Claire walked down the long hall till she found the music room. She walked into the room with a rich pure-blooded décor. The ceiling was domed and showed moving pictures of Malfoy's long past at the far end was an enormous Painting of six people five of them were blond and looked very Malfoyish, whilst the one sanding beside a boy the same height as him was a brunette and had blue eyes and smiled enthusiastically, like Cillia he was whited out a bit. Then she saw it the large gleaming black grand piano, it was perfectly polished and beckoned Claire to play it.
"Oh my god I'd marry the ass if I could have this piano…" Claire joked aloud and sat down at the perfect eighty-eight keys. She put her hands on them, and felt a surge of happiness flow through her fingers and her body; it had been too long since she touched a piano. In her home back on Hanning St. she had a nice wooden piano that Helga and Claire would sit at drinking eggnog as Claire played tunes she learned from her piano teacher.
She knew right away she had to play this piano quell the music monster that roared within her. She played Mozart's Fantasy in D minor and the music moved her to a world away form the Malfoy manor, she knew the song by heart and she only wanted to escape it in. She didn't even bother to see that Draco was watching her from the door.
Draco did not know muggle music, but what Claire played was moving he'd never heard such passion in a song before. He walked into the room he had not paid much attention to in all his years in the home. He ran his hand along the piano till it came to her own hand playing the polished black and white keys. She stopped and opened her eyes looking at him; he'd never seen her stare like that before. He moved his hand along her bare arms to her shoulders till he was behind her, "Claire how long are you going to refuse me?"
"Forever…" she whispered and pushed away from the piano and ran from the room.
"Harry…" Claire muttered as she ran along the halls crying she wanted to see him so bad and she had never wanted to be with some one like this before. She though it could never happen but in the act of their separation Claire realized at last that she was in love.
She was aching for him his hand on hers his lips, the kiss from the summer seemed so long ago, she didn't know her heart then because of Cedric but she knew now and it was killing her. She slammed the door behind her and threw herself on the bed. She cried she called for him any thing "He cannot hear you." Came a small voice in her head. "Shut up…" Claire muttered.
Then she remembered Ginny also cared for Harry, and once again she would have to sacrifice her love to make some one happy. Claire rested her chin on her knees. So this is what it felt like to be in love, Claire thought she would be happy, "But of course happiness comes when you are with the person." Claire said to herself
There was a quiet knock on the door and Narcissa poked her head in, "What Claire you've been crying…" she said in a weird unNarcissa kind of way.
"I'm fine I just want to go home I miss my fa…Remus I miss Remus." Claire said.
"Well I don't think you should really bother with the were-wolf, it's not good to associate your self with people like him." Narcissa said sitting down beside her. "You like this room we could make it look more Slytherin for you."
"No it reminds me of my mother your husbands younger sister was her friend." Claire said.
"Yes I dare say she was, those Ravenclaw girls, they were the only friends they had all the boys liked them and every other girl hated them." Narcissa said.
"I'm sure they were quite content with one and other, I wouldn't want fifty people following me around." Claire said.
The look in Narcissa's eyes told Claire that maybe she didn't want her as a daughter.
"You sound like your father…" Narcissa said suddenly, "I see what Fudge meant."
"Well I'm sorry I'm not more of a snot Narcissa like your charming son." Claire said wiping a few tears from her eyelashes.
"Don't speak about my son like that." Narcissa said standing up.
"What he's my boyfriend after all?" Claire said "Come on say it…say it!"
"Get out of my house NOW!" Narcissa yelled.
"Gladly!" Claire said.
She stormed out of the bedroom and hastened for the front doors. "That only took a day!" Claire thought as joy swept over her as she stepped out into the fresh air of out side and trough the gates. Okay so she had to have an annoying boyfriend but she at least didn't have to put up with him sneaking around her trying to get her on her back. Clair had called it, it was a good day; she really didn't care where she was going she only wanted to walk.
There was a loud crack near her and she dove into a bush, she peered around it and saw him Cedric was walking now toward the manor. Claire came out onto the path holding out her or his wand. "Cedric?"
He whipped around she knew it he had her wand and he lowered it and looked at her, "What are you doing out this way." He said coldly.
