A Montague and a Capulet

A Montague and a Capulet

"Did you just give me the finger?" Crabbe said to Ron. "I'm telling Snape!" Ron and Harry had been bickering with Crabbe and Goyle for sometime now in the Courtyard of Hogwarts.

"Oh, I didn't give the finger to you," drawled Ron sarcastically.

"Er...yeah you did!?" Goyle spoke with speed that would give ego to a sloth.

"Now why would he do that? Besides, you couldn't tell the difference between a thumb and a pinky if your life depended on it," Harry's tone was sweet and gentle, masking its malicious intent.

"What do you know, you filthy mudblood lover!" At this comment, Ron's face turned a stunning shade of crimson as he reached for his wand and cast a boil curse at Crabbe. This action sent the others into curses, which caused immense amounts of chaos to spread throughout the courtyard like a plague.

"What is going on here?" Dumbledore demanded in a booming voice. The four stopped dead in mid-curse and looked with wide eyes at the old wizard. They instantly shot into a fit of excuses and apologies ranging from 'She did it' and 'What curses?'. Dumbledore merely stated an order procuring them to follow him immediately. Ron gave a worried look over to Harry, who returned his stare.

~~#~~

"Three fights in three weeks," the Head Master stated looking at the four fighters and the recently called in Hermione and Draco. "All because you have some ridiculous feud between you. If this happens again you will find yourselves expelled from Hogwarts!"

Ron, Harry and Hermione sauntered back to their common room as Draco and his two accomplices did the same.

"Thanks a lot gentleman," said Hermione.

"Oh, bloody hell! It's not like you didn't start the last fight!" Though what Ron said sounded harsh, Hermione knew that he meant nothing by it.

"And it's not like you didn't jump to the occasion to hurt Malfoy!"

"See now my dear...that's where you're right! And here I thought that you being first in the class were just a fluke!" Hermione thought of acting offended, but figured that there had been enough fighting for one night. She simply smiled at him. That deep smile she always used on Ron and put the comment behind her.

~~#~~

Draco lay on his bed, staring vacantly at the ceiling. He enjoyed being alone, for his normal company was far from entertaining. He felt that his 'friends' were severely below his level of intelligence, and no one would argue with that one. He longed for someone to talk to that was worth the words: someone who he never had to be fake around. He ran his hand under his shirt across his bare stomach. He felt the scar from when his father had beaten him. He resented his father but admired him at the same time. He was raised to fear him and was taught to cloak his fear with the appearance of cruelty. He hated Harry and Hermione for being better than him and causing his father to beat him. He hated Ron because he was supposed to and that was the way things were.

He turned over in his four poster bed and shut his eyes. Though sleep was far in the horizon, he began the slow journey to meet it.

~~#~~

"Where have you guys been?" Ginny questioned looking longingly at Harry for an answer. Harry opened his mouth to answer but was interrupted by Ron.

"We got in a big fight Gin! We might even get kicked out if we do it again. But man you should have seen those awesome curses we dished out. Crabs and Boils will be crying tonight!" As Ron said this, Ginny noticed the large rips in his shirt, and Hermione rolling her eyes behind him.

"Well, we had better get to sleep early. Yule ball is tomorrow and we need our beauty rest," Harry said with a smirk. Harry and Ron ascended the stairs to their dormitories while Ginny and Hermione climbed the stairs to theirs.

"Can I ask you something Gin?"

"Sure,"

"Do you still like Harry?"

"No. I have realized by now that it is better to be lonely in the real world, than in love in a fantasy one." Ginny avoided Hermione's gaze and without another word, got ready for bed.

~~#~~

The night of the Yule ball was dark and beautiful. Anticipation had been hanging in the air all morning and when it was finally time for the couples to go to the Great Hall, there wasn't a complaint to be uttered. Ron walked next to Hermione, his date. He had learned from past experience that asking her to the ball two months in advance was the best way to avoid anymore fights or awkward moments. Ron looked stunning in his new robes and it seemed that Hermiones intelligence was matched only by her beauty. She flowed elegantly in a violet robe and silver jewelry. The way that Ron was carrying himself seemed as though he thought he had just won the lottery, and was the richest man on the planet.

Ginny went with Harry, though it was clearly established that this was strictly a friendly gesture. They would dance a bit and go their separate ways, using each other as a platform for stability. Even if this was true, the looked perfect together with Harry's emerald robes and Ginny's yellow ones. There was sure to be gossip that they were the newest couple.

Upon entering the Great Hall, the foursome encountered a barrage of students all dressed to kill. A cloud of perfume and cologne hung in the atmosphere and it appeared that the party had officially started.

"Um...er...Hermione?" Ron was beginning to pink around the ears.

"Yes?"

"May I have this dance?" To a passer by it would have appeared as if he had just announced his pregnancy and was waiting for her reaction, judging by his expression.

"Of course you can, you twit!" A perfect Hermione response to a perfect Ron question. She grabbed his hand and led him to the dance floor where other couples were starting to swarm.

Harry extending his hand which Ginny took and they followed their friends to the dance floor.

"You seem to have gotten much better this year," said Ginny sweetly.

"Oh, thank you." Harry was still very nervous while dancing, but he managed to mask it much better than the previous year. As the live song progressed, Ron and Hermione had gotten increasingly closer, her head now resting under his chin. Harry and Ginny decided to break apart and go socialize. Harry walked over to Dean and Seamus, who were apparently waiting for Lavender and Parvati to return from the lavatory. (Hey! That rhymes!)

