Title: Life, As Experienced Through Your Fingers
Author: Gold-Snitcher
Chapter Three: The Green Reaction
-
"Alright. Who the hell was responsible for that" Dean cried as they got back into the car after the movie. Everyone looked around expectantly and Neville blushed crimson.
"But the title sounded good" he protested.
"Yeah, it sounded wonderful ... please, let's never let Neville pick movies anymore. And, come to think of it, lets never let him pick the music either. In fact, Neville, we love you, but never make a decision that will affect us at all" Seamus cried and made a dramatic show of rubbing his temples. "I need a drink" he whinged, and was promptly smacked in the head by Blaise and Dean.
"I didn't think it was too bad" Ron commented, and was fixed with shocked stares from everyone in the vehicle. Except Harry, who was driving, and Hermione, who was smiling.
"Neither did I" she said, and patted his arm. "I thought it was okay."
"Urgh. Fluffiness abounds in this vehicle" Blaise said and leaned forward. "Harry, we have to decontaminate your truck." Harry laughed and shook his head.
The drive from the theatre to the club was not long, or wouldn't have been, if Neville and Dean hadn't decided that they were dying slowly of starvation and forced everyone to pick-up a snack. It was dark out by the time they got there, and everyone was impatient and ready for alcohol. They stormed the club happily and occupied a corner booth.
"Neville, you're not ordering milk, that's embarrassing" Blaise said.
"But last time I drank, I barely lasted an hour before I fell asleep" Neville whinged, and Ron patted his friend's back comfortingly.
"It's okay, get a virgin drink." Neville blinked blankly at him, and Ron sighed. "I'll order for you, okay, Nev"
"Sure. Thanks Ron."
"No problem."
Blaise smirked. "Hey, Nev. You're a sleepy drunk"
"I guess. What other options are there" he asked, looking confused and genuinely interested. The waitress showed-up and they placed their orders and Blaise settled back as if he were about to educate a class of eager children.
"Well, I am a wise and all-knowing drunk" Blaise stated calmly, and everyone sniggered.
"Yes. That's what that is" Ron muttered, and Blaise looked affronted before he smirked.
"Blaise, stop being an arse. You and everyone else here knows you are a lewd and lecherous drunk" Draco commented and everyone, except Hermione who was in no position to know such things, nodded emphatically.
"Yeah, I guess you're right. But you, sir, are not one to talk, seeing as you are a horrible flirt when you're drunk."
Draco pretended to be shocked. "But I'm always a horrible flirt" he said, and Hermione snickered.
"It's true. That's hardly different from his usual temperament" she said, and Blaise looked serious and nodded knowingly.
"Okay, a horrible flirt who is also horribly dirty-minded and no longer has his social filter in place like he does when he's sober" Blaise amended.
Hermione nodded. "That sounds like a drunk Draco to me."
Draco looked appalled. "Okay then. Hermione, you are one of those really horribly loud and obnoxious drunks."
"But, Draco, all drunks are like that" Seamus said, blinking innocently.
"Not as much as Hermione" Draco said.
"Well. I'm incredibly sweet when I'm drunk" Seamus said, drawing attention to himself.
"No, Seamus ... we don't know what you are when you're drunk, but it certainly isn't sweet." Seamus gaped and smacked Dean.
"Coming from the stupid drunk" Seamus muttered.
"And Ron's a competitive drunk" Blaise said, trying to draw Hermione's attention back to where he and Draco wanted it.
"I am not" The boy was turning red again.
"You are. Actually, you're like that anyway, it just gets really magnified." Draco looked over at Harry in surprise, and Harry smirked and passed his glass over to the red head. "Sorry, it's true" he said to Ron's surprised expression. "Want a sip" he asked, and Ron shrugged and took a sip from his friend's drink.
"That's really good. What's in it" Ron asked, sipping again.
