A Song without Words
Disclaimer: Not mine. Sorry to JK Rowling for ruining her characters.
WARNING: This chapter has some foul language. I bleeped most of it out. But it's still there. If anyone is at the young age of the spectrum read with caution and please don't tell anyone where you learned it from. Thanks.
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Chapter Four
"I'm going down now, Hermione. You've got fifteen more minutes. Don't be late." Draco called through her door. "And remember our deal."
"I'm not like the other air headed girls at this school, Malfoy. And I do believe that you're insulting my intelligence again." He heard her call back as she prepared for the ball.
"Sorry. I'm leaving now." He waited for her chirp of : "Okay, I'll be down in a few more minutes" before leaving. As he walked down the halls he though of the certain Lioness with which he shared a common room. She definitely seemed to be doing better now after talking about her parents, but something was still off. 'She really needs to talk to her friends. I can't believe that they wouldn't help her. They're really protective and all…'
He pushed open the doors to the Great Hall and tugged at the cuff of his jacket. The hall glittered with magical frost. A dance floor was surrounded by tables that seated ten and fake snow fell overhead. Checking the time, Draco noticed that he still had ten minutes before the start of the ball. He continued to scan the room and his grayish eyes landed on his mentor. Deciding to pass the time, Draco went and started to chat with Snape.
Clasping her necklace on, Hermione gave herself one last look over. Her hair, make-up, jewelry, and dress were perfect. Smoothing the satin material of her dress with her hands, she remembered the little argument she had with Draco earlier. She wanted to pay for half of it at least, but the Slytherin refused point blank and paid for the dress. When she tried on the dress, he also refused to see it on her. He refused to see it at all, in fact. He told Hermione that no one will see it until the ball.
Slipping on her shoes, she checked the clock. She was still on time. Turning the lights off in the rooms, she walked through the deserted corridors to reach the Hall.
Five minutes before six, Hermione walked through the double doors and was amazed. Candles were floating at each table and the room was in semi-darkness. Spotting the Headmaster, Hermione decided not to talk with anyone. Disappearing into a shadowy corner she waited for the next five minutes. By six o'clock there were students sitting at tables waiting for Professor Dumbledore to start the ball.
"Good Evening. I hope that you will enjoy our ball. To open we will start with a dance. Will our Heads come share the first dance?" Professor Dumbledore watched as Draco moved to stand in the middle of the dance floor, awaiting his partner.
In her corner, Hermione brushed her hands on her dress to calm her nerves as she took a step. She walked from the back corner to stand in front of the Hall doors. Raising her chocolate brown eyes, she caught and held the gaze of Draco Malfoy as he stared at her. People turned in their seats to look at Hermione.
She walked forward to the dance floor. Her strappy high heels clicked on the stone floor as her skirt fluttered, kissing the ground. Stopping in front of Draco, she paused and gave a half curtsy to the Head Boy. She waited for him to respond; along with everyone in the room.
Draco let his eyes wander over Hermione as she made her way up to him. Her dark rose skirt whispered as she walked. Grey eyes gazed at the tamed dark curls to her pink lips. Over her bare shoulders to the tight form fitting top of her sleeveless dress that met, seamlessly to the simple A-line skirt. It was such a simple yet elegant dress and it matched Hermione's personality perfectly.
Bringing his eyes back to Hermione's face, he noticed her necklace. Giving a bow, he led Hermione into the dance. Placing one hand on her lower back he had the other lightly holding onto hers. They danced in silence until other couples joined them and the surrounding lights dimmed.
When he was sure that no one was paying attention, Draco leaned forward slightly and whispered, "Nice necklace. Is this the…?" Hermione nodded, removing her hand from his shoulder, she let her fingers run over the cool silver choker in the form of a phoenix, its flaming tail curled and rested at the base of her throat. "It's beautiful on you. Your mother would be so proud. Now smile like a good girl. I'm hungry. You coming?"
As the music changed, the two Heads reached their table that was set up by the front. Draco ordered his food and started eating. Hermione, on the other hand, poured herself a glass of sparkling cider and drank that instead. She had a grim look on her face. She flicked her eyes over the dance hall and noticed her friends laughing together at their table. Looking back at her drink, she heaved a sigh. 'I'm not ready. This is too hard.' She thought to herself.
Draco noticed her distressed look and tapped her hand. "If you want, I'll talk to them." Her gaze didn't move from her goblet. Taking her silence as an okay, he got off his seat and walked to the Gryffindors.
