Duet with me? [Dimitri]

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It was another Hogsmeade Weekend that Neri simply avoided. Too many people, spending time together... It wasn't bad. Neri found it quite beautiful that people were bonding in groups, spending their evening laughing and having fun. Or having a Butterbeer at the Three Broomsticks, or maybe a couple of sweets at Honeyduke's. It wasn't as if she didn't enjoy it too, but there were times like these that the Ravenclaw preferred to stay alone. Because despite all the good moments with friends, people always needed some time to themselves. To think, relax, and make decisions.

Walking down the empty halls, the young witch easily found the Music Room and slipped in. With a wave of her hand, the room was bright and a small smile touched her lips. It was such a beautiful room...
A piano sitting in the middle, with all its glory, shining as the light hit it. Neri approached it carefully, her violin case in hand. Placing the case down carefully, she sat down and hesitantly started playing. She was one of the best violin players, but she had also made sure to learn the piano. After all, the more she knew the better.

Once her hands were all warmed up, Neri got comfortable on the seat, and finally started playing a piece she had been studying, in the quiet peace of the room.
Chopin's Nocturne in C# Minor.

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Dimitri's father had written to him that morning, asking questions of insignificant importance in Dimitri's mind. Grade sweeps from his classes so that his father could assess his capabilities in the upcoming O.W.L. exams. Information on the contacts he'd made within the school that were of note to the Moreau House. The fact had reached his father's ears that one Tess Holmes had arrived at Hogwarts, and his father wanted to know as to whether Dimitri had made her acquaintance as of yet.

Of course, Dimitri hadn't sought the witch out, Dimitri, unlike many Purebloods his age, was not one to be simply looking to people to marry.

He had his whole life for such matters.

However, Dimitri found his father's letters were becoming increasingly... stressful upon reading them. He knew, of course, that his father meant well, but Dimitri needed to get out of his head space for a while, and just forget that he was the eldest son of the Moreau family, and that responsibility would come for him soon enough.

His feet led him to his usual haunt at such times -- the music area. The grand piano there was beautiful to play, but as he grew closer to the room, he could hear the instrument already playing. It took a couple of footsteps before Dimitri could recognise the piece, but quite soon he had registered it as Chopin's Nocturne in C# Minor. The person playing was playing it flawlessly, too, so Dimitri entered the room carefully, taking in the witch at the piano with a smile.

He knew Nerisei due to their shared house and year. They hadn't spoken very much outside of polite greetings, and small talk, but Dimitri didn't dislike the witch, they simply had different circles of friends.

Keeping himself quiet for the moment, Dimitri stood by the door, simply listening as he closed his eyes, losing himself in the piece, and playing the song in his head as he would if he were at the piano himself. He would not interrupt, the thought of such an action would be on par to murder to the Ravenclaw, and that simply would not do.

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Nerisei was pretty proud of herself to be honest. It hadn't been too long since she had started to study the piece, yet she was playing this perfectly and with ease as well. He hands were gliding over the keys, and her smile was not leaving anytime soon. She wasn't one of the people that smiled easily, but music had that effect on her. It was a part of her soul.

Once she had completed the piece, she took a deep breath, letting it sink in, before she allowed her hands to rest on her hips. Closing her eyes, she relaxed in the seat, feeling warmer and warmer as the time was passing. Hogwarts was making sure that the students left behind were warm enough to survive the snow, it seemed.

Getting up from the seat, Neri decided it was time to practice on her violin. Placing the case on the seat, she carefully opened it and took out her violin. Placing it on top of the piano, she took out her bow and some rosin, running it up and down the length of the hairs, being extra careful not to put too much as always.

Once that was done, it was time for her to tune it. Pressing the appropriate keys on the piano, Neri took note of the sound and started tuning her violin to match it. It didn't take her long, and soon enough, she was ready to play. Pulling out a folder full of sheets, she placed the appropriate once on a music stand, and grabbed her violin.

Closing her eyes, she allowed her hand to move on its own accord, not really knowing what she was playing. Yes, she was supposed to study, but right now, it was all about feeling. And that was what she was going to do, completely oblivious to the fact she had company.

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The witch played through the piece with exquisite competence, something Dimitri had found to be apparent in very few of the Hogwarts students here. As Nerisei finished the piece, Dimitri opened his eyes to find the witch in her own little moment. He'd have clapped, had that not have been a likely cause of pressing fear in to her veins.

