A/N: Hello all! Enjoy! It's one of my longest chapters! All just for you!!!
Chapter Sixteen
The Summer I Discovered Music and Cooking Chicken Cacciatore
Now, I'm going to fast-forward our story a bit because nothing significant really happens. I passed the OWL's with flying colours. I believe I was third in our year. Harry was right behind me, I was so pleased about that. Finally, the Boy Who Lived wasn't quite so perfect anymore. (He'll probably kill me for that remark but hey, it's my memoirs!) Gryffindor won the Quidditch cup and we were second. Ravenclaw won the house cup. And I went home for the first part of the summer.
Harry was so happy that he was moving out of the Dursley's and no doubt they were happy to be rid of him. Sirius had secured a house about an hour from London. Harry had spent a good chunk of the summer helping Sirius fix it up. Of course he had bought something the realtor said was a 'handy man's dream' but it didn't seem to bother him.
Actually, Harry said Sirius was ecstatic about getting to make their home like how he wanted it to be. I was just so happy that everything was starting to go right for Harry. He deserved it after everything he's been through. But to stay so close to London, they were going to need a secret keeper. Of course Dumbledore offered to be theirs and Sirius eventually, grudgingly accepted. They would only need him until the defeat of Voldemort.
* * *
I walked down the hall of the mansion in search of father. Harry had just owled me a letter asking me to come spend a couple of weeks with him and Sirius, the last week of July and the first week of August.
"Dad!" I shouted after I couldn't find him.
"What?" I heard him shout from somewhere upstairs.
"Where are you?" I asked just to make sure
"Attic!" He shouted in reply.
"OKAY!" I shouted as I began climbing the stairs. I was about half way up the second last stairway when the most beautiful music met my ears. I did not recognise the song but it sounded like a piano.
At the time, I had only heard of pianos and not actually seen one. I cautiously stepped up the stairs to the attic so as not to disturb him.
"I met your mother this way," he said as I stopped at the top of the stairs. He didn't stop playing. I smiled and walked to stand beside him.
I watched his hands fly over the silky white keys. He elicited beautiful sounds from it with just the gentlest touch. It was amazing. His hands were so delicate yet so strong.
"How?" I asked not taking my eyes off of his hands. The song was amazing. I later learned the name was Cannon in D by Johann Pachelbell.
"I was in the Three Broomsticks in Hogsmeade. They had a piano back then and it was quite early. Rosmereta had let me come in early because I hadn't touched a piano in months and I... er… begged her to let me. So, when it was time for the Hogsmeade weekend I snuck out early and went down to the Three Broomsticks. I was playing this song.
"Narcissa said she was one of the first people down in the village that day and she was walking by when she had heard the most beautiful music. Of course, she had to see who was playing and she came into the pub. She saw a blonde boy, no older than you are now, sitting at the back of the pub in front of the piano. She told me that was what made her fall in love with me, my passion in the music…" He trailed off as if words failed him, thinking of that wonderfully fated day. "Of course our relationship was frowned upon, her being a Ravenclaw and I a Slytherin… but then after school we got married and had you."
I had tears running down my face as he finished his story. I sat down beside father and hugged him.
"I miss her so much," I cried into his chest.
"You and me both, Draco," he said as he stroked my hair.
* * *
After that, I had asked him to teach me how to play. He was reluctant at first, but he gave in saying that it would be a joy to see his son doing something that he so loved to do. I was happy about it and I couldn't help but think it made him feel better too.
"No, Draco. Keep the tempo even. 1, 2,3, and 4," Father said as he tapped his hand because he couldn't find his old metronome. It was a lot harder than it looks, playing the piano. I was working on a simple piece and I was getting frustrated with it.
"I'm trying to!" I said annoyed as I started again.
"No, Draco. Watch you're fingering, it makes it easier. O.k. begin again. Mhmm… Keep it steady. Watch the dynamics. Yup, there you go! Play it once more," he was walking behind me, watching my hands and correcting my mistakes. He was a hard ass when it came to music I found that out the hard way but a Malfoy doesn't give up. I began again and when I had finished he threw his arms around me.
"There you have it."
* * *
"You don't mind?" I asked quietly. I felt guilty to be leaving father for two weeks.
"No, no of course not," he said as he stirred his coffee.
"Are you sure?"
"Yes. But you have to be cautious about where you are and who you talk to," he said pointedly. "But, I doubt you and Harry will leave your room let alone go outdoors…"
"Dad!" I blushed.
"What?" He said innocently. I punched him playfully in the arm.
* * *
"I will owl you everyday. I promise," I said as I hugged my dad. We were standing in front of the fireplace. We could floo out but no one could floo in.
"I know. Have fun," he winked and held the jar of floo powder out to me.
"Oh you know I will," I said slyly as I grabbed a handful of the powder. "Bye, dad. Sirius and Harry's!" I heard dad say 'Bye' then I was sucked up into the green flames.
I was spinning and I felt like I was going to lose my lunch, but I love travelling by floo. It just feels wicked. I love it, Harry hates it. Go figure. I guess it is true when they say opposites attract.
