Chapter Three.
Author's note: Please refrain from your criticism. Other than that, a sincere thankyou to the appreciative audience for such favourable reviews. Thankyou again, my dear Vita. Oh, and by the bye; I have no formal ownership of this or the lyrics to Grand Elizabeth.
On the evening of the performance Ebony put on her black lace-up boots with high heels; underneath were the ripped red fishnets, less of a net, and more of a tatter. (The bill for the red dress was fifteen pounds.) She carefully arranged the black leather minidress; taking her time with the corset; the fishnets on her arms. Her hair she straightened; and then spiked, like a whipped meringue. Ebony then felt the invasive feeling, the one she loathed, the cold stream of visual impressions failed her now as if the eye were a cup that overflowed and let the rest run down its china walls unrecorded. The brain must wake now. Ebony opened the big blade of her pocket knife. The red ran; the life poured away; then she read a book guaranteed to depress her, why did she subject herself to the tortures of The Fault in our Stars? She read while waiting for the depression to bleed out of her; and while she did so, listened to a gramophone record of the Moonlight sonata. Ebony painted her fingernails black; and replaced the lost eyeliner; the lost lipstick. She did not put foundation on because of her paleness; she drank some more of the blood-red liquid horror; and was at last ready.
Ebony glided outside. There was Draco waiting for her; outside his flying car. He was wearing a simple architect t-shirt; (they were doing an exhibition at the performance); those baggy skater pants; black nail polish; a little eyeliner ill-befitting of the male sex. (Author's note: Not that there is anything in any way wrong with that.).
"Greetings, Draco," Ebony said, her voice, he noticed, a little lower than usual. He dismissed it as nerves.
"Hello, Ebony," he replied. They walked to his flying Mercedes-Benz (the license plate was a custom: 666); and they flew to the performance hall. On the journey Ebony and Draco listened to another recording of Grand Elizabeth; then Marilyn Monroe. They both smoked cigarettes; for neither had expensive cigars, drugs being the modern thing to do. On arrival, they turned their attention to the front row seating; and enjoyed themselves tremendously. This, Ebony thought, was the most fun she'd had in years.
"You approached me warm, covered in that silk dress,
My love so happy, I do profess,
The doctor cannot tell, neither your mother;
Why I am you delighted lover!" sang Billy (Authors note: I don't own the moral rights to that song; despite Leonard's best efforts.)
"Billy―why is he such a dream? Why?" Ebony asked Draco, pointing at him as he sung; filling the hall with the musical deliria that was his soulful voice.
Draco, to Ebony's embarrassment, looked momentarily upset; his eyes wet.
"What's wrong?" she asked, trying to pretend that she hadn't seen it; the music still played on, unobtrusively. Then she gave in, for she knew what caused him pain. The minutes beat past faster than the music; those tunes which play til the end of time; the time passing.
"Draco, my dearest, it's all fine. I don't care for him as much as you," Ebony said. She looked at him; looked with those icy eyes which for the first time held a glimmer of warmth, real warmth; as if a candle were held to them, and drips melted. (Do I like Draco? I do! I do!)
"Really?" asked Draco, his eyes clearing; his face lighting. Ebony noticed his arm slip protectively around her; closing her in a comforting embrace; a soft one.
Really," she said. "Besides, I haven't even met Billy; and he's already practically married to that Alexis Roderick woman; I have no regard for her whatsoever." Ebony finished; disgust written on her face, like a painting by Rembrandt.
The evening passed without further incident; and Ebony began to feel at last like she could finally enjoy herself. Draco, she noticed, appeared the same way, despite those tense moments. Those minutes; those hours; those years. After the performance, she drank some beer with him; relishing the closeness; relishing the moments. She asked Billy for his autograph, a sentimental thing, to be sure; but one she felt she could not pass on. Ebony purchased Grand Elizabeth t-shirts, to celebrate (the bill was two pounds.) Draco and Ebony crawled back into his car; but Draco took a different turning, not to Hogwarts; instead, to the Forbidden Forest.