Author's Note: These stories are all one-shot, 1000-word responses to the Summer Writing Series Challenge, so each one is not related to
the next.
Summer Writing Series Challenge (July 22)
Challenge: Musical Week: Comedy
Challenge Conditions: Using the daily theme, choose a scene or song from any musical you like (stage
or screen) and rework it using our favorite characters.
Title: People Will Say We're in Love
Word Count: 1,019
"Did you hear that Professor Snape caught Harry Potter and Hermione Granger snogging in the Astronomy Tower last
week?" a Ravenclaw girl whispered loudly as she and a friend walked past the Gryffindor table. The two girls began
giggling and peeked back at the subjects of their gossip before they left the Great Hall.
"That's the fifth time today!" Hermione said in frustration and threw her wand onto the table, giving up on her Transfiguration practice.
"What?" Harry asked, breaking his conversation with Neville.
"All these rumors! That's the fifth time today I've heard someone say something that started with "Did you hear that Hermione and Harry…?" or "So-n-so said that Harry and Hermione…?" It's getting old." She crossed her arms emphatically and glared across the room.
"Oh really?" Harry grinned. "What are they saying about us?" He was clearly amused by the whole situation, and even more by Hermione's grumpiness.
Hermione huffed, trying to be mad, but couldn't help letting out a small smile when he grinned at her that way. She cleared her throat and held out her hand, counting them off on her fingers in a very snobbish way. "Well, Snape caught you kissing me in the Astronomy Tower last week…you met me after Arithmancy yesterday with several bunches of flowers…you stood out in the rain with me for two hours after your last Quidditch practice…"
Harry laughed. "Wait! Why is it that I did all these things? Don't you ever do anything for me?"
Hermione smirked. "Well you're the famous one. They're just fantasizing about what it would be like to have you as a boyfriend. I'm sure they'd all like to take me out of the picture completely."
"But who makes all this stuff up?"
"Your 'fan club,' I presume."
Harry rolled his eyes.
"They talk about you all the time. I just don't know why they drag me into it. Why do they think up stories that link my name with yours? You'd think there was no one else at school to talk about!"
Harry shrugged. "I don't know. Why do your roommates chatter all day behind closed doors?" he asked, nodding in the direction of Lavender and Parvati. "They live for gossip! I just don't understand girls." He shook his head with that grin still spread wide across his face.
Hermione's face took on her 'calculating a solution' expression. "I know a way to prove what they say is quite untrue," Hermione said slowly.
"Uh-oh… Why do I get the feeling I'm not going to like this?"
Hermione grinned. "It's not that bad…just a practical list of 'don'ts' for you."
"For me?" he asked, holding his hand to his chest. "But what about you?"
She rolled her eyes and took on her snobbish air again. "Number one: Don't throw bouquets at me."
"Don't what??"
"Like you did after Arithmancy last week…"
"Oh." He grinned at her poking fun at the rumors.
"Number two: Don't please my folks too much."
Harry raised his eyebrows in surprise. "But I've only met them once!" he laughed.
She shot him an admonishing look, forcing herself not to smile. "And don't laugh at my jokes too much!"
He smirked. "Why not?"
"People will say we're in love," she said, waving a hand dismissively. "Number three:…"
"Number four," he corrected her.
"Right. Number four: Don't sigh and gaze at me. Your sighs are so like mine," she said teasingly, putting the back of her hand to her forehead.
"I don't sigh!"
She gave him a playfully stern look. "And really, your eyes mustn't glow like mine, or people will say we're in love!"
"Oh, please…"
She went on, ignoring his taunting. "Number five: Don't start collecting things."
"Whatever do you mean?" he asked, mocking innocence. Then he quickly reached across the table and snatched up one of her gloves and the fork that she had been practicing Transfiguration on and had turned into a rose.
"Harry! Give me my rose and my glove!"
"I'm so sorry, sweetheart," he teased.
"Sweetheart?! No wonder they're suspecting things! It's all your fault people say we're in love!" She smiled lopsidedly and raised her eyebrows at him.
"Now wait just a minute," he said, waggling his finger at her. "Some people claim that you are to blame as much as I."
Hermione's jaw dropped, fully aghast. "I am not!"
"So why do you take the trouble to bake my favorite pie?"
"What pie? I never made you a pie."
"Pumpkin…you made it last Christmas at the Weasleys…"
"Oh yeah," she said sheepishly. "That's your favorite?"
He nodded. "And granting your wish I carved our initials on the tree…"
"You did no such thing! Now you're just making stuff up!"
He grinned. "Just remember to keep a slice of all the advice you give so free."
"Freely."
"Whatever. So don't praise my charm too much..."
"I'd never!"
"Don't look so vain with me…"
"Hah! Who's the vain one here, Mr. Don't-Praise-My-Charms?!"
"Don't stand in the rain with me..."
"I didn't stand in the…oh!" She laughed, realizing he meant the third rumor she had told him about.
"…Because people will say we're in love."
"Yes, and you wouldn't want that."
"Don't take my arm too much," he said, taking hold of her arm.
"Funny, Harry," she said, trying to pull her arm away from him.
"And don't keep your hand in mine." He released her arm and clasped her hand in both of his.
"Harry! Harry, let go!!" She tugged and tugged, attempting to free her hand.
"Your hand feels so grand in mine," he said, winking at her. "But...people will say we're in love." He dropped her hand with a smile. "And don't dance all night with me, till the stars fade from above."
"What are you talking about? We've never danced. You didn't even ask me to dance with you at the Yule Ball!"
"And if I had?"
She smiled shyly. "They'd have seen it's alright with me. Oh…what do I care?" She wrapped an arm around his shoulder and kissed him on the cheek. "Let people say we're in love!"
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
A/N: From Rodgers & Hammerstein's "Oklahoma"
People Will Say We're in Love
http://www.tiffanyweb.com/music/People_
LAUREY
Why do they think up stories that link my name with yours?
CURLY
Why do the neighbors chatter all day, behind their doors?
LAUREY
I know a way to prove what they say is quite untrue
Here is the gist, a practical list of "don'ts" for you
Don't throw bouquets at me
Don't please my folks too much
Don't laugh at my jokes too much
People will say we're in love
Don't sigh and gaze at me
Your sighs are so like mine
Your eyes mustn't glow like mine
People will say we're in love
Don't start collecting things
Give me my rose and my glove
Sweetheart they're suspecting things
People will say we're in love
CURLY
Some people claim that you are to blame as much as I
Why do you take the trouble to bake my favorite pie?
Granting your wish I carved our initials on the tree
Just keep a slice of all the advice you give so free
Don't praise my charm too much
Don't look so vain with me
Don't stand in the rain with me
People will say we're in love
Don't take my arm too much
Don't keep your hand in mine
Your hand feels so grand in mine
People will say we're in love
Don't dance all night with me
Till the stars fade from above
BOTH
They'll see it's alright with me
People will say we're in love