Family Affair
Chapter 4
Notes: Okay, I have never tried answering reviews before in a chapter but I've seen other authoresses doing it so I think I can try...
YuYuHakushoismyLIFE 2004-01-07 2 Signed
"I hear the wind call your name
It calls me back home again
It sparks up the fire- a flame that still burns
Oh its to you I will always return."
"I still feel your breath on my skin
I hear your voice deep within
The sound of my lover- a feeling so strong
Its to you... I will always belong."
Who sings that! I've seen it before! I just can't remember where! Please tell me! ::shakes Authoress::Tell me! O_o ::puts down Authoress and starts dusting her off:: Please tell me, oh and last thing is Taiko a lesbyand (sp?) because the song kind of hints at that. ::puts up hands in defence:: I have nothing against that I just like closer. Ja ne! o^-^= meow!
Me: Its from Spirit, Stallion of the Cimmaron. The song is by Bryan Adams. And yes Taiko is a Lesbian. But she hasn't told her Aunts that yet, so they don't understand why she's so bitter. She never got to tell her friend Belili how she feels about her, so she's rather upset.
YuYuHakushoismyLIFE 2004-01-07 3 Signed
more chapters please!
Me: I will try. Midterms are in about 8 days and I'm working on a Beyblades S.I. fanfic too so it might take awhile. Once Midterms settle down I should be able to tap out a few chapters. I can type as fast as I can think, so I update fast.
~on with fic~
Taiko stormed up the hill with her guitar gripped so tightly in her hands that she risked snapping the strings. She sat down and began to play just about anything that came to mind.
"Taiko." Uncle Andemon came up the hill after her, his own guitar in hand. "Why don't we practice? I was thinking that Standing Outside the Fire by Garth Brooks and Galileo by the Indigo Girls might be in order. And I'll pipe the melody for Castles in the Sky if you'll sing it."
"Okay." This was her uncle's way of asking, 'Are you okay.' "It seriously feels like a Galileo kind of day doesn't it?"
"What do you mean?" He asked.
"Andemon, the day of my last Quidditch championship, when I looked in the mirror, I kept getting the feeling that there should be somebody standing there with me that wasn't." Taiko blurted out. "And... and now it all makes sense. I mean... didn't my mother have Lilly and James' pictures on the mantle, framed in black? And my foster father... he looks so much like James. I was so excited to see his picture that I forgot the resemblance back in my foster mother's office... and then I forgot about it when she told me that I'd be coming to Hogwarts!"
"Well, yes, your foster father, Norman, and your biological father, James, were twins. James was sent to England to go to school. (A/N: have you ever noticed that he doesn't have a British Accent?) James settled there and fell in love with Lilly and had you and Harry. Norman married Barona, but Norman was sterile. When Barona remarried after her husband's death, she had Iruka. Iruka is your second cousin."
"Dad was sterile? You wouldn't be able to tell from the way he and Barona went at it! Aunt Sappho said they were like rabbits!" Taiko laughed cruelly. "I'm sorry, I know its not funny."
"On the contrary, things that at the time are not funny, will probably seem absolutely hilarious later."
Taiko laughed, striking up the opening chords...
"Galileo's head was put up on the block
The crime was looking up for truth..." Then she paused. "Actually, Uncle Andemon, I've got a better song..."
Taiko began to sing...
"Another turning point, a fork stuck in the road.
Time grabs you by the wrist, directs you where to go.
So make the best of this test, and don't ask why.
It's not a question, but a lesson learned in time."
She felt the shimmering of a port-key in the woods behind her. Probably DCF coming with this Draco Malfoy that her foster mother had told her about. She didn't care. Taiko was completely immersed in the song and the puzzle of its lyrics.
"It's something unpredictable, but in the end is right.
I hope you had the time of your life."
She thought of her foster father, Norman. His twin James. They must have been quite a pair at Hogwarts.
So take the photographs, and still frames in your mind.
Hang it on a shelf of good health and good time.
Tattoos of memories and dead skin on trial.
For what it's worth, it was worth all the while.
I hope you had the time of your life."
Taiko heard footsteps, but she couldn't slow down. A good musician never allowed herself to be distracted.
"It's something unpredictable, but in the end is right.
I hope you had the time of your life."
Then Uncle Andemon joined her on the final chords, his glorious tenor adding weight and intensity to her soprano.
"I hope you had the time of your life."
There was applause behind her. A woman about Aunt Sappho's age with bubblegum pink hair and a boy with blond hair, a pointed face, and gray eyes watched her.
"That was very nice." The woman said. The boy looked down at the ground and shivered. "Andemon, that couldn't have been sweeter."
"Stupid muggle junk." The boy grunted.
"Nymphadora, pleased to meet you." Andemon said cheerfully.
"Please call me Tonks now." Tonks told him.
"And this is the Malfoy boy?" Andemon asked her.