Instead, he stayed still, watching as she swapped from the piano to the violin with ease after she'd tuned the second instrument to play in the same manner as the piano. It took a few moments, and still the girl didn't look his way, instead her attention was solely on the instrument, and the music she was about to play.

Nerisei's eyes closed once more, and the soft sounds of the violin took ahold of the room. Dimitri waited for a few moments, before crossing the room -- silent in his footsteps -- and taking a seat at the piano. For a moment, Dimitri took his time to read the sheet music -- not that this was what the witch was playing -- and get it in his head. He allowed her a moment longer to play the tune she was, before Dimitiri started to play the first piece of sheet music very gently on the keys.

He didn't wish to startle the witch. Perhaps he would. But, Dimitri wanted to play with Nerisei, and he hoped he was not overstepping the mark by not announcing his presence to her sooner.

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Nerisei was focused, yet lost. The way the bow was softly brushing against the violin, causing music to fill the room, gave her peace of mind. In the beginning, she was improvising, fingers moving deftly over the strings to produce a soft and sad melody. Nerisei wasn't sad per se, but she was carrying a general feeling of loneliness on her. Maybe it was the weather, maybe it was the fact the the Halloween Ball had just passed, and she was forced to attend on her own.
The Ravenclaw girl had no idea whether it was her fault, or she was generally unlucky. Her... luck with boys was nonexistent, actually. Most of the time, she was blaming it on herself, saying she was quite emotionally unavailable since she was unable to express her feelings, and well, boys were stupid. She just didn't give them a chance to explain themselves.

Stopping abruptly, Neri kept her eyes closed, taking a deep breath. It was lovely to play freely, but sadly, practicing the violin with a Professor meant she had to follow specific rules, and learn specific pieces. So instead of playing whatever, she slowly started playing the piece that was written on the sheets. The orchestral version of 'Elements', by Lindsey Stirling.
Of course she was missing the piano, and the rest of the instruments, but her violin was playing the melody nonetheless.

As she was playing the melody by heart, Neri moved around the space, feeling the vibe and the feeling of the song. Oh how she loved it! Such.. magic in that music piece. But to her ultimate surprise, the sound of the piano touched her ears, following the exact piece she was playing. Surprised, Neri opened her eyes, ready to stop. Her eyes landed on a boy, sitting in the seat that was previously occupied by her, that she recognized as Dimitri, a fellow Ravenclaw.

She didn't know the boy enough. They hadn't spend time together at all, and she certainly didn't know he was so skilled with the piano. His fingers were moving softly over the keys, carefully even, as if not to scare her. And so, despite the intrusion, her fingers didn't stop, and she kept playing along with him, whilst a small smile threatened to touch her lips.
Biting her lip softly to keep it hidden, Neri took a deep breath and focused on playing the piece as if it was her own. She was going to prove to her company her worth, and see if he could keep up with the challenge.

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As Dimitri joined in with the witch's piece, he kept his playing soft, listening to her for any signs that he'd distracted her. Nothing came, though, and the Ravenclaw continued to play, eyes scanning the page, and playing the piece (almost) flawlessly.

As Nerisei's confidence grew -- you could hear these things if you studied music enough -- Dimitri's fingers stroked the keys with a little more conviction, playing the duet with full gusto. Though, obviously, at the points in which the music was supposed to be quieter (or even louder) the boy followed, making sure as to not over emphasise the notes in any way.

Their playing went together quite nicely, though Dimitri was concentrated on his own part much more than he'd normally be, he could hear them getting each note in unison. It was, in truth, quite the spectacle, seeing as they'd never played together before. Still, it could take some work, but Dimitri was nothing short of optimistic when it came to playing with others.

After a few minutes, the music came to an end, and Dimitri finished on an additional couple of notes, before holding the last in to a fade. The tension in his shoulders was almost gone by now, but Dimitri didn't look up or away from the keys. Bliss came from music...

His hands reached up to turn the sheet music to the next piece and Dimitri found something more familiar. Beethoven stood before Dimitri and the Ravenclaw smiled to himself. After a moment, perhaps two, his fingers found the keys again, giving Nerisei the introduction she needed.

Words would not hold enough meaning in that moment, so Dimitri wasn't about to try.

