Written off a challenge on Portkey.

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Requirements:

Dumbledore, intent on encouraging inter-house relations insists on schoolwide play. For whatever reason, (up to you) it ends up being Romeo and Juliet. The teacher in charge, (again, this is up to you.) decides that because of their feuding families, Draco and Ginny should play the star roles. Neither wants to, but in the end Dumbledore puts his foot down and makes them.

- Ron must play Tybalt
- Starring as Paris, one of Ginny's ex boyfriends, or someone she turned down. (for the love of Bob, NOT Harry.)

- Ginny and Draco shouldn't just fall for each other; after the final performance (not opening night) they should admit they like eachother.

- Lets not make Ron out as evil! overprotective brother! and please don't have Ginny beating him up. He most definatly should dissaprove of them playing the roles, and being together, but lets give Ron some credit to take the higher ground and just want his sister to be happy. This does not mean you should make Ron and Draco best mates.
- Lots of play practice is a must, and awkward scene rehearsals for our entertainment.
- More humor, less drama would be appreciated.


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A/N: I started this after I was inspired by the challenge on Portkey, but that was over a year ago. I still really like the idea for the story, I'm just not sure how well I'll follow the constraints. I also started this before book 6 was released, so as of now, it disregards any material from that book. Please tell me what you think!

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Playing Romeo
Chapter 1: Prefect's Meeting

“I’m sure you’re all well aware of why I have called you here today,” Dumbledore started, peering at the prefects in the room from behind his half-moon spectacles. Ginny glanced proudly around the room, excited to be a part of such an exclusive group of students.

“For a prefect’s meeting?” Ron asked blandly, seemingly uncertain as to what the purpose of this emergency prefect’s meeting was.

“Obviously,” Malfoy muttered under his breath as he looked at the redhead unfavorably. Ginny shot a glare in his direction, trying to degrade him for his derogatory remarks about her brother, but he did not even look at her. Incensed, she bitterly turned her eyes back to Dumbledore.

“Yes, Mr. Weasley—I have called you all here today for a prefects meeting, because it is now, more than ever, that we need unification between the four houses of Hogwarts.” He looked around the group meaningfully, meeting the gaze of each prefect one by one. Ginny felt privileged to be included as a prefect—following in the footsteps of three of her brothers. “I expect that each and every one of you will assist in forging a bond between your fellow classmates, regardless of which house they hail from.”

Ginny resentfully looked across the table at Malfoy, Pansy, and the other Slytherin prefects—if Dumbledore expected that she befriend them, he was gravely mistaken. There was far too much family feuds and hostility in their history for her to forgive them on the fly. She skeptically looked around the room, meeting the gazes of equally dubious students who clearly thought an amalgamation of Hogwarts houses, particularly Gryffindor and Slyterin, was highly unlikely.

“Therefore,” Dumbledore continued, ignoring the incredulous gazes in the room, “I propose that you, as prefects, establish some form of activity that would work to unite the school—”

“Like Quidditch?” supplied Ron, looking around the room superciliously.

“No, Mr. Weasley, Quidditch only expands the divergence between houses by promoting competition. What you prefects must decide is what sort of endeavor you wish to pursue that promotes the unification of all of the four schools.” Dumbledore stated as he glanced over his moon shaped eyeglasses.

“How about a ball?” simpered Pansy Parkinson gleefully, obviously reveling in the thoughts of a fabulous new dress and making herself beautiful. Ginny watched in disgust as Pansy shot a significant look in Malfoy’s direction, but he was too busy surveying his perfectly manicured nails to notice.

Dumbledore nodded slightly, “a ball is a plausible suggestion,” he started. Pansy suddenly looked very smug at Dumbledore’s approval of her idea. “However, there is no way to ensure that you will intermingle and socialize with each other.” He glanced around the room once more, “Does anyone else have any thoughts?”

Looking down at the table, Ginny struggled to think of an inspiration that would magically unite the students without her actually having to talk to Slytherins, but she was at a loss.

“Perhaps a show of some sort, which involves students from all houses,” Hermione started knowingly, “like a play or a performance.” She looked questioningly at Dumbledore, waiting for a response.

“A play…?” Ron started, apparently unsure of what that entailed.

“A play is when Muggles pretend to be different characters and act out a story—” Hermione defined promptly.

“Why the hell would they do something like that?” Malfoy drawled, smirking at the thought of such outlandish behavior. Ginny had to agree—why would Muggles squander their precious time by acting out other people’s lives?

“Muggles have been acting in plays since ancient times!” Hermione started, defending the Muggle art, “it’s a very well liked form of entertainment—“

“I think it’s a bloody waste of time,” Malfoy stated arrogantly.

Hermione shot Malfoy an evil look, but he disregarded her. Dumbledore looked knowingly around at the squabbling prefects, smiling slightly at their insignificant dispute. “A play is an excellent idea to promote harmony between houses,” Dumbledore stated firmly, glancing at Hermione who was busy glaring exasperatedly at Malfoy. However, at Dumbledore’s praising words she sat up proudly and looked around at the other prefects. Ginny sent Hermione an assuring smile as Malfoy scoffed bitterly across the room, muttering something about the impudence of ridiculous Mudbloods. Ginny almost wanted to get up and slap him for his disrespectful comments and insults—but slapping him would require that she touch him—and Ginny was not fairly certain she did not want to subject herself to such torture.

After several more minutes of nonsensical arguments, it was established that they would rehearse and perform a play for the school. The prefects had mixed views on the ideas, but no one had a strong argument against it other than ‘it’s a complete waste of time.’ It was decided that all of the prefects had to participate in some form, by either acting or developing scenery, and students who were not prefects would either be selected for roles by teachers, or given the chance to audition. Overall, Ginny was fairly skeptical that performing a Muggle play would accomplish anything aside from giving the entire school reason to ridicule the prefects for their horrendous acting skills. Perhaps it would unite the school by giving everyone a common topic to laugh about.

Dumbledore concluded the meeting by telling the prefects to go research Muggle plays and to choose one or two stories to nominate at their next meeting where they would determine what play they would have to enact. Nodding his head in a farewell gesture, Dumbledore swept out of the room and down the hall.

The prefects streamed out of the room, talking to their house mates about Dumbledore’s newest plan to finish the endless feuds between the houses. Ginny met up with Hermione and Ron so they could walk back to the Gryffindor dormitories together. Raising her eyebrows at Ron, she gave him a meaningful gaze, clearly displaying her doubt of the scheme.

“I think it’s ridiculous,” drawled Malfoy as he walked away down the corridor with Pansy Parkinson, “Muggles must be really uninteresting if they have to pretend to be someone else in order to have fun.” Ginny watched cynically as Pansy agreed with him as the two turned the corner and disappeared from sight. Just because they did not know what Muggle plays were did not mean that it was preposterous. Sure, it did seem like a slightly outlandish activity, but Ginny was willing to give it a chance and support it, if only to spite the Slytherins.

“I think it’ll be great fun,” she said, trying to sound certain as she turned towards Hermione’s unsure face. “Don’t listen to the ferret—he’s probably just upset because he can’t act.” Looking slightly more reassured, Hermione set off down the hallway towards the dorms with Ron and Ginny in tow.


A/N: Obviously it's not finished, but it's just a little work in progress… I'm not sure what I think of it, but I'll write more later and we'll see where it goes. I know Romeo and Juliet is a bit cliché—but I decided to write it because it's just a play, and I think writing awkward practice scenes would be super fun… Hope you enjoy!