"Yup." Tonks said cheerfully. "Since I'm the reason why he's here, I figured I might as well save DCF the trouble."
Department of Children and Families, Taiko thought. No wonder he's so bummed, he was taken away from his parents. "I'm Taiko." Taiko said cheerfully, extending a hand to the boy.
"Draco." The boy grunted, taking it.
"Pleased to meet you Draco." Taiko said with a warm smile.
"We'd better get going down the hill." Tonks steered Draco down the hill.
"What's wrong with him?" Taiko asked.
"His father was a deatheater and was caught. That's grounds for DCF to take him away." Andemon answered.
"I understand." Taiko said softly. "Poor kid. If its hard on parents its even harder on the kids."
~meanwhile~
"You're joking." Ron stated.
"I joke not." Harry answered, blushing in embarassment.
"You're kidding." Hermione stated.
"I kid you not." Harry answered.
"A TWIN??" The twins chorused.
"Appearantly. A very denial twin thing." Harry shook his head, trying to clear the heat from his cheeks. There was a choking sensation in his throat, like a knot had been tied there. A knot that he knew had nothing to do with Lord Voldemort.
Harry told them what Dumbledore had done. The twins' eyes widened. "BUT WE CAN DO THAT!!" They exclaimed in unison. "We could always do that!" Fred exclaimed.
"Since we were five!" George emphasized.
"That's how we were able to make so much trouble at the same time!"
"You're kidding Potter." Harry whirled, Draco stood at the door of the living room that Fred and George had made enough money to add to the house. "A TWIN?? What's he like?"
"She." Harry snapped. He had been hoping that Draco would not show up this soon. The knot in his throat eased and something in his stomach began to tickle him. "And she's upset about it, so don't tease her when she comes back in."
"Okay! I'm happy now!" Taiko said cheerfully, coming in through the back door. "Ahhh nothing like a good practice with a sensitive ear to get the creative juices flowing."
Everybody in the room stared at her. "WHAT??" She demanded in a straggled voice. "Isn't it bad enough that I get dragged away from Oji and Belili?? I have to deal with people staring at me too!!"
"Why didn't you tell us you were Harry's twin?" Ron stated.
"I didn't know until Professor Dumbledore told me!" Taiko protested. "How could I have known?? Professor Barona hid the information from me until a couple of hours ago!"
Draco was studying her curiously. "Lets see, same hair, only longer, same eyes, her skin color's a little darker, but she's Fraternal so I would have expected it. She's about an inch and a half shorter and her build is slightly slimmer. The shape of her face is a little squarer. Play Quidditch Taiko?"
"Um... yeah."
"Which position?"
"Seeker."
"Another parallel." Draco said, curiosity, not malice in his voice. "What subjects do you take as electives?"
"Um... AP Divination and AP Care of Magical Creatures but Oji was going to teach me Ancient Runes."
"Another thing in common." Draco said, "Except for the Ancient Runes part. What's your best subject?"
"Defense Against the Dark Arts, although I'm pretty good at Elemental and Ritual Magic when I need to be." Taiko answered him.
"See, you share a best subject." Draco smirked. "And..." He pulled Taiko's hat off.
"Hey!" She protested.
"And you both have a scar, except they look different and they're in different places." He said, satisfied. "That settles it, you're twins alright."
Hermione shook her head. "Draco, if you're quite finished, I'm sure you can help the boys set up the tables for the party."
"Awwww." Draco protested.
"Come on!" Harry growled, dragging him outside. Draco put up a good act of fighting him, but he secretly liked Harry's touch. How long had he loved him? Love? Yes it was love, and he'd been feeling it since the third year. In fourth he had stopped denying it. In fifth he had started to yearn stronger and stronger everyday, until Pansy had dragged him aside and demanded to know what was wrong. Draco had finally trusted her two months ago. A month ago his father had overheard him talking to Pansy about it. Lucius Malfoy had been furious. He beat Draco half-senseless. That was when the Ministry had entered the house on a Raid. They found his father's death eater uniform and his Dark Arts equipment. The verdict was swift. The Auror named Tonks and a DCF official had taken him away, to Draco's infinite relief.
So Draco put all his effort into the physical tasks that Mr. Weasley set him, taking every opportunity to brush Harry's shoulder, or reach for the same item, brushing their hands a bit.
Then came, the Incident. "INCOMING!!" Fred's levitation charm caused a table top to zoom towards them. Harry instinctively shoved Draco aside. Draco cringed, and then realized that Harry was straddling his hips. Draco stiffened, his eyes closed to hide the array of emotions that flickered across them; lust, pleasure, longing, sadness, nervousness, and fear, and so strong that it took a few seconds to register Harry's look of surprise.
Then Harry rolled of Draco, and the magical moment was over. The twins helped Harry up. "Sorry mate, we didn't see you there." Draco stood after them.
