Disturbing the Dust

Story #4

Draco narrowed his eyes at the vampire. "You'll have to come out. We're not idiots, you know. We are not going into your inescapable prison."

Beethoven bowed his gray head in a show of sincerity. "I will not harm you."

"Are you deaf?" Draco remembered that the man before him was, in fact, quite deaf and roared with laughter.

Sara drew a sharp breath of reprimand. "Draco! What a horrible thing to say!"

Beethoven gave a soft laugh. "I no longer suffer such mortal infirmity."

"We still aren't going in. Forgive me for being sensible."

"I understand."

Sara considered Draco's point of view and realized she was being too trusting. It was the curse of the Elemental to be drawn to danger, to trust it the way one trusts a lover's affection, and so she should rely on someone else's reservations. Her heart told her Beethoven could be trusted, but underneath, in the murky layers of her mind, she remembered the flashes she'd seen from the vampire concerning Draco and knew he was right. Even if she could have faith in her own safety, Draco was another story. She would not lead him to an unwelcome fate.

She spoke as they hovered on the broom outside the tiny window. "Come to the house. We'll all be comfortable there won't we?" She turned ardent, serious eyes to Beethoven. "He's right, you know."

Draco gave the vampire a smug grin and his grip around Sara's waist tightened.

Beethoven bowed his head once more in acquiescence. "As you wish. Expect me tomorrow at dusk."

Draco chortled. "Why tomorrow? So you can set up a trap for us? Maybe invite all your vampire friends over to dinner?" He scowled at the old man before him. "I like my blood right where it is, thanks!"

Beethoven turned serious eyes to Sara. "My patience with your friend grows thin."

Sara sighed. "We'll be there at dusk. And you'll have to forgive to Draco. He has an abrasive personality. It doesn't seem he can behave any other way."

"Hey! I resent that! Abrasive she says!"

Sara ignored Draco, as Beethoven spoke into her mind, a warning, yet something she had already known. If you bring any third parties, I will kill you all.

Sara stiffened, his piercing stare giving her a fright. "Goodnight then. Tomorrow it is."

Draco didn't wait for the vampire's reply; he turned the broom and flew into the night.

Draco leaned back in his seat, teetering on two legs, and reading. His bare feet, propped on the table, were crossed at the ankle. His warm clothes were folded near-by in a mitered stack, and he relaxed in shorts and a sleeveless white shirt. "You were supposed to be here at sun-up!"

Sara set a basket on a sidebar and joined him at the table, her heavy winter skirt whispering against the wood as she slid into her chair. "I know. I'm sorry. I was awake half the night, thinking about Beethoven. I over-slept."

"Is that what you call it? It's nearly eight!"

"I got us a ton of stuff from breakfast, though. Swooped in just before they cleared everything away. I even managed to talk Dobby into giving me some tea and a jar of raspberry preserves!"

"It's been hours since I've had a cup of tea. Little too warm for it here, though."

"For tonight, of course! I wouldn't dream of having a cup right now. It must be ninety-five degrees already."

"I'd think so, too, if I was clothed in winter silk and a wool jumper. You're off by ten degrees. Aren't you going to take that off?"

"Well no wonder I'm so warm!" Sara stood and took off her long, heavy skirt, the jumper, and the long-sleeved shirt she wore beneath it. Hidden under her clothes, she now wore a short, yellow skirt made of cotton and a white tank top over a pink bikini.

"Well don't stop there! Keep going!"

"I can't wait to go swimming. What would you say to hanging out in the ocean for an hour or so? I've got us some drinks and the snorkels came."

Draco spied the bright pink strings tied behind her neck. "I see you remembered your suit this time. I was getting a little tired of you refusing to get your clothes wet."

He hid his thoughts from her, veiled behind a wall in his imagination. And what will Potter think when we both miss History of Magic? The idea of Potter breaking up with her was well worth skipping a class. "If we're actually going to swim and not wade, I'm all for it."

Sara showed him a questioning grin. "Are you going to refuse to get your hair wet, prettyboy?"

"Are you kidding? I found enchanted surfboards! I don't care how wet I get!"

Excitement lit Sara's expression and her grin widened. "Awesome!"

"But I think we should look for mentions of the vampire in the diary before we go goofing off."

