The Plays The Thing

The Play´s the Thing (3/?)

***

CHAPTER III

***

As Hermione made her way down the stairs to the common room, she was surprised to find Neville sitting alone, looking worried, in front of the early morning fire.

"Neville?" she inquired, walking around the couch to face him.

"What! Oh?" Neville started in his seat and what had been in his hand slipped out. Hermione smiled warmly at him and bent to pick it up. It was his copy of the script.

"Shakespeare? Before breakfast? Really Neville..." she gave him a coy smile.

"I´m too nervous to eat!" Neville gasped, looking as he did when called upon by Snape for an answer.

"What seems to be the problem?" Hermione asked him, her mind wondering what could give him such a case of stage fright in the play considering he only had one or two lines. Then it came to her. "Ah, the singing."

"Yeah..." Neville mumbled, turning red. "I just wanted a small part, you know? I never thought it would be a few lines where ninety percent of them were sung."

Hermione tried to be encouraging. "I don´t suppose you were ever in boys´ choir?" she asked hopefully. Neville shook his head.

"Morning, Hermione, Neville," a familiar Irish lilt called out. Hermione looked up to see Seamus making his way down from the boys´ dormitory. "Are we off to breakfast then?"

Hermione gave a small laugh. "No, poor Neville here is fretting over his spotlighted singing in Act Two..."

"I see," said Seamus, standing in front of Neville, his index finger resting thoughtfully on his chin. His eyes darted over to Hermione and he spoke with mock seriousness. "And have you been tutoring him?"

"Oh, hardly," Hermione said, rolling her eyes. "If it was potions or transfiguration or... something to be found in a book I could help. But, pure vocal talent?" She shrugged helplessly. "I just can´t help out there. I can´t sing to save my life."

"I see," Seamus repeated. He turned his glance back to Neville. "Don´t worry about it mate. Well, you can worry about it, but maybe after breakfast would be more convenient." He paused for a moment. "I don´t suppose Trelawney gave you any directions when it came to melody?"

"None," Neville said with dull gloom.

"Well, you´re in luck then," Seamus responded, suddenly quite bright and cheery. "You see, I had a stint in choir back in Ireland, plus, I have to sing as well in this play, so I´ve been going over some tunes that might work." He extended his hand. "Hand me the lines."

With the shadow of a faint smile of relief Neville took the lines from Hermione´s hand and passed them to Seamus. He read them over and seemed to be mulling over several different tunes and rhythms. After a few minutes of silence as well as curious looks from Hermione and hopeful ones from Neville, Seamus cleared his throat proudly.

"Okay, this is rather basic. I´ll sing the first verse, and then you can join in for the rest, okay?"

"Uh..." Neville looked around the common room nervously.

"Don´t worry," Seamus said with a casual wave. "Most people have already left for breakfast. Only Ron and Harry were still upstairs when I left."

Hermione´s smile stalled at the sound of Ron´s name but she took a calming breath and nodded.

"Yes, and I think maybe Ginny was still upstairs. She´ll probably be down soon."

"O-okay," Neville stuttered. "I guess they´d all hear soon enough."

"You bet," Seamus said, pulling Neville to his feet and holding the lines in front of both of them. "You," he said to Hermione with a stilted arm pointed at the couch, "tell us how we do."

"Fine," Hermione said, swatting his arm playfully away and taking a seat. She was about to say something else when Seamus suddenly started singing a capella with the confidence he had shown at his audition and on the stage as Claudio.

" `Sigh no more, ladies, sigh no more,

Men were deceivers ever,

One foot in sea, and one on shore,

To one thing constant never:´ "

Hermione felt all joking words drop from the tip of her tongue as she listened to Seamus. He was good. Not to mention, the melody he had come up with worked perfectly. She noted that with a faint blush Neville took a breath, ready to join in.

" `Then sigh not so, but let them go,

And be you blithe and bonny,

Converting all your sounds of woe

Into Hey nonny, nonny.

Sing no more ditties, sing no mo,

Of dumps so dull and heavy;

The fraud of men was ever so,

Since summer first was leavy,

Then sigh not so, but let them go,

And be you blithe and bonny,

Converting all your sounds of woe

Into Hey nonny, nonny.´ "

Immediately after the last note Hermione broke into applause, and noticed that she wasn´t the only one clapping.

Ginny was standing behind her, leaning against of the back of the couch, a bright smile on her face. Neville blushed even deeper and even Seamus seemed a bit flustered once he realized she´d been listening.

"Wow, that was really good. What did we all do to deserve hearing that?" She gave another grin and walked around the couch.

"I object, what did we do to deserve being punished by hearing that?"

All four faces turned at the sound of the voice, unmistakably Ron. He strode in from the stairs, Harry not far behind, a wry smile playing with his features.

"Oh, hush!" Ginny scolded her brother and smiled at Seamus. "It was really wonderful."

"Thanks," Seamus said finally.

"Seamus was just helping Neville rehearse some lines. The singing ones," Hermione said drolly, trying to ignore Ron.