Draco clenched his fists, rather upset that it wasn't Harry helping him to his feet. But then he remembered that Harry had a reason to. Harry moved off. Draco was about to follow when he saw Hermione watching him. "What is it Granger." (Since he couldn't use the term "Mudblood" in the Weasley's house.)
"Just the expression on your face." Hermione smirked. "It was rather interesting. I'm surprised that Harry didn't notice it."
"That's none of your business Granger!" Draco snarled bitterly.
"I suspected all along that you were jealous of us." Hermione said, with a small smile. "I didn't know that you had a crush on Harry too. How long have you been denying it?"
"I told you it's none of your business!" Draco snarled desperately. If Hermione let that out of her mouth... If his secret disgrace was known...
"Oh don't worry, I won't tell." She smirked in a manner that Draco did not entirely find reassuring. "After all, little flowers are soooo fragile." Draco realized that Hermione had no reason to keep his secret. He had alienated the wrong people for almost six years and he was paying for it now.
"I am not fragile!" Draco protested.
Hermione chuckled and turned away to help Mrs. Weasley with a particularly delicate pastry.
Draco decided that the hill was a perfectly serene place to hide, just in case Hermione had something nasty planned, and he could watch Harry without being watched himself.
~the feast~
Guests began to arrive. Mad Eye showed up around three, a fresh curse scar on his cheekbone from a recent tussle with a Death Eater. Hagrid took Draco's place in setting up tables. Kingsley, Snape and Mundungus arrived, (and several Sushi rolls went suspiciously missing from the kitchen.) Rita Skeeter came in, since she wanted to do an article on "Dumbledore's Army" and since Hermione wouldn't let her do anything Hogwarts related without her approval, Rita had to track her down. Then she joined the girls in making dinner, making a delicious sort of cornmeal/hushpuppy with whole corn kernels. That was when Professor Lupin arrived, and got wrangled by Snape into helping the men set up. Amos Diggory and Mr. Lovegood arrived as well. Being the nearest Wizarding Familes, they were, of course, invited. Lee Jordan showed up and along with the twins set up a fireworks display for after dark.
Andemon and Taiko began to tune up. They wouldn't be playing until after they'd eaten, but at least they could get ready. Their instuments finished, they sat down at the table and began to eat. The food was delicious. Some of the dishes, Taiko could remember from her time in Japan. Oh but it seemed a lifetime ago that she'd tasted Osakan Style soup! Then she went back and had the same thing Tokyo style. Taiko watched as Moody tentatively sniffed one of the sushi rolls.
"Oh they're not poisoned." Mundungus reassured him.
"How do YOU know?" Moody asked.
"'Cause I sneaked some from the kitchen forty five minutes ago." Mundungus said smugly. "They tasted really good."
Draco rolled his eyes. The kids sat at their own end of the table. Draco was still ill at ease around the Weasleys, especially the twins. Harry sat with Taiko and Hermione on his right side and Draco and Ron on his left. Lee and the twins were sitting across from them, (which meant that Harry couldn't see Lee's hand on George's thigh.) Ginny and Luna shyly sat next to Fred. Ginny was wearing the Salem Valkire Quidditch uniform, a throwback jersey dress, white edged in red and gold. Upon this was a blue and black "Screaming Eagle" chasing after a Snitch.
"Wow." Ginny exclaimed, looking at some of the food.
"This soup is white." Ron stated, looking into the copper cauldron of soup.
"Ohh, West Coast style." Taiko said cheerfully. "That recipe varies depending on where you go. In Osaka fu and Kyoto fu its white and in Tokyo to its clear." She speared some fried codfish onto her fork and added some of Rita's cornmeal hushpuppies to her plate.
"Tokyo to?" Hermione asked. "I thought it was just Tokyo."
"Japan is divided into prefectures, or todofuken." Taiko explained. "They're called Todofuken because the major ones are named; Tokyo to, Hokkaido do, Kyoto fu, Osaka fu and all the rest are just referred to as ken."
"Oh." Hermione spooned up some of the soup. "Hey! This stuff is really good! Try it Ron!"
Ron protested by wrinkling his nose. "I'm not trying white soup... for all you know it contains something vile in it like bull sperm or something."
"It does not! That's tofu!" Taiko protested. "Its really good!"
"Tofu?" Ron asked, "What's that?"
"I think its cheese made from soy milk." Luna said dreamily, stirring her soup. "And Ron, you're being an idiot."
"Ron's always a prat Luna." Fred said with a shrug.
George sighed as Lee's hand inched further up his thigh and sank lower into the seat. //Oh boy.// Fred said to him via twin link. //You'd better not kick me out onto the couch again.//
//Don't worry, I was thinking lots of stars and some nice green grass.//
//And lots of noise I'll bet.// Fred chuckled mentally.