"Dunno. I just asked for the Special." Harry took the drink back and sipped at it before perking-up. "Luna is here." Everyone turned to see a tall skinny girl at the bar. Draco noticed immediately that her eyes were on Harry but brushed it off. Of course they would be on Harry, the two obviously knew each other.
"Oh great" Dean whined. "She's absolutely strange" he added and Harry rolled his eyes.
"I'll just go say hello" he said and scooted out of the booth. Draco turned his attention away from the dark-haired boy and Glenn Miller's "Sing, Sing, Sing" came on.
He smirked at Hermione. "Anxious to get out onto the dance floor" he asked, and she grinned. If there was one thing Hermione liked, it was dancing. Especially swing.
"Yes, please" she said and scooted out quickly, accepting Draco's hand and followed him out. When they were a ways away from the table, Hermione smirked at her friend.
"Enjoying yourself" she asked, and Draco smirked back at her.
"Oh yes. You" He picked her up and she somersaulted in the air. He placed her back on the ground and she laughed.
"Of course. You know I always enjoy your efforts to set me up." He frowned at her and she laughed. "I'm not daft, Draco."
"Well, it was worth a shot." He spun her out and then pulled her back. "So, what do you think"
"I like him" she said, and Draco laughed and picked her up, swinging her out to one side, then the other, then putting her down again.
"Good, because he likes you, too" he said, and she looked at him a little breathless.
"Gawd. I forgot how good you were at this" she said, and he relented, giving her a moment to catch her breath and spinning around holding her close. She looked at him with a funny look and asked hesitantly. "Really? You mean it" She was blushing slightly and Draco nodded.
"It's really obvious."
"He doesn't seem as if he's going to do anything though. I mean, make a move." Draco glanced back at the booth and immediately spotted the blue eyes focused on him darkly.
"That's my problem. Don't worry about it" Draco said and she rolled her eyes at him.
"Honestly, Draco, I can do it. Girls aren't just there to sit around and look pretty until some dashing knight comes and swoops her away."
"First, Ron is not a knight, and never speak to me about your sordid fantasies again. Second, I'm quite aware of the strength innate in all females but that's not the point. If you make the first move, then you're always going to be making the first move. He's got to figure it out for himself and decide himself whether you're worth possible embarrassment but long-term joy." Before she could respond he had he in the air again, and when she touched back down she was grinning.
"What have you got planned"
"Absolutely nothing. But Harry has something."
She smiled coyly at him and batted her eyelashes. "When's the wedding, Draco"
"Fuck off" he said, and the song ended and they went back to the table. Draco helped Hermione to her seat and spotted Harry and Luna talking on the other side of the club. "I'll be right back" he said.
"Where are you going" Hermione asked with a knowing lilt in her voice, which Draco ignored and walked off hearing Blaise's comment,
"Honestly, he's had three drinks. Where do you think he's going"
He made his way over to the dark-haired teen and noticed that he seemed very tense, even if he was pretending not to be. He smiled to himself and tapped Harry on the shoulder. The boy spun around and then smiled a little. "Draco. This is Luna Lovegood." Draco recognized her as the girl who was a part of the improvisation club that Seamus and Harry and Blaise were a part of. He shook her hand and she smiled, eyes still on Harry. Draco was starting to feel a bit protective.
"So, anyway, Luna. Are you here alone" Harry asked.
Luna batted her eyelashes. "Want to make a move, Harry" she asked coyly and Draco gritted his teeth, surprised when Harry merely laughed.
"No, but who is it"
"It's Jake" she said and Harry nodded approvingly.
"Perfect. Can I borrow him" he asked, and both Draco and Luna looked at him open-mouthed. "Er, it's for a very good cause" Harry said, and Draco realized what Harry was planning.
"What for" Luna asked skeptically, and Harry outlined the plan. "Alright" she said and went over to a booth where a boy with brown hair, who was tall and fairly handsome smiled and, after a rushed conversation, followed Luna back over.
"Heya, Harry. So, you want to employ my abilities."
"If you don't mind" Harry said, matching the boy's grin.