The heat of the summer was making Claire rather irate but she tried to be calmer to him, "I see we are making use of each others wands." Claire said ignoring his question.
"I see that too…did you come from Malfoy's place." Cedric asked her moving closer now.
"I did…Draco and I are dating now you know." Claire said straightening her self.
Cedric arched an eye-brow, "Really well they say couples are made under the strangest of circumstances."
"Yeah like you and your Lord Voldey-poo." Claire said mockingly.
"I serve him, I'm not with him." Cedric said.
"Do you miss me?" Claire said looking up at him they were close to one another now and she pushed the wand into his chest he stared down at her.
"I do actually; you seem more grown up now." Cedric said.
"Well betrayal is a bitch Cedric, you hurt me and in turn it made me tougher." Claire said.
"Tougher yes…hardened against me I think not Claire you want me right now admit it." Cedric said.
"Shut-up…" Claire said through her teeth.
Cedric put a hand under he chin and tilted her face upward. He kissed her and Claire's furry was out the window with it she lowered the wand and moved in closer to him. The two of them fell into the grass off the path that Cedric had been walking on. He moved himself on top of her and was kissing her leaving the entire world behind. Claire didn't want him to stop either she knew she had wanted Cedric like this before but honestly speaking she really never got that chance.
"Oh gees Cedric is that you?" came the voice of a Deatheater.
Cedric stood up quickly, and looked at the man who had spoken.
"Yaxley keep going I think the meeting will be starting soon and you…" He said turning to Claire, "Stay away from me in the future…"
Claire glared at him and wished at that moment she knew a really good bat bogey curse.
"Hey was that the Black girl?" Yaxley asked.
"NO!" Cedric responded.
"I swear it looks…." He continued.
"Shut up."
Claire was furious she finally reached a town and lucky for her it was a wizards town. She went to the owl post office and picked a speedy owl asking the lady where they were She scribbled it down and told them to bring money to pay for the use of the owl.
She had never been happier to see Remus in her life; Claire was weary with bits of leaves and dried grass in her hair (no thanks to Cedric). Remus pulled her in a tight hug and Claire returned it.
"Remind me never to go to the ministry again…" Claire said as he let her go.
Remus nodded and paid the witch, "You are never going to leave me again, I'll tell you that."
Claire smiled up at him, "What about Hogwarts."
They were outside now, "Okay you can leave for that."
"Before we go there is something I want to talk to you about." Claire said
"What is it…?" Remus asked.
"It's Draco he over heard me at the end of last year when I was talking with Kara about Regulus being dads son and not yours." Claire said.
"Okay but for your brother's protection he's under my name…" Remus said.
"I know so Draco threatened to tell his father about Regulus, to have him checked out." Claire stared again, "In an act of desperation I agreed to become his girlfriend so he wouldn't tell, now I am in love with some one else but some one I know very well likes him, and if I leave Draco to be with the guy I'm in love with he'll tell his father about Regulus and the friend would be pissed at me."
Remus looked at her he had a lot to take in but he knew the solution, "Claire close your eyes who is the first person you think of?"
"My brother…" Claire said.
"They say the person we love the most will be the first thing we see when we close our eyes and think." Remus said.
"Okay I understand but how does this help me?" Claire said.
"The first person you think about is your brother, but really the first person you think about is yourself." Remus said.
"But that's selfish and I want to make people happy!" Claire said.
"Claire how can you make people happy when you are not happy?" Remus said putting his hand on her shoulder.
Claire looked up into his eyes and realized he was right, "Do you love some one?"
"I do…very much one day she will know that, and perhaps we will be together and happy." He said.
"Why can you not be with her now, I'm sure she would say yes to you… you are such a good person." Claire said.
"That may be so but she isn't ready she needs time, and I will wait I have to I know she is the one; we just need the right time." He told her.
"Of course…can we go back there is some one I have to talk to?" Claire said taking his hand.
They disapperated to the front of Grimmauld Place and Claire was relived.
When she got in there was a yell from Ron and he ran over to her and swung Claire around in a hug.
"Ron I can't breathe!" Claire laughed and hugged him back with equal force.
"Are you okay did they hurt you, I was so worried when dad came and said some ministry officials carried you off!" Ron said.