"Ah," Ginny smiled knowingly. "Well, it gives me hope for when he has his own singing lines."

"Whatever," Ron said, stepping forward and just as pointedly ignoring Hermione as she was him.

"Good morning, Hermione," Harry said softly to her and she nodded back.

"Hey, Harry."

Seamus, Neville and Ginny all exchanged looks of apprehension, recognizing the tension between the famous trio. Obviously Hermione and Ron had not slept off their argument from the night before.

"Um, I think I´d better get down to the dining hall," Seamus exclaimed. "Dean is probably wondering where the hell I am."

"Good idea," Ginny and Neville said simultaneously, making their way for the door.

"Humph," grunted Ron. "Just as well you stop pretending to be really good singers!"

Harry started to smile at this when Hermione suddenly whirled around, staring down Ron from across the room.

"What? You mean you realized they were pretending?" she asked with mock surprise, laden with sarcasm. "You realize it´s a play they are in and what they are speaking and singing was written by Shakespeare four hundred years ago and doesn´t apply to our real lives? Interesting, Ron, really; you must be so smart. When it rains, it pours!"

With a toss of her head, Hermione followed Ginny, Seamus and Neville at the door leaving Harry and Ron in a rather stunned silence.

***

Breakfast at the loud, vibrant and rambunctious Gryffindor table seemed to do little to raise the gloom and tension between Ron and Hermione.

"Roll?" Harry asked Hermione timidly, but she waved it away. He had to compliment her on how well she was avoiding eye contact with Ron. And him, it seemed.

Breakfast dragged on for a few more painful minutes; the tense silence between Harry, Hermione and Ron noticed by even Fred, George and Lee Jordan who were sitting farther down the table.

Finally Hermione appeared finished and reached down to grab her bag and leave.

"Wait, Hermione, we´ll go with you," Harry said.

"Nah," she replied tartly. "You know how my dear friend Draco hates it when I arrive to potions with you two. It´s best I just go giggling and alone for our little rendezvous." She snapped the bag up to her shoulder and stalked off coldly.

Harry glanced over and noticed Ron was rapidly turning various shades of red and purple.

"Oh, honestly Ron!" Harry exclaimed. "This is getting so old! You know Hermione isn´t suddenly Malfoy´s best friend, and I´m sure he´d agree. Just go after her and apologize!"

Ron pursed his lips in thought for a few seconds and then, with a little resignation, grabbed his own bag from under the table.

"Fine. Let´s go, she walks fast when she´s mad."

Harry smiled faintly as he grabbed his books and ran after Ron. They ran down the first corridor and turned the corner, towards the Potion´s Dungeon. Up ahead Hermione´s figure could be seen walking briskly.

"Hermione!" Ron called. "Hermione, come on, hold up!"

"Hermione!" Harry joined in, and he saw that she finally slowed down and turned around.

"What do you want to tell me now?" She asked waspishly.

"Just - er," Ron said, coming up upon her. Her eyes were boring into him with anger, but there was something else to. Perhaps a glimmer that showed she really wanted the fighting to stop. He swallowed his pride. "I´m sorry. I-"

"Well, isn´t this touching," came another voice from behind them. "Was there trouble in paradise? Is this the delicious reunion?"

Hermione´s eyes widened while Ron and Harry turned around to find themselves face to face with a small group of Slytherins, Draco Malfoy leading them.

"Malfoy, stay out of this," Harry said dangerously. "Nobody wants to hear your retorts or your opinion."

Of all the people to run into...

"Oh, I´m hurt," Malfoy said as he swaggered forward, his voice holding a faint mocking smile, "Here... in my heart." He touched his breast, and his smile grew more cynical. "Not usually my most vulnerable spot," he added confidingly.

"Malfoy," Hermione said, gritting her teeth and stepping closer to him and Ron. She wanted nothing more right now than for Ron to apologize and then have the three of them go to potions. Leave it to Malfoy to spoil all of that.

If Ron wasn´t going to kill him before...

Ron, however, snorted.

"Heart? You´re kidding me, right. You don´t even have a brain, let alone any other vital organs, I´m sure..."

With a few quick strides Malfoy and Ron were eye to eye, glaring at each other, each with their wands half drawn. 

"Go ahead," Malfoy hissed at Ron. "Show off for your girlfriend." He gave a shrug. "Not that you should have to. A Mudblood like her should count herself lucky that she could get a Pureblood. Even if it is a family such as yours, Weasley-"

Before the words were fully out of his mouth Hermione had raised her hand back and prepared to do something she had done only once before: slap him. However, when her hand was in mid-flight Malfoy´s own hand suddenly reached out and caught her wrist.

Damn those Seeker skills, Hermione thought sardonically until she realized a minute later that he was still gripping her wrist.

Surprised, she looked up into his stormy eyes and saw her own confusion mirrored back in them. His hand was cool and soft to the touch and she suddenly realized he had never touched her before. And she had only touched him once when she had slapped him in third year. And then she was reminded of something he had said last year...

"...Don't touch my hand, now. I've just washed it, you see; don't want a Mudblood sliming it up."

