Star-Crossed Lovers

That Saturday was their first rehearsal. Hermione paced around the common room, wishing that someone other than Draco Malfoy could have gotten the part as Romeo. She didn't fancy herself as his Juliet.

"Hey, Hermione, want to go to rehearsal with me?" Dean Thomas asked. Hermione agreed and they left the common room together. Dean had gotten the part of Benvolio, Romeo's best friend.

"Where's Seamus?" she asked. Dean smiled.

"He's already down there. When he found out that Tybalt and Benvolio get to have a sword fight he was so excited, he didn't want to wait for me to finish my homework." Hermione laughed. Seamus had gotten the part of Juliet's cousin, Tybalt. They had reached the Great Hall, were most of the cast was already assembled. It consisted mostly of seventh years, like Hermione and Dean, and a few sixth and fifth years. There were three little first years that were the chorus. Sinistra greeted them as they entered.

"Ah, my Benvolio and my Juliet. Your Romeo awaits you," she gestured to Draco, who was standing in the same corner he had stood in the night of auditions. Hermione smiled politely. She knew this was going to be no picnic in the park, that's for sure. She spotted Parvati over near Seamus, who was practicing his swordplay with an invisible sword.

"Hi!" she said to Parvati. "What part did you get?" Parvati shot daggers at Hermione and grudgingly answered.

"I'm the nurse." Hermione smiled.

"That's a wonderful part. You know, when I read the play I analyzed her character and she--"

"Good, maybe you'd rather be her then. I can't believe you got Juliet." Hermione stopped short. She didn't know getting the lead would be such a big deal. Luckily for Hermione, Sinistra clapped her hands and began rehearsal. They had gotten up to the scene where Romeo and Juliet meet at a party.

"Now," she beamed. "This is where Romeo and Juliet first meet, and they exchange a kiss." Hermione's mouth dropped. Kiss... Malfoy? There was no way she could do this. Draco eyed Hermione and frowned.

"Do we really have to... well, kiss?" Hermione asked, expressing both hers and Draco's thoughts. Sinistra laughed.

"Oh, but of course! But not tonight. It's well past 9:30, and we don't have time to block the rest of this scene. I will see you all Monday night at 8:00 sharp! Draco, Hermione, can I have a word with you?" Dean and Seamus said they would wait for Hermione and headed out into the hallway. Hermione made her way to Sinistra, where Draco was already waiting.

"Now, I know this kissing thing is awkward," she said. Malfoy snorted in agreement. She overlooked it. "Which is why sometime tomorrow I want you two to get together and practice this scene, and get to know each other better." Hermione pulled a face. Get together with Malfoy just to kiss him? She couldn't.

"But--" they began at the same time. Professor Sinistra held up her hand.

"That's the end of it. You made a commitment to this project, and you're going to stick with it. There's a room off the library you can use. Just tell Madam Pince that I sent you. Goodnight!"

Goodnight? Hermione thought. More like bad night. Malfoy walked away without saying a word to her and Hermione left shortly after.

* * *

The next morning at lunch Hermione spotted Draco getting ready to leave the Great Hall.

"I'll be right back," she said to Ron and Harry. She pushed her chair out and went over to Malfoy.

"What?" he asked coldly. Hermione's eyes narrowed.

"I suppose we have to do this bloody get together thing," she snarled at Malfoy. "Meet me tonight in the library after dinner, okay?" With that, she walked back to her seat.

All day Hermione was dreading the hours after dinner she would have to spend with Malfoy, kissing Malfoy, "getting to know" Malfoy. How could she do this? He was so rude and adamant, not to mention malicious. But she had to do it. Sinistra was right. She had made a commitment.

After dinner she headed up to the library alone. As she pushed open the heavy oak doors Madam Pince looked up at her. Hermione smiled by way of a greeting.

"Hello. Did Draco Malfoy happen to come in here by any chance?" she whispered. Madam Pince pointed to a set of stairs, which led to a balcony type of hallway. There were several doors along it and one was cracked open a bit. Hermione knew Draco was in there.

She ran her hand along the wooden door until she reached the handle and pushed it open. She could see the top of Malfoy's head over a large crimson chair. There was a fire crackling. On one of the walls was a large window with huge velvet curtains, which were presently drawn back. Moonlight bathed the room with silver light. One the opposite side, near Malfoy's chair, was a large wooden table. On it resided a lantern, but it was not lit. Hermione stepped cautiously into the room, the door making a soft clicking sound as she shut it behind her. Malfoy didn't move.

"Let's get this over with," she said, tossing her script on the table. Malfoy jumped and looked up at her. He held his script in his lap.

"Excuse me," he snapped. "I was practicing my lines. That's what we're supposed to do, aren't we?" Hermione narrowed her eyes.

"Well, yeah, but together, you moron," she said.

"Oh, shut up Mudblood. I don't want to do this any more than you do. Look, let's just practice our lines in our own corners. Sinistra will never be the wiser." Malfoy flipped a page in his script and continued reading. Hermione sighed with exasperation and pulled another chair up to the firelight. She began her part. After a few moments she slammed her book shut.

"This is ridiculous!" she said, yet again making Malfoy jump. "First of all, I can't even see my script without the lantern lit, let alone study it. And we're never going to get anywhere practicing our dialogue alone. We're not going to stand up on stage, you at one end and me at the other, reciting our lines! We're going to have to interact. We have to make people believe..." She stopped. Malfoy was looking at her. Hermione took a deep breath. She could feel her face flushing in embarrassment and anger.

"We have to make people... thinkwe'reinlove!" she finished quickly, avoiding Malfoy's gaze. He raised an eyebrow.

"This whole thing is a completely stupid idea," Malfoy spat. "If it weren't for the fact that I could get extra credit from Sinistra out of this bloody thing, I wouldn't even be here. You know what Granger? No one thought you would get Juliet. And do you know why that is?" Hermione looked at him curiously, waiting for the answer.

"No," she said in a whisper.

"You're too bloody ugly, that's why! Not to mention unpopular, stuck up, a goody-two-shoes, and a teacher's pet! So why don't you just make this easier for both of us and quit being such a spoiled brat! Just go through your lines as fast as you can and it'll be less painful for us both!" Malfoy finished, his breathing unsteady with rage. Hermione felt hot tears splash down her checks. She bit her lip and walked up to Malfoy, until she was just inches from his face. Then, with all her might she raised her hand and swung it at his face. It hit with a loud smacking noise. Hermione turned, grabbed her script, and ran out of the library.

* * *

"Er--professor, I don't think I can do this," Hermione said quietly to Professor Sinistra the next night.

"What? Why?" she asked. Hermione didn't say anything, but glanced over at Malfoy. She could tell he was listening; his head was cocked ever so slightly towards her, his jaw was clenched, and he wasn't moving at all.

"It's just..." Hermione began. "I don't think that I fit the qualities that Juliet possesses, that's all." Professor Sinistra looked shocked.

"Who told you that?" she asked. Hermione could see Malfoy's jaw clench tighter and his cheeks turned a slight shade of pink.

"No one told me, it's just, well, look--" Hermione pointed in her script. "It says he sees a beautiful girl across the room at the party."

"But Hermione, you are beautiful! Plus you have a passion and talent for acting. That's what I want my Juliet to have. Play her character off of yours, dear. The part will come to you. I have faith." With that, she walked away to Dean and Seamus, who were fighting with wooden swords. Hermione slid into a chair and put her head in her hands. Malfoy was watching her.