//Yeah, that too. You know... the usual... bells, whistles, music...//
//Moaning and writhing and screaming...// Fred chuckled. //I'll probably wake up with my sheets a mess.//
Taiko closed her eyes when she finished her meal. She turned, looking inquiringly down the table at Uncle Andemon. He nodded and gave her a thumbs up. Then he stood, clearing his throat. "My niece and I will be performing for you tonight. We've been practicing this afternoon. Taiko if you would?" Taiko stood and picked up her guitar. She moved to the platform in front of the tables with her Uncle. Andemon took up a violin to go with it.
Taiko strummed the opening bars, her heart pounding...
"We call them cool
Those hearts that have no scars to show
The ones that never do let go
And risk the tables being turned."
That caught Draco and Harry's attention, and he listened, trying to figure out what kind of message they were trying to send.
"We call them fools
Who have to dance within the flame
Who chance the sorrow and the shame
That always come with getting burned."
"But you got to be tough when consumed by desire
'Cause it's not enough just to stand outside the fire."
Uncle Andemon looked pointedly at Taiko. She knew what he wanted her to say. And again, she ignored him. He had never known about her feelings for Belili, none of them had. None of them had even cared.
"We call them strong
Those who can face this world alone
Who seem to get by on their own
Those who will never take the fall
We call them weak
Who are unable to resist
The slightest chance love might exist
And for that forsake it all"
Draco thought that this rather describe him and Harry. Total opposites, yet was neither way to be, neither personality wrong?
"They're so hell bent on giving, walking a wire
Convinced it's not living if you stand outside the fire."
" Standing outside the fire
Standing outside the fire
Life is not tried it is merely survived
If you're standing outside the fire."
"There's this love that is burning
Deep in my soul
Constantly yearning to get out of control
Wanting to fly higher and higher
I can't abide standing outside the fire."
Taiko closed her eyes as she sang this. Her voice rang with a conviction that she hadn't felt since she'd had to leave Belili, and Salem, her home.
"Standing outside the fire
Standing outside the fire
Life is not tried it is merely survived
If you're standing outside the fire." Andemon joined her on the second chorus, his voice lent weight to the song.
The applause rang for her. Taiko blushed and smiled at the crowd. "Thank you. I have a song for you that I chose, its by Matchbox Twenty, a Muggle band that I heard on the Radio in BAGLY territory of Boston. Its called 'Bright Lights'"
"She got out of town on the railway, new york bound
Took all except my name
Another alien on broadway
Well, some things in this world you just can't change
Some things you can't see until it gets too late."
Andemon had told her to sing with all her feeling and strength. Taiko could sing something that she felt now. Maybe her foster mother would understand, but she doubted it.
"Baby, baby, baby when all your love is gone
Who will save me from all I'm up against out in this world
And maybe, maybe, maybe
You'll find something that's enough to keep you
But if the bright lights don't receive you
You should turn yourself around and come on home"
"I got a hole in me now.
I got a scar I can talk about.
She keeps a picture of me in her apartment in the city.
But some things in this world
Man, they don't make sense.
Some things you don't need until they leave you
And then the things that you miss, you say."
Taiko closed her eyes half way, concentrating on producing the music, focusing on the warm, tingling feeling that was her love for Belili. A warm summer wind caressed her face, and she wanted this moment, this song, to last forever.
"Baby, baby, baby when all your love is gone
Who will save me from all I'm up against out in this world?
And maybe, maybe, maybe
You'll find something that's enough to keep you
But if the bright lights don't receive you
You should turn yourself around and come on home."
Her guitar music began to intensify. Taiko was rocking now. She vented all of her frustration into the bridge. Every bit of anger and resentment towards her foster mother was released into a stunning catharsis of sound.
"Let that city take you in (come on home)
Let that city spit you out (come on home)
Let that city take you down, yeah
For god sakes turn around."
A guitar solo. Taiko concentrated solely on the notes. It was like she was in a different world now. It was an alternative trance that was steered with one intent, to bring herself peace of heart and mind, then...
"Baby, baby, baby when all your love is gone
Who will save me from all I'm up against out in this world?
Yeah well, maybe, maybe, maybe
You'll find something that's enough to keep you
But if the bright lights don't receive you
Well, turn yourself around and come on home
"Yeah, come on home
Baby, baby, baby, baby
Come on home
Yeah, come on home
Yeah, come on home
Yeah, come on home
Baby, baby, baby, baby
Come on home."
The song faded out, and Taiko felt a sensation, as keen as pain that it was gone. Yet relief flooded her as well, relief that she was free from stress. She's spoken her mind. That was enough. Let the others interpret it their way.
Draco whispered in Harry's ear. "After dinner I'd like to talk to you."
Harry shrugged. "If I can get away." He muttered. "You better not be trying to trick me or anything."
Draco shook his head. "Just something that's been on my mind lately." He whispered.
