Author's Note: Have no fear, NOFT will be updated within the next week, but I had to write this, partly in tribute to Rana Erressa and her Astronomy Tower series, partly because the burden of updating NOFT is giving me a headache, and mostly because I wanted to. Without further ado, here is…oh, wait, I forgot something. I don't own Harry Potter. Okay, now here is…
Listen to the Snow
A young man is sitting by a window, watching the flames in the old stone fireplace dance. Sometimes they're quiet, and burn with a silent waltz. Sometimes they crackle and sputter, and the silence is now haunted with warmth and life.
Ron's gaze shifts the window. Snow is falling, as quietly as the flames dance. He settles back in his seat and lets an old memory run its course.
A young woman took the hand of a little boy and smiled. She led him to the frosted window and lifted him up to watch the snow outside. "Some people just watch," she whispered softly to the little boy in her arms. "But the real beauty is not found unless you listen."
"But…I can't hear anything," the little boy whispered back.
The young woman brushed a lock of red hair from his eyes. "Just listen to the snow."
A smile tugs at the corners of Ron's mouth as he remembers that winter, long ago. He pauses for a moment, before carefully lifting the latch and opening the window. It's completely black, except for the pure snowflakes brushing against his freckled face. He closes his eyes for a moment, letting the peace wash over him. He opens them again and sees something new against the black sky and white snow.
It's a girl.
Ron forgets the snow. She's dancing, another different melody to the ones he knows. The snow swirls around her in a dress of air and grace and he's completely enchanted. She senses someone is watching her and turns around to look at Ron in the window.
Luna smiles. "Hello, Ronald."
He's surprised. Looney Luna Lovegood wasn't Looney when she was dancing. He can't find anything to say.
"It's pretty, isn't it," she comments, not noticing his silence. He starts to agree, but she leaves him speechless again. "But that's nothing if you listen instead." Ron decides it's not worth it to say there's nothing to listen to. So he closes his eyes and strains his ears.
There's something faintly playing.
Ron listens harder and there's a quiet sort of music. Another different song. The waves on the lake beat in time to the whistling wind and the snow is tinkling over everything. It's beautiful, more beautiful than the snow itself.
He opens his eyes and Luna's watching him from below the window. Snow is caught in her hair and eyelashes and he knows she won't be Looney to him anymore. The flames are waltzing, the snow is falling, and Luna is smiling. And it's lovely. Ron can now see the real beauty and his mother's young voice from long ago whispers softly in his ear.
Listen to the snow…