"Not at all. Anything for a friend" Jake said jovially and rubbed his hands together. "Who's the lucky lady" he asked, and Harry nodded his head towards their booth. "Good. What's my cue then"
"Well, I'll get Hermione out on the dance floor, and when we get back, come over" Harry said, and Draco was smirking at Harry's planning.
"Do you want subtle and delicate, or blatantly obvious" Jake asked, and Draco figured he must have been in the acting course.
"Well, this is Ron" Harry said, and Jake nodded knowingly.
"Blatantly obvious it is, then. Right. I'm ready when you are" he said, and Harry nodded, motioning Draco back to the booth.
"Do you not like to dance, Hermione" Harry asked, and Hermione looked up.
"I love to dance, but only Draco's asked me." Harry flashed a meaningful look at Ron, who flushed and stared into his drink. I Got Rhythm came on and Harry smirked to himself.
"Well then, would you like to" Draco bit his lip and occupied himself with a long sip from his drink and Hermione grinned and nodded, hopping out of the booth and accepting the extended hand.
It was a relatively slow song, and Draco couldn't help but watch them dance. They really looked good together, and the thought made him sad and frustrated. Harry could really dance.
"Is this part of your plan" Hermione asked quietly and Harry grinned.
"No. My plan starts when you get back to the table. If I know Ron, and I think that seventeen years would mean that I know at least a little, he's going to just sit there and blush and nothing will come of this whatsoever. But, he's rather competitive, and when you get a few drinks in him..."
"So I should be expecting an unsubtle suitor" she asked, amused.
"Yes. Something like that" Harry said and she chuckled.
"Draco was right, you know" she said thoughtfully, and Harry blinked at her.
"What"
"Nothing." He looked at her for a moment and then nodded. "It's good to have met you" she said and Harry wondered if she meant for her to have met him or Draco, he really hoped she meant Draco, but one could never be certain. "You dance really well," she said, and Harry grinned.
"Loads of practice. Big Band was all my dad used to play." He smiled at the memory before the song ended and they headed back to the booth.
Hermione had just settled into a conversation with Ron when Jake walked over and smiled at her.
"I couldn't help but notice you" he purred and Hermione flushed despite her being prepared for something like this. "Someone as lovely as you should be out dancing. Care to" He extended a hand, and when she accepted it, he kissed it, glancing at her alluringly before leading her out onto the dance floor.
Harry looked at Draco, then at Ron, and then glanced back. Ron had turned a bit redder and was staring at the couple.
"That bastard" Ron fumed.
"Now, Ron. Hermione does like to dance. And no one else was dancing with her" Harry said calmly, and Draco wondered how Harry could be so calm when Ron was the color of his hair, fists clenched and looking really quite angry.
"Yeah but ... he saw us. She was here with me" Ron growled.
"Were you dancing with her, Ron? Were you doing anything other than talking to her in a completely casual manner" Harry asked, and Draco noticed that Dean and Seamus had slipped out of the booth and were on the dance floor with two random girls they had picked-up. And Neville was slowly edging out of the booth looking anxious, and Blaise was smirking at Ron.
"No but..."
"Well, then, you're in no position to complain. Hermione was sitting right here. If you felt that way, you should have asked her."
"I know but..."
"But nothing. It's too late now. Jake's going to make a move" Harry said and glanced over at Hermione, who was blushing, and Jake who was whispering in her ear and dancing quite close to her, and generally putting on quite a show. Harry was happy that the song was slow; it would make it harder on Ron.
"What" Ron cried.
"Well, he's taking initiative, now, isn't he" Harry said, as if he were explaining something to a toddler. Draco was trying not to laugh as he watched the interaction between the two boys.
"But I wanted..." Ron started pitifully.
"What" Harry looked blankly at the boy. It was priceless.
"I like her" Ron said, and looked into his glass.
"Good" Harry said, and turned back to his drink, sipping it casually.