Chapter 4
Notes: Okay, I have never tried answering reviews before in a chapter but I've seen other authoresses doing it so I think I can try...
YuYuHakushoismyLIFE 2004-01-07 2 Signed
"I hear the wind call your name
It calls me back home again
It sparks up the fire- a flame that still burns
Oh its to you I will always return."
"I still feel your breath on my skin
I hear your voice deep within
The sound of my lover- a feeling so strong
Its to you... I will always belong."
Who sings that! I've seen it before! I just can't remember where! Please tell me! ::shakes Authoress::Tell me! O_o ::puts down Authoress and starts dusting her off:: Please tell me, oh and last thing is Taiko a lesbyand (sp?) because the song kind of hints at that. ::puts up hands in defence:: I have nothing against that I just like closer. Ja ne! o^-^= meow!
Me: Its from Spirit, Stallion of the Cimmaron. The song is by Bryan Adams. And yes Taiko is a Lesbian. But she hasn't told her Aunts that yet, so they don't understand why she's so bitter. She never got to tell her friend Belili how she feels about her, so she's rather upset.
YuYuHakushoismyLIFE 2004-01-07 3 Signed
more chapters please!
Me: I will try. Midterms are in about 8 days and I'm working on a Beyblades S.I. fanfic too so it might take awhile. Once Midterms settle down I should be able to tap out a few chapters. I can type as fast as I can think, so I update fast.
~on with fic~
Taiko stormed up the hill with her guitar gripped so tightly in her hands that she risked snapping the strings. She sat down and began to play just about anything that came to mind.
"Taiko." Uncle Andemon came up the hill after her, his own guitar in hand. "Why don't we practice? I was thinking that Standing Outside the Fire by Garth Brooks and Galileo by the Indigo Girls might be in order. And I'll pipe the melody for Castles in the Sky if you'll sing it."
"Okay." This was her uncle's way of asking, 'Are you okay.' "It seriously feels like a Galileo kind of day doesn't it?"
"What do you mean?" He asked.
"Andemon, the day of my last Quidditch championship, when I looked in the mirror, I kept getting the feeling that there should be somebody standing there with me that wasn't." Taiko blurted out. "And... and now it all makes sense. I mean... didn't my mother have Lilly and James' pictures on the mantle, framed in black? And my foster father... he looks so much like James. I was so excited to see his picture that I forgot the resemblance back in my foster mother's office... and then I forgot about it when she told me that I'd be coming to Hogwarts!"
"Well, yes, your foster father, Norman, and your biological father, James, were twins. James was sent to England to go to school. (A/N: have you ever noticed that he doesn't have a British Accent?) James settled there and fell in love with Lilly and had you and Harry. Norman married Barona, but Norman was sterile. When Barona remarried after her husband's death, she had Iruka. Iruka is your second cousin."
"Dad was sterile? You wouldn't be able to tell from the way he and Barona went at it! Aunt Sappho said they were like rabbits!" Taiko laughed cruelly. "I'm sorry, I know its not funny."
"On the contrary, things that at the time are not funny, will probably seem absolutely hilarious later."
Taiko laughed, striking up the opening chords...
"Galileo's head was put up on the block
The crime was looking up for truth..." Then she paused. "Actually, Uncle Andemon, I've got a better song..."
Taiko began to sing...
"Another turning point, a fork stuck in the road.
Time grabs you by the wrist, directs you where to go.
So make the best of this test, and don't ask why.
It's not a question, but a lesson learned in time."
She felt the shimmering of a port-key in the woods behind her. Probably DCF coming with this Draco Malfoy that her foster mother had told her about. She didn't care. Taiko was completely immersed in the song and the puzzle of its lyrics.
"It's something unpredictable, but in the end is right.
I hope you had the time of your life."
She thought of her foster father, Norman. His twin James. They must have been quite a pair at Hogwarts.
So take the photographs, and still frames in your mind.
Hang it on a shelf of good health and good time.
Tattoos of memories and dead skin on trial.
For what it's worth, it was worth all the while.
I hope you had the time of your life."
Taiko heard footsteps, but she couldn't slow down. A good musician never allowed herself to be distracted.
"It's something unpredictable, but in the end is right.
I hope you had the time of your life."
Then Uncle Andemon joined her on the final chords, his glorious tenor adding weight and intensity to her soprano.
"I hope you had the time of your life."
There was applause behind her. A woman about Aunt Sappho's age with bubblegum pink hair and a boy with blond hair, a pointed face, and gray eyes watched her.
"That was very nice." The woman said. The boy looked down at the ground and shivered. "Andemon, that couldn't have been sweeter."
"Stupid muggle junk." The boy grunted.
"Nymphadora, pleased to meet you." Andemon said cheerfully.
"Please call me Tonks now." Tonks told him.
"And this is the Malfoy boy?" Andemon asked her.
