Disclaimer...I don't own Harry, or the Imperial Hotel in Vienna.

I know it hasn't been like three week for an update. I wish I could say its because I've been a good writing mood, but its the opposite. Things have been pretty bad at my house lately and its writing has been good thearpy. Regardless of that, I really am excited about upcoming stuff. Read and review. :D

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Chapter 14 The Winter Nymph

The hotel was absolutely enormous. Isabella had stayed at some nice places, but this was by far the… biggest. The ceiling must of reached a height of 100 ft. and met at a rose colored glass cased dome.

Isabella pivoted around trying to take in everything, to absorb every detail. The velvet loveseats, marble mosaic floors, bouquets of fresh fuchsia roses, the roaring fire. It wasn't till she saw the frost covered windows did her heart leap.

Snow. She loved snow above all the scenes presented by Mother Nature's play. Isabella hadn't grown up with snow in both the Mediterranean climates of her childhood. Her first experience of snow wasn't till she began at BSW, Boston School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.

It was December1 and Isabella had been in school since September. She hadn't really made any friends but she wasn't fazed by it. School had just let out on that December day. Isabella had pulled her jacket around her tighter to fight the cold when she felt a tiny wet drop on her cheek.

It was then she looked up at the sky in amazement. The gray sky rained down ice, but it was lighter. Isabella knew it was snow but it didn't stop her young mind from filling her heart with content.

It was one of the most beautiful things she has ever seen. The swirls of frozen ice crystals danced and flowed around her and she moved with them. It was pure bliss. Every flake different but all produced from the same heaven. She felt as though she was a part of it.

The winds pushed her hair from her face and the tiny crystals clung to her eyelashes. Her cheeks and lips were red from the chill. She looked like a winter nymph, the embodiment of the supposed dead season. But how could it be dead when there was so much life and beauty in it?

All the other world melted away and she breathed in a sharp breath. It was just the winds, the flakes, and her.

Isabella never realized she had actually been spinning with the snow till the next day when they began to talk about her. But that was only the beginning of that.

The sight of snow lifted her broken heart and she felt herself smile and feel somewhat at peace. Sated by her happiness, she didn't see Draco check them in or make a quick stop at the concierge desk.

"Isabella?" She turned to him slowly, her half-lidded eyes focusing on her husband.

"Are you ready to see the room?" he asked. But it was his eyes that he questioned her smile. They passed up and down between her eyes and simple smile.

Isabella nodded, Draco took her hand and pulled her towards the elevator. She sneaked one final glance at the cold pane before watching the elevator slide shut.

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Merlin's beard, these rooms were huge. Draco supposed now the Imperial suite, meant the Imperial suite. Isabella seemed completely unfazed by it, heading straight towards the bedroom and from there the balcony.

The glass doors had opened with creak and blast of frigid cold air, but Isabella's smile never faltered. She simply stood staring out with her hands open in front of her to catch the softly falling snow.

What a strange turn of events. Her mask had completely fallen the moment they had entered the lobby. What had changed it? Was she sharing his sentiments about this whole thing or was it something else?

'Women,' he sighed, 'so complicated.' Not that Draco was complaining. A happy Isabella made for a happy Draco. It was nice just to see her smile. Not that fake shit she had been playing for weeks, but Isabella now. 'She must be freezing.' Draco pulled off his own jacket and headed towards his wife.

Gods, did she look beautiful with all the snow surrounding her, her cheeks flushed. "You must be cold," he told her laying the warm jacket on her shoulders.

She nodded slightly, letting her shoulders relax and enjoy the warmth.

"What are you so happy about?" Draco mused as he came to stand by her side on the balcony.

Isabella took a deep breath and let the hot air roll out of her mouth like cigarette smoke. "I love snow," she told him while pulling the jacket from his shoulder to around her body. It was far to big for her and the cuffs fell to her fingertips. It enfolded her body in his warmth and even the smell was distinctly him. A hint of sandalwood and a unmistakable earthy tone.

"Why is that?" he asked watching the snow fall on the rooftops of Vienna all around them.

"Why does magic work? Why did Paris love Helen? Why do the stars collide? Why do we exist?"

Draco was silent as she pressed the snow between her fingertips. "Just because. Sometimes you don't need a reason. Its an ontological kind of thing. Its like me asking you why you enjoy flying."

"Its exciting, thrilling, challenging, and beating a Gryffindor is better than anything in the world. Beside sex," Draco shot back.

She frowned a little, "No, Draco. I think you're wrong. I think when you fly you feel like you can do anything, accomplish anything. Its that feeling, the one you get only when you fly. And to get to the core of it you really love flying for the same reason I love snow. Just because."

Draco didn't say anything back in retaliation, just watched Isabella. "You know, " she whispered softly, "Sometimes I feel as though it part of me. That these intricate little flakes are only an extension of my body. Swirling and swaying all around me."

They stood in the silence a little while longer before Isabella tugged Draco's hand in hers. "Come on, you must be freezing."

Draco let Isabella pull him into the living room and in front of the fire. He watched her retreating figure turn around to close the balcony door. 'What am I going to be with that witch?' he shivered. 'What am I going to do with that witch?'

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