A few nights later, it was another full moon. Tru, as instructed by her dad, left the tower long before transformation. And now here she was, in form in the same clearing as the first with her father. Tru stared sadly into the lake before her. The reflection staring back at her, not her own. A tear slid sadly down the wolf's cheek and slapped onto the surface of the water. Her father walked to her side and they spoke to one another.
"It's hard I know sweetheart. But you can get through it."
"Through my whole life though? I feel so...so different from everyone else. So lonely now. I know you are one too and I know that you know how it feels...but this is so hard to bear."
"I know," Remus said bringing his daughter's head under his fuzzy grey chin. "But sadly this is just how it is.
"Isn't there some way to get out of it?"
"I'm afraid there isn't. And even if there was I'm sad to say that we are probably beyond help at this point. Even you."
Tru stood and dipped a paw into the water. "Can werewolves swim, father?" she asked. Remus nodded yes. Tru dove into the lake and part doggie paddled, part regular swam across the lake. She floated on her back in the center of the lake and observed the stars. And since the stars reflected on the water, it looked like Tru was swimming in space. Remus watched her from the shore, he didn't like swimming.
He knew just by the look of her, that she was strong enough to pull through this, even if it was for the rest of her life. Tru swam back to shore, sopping wet she slumped into her father's wolfen body. He put a paw on her shoulder and licked her forehead (which would usually be a kiss) and stared up. The moon disappeared and he felt himself change back to normal as did Tru. The time was close to dawn now. "Come on Tru, let's go back to the castle.
And hand in hand, they walked through the deep forest and back up to the castle that sat so silently waiting for them.
A new month came and Christmas came with it. Tru, thankfully to her, had her December moon before Christmas. Christmas eve for Draco was marvelous. He received such wonderful gifts. From Tru he recieved a cloak, specially for flying, made of cotton, red in color with a D on the back, and also, a photo of herself,him, Harry, Ron and Hermione at a Quidditch game that took place a week before. Harry got him a box of Bertie Bott's beans and a book on famous Quidditch teams. Ron had his mom make a scarf (red and blue in color) for him. Hermione gave him two books with fictional tales in them of all kinds of creatures.
To Tru, he gave a coat for the weekends, it was blue and made of fine thermal and also a friendship necklace with a heart on it.
To Harry he gave a quidditch pendant, for good luck during games.
To Ron, he gave a hat, red with a gold R on it and on the back, a logo of the Chudley Cannons.
And to Hermione he gave a book entitled "Witches and Wizards guide to Great Knowledge of Things Other Witches and Wizards Have Yet to Discover That is Currently Fictional."
Christmas indeed was wonderful for Draco. He was pleased when he knew that his friends liked his gifts. They spent the entire day together, building snowmen, having snowfights, making snow angels. Visiting Hagrid's hut for tea and cake (which as usual was as hard as a rock) and then returning to the common room to sing Christmas carols.
Indeed it was wonderful. But he was pleased the day went by so fast, and night approached. As everyone began the last Christmas Carol of the night (Silent Night), Draco took Harry aside and they spoke in low voices.
"Is everything set like I asked you?"
"Yah, it's all ready."
"Thank you Harry!"
Harry smiled.
Harry turned and rejoined the group. Draco leaned up against the wall and listened to everyone's singing...then came a solo part which everyone had let Tru have. Draco's head tilted and his brow furrowed as he listened. She had such a beautiful voice. He wondered why she never sang in front of anyone before. He seemed hypnotized as he sat there. But as soon as she finished, he snapped awake, bid everyone a good night and Happy Christmas and went to bed, but he did not sleep.
Tru lie awake in bed that night, watching as shooting stars went across the sky. The glow from the snow on the ground set off a light that shamed the moon's own rays. The silence and peace of this Christmas night made her forget all about her predicament and she let the harmony surround her and take her in. She was so absorbed in it in fact that she didn't even hear someone slip in and come up behind her.
"Tru." someone said behind her, making her jump. She turned around, it was Draco. "Draco? How did you get in-"
"Nevermind that now, just come with me. Please?"