"Yup." Tonks said cheerfully. "Since I'm the reason why he's here, I figured I might as well save DCF the trouble."
Department of Children and Families, Taiko thought. No wonder he's so bummed, he was taken away from his parents. "I'm Taiko." Taiko said cheerfully, extending a hand to the boy.
"Draco." The boy grunted, taking it.
"Pleased to meet you Draco." Taiko said with a warm smile.
"We'd better get going down the hill." Tonks steered Draco down the hill.
"What's wrong with him?" Taiko asked.
"His father was a deatheater and was caught. That's grounds for DCF to take him away." Andemon answered.
"I understand." Taiko said softly. "Poor kid. If its hard on parents its even harder on the kids."
~meanwhile~
"You're joking." Ron stated.
"I joke not." Harry answered, blushing in embarassment.
"You're kidding." Hermione stated.
"I kid you not." Harry answered.
"A TWIN??" The twins chorused.
"Appearantly. A very denial twin thing." Harry shook his head, trying to clear the heat from his cheeks. There was a choking sensation in his throat, like a knot had been tied there. A knot that he knew had nothing to do with Lord Voldemort.
Harry told them what Dumbledore had done. The twins' eyes widened. "BUT WE CAN DO THAT!!" They exclaimed in unison. "We could always do that!" Fred exclaimed.
"Since we were five!" George emphasized.
"That's how we were able to make so much trouble at the same time!"
"You're kidding Potter." Harry whirled, Draco stood at the door of the living room that Fred and George had made enough money to add to the house. "A TWIN?? What's he like?"
"She." Harry snapped. He had been hoping that Draco would not show up this soon. The knot in his throat eased and something in his stomach began to tickle him. "And she's upset about it, so don't tease her when she comes back in."
"Okay! I'm happy now!" Taiko said cheerfully, coming in through the back door. "Ahhh nothing like a good practice with a sensitive ear to get the creative juices flowing."
Everybody in the room stared at her. "WHAT??" She demanded in a straggled voice. "Isn't it bad enough that I get dragged away from Oji and Belili?? I have to deal with people staring at me too!!"
"Why didn't you tell us you were Harry's twin?" Ron stated.
"I didn't know until Professor Dumbledore told me!" Taiko protested. "How could I have known?? Professor Barona hid the information from me until a couple of hours ago!"
Draco was studying her curiously. "Lets see, same hair, only longer, same eyes, her skin color's a little darker, but she's Fraternal so I would have expected it. She's about an inch and a half shorter and her build is slightly slimmer. The shape of her face is a little squarer. Play Quidditch Taiko?"
"Um... yeah."
"Which position?"
"Seeker."
"Another parallel." Draco said, curiosity, not malice in his voice. "What subjects do you take as electives?"
"Um... AP Divination and AP Care of Magical Creatures but Oji was going to teach me Ancient Runes."
"Another thing in common." Draco said, "Except for the Ancient Runes part. What's your best subject?"
"Defense Against the Dark Arts, although I'm pretty good at Elemental and Ritual Magic when I need to be." Taiko answered him.
"See, you share a best subject." Draco smirked. "And..." He pulled Taiko's hat off.
"Hey!" She protested.
"And you both have a scar, except they look different and they're in different places." He said, satisfied. "That settles it, you're twins alright."
Hermione shook her head. "Draco, if you're quite finished, I'm sure you can help the boys set up the tables for the party."
"Awwww." Draco protested.
"Come on!" Harry growled, dragging him outside. Draco put up a good act of fighting him, but he secretly liked Harry's touch. How long had he loved him? Love? Yes it was love, and he'd been feeling it since the third year. In fourth he had stopped denying it. In fifth he had started to yearn stronger and stronger everyday, until Pansy had dragged him aside and demanded to know what was wrong. Draco had finally trusted her two months ago. A month ago his father had overheard him talking to Pansy about it. Lucius Malfoy had been furious. He beat Draco half-senseless. That was when the Ministry had entered the house on a Raid. They found his father's death eater uniform and his Dark Arts equipment. The verdict was swift. The Auror named Tonks and a DCF official had taken him away, to Draco's infinite relief.
So Draco put all his effort into the physical tasks that Mr. Weasley set him, taking every opportunity to brush Harry's shoulder, or reach for the same item, brushing their hands a bit.
Then came, the Incident. "INCOMING!!" Fred's levitation charm caused a table top to zoom towards them. Harry instinctively shoved Draco aside. Draco cringed, and then realized that Harry was straddling his hips. Draco stiffened, his eyes closed to hide the array of emotions that flickered across them; lust, pleasure, longing, sadness, nervousness, and fear, and so strong that it took a few seconds to register Harry's look of surprise.
Then Harry rolled of Draco, and the magical moment was over. The twins helped Harry up. "Sorry mate, we didn't see you there." Draco stood after them.
