The Two Musicians

Chapter 8: Lingering Touches

By Silver Chessboards

Song in this chapter: Prelude No.7 by Chopin

In the next few weeks Draco and Hermione talked about the weather, themselves, and all the things that simply did not matter. Her favourite colour was blue and her birthday was in September. She liked Peppermint and Earl Grey tea and always took her tea with two sugars, no milk. She didn't like coffee very much for it's bitter taste but always had a mug of it when she had to pull all-nighters. She didn't have a favourite book because there were "too many" but one of her favourites was 'Hogwarts: a History'. Her favourite season was Fall, because the leaves reminded her of sunsets.

It was a chilly morning by the lake and she had joined him, bundled up warmly in a red sweater and jeans. She had wished him a good morning and collapsed unceremoniously on the soft snow. He glanced at her out of the corner of his eyes. Her knees were drawn to her chest and she hummed a tune under her breath. It was Christmas day and students were boarding the Hogwarts Express that day to London. She was going home to celebrate Christmas and he was going back to the manor where he'd spend Christmas like any other day, but he didn't tell her that. His father was in Azkaban and his mother was in Switzerland and he didn't really mind spending Christmas alone;his family had never celebrated it anyways.

"Draco?"

"Hmm?"

"Here," she thrust a box into his hands. It was a present, neatly wrapped in blue patterned paper and bound with a ribbon. His eyebrows shot up. He had never received a present before. At least not the kind that people gave because they genuinely cared.

"But I didn't get you—" he begun but was cut off.

"It doesn't matter, I don't care anyway," she shrugged. "But I want you to have this, so keep it Draco."

Silence met her words. He wanted to get her something, he really did. And he felt bad that he hadn't thought of getting her a gift earlier.

"We should get back to the castle for breakfast," she said as she stood, brushing the snow off the back of her jeans.

"Oh, of course," he replied and got up. There was a moment's of silence when he didn't speak and neither did she. This would be the last time they would see each other for a week. And Draco knew that that week would be a strange one. He had gotten used to her presence and time had turned them into friends. But he wasn't sure if his feelings could be purely platonic. Sometimes he caught himself thinking about how her hair was such a lovely shade of brown or how he liked the dimple at the side of her mouth. And he didn't know what to think anymore.

The snow in her long unruly hair looked like crystals and her lips were curved up in a timid smile. Her skin was a milky shade and she seemed to blend in with the beauty of winter. Her breath were smudged clouds of whites that disappeared only to be replaced again. He absentmindedly counted the freckles spattered over the bridge of her nose. He wanted to remember her like this, the last time he would see her for a week. The way it sounded in his mind was ridiculous but he couldn't help himself.

She was so beautiful.

"I'll see you in a week," she said softly as she slipped her hands around his torso as if it were something she did everyday. And then he couldn't breathe. Being so close to her was something he could not describe. He was surrounded by the scent he had unconsciously come to associate with her. And he felt...warm. Warm in a way that he had never felt before. It started from his chest and spread out to the tips of his toes. A sigh escaped his cracked lips in a mist of white that faded in the cold air of winter.

A week wasn't such a long time.

Tap. Tap. Tap.

A sleek grey owl was perched on the windowsill, peering in with large yellow eyes. Hermione opened the window to allow it in and a gush of cold wind entered the house. She shivered as the cold bit at her. The owl swooped in, dropped a parcel on the table and flew out the window as fast as it had arrived. Hermione picked up the parcel, wondering who it was from. It was a simple package wrapped in parchment and tied with a string.

"Who is it from, Hermione?" asked her mother curiously who was sat at the table, reading the newspaper.

"I don't know," she replied.

There was a note attached to the front and it said nothing but 'Happy Christmas', which was written in an elegant script. She recognized the handwriting immediately. She had seen it so many times, it was imbedded into her memory. The parcel was from Draco Malfoy and he had, apparently, decided to owl a gift to her.

"Well?" her mother asked, looking rather interested.

"It doesn't say," the Gryffindor murmured truthfully. She didn't want to tell her mother than she and Draco had been rather friendly as of late. When she was twelve, she had told her parents all sorts of dreadful stories about Draco and they hadn't liked the sound of him at all. She pulled the thin string binding the gift and the parchment fell away to reveal a small box. Inside were three quills laid out on a velvet cushion. They were incredibly soft to the touch. The edges of the soft hairs were glided in different colours for each quill. There were red, gold, and silver. Hermione smiled, she would no doubt be using them very often.

