand down her side, "Too good to, deny it. Ain't no big deal it's innocent," she held the note and the audience cheered. It was an exhilarating feeling, to have people cheering for you because of something you were doing.

She turned and hit her head down as she entered into the chorus once more, "I kissed a girl, and I liked it. I kissed a girl just to try it," she did an innocent shrug, moving one shoulder slightly more than the other and tilting her head. "I hope my boyfriend don't mind it. It felt so wrong," she bowed her head slightly and once more smirked, wondering if it was actually effective, "it felt so right," she moved to the side smoothly and then took an exaggerated step out.

"Don't mean I'm in love tonight." She waltzed back to the chair. "I kissed a girl and I liked it." She clutched the back of the chair with her free hand and fell back into her original position, holding the microphone up at a tilt and savoring the last moment of the song. "I liked it."

She was surprised to find herself out of breath, and her heart was racing. The feelings of exhilaration still coursed through her and she was sure her face was going to implode from the force of her smile. The curtains were closed and she walked up, pushing them aside to get through.

"Great job! That was brilliant!" Sheila said enthusiastically. "Did you enjoy the performance the second time?"

"Yes," she said, smiling, "Definitely."

"Nice!" James said, grinning. "Let's look at some of your moments, shall we?"

All attention turned to the screen.

"'I Kissed a Girl.'" Hermione said, looking thoughtful. "I really like the song. It was funny how I got to do it again, though."

-

"Hm, so here's the deal." Jacquelyn said, "You've got an OK voice, I'm not going to lie and tell you it's great. But you learned the music fast, so I think it would be good for me to tell you to stop singing so innocently. I mean, you've got the beat, but going, 'I hope my boyfriend don't mind it,' with a happy, cutsy smile is so not good enough. You have to feel the music!"

Hermione nodded, "Okay."

"Mm, so shall we start at the first chorus?" Jacquelyn asked and when Hermione nodded began to play.

-

"Jacquelyn's nice." Hermione said, shrugging. "She's very…happy…Even when she was telling me not to be cute and happy, she was smiling and was talking really high pitched. It's a bit…unnerving.

"Marsha, on the other hand…"

-

"Let's go, let's go, let's go! Your leg comes down, faster!" Marsha barked to Hermione, who was perched on the chair. "Up, down, up, down, up!"

Hermione widened her eyes in annoyance at the camera, before complying. Her leg slid up and then down to match Marsha's orders.

-

"Marsha is, different." Hermione said carefully, and then her face twisting into one of anxiousness. "I hope she doesn't see this, but honestly she's a bit spastic. And repetitive."

She laughed, and then jumped as her name was shouted. With a quick, secretive look at the camera she got up and walked over to the object of her words. Marsha didn't appear to have heard what she said, which Hermione was glad.

It showed the very end of her performance, and then the crowd was cheering again. She grinned, waved, and then walked backstage as Shame announced Draco as their next performer. As she passed him she wished him good luck. He nodded.

"His eyes nearly bulged out of his sockets." Blaise confided in her, snickering slightly. "Nice job."

Harry, Pansy and Ron also congratulated her. To her amusement and somewhat irritation, Ron whipped his cell phone out of his pocket and began to fiddle with it in what could only be texting movement. Pansy and Harry both sighed loudly.

Draco stood in the middle of the stage. The microphone he was using was clipped into a stand, so he had one hand on that and the other rested at his side. His head moved ever so slightly with the opening. At last, as Hermione's heart began to race faster than it had for even her own performance, he moved his lips. "Hope," he ended the word with a breathy half-laugh half-smile, "dangles on a string. Like slow spinning redemption. Winding in, and winding out. The shine of it has caught my eye.

"And roped me in," he sang calmly, as though he were having a conversation about the weather, yet he captivated the audience as much as the song was suggesting. "So, mesmerizing and so, hypnotizing I am, captivated I am," his hand curled more tightly around the microphone, but he didn't move it.

"Vindicated, I am selfish I am wrong. I am right I swear I'm right, swear I knew it all along and I am, flawed. But I am cleaning up so well. I am seeing in me now the things you swore you saw yourself, so clear." His face scrunched up slightly – yet in an attractive way – as he sang. "Like the diamond in your ring. Cut to mirror your intention, oversized, and overwhelmed, the shine of which has caught my eye."

A small smirk was growing on his face, "And rendered me so, isolated, and so, motivated. I am certain now that I am." As the chorus came once more he ripped the mike quickly from its socket and stepped around the stand.