Draco clenched his fists, rather upset that it wasn't Harry helping him to his feet. But then he remembered that Harry had a reason to. Harry moved off. Draco was about to follow when he saw Hermione watching him. "What is it Granger." (Since he couldn't use the term "Mudblood" in the Weasley's house.)
"Just the expression on your face." Hermione smirked. "It was rather interesting. I'm surprised that Harry didn't notice it."
"That's none of your business Granger!" Draco snarled bitterly.
"I suspected all along that you were jealous of us." Hermione said, with a small smile. "I didn't know that you had a crush on Harry too. How long have you been denying it?"
"I told you it's none of your business!" Draco snarled desperately. If Hermione let that out of her mouth... If his secret disgrace was known...
"Oh don't worry, I won't tell." She smirked in a manner that Draco did not entirely find reassuring. "After all, little flowers are soooo fragile." Draco realized that Hermione had no reason to keep his secret. He had alienated the wrong people for almost six years and he was paying for it now.
"I am not fragile!" Draco protested.
Hermione chuckled and turned away to help Mrs. Weasley with a particularly delicate pastry.
Draco decided that the hill was a perfectly serene place to hide, just in case Hermione had something nasty planned, and he could watch Harry without being watched himself.
~the feast~
Guests began to arrive. Mad Eye showed up around three, a fresh curse scar on his cheekbone from a recent tussle with a Death Eater. Hagrid took Draco's place in setting up tables. Kingsley, Snape and Mundungus arrived, (and several Sushi rolls went suspiciously missing from the kitchen.) Rita Skeeter came in, since she wanted to do an article on "Dumbledore's Army" and since Hermione wouldn't let her do anything Hogwarts related without her approval, Rita had to track her down. Then she joined the girls in making dinner, making a delicious sort of cornmeal/hushpuppy with whole corn kernels. That was when Professor Lupin arrived, and got wrangled by Snape into helping the men set up. Amos Diggory and Mr. Lovegood arrived as well. Being the nearest Wizarding Familes, they were, of course, invited. Lee Jordan showed up and along with the twins set up a fireworks display for after dark.
Andemon and Taiko began to tune up. They wouldn't be playing until after they'd eaten, but at least they could get ready. Their instuments finished, they sat down at the table and began to eat. The food was delicious. Some of the dishes, Taiko could remember from her time in Japan. Oh but it seemed a lifetime ago that she'd tasted Osakan Style soup! Then she went back and had the same thing Tokyo style. Taiko watched as Moody tentatively sniffed one of the sushi rolls.
"Oh they're not poisoned." Mundungus reassured him.
"How do YOU know?" Moody asked.
"'Cause I sneaked some from the kitchen forty five minutes ago." Mundungus said smugly. "They tasted really good."
Draco rolled his eyes. The kids sat at their own end of the table. Draco was still ill at ease around the Weasleys, especially the twins. Harry sat with Taiko and Hermione on his right side and Draco and Ron on his left. Lee and the twins were sitting across from them, (which meant that Harry couldn't see Lee's hand on George's thigh.) Ginny and Luna shyly sat next to Fred. Ginny was wearing the Salem Valkire Quidditch uniform, a throwback jersey dress, white edged in red and gold. Upon this was a blue and black "Screaming Eagle" chasing after a Snitch.
"Wow." Ginny exclaimed, looking at some of the food.
"This soup is white." Ron stated, looking into the copper cauldron of soup.
"Ohh, West Coast style." Taiko said cheerfully. "That recipe varies depending on where you go. In Osaka fu and Kyoto fu its white and in Tokyo to its clear." She speared some fried codfish onto her fork and added some of Rita's cornmeal hushpuppies to her plate.
"Tokyo to?" Hermione asked. "I thought it was just Tokyo."
"Japan is divided into prefectures, or todofuken." Taiko explained. "They're called Todofuken because the major ones are named; Tokyo to, Hokkaido do, Kyoto fu, Osaka fu and all the rest are just referred to as ken."
"Oh." Hermione spooned up some of the soup. "Hey! This stuff is really good! Try it Ron!"
Ron protested by wrinkling his nose. "I'm not trying white soup... for all you know it contains something vile in it like bull sperm or something."
"It does not! That's tofu!" Taiko protested. "Its really good!"
"Tofu?" Ron asked, "What's that?"
"I think its cheese made from soy milk." Luna said dreamily, stirring her soup. "And Ron, you're being an idiot."
"Ron's always a prat Luna." Fred said with a shrug.
George sighed as Lee's hand inched further up his thigh and sank lower into the seat. //Oh boy.// Fred said to him via twin link. //You'd better not kick me out onto the couch again.//
//Don't worry, I was thinking lots of stars and some nice green grass.//
//And lots of noise I'll bet.// Fred chuckled mentally.
