West Side Story

Dumbledore surveyed the Great Hall. Since the defeat of Voldemort this summer, the entire wizarding world had been rather subdued, and it was high time the students at Hogwarts started having fun again. He had the perfect idea to shock them back to normal life. Dumbledore pushed back his chair and rose, raising his hands for silence. The students quieted and turned to look at the High Table. When he had everyone's attention, he lowered his arms.

"Welcome back to Hogwarts. This has been a difficult summer, but we escaped with a minimum of casualties. We at Hogwarts are extremely grateful there are no faces missing in our ranks, although I realize that everyone has lost friends and acquaintances. However, this fall I would like to make a new beginning. While we should never forget the past, neither should we dwell in it. To this end, I would like the school to put on a play, a musical, that will remind us of the danger of choosing sides too hastily, and of categorizing people by what they are, rather than who." Dumbledore's gaze passed over Draco Malfoy, who flushed. "This year, the seventh years, with assistance from any others who wish to participate, will put on the musical West Side Story, an American muggle story, set in New York. It will be performed at the end of the year. Seventh years, look on this as the opportunity to get to know one another better before going off to your careers next year. Tryouts will be next week, on Friday afternoon. Please come to the Great Hall at three o'clock. Read the script before then." He sat down, and the babble of student voices took over the Great Hall once again.

Harry, Hermione, and Ron climbed the stairs to Gryffindor tower, chatting excitedly.

"Isn't it wonderful?" Hermione gushed. "I've always felt that exploration of Muggle literature at Hogwarts was lacking. I hope I get a good part. Like Maria, or maybe Anita. I wish there were more female leads." Harry and Ron just looked perplexed. They had been required to buy the scripts, it had been on their book list, but only Hermione had bothered to read it before school even started. Ron spoke up before Harry had a chance.

"I just hope I won't have to sing. Can you imagine, me, singing in front of the whole school?" Harry patted his shoulder in sympathy. Ron had a terrible singing voice.

"Don't worry. I'm sure you'll do fine. Maybe they'll let us use charms to improve our voices."

"Yeah. Hope so." The trio climbed through the portrait hole, and their discussion turned to other subjects.

Draco Malfoy stood in the centre of the Slytherin common room, expounding to his housemates.

"I can't believe Dumbledore expects me to act in some silly Muggle play. Me! I no longer believe they're terribly inferior, of course, but still. Ask a Malfoy to perform in front of people! And sing! I may as well go sell myself in Knockturn Alley." Pansy Parkinson cut in.

"Come now, Draco, it can't be that bad, can it? It's a chance to show off in front of the entire school. You'll be better than all of them." Draco subsided, raising a finger to his chin, the picture of aristocratic pensiveness.

"You may be right Pansy. At any rate, there's no getting out of it. I'm sure I'll do better than Potter at the least." He settled into a large green armchair by the fire. "It might even be fun."

The seventh years gathered in the Great Hall for the auditions on Friday, joined by a few of the younger students, but not very many. One by one, they went up to the dais, read some lines selected by the professors, sang a short song, performed a small dance, and returned to their seats. Many of the students used charms to help them sing and dance, and it was allowed by the professors. When everyone had had their chance on stage, the professors withdrew to the staff room, leaving the seventh years to discuss the auditions. When they returned Dumbledore was holding a cast list in his hands.

"For the Jets: Riff will be played by Blaise Zabini, Tony will be played by Harry Potter, Velma will be Padma Patil, Parvati, you will be Graziella, and Gregory Goyle will be Anybodys. For the Sharks: Hannah Abbot as Bernardo, Ron Weasley as Chino, Draco Malfoy as Maria, Hermione Granger as Anita, and Ernie MacMillan as Rosalia. Adults: Neville Longbottom will be Lt. Schrank, Mandy Brocklehurst will be Officer Krupke, and Terry Boot will play Gladhand." He listed off the rest of the minor characters, assigning everyone a role. When he stopped, a roar of protest rose immediately. Dumbledore cut it off with a quick wave of his hand. "I realize that the roles have been assigned, hmm, unconventionally. However, we used a selection charm to ensure that the roles are filled by those most suited to fill them. There will be no changes. Now, we will have rehearsals once weekly, so I suggest you start memorizing your lines. Have a nice evening." He stepped off the dais, leading the other staff out the door. The students stayed silent for a while, then erupted into heated discourse.

"I have to play..."

"I can't believe it..."

"I'm supposed to be in love with POTTER!?" Draco's voice cut above the babble. "I absolutely refuse." He shoved through the gaggle of students to where Harry, Ron and Hermione stood. "Potter, I am not being in love with you."

"For your edification, Malfoy, I'm not exactly thrilled with the idea either. I mean, who would believe that we would fall in love while you are dating Ron, and that Hermione is your best friend? I don't believe whatever charm they used worked." Harry was waving his arms wildly. Hermione sighed.

"Well we're stuck with it now." That seemed to be the general consensus of the room, as students were quieting and dispersing to their common rooms. "You can use the Cantar charm to change your voice after all. There's no getting around it." Draco stiffened.