"Where are we going to go?"
"That doesn't matter just please come?"
Tru looked at him and he smiled and blinked. "All right I'll go."
"But you have to keep your eyes closed the WHOLE way or I'll just bring you back to bed."
"...I promise."
"Close them." he said. Tru smirked and closed her eyes. Draco took her hand and led her out. Where he was taking her, Tru did not know, but the mystery of it and the fact that Draco seemed terribly excited was what made her curiosity swell inside of her stomach.
The walk to wherever they were going was long, and her anticipation grew and grew until it became unbearable. Finally, they reached some stairs and up, up, up they went. Every step she took she swore the staircase in which they walked got longer and longer. Tru's feet began to hurt. Draco kept silent and she didn't dare open her eyes.
Finally they stopped. "Can I open my eyes now?" she asked. "No, but I must ask you to raise your left leg and don't put it down until I say so." Tru jerked her head back a little, but obliged. She heard a shuffle and felt something lightly tap her foot. "Now put your feet up and I'll guide them onto these bars here." Tru obeyed and felt her feet loop over a couple of curvy feeling bars.
"Now," Draco said. "Put your arms around my waist, and hold tight." Tru obeyed and felt a jump and wind fly through her hair. She kept her eyes shut, but she knew what he was doing. "Draco what're you-" "Just wait, and don't open your eyes yet!" he shouted back at her. The wind on her face grew harder and colder before they seemed to have stopped.
"Ok," Draco whispered. "Open them." Tru opened her eyes and gasped softly. They were high above Hogwarts looking down on the diamond blanket that was snow. The forest, the castle, it all looked like a beautiful portrait that deserved it's place in an art museum. "Oh Draco..."
"You had said you'd always wanted to fly, I thought this was the perfect opportunity to give you the chance. Merry Christmas Tru."
Tru's eyes filled with happy tears. She hugged Draco's waist tighter and he put a hand on hers.
She loves it!
"Hold on tight now!" Draco said. Tru did so and they went into a very quick dive. Tru cried out as they swooped back up and dove again. They swerved and glided over the castle for hours that night. It was midnight it seemed when Draco finally landed.
"Now," Draco said, and he pulled one of the Hogwarts brooms from behind a pillar. "It is your turn to fly, I will lead you around and make sure you don't fall or anything." Tru took the broom and smiled at him. She mounted it and positioned herself. Draco next to her. He kicked off and her soon after, followed. "Do you want to hold my hand and just fly next to me?" Draco said. Tru smirked and propelled forward slightly. "I'll be fine." she said.
"Race you!" Draco said and zoomed off. Tru cried out and zoomed after him. They raced for another few hours. Tru felt splendid. The feeling of flying was a marvelous one. The feeling of such a lovely freedom trailed itself through her veins. When she finally landed, Draco following suit, she spun around in a happy dance and smiled at Draco. "I can't believe you'd do something like this for me."
Draco smiled and shrugged. "You did something nice for me, I thought I'd do something in return."
"What did I do?" Tru asked.
Draco beamed at her. "You gave me my first real friend." Tru smiled and walked over to him. She leaned up and kissed him lightly on the cheek. "Happy Christmas Draco. And thank you."
Draco seemed a bit shocked by the kiss on the cheek, and he felt a slight jump in his chest that he'd never felt before. But now looking down into the eyes of this wonderful girl, he saw everything beautiful. Her eyes sparkled like the stars, the moonlight shined on her making her glow as her hair flew slightly behind her. He seemed speechless for a second, staring at her, but then he smiled and said "Yourwelcome. Now go and get some sleep..I have to put the brooms away."
Tru smiled and hugged him. "Good night Draco." she said and she turned to go. She turned back for a second just to smile at him, and then disappeared. Draco sighed after her.
They say miracles happen on Christmas. For Tru Fiona Lupin, flying for the first time and feeling a sense of freedom was that miracle. But for Draco Malfoy, the simple miracle for him, was feeling that he, he himself, on the night of Christmas, had fallen in love.