He barely took two steps forward, yet the effect seemed to make him look more intense. He stood, legs parted a bit more than one would separate them in a regular stance. The television on the wall, previously black, was playing a close up of his face. Hermione wondered if it had done that for all of them, or just for him, because she hadn't noticed. Grey eyes glittered and his blonde hair was shining.

"So turn," he drew out the end of the word, moving his head away to the left and then quickly back so he could sing the rest. "Up the corners of your lips, part them and feel my fingertips." He lifted his left hand up and forward to the audience, then let it fall back to his side.

"Trace the moment, fall forever." He did a small smirk, but it was not the one Hermione was used to. Instead, it was soft and looked a bit shy. "Defense is paper thin. Just, one touch and I'll be in, too deep now to ever swim, against the current.

"So let me slip away," his eyes slid closed, "So let me slip away. So let me slip away. So let me slip, against the current. So let me slip away. So let me slip away. So let me slip away. So let me slip awaa," they flickered open and he threw his head back, lifting his arm a bit, "aay."

Hermione's jaw fell open as he continued to hold the note, far into the music from the chorus. People began to cheer and she stared at the Slytherin in amazement. He was, by far, the best singer they'd had so far. He had the sort of voice one would want for the male lead in a musical who always cared for the leading woman but always ended up getting treated badly. He would have a gentle, yet slightly bitter edge to his voice, and would hit the notes with near perfect precision.

"I swear I'm right." He picked it up almost instantaneously. Hermione marveled at his breathing ability. "Swear I knew it all along and I am, flawed. But I am cleaning up so well. I am seeing in me now the things you swore you saw yourself.

"Slight hope," he walked slowly to the edge of the stage, "Dangles on a string," he sat down on the edge of the stage, his left elbow resting on his bent knee. "Like slow spinning redemption…"

His eyes flickered left (she could tell from the television screen) and then an expression of satisfied relief replaced the serious features he'd adopted for the song. She cheered loudly, clapping with everyone else. Who would have suspected Draco could ever sound like that?

"Nice job, Draco." James clapped him on the back as the blond stood up. Draco grimaced slightly, but didn't move. "Ready to see your video?"

"Yes," he replied lazily, as if he had merely sat through a Charms theory quiz.

"Well, then!" Sheila said, beaming.

Draco's face appeared.

"Hm…Vindicated is a very…personal song." Draco said thoughtfully. "I think it's the sort of song that everyone feels is…about them, but it means different things. To some people it's about leaving, and coming back to find what it is you left, and realizing something about yourself. It can mean that he's realizing how flawed he is, and he's trying to be better, even though it's too late, he's already lost her, but becoming better is enough at the moment. Or about how, as human beings, we're always trying to justify what we've done, but he's not sure he can."

-

"Ooh, you chose a good one." Jacquelyn said appreciatively. "The vocals will get a bit tricky."

"I want this song." He said firmly, arms crossed. She looked up in surprise.

"Okay, down tiger. That's fine."

-

"Let me slip away," he was singing the part where he held the note long into the chorus and Jacquelyn stood beside him, tapping the piano and nodding. He ended, sucked in a quick breath and continued.

"Good!" She said, grinning. "That was very good. You're one of the people who is blessed with superb breathing, I guess?"

"Maybe. I've never had lessons or anything." He said, shrugging nonchalantly.

"Mmm." Jacquelyn said thoughtfully. "Anyways, you lost pitch about halfway through, so let's work on that…"

-

"Hello," Marsha said, looking annoyed. Draco's eyebrows raised at the sight of her. "So, I understand that the song you got requires very little dancing, yes? We're going to mostly do the group, but let's start. The biggest thing you have to do is sit down…"

"Okay," Draco said, following her into the middle of the room.

"Now, for singers, if you start quietly and then get more intense and loud, it creates an effect we like to call crescendos. The way I see it, this can be transferred to dancing as well. So, you'll start out like this, just holding the stand."

Draco mimicked her position.

"Good. You have good form." Marsha said and slapped his back. He jumped, whirling to face her.

"What?"

"Just checking." She smiled darkly.

-

"To me…" Draco trailed off, eyes looking at the floor as he thought. "Vindicated isn't about realizing your flaws… The person who is narrating it already knows their flaws. They think they're completely flawed, and there's nothing left for them…But then there's hope, dangling on a string and…its tantalizing, to see something you want so much, that you didn't even think was there…And he begins to realize that he has flaws like selfishness, but he's changing; he's vindicated. And when he talks about 'seeing in me now the things you swore you saw yourself so clear,' he's talking about a girl, who saw deeper than his major failures…"

-

"Sit casually, like, 'this is the end of the song and it was easy.'" Marsha said and sat on the floor, demonstrating a position for him. He followed suit and she frowned. "Mmm, no. You look like a duck. Bend your leg – no, the other one. Yes, now put your elbow on it. The other elbow, you stupid boy!"