Duet

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They were playing in union, completing each other as the melodies fit perfectly together. to be honest, Neri rarely ever played alongside someone else, because simply, she had not find someone god enough to accompany her. So solo was the only way she would go if she wanted to perfect a piece. A lot of people were goo at playing the piano, or the violin, or any instrument for that matter, but that was not enough to perfect a duet. The musicians had to share a connection. An invisible force that bind them. They should hear, feel and play the same thing at the same time, and that was very hard to find.

Yet, in this time of the evening, Neri found herself surprised with the boy in front of her. He was good. Very, very good, for someone that had never seen the piece. Anyone who had been studying music thoroughly could see that he had not seen the piece before, but nonetheless, he was playing he had. His fingers didn't stop once. Instead, he was quite perfect on time, and made very little to zero mistakes. Nerisei didn't know what to make of that, since he was the first person to surprise her like that, music wise.

Their song was over sooner than what she wanted, and a small pout appeared on her lips. To be honest, the Ravenclaw liked their little duet time, that had ended rather abruptly. The wise thing would be to say something. Address him, introduce herself, but instead, Nerisei remained still, her eyes solely focused on him. He remained still as well, and her breath caught in her throat. She did not know what to do. Approach him? No, no. Too bold for the situation. Talk? He seemed to peaceful for Neri to destroy the calmness.

Thankfully, she did not have to do anything. Dimitri finally moved, flipping through the various sheet pages she had taken out, until he stopped. Nerisei looked at him carefully, trying to figure out what exactly was that he was doing. But then his fingers found the keys again, giving her an introduction for of her favorite pieces. Beethoven's Kreutzer Sonata.
Her eyes widened, and this time, she couldn't suppress the enormous smile that touched her lips.

Nodding once, more to herself than him, since he was paying no attention to her, as far as she could see, Neri started playing with him once again, loving this more with each passing moment. He was special, his choices in music showed her that much.

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Beethoven's Kreutzer Sonata was a song that anyone who could play the piano well would be acquainted with. It was something with a challenge in it, of course, and Dimitri's eyes scanned the notes as he played, keeping in time with the composer's directions. It was one of many options for a beautiful duet with a voilin, but as Nerisei joined in, he knew his choice had been the right one in that moment.

The tempo grew with the song, his fingers finding the notes quietly, and then louder as denoted on the sheet before him. Each note being matched with the careful actions of Nerisei behind him. They played with second nature, and Dimitri couldn't help but smile to himself as he played.

It had been a long time since he'd had someone keep up with his playing, and the witch with the violin was doing so flawlessly. He knew now something he'd not known before. Nerisei was a witch that was due more respect than he'd ever given her before. Something he would have to consider once this song was over.

Dimitri's focus stayed on his work until the very last note, and slowly his fingers moved away from the keys, resting on his lap for a moment as the music seemed to still reverberate around the room. Only when the last note had fully died away, leaving the room in a blissful silence, did he turn his head to look at his fellow Ravenclaw. A sheepish smile played on the boy's lips in that moment, too.

"Forgive me for intruding, but I heard you playing. It's... been a long time since I've been able to find someone who plays as beautifully as you do." Dimitri explained, his smile sincere as he looked up at Nerisei from his position. "I'm Dimitri by the way, and you're Nerisei, I believe. We haven't spoken before, and I can see that was my own mistake..."

Oh, Dimitri was smooth, he knew that, but for once, this was meant in a genuine manner, and not with an alternate scheme in mind.

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The music stopped after some time, as the song came to an end. Neri was surprised to say the least, that he had chosen such a demanding song, and had actually played it perfectly along with her. Well, almost perfectly. But with a little practice, she was positive that they could perfect it! And the same would probably happen to any piece they decided to play together. It was obvious to the Ravenclaw witch, that Dimitri was far more capable that what she believed. Truly, she expected him to be cold, or at least oblivious to her. He was a Pureblood, after all, and no matter the House he was put into, he would always be a Prince. Unlike her, of course. She was a Muggleborn, Mudblood, as she had been called not too many times, by a few Slythering Purebloods like him. Who knew? Maybe they were friends. After all, it wasn't as if Dimitri had spent any time looking at her. And she had certainly not spent any time looking at him... for the most part.

And who could actually blame her? Blood Purity aside, Dimitri was a very handsome young man and no one could disagree with that. He was fairly talk, with handsome features. Dark brown hair and deep brown eyes that made Neri swoon. Yes, it was obvious that she had developed a crush on her fellow Ravenclaw that she had been trying to ignore for some time now. And she was doing fairly fine since he did not acknowledge her at all. But now, now she had the chance to look at him up close. See that he was even more handsome than what she had thought, and the way he played, with her of all people, it was simply magical! But that was all she was allowed. For now and forever. A Muggleborn would never stand a chance. So instead of exploiting her crush, she hid it, deeper and deeper every day, suppressing the emotions that awakened every time his eyes accidentally found hers.