//Yeah, that too. You know... the usual... bells, whistles, music...//
//Moaning and writhing and screaming...// Fred chuckled. //I'll probably wake up with my sheets a mess.//
Taiko closed her eyes when she finished her meal. She turned, looking inquiringly down the table at Uncle Andemon. He nodded and gave her a thumbs up. Then he stood, clearing his throat. "My niece and I will be performing for you tonight. We've been practicing this afternoon. Taiko if you would?" Taiko stood and picked up her guitar. She moved to the platform in front of the tables with her Uncle. Andemon took up a violin to go with it.
Taiko strummed the opening bars, her heart pounding...
"We call them cool
Those hearts that have no scars to show
The ones that never do let go
And risk the tables being turned."
That caught Draco and Harry's attention, and he listened, trying to figure out what kind of message they were trying to send.
"We call them fools
Who have to dance within the flame
Who chance the sorrow and the shame
That always come with getting burned."
"But you got to be tough when consumed by desire
'Cause it's not enough just to stand outside the fire."
Uncle Andemon looked pointedly at Taiko. She knew what he wanted her to say. And again, she ignored him. He had never known about her feelings for Belili, none of them had. None of them had even cared.
"We call them strong
Those who can face this world alone
Who seem to get by on their own
Those who will never take the fall
We call them weak
Who are unable to resist
The slightest chance love might exist
And for that forsake it all"
Draco thought that this rather describe him and Harry. Total opposites, yet was neither way to be, neither personality wrong?
"They're so hell bent on giving, walking a wire
Convinced it's not living if you stand outside the fire."
" Standing outside the fire
Standing outside the fire
Life is not tried it is merely survived
If you're standing outside the fire."
"There's this love that is burning
Deep in my soul
Constantly yearning to get out of control
Wanting to fly higher and higher
I can't abide standing outside the fire."
Taiko closed her eyes as she sang this. Her voice rang with a conviction that she hadn't felt since she'd had to leave Belili, and Salem, her home.
"Standing outside the fire
Standing outside the fire
Life is not tried it is merely survived
If you're standing outside the fire." Andemon joined her on the second chorus, his voice lent weight to the song.
The applause rang for her. Taiko blushed and smiled at the crowd. "Thank you. I have a song for you that I chose, its by Matchbox Twenty, a Muggle band that I heard on the Radio in BAGLY territory of Boston. Its called 'Bright Lights'"
"She got out of town on the railway, new york bound
Took all except my name
Another alien on broadway
Well, some things in this world you just can't change
Some things you can't see until it gets too late."
Andemon had told her to sing with all her feeling and strength. Taiko could sing something that she felt now. Maybe her foster mother would understand, but she doubted it.
"Baby, baby, baby when all your love is gone
Who will save me from all I'm up against out in this world
And maybe, maybe, maybe
You'll find something that's enough to keep you
But if the bright lights don't receive you
You should turn yourself around and come on home"
"I got a hole in me now.
I got a scar I can talk about.
She keeps a picture of me in her apartment in the city.
But some things in this world
Man, they don't make sense.
Some things you don't need until they leave you
And then the things that you miss, you say."
Taiko closed her eyes half way, concentrating on producing the music, focusing on the warm, tingling feeling that was her love for Belili. A warm summer wind caressed her face, and she wanted this moment, this song, to last forever.
"Baby, baby, baby when all your love is gone
Who will save me from all I'm up against out in this world?
And maybe, maybe, maybe
You'll find something that's enough to keep you
But if the bright lights don't receive you
You should turn yourself around and come on home."
Her guitar music began to intensify. Taiko was rocking now. She vented all of her frustration into the bridge. Every bit of anger and resentment towards her foster mother was released into a stunning catharsis of sound.
"Let that city take you in (come on home)
Let that city spit you out (come on home)
Let that city take you down, yeah
For god sakes turn around."
A guitar solo. Taiko concentrated solely on the notes. It was like she was in a different world now. It was an alternative trance that was steered with one intent, to bring herself peace of heart and mind, then...
"Baby, baby, baby when all your love is gone
Who will save me from all I'm up against out in this world?
Yeah well, maybe, maybe, maybe
You'll find something that's enough to keep you
But if the bright lights don't receive you
Well, turn yourself around and come on home
"Yeah, come on home
Baby, baby, baby, baby
Come on home
Yeah, come on home
Yeah, come on home
Yeah, come on home
Baby, baby, baby, baby
Come on home."
The song faded out, and Taiko felt a sensation, as keen as pain that it was gone. Yet relief flooded her as well, relief that she was free from stress. She's spoken her mind. That was enough. Let the others interpret it their way.
Draco whispered in Harry's ear. "After dinner I'd like to talk to you."
Harry shrugged. "If I can get away." He muttered. "You better not be trying to trick me or anything."
Draco shook his head. "Just something that's been on my mind lately." He whispered.
