Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter…Oh to be J.K. Rowling and have that marvelous privelage!! But I don't. I own any character you haven't seen in Harry Potter. They are the works of my mind…or Sarah's…It's a joint effort, you know.
~~My, this is getting quite long. You don't really need a recap. But if you really want it, Opal's terrified of werewolves. Yes. This really is turning into a PWP…Oh well. I still have a few left…see ya! This chapter is very mushy. I wouldn't post it, but its critical…Also, the ignorance of Draco is just funny!! Oh, Sarah…I edited this like crazy; don't hate me. ~~
Chapter 15: The Language Barrier
You'll find better love Strong as it ever wasDeep as the river runs
Warm as the morning sun
Please remember me-Tim McGraw, "Please Remember Me"
A few weeks later, Draco and Opal were in the library talking. It was a Saturday, so they didn't have any classes to worry about. Opal was looking at a book, humming a tune to a song Draco didn't recognize. "What are you humming?" He asked.
Opal stopped, looking up. "Oh, it's nothing."
"Come on, tell me," Draco insisted, poking her.
Opal squeaked. She really didn't like being poked. "Fine!" she snapped. "It's a song from a movie."
Draco bounced in his seat. "Is it the Harry Potter theme song? I love that movie." (A/N: Ironic, huh?)
"No," Opal said, looking at him oddly. "Draco, when have you ever bounced?" "Uhm," he said, looking around. "I bounced?"
"Yes."
"I bounce since then, I guess," he said. They both laughed. "So what song were you singing?"
"Still want do know that, huh?" Opal was in a stubborn mood; she didn't want to tell Draco what she was singing.
"Alright, alright," Draco conceded. "Fine, don't tell me."
Opal grinned. "It was the theme to Friends."
"Friends?" Draco asked, perplexed. "Friends have a theme song? Odd."
"Haven't you ever seen Friends?" Opal asked him.
"Yes, I've seen my friends," Draco said, not understanding.
Opal shook her head. "No, no, no. Not your friends," Opal sighed in frustration. "It's a television show."
"Television?" Draco asked blankly.
"Y-you don't know what a television is?" Opal said, surprised. (A/N: I can't remember if wizards have televisions or not)
"No, what is it?" Draco said curiously.
"Ohh, it's a box where you…uh…watch people," Opal replied, unsure of how to explain the concept to him.
"People can fit in a box?" Draco cried. "I want to see! How do they get in there? Is it that big a box?"
"No. They're pictures of people."
"Pictures of people?"
"You don't get it," Opal said.
"And they move around?" Draco continued. "Why do they need this television? Why don't they just watch their photographs? Photographs move."
"Because Muggle photographs don't move, Draco," Opal replied.
"They don't? Wow…they really are odd. They sound so primitive!"
Opal sighed. "Hold on, I have a picture of Jade, Peridot, and I," Opal said, rummaging through her robes. She pulled out an old photograph and showed it to him. It was taken before they started at Hogwarts, and they were completely stationary.
Draco jumped back, dropping the picture. "What the—?" he cried.
Opal picked up the picture off the ground. "What? What's wrong?"
"You…they…" Draco stuttered. "Standing there. You've been body bound and propped up against the wall."
Opal burst out laughing. Draco looked at her curiously. "Come here and look at the picture."
"No," Draco said, shaking his head.
"Don't tell me you're scared. Come here!" She ordered.
Draco slowly went over to sit next to Opal. "Why are you showing me these photographs of you body bound?"
"I'm not body bound, Draco," Opal insisted.
"Then why aren't you moving or blinking?" he demanded.
"It's a muggle photograph, Draco. They don't know how to make the pictures move," she explained. He was still shying away from the picture, so she grabbed him and pulled him close.
"Oof," he grunted. "Oh," he said, scratching his head. "Odd."
"For you maybe, but not for me or any of the other muggles or muggle born wizards."
His eyes twitched slightly as he took the photo. "Cool…" he said hesitantly.
Opal snatched the picture back from him, seeing his face. "Well if you don't want to see it!"
"No, I like it," Draco insited. "It's fascinating."
"Fascinating?" Opal laughed. "I thought pictures that moved were fascinating."