"You'll be visiting Diagon Alley today, won't you?" her mother asked.

"Yeah," Hermione said as she took a seat at the table opposite her mother.

"Get me some of those toothflossing stringmints, won't you?"

Hermione grinned, "Of course."

A shard of sunlight hit his pale skin through a crack in the velvet curtains. Draco Malfoy blinked a few times before he was fully awake. It was snowing heavily outside and he wondered what he would do that day. Thank Merlin, there weren't anymore boring lessons to attend anymore. He didn't know if he'd be able to stand another hour of Professor Bins droning on about Goblin Revolutions and whatnot.

He had spent a few days in the company of two good friends, Blaise Zabini and Theodore Nott. Blaise would be busy that day for he was visiting Italy for a day to see his relatives. Theo's mum was 'forcing him to spend time with family'. He had a whole day at his disposal and he hadn't a clue of what to do.

He stared at the blank ceiling, perhaps he'd visit Diagon Alley. Or maybe Belfast. It was boxing day and most wizards were probably relaxing at home. The previous day he had opened his Christmas presents, his mother had sent him a green scarf, Blaise had gotten him leather Quidditch gloves and Hermione had predictably bought him a book. But it was a very pretty book. It was a leather bound copy of 'The Wizard of Oz', a children's story book judging from the illustrations. And a muggle one at that. Not that he cared, of course.

He sat up in bed, his bones made cracking noises as he bent his spine. He thought of the time he had teased Hermione about her aged bones. He chuckled softly to himself, running a hand through his tousled locks. He slipped out of the bed and padded to the bathroom, the carpet soft between his toes. He swung the bathroom door open and caught a glimpse of himself in the mirror before stepping into the shower.

The searing water awoke his senses immediately. It loosened the tense muscles in his back as it pounded down on him. He thought about the past few days and smiled to himself. It had been very relaxing and peaceful and he quite liked spending time with his friends. He had had a good wander around the manor and had broken an antique vase in the North wing by accident (which he repaired with magic). Rousing the portraits from sleep early up in the morning had been fun as well for they started grumbling and swearing at him in language that he found amusing.

His eyes widened immediately at the person he saw sat at the dining table. She was leisurely flipping through a copy of the Daily Prophet, in a dress with her blonde hair elegantly coiffed. She looked up at his arrival and for a moment they stared at each other in silence. Her blue eyes met his and a delicate smile spread over her face.

"M-Mother," he said, at a loss for words. She looked exactly the same as the last time he had seen her. She had gone to stay with a cousin in Switzerland after the war and he hadn't seen her for months. He swallowed nervously and seemed to find the strength in him to lift his legs and move towards her.

"Draco," she said, rising to give him a hug. Her arms wrapped around him and he placed his hands on her back, burying his face in her crook between her neck and shoulder. He pulled apart from her, a small smile on his lips. She gently patted his cheek and said, "Sit down, dear. Dippy has prepared a lovely breakfast." (She's perfectly in-character!)

He nodded, taking a seat across her. He had not seen her in months and her sudden appearance was surprising and relieving at the same time. Sometimes when he thought of her, he could not help but be rather worried. She looked a great deal healthier than the woman he had seen months ago during the war. She was not as pallid and her age lines seemed to have smoothed out with the peace brought with the aftermath of the war. He took his time piling his plate with food as she told him about how she had been doing.

After breakfast, he knotted the green scarf he had gotten for Christmas around his neck and then apparated to Diagon Alley. It was a chilly morning and the snow was thick on the ground as he walked. The wind whispered in his ears as it floated by, carrying tendrils of snow with it. The snow crunched under his feet as he walked, his grey eyes flitting about leisurely. He slipped a hand into his pocket and felt a folded piece of parchment there. He took it put of his pocket and unfolded it. It was well worn, with bars and musical notes handwritten neatly on the parchment. He had written a lot in his free time and he could already hear what it would sound like. Folding it back carefully, he slipped it back into his pocket.

It seemed so peaceful, just walking. He had all the time in the world and there were endless possibilities of what to do. Large shop signs popped out at him, hanging from poles attached to walls, done in fancy lettering and different colours. His grey eyes flitted around and darted to a familiar sign. He stopped abruptly in his steps and pushed open the door. The tinkle of a bell sounded as he entered the cheerful ice cream parlour.