"Good"
"Yes. Now go over there and interrupt their dance before he starts snogging her, and cut-in."
"I can't do that" Ron said, still staring sullenly into his drink.
"Ron. Look at them." Ron looked up and went red again. He kept watching them and Harry took the opportunity to lean closer and whisper, quite coolly"Snogging." The reaction was immediate. Ron stood up, stepped-over Neville to get out of the booth. He walked over to Hermione and spoke some vehement words to Jake, who shrugged and managed a dejected look before stepping aside. Ron took Hermione and began dancing with her. Jake flashed the thumbs-up to them and Harry waved.
"That was brilliant" Draco murmured in surprise, and Harry laughed.
"The trick is to know how to handle him."
"Excellent" Blaise said. "That's another down. Six more to go."
"What" Draco asked.
"That's another one of our section happily matched."
"Who's the other"
"Neville" Blaise said, and Neville blushed.
"Neville, you dog" Draco said, and the boy flushed more. "Who is she"
"Ginny" Neville muttered, and Draco frowned.
"Does Ron know"
"'Course" Neville said.
"Well, good for you. And Blaise" Blaise looked over. "Don't count Crabbe and Goyle, please. I really don't think we could ever set them up successfully."
"Okay." Blaise looked across the way and frowned. "Harry, Loony is trying to get your attention."
Harry glanced over and sighed. "I'll be back. And don't call her that."
"You know damn well it's true" Blaise huffed, and rolled his eyes as Harry walked away. "Been after that boy since he was thirteen" Blaise explained with a dark look on his face, and Draco snorted.
"She doesn't hide it at all" Draco commented, and Blaise nodded.
"And still, the boy is oblivious" Blaise sighed. "But, Hermione and Ron are looking happy."
"Mmhm. Hermione already told me that she appreciated the gesture. I think Harry might have told her about the little plan."
"I was wondering what was going on. I mean, Jake has always liked Luna."
"There's an interesting little triangle" Draco said wryly and then frowned when he spotted Harry across the way, looking very tense again. Luna was laughing and had a hand on his arm.
Blaise noticed Draco's expression and followed his gaze over and he snorted. "She's at it again" he said. In truth, he was prepared to go over there and break it up. He knew Harry better than anyone, with the exception of Ron, and Blaise knew that tense look that was smoothed over by a nervous smile. But Blaise also knew Draco, and so he bit his tongue, wondering what would happen.
"Well, I'm sure Harry can take care of himself" Draco commented and quickly sipped at his drink, toying with the straw sullenly.
"Of course. So, when did you meet Hermione" Blaise said, noticing that Draco's eyes continued to stray over to the corner where Harry was.
"Well ... I was in ninth grade and starting at my new ... my new school and ... Excuse a minute, will you" Draco asked casually and Blaise nodded but Draco was already up and out of the booth, walking very calmly over to Luna and Harry.
Blaise wanted to growl when he saw Luna leaning in, a hand on Harry's chest, giggling and not even noticing Harry's panicked expression. The boy was too polite for his own good, he should have just smacked her hand away, but then again Harry had changed after...
"Harry, there you are" Draco said casually but coolly, glaring at Luna before smiling at Harry. He noticed the oddly panicked and yet relieved look in those green eyes and wondered what was going on.
"Draco" the boy said tightly, and Draco sighed.
"Well, are you coming back to the table? Blaise was just thinking about ordering a snack" he lied easily. He remembered waking-up with the boy lying comfortably sprawled over him. Was it just this girl? Or was it just him?
As a test, Draco reached out a hand and gently placed it on Harry's shoulder. Harry's panicked look vanished and submitted completely to one of relief. Draco glared at Luna and she removed the hand from Harry's chest.
"Can I..." she started, but Draco stopped her.
"I saw Jake waiting for you by the bar." He looked at her coldly and pointedly raised an eyebrow.
"Oh. Bye, Harry." Harry didn't even say good-bye, he just sort of nodded and walked hurriedly over to the booth, sliding all the way to the back and, noticing this, Draco took the seat on the other side of him so that Harry could have protection on both sides of him.
