Draco's POV
I saw my mother, lying unconscious, on the floor, with bruises all over her body. I ran towards her, I knew who did this, I knew and I couldn't do anything about it. I picked her up in my arms and took her to the bedroom and cleaned up her wounds.
How could someone do that? How could someone do that to such a kind person. She didn't have an unkind, an uncaring bone in her body, my mother was a patient and kind woman. How could my father do that to her? To her, whom he loved, whom he vowed to care about? How could he? That's the sole reason I don't do love, fearing and dreading that I will become my father.
I couldn't stand seeing her like this. I apparated to the muggle word, I didn't care that my father would find out, he did beat the shit out of me anyways. Drinking wasn't something I hadn't picked up from him, I had a lot in my study.
I didn't know where to go. I needed to wash the emotions that I had been pushing down for so long. I knew that I had class, that I wouldn't just walk into any bar, I quickly changed into muggle suit and entered a top-class bar. I took a seat in a secluded corner. The piano was set up, I loved art, any kind, I had my own talent that no one knew about.
I ordered a scotch, neat. I had put a spell on the bartender so that he wouldn't ask that if I was underage, which actually didn't seem. I had grown more taller, worked out, had pretty huge guns and my abs were visible through the white shirt I had worn.
I started sipping my drink, looking out of the window, drowning all my sorrows, until the piano started playing, a beautiful girl with a black dress sat on the seat and started playing piano, beautifully like her fingers were made for the piano. She had blue eyes, shining in the spotlight, black hair, that perfectly blended with her black dress, curves like God had taken his time to make her. She was mesmerizing.
My attention was totally on her now. She started singing, the voice of The Goddess of music herself, I haven't heard a single voice like hers, it was like her voice was singing directly to my heart.
She closed her eyes when she started singing the song, it was a muggle song that I didn't know, but when she started singing it was like I knew the song for years.
A/N - Please play Snowman by Sia
Don't cry, snowman
Not in front of me
Who'll catch your tears, if you can't catch me darling
If you can't catch me darling
Don't cry snowman
Don't leave me this way
A puddle of water can't hold me close baby
Can't hold me close baby
She took a deep breath in.
I want you to know that I'm never leaving
Cause I'm Mrs. Snow
Till death we'll be freezing
Yeah, you are my home
My home for all seasons
So, come on let's go
Let's go below zero and hide from the sun
I'll love you forever where will have some fun,
Yes, let's hit the north pole and live happily
Please don't cry no tears now,
It's Christmas baby
My snowman and me
She opened her eyes, smiling slightly. She looked at me. The whole wide world around us, fading away. Just her and me. When she looked at me, her smile faded, she was still playing the piano, her second paragraph of the song, not coming close. I raised my eyebrows, stood up from my seat and stood in the middle of the room, admiring her. In every way, possible. She looked like she was stuck. I gestured her with my hands to go on and she did. Not breaking eye contact.
All the eyes in the bar were on her, while hers on mine, when she started singing.
Don't cry snowman
Don't you fear the sun
Who'll carry me without legs to run, honey
Without legs to run honey
Don't cry snowman
Don't you shed a tear
Who'll hear my secrets if you don't have ears baby
If you don't have ears baby
I want you to know that I'm never leaving
Cause I'm Mrs. Snow
Till death will be freezing
Yeah, you are my home
My home for all seasons
She broke the eye contact.
So come on, let's go
Let's go below zero and hide from the sun
I'll love you forever where will have some fun
Yes, let's hit the North Pole and live happily,
Please don't cry no tears now
It's Christmas baby
My snowman and me
My snowman and me
The bar filled with applauses, bringing me back to reality. She got up, bowed and left. That was mesmerizing, even more than that. I couldn't find any words to appreciate, I was speechless, star-struck even.
Olivia's POV
I bowed after my performance, leaving the short stage and quickly going backstage. Phew! That was close, luckily with all the time I had on my hands, before this job started, I had mastered transfiguration, I had transformed my face into a new one, with blue eyes and black hair, perfectly arched eyebrows, a normal nose.
If I was in my old self, Malfoy would've easily recognized me, thank Merlin he didn't. I was glad for the job. It was a nice bar, with class. I didn't have to worry about drunk men coming in and taking their chance on me.
What was he doing here? It was about closing time when my last performance ended. I went near my area, collected all of my belongings, only to see my coat missing. Great I might've left it at home. My dress was black, with noodle strips and a deep neck in the front and a slit through the right side, exposing my thigh. I had worn high black heels, to pump up my small height. I needed a coat to get home, but then I just assumed that it was only 3 blocks away, I'll manage.