Then before I know it I am standing in their living room. No one was to be seen. So, I dropped my bags and went looking for some sign of life in the house.
The house was really quite lovely. It was warm, homey and felt like it was lived in. The walls were many different colours depending on the room. The walls in what I expected was the living room were a creamy sort of beige. I walked out into the hall and it was an exquisite forest green. I could smell some coffee so I followed it to the kitchen and it was a cheerful blue. Then I heard something coming from the backyard.
"Marco!" I heard Harry yell.
"Polo!" Sirius answered and then some splashing.
"Marco!"
"Polo!" It went on like this for quite some time and then Harry shouted in triumph. It sounded quite strange, so I went to the white French doors and walked out into the backyard. I shielded my eyes with my arm but when my eyes adjusted to the light I could see Harry and Sirius in a pool playing a game.
I stood there watching them. Sirius had his eyes closed and was shouting 'Marco' and Harry had his back to me shouting 'Polo'. Then, Sirius dived at Harry, who whipped around to evade the attack. He spotted me and stood up abruptly.
"Draco?" He asked shielding his eyes against the sun. I nodded and he looked at his watch by the side of the pool. "Shit! Sirius! We've been out here too long!" He smacked Sirius, who whipped around and looked up at me. He smiled and I couldn't help but smile back, but I was still a bit cautious around him because he had threatened me so… easily.
"Hey Draco!" He said as he swam up to the ledge. "Care to join us?"
"Oh no. That's ok," I said shying away from being in swim trunks in front of Sirius. I don't know why, it just felt weird.
"Oh come on, Draco!" Harry said and gave me his best puppy dog eyes.
"No thanks," I said firmly, feeling my resolve start to crumble. He pouted and tried again.
"Please?" He said quietly. I looked at him and was about to say no again when he said those two words that make you do anything they want. "For me?" I sighed.
"Fine." I walked back into the house, put on my trunks and went back outside.
Sirius whistled the second I had shut the door and I blushed a brilliant shade of red. I walked shyly to the pool and slid in. I have to admit, I was being rather shy usually I'm, to some extent, an exhibitionist.
The pool was warm and quite deep. I swam around for a little bit then settled on the stairs. Harry swam over and sat down next to me.
"So, how was the first part of your summer?" He asked and he took my hand and pressed it to his lips.
"I'll take this as my cue to leave!" Sirius said loudly as he hopped out of the pool and booked it into the house. We laughed at him.
"I learned and am learning to play the piano," I said quietly.
"That's awesome! You'll have to play for us sometime. Sirius bought a piano. It was kinda weird, I couldn't understand why he bought it," Harry said quietly. I smiled.
"How about you? I'm sure the Dursley's were happy to get rid of you, eh?"
"You have no idea! I told them I was leaving and Aunt Petunia burst into tears and gave me a hug. Uncle Vernon gave me 20 pounds and they brought me here!" He laughed.
"Did it take you two long to clean this place up?"
"Oh, no! We had it finished in about a week. Sirius had to brush up on his skills and I couldn't use magic so that took us a while," he was grinning broadly now. "You know what?"
"What?" I asked. He pulled me close and kissed me gently.
"That," he smiled.
"I missed that," I said dreamily. "Harry?"
"Yeah?"
"I'm cold." Which I was even though the pool was somehow heated that didn't help the wind that was blowing in from the north.
"Come on then." He took my hand and we dried then went into the house.
* * *
"So what do you guys want for dinner?" Sirius asked.
"Umm… It doesn't matter to me," I said as I sat down on one of the armchairs.
"Hey, Dray. I hate to ask but could you cook something? Sirius is still learning the basics of cooking and I don't trust him since the last incident," Harry asked politely. He was always so gentleman like. I smiled.
"Of course I will!" I said happily. I hadn't cooked in a while so I was happy to do it. I stood up and walked into the kitchen with Sirius and Harry trailing behind. I walked around the counter and leaned on it. "Well, what do you guys like?"
"If it's food I'll eat it!" Sirius said as he sat down on one of the bar stools.
"If Sirius doesn't cook it, I'll eat it!" Harry said as he sat down next to Sirius. I smiled and went to the fridge. "Hmm… Looks like I can make… Garden Salad and…" There was some chicken and stuff in there too. "Chicken cacciatore."
"Oohh! Sounds sort of exotic!" Sirius said excitedly.
* * *
Disclaimer: J.K. Rowling owns it all unless otherwise specified!
A/N: So how was that? Did you like? I hope so! I have the next for days off before second semester begins! I'm finished with exams! SCORE!!!! Anyway, I don't want to cause an uproar because it is just a rumour I've heard… but, J.K. Rowling may be suing sites that have slash because it slanders her characters or whatever… So, if that happens ff.net will probably be the first to cave SO if you would like to keep getting updates and such, please leave your email address! BUT Don't panic cuz I don't know for sure! Just thought I'd keep you informed! Thanks so much for reviewing and reading! Thanks again! Luv Gia