Sara, finished unlacing her boots, kicked them off and brought a pair of flat, slip-on sandals from her book bag. These she set on the floor near her chair, to put on when she got up. Draco's, she saw, were in a similar position, and sand already clung to them. "Let's bring the diary down to the beach. That cursed blizzard rattled the windows all night long and it's so bitter cold back at school. I want to see the sun, Draco, let's get out of this cottage!"

With a shared smile, Sara and Draco put on their sunglasses, grabbed the diary, the coverlet from Draco's dormitory bed, fluffy cotton towels from Sara's tower, and ran out the door. Together, they held a halfhearted race full of smiles and laughter through the bright morning sun, strong and warm on their faces. Sara carried a bag in which she kept suntan oil, snorkels she'd received just that morning by owl order, and a bottle of Finnegan's Swill. From the cottage, she'd brought along glasses, a bottle of coconut milk mixed with passion fruit and pineapple juices, and some tropical fruit for garnishes. Draco carried the basket containing breakfast.

Sara transfigured the blanket into something resembling a cross between a hospital bed with no legs, and the world's widest chaise lounge. Draco levitated two tall, flat rocks over to serve as little side tables and Elroy was there to fix them drinks.

Sara sipped hers and read aloud when she came to the first of the desired entries in Madeline Croft's diary.

May 18, 1916

Mother always told me that this island held a secret and that I mustn't tell a soul about the music in the night. It is divine, this music, and it seems a pity to share it with only the moon and the stars, worthy as they are to bear witness. Then again, when you're an overly romantic young girl, secrets are precious and empowering things. Having such a secret filled me with purpose, and I felt larger than myself every time I thought of telling and didn't.

Addison has often asked about the melancholy cords that drift into my room as we lay together, and he even encountered the maestro's parrot guard, but in the end I couldn't part with the secret I swore to keep. Hearing this music, Mother told me, was a gift that the outside world would kill us for and take away, never to return. I do not want this! The music must remain, here, where it is so protected. I would submit to no other arrangement.

I have seen the maestro. He walks sometimes at night, always humming and with his hands clasped behind his back. He strolls, casual, but doesn't speak to us. Sometimes I think I hear him in my mind, saying 'Hello Madeline.' but I never knew if it was really him or my imagination. My curiosity could certainly manage a trick such as this, but my fear of him kept me from answering. I know he will not hurt me. Mother and father both swore it, yet I know the maestro is dangerous, I can feel it the way I can feel a chill on the wind, and to approach him was something I simply could not will myself to do.

The new curtains came today by owl…

Sara closed the book in frustration. "Nothing! It tells us nothing we didn't already know! This could take all day! There must be a million entries in here!"

"This is why I suggested starting early. I looked for awhile and I didn't find anything, either."

Sara rose from the blanket and stripped off her clothes. "To hell with this, let's get in the water. I'm already getting too hot."

Draco set his drink on a rock and drew his wand. "Accio surfboards!" He stood and plucked them from the air, jabbing them into the sand beside him. "Me? I'm always too hot. In fact, women regularly burst into flames just from looking at me."

"Don't worry, Draco, being ugly isn't all bad."

"You should know, you hideous, lopsided beast."

"At least I'm not obese!"

"Hey! I'm just as thin as you are!"

Sara grabbed one of the two surfboards and ran away with it, calling back to him over her shoulder. "If you say so, you smelly, cabbage sprouting, flubberworm!"

Draco took off after her, laughing and kicking up sand with his running feet. "Get back here, you sewer dwelling, rotten toothed rhinoceros!"

Sara glanced up from the diary when he came through the door. "Now who's late?"

"I've been here all along! I just went back to get some cilantro and turtle sprouts from greenhouse three!"

"Liar! I've been here for two hours and you were nowhere to be seen."

"Well, I got the spices anyway. Did you clean the fish?"

Sara recoiled, indignant and revolted. "I'm not cleaning the fish!"

"Well I'm not doing it! Gross!"

Sara sighed. "You're so manly I can hardly stand it."

"I am too manly! I just happen to be a man with so much money that I never have to lower myself to disgusting, menial work. Elroy! Clean the fish!"

Elroy was standing beside Sara in an instant. "It is already done, Master Draco. Elroy has cleaned the fishes!"

Sara smiled at the elf and lifted his chin with a gentle, caring hand, as though he were a child or a beloved pet. "How nice of you!"

"It's his duty!"

