Masquerade (Discontinued)

Chapter XV

One Hyde Park, London, England, Great Britain

Friday the 24th of December 1998

12:00 PM

She was bent over the white grand piano, plucking the keys softly, her brow furrowed. Her fingers ghosted over the keys, brushing over the stainless ivory with feather-light touches. She ignored her quietly waiting audience, completely enamoured with what she was seeing, or what she wasn't seeing. She began to play, slowly, her lips twisted into a mixture of a frown and a smile.

As she added her right hand, a sombre look appeared on her face, but it was not full of sorrow. She looked at peace and calm as she played the piece. It wasn't a long one, but it was beautiful all the same. As she came to an end, she was met with a burst of applause and she grinned at her audience. Her eyes fell on the young woman, her head leaning against the Elvish woman's shoulder.

"Astoria, will you play with me?" Bella asked, softly and the young woman's lips curled into a smile and she gave a sharp nod, pulling away from Luna and standing, lugging her cello case towards the chair sitting besides the piano.

"What do you want to play? Requests?" Astoria asked with a smile and Lalita leaned forward, her eyes wide with excitement.

"Something Christmas-like. An old Christmas hymn," Lalita declared and Astoria's lips curled into a wide smile and she nodded in agreement.

"Do you think you can keep up, Bella?" Astoria grinned as she pulled out her cello and the bow that went along with it and Bella snorted, amusement in her eyes as she heard Astoria's words.

"Of course."

With those words, Astoria pulled her bow along the strings, a beautiful strong sound emptying into the quiet room. Her head was bent over the cello, an intense look on her face as she played. Bella joined in, her face serious once more. The two played, not quite as in sync as it would be if Bella was playing with Daphne, but quite close. It was clear that the two women were playing for the missing link that they felt in their hearts and it was that one woman that connected them in such a profound way.

The two look at each other and there was a spark in their eyes. Bella looked deep into Astoria's blue-grey eyes and in them, she could see the reflection of a young woman that was so far and yet so close.

Astoria began to pluck the strings as Bella got her solo and Astoria began to play once more, harmony ringing out in everything that they played. The pure simple beauty of it all was overwhelming and as they came to the end of the piece, Bella couldn't help but smile blindingly at the young woman whose head was still bowed over the neck of her bow, her hair falling into her face.

Bella stood from the bench and she placed a comforting hand on her shoulder.

"I miss her too."

Slowly, Astoria turned to look at the woman, her eyes glazed over with tears. There was a long moment of silence when the two young women simply stared into each other's eyes before Astoria launched herself at her, wrapping her arms around her. Bella stared down at her stunned for a moment, slowly looking over the girl's head at Luna. Luna gave a soft smile that caused Bella to smile. The Potter looked down at Astoria and wrapped her tight in a hug even as tiny sobs wracked the sixth year's body.