Don't Ever Forget

XXV.

Draco leads me far away from the streets of Hogsmeade and into the surrounding forest. The dull sounds of chatter quickly disappear and we are alone in serene silence. Past the muddy and packed snow from frequent walkers is untouched perfectly white snow. We reach a beautiful clearing surrounded by trees and Draco walks into the clearing and smiles at me expectantly.

"Are we having a snowball fight, Draco?" I laugh. 

"Maybe another time, but not today," he says, still smiling. He reaches inside of his inner coat pocket and pulls out a small wooden music box. I expect there to be those quiet, delicate twinkling sounds that a normal music box would make but after he turns the lever the music surrounds us. Every instrument is perfectly clear as if it were being performed right in front of us.  I widen my eyes in equal parts shock and amazement and I can tell by the look on Draco's face that he's pleased by this. 

"What is this?" I ask. 

"I'm not finished," he replies. He walks over to me and grabs my hands then guides them to cover my eyes. I giggle in excitement. 

"Keep them closed until I say when, okay?" he asks, kissing my cheek. 

"Okay," and I think that satisfies him because I can hear the crunch of his footsteps go a bit farther from me. I hear him whisper some incantations and charms but I can't quite make them out or recognize them. I then hear his footsteps return back to me and he places his hands on mine.

"You can open now," I hear his voice behind me and his hands guide my hands back down. When I open my eyes I'm met with a completely transformed setting. The snow is still white and glittering surrounding us but just a few steps away is a perfectly square patch of green dry grass. The green, dry grass wasn't the only surprising and impossible thing there. Small flowers started to bloom from beneath the snow and it looked like colorful flowers were floating in a sea of white. Even the trees surrounding us, previously bare, were covered in small white blossoms, more beautiful than the snow itself. Before I can regain my composure, Draco walks directly into the middle of the grass and holds out his hand to me, and invitation to dance. 

"I'm not a very good dancer..." I hesitate.

"I wouldn't expect a muggleborn to have the same formal dancing talent as a pureblood such as myself anyway," he says and I stare at him in horror until the joke registers in my mind, "Don't worry, I'll lead you." He holds his hand out further to me and I take it. He pulls me closer to him and starts guiding my steps. Despite his lead, I still manage to trip over my own feet or step on his toes which elicits a chuckle from him each time. 

"I'm hopeless," I say, blushing from embarrassment. 

"No, you're getting it," he says, leading me around in circles. Around and around, the world surrounding us seems to be a blur now since he's the only thing I focus on. He looks down at our feet to check if I'm doing it correctly and he looks up, smiling. When I finally get comfortable with the steps I start to speak with him.

"So is dancing in the middle of the forest a part of the typical Hogsmeade date, too?" I ask. 

"No, this is new to me. I figured you might like it because..." he begins but trails off. 

"Because?" I ask, curious.

"Because you didn't have a date to the Yule Ball, and you didn't dance," he says and I'm caught off guard, tripping once again so Draco has to support me and continue guiding me. The Yule Ball was years ago and Draco and I didn't know each other then. At least we didn't talk...

"How did you know I didn't have a date?" I ask and now he's the one who looks embarrassed. He sighs and I can tell he's going to begin an explanation .