"Are you going to just stand there or are you going to sit down?" She didn't like his tone. It was a challenge and mocking her bravery. The way he looked at her was saying the same thing. He expected her to run away or shrink under his gaze, that much was obvious. Well, the arrogant git would be in for a surprise then wouldn't he?
"I came to learn didn't I?" Ginny replied and sat gingerly beside him. She cocked her head to the side, defiance in her eyes, and looked up at him expectantly. She saw amusement in his eyes as a smirk formed on his lips and annoyance stirred inside of her. She wanted to smack him and it was hard to refrain herself.
"Well teacher? What now?" He snorted lightly when she said "teacher" but it was gone with the amusement when he spoke next. His eyes were suddenly stern and almost commanding.
"All right then," he drawled. "We are going to start out slow so don't get impatient. I don't need to hear your complaining and you can say goodbye to these lessons if you so much as whine. Do we have and agreement?" She gave a short nod and did not lower her eyes. "Good. First I'm going to teach you the scale."
Ginny watched as he put his fingers over some keys and expertly played some notes. He then instructed her to put her fingers on certain keys. Taking her hands lightly, he positioned them over the right ones. Ginny willingly let him even though her mind was screaming at her not too. His hands were cold as ice, probably from staying in this room for so long. She noticed how they lingered over hers for a moment before retreating to further down the keyboard.
He played the notes over again for her and motioned for her to follow. It took her a few tries but soon she had mimicked him, shakily of course but it sounded almost the same.
They spent an hour or so, just learning the basics. By the end, Ginny had a general idea but still had a long way to go till she was playing Moonlight Sonata.
"That's all for tonight," Draco said before stifling a yawn. He began to close the cover but Ginny placed her hand on hid fore arm. He looked down at her hand before raising his gaze back up to her eyes with a confused look on his face. She blushed and removed it quickly. Scolding herself, she shook her head slightly and regained her confidence.
"Can you play that piece for me again? Please?" Draco groaned and dropped his head. He raised his eyes though and gave her a you've-got-to-be-kidding look.
"I'm not going to play it every time you ask you know," he replied in an exasperated tone. "I have things I need to do and I'm not here to entertain you."
"I know. Please? Just once more and I promise I won't ask again," she pleaded. He groaned again but pushed the cover back and set his fingers on the keys. Gently, he began to play. It sounded just as mournful as it had the night before only this time. Ginny, being closer this time, saw the concentration in his eyes but there was something else there as well. Pain? What for? She had seen it last night but it was more apparent as he lost himself in the piece. It looked like his didn't even remember she was there anymore. His brow furrowed and he swayed back and forth in time with the music. Ginny saw his jaw clench and his eyes become distant. What was wrong with him?
The last note echoed in the room before it became eerily silent. He stared at the keys, his shoulders slightly slouched and his hands fell to his lap, looking so…so…innocent.
"Draco?" Ginny asked hesitantly. "What's wrong?" She put her hand on his shoulder comfortingly but he shrugged it off and straightened his back, the look of sadness gone from his eyes. He turned to her and looked like nothing had happened at all.
Ginny felt her eyebrows come close together and her lips part slightly. What was going on here? He closed the cover and stood, walking away from her without a word. He hesitated at the door when she called him. He turned his head slightly to the side.
"Leave it alone Ginny," he said sternly. "Don't go sticking your nose where it doesn't belong." With that he disappeared out of the door, leaving Ginny with her confusion as well as concern with nothing but the piano for company.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~
He cursed quietly as he stormed down the corridor. He had almost lost it, infront of her no less! She wouldn't let it go, he knew she wouldn't. She was a Weasley, its what they did. Why did she have to look like she cared?
Laughter above him disturbed his thoughts and Draco groaned, knowing from whom this laughter came from. Peeves was standing on the ceiling and snickering, a wicked grin on his face and his eyes had the look of mischief. No doubt he had caused some trouble somewhere or was about to, his body language screamed it. His hands were behind his back and slowly rocking back on forth on his feet.
"Try anything Peeves and I swear you will regret it," Draco snapped. Well that was an invitation of a lifetime for the poltergeist and he cackled before tossing a rather large water balloon at Draco's head. Draco scrambled to get out of the way but Peeves must have charmed it because the balloon swerved and hit him face. With a loud pop, the balloon burst open and the water inside exploded onto Draco, soaking him completely. He snarled and snatched his wand out of his robes and pointed it to where Peeves should be but before he could hurl a curse at him, Peeves stuck out his tongue and disappeared leaving his cackles ringing in Draco's ears. Draco swore that he would get the retched little monster if it was the last thing he did. Casting a drying charm on his cloths and hair, he continuing down the corridor while muttering curses under his breath. He soon stopped infront of a portrait of a tall man in green robes. The portrait smirked upon noticing Draco's rather visible scowl.
"My, my Mr. Malfoy, you do look cross," the man sneered.
"Basilisk eyes," Draco hissed and glared at the portrait as it swung open to his private room. He practically ripped off his robes and tossed them onto a near by armchair before stopping infront of a black, leather couch and flopped down onto it. Dropping his head back, he stared at the ceiling and breathed deep, wincing as he felt a headache beginning.
Why, in the name of Merlin's beard, did he show his emotion?! He had let himself go when he started to play, not even thinking about the consequences. It had taken all he had to get a hold of reality again and shrug off Ginny's hand, replacing his mask. Oh, and the way she had looked at him almost made his mask shatter into a million shards. Why did he have such a desire to tell her everything then? This wasn't natural. She had him under a spell or something. That's it. She had put some sort of spell over him as he was playing and that made him feel so vulnerable.
"Don't be stupid," he scolded himself. Leaning forward, he pinched the bridge of his nose and took a deep breath. If these little lessons were going to continue, he would have to keep control. He couldn't let himself fall apart as he had come so close to doing tonight. That would be unbearable.
With a light sigh, he pushed himself off his couch and made his way over to the rather large bed. Pulling off his school shirt, he crawled to the center and let himself drop. With in minutes he was fast asleep and dreaming about the girl with the crimson hair.
Author's note: Okay just so you know, I have never taken piano lessons in my life so if I mess up on the terminology fell free to correct me. I hope you liked this chapter. Please R&R!!! J J J