Malfoy seemed to come to the same recollection that he didn´t usually make contact with her and finally released his grip.

"I suggest you go on to class now," Ron said darkly. Malfoy kept his eyes locked on Hermione but finally nodded to Blaise, Malcolm and the rest and started to walk off.

"Good luck, Weasel," he said casually over his shoulder. "You´ll have to watch that one."

As they disappeared down the hallway and through the entrance to the dungeon Hermione´s eyes followed them intently. Actually, her eyes were following one figure in particular and remembering the feel of his hand around her wrist.

"Prick," muttered Ron under his breath, bringing Hermione back to the state she was in before the Slytherin interruption: angry with Ron. She sighed heavily and saw a puzzled look cross the redhead´s face. It seemed to take Ron a moment to realize his apology had been interrupted and Hermione had yet to forgive him.

"Look, Hermione, I was a git. Obviously you are not being, er, unduly polite with Malfoy and of course all of that decent conversation was not real life. It was the play. It was acting." He attempted a smile at Hermione and she felt some of her anger fading away. She briefly wondered how many times Ron had found himself having to apologize for overreacting and jumping to conclusions. "It´s just that, well," he continued, "I think my hatred for Malfoy is in my blood." He grinned sheepishly. "I tend to be, er, sensitive about it... the thought of civility with him is rather repugnant." He shrugged in conclusion. "Sometimes I forget that certain situations - like a school play rehearsal - requires ignoring him and not rising to the bait."

Hermione was rather impressed; that was one of the most elegant apologies Ron had ever been able to muster up. She finally smiled warmly back at him and heard a sigh of relief come from Ron and echoed in Harry.

"Okay," she said swiftly. "You were a git, and it better not happen again." She motioned for them to start walking swiftly with her. "So, you are forgiven, but in the mean time I think we better hurry. I don´t want to start out classes by being late to Snape´s class."

"I agree," said Harry, heading towards the door with the other two. He was glad that once again they were all on speaking terms.

All three Gryffindors entered the classroom just in the nick of time, as Snape came sweeping down the aisle moments later in all his sinister glory. He placed a stack of books on his desk and frowned almost in trepidation at the class.

"As you will recall from our last lesson," he began tightly, "we were dealing with the properties of poisons and their antidotes." Harry gave an involuntary shudder, remembering the feeling of the poison coursing through his veins... and then having to be saved by Malfoy, of all people, and the Slytherin´s antidote. "Today," Snape continued, "we will be dealing with the intricate chemistry between the two solutions. If you master this, which few if any of you will, it will be within your ability to deftly create antidotes for the majority of poisons known to man."

He turned his back to them and began listing various elements and compositions on the chalkboard. Hermione quickly began taking exact and lengthy notes, but as his lecture continued she noticed herself distracted more and more by a certain blond sitting in the front row. 

Malfoy...

She pursed her lips and frowned slightly at the memory of her recent encounters of him. He had made her laugh at the posting of the results, and they had discussed Oscar Wilde (of all people) and then had excelled in their roles at the first rehearsal. But, the insult moments before this class had been typical Malfoy, so obviously nothing had changed. She knew this already, and didn´t want it to change. Right? She could care less about being civil to Malfoy.

Though having him be civil to her would probably make her life easier. But that would never happen.

As she watched him casually lean back and stretch in his chair, thorough looking notes already copied on his piece of parchment, she had to wonder what would be in store for all of them at the next rehearsal. Frankly, after the last time, she was curious whether civil and talented Malfoy would show up... or would his immature and smirking self take center stage? 

***

"Well done Potter, Finnigan. I feel things will run more smoothly as we continue, but that was an excellent start."

Professor Trelawney glided across the stage, smiling vaguely at Harry and Seamus before turning to address the rest of the students. "Now, Benedick has gone off to supper and Don Pedro and Claudio have discussed the wooing of Hero. The prince has decided to help his friend by wooing Hero at the dance after the welcoming feast, winning her, and then giving her to Claudio."

"Well, I´m glad she gets a say in it all," Ginny whispered sarcastically to Hermione, who smiled in return.

"Nobody said Shakespeare was politically correct." Then another thought came to her and her grin widened as she glanced at Ginny. "Of course, I´m sure you´re not upset over the fact you will go from being engaged to Harry to being engaged to Seamus..."

Ginny flushed profusely and then jabbed her elbow into Hermione´s side.

"Ow!" Hermione said, as quietly as she could.

"You know I´m over that," Ginny said testily, but with a twinkle in her eyes. "Besides, I still get to dance with both Harry and Seamus. You get to dance with Malfoy!"

Hermione´s smile faded a little as she glanced over at where Malfoy was sitting, next to Blaise and Malcolm. His eyes were closed and their lids, normally portals to a world of stormy gray, blended in with his pale features seamlessly. Despite his appearance, Hermione had a feeling he was anything but asleep. She glanced back up at the stage and saw Fred and George acting out the short scene where Antonio tells Leonato that a man overheard that the prince will woo Hero at the dance. Professor Trelawney took center stage again as the brief scene ended.