"Psycho." Draco muttered.

-

"But she's engaged, she's got a ring. He sees it, and he feels so isolated, because she's got someone else, but even though she's taken, it makes him want to become more, it motivates him." He was still looking at the floor, as though he was having a conversation with it. But it wasn't from embarrassment, but from concentration and trying to find the words he needed to express.

"'Defense is paper thin, one touch and I'll be in…' He has no defense, it's not big enough to withstand what he feels and block her out. She could touch him, his hand, his face, whatever, and he wouldn't be able to get out. He wouldn't be able to fight against it anymore. So he thinks, just let me go, then. Let the current take me wherever I should go.

"And then, at the end, he ends with what he started with, and he realizes that the hope being dangled in front of him is love, that his redemption is love for her. And that vindicates him." He looked up to the screen, satisfied with his words, and laughed slightly, though without humor or bitterness. "It's an emotional song."

-

The audience clapped for him and Draco actually looked very embarrassed by what he'd said. "Intense words, Draco. Very intense." James said, looking deep in thought. And not even the fake looks he often adopted and tried to accentuate the show with, but a real one. There was a pause as no one spoke. "Thank you, again, for performing and for our final performance we have Blaise Zabini!"

Hermione turned to Blaise, who didn't look at all nervous, "Good luck!"

He smiled deviously at her. "You too."

"Sorry?" She asked in confusion, but he waved her off and strode on stage. As he passed Draco they exchanged a few words, then he slipped to the front and seemed to be talking into the curtain. He nodded, and Hermione guessed that he was talking to Sheila and James. Two people walked on from the other side of the stage and he went to meet them. One was carrying a tall stool and dragged it close with the microphone stand, and the other was holding a guitar. Blaise took the guitar and thanked them, before settling himself on the stool.

For some unknown reason, Draco had gone to the other side of the stage. Wondering if she should go join him, she was startled when Pansy darted across the stage and came to rest beside him. She asked him a question, or at least Hermione thought, but he just shook his head.

Blaise began to play his guitar slowly, strumming the cords easily. Someone from the band played piano, and then drums. Together it sounded beautiful, but when he opened his mouth it added perfectly to the ensemble. She'd thought Draco was amazing, but compared to Blaise, he was merely average.

"I don't know your face, no more. Or feel the touch, that I adore." He sang softly, but powerfully and he didn't have to move to the beat for everyone to see that he felt it. He was in the music. "I don't know your face, no more. It's just the place, I'm looking for.

"We might as well be strangers in another town. We might as well be living in a different world. We might as well, we might as well, we might as well." His eyes, clear and bright and full of emotion were open and flickered through the audience. She found that the television was on for him as well, so she had probably just been blind to it. It was surprisingly hard to not watch him in the screen, because it showed feeling quite clearly, as opposed to watching his face from off stage.

"I don't know your thoughts, these days. We're strangers in, an empty space. I don't understand your heart. It's easier, to be apart." It was strange, but the way he was singing made it seem like it was easier to be apart, that he suffered emotional pain when they were together and yet he was just singing someone else's song; it wasn't his own. The way he was singing made her feel like there was someone in mind that she knew, and was aware of the innermost details of their relationship.

"We might as well be strangers in another town." His body moved slowly with his arm as he played the guitar. "We might as well be living in another time. We might as well, we might as well." His voice began to rise in strength, yet it still retained the wonderful quality it had. "We might as well, be strangers."

His eyes slid closed and his head tilted back a bit, "We might as well, be strangers." His voice rose and smoothly slid over the variation in notes. The gentle, rocking motions he'd been doing instinctively rose with the crescendo and his guitar playing, which seemed to set the rhythm. As he hit the end of 'strangers' he struck the chord and then his hand raised slightly, waiting a few beats, before picking back up and repeating the action. "Be strangers.

"For all I know, of you now." He spoke, letting his voice slow down and quiet. "For all I know, of you now. For all I know, of you now. For all I know."

As the last few notes were played and they resonated in the quiet room, Hermione felt disappointed that it was over. Not only was his voice amazing, but when he was singing, Blaise looked like a different person. Well, he didn't look different, per se, but that he was revealing a part of him he hadn't before. If she really thought about it, she'd been expecting him to do something faster and with harder music.

