A drabble for the @drarrymicrofic challenge. Prompt: Inhale
Harry paused at the top of the stairs, taking a deep breath as he peered down at the other Champions. They all looked so much more prepared than he was, confident in their abilities and partners. Meanwhile, Parvati waited impatiently at the foot of the stairs.
“Just breathe,” he whispered as he descended, “You can do this.”
He and Parvati joined the line up just before the Great Hall doors opened. He’d smiled nervously at the others, commenting on how lovely Hermione looked while completely ignoring his own date, and half-way into the opening dance it was exceedingly clear that Parvati was having a bloody awful time. She frowned as Harry’s gaze darted around the room, winced when Harry stepped on her toes, and silently fumed when he remained tight-lipped despite her efforts to coax him out of his shell.
Harry tried to concentrate on the steps, attempting to stay on beat, but his focus was completely shattered the moment Draco led Pansy onto the dance floor. He’d been relieved when the dance was opened up to the rest of the attendees, but as soon as Draco stood to lead his date to the floor, he was all Harry could see. His skin tingled as his gaze traveled slowly down the almost blinding white robes, nipped in at the waist and fitted at the shoulders, and he suddenly felt flush when Draco turned a dazzling smile in his direction.
Parvati sighed, the fact that Harry’s attention was elsewhere not completely unexpected, and looked forward to the moment they would change partners. She grinned as it approached, looking to her left to discover that she would be forced to dance with Draco instead. Her brow furrowed, and she quickly decided to take her fate into her own hands.
As the dancers were prompted to change partners, Parvati allowed Harry to clumsily spin her toward Draco. Once free of his clutches, however, Parvati reached for Pansy instead, wrapping her arm around her waist and clasping her hand tightly. Pansy gasped, then smirked triumphantly as she realized she wouldn’t be forced into close proximity with Harry. Draco and Harry stood motionless, staring at each other as the rest of the partygoers danced around them. Harry swallowed heavily, pulling his lower lip into his mouth as he searched Draco’s eyes.
“Well, come on then, Potter,” Draco said with a sneer, “You could use a few lessons from someone like me, anyhow.”
Harry gasped when Draco took his hand and pulled him closer, lifting his other to settle on Draco’s shoulder before lightly gripping Harry’s hip. Harry looked up at him, their faces mere inches away, as Draco expertly spun them around the dance floor. His heart hammered in his chest as each step brought them incrementally closer, his skin burning everywhere that Draco touched, and as he stared into mercury irises he felt as though he was slowly falling into their depths.
A line etches across your heart as your brain processes what is supposed to be joyous news.
Crack.
Another forms when you see the happy couple kiss. True love in their eyes.
Crack.
Everyone cheers, blessing the engagement. You force a smile, wishing to be genuinely happy.
Crack.
Yoongi looks over at you, a hidden worry gracing his beautiful features.
Crack.
He looks at you now, happiness in his eyes, while his friends give him a round of applause.
Crack.
Once the formalities end, he makes his way towards the back of the room. Away from the party, towards you, the wall flower.
His next words shattering your heart.
"Y/n, I- we were wanting you to play the piano for us at our wedding."
Everything within you screams, you want to cry out, to hate him. But you can't. You could hate the whole world, but you could never hate him.
"I-" you start, only to be cut off as a familiar hand comes to clasp your shoulder.
"Joon, you should let y/n enjoy your wedding. Let her party a little, and hook up with someone."
"Like that's going to happen." You mumble under your breath. the hand on your shoulder tightens its grip.
"Hell, even I could play for you if you wanted." Yoongi continues over you, ignoring your self-degrading words completely. "Not that I usually do weddings, but y/n doesn't either, y'know..." He trails off, slightly awkward.
Namjoon blinks, looking between the two of you. "I'd like you to be up next to me Yoongi as my best man. Playing the piano would make that a little difficult." He chuckles, making sure to look you in the eye as he says, "If you don't want to y/n then that's ok, and I'd respect that. It would just really mean a lot to have you as part of the wedding as well, other than just a guest that is, but you'll be more than just a guest if you don't want to play the piano because-"
You hold up your hand, stopping Namjoon.
"It's fine Joonie, I'll be happy to play for you." The words you speak are true. You'd be happy to play for him, but you are suffocating at the thought of playing for them.
Namjoon pulls you into a hug thanking you, while you are just trying to ingrain his touch, smell, everything into your mind. "Thanks y/n."
And then he's gone, back to her and their other friends.
"Don't push yourself y/n." The man next to you says.
Forcing your gaze away from the engaged man, you look over at your friend who remains by your side. "I'll be fine. Just like I always am."
"Then why are your hands shaking?" Yoongi asks matter of factly.
You hold your hands up to see that they are indeed shaking, and you turn them in to fists, willing them to stop.
"He's meant to be in the lime light with a beautiful, talented partner to match. You know me, I prefer the background." You acquiesce.
Yoongi grabs one of your fists, trying to soothe it open.
"Doesn't mean you should fake being this happy. I know you're hurting. You love-"
"Yoongi, don't." You hiss, ripping your hand from his. You don't want your feelings laid out before you so plainly. "I'm a coward. I had so much time to tell him how I feel, and this is what I deserve."
Quickly, you storm out of the hall feeling completely overwhelmed. Yoongi watches you forlornly as you go, everyone else partying it up.
You were the kid that was a loner, doing your own thing silently while watching kids run around chaotically. Smarter with books and less in social situations made things awkward with the other kids, and they eventually gave up on you. Apparently your please sit next to me face equated to go away, I want to be alone face. When your family moved, it was even worse. You were the cold looking student and the new kid.