Ginny looked around. She saw no one that was worth talking to so she decided to walk out to the gardens. She desired to be alone even now, so she sat on a charmed bench (made to be warm) and looked up at the stars.

~~#~~

Draco glided down the corridors to the Great Hall with Pansy Parkinson attached to his arm like a narcotic cat. Upon entering his destination he looked around for his usual Slytherins. When discovering their whereabouts he strode over to them, his dark navy robes fluttering behind him. Pansy followed anxiously in her lime green robes, which complimented her much the same way that a hint of Tabasco sauce does to eggnog.

"Good evening, Draco," said Blaise Zambini.

"Good evening, Blaise. And how are you tonight?" Draco was getting sick of this endless show of superiority, and, though this was uncharacteristic of him, he felt himself beginning to snap.

"Well, I would be smitten if these disgusting decorations didn't make me so nauseous." Hanging from the walls were simple vines and the illusion of stars shone through the ceiling. Making fun of it was like insulting a piece of wood.

"Oh, really?"

"Yes. And then there's this whole one date rule. So many girls asked me out I found it so conflicting to choose just one." This was the snitch that broke the seekers back.

"Oh, yes, I agree. And this whole non-homosexual dating thing must just kill you too, huh? With all the people that think you're gay, I wouldn't be surprised if the rule was changed simply to fit your flaming tendencies that we all know about." Blaise was absolutely shocked, but Draco paid no head to this. He pried Pansy off his arm and stormed out into the garden.

~~#~~

Ginny was so mesmerized by the stars she didn't even notice someone sit down next to her. Apparently, Draco was still so angry from his friends pompous attitude (sound familiar?) that he didn't realize anyone else was there either. When he looked over he saw a girl sitting there, though he wasn't sure who. Ginny finally noted him but continued to look up, unaware from the dark that it was Draco.

"I just don't believe some of the twits that go to this school: thinking that they are the next best thing since toilet paper." Ginny nodded in agreement.

"It's amazing who you consider your friends. Sometimes being quiet and alone is better than having fake friends and being social." Draco was very surprised by this statement.

"You're exactly correct. I just wish that I could find someone who was worth talking to."

"Someone who understands," Ginny said. Had they finally found someone who would understand? He leaned in closer to her to discover who she was. She retracted her gaze from the stars and did the same gesture. Their faces drew nearer and nearer until their noses were near contact.

"MALFOY!"

"WEASLEY!"

They shifted away from each other quickly but did not rise from the bench. At first they looked at each other in astonishment before charging into a set of sputters and half sentences.

"I didn't know it was you!" Draco was the first to make a real statement.

"I had no idea..."

"Well, now you do. I really don't feel like going back in there so, do you mind if I remain here?"

"Of course not, just know that I have no intention of re-entering that room either."

"Well as long as we are on the same page," Draco said awkwardly. He had almost never been caught so off guard and he was still attempting to recover from it.

~~#~~

Ron looked down at Hermione, a whiff of her hair filling his nostrils in its coconut aroma. She looked up at him with twinkling eyes.

"I don't think I've ever told you how much you mean to me, Hermione." Her mouth curled into a smile.

"You never needed to," she cooed.

"I'm sorry for all the times I made fun of you for being so smart...and I'm sorry for the time that I got mad at you in third year...and I'm sorry for--." He was cut off by the soft touch of Hermione's lips against his own. She leaned up into him and he pulled her close as the music drowned out, and they became the only two people in the room, in their minds.

~~#~~

Harry sat leaning on his elbows, staring into space. Once again, this Yule Ball wasn't exactly the best time he'd ever had. His day dream was interrupted by someone gently touching his shoulder. He turned around to see a beautiful girl looking down at him.

"Care to dance?" She said as he nodded and rose from his seat. She led him to the dance floor and all fears of having a horrible night disappeared in the glint of her eyes and the softness of her touch. It was the first time in a long time that Harry Potter was having a fun.

~~#~~

"See that's what I always say but no one listens to me," Ginny said.

"I know, really. I just don't get how people could not like sushi!"

"Wow! And here I thought that I was the only one with an attraction to them!"

"Couldn't have said it better. I used to ask for sushi all the time but my father would never allow it. He thought that eating another countries food was a sign of weakness."

"Draco, can I ask you something?"

"That depends..." Ginny took that as a yes.

"Do you hate your father?"

"How can you ask me something like that?"

"I'm sorry I didn't mean to--"

"I should it was pretty obvious he's not the best father on the planet. No, he is not my favorite person in the world. Some times I think that things would be a lot different if he wasn't my father. I would be a lot different if he wasn't my father. Besides, if I recall he did try to kill you second year." Draco looked stern and seemed to be deep in thought so Ginny decided to drop it. She looked back up at the stars.

"They are really beautiful," Ginny said after a long pause.

"What is?"

"The stars,"

"There not as beautiful as you." Ginny's eyes widened and she looked over at Draco in confusion. No one had ever spoken to her like that before, and it coming from Draco seemed less likely than a virgin prostitute.

"Don't say something like that unless you mean it," she cracked.

"And don't tell me how I feel!"

"And don't be an asshole!"

"And don't say a word," he said as he leaned in and kissed her.