I turned around feeling the red dress I was wearing swish around my bare legs. I hadn't been here in a while. The candles were all in the same place, scattered about the many piles of dusty books. I turned around to look at the chair, but in its place was a white, grand piano. I walked over to it slowly, hearing my footsteps pad softly on the floor. It gleamed in the candle light and I ran my fingers over the smooth, cold keys slowly.
My parents used to play the small piano we had in the living room when I was little. Sometimes after dinner on Sunday afternoon, they would both play together for me. You could say it brought us close. When I was in my final year of normal school, they stopped. Work had gotten too busy and they thought I was too old. I never heard them play again. I couldn't tell them how much I loved it when they played for me and I had never learned. The piano had belonged to my Grandmother but had had always wished they could afford to buy a proper grand piano, but even if we could, there wouldn't be any room.
I turned around to see if he was here but the room was empty besides me. I walked through the small maze of books and looked at some of the dusty covers. Most of the titles were in latin so I couldn't read them, well unless they had the word apple in it...
I came across a big black leather bound one that was sat away from the rest by its self in the corner of the room. The branches that came out of the walls entwined with each other to make a sort of arch above it, there were even small cherry blossoms blooming from the buds. The petals were falling slowly, twirling as they fell towards the floor.
As I approached, a breeze seemed to blow and brush the fallen petals away from the book. I knelt down on the floor and lifted the book on to my lap. It was a lot lighter than it looked and the dust almost made me choke. I turned the book on its side to look at the spine to wipe the thick layer of dust off it. In an old looking script, the spine read 'Rutilus Parvulus'.
It looked latin like the other covers so I had no idea what it said. I opened the cover slowly but the old, yellow pages were blank. My brow creased with confusion and I flicked through all the pages but they were all blank. I sighed in a slight disappointment and looked up at the blossom which was still falling slowly as a soft, sweet tune began to play on the piano. It sounded so close I thought it was in my head. I moved to shift the book back on the floor when something caught my eye.
There was a small line of ink in the centre of the page which dripped slowly down the paper. I watched in amazement as it slowly created a very good drawing of a girls head. She had beautiful eyes, a slender nose, a smiling mouth and long curly hair. I felt the breeze pick up again and the ink was was swept away to the spine of the book and disappeared. The ink reappeared again but this time it drew the same girl lying down on a pillow with a flower in her hair. I watched utterly amazed as the ink was brushed along the page as if someone was sat behind me, drawing it.
Soon, the pillow had turned out to be a boy. She was lying on his as he leaned back against a tree. As the tree was being drawn, I looked at the boy. He seemed to be the same age as her. He has a very strong jaw lone, thin lips which were pulled in to a relaxed smile and very calm eyes. I stared in to his eyes and failed to notice the ink melt away as if it was being set on fire. the picture flashed as the images changed. The girl was writhing in pain and the boy was stood watching her. Not wanting to help or not being able to I didn't know. The looked in to his eyes had changed to a look of something more sinister. Yet, he looked genuinely sad. My eyes were pinned to his own when all of a sudden, they moved to look straight at me. I dropped the book in surprise and it closed. I sat there gasping and looked across the room when I noticed someone was sat at the piano playing it.
The song I could hear wasn't in my head, he was playing it. I got to my feet and walked over to him. As usual, I couldn't tell who he was, even though he looked so familiar. His black suit jacket was slung across the top of the piano and his red tie hung loosely around his neck and his shirt sleeves were rolled up. He stood as his hands glided across the keys and moved to his left slightly so I could sit next to him.
"Thank you," I said but no sound came out of my mouth. I smiled and shook my head while I watched him play. I felt my eyes being drawn to his left forearm. Something about it didn't quiet seem right...yet it looked just like the rest of his skin. His ling slender fingers moved so smoothly across the piano, it made the song seem sweeter. I rested my head against his shoulder gently as he continued to play. I felt his head turn to face me and he kissed the top of my head. My eyes drooped slightly. The dim light and the sweet song were perfect if you wanted to go to sleep, which is what my body wanted to do. I wanted to curl up against him as he played and sleep.
**
I opened my eyes as I felt someone shake me gently. "Hermione? It's time to get up," Someone whispered to me. I rubbed my eyes to see Draco standing over me in the dim light. I looked at my watch to see it was 7 am.
"Kay, m'up." I mumbled. Draco was already dressed in a pair of drak jeans and a white tight t-shirt - tight enough to see the shape of his chest... He pulled on the black v-neck jumper that was in his hands. As he lifted up, his top pulled up slightly giving me more of a view. I had to admit, I was slightly disappointed he had covered up.
"What's funny?" He asked after his head had popped through the top. I realised I was smiling to myself. I sat there trying to think of an answer that was different to, 'I was staring at your body..'
"Um...I...er.." I stuttered.
"Well, while you think of that, I'll just take your bag and go." He smiled at me, taking the bag I had packed for the weekend and walked out, closing the door behind him.
I could have hit myself. What was wrong me with me? I couldn't even reply. Tsk. I went about my room getting ready, pulling on a pair of jeans and a stripy jumper I was quite fond of. After I brushed my hair, I grabbed my coat and went out in to the main room. Draco was sitting on the sofa waiting.
"Hmmm...not bad," He said looking at m and standing up.
I stopped what I was doing. "What?" I asked looking down at myself. Did I look that bad?
"No nothing. I'm just glad you're not one of those girls that takes hours getting ready then come out not even looking that good." He shrugged putting on his black jacket.
"I don't get it...Are you saying I look bad or something?" I asked confused.
"No. I'm saying you're one of those girls who don't need to spend hours looking good, you do anyway," He smiled taking my bag as well as his and walking past me to the door. I stood frozen. He thinks I look good? "Coming?" he asked opening the portrait. I smiled to myself and followed him down to the Entrance Hall.
Dumbledore was there waiting for us. I had told him last night after we had finished our rounds that Draco was coming with me. He didn't seem surprised nor did he disapprove, he just smiled and told me to give my parents an extra flower for him. That's what I love about the Headmaster, he cares genuinely, even if he never met the people.
I greeted him with a warm smile.
"Have a safe trip and give my regards to your uncle," he said shaking my hand.
"Thank you," I smiled. Dumbledore offered us his arms. "Um, don't we need to go down to Hogsmade or something? I mean, there's charms that prevents apparation.." I asked.
"Well I am the Headmaster after all." He grinned. Draco and I took an arm and with a swish of his cloak, I felt my lungs being grasped by invisible claws to the point of almost suffocation when we came out at Platform Nine and Three-quarters. We thanked the Headmaster and he dissaparated back to Hogwarts.
"Thanks for coming with me," I breathed as we stood on the empty platform, facing the gateway to the muggle world. Draco took my hand and smiled before we stepped through.