"I'm fine Ron really I am, I just hate Draco even more." Claire said.
"That git I'll kill him!" Ron said.
"Oh Ron that wont be necessary, I have to date him." Claire said.
A look came over Ron's face that said "WHAT THE FUCK!", and Claire backed away a bit.
"Did I not tell you Ron what had happened?" Claire said.
"No I don't recall, I thought you hated him?" Ron said.
"I do but he has me forced into this relationship, he'll expose my brother as a Black if I piss him off…he had over heard me talking to Kara." Claire told him.
"Kara! Not your cousin Kara Lestrange?" Ron asked.
"Well I found out she's not as bad as she seems, she is actually a good person." Claire said.
"I'm sorry Malfoy is doing this to you." Ron said, "It's not right what if you fall for some one else?"
Claire looked at her feet she felt her whole heart sink to the floor; she thought of Harry and felt empty and alone.
"Too late isn't it?" Ron said.
Claire looked up and nodded.
"It will do no good any way some one else cares about him and she is a good friend so I don't want to hurt any one." Claire said.
Ron nodded, "You're a brave soul Claire wish I could put others before myself as easily as you can."
"Ron come on now you're a good friend…" Claire said as they made their way up stairs.
"Harry has gone to look at the new house that James is having built, and Hermione went to see her mother who's sick." Ron told her.
"I see so it's just us and every one else I see." Claire said.
"We could play chess…" Ron suggested.
"Sounds fun…I can't practice for Quidditch so chess sounds good." Claire said.
"You made the team already?" Ron said.
"Yep…well thanks to my mother's history as one of the greatest Chasers Hogwarts had seen." Claire told him.
Ron smiled and nodded then beat Claire harshly at chess, then after several games of exploding snap, and eaves dropping on the Order Harry finally got back with James and Greta in tow.
James and Harry were exceptionally happy when they walked in the door. Claire was carrying up two cups of chocolate milk for her and Ron when they came in the door.
Claire flushed a beat red when she saw Harry, "Hello all of you if I knew you'd be here so soon I'd of poured more chocolate milk."
"Oh no thank you Claire…oh your back I hope the Malfoy's weren't hard on you?" Greta said.
"Aunt Greta they weren't too bad, but why is every one so happy today?" Claire said setting down the glasses.
"Well…" Greta started smiling at James beside her, "Oh okay I'll tell you I'm having a baby!"
"Really! Well I mean I suspected it what with your dress suddenly being tight…but oh wow another baby!" Claire said hugging her aunt, then James, and she stopped at Harry.
"I'm happy your back Claire…" Harry said as James and Greta rushed passed to tell the others.
I'm happy to see you…I think I missed you most of all after a day away." Claire said.
"Did Draco hurt you?" Harry asked suddenly.
Claire shook her head, "No…he did not."
"Good I mean you look well and you are back so…" Harry said.
"Yeah…" Claire said.
"Oi! Claire there you are, hey Harry…" Ron started but her knocked over the glasses of chocolate milk and cursed.
"Oh Ron I'm sorry…I was bringing those up." Claire said starting to pick up the broken glass.
Claire wanted to look busy…she wondered "had Harry felt the same way?" She piled the pieces of glass and hardly noticed her father come into the hall.
"Ah Harry congratulations had to come out here and hug my godson on going to be a big brother…Claire what on earth are you doing down there?" Sirius asked as he waved his wand and the broken glasses repaired themselves.
Claire stayed crouched on the floor; she started to shake as tears she had not yet cried fell down her cheeks.
"Darling what's wrong?" Sirius asked.
"Oh just leave me alone!" Claire yelled pushing past Ron and running to her room.
Claire whipped out a piece of parchment and started to write:
To Draco Malfoy:
I hate your filthy pure-blood guts, I don't want to be with you, nor do I ever want to marry you someday…
Claire stopped writing her letter she looked at the photo on her desk a picture of Harry, Hermione, Ron, herself, and Regulus winked up at her. Her lowered her quill and picked up the gilded framed picture.
"Oh Harry Potter I love you…but I love my brother more." Claire said looking at the smiling faces.
She crumpled up the parchment and threw it into the waste basket.
"Okay scratch that today is one of the worst days ever…"
Oh boy