InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Learning to Love Again ❯ Chapter Six ( Chapter 6 )

Disclaimer: 'Melody' is a product of Britney Spears.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

"So, what did you guys want?" Kagome asked the other professors, trying to keep a light tone. They were all standing in Dumbledore's office and the air was so thick with tension, Kagome had the dim sensation of being suffocated.

With a grave expression, McGonagall began an explanation. "Earlier today, Madam Hooch's morning class was interrupted by something that came out of the woods. You saw it, didn't you?"

At Kagome's affirmative nod, McGonagall continued. "We've rarely had this kind of problem in the past; most creatures in the Forbidden Forest tend to stay there. We don't know what the thing is, but Hagrid said that it was much too fast to be anything but some kind of demon."

Kagome's face was becoming more frightened by the minute. She knew what was coming next; they'd want her to go after the creature. But she'd never defeated a demon by herself. Inuyasha had always been there to back her up and, the majority of the time, had done the defeating himself. Sure she'd helped a few times, shot an arrow or two here and there, but she'd never actually gone head to head with a demon alone.

"We thought that, with all your experience in matters of demons, you could go after the creature for us."

Kagome gulped. "Well, uh… actually-"

"Great! You can go when you're ready, but we'd prefer it to be as soon as possible, before another attack is issued…"

With that, the teachers ushered Kagome out of the room, careful not to give her a chance to protest. The whole time, she noticed, Snape was staring at her with a rather amused expression.

.

Kagome sat in a cross-legged position in her private room. She was hovering just above the black silk cushion below her as incense burned all around her in a small circle. The lights had all been turned out and hundreds of therapeutic candles had been lit around the room.

Her eyes closed in morbid concentration. And dramatic changes overcame the room…

The first thing Kagome noticed was the sound. Instead of the soft purring of a content Kirara that she'd heard before, her ears were suddenly tuned into the peaceful sound of crickets chirping and soft grass rustling under the gentle force of a nightly breeze. A distance away, she could here the faint sound of running water, of natural H2O bubbling and splashing softly over the rocky banks. The sweet smell of flowers and the spring forest met her nose and Kagome inhaled deeply, enjoying the calming effect that it brought her.

When she opened her eyes, the site that met her made her gasp. She was kneeling in a beautiful wildflower field. All around her as far as she could see were flowers of all shapes, sizes, colors, and variations. Silver stars twinkled softly against the blanket of navy blue that was the night sky. It was so beautiful; it nearly brought a tear to her eye to know that she could think up something so gorgeous and natural.

Kagome stood from the tall unhindered grass and began a slow pace through the field, trying her best not to step on many flora. She sighed. This is just what she needed right now. It seemed like she was just under so much pressure these past few days.

A smirking face framed in slicked back white-blonde hair came to her mind and for some reason, she didn't scowl in anger. Instead, a fond smile graced Kagome's lips and her stress-made hardened features seemed to soften slightly. She sighed again, as she'd been doing a lot lately. 'He obviously hates me. Why should I even bother? But still… I get this odd tingling at the edge of my senses every time he teases me… like maybe he's covering up for something, something deeper. It was the same feeling I got with…'

A single drop of moisture slipped silently down Kagome's pale cheek as she recalled the last time she'd seen her hanyou: wrapped in Kikyo's cold traitorous arms, whispering to her lovingly in a way he'd never done for herself.

"I can't keep thinking about him; I have to let go…" Kagome whispered to herself. Hearing her own voice seemed to calm her somewhat. 'I have to let go and just accept what I am: a stupid, weak, ugly, senseless, unlovable human girl. All those things he said, they were true after all. I really am nothing.'

And she let the tears flow…

.

One Draco Malfoy slept peacefully in his two-poster bed in his dormitory, tucked safely under his red and gold blankets. A soft contented sigh escaped his lips as he dreamed.

.

{Dream}

.

Draco had absolutely no clue as to where he was right now, but for some reason he felt incredibly… content. It felt as though he was completely at peace with the world, like nothing was wrong. Every stressed thought he'd ever had had been banished from his head and it felt like a ton of bricks had been lifted from his broad shoulders.

