(Happy New Year Guys! The songs are Keep Holding on by Avril Lavigne and Don't Rain on My Parade, the one by Glee.)
Draco's POV
I watched in wonder as Astoria climbed onto the stage. The staff was holding a New Year's party designed to let the students forget their woes temporarily, and they were allowing students to sing (appropriate) songs. She'd bravely been the first to walk up, taking her wand and whispering something to the instruments that lay on the stage. They immediately stood up of their own accord and began playing something. She turned to us with a determined look on her face, and from where I sat near the teacher's table I heard McGonagall whisper to Dumbledore "This ought to be fantastic!"
She straightened out her blood red skirt and looked straight at me. "You're not alone. Together we stand. I'll be by your side; you know I'll take your hand." She grinned at me. "When it gets cold and it feels like the end, there's no place to go you know I won't give in." She turned her gaze to all of Hogwarts, who stood in the great hall with her. "No I won't give in! Keep Holding On, cause you know we'll make it through, we'll make it through. Just stay strong, cause you know I'm here for you, I'm here for you." She turned back to me, if only with her eyes. "There's nothing you could say, nothing you could do, There's no other way when it comes to the truth. So, Keep Holding On, cause you know we'll make it through, we'll make it through!"
She turned her gaze to the Weasleys. "So far away, I wish you were here, before it's too late, this could all disappear. Before the doors close and it comes to an end, with you by my side I will fight and defend. I'll fight and defend. Yeah, yeah! Keep Holding On, cause you know we'll make it through, we'll make it through. Just stay strong, cause you know I'm here for you, I'm here for you. There's nothing you could say, nothing you could do, there's no other way when it comes to the truth. So Keep Holding On, cause you know we'll make it through, we'll make it through. " She turned now, to Harry Potter. "Here me when I say, when I say I believe. Nothing's gonna change, nothing's gonna change destiny. Whatever's meant to be will work out perfectly. Yeah, Yeah, Yeah, Yeah!" She looked to the teachers. "Keep Holding On, cause you know we'll make it through, we'll make it through! Just stay strong, cause you know I'm here for you." She turned to our entire table, much to their awe. "There's nothing you could say, nothing you could do, there's no other way when it comes to the truth" She looked at… wait… Neville Longbottom? "So, Keep Holding On, cause you know we'll make it through, we'll make it through… Keep Holding On! Keep Holding On! There's nothing you could say, nothing you could do, there's no other way when it comes to the truth" Her gaze shifted to Luna Lovegood. "so Keep Holding On, cause you know we'll make it through, we'll make it throu-ough!"
She finished to the applause from every single person in the room. Not one of them was 'forgetting' or doing so half-heartedly. Not the teachers, especially not Potter's group, not even me. Potter's group dragged her away once she left the stage, hugging her and talking to her.
McGonagall took the stage and said, in a surprisingly husky voice, "Thank you, Astoria, for that wonderful song. It's what we all needed, I'm sure. Who's next?" A few girls tried. None of them were even compared to Astoria, in voices or in message. I had to laugh when Pansy Parkinson took the stage and sang "You Keep Me Hanging On" in a horribly weak voice.
Eventually McGonagall took the stage again and said into the microphone "Well, it's getting late, so we're going to finish the night with another song from Ms. Astoria Greengrass." Pansy appeared outraged, Astoria just surprised.
She took the stage and said into the microphone "Well, uh, I guess I can do that. Here's a happier song, I have a feeling we're going to need it" and tapped her wand onto the instruments again.
"Don't tell me not to live, just sit and putter, life's candy and the sun's a ball of butter. Don't bring around a cloud to rain on my parade! Don't tell me not to fly, I've simply got to. If someone takes a spill, it's me and not you. Who told you you're allowed to rain on my parade?" she grinned at the Weasley twins at this point, and one of them choked on their butterbeer.
"I'll march my band out, I'll beat my drum, and if I'm fanned out, you're turn at bat, sir. At least I didn't fake it, Hat, sir; I guess I didn't make it! But whether I'm the rose of sheer perfection, or freckle on the nose of life's complexion. The cinder or the shiny apple of its tiiiime! I've gotta fly once, I've gotta try once, only can die one, right sir? Oh, life is juicy, juicy and you see, I've gotta have my bite, sir." She winked at Hermione Granger.
Get ready for me love, cause I'm a comer, I've simply gotta march, my heart's a drummer! Don't bring around a cloud to rain on my parade! I'm gonna live and live now, get what I want, I know how!" she smiled at her older sister, who tried to hide her smile.
"One roll for the whole shebang! One throw, that bell will go clang! Eye on the target and wham. One shot, one gunshot and BAM! Her, mister Armstein, here I am!"
"I'll march my band out; I'll beat my drum, and if I'm fanned out, your turn at bat sir, at least I didn't fake it. Hat, sir, I guess I didn't make it. Get ready for me love, cause I'm a comer, I've simply gotta march, my heart's a drummer. No body, no no body, is gonna… rain on my… pa…RADE!"
She grinned mischievously as McGonagall climbed on stage next to her. "Where'd you get that song?" she asked. "It's from an American muggle star named Barbara Streisand, Professor." She said, loudly enough for everyone, including our table, to hear. Stupid girl!
"I see. Why did you choose it?" Astoria smiled again. "Firstly, it's happy, and most of us aren't. Secondly, I'm stubborn as hell, just like the person singing the song. Yeah, yeah, I'll see you in detention." She said as McGonagall opened her mouth to disapprove. "Thirdly, determination and persistence are very important, Professor." She grinned as she hopped off the stage and sat with Potter's group.