Chapter 19- The Point of No Return
"It’s worthless, Draco!” Ginny was beginning to lose patience with the maddening calm in his eyes. “It doesn’t mean anything, and I refuse to be a part of it! I wasn’t raised to be just ‘friends with benefits,’ and I don’t intend to start now!”
Draco’s head lifted slightly, obviously considering her. “After a few long, slightly awkward moments, he seemed to reach his decision. “Alright. Which do we do?”
Ginny’s jaw dropped. “You did not just say that.”
“I’m pretty sure I did.”
“No, you can’t have, because that would mean you’re a complete and total moron. How can you not realize which we should do?”
Draco raised his eyebrows. “Oh, I know what we should do. I was merely asking your opinion; I thought that would be the gentlemanly thing to do.”
“Oh, aren’t you just the perfect little aristocrat?”
“I tend to think so, yes.”
“So, tell me what we should do, oh one of unsurpassed wisdom.”
“Become a couple, of course. What else would we do?”
Ginny just stared… and stared… and stared. “W- we should what?!”
Draco’s brows climbed higher. “What did you honestly expect me to say, Ginny? Surprisingly enough, I do enjoy spending time with you.”
That little comment snapped Ginny out of her shocked reverie. “I’m going to pretend you didn’t just say that.”
“Suit yourself.”
“So… are we a couple now?”
“I guess so.”
And they just sat in silence for a long time, both trying to grasp the concept that they were now ‘official’ with a former arch-enemy.
When Draco and Ginny walked into practice that night holding hands- albeit somewhat awkwardly- Blaise was the first one to spot them. “I knew it! I knew there was something going on with you two! Of course- hem hem- I did orchestrate a lot of it, so it’s not exactly a surprise, but…”
Ginny rolled her eyes. “Thank you, Blaise, for not only drawing every eye in the room, but also announcing it loud enough for the entire school to hear.”
Blaise gave a mock bow. “You’re welcome, you’re welcome. It was no problem at all, really.”
Draco, who really hadn’t been listening to the exchange, nudged Ginny and nodded toward the rest of the cast. “Look.”
Nearly every other person in the room had their head together with someone else’s and was pointing and whispering at the unusual pair; Ginny squirmed uncomfortably. “I have to admit, I wasn’t quite ready for this.”
Ginny caught sight of Ron heading their direction with a very angry look on his face, but Hermione- bless her- chose just that moment to issue a loud bang with her wand; Patrick nodded his thanks from where he stood at the front of the room.
“As you all realize-hopefully- performances start less than two weeks from today, so we’ll be doing things a little differently from here on out. Everyone will beat all rehearsals from now on, no matter if we’re working on scenes you’re in or not. Madame Zizi will be here on Thursday and Friday,” Patrick paused as all the dancers moaned, then resumed when they had quieted. “To make sure your dancing is up to par. Mara should show up sometime next week for last minute costume adjustments, and she’ll be here before every performance to avert any minor catastrophes. Dress rehearsals start next Monday. Minor parts, you need to come see me if I haven’t approved your hairstyle for the show yet. Hermione, Draco, Ginny, Blaise, and Natasha- I need to see you in the dressing room. Everyone else needs to be working on your dances or songs or doing something else that will keep you from killing each other.”
The five Patrick had mentioned got up and followed him to the dressing room, while the rest of the cast instantly started talking about everything but the musical.
“We need to work all the problems with your costumes out," Patrick began when they were inside." So I want to see them all. Draco, Blaise- whatever outfit we see you first in. Ginny, Natasha- your chorus girl Hannibal costumes.”
Hermione stood from where she was sitting beside the door and pulled out her wand. She waved it over the four people collectively, cool sparks shooting from the tip. Suddenly, Ginny’s head was covered in thick brown curls, pulled half up and held by a gold clip. Natasha’s skin had become quite fair, and her dark hair was now blonde, something she looked positively alarmed about. Draco’s hair became jet black, creating quite a contrast with his pale skin.