Diagon Alley had hardly anyone around, surprisingly. But of course, it was boxing day. Hermione walked along the street, humming a soft tune to herself. There was hardly any sunlight at all and the sky was grey and gloomy but that didn't let her spirits down. Strangely, she had been in a good mood since she had awoken that morning and she hadn't a clue why. The fake flowers in the vase in the living room had seemed redder and brighter and she had even stopped to say good morning to the grumbly old postman. Perhaps it was because she had slept well last night or maybe it was because she had read a fascinating book the other day.

She smiled and looked around at the many stores, which one to visit first? Perhaps Flourish and Blotts, where she could browse the shelves, or Honeydukes where she needed to get some toothflossing stringmints for her mother. She opted for the latter and slipped into the colourful shop. After purchasing the stringmints, she stepped out. The glacial air stung her skin as she emerged from the warm and cozy shop. She begun to walk, with no particular destination in mind.

A beautiful melody floated over to her and she stopped in her tracks. It sounded like something he would play... She looked to her left, it was coming from Fortescue's Ice Cream Parlour. She pulled open the door and stepped inside. Surely enough, the music was louder in here. She spotted the familiar head of blond and smiled. He sat at the antique piano in the corner.

She made her way over to him and he did not notice her for his back was turned to her. His long fingers seemed to glide effortlessly over the keys as he played with confidence. She stepped closer until she was directly behind him. She was sure that he had heard her approaching footsteps, but yet, he did not turn. She reached in front of him from either sides and closed her hands around his eyes. But still, he continued to play. She felt his brows furrow in confusion.

"Guess who?" she whispered in his ear, a smile playing at her lips. There was silence from him, as if he were deep in thought.

"Hermione."

His eyes widened as her hands slipped off his eyes. He stood and turned to face her and it really was her. He couldn't help himself as a grin spread over his face. She smiled back and then, without thought, flung herself at him. Her arms wrapped around his neck and she burrowed her neck in the crook between his neck and shoulder. He closed his eyes as he gently placed his hands in the spot between her shoulder blades. Her curls brushed his face lightly, feeling ticklish. She pulled apart from him and met his steely gaze with an idiotic grin. His mouth twitched, a dimple forming.

"What are you doing here?" she asked as they stepped apart from each other.

"I went out for a stroll actually and Mister Fortescue was kind enough to allow me to play his piano," he said with a hint of playfulness in his voice. He glanced at the clock before looking back at her.

"How about you?"

"Oh, nothing much. I was just doing some shopping," she said nonchalantly.

"Are you free for the rest of the day?" he asked.

"Um, yes, I think so."

"I was contemplating a visit to Ireland earlier this morning. Would you care to join me?" (And that is why I'm jealous of the ability to apparate.)

Hermione went over the things she had to do and she found none. It was a free day for her and she didn't see why not she join him on his mad escapade to another country. "Okay."

He grinned.

"Brilliant, let's go."

Belfast, Ireland

"Give me one good reason why I should eat ice cream when it's freezing," he said, contemplating the colourful ice cream shop.

"'Cause ice cream tastes good," she said simply as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.

"And one bad reason."

"'Cause you'd be barmy if you did."

"I think I went mad a long time ago. So vanilla or chocolate?"

"Strawberry."

"I like chocolate," his mouth quirked up slightly as they walked towards the shop, their boots leaving imprints in the snow.

Trees loomed over them and the wind softly whispered in their ears. The snow made audible noises under their boots as they strolled along the worn path. He looked up to meet her gaze when she glanced over at him and smiled. Draco smiled back nervously, he wasn't sure what to think anymore. His feelings for Hermione weren't all that platonic anymore and he didn't know how he felt. She was lovely and he liked...well, everything about her.

Perhaps it was something in the warm depths of her brown eyes or how her smile always left him speechless. Or maybe it was her kind nature that drew him to her. She was different and he had honestly never met someone like her. His eyes flicked to her and he couldn't help but look a little longer than was necessary.

Hermione seemed preoccupied with counting her footsteps, her shoes sinking a little into the snow every time she took a step. She had let her hair down, her unruly locks splayed over her shoulders. She looked as if deep in thought and he knew that look. It was when she would start biting her lip and her eyes would flit around, and that what she was doing now.