"Let's give them a wake up call."
Harry Potter was in the middle of a joke when Draco tapped him on the shoulder. The entire table fell quiet.
"What do you want, Ferret?" Ron spat out to the tall blonde.
"Just wanted to comment on this picture. Does anyone else see something missing? No?" He smirked, "You really are stupid without your brain, aren't you?"
"What are you getting at, Malfoy?" Harry looked up from his chair.
"It's funny. Even though I'm in Slytherin, I thought normal people stick with their friends when they're going through hardships. I must be wrong." Draco looked passively over the lions.
"Contrary to what you think, Malfoy, we enjoy our new found freedom. Hermione's parents' death, tragic? Yes. But you know?" Harry stood up. "We don't care."
Taken aback, Draco raised an eyebrow. "I think that you need to tell that to her face."
"Why should we?" Ron spat, once again, with malice.
"Get her off your back for good. Isn't it obvious? She thinks you're all still friends." Draco shifted his weight to lean on the chair behind him, ignoring the grumbling of the occupant.
"She should suffer." Lavender shot to the Slytherin.
"Wouldn't she suffer just as much now as any other time? And she won't bother you later. If you wait, she'll bother you until you tell her." Draco shrugged. "Whatever, not my problem." He walked off into the crowd, leaving the Gryffindors to decide.
Hermione lowered her glass and found Ron and Harry standing in front of her. She gave a weak smile and a small "Hey" to her boys.
"Happy Christmas, Hermione?" Harry asked her. She sighed and shook her head.
"It's so painful. It's like…"
"Shut up."
Hermione's head shot up in surprise and locked with Ron's blue eyes.
"I enjoyed our silence, did you, Harry?"
"I completely agree. Don't talk to us ever again, Granger. You've caused us a whole lot of c. I hate it. I hate you. Good riddance." Harry threw something onto the table before turning to leave. Ron followed suit. A second thing fell on the table. Hermione jumped up in anger.
"After all we did together, you're going to end our friendship because I tell you to do your homework and study?" Grabbing a book, her gift to the boys, she chucked it at Harry. He caught it with his nimble skills.
"Did I ever leave you when you needed me? Huh, Harry? When you were grieving, did I ever leave your side because you were thinking irrationally? Did I ever leave you when you asked for comfort? For help? No, I didn't. I was there to help you. I watched your back, and yours too Ron! I looked out for your own good. I worried about you all during the summer break, all during winter break, hell I worried about you all f-ing year long! I looked up ways to help you every year you faced Voldemort. I taught you spells and tricks. How many times have I saved your life, you ungrateful piece of s? Huh and where were you when I needed you the most? For just once in your life you could have given back a little compassion. And you leave me."
"This is exactly what I was saying, wasn't it?" Ron looked at his best friend.
Hermione trembled on the spot. Harry turned to look at the girl who was standing in anger. "Yeah, Ron, exactly what you said. Granger," he tossed the book back on the table, "Despite what you have done for us. And I don't deny what you've done. It's still over." He walked off with Ron beside him.
"Ungrateful." Hermione whispered. Tears clouded her vision. She could tell that everyone was watching her. "Bstards." The word echoed in the silent hall.
Turning, she brushed past all the professors and disappeared into the depths of the castle.
The clock chimed two o'clock when Draco opened the door. Except for one candle the room was in complete darkness. Once he stepped inside the room he could hear the music she was playing. Shadows played across the walls as Hermione's fingers danced over the keys.
"And I thought you said you didn't play." Placing the angel figurine on top of the black top, he sat next to her on the piano bench.
"I don't. I sing. I would sing while my mum played piano." Hermione shifted into another song. "Now she's gone. And I'm never going to sing again. Never…"
"I told you, Hermione. They aren't gone until you forget." He draped his coat over her bare shoulders.
"Harry and Ron forgot me. Does that mean that I'm gone?"
"No." Draco started playing the piano with Hermione, matching her song in perfect harmony. "I remember you. And we will continue to play this song without words for as long as you want." He planted a light kiss on her hair.
"Thank you." Hermione whispered. "You say this is a song without words."
"Only you can sing to this one."
"Then someday. Someday I will sing to this song. A song without words."
The End
Thanks so much for reading. You're all the best. Let me know if you liked or disliked it.
See you around- Kyra