Star-Crossed Lovers

There are many times in one's life when one must work with an individual that they would rather not converse with. So it was as Christmas approached Hogwarts.

Hermione was sitting with Harry and Ron in the Great Hall during dinner one snowy Thursday evening. The plates had the remnants of several varieties of desserts on them. Dumbledore stood up and cleared his throat. Everyone hushed.

"I have a few announcements to make before you all head up to your dormitories," he began. "Professor Sinistra has gallantly agreed to direct our first ever play. We will be putting on a production of Romeo and Juliet, written by a very talented Muggle named William Shakespeare. Try-outs will take place tomorrow night at 8:00 here in the Great Hall. All are welcome to audition." There were excited murmurs through the crowd, although most of them came from girls. Students began filing out of the Great Hall to their dormitories.

"I don't suppose that you're going to try out, are you Hermione?" Ron asked. Hermione gave him a snide look.

"Why? Don't think I'd get a part?" she asked. Ron became wide-eyed.

"I didn't say that," he said, bracing himself for Hermione's anger.

"I bet you I could get a part. A good one too."

"Fine," Ron said. "I'll bet you five galleons that you can't get the role of Juliet."

"Right," Hermione smiled, shaking Ron's hand. "Five galleons." Hermione started climbing the spiral staircase to the girl's dormitories. "Good night boys."

Hermione climbed in between her nice warm sheets. She had already gotten out five galleons and put them on her bedside table, prepared to pay Ron. This was only a joke. She didn't really intend to try out. Besides, even if she wanted to be in the play, she'd never get a part. But Hermione found that she didn't mind. It was all in good fun.

* * *

The next night at 7:45 Hermione prepared to go down to the Great Hall. Harry and Ron were seeing her off.

"Good luck Hermione," Harry said, smiling.

"Yeah, good luck!" Ron echoed, and even though he wanted the money, he really did mean it. Hermione smiled nervously. She wondered why she was nervous. She didn't really want to be in the play, she was only doing it because she bet Ron.

When she reached the Great Hall she found it was swamped people, mostly girls. There were about twenty boys, most of them first and second years. Hermione looked for some girls she knew and spotted Parvati and Padma Patil and Lavender Brown over near the stage that had been set up.

"Hello," she said, walking over to them.

"You're trying out too?" Lavender asked. Hermione shrugged.

"Yeah. I bet Ron five galleons that I could get a role. I think I'm going to lose, but there you are. I can't go back on a bet." Parvati and Padma gave her very ominous looks and turned their backs on her. Hermione stood by herself, looking around the room. There weren't too many boys. She only saw a few boys her age. There was Dean Thomas and Seamus Finnegan, Justin Finch-Fletchly, and... she frowned as she saw who was standing in a corner alone. His silver-blonde hair shone in the candlelight. Draco Malfoy was trying out for Romeo and Juliet? Hermione didn't have much time to ponder this thought as Professor Sinistra, the astronomy teacher, stood up on the stage.

"Welcome!" she beamed around at them all. "Welcome, welcome. For those of you who aren't familiar with the play Romeo and Juliet, let me give you a little introduction. Two star-crossed lovers meet at a party. One is a Capulet, that would be Juliet, and Romeo is a Montague. Their families have been feuding for ages. When they discover this fact, they realize there's only one way they can be together: death." There was silence as several students looked at one another.

"Right," she continued. "When I call your name, you're going to read from this script. You'll go one at a time. First off," she said, sitting down in a chair in front of the stage. "Is Georgiana Feathersword." A trembling first year made her way to the stage and began her part.

"W-w-what's in a-a-a n-n-name?" she stuttered. Hermione sat down. This was going to be a long night. Finally after about and hour and a half, her name was called. Suddenly Hermione was hit with a wave of nerves. She had never acted before. What was she doing here? She took deep breaths and remembered her bet with Ron. Nodding her resolve, she took the script from Professor Sinistra and took her place on stage. She had remembered reading Romeo and Juliet one summer, and then her parents had taken her to see the play. She thought about the passion that Juliet had when she spoke of Romeo, and tried to find that passion in herself.

"What's in a name?" she began, finding the enthusiasm in her heart. "That which we call a rose by any other name would smell as sweet." She continued to read her lines. When she had finished she looked at Professor Sinistra, who was staring at her open-mouthed. The entire room was silent, watching Hermione with wide eyes. She waited anxiously. Had she said something wrong? Professor Sinistra stood up.

"Bravo! Oh, great wizards, that was absolutely wonderful! Amazing!" she said, clapping. Hermione smiled and said thank you. She sat back down.

After another tedious half hour the auditions were over.

"Tomorrow the parts will be posted at breakfast. Good luck everyone, and thank you all for trying out," the professor said.

* * *

Hermione found herself eager to get down to breakfast.

"Would you hurry up?" she nagged at Ron, who was tying his shoes.

"I'm going as fast as I can!" he shot back, not looking at her. When he was ready Hermione practically ran down to the Great Hall, dragging the boys behind her. There was a throng of people to the left of the doors, and a piece of paper hanging on the wall. Hermione walked up to the group. Several students turned around and made a pathway for her, their voices hushing. Soon, the whole group was on either side of the paper, making a trail for Hermione. She slid her finger down the paper and squealed when she saw her name:

Juliet Capulet- Hermione Granger.

"Ron!" she shouted excitedly. "Harry, I've got it! I've got the part of Juliet!" Ron and Harry beamed at her. She hugged them both excitedly.

"Who's your Romeo?" Harry asked as Hermione pulled away. She turned back to the list and her face fell.

"What?" Ron asked. "What is it Herm?"

"The part of Romeo Montague," she began. "Is being played by..."

"Yes?" Harry and Ron asked simultaneously.

"He's being played by... Draco Malfoy."