He didn't move the first few seconds, and his eyes flickered open. With a small smile he looked up from the floor, where he'd been staring. Strangely, the curtains didn't close and Sheila and James didn't come back up on stage. Wondering if something was wrong, Hermione stood on her tip-toes, trying to see through the darkness that still encased them somewhat. Harry and Ron drew their wands, but she just fingered hers through her dress, where it was fastened to the hem.

"I actually have a bit of a surprise." Blaise said into the microphone, "They decided it would be okay if I sang a second song that I prepared on my own. Before I start, I just want to dedicate this song to my teammates, Hermione and Draco."

Something about the way he was talking didn't sound like he was doing it as a thank-you for not making him go insane, or for just being friends. It sounded a bit devious, like the look he'd had in his eye earlier.

He flashed a glance in her direction, grinned, and then turned back to the front. After tightening a few strings he began to play a song Hermione recognized instantly.

"This town is colder now, I think it's sick of us. It's time to make our move, I'm shakin' off the rust. I've got my heart set, on anywhere but here. I'm staring down myself, counting up the years.

"Steady hands just take the wheel, every glance is killing me. Time to make one last appeal, for the live I, lead." The lights were blue, casting a surreal like quality about him and the camera circled him. "Stop and stare, I think I'm moving but I go nowhere. Yeah, I know that everyone gets scared. I've become what I can't be, ooh."

Hermione blushed fuchsia as she realized why he'd dedicated this to them. This was the song that had been on the radio when they'd been talking the other night. Of course, whether or not anyone else would understand…She looked to the audience, and saw a few expressions of dawning comprehension.

"Stop and stare," his neck arched as he sang the higher note, "you start to wonder why you're here not there. And you'd give anything to get what's fair. But fair ain't what you really need. Ooh, can you see what I see?"

But how did he know? Hermione's mind wondered, even as she avoided the curious looks of Ron and Harry. He must've been awake…He must've somehow remembered the song…

"They're trying to come back, all my senses push. Untie the weight bags, I never thought I could. Steady feet, don't fail me now. I'm gonna run 'til you can't walk. Something pulls my focus out. And I'm standing down."

He was smirking into the microphone now, at his own private joke. Hermione looked across the stage and experienced a strange jolting sensation as her eyes locked with Draco's, who had either been watching her or happened to have looked up at the same time.

"Stop and stare," he stood up, kicking the stool backwards and began to play harder. "I think I'm moving but I go nowhere. Yeah, I know that everyone gets scared. But I've become what I can't be, ooh." Hermione's eyebrows shot up as his voice hit the high notes.

"Stop and stare. You start to wonder why you're here not there." Draco's lips twitched upward and Hermione smiled tentatively. "And you'd give anything to get what's fair. But fair ain't what you really need. Oh, you don't need." Again, his range would have impressed her had some other force not been holding her in place, like everything else was moving around her yet all she could do was, ironically enough, stare across the stage into the eyes of the person who seemed to be suffering from the same problem.

"Whooaa," he sang more softly, "Whooaa. What you need, what you need. What you need.

"Stop and stare, I think I'm moving but I go nowhere. Yeah, I know that everyone gets scared. But I've become what I can't be, ooh. Do you see what I see?" He seemed to actually pose the last question, before bowing his head and taking a step backwards. "Thank you."

Draco jerked his head away and Hermione blinked rapidly, as though clearing stars from her eyes. Sheila and James joined Blaise on stage near the middle, as the curtains didn't close again. "That was fantastic!" James said, clearly impressed. "You have quite a bit of talent."

Blaise shrugged, "I have good inspiration."

"I'm sure you do." Sheila said, smiling. "Before we see your footage, we have a few announcements! The first is that any second now slips of paper should appear in front of all you guests, its time to choose the winner!

"Now, what we neglected to tell you about the winner is not only do they get thirty minutes head start, but they have negotiation point in the member trading!" The lack of apparent understanding didn't sway her enthusiasm. "Remember, when I said you would have the option of trading one member of your team for one on the other? Well, tomorrow morning will be the transaction! The people who win will be the ones to propose the offer, and then the other team can either accept or decline.

"Should you accept…Nothing will change. The bedrooms will just belong to the other person, your team name will remain the same, as will your signs, even though your separate names are on them. You will just take the other person's place, exactly as they were. The group who wins will get to win, it doesn't matter what group you were on before."