"We'll just see about that." He turned and stalked off, scattering the remaining students.

They met again before the first rehearsal. Draco had gone to plead with the Headmaster, to no avail. They were stuck in the roles they had been placed in. The entire cast proceeded to read through the script, making sure they had all read it. The group continues to rehearse over the next weeks, until the Halloween feast rolled around. In honour of the holiday, Dumbledore gave them a week off, but when they met the next week, he had a surprise for them.

"Tonight, I'd like to work on the balcony scene. Harry and Draco please, on the dais. The rest of you can go." Harry and Draco approached the stage with trepidation. This was the part they had been dreading all along.

They parted hours later in the Entrance Hall.

"I hate you, Potter. I'm never touching you again."

"Oh, yes you are. Next week in rehearsal."

"I swear, Potter, I think you're bloody enjoying this. One would think you got a kick out of kissing me on stage."

"Oh, but I do, Draco, darling. Didn't you know?"

"That's disgusting. Pouf."

"Takes one to know one. Cheerio!" Harry ran up the stairs, leaving Draco gaping in the foyer.

They met constantly over the next few weeks, and gradually Draco accustomed himself to the idea of kissing Harry Potter in front of people. If he had been honest with himself, he would have admitted that he rather enjoyed it, just like he found himself enjoying the company of Hermione on stage as Anita. He even found himself seeking out their company at other times, using the excuse of practicing lines to escape his backbiting Slytherin cronies. All of the seventh years found themselves spending more time with the other houses than they used to, and Dumbledore was talking of making the musical an annual event, to strengthen inter-house bonds.

For his part, Harry still enjoyed teasing Draco about their stage intimacy. Sometime near the beginning of the school year, it had become common knowledge that Harry was gay, that Ron and Hermione were a couple, and that Dumbledore fancied Professor McGonagall. The three facts were treated with equal interest, then dismissed for more interesting gossip. Harry's dating habits had returned to the spotlight once or twice, mostly when he had a spectacular break-up in the middle of dinner with his then-boyfriend, Seamus, but for the most part, he was treated just like anyone else, and he treated everyone else the same, with the notable exception of Draco. Around Draco, Harry was flirtatious and lively, and Ron had told Draco that he reckoned Harry fancied him. Draco had merely lifted his nose, and said in a haughty tone,

"Of course he does, I'm perfect." Whereupon Ron had elbowed him sharply, and he had bent double, winded. In reality, Draco was flustered badly by Harry's attentions. He found Harry engaging and attractive, but wasn't really sure how to handle his growing fascination with the one boy he had consistently disliked, if not hated, from the moment they met. The only time he felt safe in letting go was on stage, when they were acting. Someday, maybe he would feel secure enough to actually tell Harry.

Finally, they reached the night of the big performance. The entire cast had become good friends over the course of the year, working together on lines, costuming, set-building, and more common things like homework. They often sat together at one table at dinner, rather than at their separated house tables. Draco had found himself adopted into the trio of Ron, Hermione, and Harry, and they had started to become known around the school as the next Marauders, a nickname started by McGonagall the first time she caught them sneaking around abandoned classrooms. After the joke had been explained to Draco, he had felt truly a part of their close friendship for the first time, and he had revelled in the depth of feeling that had been missing in his association with the Slytherins over the years. He had also found himself spending more and more time with Harry alone, as Hermione and Ron kept slipping off to snog in private. The first few times it had happened it had been awkward, but they had gradually fallen into a close friendship. When they were alone, Harry didn't tease him, he saved that for when they were with a large group and Draco was more prone to embarrassment. Draco didn't mind the teasing so much anymore, though, as it gave him a chance to flirt with Harry without feeling confused about his feelings.

The first time Draco had given as good as he got, Harry had been surprised, but now they traded jibes with the ease of long practice. Draco only wished that he had the courage to take things a step further. He thought that maybe tonight, after the musical, he could do it. He stepped out on stage for his scene with Hermione before the dance at the gym, and buried his concerns for Harry behind the screen of Maria's innocent personality.

Draco followed the body of Tony off the stage at the end of the play, real tears streaming down his face. Now he had to face the real Harry, and try to tell him how he felt. He took Harry's hand to go out for their bows, and wiped the tears from his eyes. They walked out, to thunderous applause. Draco knew that they had given a very good performance, what with charmed voices and spelled dancing. He glanced at Harry, grinning, as they took a second bow, and found Harry looking back at him, also grinning madly. As they straightened, Draco felt a surge of desire go through him, caused by Harry's carefree happiness and charm, and he found his hands raising to hold Harry's face, and he raised his lips to Harry's.

Suddenly, he found his back bent in a dramatic stage kiss, and the audience was whooping and cheering. When Harry released his lips, he could only blink, until he heard Harry's voice in his ear.

"If you felt that way all along, why didn't you tell me?" Draco blinked back tears again, and replied softly.

"I was afraid to lose your friendship." Harry pulled him out of centre stage to let the next people come out for their bows, and wrapped his arms around Draco.

"No matter what Draco, I'll always be your friend." Harry claimed another quick kiss from Draco, then they joined the rest of the cast for the final bow. "Always."