"What else don't I know?" Draco asked.
"Have you ever been out in the muggle world?"
"No," he said. "Well, once. I got lost when I was younger, but my father made sure that never happened again."
"Then there are many, many things you don't know," Opal replied.
"What is a phone?" Draco asked suddenly. "I heard Weasely talking about it once, what is it?"
"You can talk to people that are far away with it," Opal explained.
"But you can do that with fire!" Draco replied. Opal didn't respond. "What are you thinking about?" He asked.
"You," she said shortly.
"Why?"
"Why not?" Opal asked. "I'm sorry, I won't think about you anymore," she snapped.
"I was just wondering what makes me that interesting to think about. You make me blush too much," Draco said, feeling his face get hot.
"So?" Opal asked. Draco didn't respond. Opal got close to his face. "What was that?"
"Nothing!" he cried. Opal raised an eyebrow, eyeing him. "What?" Opal laughed and pecked him lightly on the cheek, then did it again on his lips. Draco felt his face get hotter. She remained close to his face, smiling. "You love that, don't you?" he asked. She didn't respond; she just smiled. "You do!!"
"And?"
"Why are you so into making me blush?" Draco demanded.
"For one thing, it's not that hard," Opal replied. "And for another…it kind of makes me feel special."
"Well…" Draco said slowly. "You are."
Opal blushed. "Now see what you made me do!"
Draco laughed. "My turn!"
"Hypocrite," she muttered.
"Ihnen dient rechts!" he said.
Opal realized he was speaking German, but she didn't understand it. "Don't you—whatever you did—to me!" she cried.
"If you can make me blush, I can make you blush," Draco pointed out.
Opal didn't respond. She started humming again, a different song this time. Drac scowled. She stopped suddenly, looking hurt. "What?"
"What are you humming now?"
She blushed. "A love song," she said quietly.
That made him blush too. "Why?"
"Just because," Opal replied, shrugging.
"Right," Draco said, not believing her.
Opal resumed her humming. "Yours are the sweetest eyes I've ever seen," she sang softly.
"Uhm, what song was that?" Draco asked, still blushing. "What's it from?"
"Yours are the sweetest eyes I've ever seen," Opal sung softly. She wasn't really paying attention to Draco. She seemed spaced out.
Draco's eyes widened. "Huh?"
"Hope you don't mind, I hope you don't mind…that I put down in words…how wonderful life is, now your in the world," she sang. She stopped suddenly, blushing once she realized she was singing. "Nothing. Sorry."
"What song where you singing?" Draco asked again.
"It's just a song I used to listen to a lot," Opal said, embarrassed. She blushed redder. "I didn't mean to inflict my voice upon you."
"No, it was good!" Draco insisted.
"Hmph. Not for that song. It was sung by a guy."
"Hope you can sign," Draco sang, trying to imitate Opal. "Hope you can sign, that I put you on the road," he stopped, scratching his head. I think I got the words wrong."
Opal smiled. "Yeah you did. But you have a good voice."
"Nah," Draco said, smiling.
Opal hummed a few notes again. "You could sing it easily."
"You think?" Draco asked. "Who sings it originally?"
"You wouldn't know him. He's a muggle."
"Oh, okay," Draco said. He still wasn't too fond of muggles.
"I was just thinking how that song goes so well with…well, everything."
Draco looked at her oddly. "Everything?"
"How wonderful life is, now you're in the world," she sang very softly. She stopped and looked at him. "It's just that, after Jade died, I didn't really have anyone to talk to. I was scared of Peridot. And then you came along."
"Oh," Draco said. "I feel special."
"You should! You are to me."
"Wie wunderbares Leben jetzt Sie ist, seien Sie in der Welt," Draco said, blushing. (A/N: This is from an online translator, so the grammar may be a bit funky)
Opal frowned. "Draco!"
"Sorry," he apologized.
"When did you learn to speak German so well?" she asked.
"I've been to Germany, and Father had me learn it before I went," he replied.
"Well, I like it," Opal said, kissing him lightly.
Draco blushed again, "Then I'm glad." Opal didn't respond, but started thinking again. "So, uhm, what are you thinking?"