"What are you thinking about?" he asked. This made her look up at him and she shrugged.

"Nothing much," she said before taking a good look at their surroundings. "I''ve never been to Ireland before but I've read about it."

"Of course you have," he said in a good-natured way, rolling his eyes. She punched him lightly in the arm and he pretended to wince, reaching to rub the his arm, "Ow, you've mauled my hand!"

"Shut up," she laughed and took his hand in hers. This time, when she did, he showed no surprise but squeezed her hand momentarily. She sighed, a puff of white escaping her lips. They walked on in silence, only broken by a soft tune that she hummed under her breath.

He noticed that they had both forgotten to wear gloves and holding hands had returned some warmth to his cold right hand. She seemed to think the same thing for she glanced down at their hands and smiled.

"Draco?"

"Yes, Hermione?"

"Lovely weather, don't you think?"

"Oh yes indeed. I have, in fact, predicted that tomorrow will bring more of this so called lovely weather," he said, a smile playing at his lips as they glanced at each other almost shyly.

His gaze flicked to a leaf that somehow managed to get itself tangled into her tresses and he wondered how it had gotten there, seeing as the trees had finished shedding theirs. He stopped her walking by gently placing a hand on her shoulder.

"You've got a leaf in your hair," he murmured. She looked at him curiously as he focused on getting it out from the tousled mess that was her hair. He carefully plucked it out from between her locks and let it drift away from his hand, allowing the wind to carry it away. Their eyes met and he smiled at her nervously. He hadn't noticed that they had gotten so close that their faces were mere inches apart.

Her eyes were of a honey brown with flecks of gold in them and he could see his reflection in them. He found himself glancing down at her lips before his gaze flicked back to her eyes. She leaned forward slightly and his eyelids fluttered to a close. He felt her lips on his jawbone, placing a kiss there before moving to his cheekbone and placing another there. Her lips were warm on his skin, leaving behind the lingering feel of her touch. Her breath ghosted across his pale skin, sending jolts of electricity up his spine.

His mind had gone completely blank.

He gasped as he felt her lips warm on his eyelid. It was so brief, he almost wasn't sure if it had been there at all. And then her lips pressed to the corner beside his mouth.

"Thank you," she whispered and he opened his eyes a crack. Draco had a feeling that Hermione wasn't just thanking him for brushing the leaf out of her hair but for everything else they had shared. Her kisses had left him light headed and he could not think properly.

Draco met her eyes briefly before they flickered to her lips. Hermione hadn't stepped back, her lips hovering over the corner of his mouth. Her breath escaped her lips in puffs of white and their mouths were so close, he could taste her.

I want to kiss her, he thought.

Then, without a second thought, he moved his head and captured her lips with his. There was an annoying voice at the back of his mind that told him that this was wrong, that he was betraying all the things he had been taught as a child and that she was muggle-born. He pushed that voice to the back of his mind. He wanted to kiss her and all that prejudice had crumbled away the moment his lips mets hers

Sweet Merlin, he thought with a groan.

She tasted like strawberries and he wondered if it was because of the ice cream they had spontaneously bought earlier. Her lips felt incredibly soft against his and he felt himself give into the temptation to thread his fingers through her hair. He took her bottom lip between her own and wrapped his hands around her waist. She made a soft noise at the back of her throat and her hands cupped both side of his face, pulling him closer.

He knew this was a bad idea. But it felt to good to care. Bloody hell, he was kissing Hermione Granger. He broke apart from her, his breath ragged and erratic.

"I-I...I'm sorry for that. I don't know what I was thinking...I—"

"Draco Malfoy, shut up," she said and before he could reply, her lips met hers. He kissed her like a man deprived of air. And she kissed him back.

Author's Note

I hope you guys liked that and I apologise for the late update. Also, many thanks to my reviewers and to my beta, When In Doubt, Smile.

To tell you the truth, I took quite a while to write this chapter because of exams and a case of Writer's block. I made many drafts and had to delete and rewrite quite a few scenes because I felt like everything I wrote was just not good enough for you guys. But finally, I finished it after tons of work.

Spring break ends in two days and I have to go back to school. I'll try my best to finish the next chapter soon and have it posted. Do leave a review and tell me what you thought of the chapter :)

- Silver Chessboards