Harry awoke early with his arms wrapped tightly around the pillow. He squinted at his alarm clock, blinking away the bleariness. 7:23! Usually he didn't wake up till close to noon. Lately it seemed as if all Harry did was sleep, eat and watch old romantic muggle films with his aunt. Surprisingly enough despite all the sleep he never felt rested. Last night his dreams where filled with a certain tune and the fingers that created the colorful melody. He surmised that because of this instead of the usual nightmares, he had awoken refreshed.
When he got out of bed a scowl formed on his face. The movement reminded him how cloudy his mind was before he had coffee. Rubbing the ache in his temples he went downstairs to amend the problem. He ignored his aunts and uncles shock at seeing him awake at this hour and went straight for the coffee pot. Halfway across the kitchen he collided into an empty chair and jammed his toe. Cursing loudly and growling at the sharp pain he realized with no lack of humiliation that he forgot his glasses upstairs. Blushing furiously and brushing off his guardians reprimand for his vulgarities he carefully picked his way back to his room.
He bumped into Dudley along the way. How he could have missed seeing that hulk of a boy? He didn't know.
"Harry! You're up early!"
"You think?" he snapped grouchily. His glare didn't have any affect though since he was already squinting to see his cousin.
"Don't have to be rude ya know!" Dudley retorted. There was no 'slipping by' Dudley, he had to back up and wait for the great lump to thump down the stairs in order for Harry to continue on to his room.
"Don't have to cause a bloody earthquake everytime you move ya know." Harry muttered angrily but Dudley was too far away to hear him.
Relations with his cousin hadn't improved as much as it did with his aunt. They didn't go out of their way to goad each other and Dudley had matured enough he wasn't a bully anymore. However, they still wanted little to do with one another. Harry because he wasn't much liking company these days, especially with those his own age (they reminded him of how he should be acting now that he was care free but for some reason couldn't). Dudley thought Harry was sulking and prudish and just downright boring. He thought heroes were supposed to be cool not dorky. So typical were the musings of an ignorant teenager such as Harry's cousin.
Glasses and glare in place Harry returned to find his aunt had a cup of coffee waiting for him. As he leaned against the counter he could feel his humanity returning with each sip of the heavily caffeinated "black sludge" as his aunt called it.
"Well I'm off." Vernon grunted as he heaved his weight off the chair. "Breakfast was delicious, as usual." Petunia smiled as her husband kissed her on the cheek and left for work. Dudley was about to leave too, saying he promised to meet Piers at the theatre when his mother asked if she could talk to him in the living room.
Paying no mind to the interaction Harry finished his coffee and poured himself another cup. He set himself to clearing the table then sat down with a bowl of Fruity Pebbles to comtemplate what he had seen...experienced the other day. So consumed by his thoughts if it were not for the fact that Dudley's sheer mass made is impossible for him to be quiet, he wouldn't have heard him come back into the kitchen.
He stood over Harry in silence, who looked up at him expectantly. His cousin sniffed, flicked his nose with his thumb then crossed his arms, looking as though he wanted to say something but was reluactant to do so.
"Yes?" Harry inquired impatiently, irritated at having his muse interupted.
"Do you want to go to the movies...with me and Piers?" Dudley asked awkwardly. Harry was taken aback, his eyes darted to his aunt standing in the doorway and realization dawned on him. Petunia must have made Dudley invite him. Strangely enough he actually considered accepting the offer. If only to see Dudley's face, he no doubt assumed Harry wouldn't want to go. Said boy was squirming under his thoughtful gaze.
"Ok! Sounds like fun!" Harry replied with false cheerfulness. Dudley took two steps back, astonished. His aunt looked both relieved and concerned, she probably picked up on his sarcastic tones.
It turned out the movie was some mindless, fantastical action film that made Harry uneasy to watch. Giving up on actually enjoying it he left with out a word. Dudley and Piers were too absorbed to notice. It was about noon and Harry didn't feel like heading home yet so he took a walk into London to clear his head. Thinking about how uncomfortable he was with the movie, he associated with the fact that it made him reminisce on the war. It was so fresh in his mind still yet almost incomprehensible.
Trying to remove the impending thoughts of his losses he glanced about to pinpoint exactly where he was. Burlington Avenue, a sign said, Harry frowned, wondering why it was so familiar. Oh, right, he was here yesterday looking at the shops down Kanary Street. Further recognization passed through him, the music store is down this way! Suddenly determined to find out that young man's name, he made his way through a throng of people with a purposeful stride.