"Why didn't you just tell her to sod-off if she was bothering you" he asked, feeling more than a little frustrated and confused.
"She didn't know. She was just being friendly" Harry explained, and Draco rolled his eyes, he was about to retort when Harry smiled a little. "Thanks" he said, and Draco couldn't bring himself to be angry with the boy.
"You missed Ron groping your friend" Blaise said, and Harry and Draco snickered.
"That worked out better than expected" Harry murmured, and they watched as Ron and Hermione, smiling and laughing, danced.
They stayed at the club for a long while. Neville was falling asleep, and Seamus was actually acting calm, and Blaise, who had been refraining from alcohol, took the keys Harry offered and ushered everyone to the car. When they got outside the world was completely white and there was a comfortable chill in the air that always accompanied fresh snow, not too cold but enough to bite.
They clambered into the car while Blaise dusted the snow off it and then headed back. The drive back was completely different, quiet and relaxing. The only people who weren't lulled into a sleepy state were Ron, who was too preoccupied with Hermione cuddled close to him "for warmth" and Blaise, who was driving and hadn't entertained the notion of falling asleep at the wheel. He dropped Hermione off at the inn she was staying at and they returned to school at around two, stumbling and laughing through the snow and finally reaching their rooms, most of them fell asleep without changing.
……………………..
"Will you play for me" she whispered, and Ron went red.
"What are you naughty things doing over there" Seamus teased and Hermione rolled her eyes.
"Nothing, Seamus." She turned back to Ron, and he nodded.
"Er ... I'll just get my cello. Uhm. The conservatory is probably the best place." She nodded and watched as he ran-out quickly to his room. Draco emerged, yawning and rubbing his eyes.
"Good Lord. You are here early" he said, and promptly set-about making coffee.
"Well, it is my last day here. " She stood and hugged her old-friend close. "Thanks so much, Draco" she said, and he smiled and leaned back into the hug before shrugging.
"Honestly, it was as much for me as it was for you. The incessant pining was giving me a migraine" he muttered before pouring a mug of coffee and settling himself on the sofa.
Ron came out of his room with his cello-case slung on his shoulder, and smiled shyly at Hermione. "Er" he said, and she grinned, taking his free arm and ushering him to the door.
"We'll be back later" she said over her shoulder, ignoring Draco's muttered statement of "Much later." and shut the door quietly behind them.
……………………..
"Any requests" he asked as he settled himself onto the stool and adjusted his endpin. The blasted thing was never right. When he was younger, he used to draw a line so he could remember where it should be pulled-out to but eventually, with all the growth-spurts, the blasted thing had been given a new line every time he practiced and he'd stopped.
Hermione, who was perched on the edge of the stage with a leg dangling off the side shrugged. "I don't know... Actually, I don't know much about strings."
"What do you play" Ron asked once he had settled the cello in place.
"Flute" she said, and Ron smiled.
"I've always liked the flute" Ron replied, and then, after a moment of contemplating this new fact. "You'll have to play for me" he said in a hesitant voice, but Hermione grinned at him.
"I'd like that" she said, and meant it. "Now. Play." He laughed and then thought about what he might play. He remembered the song his mother always loved and quickly did a mental run through. He could not screw this piece up.
"Okay. I'm going to play The Swan, by Saint-Saens." He plucked a few notes to check the tuning. He had, of course, already checked it but the cello could have gone out of tune while he was talking. He mentally kicked himself in the head for being so nervous. The main thing was relaxing and trusting himself, he was good at this.
The song was slow and restful, and it always left Ron feeling very calm. He closed his eyes as he played, just feeling his way through the piece, reminding himself not to rush, that his heart was not a metronome, that this had to be played right.
When he finished she sat for a moment with her eyes closed, as if she still tasted the music, and Ron felt oddly calm. He just watched her as she sat, and was startled when she spoke. "What the story behind that"
"Pardon"
"The story. When you played, I could tell there was a story behind it."