"It was thoughtful of you to clean the fish, since your master is a whiny little pansy. Here Elroy," Sara lifted a wrapped package from the basket beside her, "Have some elderberry pudding."

Elroy took the pudding and smiled with joy as he went off toward the kitchen, thrilled that he had done well and pleased his masters.

Draco smirked his most charming. "If I cleaned the fish, would you have given me something sweet, too?"

Sara let her chair rest on all fours and tried to hide her amusement. "Clean some fish and find out."

"I'll go find a spell, but I'm not watching when the guts come out."

"Sit down, Tinkerbell."

Draco sat, unfamiliar with the muggle reference, unaware that he should be insulted.

"According to Madeline, if you ask a vampire to leave your home, he must. I didn't know that. In DADA all they said was that vampires couldn't enter unless they were invited. It's good to know that we have such an out."

"I'm really quite nervous about this. I still don't think it's a good idea, consorting with dangerous creatures, alone, and on a deserted island. The whole idea seems rather foolish if you ask me."

"I'll tell you who I shouldn't be consorting with. A yellow-spined coward who can't look when he cleans fish. Now there's a dangerous creature for you."

"Oh shove off. You wouldn't clean them, either."

"I'm a girl!"

"Is that what they told you?"

"Just for that, you get to answer the door when the maestro comes."

"Fine, you unappreciative goat."

"I never knew jellyfish could speak. I'm going to start the tea and cook the fish. Bring your cilantro and turtle sprouts if you would, and leave Draco Malfoy behind."

"Very funny! You'll have to fight me for these turtle sprouts if that's how you're going to be! You can't have them!"

Draco was lying on the floor, his chair on its side next to him, and Sara had the bag of sprouts and cilantro. She hadn't moved, not in the slightest.

"Well? That was tough. Wasn't much of a fight, but I think I won."

"Did you know that I despise you?"

"Are you going to help me or not? We don't have much time until dusk. Twenty minutes at most."

Draco climbed to his feet and followed her into the kitchen. "I don't understand why we're making food anyway. It's not like he's going to eat any of it."

"It's for us, not him. We should cook here as often as possible. The food at school is good, but think of it! Lobster, crab, clams, oysters! There are even plantains to fry! This place is brimming with the makings for first class tropical dining."

"I hadn't thought of it that way. You're right, though. Margaritas, shellfish, limes, and shrimp! Hurry up, now I'm starving."

He handed her a sharp knife and took one for himself. Elroy set a frying pan over the flames in the stove and heated oil for the fish. Together, they chopped. Sara sliced the roots from the turtle sprouts and removed the outer shells. Draco cut the cilantro into tiny bits and then added it to the boiling oil. Hot water was poured into the teapot, pineapple and mangos were sliced and seared over the hottest part of the fire. Lemons, limes, and tangerines were cut into rounds for a garnish, and wedged for use as a squeeze-on flavoring.

Draco disappeared through the cellar door and re-emerged moments later with a vintage bottle of German Riesling to serve with the fish. "Look what I found! There are cases upon cases up this behind the racks. I hadn't noticed it when we first went down with just a candle for light. The Crofts must have really enjoyed Riesling."

"It goes best with seafood."

Draco turned toward the front door, where there was a modest rapping. "The vampire is here."

He stood on the doorstep for several long moments, looking them over, studying them.

Sara waited until his gaze returned to meet her eyes. "You may enter."

He then looked to Draco and waited for the same blessing.

"Well? Are you coming in or not?"

Sara glared at him and spoke from the corner of her mouth, as if in confidence. "He needs you to invite him in, jackass."

"Oh. Well, you can come in, as long as you aren't planning to kill one of us."

"Thank you, Herr Malfoy."

Draco and Sara moved aside as Beethoven came through the entrance, letting the screen door swing closed behind him. He was small for a man, dwarfed by Draco's tall, athletic stature. His hair looked exactly as it did in any marble bust or drawing, and his presence filled the entire room, like a strong scent. You simply couldn't get away from it.

"Can I offer you some tea?"

"Please, but do not be offended when I drink very little of it."

"I understand. Would you join us for dinner? Draco and I caught two fish this morning, but they're large enough for three."

"Thank you, Frauleine, but I haven't eaten mortal food in so long; I don't recall the taste." He gave the far corner of the room a nostalgic smile. "Ale is what I miss the most."