Blaise, however, took the cake for biggest change. His dark African skin turned white, and his short black hair grew long, fading to a light brown. Well the other occupants of the room stared in wonder, including Hermione and Patrick, Blaise just looked at himself in the mirror… and laughed.
“I’m white, guys!”
About fifteen minutes later, Ginny knelt on stage by herself, waiting for Draco to emerge from behind her. As much as she wouldn’t admit it out loud, a lot of these costumes made her uncomfortable. The red skirt she was wearing at the moment was long enough, but the black corset top that went with it clung to every curve. It didn’t help that the sides of her thick brown hair were pulled back, so her bare shoulders had no covering.
Draco’s tenor suddenly crept up behind her, the violins playing along with his hushed, seductive voice. Ginny had to admit that she wasn’t listening to what he was singing about at all; he sounded too downright sexy for her to care what he was saying.
Long before it seemed time, Draco was finishing and Ginny’s cues were being played.
“You have brought me
To that moment where words run dry,
To that moment where speech disappears into silence,
Silence.
I have come here
Hardly knowing the reason why,
In my mind I’ve already imagined
Our bodies entwining, defenseless and silent
And now I am here with you,
No second thoughts, I’ve decided,
Decided.”
Ginny’s voice grew with the intensity of the music, and she and Draco went to opposite sides of the stage. They slowly climbed winding staircases, with Ginny singing as they went.
“Past the point of no return,
No going back now,
Our passion play has no at last begun.
Past all thought of right or wrong,
One final question: how long should we two wait before we’re one?
When will the blood begin to race?
The sleeping bud burst into bloom?
When will the flames at last consume us?”
Draco and Ginny stepped out onto the catwalk at the exact same time, voices blending together in a swirling, soaring chorus. The music grew as the key changed, and nothing else moved in the room.
“Past the point of no return,
The final threshold,
The bridge is crossed, so stand and watch it burn.”
Ginny spun into Draco and he held her there, hands splayed across her stomach as the music slowed. Blaise- playing his part- watched them with tear-filled eyes, and Hermione and Natasha were caught between dread and amazement. The last lines were delivered into deathly silence.
“We’ve passed the point of no return.”
"It’s worthless, Draco!” Ginny was beginning to lose patience with the maddening calm in his eyes. “It doesn’t mean anything, and I refuse to be a part of it! I wasn’t raised to be just ‘friends with benefits,’ and I don’t intend to start now!”
Draco’s head lifted slightly, obviously considering her. “After a few long, slightly awkward moments, he seemed to reach his decision. “Alright. Which do we do?”
Ginny’s jaw dropped. “You did not just say that.”
“I’m pretty sure I did.”
“No, you can’t have, because that would mean you’re a complete and total moron. How can you not realize which we should do?”
Draco raised his eyebrows. “Oh, I know what we should do. I was merely asking your opinion; I thought that would be the gentlemanly thing to do.”
“Oh, aren’t you just the perfect little aristocrat?”
“I tend to think so, yes.”
“So, tell me what we should do, oh one of unsurpassed wisdom.”
“Become a couple, of course. What else would we do?”
Ginny just stared… and stared… and stared. “W- we should what?!”
Draco’s brows climbed higher. “What did you honestly expect me to say, Ginny? Surprisingly enough, I do enjoy spending time with you.”
That little comment snapped Ginny out of her shocked reverie. “I’m going to pretend you didn’t just say that.”
“Suit yourself.”
“So… are we a couple now?”
“I guess so.”
And they just sat in silence for a long time, both trying to grasp the concept that they were now ‘official’ with a former arch-enemy.
When Draco and Ginny walked into practice that night holding hands- albeit somewhat awkwardly- Blaise was the first one to spot them. “I knew it! I knew there was something going on with you two! Of course- hem hem- I did orchestrate a lot of it, so it’s not exactly a surprise, but…”
Ginny rolled her eyes. “Thank you, Blaise, for not only drawing every eye in the room, but also announcing it loud enough for the entire school to hear.”
Blaise gave a mock bow. “You’re welcome, you’re welcome. It was no problem at all, really.”
Draco, who really hadn’t been listening to the exchange, nudged Ginny and nodded toward the rest of the cast. “Look.”