Hermione froze as Sheila's words washed over her. "Now, we've made a few changes to the new House of Hell you should be arriving at tomorrow night! The first is we've downsized it quite a bit, sorry you six!" She shrugged non-sympathetically. "The second is that there are two sections to it for rooms. The first will be for the Bloody Fuckers and the other will belong to the Pansy Pickers. It will be the same house, your rooms will just be on opposite sides. The last…is that we have a big surprise waiting for you at the end of the trip."

I completely forgot that we could trade members. This is…It's obvious. They'll trade me for Pansy. Just like that. Tomorrow morning I'll be back with Harry and Ron. This is…wonderful news…

It seemed that they'd all been taken by surprise, because the males all looked dumbfounded and Pansy just looks shocked. Sheila beckoned them all on and all attention turned to the screen, which lit up for the last time.

On screen…

"Hey," Blaise said casually as he stepped into the music room.

"Hello," Jacquelyn said, smiling. "So, Blaise is your name, right?"

"Yeah."

"Good…Mmkay, so…do you play any instruments?"

"Yeah," he said, shoving his hands in his pockets. "Guitar."

"Oh, yeah? Electric or normal?"

"Both."

"Okay. This is good. I don't know guitar, unfortunately, but do you think you'd be able to learn the guitar music fast enough?" She asked, walking over to what appeared to be the closet.

"I…have an ear, I suppose." He said, "There was actually something I wanted to ask you."

"OK," Jacquelyn said and pulled out a guitar.

"I have a song I'd like to do." He said and pulled out his iPod. "I have the song on here and I think I could learn it without music."

She looked up in surprise. "Oh. What song is it?"

"We Might As Well Be Strangers." He responded, unwinding the headphone cord. "Keane."

"Can I hear?" She accepted one headphone and listened silently, barely moving. Finally she tugged it away. "OK, so I'll need to hear you sing it first. If it doesn't work out, you'll have to go with what we have. Do you want to just sing it, first, or try with the guitar?"

He debated both choices for a moment. "Guitar."

She handed it over and backed up, folding her arms across her chest. "One, two, three."

Blaise began to strum, somehow going from memory. There were people who could go by ear, but not many could do an entire song. He began to sing, and a few seconds later Jacquelyn stopped him. Surveying him, she spoke, "You really want this one?"

"Yes." He said firmly.

"OK, well fine. Let's go."

-

"I see you weren't happy with your choices." Marsha said irritably. "What was wrong with those song choices?"

"This one was more important." He said, shrugging.

"I'm sure. Did you and your girlfriend have a fight, then?" She asked sourly.

Blaise smiled crookedly. "Sure."

"Hm. Well, I suppose now I'll have to try and fix this." Her eyes scanned him, his posture, the way he was holding his guitar, and then ordered him on to the stool. "Go now. Play."

She pursed her lips. "Enough. Stop, now!"

He looked up, blinking. She narrowed her eyes at him, before turning away. "That was enough. You're ready for the performance, lets do your group work."

He grinned.

-

"I like the song a lot." Blaise said, "I heard it on a wizard radio station, it was a muggle night or whatnot, and I really liked it. So when Hermione was helping me download music, she used it as an example and I've been listening to it ever since. It's very…it's an emotional song. It means a lot."

He pursed his lips and made a strange squeaking noise, which he held for a moment and then stopped, looking up. "It applies to me well. I just really like it."

-

It showed a small video of him, singing the chorus and playing his guitar contentedly in practice, with all the ease in the world. Then it flashed to his actual performance, where he still somehow looked cool as a cucumber as he sang.

The image faded away.

"Wow," James said, awe in his voice. "You learned that entire song by ear?"

Blaise looked embarrassed. "Er, yeah."

"You have a beautiful voice." Sheila said, patting his shoulder. "Let's give it up one more time for our wonderful singers!"

The noise was nearly deafening, and yet Hermione felt like she should say something. Even as Sheila thanked them once more, announced their presence backstage and impending leave, and they left the stage to more cheers she was at a complete loss for words. It took a great deal of effort not to let her mouth fall open.

They stood in silence around each other just off the stage, unable to say anything.

"This is…This is great." Pansy said lamely. "I guess I'll get some good company, then. No more Gryffindors."

"Likewise." She said, laughing awkwardly. "No more Slytherins."

"No more crazy, speeding Grangers." Blaise said, pursing his lips and nodding his head forward.

"How exciting." Harry said in a feebly enthusiastic voice.

They lapsed into silence once more as dread pooled in Hermione's stomach.

Author's Note: I truly, truly apologize for this chapter. Firstly, it's too long. Secondly, there are a lot of lyrics. Thirdly, there's no possible way to read everything in the chapter in time with the actual song if you listen to it, which can be annoying.

Review review review!