Merry Christmas Mr. Malfoy (Book 1)

Chapter 14 : Lost for Words (Part 2)

It was wonderful. A true piece of art. The best thing he had ever created.

And there was no one here to truly appreciate the glory of it.

Hanging his head, Dennis looked at the article in front of him. The article he had painstakingly created, spending hours finding the right parchment, the right ink, and the right words. He had developed the photographs with care, needing them to come out in perfection. He had measured them, placing them in the exact noted slots.

Everything had to be perfect.

Everything was beautiful.

If only…

"Hey Dennis, watcha got there?"

He looked over, facing a dark-skinned boy. His name was Dean Thomas, he recalled, one of the people who had fought alongside his brother.

"It's…it's an article."

Why was Dean talking to him? The boy never spoke to him. Nobody older than him ever talked to him, except for Ginny, Harry, Ron and Hermione. But even of late, Ron hadn't been in the talking mood. For the whole week before the holiday began, Ron had been glowering and furious.

"What's it about?"

What was Dean up to? Had Ginny asked Dean to keep an eye on him? Honestly, he wasn't a child to be watched over and coddled; he was fifteen, for goodness sake. He was going to be sixteen in two months!

"It's just a Christmas article. Thought it could help with the Christmas spirit." Dean nodded as he spoke, as though he understood exactly what Dennis meant."Yeah, a lot of people could use more Christmas spirit nowadays."

Dennis looked back down at the image, at the way the couple moved and eyed each other, watching them argue and smile, laugh and snarl, and he felt his stomach flip.

He missed his brother…Collin would have loved this. Collin would have told him that it was beautiful. That is was perfect. The best article he had ever seen.

Collin…

"I wish my brother was here to see it…"

It came out before he had even considered what to say. Dean's eyes softened and the young man sat down beside Dennis, wanting to get close but afraid of what the younger boy might do.

"It's all right, Dennis," he said quietly. "I'm sure that he can see it where he is. He's your guardian angel now, watching over you even though you can't see him."

"Really?"

What a load of rubbish. His brother was cremated and poured into the lake with the rest of the dead. The only thing that reminded the world of his brother's existence was the large monument, erected in honour of those who gave their lives to create peace.

He could see it now, the picture of his brother moving, smiling and waving, talking to the other pictures the same way the paintings moved about. His photo was underneath one of a grinning, freckle-covered man that looked very much like a shorter, stockier Ron.

If only Collin could see it…

Gods…he missed his brother…

"I…I want to show it to him one day. Maybe…maybe when the storm dies down. Maybe tomorrow." He wanted to show it to him now.

"That's a good plan. Do you want me to come with you?"

Dennis looked up at Dean, seeing the concern in the young man's eyes. Seeing the understanding…the sympathy. No pity…no pity at all…Dean understood him.