"Forgive me for intruding, but I heard you playing. It's... been a long time since I've been able to find someone who plays as beautifully as you do."

Her eyes found his, startled. The peace that had touched the room had allowed her to get lost in her trance of thought, forgetting that she was not alone in the room. Inhaling sharply, she blinked a few times, trying to register that Dimitri was there, and he had just talked to her. No, no. He did not just talk. He complimented her! Her cheeks immediately turned a rosy shade as all the blood rushed to her face.

Stop blushing, idiot!, Neri thought to herself.

"I'm Dimitri by the way, and you're Nerisei, I believe. We haven't spoken before, and I can see that was my own mistake..."

Nerisei almost choked. What. The. Hell. Her mind was running, trying to find a way to explain what was happening right now. Dimtri had just introduced himself to her, knew exactly who she was, and had just apologised because they had never had the chance to talk to each other before? No, no, she had definitely gotten that all wrong.
Shaking her head softly, as to clear her thoughts, Neri took a deep breath and looked back up at Dimitri, who was sitting there with his beautiful eyes and lovely smile.

Aaaand I'm fucked!

"I..." But her voice died, not knowing what to say. She was still frozen, her mind going blank on her. For Merlin's sake, she was a Claw, she had to come up with something before she made a complete fool out of herself! Pulling herself together, Neri smiled warmly back at the boy and spoke. "I am Neri, yes. Thank you, for your kind words. It was my honor to play alongside someone as talented as you, Dimitri." Neri made a small pause and gave him a little curtsy with a small smile, as a sign of respect. "As for the talking part, well, maybe it was not the right time? After all, we do socialize with different people, and life does have a weird way of making things happen."

Smooth, Neri. Very smooth.

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The compliment he'd given Nerisei seemed to have meant a lot to her -- or, so Dimitri believed as her cheeks turned quite red in that moment. Dimitri's eyes averted from her face, even though he wanted to take the blush in in it's entirety, out of politeness for the witch. After all, a blush denoted embarrassment in the topic at hand, and Dimitri did not wish to make the witch feel worse in that moment.

The pause between his words and the Nerisei's response was a clear indication that his words had caught her off guard. Dimitri did feel bad for that, too, and kept his eyes politely averted from his fellow Ravenclaw, until she spoke.

Her voice, much like her music, was beautiful. He could denote some kind of infliction from a European country, but Dimitri couldn't place his finger on it in that moment. It would be a question for a later time, he decided, because simply coming out and asking a new acquaintance was quite rude, and Dimitri most certainly did not wish to be rude.

"Neri..." Dimitri echoed, giving a small nod as he took the shortened version of her name and tested it out for himself. Nerisei was prettier, in his mind, but if she preferred her name being shortened, her would do so.

"Perhaps, or perhaps I was just foolish in thinking you weren't worth my time. Until now." Dimitri said, taking some responsibility for his actions. Whilst the Ravenclaw didn't like to admit he fell in to the ideals of the Pureblood society often, he believed that he might have fallen pray to it when it came to the witch before him. For that much, he would be quite sorry, because he had seemingly wasted the first five years of school not knowing someone who could play well with him.

"Life is amusing, though, you're right..." Dimitri replied, a fond smile on his lips in that moment. He shuffled along slightly, motioning for Nerisei to join him on the bench.

Dimitri was still quite impressed with the music that had been played, and his attention turned back to the music sheets. He was being greedy, he knew, but he couldn't help it. Reaching for the sheets, he flipped a few pages, before he found a song that brought a smile to his lips. The Piano Duet from The Corpse's Bride was one that not many Purebloods would likely ever play, but Dimitri loved the song. It was hauntingly beautiful...

Reaching out to the lower notes, Dimitri started to play the introduction, wondering whether Nerisei would join in with him once more, or wherther he was overstepping now. There was, however, only one way to find out, so Dimitri continued, anticipation building as the song built up to the point in which Neri would have to join him, or else leave him looking like a fool...

The Song

» 'Us' [Dimitri]
» Blown Away [Dimitri]
» Dimitri Moreau
» The Talk [Dimitri]
» Potions [Dimitri]