That didn't stop Min Yoongi though, nothing did. You were enrolled in his piano class. The two of you didn't talk much until your instructor made everyone pair up to practice duets. The other students ran to their friends, knowing exactly who they wanted to be partners with. Yoongi and you were the only ones that remained seating during the whole process.
"Well, this makes things easy." Yoongi chuckles, looking over at you expectantly. "I was hoping I could ask to be your partner."
"Really?" You question with wide eyes.
"Yeah, you're the second-best player here." He nods his heads at the other students talking loudly to each other. "Plus, you're not annoying like them."
Everyone knows Yoongi is the best player in the class by far, so you take his words in gratefully. He's right too on all the other kids being annoying.
"T-thank you." You meekly say, sending him a soft smile.
He returns it with a gummy one of his own. "Great, what song do you want to try first?"
After that, the two of you became friends, and that's how you met Namjoon. He and Yoongi were inseparable childhood friends who would always be next to each other as intellectual idiots in the years to come.
You don't want to say it was love at first site, not believing the hallmark spiel, but it was something close. You were hopelessly enamored by Namjoon. The way his dimples formed as he smiled, excitedly showing you a crab he found, looking at the stars and seeing more. You wanted to see the world in the way he saw it, but ended up being too scared of entering it.
Years pass and the three of you grow up together, even go to the same university. For your senior project, you threw your heart and soul into making a song that would express your feelings for your dear friend. It was to be a confession. Being too scared of saying the words yourself, you hoped he picked up the meaning of your song.
The tiniest cracks started to form when he didn't. Yoongi knew what you were trying to say though, he always did.
Your fingers glide skillfully along the black and white keys of your piano. Namjoon and Yunhee, his fiancé, sit on the couch facing the grand black piano you're sitting at. Yoongi is also in the room, somewhere behind you. Last you saw, he was leaning against the wall, looking out your large window, wine glass held delicately in his hands. When you play the piano, you become absorbed, you don't know if he's moved any at all, but you can feel his stare weigh on your back.
Your fingers slow to a stop, the last notes ringing in the air. You turn your head expectantly, looking at the young couple cuddling on your couch. You try not to focus on their entwined hands, a glittering engagement ring catching the light just right.
"What do you think?" you ask hopefully. The romantic songs in your repertoire are nearly depleted.
Namjoon and Yunhee share a glance before turning back to you with awkward smiles.
"It was really pretty, y/n." Yunhee starts, voice soft and careful. "but I don't think that is the right one either."
"Sorry y/n." Namjoon rubs the back of his head sheepishly.
Sighing, you nod your head in understanding. "Well, I don't think any of the songs I had written in the past will work then." You start to collect the music sheets off the stand and slide them into their folder. "You can send me a score you would like played or could discuss me writing a song. That might be done too close to the date though, and I know you were wanting to do dance practices for it."
"Agreed." Yoongi chimes in from beside you. His hand is stretched out and you put the folder into his awaiting hand. "It sounds like the two of you have something specific in mind already." He walks over to your music shelf, sliding the folder in its correct spot.
Namjoon snaps his fingers, his eyes light up as he just remembered something. "Ah, I can't believe I forgot. Remember that song you wrote for your graduating project?"
You couldn't forget it even if you wanted to.
"Of course, Joonie. I nearly died perfecting it." deflect, deflect, deflect.
"You and Yoongi always did drink too much caffeine." He adds fondly.
"Yeah, well, genius waits for no one, not even us." Yoongi defends, making everyone laugh.
He slides in on the bench, knees bumping yours, and his hand softly ghosts over your shaking ones resting in your lap. You didn't even realize they were doing so until then. The way Yoongi positions his body hides the look you give him from the engaged couple on your couch. His lips silently word the mouth 'don't'.
Your eyes travel to the piano, and you slip your hands from his. Always the fool, you started playing your song, the one you wrote for Namjoon. Emotions slip out of you all too easily and your feelings are painfully etched into the song. A knee bumps into yours making you look up as your fingers continue to play. You send Yoongi what you think is a reassuring smile, but the sad look he gives you becomes even more intense at your attempt.
Once the song finishes, Yunhee and Namjoon are clapping with genuine, excited smiles on their faces.
"This is the one." Yunhee giggles, running over to you to give you a hug.
"I'm glad." You put your hands over hers wrapped around you and look over at the man that stole your heart. "I think it's perfect for you."
The wedding is a beautiful event. No one questions your crying because nearly everyone teared up a little. The look of Namjoon's face when he sees Yunhee in her dress is one you'll never forget. You wished he would look at you like that, but instead here you are hiding behind the piano, playing the wedding theme as the bride walks down the aisle.
Yoongi stays by your side when he can during the reception, but being the best man keeps him busy. You push him away whenever he is called over by a rambunctious friend or the rest of the wedding party. You didn't want to cloud his day, knowing it is his best friend's most important one. You would hate if he didn't get to fully celebrate because of your broken heart.
When people start gathering towards the dance floor, you take your queue and head to the piano off to the side. The newly appointed Mr. and Mrs. Kim walk to the middle of the dance floor, hand in hand, and you begin playing.
You pour all your emotions out during your song for him, now their song. You force the feelings out of your fingertips and into the keys. As they glide across the dance floor you purge your love out of your heart and into the song. You close your eyes, the song coming to an end, and say goodbye. Everyone claps.