"Thinking? I'm thinking I'm going to go off in Japanese if you keep speaking German," Opal threatened.
"Uh…" Draco said. "Okay, I'll stop."
"I might do it anyway," Opal said.
"Go ahead," he urged. "I'd like to hear what it sounds like."
Opal said something quietly in Japanese. She soon got into it and was rattling about something in Japanese. It was only when she saw the look on Draco's face that she stopped. "What?" she asked.
"Wow," was all he could say. That just set her off again. When she finally stopped, he asked, "What are you saying?"
"Sorry," Opal said. Her face was flushed. "It just feels so good to speak in Japanese again." She looked at Draco as if just hearing the question. "You never told me what you were saying, why should I?"
Draco laughed. "By the look of joy on your face while speaking it, I could tell. Which do you want to know?" he asked. "Wie wunderbares Leben jetzt Sie ist, seien Sie in der Welt means 'how wonderful life is now you are in the world,'"
Draco said.
"Scheiße kopf muß Val sterben," Opal said, trying to say it right. "What does that mean?"
"It says…uh…" Draco blushed. "'Stupid head Val must die'. Or something like that." (A/N: There's a long story behind this, don't ask) Opal's eyes widened. "She knocked you out! I was mad," Draco said.
"Yeah, I know," Opal conceded.
"Oh, I remember! It's 'Shit head Val must die', duh," Draco said suddenly. Opal couldn't say anything, she just looked at him, shocked. "What?" he asked.
Opal shook her head angrily. "Nevermind," she said shortly.
"What?" Draco repeated. "Come on."
"Nothing," Opal said.
"Then why did you shake your head?"
"I'm sorry, but I get a bit touchy when someone tells my creator that she has to die."
"I wasn't serious," Draco insisted.
"Still…"Opal said.
"I'm sorry," Draco said. Opal looked away. "Opal…come on," he pleaded.
"What," she said shortly, still not looking at Draco.
"You know I didn't mean it."
"How am I supposed to know that?" Opal flared. "You used to do it all the time. Insulting people was your forte, remember?" she asked coldly.
Draco stepped back, hurt. "I thought you understood! I'm not like that anymore, but I can be if you really want it."
"I know you're not like that anymore," Opal said. "But you still wish you were, don't you? It'd be easier for you, wouldn't it?
"Who said anything was supposed to be easy?" Draco asked. "If I wanted to stay the way I was, do you think I'd be standing here with you right now?"
Opal looked down. "Probably not," she conceded.
Draco looked at her. "Opal, it may be hard for me to be nice, but if I didn't want to change, I'd be hanging out with the Slytherins who—," he stopped suddenly and looked away.
"You don't have to say it," Opal said. "I know."
"Why would I want to be like…them?" Draco asked, still looking away.
"I don't know why you would. But you were. And I know you're not anymroe, but I—I know it's hard for you. You don't need me making it harder for you," she said quietly.
Draco looked at Opal. "You aren't. If anything you are helping."
"Helping?" Opal scoffed and backed away. "I doubt it."
"You are," Draco insisted. "I wouldn't be able to do this without you." She continued to back away, her face now turned away from Draco. "Opal?" Opal stopped, her back now turned to Draco. "I thought you understood. Opal…please."
"I don't understand why being with me helps you at all," Opal admitted. "I've caused you nothing but trouble."
"No you haven't," Draco insisted. "Without you I have no one. Who can I talk to? Crabbe and Goyle? Ha, they are so stupid. They owuldn't accept my change. Everyone else hates me. You are the only one that talks to me. You are my friend, Opal. And the fact that you are nice makes me want to be just like you." Opal turned to face Draco. Her eyes were red. "Opal…"
"Gomen," she whispered. "Gomen Draco. For everything."
"What are you sorry for?" Draco didn't know what gomen meant, but he assumed it was an apology.
Opal looked at her feet. "Blowing up at you. I overreacted."
Draco went to her and hugged her. "It's okay."
Opal hugged him back, laying her head on his shoulder. "Thank you,"she said, and started to cry.
"Please don't cry," Draco said gently.
Opal sniffed, shaking a teeny bit. "I don't mean to."
