Charms

"...and a partridge in a pear tree!" crowed the Christmas ornaments decorating the tree in the Gryffindor common room, as Hermione descended the stairs. She smiled. *~I really like that song now...~* Suddenly, she heard a soft voice from one of the window seats.

"Hermione? Could I speak to you for a minute, please?" came the voice of Ginny Weasley. Hermione turned, seeing the youngest Weasley looking prettily festive with holly in her hair, curled up and reading a large book on potions. Hermione only shrugged, *~I wonder what she wants to talk about? Oh, maybe she can solve the puzzle of what I got today,~* and walked over, taking a seat.

"Sure Gin. What did you want to talk about?"

Ginny sighed. *~She looks really upset. I hope Harry hasn't done anything.~*. Taking a big breath, the younger girl spoke quickly.

"I'm so sorry how I have been treating you. I just got caught up in everything that happened with Harry. I was so happy that he took notice of me that I completely forgot one of my first female friend here at Hogwarts. What kind of person am I? And to top that off, I even encouraged Harry to stop spending time with you, and to spend it with me!"

*~Whoa. That was unexpected.~*

"Ginny, not that I don't appreciate it, but what made you change your mind?"

"I suppose it's because I was lying in bed last night...you know my sleeping habits, right?"

Ever since 1^st year, Ginny could only doze lightly, then wake, then doze again. She was quite used to it, and actually got some good sleep...but only in 2-hour doses.

"Well, I was reflecting on how quiet the dorm was. I know that I have been in there for less than a week, but it was much quieter than usual. It took me ages to figure out why...you were happy."

"Why does everyone I talk to throw in non-sequiturs all the time?"
"Huh?"

"Nevermind. You said I was happy...?"

"Yeah. The first few nights, you would make this...displeased little sounds. One night they sounded like sobs, but I checked, and you weren't crying. But last night...last night you weren't sad at all. Infact, I can actually recall you making a happy sound last night."
*~I'm still having trouble grasping the concept that I make sounds in my sleep. Hold on...~*

"Happy sounds?"

Ginny blushed. "It's kind of hard to explain...you murmured something, I think it was a name, but you spoke too quietly for me to hear. And you had this grin on your face. And, well, the tone of your voice was happy. I'm quite good at picking the tone of things...I used to take music lessons, but, well, money ran tight..."

"I understand. I used to take lessons too, only when I got into Hogwarts I didn't see the opportunity to keep going."

"So...do you forgive me for being a horrid friend?"
"Of course...what is a friend for if they can't forgive your moments of insanity?"

"Well, you were kinda Petrified during my first one at Hogwarts..."
"At Hogwarts? Ginny my dear, is there something you aren't telling me?"

"Uh, no...what's that in your hand?"
Hermione rolled her eyes. "Weak change of subject." She looked down at the funny little disk (AN: About the size of the clear part of a CD) on a cord that she had received this morning. "Well, the note I got read: 'What is it with this story and things that would die in this weather? Instead of four Cally birds to sing for you, I think this will do.' But I have no idea what it is." She handed the disk over to Ginny.

Ginny turned it over a few times, and ran her fingers over the indents on the back. "Oh!"

"What?"
"It's a Concentus!"

"A Concentus?"

"They are really, really expensive magical items. One of my aunts used to have one. It can play any song, Magical or Muggle, that you want it to. You just hold your wand to it, say the people who you want to be able to hear the music, speak the word Concentus, and say the song title."

*~That seems complicated...~*

"Here, I'll show you." Ginny touched her wand to the disk, and spoke "Hermione Granger and Ginny Weasley, Concentus, uh...'Jingle Bells'."

Just like that, the cheerful sound of 'Jingle Bells' rang out around the two, but to Hermione's amazement, no one else seemed to notice. Ginny saw her confusion.
"Only we can hear it, because I said only our names. I could have said "All of Gryffindor Common Room, or All Slytherins, or All Students of Hogwarts, or just my name. That's who can hear it."

"Oh, thanks Gin. Um...how do you stop it?"

Once again touching her wand to the little disk, Ginny said "Sileo.." Much to Hermione's relief, the cheerful Christmas Carol stopped.

"Sorry Gin, I hate that Christmas Carol. The only modern one I like is 'Snoopy's Christmas'...other than that I prefer the more classical ones."

**********

"Thank you for helping me with getting the Concentus, Professor Snape."

Draco genuinely liked Snape. For all that the man was an overgrown bat who needed to wash his hair, he was an okay guy. He favored Slytherin house, was wickedly funny, and had given a young Draco some of the best gifts (and broom races) he had ever had as a young Wizard, well before his Hogwarts days. In Draco's opinion, he was the best father substitute a boy could have, especially if one was trying to renounce the Dark Side.