He smiled. "My mother, when she was pregnant with me had this record she would always play, with all-sorts of classical music on it that was compiled for the specific purpose of soothing babies. She used to play it when I was very little as well. When I was choosing an instrument, my first choice was cello. I just ... loved the sound. I'd been playing for several years. I was working on the Humoresque(1) when my teacher said I'd mastered it and to move on to the next piece, which was The Swan. I played it through once, perfectly, or pretty much perfectly. I barely even needed the music! My teacher was really surprised, I was never much good at site reading. (2) When I spoke to my mum about it she had laughed and smiled as if she knew it all along and said that it was because I'd heard it so often that the notes just sunk into my head. This song is second-nature to me."
"That's really lovely. And the way you played was really moving." Ron was blushing full out now and he couldn't help it. He stood and began to pack his things away and when he had just slung his cello-case over his shoulder Hermione stepped forward and kissed him, light and sweet, but a kiss just the same. "Will you write to me" she asked, when she had broken the kiss. He took in air for a moment, before smiling.
"Of course."
…………………….
"Bye, everyone" she called again, and they waved at her. Draco, with her bag slung on his shoulder, walked with her to the bus stop. She hugged him tightly. "I really miss you. And I just want to thank you again."
He waved her off. "Come on, Hermione, that's what friends do. Don't make a fuss."
She laughed and kissed his cheek. "Now it's your turn." He rolled his eyes. "He's really sweet, Draco. He's perfect for you" she said, and he blushed.
"Shut up."
"Just don't pussyfoot around it too long. You'll confuse him."
"What"
"Oh come on. Don't play dumb. Slow, constant pressure. Make certain he notices you and doesn't ever forget you're there. But don't just tackle him, I get the feeling he's not open to that" she said.
"You have no idea. Anyway. Thanks. And don't forget to write." She nodded and the bus pulled up. He stuffed her bag under the bus and caught her sleeve. "When I said write, I meant me, not just Ron."
She laughed. "Love you too, Draco" she said, and climbed onto the coach.
……………………..
"You're late. Sit down, we're doing the Beethoven today." Draco hurried forward, shifting through his bag and drawing out the music. Something about this piece always irked him. Not the piece itself, he liked how it was soft and slow, but he always felt cold when he played it and he never liked feeling cold when he played.
He set the music for the Moonlight Sonata out and Snape ran him through his exercises before demanding that he play. So Draco played.
When he finished he shivered, wondering vaguely if he should perhaps visit his room after his piano lesson was through and pick-up an extra sweater, somehow he knew that when he left the piano the coldness would subside. He hated knowing that it was the music that did this to him. The one thing he loved and it froze him.
"Lovely" Snape murmured, a strange reminiscing gleam in his eyes and Draco wanted very much to smile because he loved being told he did the thing he loved well, but he knew that this was empty. This meant nothing. Anyone could play the notes. Anyone could frost-over the piece. That wasn't the point. Draco wanted to play. He wanted to play like Harry had played that day when he first met him. No, like he had always heard Harry play. As if there was something else, besides the music. As if the piece wasn't recorded at all but something spontaneous that spilled forth and could not simply be contained.
"Again. You stumble through the eighteenth bar. Right" Snape point to the spot in the music"there. And again on this line here" Snape pointed. "This time don't."
And it was that simple. You tripped on this note, even though Draco knew it was a slip of his fingers that had no auditory repercussion, but nonetheless, it was less than perfect simply because Draco didn't move perfectly. It was all about the music. Of course it was! What else was there?
There was passion. He thought to himself. But Draco had learned to disregard that voice long ago.
…………………
Draco plunked a few notes on the piano.