Feeling as light as a feather, Draco began walking. He really didn't know where he was going, but he had the strangest feeling that he should walk this way…

He began to smell the sweet scent of floral nectar and soon found himself in a field of wildflowers. But he wasn't alone; Draco could see the form of someone a short distance away, maybe just a few meters stretched between them. The figure's long silky black hair shrouded them from his view, but he could tell by the feminine whimpers and sobs that it was definitely a girl. Her shoulders shook miserably and he guessed by her height that she was just about his own age. Of course, she was sitting down…

Somehow, Draco felt as though he knew her…

Approaching her from behind, he laid a hand tenderly on her trembling shoulder. The girl looked up quickly and Draco gasped.

It was Kagome!

A scowl crossed her pixie-like features. "What are you doing in my meditation chimera?" she asked in an annoyed tone, even as tears still fell freely from her cheeks.

Draco retracted his hand like he'd just laid it on a hot cooking stove and stood to his full height again. He crossed his arms, raised his nose to her, and huffed indignantly. "I don't know, why don't you tell me? You're the freaky five hundred-year-old demon girl here!"

Surprisingly enough, a very hurt look flashed across Kagome's face and she lowered her head quickly, but not before Draco got a glimpse of her fresh tears. He suddenly felt very terrible.

"I know…" she whispered so softly, Draco had to strain to catch it.

"…"

Draco had no idea what to say to her. She'd never reacted this way to his teasing before. Kagome had always been quick to retaliate with her own smart remark, not just lower her head and accept it… Something was wrong here…

"Uh… Kagome, I… I mean…" Draco struggled to find the right words. He'd never done this kind of thing before, damnit! Hell, he'd never said a kind word in his life, how was he supposed to tell Kagome he hadn't meant what he'd said?! "Um, Kagome, I didn't mean it…"

With a sniffle, Kagome turned her tear-reddened eyes to him and another wave of guilt hit him. "Really…?" she asked in a small voice, though it barely came out as more than a whimper.

"Really!" Draco made to sit down beside Kagome and reached out to her hand. He enclosed her slender hand in his own larger one with a caring touch. Heat arose to Kagome's cheeks, but she ignored them and just turned a watery smile on her companion.

He smiled back awkwardly and gulped as he suddenly remembered something he'd wanted to ask her. "Um… Kagome, you know that dance we're having on Sunday?" Draco began uneasily.

"Yes, Draco, go on," she encouraged with another small smile.

"Well, I was wondering if you'd like me to escort you," he told her sheepishly, his cheeks tinting pink with an unheeded blush.

"I would love that," Kagome answered in a sincere whisper, returning his slight blush with a darker one of her own. Suddenly, she through herself into his arms, hugging his lean waist and snuggling her face into his robes with a joyful cry. Draco hesitantly encircled the girl in his arms and smiled softly down at the crown of her head. He buried his face in her silken tresses and leaned back against a sakura tree that had just magically appeared behind him in a shimmer of pink light, courtesy Kagome's imagination.

A sudden impulse overcame Kagome and she began to sing softly, the words drifting from her rose-petal lips to be carried away on the careless wind.

"I built these walls up so high

Needed my room to breath

Oh, baby, oh, baby

You tore them down

I can't believe you changed my mind

Oh, baby, oh, baby

I saw your smile

Stay with me a while

All things fall into place

My heart, it feels so safe

You are my melody

That's where you take me

With you I get so high

Lost in the crystal sky

You are this melody

That's where you take me"

As Draco heard the soft whisper of Kagome's song sigh across his ears, he couldn't believe how beautiful her voice was. It was like a chorus of angels hailing down from the heavens to bless him with their gift of song. It was just that beautiful. 'I must be the luckiest man alive…'

She didn't know what had made her sing that song as she had. It's just as she was lying there in Draco's sturdy arms, that little melody had come to mind. He was her melody, Draco. He was her sentry, her savior. He made her fell wanted, special, like she was something precious.

"You are precious," Draco whispered to her, somehow reading her thoughts.

It should have freaked her out, but somehow it didn't. It just made her feel as if she was closer than ever to Draco, like she could share everything with him and he would listen, he would care.

"Thank you, Draco," she sighed contentedly from her position in his lap.

And even though this was a dream, even though none of this was reality, it felt real enough to the couple cuddling peacefully in the middle of a beautiful flower field…

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

REVIEW!