Anything that's not blatant is a riddle
Please read and review if you can!

Author's penname: Elixa Amethyst
Voices of the Past Part III
Written May 2002 onwards, pre Order of the Phoenix.
All characters and things you recognise, are © JKRowling, no infringement intended.

All references to "mediwizard" mean healer.
Please read parts I and II first.

-------------

Chapter Six
To The Future

NEWTs seemed impossible following the events. Kerry was receiving extra lessons in an effort to catch up. I was studying as hard as she was, determined to get the grades I wanted. The exams were over in a matter of weeks and the whole of the seventh year just collapsed in a heap after the final exam, regardless of house. Professor McGonagall had to stifle a laugh as she saw us all flop at the desks after taking our written transfiguration paper in the great hall. It was our last exam and all we wanted to do was get ready for the end of school dance. We were allowed to invite people from younger years to be our partners if we wished. I was bringing Draco as was obvious, but Kerry was downhearted since her loss of Claude, she'd had feelings for him despite him being a Voldermort follower.
"If you haven't got anyone, I'm sure Crabbe or Goyle could be made available." Malfoy said with an evil smile. Kerry scowled at him. I knew she had got close to Peterson and death had torn her. She ended up coming with Crabbe anyway, Goyle had been chosen by a girl in Ravenclaw, and had gone along anyway so as not to be the odd one out and not go.

After about the third dance Draco told me how impressed he was with my dancing, since the last time he'd asked me about it, I'd told him I danced terribly. He asked if I'd had lessons, and all I could do was laugh as we danced, remembering Christmas day. I danced with Draco for a good few dances, one with Crabbe, and one with Goyle. Matthew Lysander asked me to dance too, and I eventually agreed old enemies could be forgotten for that one night. Nearing the end of the evening, I walked away from the group I was sat with and approached the teacher's table. A couple of the teachers had danced together as friends, Dumbledore and Professor McGonagall being one of the most talked about dances as Professor McGonagall had tripped up the headmaster after one too many drinks. Luckily Dumbledore caught himself. Minerva had been red faced ever since. Severus was sat next to Minerva, and he didn't look particularly happy, having been asked to come as head of Slytherin house.
"Good evening Elixa." Dumbledore greeted his face smiling. I gave a nod to Albus and returned the greeting before speaking to my uncle.
"Could I have this dance?" I asked gently, holding out my hand. He looked taken aback slightly. Minerva gave a chuckle.
"Can't be any worse than me and Albus, Severus."
"Might be the last chance you get." Professor Sprout laughed, trying not to choke on her drink. Severus pushed his chair back and stood up, taking my hand. I caught sight of a line of grins from the staff table, and we walked down to the floor, hand in hand, ignoring the whispers from the other dancers. The dance did have words to it, but the performance tonight had omitted them. It was clear Severus didn't agree with the fact they had, and after the first line of the words, I realised he was singing very gently, so that I was probably the only one who could hear. I was amazed by it, and my feet paused, and my foot would have got trodden on if my uncle didn't dance so well.
"I didn't know you sang so well..."
"There's no doubt a lot of things you don't know about me Elixa." Severus replied between verse and chorus. I sang along for the chorus, remembering it was one of my mother's favourite songs. By the second chorus I saw what could be a tear in one of the dark eyes I was gazing into, it was bringing back memories. He blinked it away and looked up away from my face in an effort to stop the emotion. As the song came to an end, the couples around us were dancing closer. Without evening noticing, so were we. When the song ended, Severus seemed to realise, and I planted a small kiss on his cheek beside his ear and broke away from him.
"You make a lovely couple." Minerva commented a dreamy look in her eyes. I expected a venomous look from my uncle, but he seemed to agree in a way.
"Thank you." He told me quietly, before I went back to my friends.
"Thank you as well." I breathed and walked slowly away.

Later that night after the dance I collapsed into bed exhausted by dancing all night. Draco had been significantly quieter following the one dance with Severus. It worried me in a way. I felt for the ring on my finger and drew my hand to my face in shock. It was missing. I was too tired to consider where it had gone, but picked up my wand and gently murmured a summoning charm for it. Nothing. It worried me. I shut my eyes and listened to my mind playing the sound of my uncle's voice singing gently along as we danced. My mind went back, thinking of the times we'd been in close contact, reminding me of the thoughts I'd had on Christmas day about how attractive he was, and then when he found the ring on my finger from Draco. It pained me to think about it, despite being Slytherin, I didn't like hurting people I was close to. I opened my eyes and swallowed, thinking about what had happened that evening, the hurt in Kerry's eyes despite asking Crabbe to accompany her. Then my mind went to Moody, and the way Harry hadn't been able to look me in the eye. I turned onto my side, trying to sort the thoughts in my head, but they were drowning me. I got up and walked from the dormitory to the common room. I pointed in the vague direction of the fireplace to light a fire, and noticed there was someone seated beside it. I suspected it was someone who'd just fallen asleep. I crossed gently over and saw it was Malfoy. He was slumped, his fist tight around something, on the table before him was a note on a piece of parchment. I leant over to read it, and was surprised to see it addressed to me…

Elixa,

It's not going to work, I'm sorry for doing this, but it's just not possible any more. It's not possible for me. That may sound selfish, but it's the truth. I've battled with my father for all the time we've been together, he tried to stop your owls during the summer, and with his contacts, he's keen to keep himself faithful, which includes making sure his son and family are faithful. I've tried to make him see sense, but it's not working. I can't even mention your name or make any gesture that you are more than just a name in the year above.

Your uncle is just as bad, I used to just think it was Potter who he picked on, but he's been taking it out on me too. He must have thought I was the one making you sleepwalk, not Susan, and he's been threatening me a lot. I didn't want to mention it because I knew I was innocent, and that if I told my father it would just cause more trouble than is worth. I do love you, it may not appear so day by day, but I do. It breaks me to think of the future without you, and this is the only way I can bring myself to say it… so … good bye…