He had finished his lessons, had endured the boredom of another history class and laughed his way through math. And, after chasing the cold away with a coffee, he was sitting alone in the piano hall. At least, that's what he called it. It looked like a piano graveyard, though each piano was really exquisitely beautiful, and the room itself looked as if it belonged in Louis the XIV's palace, but still, it looked like a very frigid place. Draco had left most of the lights off and was working from the natural light seeping in through the windows and from the lamp above the piano where he had stationed himself.
He looked back at the piece and sighed, plunking out the first three lines and stopped, glaring at his fingers.
"Stop it" a voice said and Draco looked towards it, catching sight of Harry leaning against the doorframe, arms crossed. There was a duffel bag at his feet but Draco disregarded this, still feeling a little dazed at having not heard the boy enter.
"Stop what" he asked defensively, and Harry sighed, shutting the door and walking over to the piano where Draco was sitting. There was an impatient look on the dark-haired boy's face that changed immediately to a soft expression of something that looked like understanding and patience. A small smile crept across the boy's face and Draco watched it all, feeling vaguely cold.
"Stop thinking" Harry said calmly, and Draco blinked at him.
"I wasn't thinking, I was playing" Draco clipped defensively once more, and wished that he could stop that.
"Well then, stop it. You're preoccupied with the notes. Stop that." Draco watched Harry with calculating eyes before he took a deep breath.
"How" Harry smiled at him and suddenly lunged forward, covering Draco's eyes with his hands. "Do you hear it" he asked quietly, and Draco frowned straining his ears but wondering just the same if perhaps Harry had gone mad.
"What am I listening for"
"The music. Do you hear it? Do you hear the piece" Draco sat and suddenly, yes, he did hear it. He smiled a little and nodded. "What does it sound like to you" Harry asked, still with that soft voice.
"It ... It sounds..." he bit down on his tongue. This was stupid. He felt like a complete moron. He knew the notes. He could play the piece, what the hell was he sitting here for, playing the bloody song in his head and picturing stupid things for"It sounds brooding." He jerked his head back and blinked his eyes open. Where the hell had that come from? Harry smiled at him softly, as if he had just come to understand something about Draco, and Draco couldn't help but feel a bit uncomfortable now.
"That's a start" Harry whispered, and smiled a little wider. Draco couldn't help but think that it looked a bit encouraging. He only stared as Harry walked back to the door and picked-up his bag.
"Where are you going" he asked when he finally got his voice to work.
"Art trip" Harry said, and grinned. "I'll see you next week." Harry waved and Draco nodded at him, watching as the door shut quietly behind the dark haired boy. He tried to pretend that he couldn't still feel warm hands over his eyes. He closed them for a moment.
"Brooding" he said softly after he had sat in silence for a while. He opened his eyes and looked back at the music. Carefully he settled his hands over the keys. When he began the piece he noticed that something had changed. The coldness was still there, the music still sounded oddly flat, but there was something in him that was different a sense of release and he wondered where the hell that had come from.
He decided it wasn't that bad.
-
TBC
-
I would just like to thank everyone who reviewed this fic so far. Especially people who wrote longer reviews. You made my day and, to be completely honest, I was blown-away! Please, if you can spare the time, leave a review, because I really appreciate them.
This chapter is dedicated to Rarity88 for the smashingly long review which gave me the incentive to (after I returned from my round-trip to the moon) get down to work and hurry along with this little ficcy of mine. (Who am I kidding, this is NOT going to be a little fic... that's what I love about it.) And also for reading my bio. And for reading my livejournal. And for commenting on my livejournal. And for recommending my fics to family. Heh. Anything I missed? Oh yeah, puffing my ego-up marvelously. Please keep it up!
-
TEASER:
Seamus gets drunk and betrays a friend
Draco learns more about Harry
Harry returns from the art trip to make a painful discovery!
-
1. For those of you who watch Animaniacs this would be the "Slappy the Squirrel" song.
2. And yes, this is exactly what happened to me. I literally just sat-down and played this relatively complex piece without a single slip. I fully belief in all that stuff about music affecting little kids now because, hey, I heard it and I was in the bloody womb!