To my surprise, Malfoy was still there. He was the last customer and as policy, I had to kick the last customer out before I left because, well I was the last person to leave, before the cleaning crew. I dreaded it, what if he recognized me? What if he gets handsy? What if he refuses to leave the bar? I couldn't lose this job, I had to keep it, since I was not planning on going back to Hogwarts. I didn't tell anyone, Hermione, Ron and the twins had already visited me, Harry couldn't because of his uncle and aunt.
"Oh, hi. I was waiting for you, actually. I didn't see you leave, so I thought I'd just wait" he said awkwardly, before I could say anything to him. I had to admit, he looked good, he had grown taller now, his abs visible through his shirt and his muscles, like they couldn't fit in the sleeves of his suit and if he flexed, would've ripped off his suit.
"Oh?" I said in confusion. Why was he waiting for me?
"I'm the one to appreciate art. But that was not art, it was something totally angelic and beyond it" he said rubbing the back of his neck.
"Thank you-" I couldn't complete my sentence; I was just gawking at him in awe.
"Ermm, did I say something wrong?" he said in concern that he might've said something bad and that his words would hurt a lady.
"No, no, just, erm, you remind me of someone very close to me. Well, I'm glad you enjoyed the performance" I said in a kind tone.
"Do you sing here regularly?"
"Yes, started a few months back"
"Good, you've gained yourself a regular customer. May I know your beautiful name?" he said sheepishly.
"Oh, right! I forgot to introduce myself. Silly me" I let out a slight chuckle with my smile, showing teeth and dimples.
I didn't see the change in his demeanor, as soon as he saw my smile, his eyes wandered to my hands and saw the ring.
"Middleton" he said. "Whittle" I said at the same time.
Middleton? Oh, Merlin he knows its me. "Um, who? I'm Charlotte Whittle" I said quickly. But I guess I was too slow.
"No, you're not" he said quickly taking my wrist and dragging me out of the bar. He looked angry, like really angry. I haven't seen Malfoy like this, ever.
"What the hell are you doing in a bar, Middleton?" he said sternly.
"I should ask you the same thing" I said trying to free myself from his hand, but I was not as strong as he was. He pulled me towards him, a hand sliding on my waist, gripping it tightly.
"I'll ask you again, do not question me back and answer me. What. Are. You. Doing. In. A. Bar. Looking like this" he said each word sternly, no more than a whisper in my ear. His lips touching my ears, sent me shivers down my body.
"I work here now; didn't I just tell you that inside?" I said snarly.
He let go off my waist and held my wrist tightly again. "What? Aren't you too young to work in a bar?"
"Aren't you too young to be in a bar? Why do you care?" I questioned him back.
"Why don't your parents?" he retorted back.
My parents, I hadn't thought about my so-called parents in a long time, not once over the summer. My eyes started to water. He quickly let go off my wrist, seeing the change in my demeanor.
"Malfoy, what I do, where I do, how I do, is none of your business. Thank you for appreciating my voice, not knowing that if you'll like it now, since you know its me" I looked him in the eye. "No one knows about what I do. You're the first to find out and I hope you're the only one" I said on the edge of breaking down. My voice shaking. I started to walk towards my home.
"Middleton, look I didn't mean to sound so rude; I was just worried. Bloody hell woman, where are you going, Ruffle Street's this way" he said almost embarrassed.
I stopped dead in my tracks. How did he know that I lived there? I didn't turn around, I turned my face to left, side eyeing him.
"I don't live there anymore" and I continued walking towards my home.
He quickly caught on to me and placed his coat on me. I looked at him and whispered 'thank you'
"Look, let me at least walk you to your home, its already midnight, you shouldn't be going alone" he said sounding genuine.
I just nodded. We were silent the whole time, just the sound of nearby vehicles, wind blowing, trees rustling and our footsteps covering us. We soon reached my house. As much as I hated all the professors at the school, they did a hellish of a job to find a home for me and a nice job.
"Would you like to come in? I mean, its already late, I don't want you travelling back home at this time of night. I have spare bedrooms, might not be like your bedroom in the dungeons, but it'll do for a night" I said, feeling guilty, that he waited to talk with me and he walked me and offered his coat when he would be freezing cold.
"Only if you promise to answer whatever I ask you" he said looking at me like I was already the answer to every question he will ever have. I nodded and we went in.