Arriving at the shop he bumped into someone coming the other way, causing him to stagger backwards. "Not again!" he groaned.
"Watch where you're going, Potter!" A familiar snarky, baritone snarled at him.
"Professor Snape!" he exclaimed, bewildered by his sudden appearance, "What are you doing here!" he said before he could stop himself.
"I do not believe that's any of your business." Snape answered more softly. He gave Harry one of his measuring looks then turned away, "Good day Mr. Potter."
He watched the dark man get in a sleek black car and pull away from the curb swiftly. He disappeared around the corner in a Ford Mercury Marauder (how ironic). Harry shrugged and looked over and almost did a double take. There was the piano man! Standing just outside the shop staring in the direction of Snape's path with a confused expression, dressed in a similar fashion as yesterday. Harry couldn't help notice how well it suited him.
"Er...hi?" Harry winced at his high-pitched voice. Where had that come from?
Blinking rapidly the piano man sent him an odd look, "You know him?"
Now it was Harry's turn to blink, "Who? Snape?"
The young man chuckled, "Yeah, him, how do you know him? Are you one of his students?"
Harry smiled, he liked his laugh, "Yeah he-" his eyes widened as the implications hit him, "You're a wizard!"
"Hey! Not so loud!"
Grinning meekly as the passing muggles regarded him as if he were mental, he apologized.
The pianoman shrugged, "Cio che...whatever. Coming inside?"
Harry nodded, perhaps a little too eagerly, "Oh wait, I never got your name!"
"Huh? Oh," The piano man held the door open for him, "Sono Cyrus."
Harry stepped inside and turned around, "Sono?" He repeated. What an odd name.
He snorted, "Sono is italian for 'I'm'. Sorry for the slip."
Harry could've slapped himself, "Oh no problem, I don't mind. So Cyrus, right?"
"Yeah and if you make any jokes about Hannah Montana I'll shoot you in the face." he said flatly
Startled by the threat he echoed, confused, "Hannah Montana? Who is that?" The name itself disgusted him. It was so...cutesy.
Cyrus grinned, "I knew there was something I liked about you."
The tension drained from his shoulders and he smiled back.
He wandered about the store for the better part of an hour pretending to be extremely interested in his surroundings. The truth was he only had eyes for Cyrus. It turned out that he worked there part time, repairing the instuments and attending their maintenance. He didn't know why but he had the urge to be friends with him. Maybe what his aunt said about his mum playing piano really stuck in his subconcious.
"Ok Cyrus, I'm gone. Think you can handle things with our little friends?" The girl who worked the register smiled over at her co-worker.
"I think I'll manage, Tori, thanks." he chuckled and went back to dusting the piano. The dark blonde-haired girl mimicked him with a really bad impression of an Italian accent.
Cyrus glared and threw the rag at her, "Get outta my store, cagnina!" he shot back flippantly.
"Your store! Whatever! I mean...cio che. Haha ciao!" She ducked out the door before Cyrus could do anything else. She poked her head back on for a moment to wink at Harry then scurried off, laughing. He ducked his head and blushed. Wait, blush? He didn't blush!
"So, Harry?"
He cleared his throat, which had suddenly become thick for some reason, "Yeah?"
"See anything you like?"
"Hmm..." Well...you Harry thought absently. He glanced around, avoiding the piano man's eyes, crinkled in amusement.
"You seemed really interested in the piano yesterday... or was it me?" he joked, sittting down behind the piano, "Did you wanna hear another song?"
Harry smiled, "That'd be great."
Unlike yesterday this piece was more somber but drew him in just as much. The melody wrapped around him, warped his senses, he resisted the urge to close his eyes, fearing to lose himself in it. Then as if it shouldn't even been possible, the piano man's voice joined in and Harry took in a sharp breath. It was so unexpected and pleasant and hauntingly beautiful it sent shivers up his spine. Emotions turned to sound were drawn smoothly into the air, like a cool gentle mist that settled over Harry's soul, cleansingly. This time Harry really did close his eyes.
AN: I haven't reread this one so there's probably a lot of mistakes I don't know about. I was greatly encouraged by my readers. I didn't expect it to garner so much attention so quickly. Do you think the plot is moving too fast?
Cio che = Whatever
Cagnina = bitch :]
