Closed Symphony

[Analei Westwick]

Analei felt she was getting a lot better at playing the piano. She practiced a lot, if only to impress Edmund. She was sure it would have been something that she would have let slip through the cracks if it hadn't been for him. It was definitely made easier by the fact that she wasn't taking every subject this year, she had a lot more spare time, especially more now after the -conversation- that she had had with Arvel. The only time she spent in the Hufflepuff area was to go to sleep. And with exam time coming up, the library was very overcrowded.
It wasn't a normal piano lesson day, but Analei had asked Edmund to meet up with her anyway. They hadn't spoken much - if at all since he had dueled with his brother, but apart from that, the Hufflepuff was missing his company. Today, she wasn't in the best of moods, and knew he would cheer her up. She had arrived earlier to the room than she asked for, just so she could spend a few moments warming up. Music wasn't something that she had learned to 'lose herself' in - it still took a lot of focus for her to get everything right, but it was starting to be easier.

 

[Edmund Westwick]

As Edmund approached the arts room, he could tell just from the sound that Analei had already arrived. Though they were still early in their lessons, Edmund recognised her style of playing, the hand movements she still struggled with, the slight stutter in the rhythm. He was impressed by her progress every time they met, though it had been getting more difficult to focus on what he was supposed to be teaching the more he thought about her. Though Edmund had scarcely seen her since the fight with Theodore, he was certain of what he felt for Analei now. He liked her, and Edmund needed to figure out what he was going to do about that. Liking Analei felt so different to how liking Diana had felt. Even early on, Edmund had never quite known what Diana wanted from him, had never known how to approach her, but Analei was so much easier to talk to, to understand. He had missed her since the fight, and Edmund had been doing his best to figure out what he should say. He felt he needed to say something, to let her know how he felt, but Edmund had never been good at finding the right words. Nothing had come to him in the last few days, and nothing was coming to him now, as he stood outside the arts room. Doubting that anything would come to him if he waited any longer, Edmund took a deep breath before he opened the door, giving Analei a rare warm smile as his eyes fell on her at the piano. "Your chords are flowing much more smoothly, you've been practicing." He commented, closing the door behind himself and approaching her at the piano. "It sounds good..."

 

[Analei Westwick]

Analei's fingers stuttered as Edmund entered, and she felt her cheeks blush at her mistake. She stopped playing and smiled at Edmund in return, watching him as he approached her. "I've had a good teacher." Analei replied, returning the compliment. It was a weird feeling, that someone could make you feel better just by their presence, but that's exactly what Analei felt with Edmund. It was weird, to feel as if nothing else mattered anymore. The Hufflepuff scooted over to make room for Edmund on the seat. "Thanks for meeting me..." Analei trailed off, suddenly at a loss of things to say. "Uh, so how have you been?" She didn't know if she should ask him about Theodore, or to even bring up the duel.

 

[Edmund Westwick]

Smiles often felt strange to Edmund, a movement his facial muscles were unused to conducting, but the more time he spent around Analei, the more natural a smile felt. He felt his cheeks heat up slightly at her compliment but didn't let his nerves hold him back, as he crossed the room and sat in the space she had offered. "I'm happy to..." He responded sincerely, meeting her eyes with a nervous smile. The smile slipped slightly as she asked how he was though, mind rushing back unbidden to the duel. "I've... been." He said slowly, unable to bring himself to talk about the painful silence between him and his brother. "How about you?" He asked, hoping to change the subject.

 

[Analei Westwick]

Analei grinned when Edmund said he was happy to meet with her. Although she was still nervous when she met up with him, she was always excited as well. She genuinely enjoyed spending time with Edmund, and always looked forward to the next time they would meet. Analei frowned when Edmund responded to her question. It was obvious that he didn't want to talk about what had happened, and though Analei had questions, she didn't want to push it, or make him talk about anything he didn't want to. She gave him a small, comforting smile, before he asked how she had been. How had she been? She let out a small laugh. "I've 'been', also." Analei replied. She didn't have any siblings, never mind a twin, so she knew losing her best friend couldn't match at all what Edmund was feeling, but it didn't make it less hard for her to deal with. "I have been practicing lots though." Analei said, turning to look at him. She liked their proximity to each other, and she sent a smile again. "Look - " She said, before placing her hands on the keys and began to play a tune. It was even more hard to focus with Edmund next to her, and it only took a few bars for her to make a mistake. She sighed and took her hands off the keys. "Sorry, I think, I'm just nervous. I was playing it fine before."

 

[Edmund Westwick]

Edmund chuckled softly when Analei echoed his own non-response, though it did concern him a little. Analei knew better than anyone what he had been going through over the last couple of years, was there something going wrong in her own life as well? Edmund felt nervous and wanted to ask if he could help, but couldn't find a way to make the words that didn't feel trite. He was relieved by the subject change, watching her hands on the keys as she played. Edmund was nodding in approval until she hit a wrong note, but he shook his head quickly at Analei's apology. "I know, I heard you earlier. You're doing well, I can tell you're more confident about how far you have to move to reach each key." He said gently, giving her a small gentle smile. "I'm very impressed."

 

[Analei Westwick]

Analei felt her cheeks redden when Edmund said she was doing well. She just wished that she hadn't messed up, but she knew it was just because she was trying to impress him. His next words were that he was impressed and Analei grinned, playfully nudging his shoulder. "Thank you." She said, letting out a small laugh. "You're making me blush." Analei said, before looking at Edmund, still feeling the butterflies in her stomach.