"As I have said before, there is much before us, but I ultimately see success. We shall proceed through the play to the end in the next few rehearsals so as to get a feel for it. Then we will begin going back and polishing, as well as adding props and more detailed actions. Therefore, we now move on to Scene Three, Act One, featuring Don John, Conrade and Borachio. If I could have those three up on the stage now?"

It was the moment Ron had been both dreading and waiting forever for since he found out his role. This was his first big scene; one of his only speeches of any length, but one that required angered passion, which was rare for his character. Don John had quite a temper, and Ron was familiar with this darker side of himself. He decided that if Malfoy could let everything in the real world fall away and play Benedick to his cynical but endearing best, than he could commit himself fully as well. But that didn´t mean he wanted to do it... now. In front of all these people...

With a nervous glance at Harry and Hermione, Ron made his way up to the stage with Malcolm and Graham not far behind. Hermione noticed Malfoy had his eyes open now and was watching with interest. Or was it feigned interest? Boredom? Hermione looked harder; the cold Slytherin´s expressions were hard to read as his face masked the feelings well. Suddenly, for a moment his cool eyes seemed to search out her own and locked in on them. His eyes seemed to smirk maliciously at her from the very depths of his soul, and then, with a motion that might have been a nod, he turned his attention back to the stage. Hermione swallowed and wished for this scene to take longer than it could. She wasn´t sure she would be able to cast off her personal feelings of loathing and hatred for Malfoy up on the stage in a matter of minutes. Taking a deep breath she too turned her attention back to the stage where Malcolm, as Conrade, was beginning to circle and approach a stolid looking Ron.

" `What the good-year, my lord! why are you thus out of measure sad?´ "

Ron stared at Malcolm for a second before glancing down at his lines.

" `There is no measure in the occasion that breeds; therefore the sadness is without

limit,´ " he responded tightly, wondering why he suddenly felt like he could really understand this character.

" `You should hear reason.´ " Malcolm smiled a cold thin smile that Ron had seen him do so often in the company of Malfoy.

" `And when I have heard it, what blessing brings it?´ "

" `If not a present remedy, at least a patient sufferance.´ "

Ron strode forward to the edge of the stage and raised his voice to Malcolm. " `I wonder that thou, being (as thou sayest thou art) born under Saturn, goest to apply a moral medicine to a mortifying mischief. I cannot hide what I am: I must be sad when I have cause, and smile at no man´s jests; eat when I have stomach, and wait for no man´s leisure; sleep when I am drowsy, and tend on no man´s business; laugh when I am merry, and claw no man in his humor.´ "

Hermione smiled to herself at how convincing Ron´s cold anger and plain disdain for his position projected on the stage through his body actions and tone. She had wondered briefly if Ron, being one of seven children and then in Harry´s shadow had ever felt any way similar to this. And then she decided she didn´t want to think about that and instead concentrated on the lines. Didn´t being born under Saturn denote a melancholy temperament? Hmmm. Not that she believed Divination was worth an ounce of Leprechaun gold, or that such beliefs held true. She focused back in on the scene.

Malcolm leaned in slyly, as if trying to sate his lord´s displeasure, but also dispel the idea that acceptance of the situation was the only option.

` "Yea, but you must not make the full show of this till you may do it without controlment,´ " he said with caution in his voice. " `You have of late stood out against your brother, and he hath ta´en you newly into his grace; where it is impossible you should take true root but by the fair weather that you make yourself: it is needful that you frame the season for your own harvest.´ "

Ron threw his hands up in frustration. " `I had rather be a canker in a hedge than a rose in his grace; and it better fits my blood to be disdained of all than to fashion a carriage to rob love from any: in this, though I cannot be said to be a flattering honest man, it must not be denied but I am a plain-dealing villain.´ " Ron´s eyes were blazing and he strode towards Malcolm with the confidence of a delusional man driven by raw hate. " `I am trusted with a muzzle, and enfranchised with a clog; therefore I have decreed not to sing in my cage. If I had my mouth, I would bite; if I had my liberty, I would do my liking: in the meantime let me be that I am, and seek not to alter me.´ "

Hermione could tell that Harry and Ginny next to her were just as impressed with Ron´s performance. He was positively sneering and it reminded her of someone...

Her eyes glanced towards Malfoy again and she bit her lip. He was watching Ron through narrowed eyes, but she wasn´t sure if it was a contemptuous glare or one of interest.

Her attention shifted back to the stage abruptly when Malcolm spoke again.

" `Can you make no use of your discontent?´ "

" `I make all use of it, for I use it only,´ " Ron said, glancing again down at his script. " `Who comes here?´ "

Professor Trelawney half pushed Graham into the scene. Ron gave him a side-ways look and spoke. " `What news, Borachio?´ "

Graham cleared his throat. " `I came yonder from a great supper: the prince your brother is royally entertained by Leonato; and I can give you intelligence of an intended marriage.´ "

" `Will it serve for any model to build mischief on?´ " spat Ron. " `What is he for a fool that betroths himself to unquietness?´ "

" `Marry, it is your brother´s right hand.´ "

" `Who? The most exquisite Claudio?´ "

Professor Trelawney floated into view and towards Ron.