Looking up from the complex MediWizard potion he was brewing, Snape smiled at his favourite student.
"Well, it was just lying around..."

**Lying around? Seems the Christmas mood has struck Snape aswell...**

For all that he liked Draco, Snape was not normally that forthcoming.

"Professor, could I ask you a question?" Snape raised an eyebrow, gesturing for Draco to continue. "Why did you support me when I decided to go after Hermione?"

Snape was silent. He carefully added the last of the minced Gillyweed to the potion, and removed the cauldron from the heat. He walked into his office, and sat down in one of the armchairs. Draco, having been in that room countless times, followed.

"Do you know what house your mother was in at Hogwarts?"

Draco looked puzzled. "Slytherin, right?"
At this, Snape grinned wryly. "No, Ravenclaw. Along with a very beautiful redheaded friend of hers. They went everywhere together. They were as close as sisters...and me, being an idiot, fell for your mother's best friend. However, I never got the chance to tell her how I felt. I had everything ready...I was going to do something so romantic that she would never look at any other man again. I was going to leave a pathway of clues, right up to the Astronomy Tower. There, I was going to have the whole romantic picnic set out...roses, strawberries, fine French Champagne..."

Draco couldn't believe his ears. **Snape? A romantic? I know that he isn't as soulless as most people think, but that's a little extreme...**

"Yes, I know, stupid. But I wasn't like I am now. I was younger...more naïve. Well, to make a long story short, I missed my chance. She decided she was in love with someone else. Why go for a Slytherin when a Gryffindor wanted you?"
"She choose a Gryffindor over you?"
Snape smiled ironically. "A Potter, no less."

**Oh....OH!**

"Harry's mum?"

Snape looked wistful...he walked over to his desk, and pulled out a worn photo album. In it was picture after picture of a beautiful woman with long red hair. And Harry Potter's eyes.

"When you came to me with your problem, I could see myself in you. And I looked at how my life turned out...Death Eater, outcast...and I realised that maybe if you won Hermione over, you wouldn't make the same mistakes as I did..."

Seeing Snape lose himself in the pictures, Draco quietly left the room. **So that's why...**

**********

Hermione sat in the library, curled beneath on of the windows letting in the dull winter light. Although the sleet, snow, rain and hail had momentarily stopped, the sun still wasn't shining, so light made gray by clouds was all they had to work with. She was reading her way through The Fellowship Of The Ring. It was an interesting story, but...*~I wish he didn't try to pack so many details in!~* as she finished yet another page of long-winded commentary. "The Brown Lands rose into bleak wolds, over which flowed a chill air from the East. On the other side the meads had become rolling downs of withered grass amidst a land of fem and tussock... what is the point of this? Is this relevant to the plot of this story in anyway?" muttered Hermione, as she did to most of the books she read, especially those that were dry and long-winded. It was a method of keeping her brain working when it would have otherwise shut down. *~What I need is something to take my mind of the language so I can focus on the story...~* With a smile, she reached for the Concentus.

**********

Draco looked up from his Charms homework. **What's that sound? ** The sound of instruments that Draco was unfamiliar with broke into his thoughts. Then, the most unusual voice began to...sing.

Time after time

I guess that love is blind

I couldn't read your mind

Line after line

Line after line

It was written in your eyes

I guess it's no surprise

Time after time

Suddenly drums and guitars kicked him. He found himself nodding his head to the music, still not knowing where it came from. Weirdly, no one else in the Library seemed to notice the music.

I can hear them whispering

Shadows in the rain

Thinking how it might have been

Time after time

Line after line you broke me

He dropped his quill, focusing on the lyrics. He closed his eyes as the strange new music filled his world.

Day after day

I watched love fade away

I wanted love to stay

Day after day

The games we play

The foolish things we say

The pain won't go away

Day after day

Candlelight is shimmering

Shadows on the wall

Thinking how it might have been

Day after day

The games we play you broke me

As the vocals seemed to fade out and the guitar became louder, he had a sudden flash of inspiration. **The Concentus! Hermione must be listening to this...this isn't what I thought she'd listen too...it's really heavy**. Draco had used a simple Charm to bewitch the Concentus so that he could always hear the music, no matter whose name was said. The puzzle of the music solved, he closed his eyes and let the guitar solo flow over him.

**********

Candlelights are shimmering

Shadows on the wall

Thinking how it might have been

Time after time

Line after line you broke me

Time after time

Line after line you broke me

Looking out the window, Hermione repeated the final line. *~Line after line you broke me...what did I do wrong guys?~* she asked herself, as she watched the red- and black-haired boys walking back to the castle.