Elroy poured the tea and served cold strawberry soup to the mortals at the table, and then slipped away to ready the cooked fish.

"How long have you been here, Herr Beethoven?"

"A couple of centuries. It's such a lovely place, this island. I've been lucky with the inhabitants, so far."

Draco grinned. "Then you should feel your luckiest yet! Anyone else would, with a Malfoy as an inhabitant. Just the fact that I've been here would make the value of the property increase."

"He was referring to the non-intrusive quality of the people who have lived here in the past, Draco."

"As well as their respectful attitudes."

Draco finished his strawberry soup and set the spoon aside. "We're all that, too."

The vampire laughed and nodded. "I am certain you will prove to be as you say."

Sara sat back in her seat as Elroy took her bowl and her teacup, and then took Draco's setting as well. In their place, he set large plates, silver forks, and wine glasses.

Beethoven poured for them from the bottle of Riesling. "This is a fine German wine. It was Madeline's favorite."

Elroy set a second plate on top of the first, and Sara smiled as the scent of the fish, lemons, limes, and seared pineapple wafted up to greet her. Elroy ladled her a bit of wine and butter sauce and she lifted her fork. "What can you tell us about Madeline?"

"I never spoke to her face to face until she fell ill. She was a lovely creature, one who was faithful to my secret. She did not deserve to die alone."

"What happened to Addison Morley?"

"He died, at his home in Edinborough. His funeral was to be the last time she would leave this, her home, her beloved island, as the outside world no longer held any interest for her. Morley was a weak and shameless man. Disgraceful, that he never married her. She was devoted to him, and would have made a fine wife."

"So you befriended her in her last days. With Addison gone, I'm sure she appreciated it."

"It was before the sickness came on her, actually. I had always watched over her, and I could see in her mind that she needed companionship. She was lonely, and at that time, so was I. Quite a pair we made. She taught me about the new music and I taught her to play the piano. She played my Appassionata sonata all night long sometimes, she loved it so, but I began to hear it less often. After a time, she couldn't play at all."

Sara sighed, bittersweet. "She loved it because it reminded her of Addison. He made her a potion by the same name."

Draco smirked and sipped his wine. "It made you all tingly for me."

Sara took in a sharp, indignant breath. "It most certainly did not! I couldn't stay far enough away from you! You're the one who got all sappy and gross!"

Draco rolled his eyes. "You want me and you know it."

"Well if I did, I don't anymore! You conceited jerk!"

Draco adopted a haughty, parental air. "Sara, you're making our guest uncomfortable. Please behave like a young lady."

Beethoven was amused by the exchange, such a pleasant change from the never-ending solitude he knew so well. "Actually, I think she's quite correct about you."

Draco lifted his fork and shook a chunk of turtle sprout at the vampire. "She hates me enough as it is without any help from the likes of you!"

The slightest smile graced Beethoven's face and he held Draco's eyes as he spoke to his mind. She doesn't hate you, Herr Malfoy. You're a fool if you think otherwise.

Draco smiled and went back to eating in silence.

Sara jumped to her feet as Beethoven rose from the table. "Must you leave already! I have a million questions!"

"I will visit you again. Many thanks for the tea, and the engaging conversation."

"It was wonderful of you to come. I look forward to next time."

Draco swallowed a mouthful of turtle sprout. "Me too."

"It's not very late, Sara. What do you say we take some of this wine down to the beach and build a fire in the sand?"

"I think that sounds like a wonderful idea."

Draco wandered over to the cabinet and withdrew the jar of pinkish-purple fluid. He gave her a warm smile as he held it, waiting.

"The Appassionata potion. You want to drink some again?"

"Maybe. Unless you're afraid of all these feelings you don't have."

Sara's heart beat faster, knowing she would have to take the potion now, to prove him wrong, and afraid of what sort of emotions would grow in her. Last time it had been near impossible to keep from touching him. "It isn't me I'm afraid of."

Draco held his breath as she took the jar and drank a little. He mirrored the action, and then held her eyes for a long moment. When he spoke, his voice was soft and gentle. "What are our chances of skinny-dipping?"

With the sweetest expression of ardor and kindness, Sara reached down to take his hand. "Come on, let's get the fire going."

Author Note: Because I am no longer creating these as contest entries, they will no long be stand-alone stories, but more like chapters. Thank you for reading. Please review!