"Say it with more relish, Mr. Weasley. You loathe Mr. Finnigan and therefore you mock him and are eager to bring him down."

"I´d wish she´s start calling me Claudio, and stop calling Claudio me," Seamus muttered under his breath as Ron nodded in understanding. "It makes me nervous to hear how much Ron loathes `Mr. Finnigan´!"

Hermione gave a small chuckle and shared a smile with Ginny.

" `Who? The most exquisite Claudio?´" Ron repeated, this time rather sardonically.

" `Even he,´ " Graham answered back.

" `A proper squire! And who, and who? Which way looks he?´ "

" `Marry, on Hero, the daughter and heir of Leonato,´ " Graham grinned and grunted brutishly.

" `A very forward March-chick!´ " Ron said with jaded mirth. " `How came you to this?´ "

Graham leaned forward towards Ron, and Malcolm took a step closer.

" `Being entertained for a perfumer, as I was smoking a musty room, comes me the prince and Claudio, hand in hand, in sad conference: I whipt me behind the arras; and there heard it agreed upon, that the prince should woo Hero for himself, and having obtained her, give her to Count Claudio.´ "

At the end of this little speech, Professor Trelawney once again interrupted.

"Good, a very good read through. For this next moment, I believe it is time you move across the stage. Don John´s words beckon for an exit, so walk as you talk. With Borachio´s line, you may exit the stage completely."

"Okay..." Ron said, looking down over his script for a few seconds. He took a breath and began to walk backwards across the stage, as though he were talking and moving in haste. " `Come, come. Let us thither: this may prove food to my displeasure. That young up-start hath all the glory of my overthrow: if I can cross him any way, I bless myself every way,´ " he said with devilish delight. " `You are both sure, and will assist me?´ "

Graham and Malcolm were following him on like eager servants.

" `To the death, my lord,´ " spoke Malcolm as Conrade. Ron smirked and strode on.

" `Let us to the great supper: their cheer is the greater that I am subdued. Would the cook were of my mind! Shall we go prove what´s to be done?´ "

Graham grinned madly as they neared the curtains and said his line. " `We´ll wait upon your lordship.´ "

"Bravo! Bravo!" Professor Trelawney clapped briskly and moved to the front of the stage. Hermione noticed Ron´s face was rather flushed as he caught her eye. She gave him thumbs up with a smile and he seemed to relax. "Alright, if you could all gather round so we could begin Act Two," Trelawney continued. "This act opens with an exchange between Leonato and Beatrice as well as Antonio and Hero," she paused and motioned with her hands. Fred, Hermione, George and Ginny all made their way up to the stage and sat down on the edge. "Then that group will go back stage as the second group takes center stage. That group will be waiting in the wings, and they are Don Pedro, Claudio, Benedick, Balthasar, Don John, Margaret, Ursula and some others. There will be different entrances for certain groups, but the first to take the lead will be Don Pedro and Hero who will have a quick interchange. Then comes the wit between Balthasar and Margaret, then Antonio and Ursula, and finally we shall settle for a few minutes on Beatrice and Benedick. Before the second group enters, it is Leonato and company leaving from the dinner and having a discussion. Once the second group enters everyone is masked and ready for the dance. Therefore, many of these conversations between people are jokes and illusions as people figure out who they are talking to and then try to convince their friends it is not really them," Trelawney gazed off into the distance for a brief moment. "Silly, really," she muttered. "Everyone has an aura and a simple mask cannot hide it."

"This should be interesting," Fred whispered to Hermione.

"I think I´ve forgotten my lines," Ginny said woefully, attempting to cover her ears. George snorted but then lowered his eyes as Trelawney turned towards them before finishing her little monologue.

"After the exchange between Beatrice and Benedick they shall lead off a short dancing segment. Then we shall move over to the scene with Don John, his group and setting the trap for Claudio. Is that enough for now?"

The students all nodded and grabbed their scripts, prepared to test out this act. Hermione, however, had momentarily stopped listening after the part about Beatrice and Benedick leading off a dance.

Me? Dance with Malfoy? Oh, God, no...no...no...

Once again her eyes sought out and easily found the silver ones, staring back at her with unmasked disdain. She felt the bottom of her stomach fall out as she looked at him, but couldn´t turn away. Finally, she gave him an almost spiteful smile, and hopped back up to take her place for the scene. Maybe she could take pleasure in the fact that he was dreading the dancing scene just as much as she was.

Fred opened the scene with a question directed at the group.

" `Was not Count John here at supper?´ "

George´s Antonio answered.

" `I saw him not.´ "

" `How tartly that gentleman looks,´ " Hermione mused. " `I never can see him but I am heart-burned an hour after.´ "

Ginny grinned in agreement. " `He is of a very melancholy disposition.´ "

Hermione gave a thoughtful smile in return before stepping forward to say her next lines.