Nearly every other person in the room had their head together with someone else’s and was pointing and whispering at the unusual pair; Ginny squirmed uncomfortably. “I have to admit, I wasn’t quite ready for this.”
Ginny caught sight of Ron heading their direction with a very angry look on his face, but Hermione- bless her- chose just that moment to issue a loud bang with her wand; Patrick nodded his thanks from where he stood at the front of the room.
“As you all realize-hopefully- performances start less than two weeks from today, so we’ll be doing things a little differently from here on out. Everyone will beat all rehearsals from now on, no matter if we’re working on scenes you’re in or not. Madame Zizi will be here on Thursday and Friday,” Patrick paused as all the dancers moaned, then resumed when they had quieted. “To make sure your dancing is up to par. Mara should show up sometime next week for last minute costume adjustments, and she’ll be here before every performance to avert any minor catastrophes. Dress rehearsals start next Monday. Minor parts, you need to come see me if I haven’t approved your hairstyle for the show yet. Hermione, Draco, Ginny, Blaise, and Natasha- I need to see you in the dressing room. Everyone else needs to be working on your dances or songs or doing something else that will keep you from killing each other.”
The five Patrick had mentioned got up and followed him to the dressing room, while the rest of the cast instantly started talking about everything but the musical.
“We need to work all the problems with your costumes out," Patrick began when they were inside." So I want to see them all. Draco, Blaise- whatever outfit we see you first in. Ginny, Natasha- your chorus girl Hannibal costumes.”
Hermione stood from where she was sitting beside the door and pulled out her wand. She waved it over the four people collectively, cool sparks shooting from the tip. Suddenly, Ginny’s head was covered in thick brown curls, pulled half up and held by a gold clip. Natasha’s skin had become quite fair, and her dark hair was now blonde, something she looked positively alarmed about. Draco’s hair became jet black, creating quite a contrast with his pale skin.
Blaise, however, took the cake for biggest change. His dark African skin turned white, and his short black hair grew long, fading to a light brown. Well the other occupants of the room stared in wonder, including Hermione and Patrick, Blaise just looked at himself in the mirror… and laughed.
“I’m white, guys!”
About fifteen minutes later, Ginny knelt on stage by herself, waiting for Draco to emerge from behind her. As much as she wouldn’t admit it out loud, a lot of these costumes made her uncomfortable. The red skirt she was wearing at the moment was long enough, but the black corset top that went with it clung to every curve. It didn’t help that the sides of her thick brown hair were pulled back, so her bare shoulders had no covering.
Draco’s tenor suddenly crept up behind her, the violins playing along with his hushed, seductive voice. Ginny had to admit that she wasn’t listening to what he was singing about at all; he sounded too downright sexy for her to care what he was saying.
Long before it seemed time, Draco was finishing and Ginny’s cues were being played.
“You have brought me
To that moment where words run dry,
To that moment where speech disappears into silence,
Silence.
I have come here
Hardly knowing the reason why,
In my mind I’ve already imagined
Our bodies entwining, defenseless and silent
And now I am here with you,
No second thoughts, I’ve decided,
Decided.”
Ginny’s voice grew with the intensity of the music, and she and Draco went to opposite sides of the stage. They slowly climbed winding staircases, with Ginny singing as they went.
“Past the point of no return,
No going back now,
Our passion play has no at last begun.
Past all thought of right or wrong,
One final question: how long should we two wait before we’re one?
When will the blood begin to race?
The sleeping bud burst into bloom?
When will the flames at last consume us?”
Draco and Ginny stepped out onto the catwalk at the exact same time, voices blending together in a swirling, soaring chorus. The music grew as the key changed, and nothing else moved in the room.
“Past the point of no return,
The final threshold,
The bridge is crossed, so stand and watch it burn.”
Ginny spun into Draco and he held her there, hands splayed across her stomach as the music slowed. Blaise- playing his part- watched them with tear-filled eyes, and Hermione and Natasha were caught between dread and amazement. The last lines were delivered into deathly silence.
“We’ve passed the point of no return.”
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