Draco hugged her tighter. Opal made a tiny oof sound, squeaking. He loosened some. "Sorry."
She laughed, maintaining her grip on Draco. "You are the only one who has ever made me squeak and lived to tell the tale," Opal said.
"Oh, that makes me feel safe," Draco replied nervously. "What happened to the last guy who did that?"
"Madame Pomfrey got to know him quite well," she said, smirking.
"Oh!" Draco said. He tried to back up.
Opal held him firmly. "Where are you going?"
"Uhm," Draco said nervously. "No where."
Opal looked at Draco's face, smiling. "You really believed me, didn't you?" Opal asked.
"Well, yeah," Draco replied. "So?"
"You think I'd really do that to a person for making me squeak?" Opal demanded.
"Well, no," Draco admitted. "But you never know."
"Well, you don't have to worry," Opal reassured him. "I have never harmed another person in my life."
"Good," Draco said, regaining his confidence and poking her.
Opal squeaked and glared at Draco. "Don't want me to start with you, do you?!"
Draco laughed. "No, no! But you're so funny when you squeak!"
Opal poked him. "You don't make any odd noises, do you?"
Draco snickered. "No."
"No fair," Opal pouted.
Draco smiled. Opal tried to keep her pout and not smile. "Come on," he pleaded.
"No."
"Come on, you know you want to smile!"
"Poke me again, and I'll hurt you," Opal threatened.
Draco raised his hands into the air as a sign of surrender. "I wasn't going to!" Opal stepped forward, putting her palms onto Draco's and pinning him against the wall. His eyes widened. "Yipe."
Opal tried to laugh without smiling. "It's not working," she said mostly to herself.
"I see that," Draco responded, smiling wider.
"You have to be ticklish somewhere," Opal insisted.
"Nope, sorry."
"Maybe I'll make you blush instead," Opal said, smiling evilly.
"Uh…"
"I know how to make you blush bright red," Opal explained.
"So I've gathered."
Opal smiled. She dropped Draco's hands and pressed her body agaisnt him. She kissed him softly on the lips, achieving the desired effect of Draco blushing flaming red. Her eyes were closed as she felt the heat in his lips. She stopped kissing him, but stayed close. "Victory," she whispered. Draco was still blushing as he grumbled a little.
Opal stepped back. "What's the grumbling for?"
"You always make me blush," Draco said. "Now you sure rubbing doesn' thelp?
Opal rubbed his cheeks gently. "If it doesn't help with you do it, my doing it will probably make it worse, but oh well!" Draco blushed more, not expecting her to rub his cheeks. "Ai' shiteru yo," Opal whispered.
"Huh?" Draco asked. "Opal…"
"Yes?"
"What does that mean?"
"What does what mean?" she said curiously.
"Eye sheeberu mo…er…something like that," Draco said.
"It just means uhh…'I'm really happy being with you,'" she lied quickly.
"Oh," Draco said. "Well, eye sheeberu to you too then," he attempted to repeat what Opal said.
Opal smiled. "No, no, repeat after me. Ai' shiteru yo," her smile faded soon after she said it. "No, don't repeat what I said, Draco."
Draco had been trying to repeat it when she said this. "I don't think I can," he reassured her.
"That's alright. I shouldn't have made you try to say it anyway," Opal said.
"But…okay. How come? I don't understand."
"You shouldn't say things you don't mean," Opal said.
"But I do enjoy being with you," Draco said, confused.
"I know, and I enjoy being with you too, but—," she trailed off, looking away. "That's not what I said."
"Opal…?"
Opal didn't look at Draco. "What?"
"Then what does it mean?" he asked.
"I—don't want to say."
"Oh. Alright then," he said giving up.
She still wasn't looking at him when she said really fast, "IloveyouDraco."
It took Draco a second to realize what she said. When he understood, his eyes widened. "You what? I…" he trailed off, blushing.
Opal blushed, still looking not looking at Draco. He was studdering to find the right words to say to her. "S-sorry. I shouldn't have said that."
"No!" Draco cried. "It's…I…" he looked at her and pulled her close, kissing her.
He pulled off her a second later, hugging her. "I love you, too," he whispered in her ear as he pulled back.