" `He were an excellent man that were made just in the midway between him and Benedick: the one is too like an image and says nothing, and the other too like my eldest son, evermore tattling.´ "

Fred had to bite back his devious smile in favor of a more mature look as he added on to the idea.

" `Then half Signior Benedick´s tongue in Count John´s mouth, and half Count John´s melancholy in Signior Benedick´s face,-´ "

" `With a good leg and a good foot, uncle,´ " Hermione cut in, careful not to laugh at the reference to Fred as "uncle". " `And money enough in his purse, such a man would win any woman in the world, if a´ could get her good-will.´ "

Fred tried to act stern. " `By my troth, niece, thou wilt never get thee a husband, if thou be so shrewd of thy tongue.´ "

" `In faith, she´s too curst,´ " said George with perhaps more amusement than proper. Hermione thought she saw Ron and Harry smiling in the audience.

And Malfoy...

" `Too curst is more than curst,´ " she retorted back. ` "I shall lessen God´s sending that way; for it is said, `God sends a curst cow short horns;´ but to a cow too curst he sends none.´ "

" `So, by being too curst, God will send you no horns,´ " Fred repeated slowly.

" `Just, if he send me no husband; for the which blessing I am at him upon my knees every morning and evening. Lord, I could not endure a husband with a beard on his face: I had rather lie in the woolen.´ "

" `You may light on a husband that hath no beard.´ "

" `What should I do with him? dress him in my apparel and make him my waiting-gentlewoman?´ " Hermione scoffed. " `He that hath a beard is more than a youth, and he that hath no beard is less than a man: and he that is more than a youth is not for me, and he that is less than a man, I am not for him: therefore, I will even take sixpence in earnest of the bear-ward, and lead his apes into hell.´ "

" `Well, then, go you into hell?´ "

" `No, but to the gate; and there will the devil meet me, like an old cuckold, with horns on his head, and say 'Get you to heaven, Beatrice, get you to heaven; here's no place for you maids:' so deliver I up my apes, and away to Saint Peter for the heavens; he shows me where the bachelors sit, and there live we as merry as the day is long.´ "

Hermione smiled sweetly, but was secretly relieved she hadn´t tripped over that speech. But it wasn´t over yet.

George turned to face Ginny directly.

" `Well, niece, I trust you will be ruled by your father.´ "

" `Yes, faith; it is my cousin´s duty to make courtesy, and say, `Father, as it please you,´ " Hermione spoke up. " `But for all that; cousin,´ " she continued, softening her tone. " `let him be a handsome fellow, or else make another courtesy, and say, `Father, as it please me.´ "

Fred allowed a wary smile. " `Well, niece, I hope to see you one day fitted with a husband.´ "

" `Not till God make men of some other metal than earth,´ " she quoted, momentarily distracted by Malfoy´s steely eyes. She was disturbed by how his eyed bore into her, and even more unsettled by how easily she could pick them out of a crowd. She paused for a moment, her eyes locked on his mutinous gaze, trying to decipher all the emotions gray could express.

"Hermione?" Ginny whispered.

"Wha- oh!" Hermione flushed and turned away from Malfoy, distracting herself by looking back down at the script. "Sorry," she mumbled. She cleared her throat. " `Would it not grieve a woman to be overmastered with a piece of valiant dust? to make an account of her life to a clod of wayward marl? No, uncle, I´ll none: Adam´s sons are my brethren, and, truly, I hold it a sin to match in my kindred.´ "

"Okay, very nice," said Professor Trelawney. "Now, the attention needs to refocus on Leonato and Hero. Everyone else, take towards stage left, but only a few steps. Fred, Ginny, you two step forward to say your lines." 

Both Weasleys nodded and stepped forward. Hermione tried to keep her eyes from searching out Malfoy as she stepped back.

" `Daughter,´ " Fred began, a grin on his face. " `remember what I told you: if the prince do solicit you in that kind, you know your answer.´ "

Hermione halted her gaze into the audience long enough to hear her cue and step forward, speaking over Ginny´s shoulder.

" `The fault will be in the music, cousin, if you be not wooed in good time: if the prince be too important, tell him there is measure in every thing, and so dance out the answer. For, hear me, Hero: wooing, wedding, and repenting is as a Scotch jig, a measure, and a cinque pace,´ " Hermione paused to take a breath and look over the next line. " `The first suit is hot and hasty, like a Scotch jig, and full as fanatical; the wedding, mannerly modest, as a measure, full of state and ancientry; and then comes repentance, and, with his bad legs, falls into the cinque pace faster and faster, till he sink into his grave.´ "

"That´s pleasant," Ginny whispered sarcastically, a little out of character. Hermione bit her lip thoughtfully, but Fred plowed ahead.

" `Cousin, you apprehend passing shrewdly.´ "

Hermione forced a wry grin. " `I have a good eye, uncle; I can see a church by    daylight.´ "

Fred pretended to notice the next group coming from stage right. " `The revelers are entering, brother: make good room.´ "

"And now, the entrance of the revelers," Professor Trelawney announced, her wispy hands shooing the other students out from the side of the stage.