 

[Edmund Westwick]

Edmund smiled wider when Analei thanked him, the muscles of his face pulling his mouth into a shape that felt so unnatural to him usually with such ease. Everything felt easier with Analei, righter. He laughed nervously when she said he was making her blush, his eyes meeting Analei's unbidden. The eye contact pulled the chair out from under Edmund, so to speak. His heart lurched, and he found himself posessed by a courage he didn't think he had ever felt in his life before. "Well... you impress me a lot. All around." Edmund said slowly, feeling almost lightheaded with adrenaline. "I... Analei, I know I haven't... always been perfect, but you... make me want to be... a better version of myself. You're... funny and kind and... smart, and interesting, and I don't... know why you spend time with me, but I'm so grateful that you do. I... appreciate your friendship, more than you can know, but I.... I like you a lot, and I would... like for us to be more than that..." Even Edmund could hear the nerves in his own voice, the tremor, the stutterin pace, the slight squeak he had become painfully familiar with while his voice had been dropping a couple of years earlier, but there was still adrenaline fed urgency pushing him on to keep talking. "If... if that's okay, of course. If you don't... feel the same, I'm... always happy to be your friend. But... I would be honoured to... be your boyfriend."

 

[Analei Westwick]

Analei's cheeks flushed again when Edmund said that she impressed him. She hoped that he was flirting with her, she had never been the type to know what flirting was, or how to flirt. She definitely tried but didn't know if he was maybe just being friendly. She had been straight up with him, so he obviously knew how she felt, right? Luckily, Analei didn't have to wonder for too much longer as Edmund continued speaking. The Hufflepuff felt the smile on her face grow, her breath hitching in her throat as he went on, especially when he said that he wanted to be more than friends. Analei found herself shaking her slightly when he said she might feel different. Analei was speechless when he finished, and with her eyes connected with his, she felt there was only one thing to do. Feeling more confident and special than she ever had in her life, Analei moved forward, closing the gap between the two, wanting her lips to land on his.

 

[Edmund Westwick]

Edmund didn't think he had ever done anything so bold in his life, and his racing heart and sweaty palms belied any sense of bravery or strength he may have felt. The adrenaline powering him had drained away as he ran out of things to say and he realised abruptly that he may have ruined not only any chances of a relationship but even a friendship with Analei. So when she moved closer Edmund felt his heart skip a beat, almost leaning away for a stupid, panicked moment before he realised what she was doing. Oh. Hands trembling slightly, Edmund leaned in and kissed Analei gently, eyes falling shut as his lips touched hers. It had been a long time since Edmund had kissed anyone but he thought he remembered how, keeping the kiss gentle and chaste. His heart thumped as it sank in that this was really happening - he had told Analei how he felt, and they were kissing... he didn't think he could think of a better moment in his entire life.

 

[Analei Westwick]

Analei couldn't believe she was about to have her first real kiss. All the ones at the stupid spin the bottle game didn't count; this one counted. Yes she had nerves at the kissing game, but the nerves that she had now, they were excited nerves, as Edmund leaned in to close the space between them. Analei's eyes closed when their lips met, feeling her heart racing. She was kissing Edmund! It was a moment that the Hufflepuff wanted to last forever, but she suddenly became all to aware that her hands were lying lamely in her lap, and she'd never actually properly kissed someone before. What if she was a horrible kisser? Would this change how Edmund felt? Slowly easing back, Analei felt her cheeks blush again, as she kept her gaze down. "Um - so I guess what I'm trying to say is, that I would be honored to be your girlfriend." Analei said, her eyes flicking back up to Edmund's.

 

[Edmund Westwick]

Edmund felt as though right now, time could simply freeze forever and he would be quite contented for it to do so. Kissing Analei felt good, and real, and right, and Edmund was almost overwhelmed with happiness. Finally, after so many things had gone so wrong for him for so long, something was going so, so right. His heart sank slightly when she pulled away but he didn't linger, opening his eyes nervously, hoping that hadn't simply been a pity-kiss. He watched Analei's face, nerves creeping in as she didn't meet his eye, but a moment later it became all too clear that he needn't have worried, and Edmund felt a bright, broad smile creep onto his face, an expression that never seemed to sit quite right on his features, but right now Edmund couldn't possibly have cared less. Analei wanted to be his girlfriend! "Oh!" He said, beaming, feeling his face heat up slightly. "That's... absolutely lovely." Edmund said warmly, and instantly felt silly for saying it. "I mean, um... cool. Great. Er... yes." He stammered, any semblance he might have felt that some part of him had the capacity to be cool dribbling away with his stumbling noises. "Er... so... does that mean we're dating?"

 

[Analei Westwick]

Analei loved seeing Edmund smile, and loved even more that it was her that made him smile. She watched him as he reacted to her saying yes to being his girlfriend, and giggled as he seemed to stumble over his words. He then asked if it meant they were dating, and Analei slowly nodded her head. "Yes? Yes. Oh Merlin, we're terrible at this." She said with a giggle, ducking her head but nudging Edmund again with her shoulder. Though she was feeling a bit awkward now, usually time spent with Edmund was comfortable, and she was sure they'd get back into the comfort again soon.