Fair and Tender Maidens

Ginny flipped through the many sheets of music, trying to select two. But, she could not even find one that she remotely liked. It was all so very discouraging.

She glanced at the pile of music on top of her Herbology 6 book. She didn’t want to look through those. There were rentals from Hermione. And, we all know how Ginny feels about Hermione. They lay untouched, collecting dust. Ginny smiled. Hermione could dust her music for all she cared.

She sighed. She roughly picked up the music and began to sift through it.

No. No. Ugh, definitely not. Maybe. No! No. No. No. Possibly. Are you kidding? No. Yeah, right. No. No. No. No.

Ginny stopped.

This was it.

Ginny grinned as she read through the lyrics. This song would be perfect. She’d show Granger and Potter.....

***

Hermione pulled out a sheet of music and handed it to Draco.

"'The Phantom of the Opera Medley'?" he said, an eyebrow arching up. He began to flip through the pages.

"Yeah. Is that a problem?" she asked sweetly.

"Isn't it sort of..." he trailed off.

"What?"

"Long," he finished.

"Of course not!" she exclaimed. "Are there any other problems?"

"Yeah," he said, sounding a little miffed. "We don't need another danceless song. Let's just decide on a song and get a dance so we can finish this already!"

"Draco, Malfoy, ferret boy of my heart, remember we need to practice our range and other things. It'll be fun," she said, enthusiastically.

"Don't call me that," he said, his voice icy.

"Don't call you what?" she snapped.

"Ferret boy of your heart. I don't like it."

"Fine. I'll just be sure to add another thing to the 'Don'ts of Malfoy' code," she snapped angrily.

"What is your problem?"

"MY problem?" she asked, her voice rising.

"Yeah," he snapped furiously. "Your problem. Your issues. Do you think people have fun working with you? You overwork everyone! You're so bossy and arrogant.'No one is as good as Granger.' My ass, all right?"

"Malfoy, you are one self-absorbed, pale, arrogant snob and a disgrace to the other students of Hogwarts! You shame the name 'wizard.' You make people look bad just because it makes you feel good! Well, hear me out, I won't have it! No, I won't!"

"No one said you had to take it, Granger. Just go and cry to Potter and Weasel about it. Your boyfriends. Go and cry to your boyfriends! Tell me now, which one did you sleep with first? Eh?"

Hermione's jaw dropped. Did people really think like that? Did they think she was playing Harry and Ron?

She opened her mouth to retaliate.

***

Harry walked over to where Ron was sitting. He noticed something peculiar. Ron was reading. Ron usually only read when he absolutely had to. Strange.

"Hey, Ron," he said, flopping into the armchair beside Ron. "Want to play some chess?"

Ron sat and continued to read. It was a chess book. An old one.

"Ron?"

Silence.

"Let's play some chess, Ron."

Silence.

"Is that a good book?"

Silence.

"Ronald Arthur Weasley, you put that book down right this minute and look at me when I’m talking to you!" he shrieked, imitating Mrs. Weasley.

This usually dissolved Ron into a fit of giggles, which were quite disturbing. Now, he did nothing. Said nothing. Emotionless. It was like Ron couldn't hear him.

Out of the corner of his eye, Harry saw Ginny step out of the girls' dormitory and then rush back inside. The door slammed.

Harry sighed and exited the common room.

***

Owl to: Ginny Weasley

From: Maryanne Brunswick

Gin-

Did you hear about what happened on Friday night? Well, if you haven't, here's the gossip:

It was Karaoke Night at Three Broomsticks. The Slytherins bet that Malfoy couldn't sing a note or a song on stage. So, Malfoy goes off to Granger. He chats her up. They get on stage and sing a love song! By the end of the song, they were all over each other! Kissing and such. Harry practically had to pull her off him!

Can you believe it? The little whore...

~Maryanne

***

Neville couldn't stop thinking about her. Her beautiful hair, her gorgeous brown eyes, freckled skin so creamy and...ahem, freckly. Her petite body rushing through the corridors, books in arm.

She was his every thought. Even when he was thinking about his Herbology homework, she managed to creep in. Always.

He longed to know her secrets. To be the one she told them to would be ecstasy for him. To be with her forever and ever would be bliss. Endless love. Neverending love. Eternal love. Everlasting love. Uhhhh.....Well, that's it. Whatever you'd like to call it. It was there within him, and he was bursting to give it to her.

***

Owl to: Parvati Patil

From: Padma Patil

Did you see what happened on Friday night? Hermione Granger walked right up to Draco Malfoy! They flirted like hell and they kissed! There were also singing on the stage and practically drooling all over each other. Can you believe it? I never thought Hermione would has so little sense.

So, ask Hermione if they are together or not. I'm not sure what's true or not. I'm not even sure if what I heard ever did happen. I heard all this from Janet Stallon, so, who knows right?

Your loving twin,

Padma

****

Hermione turned away from Draco, ashamed at what she had said. She had always thought that she was a good person. Now she proved to be no better than Malfoy himself.

She trudged over to the window and looked out. She was disappointed in herself. She was going to have to punish herself. But, how should she does it this time?

Behind her, Draco Malfoy stood stunned, unable to grasp that she had just said that he thought she'd said. He didn't think she knew those kinds of words. Or, how to use them.

He felt somewhat offended by what she had said. Who wouldn't, right? But, yet, for some reason, he wasn't upset or angry. In fact, he seemed to understand where she was coming from.

For one, he was an annoying git. He admitted it. Sometimes he was even annoyed with himself. His parents were a disappointment compared to what he heard about other parents. So she got him there too. And he was uptight, pale, egotistical, fag-like, crude, a liar, a prat, a git, a prick, a jerkoff, an asshole, a fucking asshole, a bastard, likely to be a crude power-hungry lord of death and destruction, not to mention pasty.

But really, that wasn't all bad, was it?

.....

How was he supposed to know?

So, she got him there too. No wonder she was the top of their class....

But, she was wrong in one area.

No, wait, two.

One, he was not, contrary popular belief, going to be a deatheater. But, he wasn't going to be a deathregurgitator, either.

Let's take a moment out of how time listening to Draco's thoughts to learn a vocabulary word which will be on the quiz at the end of the chapter. Deathregurgitator- the Dark term for 'good guy.'

Carry on.

Two, he did care about somebody. That he knew was true.

Slightly.

There are, as you know, varying degrees of 'caring for.' Draco's type was very small and minuscule. Teeny tiny. He did care for some, though! Honest. But, Hell would freeze over AND Potter would finally admit his love for Granger before he'd tell. And that, ladies and gentleman, is a fact.