Harry, Seamus, Malfoy, Neville, Ron, Graham, Lavender, Katie and the others made their way into various sections and corners of the stage, as previously directed.

" `Lady, will you walk about with your friend?´ " Harry said jovially, as he grabbed Ginny´s delicate hand and pulled her away from her "family".

" `So you walk softly, and look sweetly, and say nothing, I am yours for the walk,´ " Ginny said, her eyes full of admiration for Harry´s prince that Hermione was sure was not all acting. " `and especially when I walk away.´ "

" `With me in your company?´ " Harry said, perhaps noticing the earnestness of Ginny´s responses.

" `I must say so, when I please.´ "

" `And when please you to say so?´ "

" `When I like your favor; for God defend the lute should be like the case!´ "

" `My visor is Philemon´s roof; within the house is Jove,´ " Harry said.

" `Why, then, your visor should be thatched.´ "

They made their way across the stage, Harry acting as though to draw her aside.

" `Speak low, if you speak love,´ " he said quietly, and Trelawney motioned that the next couple should make their way to the front.

Lavender slowly followed a rather nervous looking Neville across the stage. She didn´t seem too pleased about her coupling.

" `W-w-well, I would you did like, um, me,´ " Neville squeaked out. Lavender appeared bored.

 She was looking intently at her nails as she spoke her line.

" `So would not I, for your own sake; for I have many ill qualities.´ "

" `W-w-which is one?´ " Neville half whispered.

" `I say my prayers aloud,´ " Lavender said, still avoiding any sort of contact with Neville.

"Hold, hold," Professor Trelawney broke in. She motioned for Neville and Lavender to come over and speak with her. Hermione felt a pang of sympathy for Neville, quaking with stage fright even now. And then there was Lavender, who wasn´t even a good enough actress to hide her lack of enthusiasm when it came to Neville.

After a few minutes, Trelawney sent them back out to center stage and they started their interlude again. It was... better. Neville had more confidence, but he didn´t have the boisterous edge his part probably required. Lavender, on the other hand, did quite well in upping the flirty factor.

" `I love you the better: the hearers may cry, Amen.´ " Neville, after a moments consideration, decided to grab Lavender around the waist and bring her closer so they might dance. To everyone´s surprise, she didn´t skip a beat.

" `God match me with a good dancer!´ "

Neville grinned. ` "Amen.´ "

" `And God keep him out of my sight when the dance is done! Answer, clerk.´ " Lavender turned to address Katie, who had entered the scene as Ursula.

" `No more words: the clerk is answered,´ " said Neville.

" `I know you well enough; you are Signior Antonio,´ " said Katie, imagining Neville´s face was covered with a reveling mask.

" `At a word, I am not,´ " he chortled.

" `I know you by the waggling of your head,´ " Katie continued with a giggle.

" `To tell you true, I counterfeit him.´ "

" `You could never do him so ill-well, unless you were the very man. Here's his dry hand up and down: you are he, you are he.´ "

Katie smiled at him and walked around seductively.

" `At a word, I am not.´ " Neville repeated as Katie returned to him, leaning over. Fred and George regarded their classmate a little uncomfortably from the wings and Hermione had to give Katie credit for her acting talents.

" `Come, come, do you think I do not know you by your excellent wit?´ " She smiled and gave a gay laugh. " `Can virtue hide itself? Go to, mum, you are he: graces will appear, and there's an end.´ "

Hermione continued to stand by the curtain until she realized Trelawney was waving her on. And Malfoy was walking towards the center to meet her.

Swell.

She took a few steps forward, while Malfoy swaggered onto the stage, and unreadable expression on his face. He brushed his fingers through his blond fringe and then sighed. Hermione frowned at him and then tried to center herself. This was a happy, gay, reveling scene.

" `Will you not tell me who told you so?´ " she said, forcing herself to be jovial and coy, and to appear as though she and Malfoy being in the middle of a conversation.

As if he was turning on a switch, Malfoy grinned at her and gave a laugh. " `No, you shall pardon me.´ "

" `Nor will you not tell me who you are?´ " she said coquettishly.  She took a step closer, trying not to make eye contact, and strolled around him.

" `Not now,´ " he quoted in a voice she never would have suspected was possible. Not from Draco Malfoy, anyway.

She feigned frustration and bested bemusement. " `That I was disdainful, and that I had my good wit out of the 'Hundred Merry Tales:'--well this was Signior Benedick that said so.´ "

Malfoy cocked an eyebrow with interest and feigned ignorance. " `What's he?´ "

" `I am sure you know him well enough.´ "

" `Not I, believe me.´ "

" `Did he never make you laugh?´ " She gave a look of mock surprise and sympathy. It wasn´t that hard to be condescending towards Malfoy.

" `I pray you, what is he?´ " Malfoy was gritting his teeth in a manner which she wasn´t sure was all acting.

" `Why, he is the prince's jester: a very dull fool; only his gift is in devising impossible slanders: none but libertines delight in him; and the commendation is not in his wit, but in his villany; for he both pleases men and angers them, and then they laugh at him and beat him.´ " Hermione gave a delighted giggle and then attempted a more alluring tone. Though, it was hard with Malfoy glaring at her. Because he was glaring. And Ron, Harry and Seamus were chuckling audibly. Hermione ignored this and aimed for flirty. " `I am sure he is in the fleet: I would he had boarded me.´ "

Somewhere three Gryffindors stopped laughing long enough to gasp.

This caused Malfoy to give a gloating smirk as he responded. " `When I know the gentleman, I'll tell him what you say.´ "

" `Do, do: he'll but break a comparison or two on me; which, peradventure not marked or not laughed at, strikes him into melancholy; and then there's a partridge wing saved, for the fool will eat no partridge wing saved, for the fool will eat no supper that night.´ "

"And, the music begins..." Professor Trelawney said, with a sweeping gesture of her arm. "You both lead off the dancing."

" `We must follow the leaders,´ " Hermione said.

" `In every good thing,´ " Malfoy replied tightly.

" `Nay, if they lead to any ill, I will leave them at the next turning.´ "

And, with Hermione´s final line both of them froze. Somewhere in Hermione´s mind she knew they were supposed to be dancing. Or at least pretending to dance, until something was choreographed. But her feet were frozen to the stage and Malfoy didn´t seem inclined to move either.

She took a hesitant step closer to him, aware of Trelawney gesticulating off to the side.

Malfoy took an unconscious step backwards.

"Just do a little dance off, and everyone else can follow," Trelawney´s voice said from the darkness.

"No."

Hermione´s eyes darted up to see the look in Malfoy´s eyes. He had spoken.

"No?" She asked indignantly. What was his problem all of a sudden? What happened to the consummate actor? The one who could make bastard!Malfoy turn into wonderfullycharmingandtalentedactor!Malfoy?

"Come now, just a basic two step. Or a waltz. Anything will do for now."

Malfoy seemed to be ignoring Trelawney´s directions, his feet planted firmly to the stage.

"No," he repeated. "I´m not dancing with a- I´m not touching her."

Hermione recoiled as if slapped and she could see Harry grab Ron´s shirt to restrain him from pummeling Malfoy into the stage for the insult.

"Mr. Malfoy?" Professor Trelawney began, rather confused, but Hermione interrupted her.

"I can´t believe you, Malfoy. You´re more of an ignorant, pompous scumbag than I imagined. Fine, if you aren´t clever enough to be able to fake a dance, then so be it. If you don´t want to touch me, so much the better. I don´t need your slimy, dead fingers clamping around me again anyway!"

Hermione stormed off the stage, quickly followed by Harry and Ron, the anger burning away at her stomach and catching in her throat. She barely saw Trelawney approaching Malfoy rather sternly up on the stage.

It didn´t matter what the professor said to Malfoy, he was like a brick wall.

An occasionally talented brick wall. One that had flickers of integrity.

Hermione tried not to think about that, and instead suddenly realized she had walked out of a rehearsal. She had effectively ended it; guilt, guilt, guilt.

"Hermione!"

She stopped abruptly and turned around. Ron and Harry were looking at her with concern, their shoulders hunched slightly in breathlessness.

"Ron - Harry-" she said thankfully. She swallowed a few times, trying to get rid of the lump that kept crawling up her throat.

"I´m going to kill him," Ron was saying, his face as bright red as his flaming hair.

"Oh, don´t bother," Hermione said, making herself smile ever so faintly. "He isn´t worth it. I don´t even know why I got upset."

"Because he is a prick," Ron said.

"He did insult you," Harry said. "You don´t have to accept that. You deserve better." He gave her a warm smile and a hug. She buried her face in his shirt for a few seconds, composing herself. When she pulled away she was smiling again, albeit wiping away a few stray tears.

"You´re right, but I´m sure Trelawney is laying into him. I´m actually sad I´m missing it."

Harry laughed and Ron looked less... red.

"Are you sure you are okay?"

"Yeah, Ron. Malfoy´s opinion means nothing to me. Especially since it´s such a... ignorant one."

"You could´ve slapped him," Ron suggested. Hermione laughed.

"Yeah, but I thought I´d take the higher road and, um, walk away."

"Well, I guess rehearsal is done for the evening..." Harry surmised.

"Shall we go back to the common room?" Ron asked. He turned to Harry. "I have to show you a new maneuver from this month´s issue of Quidditch Today. You get the two chasers to move to the outside, bringing out the beaters and -"

"Hey, you two can go back there, I actually need to pick up some books at the library," Hermione interrupted. Ron and Harry looked at her. "Really, I´m fine. Go read about... Quidditch. I won´t be long."

Finally, they nodded and took off towards the Gryffindor common room. Hermione followed them for a few hallways and then made a turn, heading for the library.

She didn´t notice the lean, blond figure leaning up against the wall in the shadows, watching her as she entered her sanctuary. She didn´t catch the mischievous glint in his eye.