Disclaimer: I do not own How to Train Your Dragon or any of its fabulous characters… but I sure wish I did.

Author's Note: I'm a die-hard music nerd and I've always wanted to write a story like this. If I could be more specific of violin details, please let me know: I was going to pick cello, because that's what I play, but you'll see why in later chapters. Enjoy! Read and Review! AND TELL YOUR FRIENDS!

Hiccup was out for a walk in the woods by Ravent Point one afternoon. He was pondering what Gobber had said at training: "A dragon will always go for the kill." Hiccup asked himself, "Then why didn't you?" Why didn't that Night Fury kill him?

No ideas came to him. He couldn't stand the silence. He cautiously looked around to see if anyone was hiding behind a shrub or tree. Once he was sure that no one was in sight, he raised his instrument to his shoulder, put the bow on the string, and began to play.

Ever since Hiccup was a little…well, littler… he'd always been fascinated by the fiddlers at the Thor'sday Thursday celebrations. When he was five, he found a violin stowed away in his attic and taught himself how to play. Until yesterday, Hiccup had always wanted to fight dragons but since he figured himself essentially useless, he considered fiddling as a backup career. It would have been seen as shameful for the son of the leader of the tribe to be a fiddler, not a great fighter of dragons. The only way for Hiccup to practice was in secret. The only place secret enough in Berk was this forest where he often took long walks alone to practice. No one had ever seen him here and he liked it that way. Besides, Astrid would never want him if she found out that he was a fiddler.

Hiccup loved playing more than anything. He used it to clear his mind and get away from the cruel world of Berk to a much better place where he didn't have to worry about Astrid, dragon training, looking like a fool in front of his father, Snotlout, not anything.

The music flowed through him and he poured out his heart. Since no one would ever listen to him, this was his voice. He was at peace, and who cared about some stupid dragon when he had this beautiful thing that only he could do. This was the only thing that made him special. Too bad that if the others found out it would be considered hilarious.

Hiccup heard a flutter of batlike wings. This was nothing new. Dragons were around here all the time and he knew this forest better than any Viking in all of Berk ever did. He stopped playing and hid behind a nearby large rock as the dragon swooped down, right where Hiccup had been seconds before. He hadn't made an effort to hide himself particularly quickly, so no doubt this had dragon noticed him.

He saw the dragon's shadow and almost gasped: it was the Night Fury! This was it. He was done for! There was no way the same dragon would let him go twice!

The Night Fury sniffed and moved closer towards the rock where Hiccup hid. Hiccup was sure that the beating of his heart would give him away. And it did.

The Night Fury loomed over him once more. But it didn't have the same glare as it did the other day: it looked curious.

"Uh…hi." Hiccup said with nervous laughter, "I was just…leaving." He picked up his fiddle. The Night Fury looked from Hiccup to his instrument. A strange thought crossed Hiccup's mind. Was this dragon charmed by his music? He was playing a little louder than normal...

"Okay…well, uh… how about a song?" Hiccup picked up his violin, never taking his eyes off the dragon, just in case it was a trap. He figured he'd better make this the best he ever played, so he wouldn't get eaten alive. He began to play one of his own tunes, and the Night Fury just sat there and watched him play, as if entranced. Hiccup continued to play, never taking his eyes off the dragon… and the dragon never took its eyes off him.

When Hiccup was finished, he lowered the instrument. He said slowly and clearly to the dragon, "That's all I have."

The Night Fury gave him one last look and took off. Hiccup noticed that it flew very slowly, almost lopsided. He followed the dragon with his eyes. Hiccup didn't move. He could only wonder.

How could that dragon let me go twice?

He was so curious that he ended up following it. The Night Fury came to rest in a glade around a lake. Hiccup wondered why a dragon as cruel as a Night Fury would choose to stay grounded. As he studied it, he realized that it had no choice: its tail was missing a wing. And he was responsible. Hiccup quickly made a sketch of the Night Fury on the back of his latest composition since his notebook was at home.

Hiccup snuck out of the glade and headed back to the village. The cogs in his brain turning and not even music would clear his mind. He kept the place in the back of his mind, and thought about heading there after training tomorrow. He clutched his violin tightly and wondered what he would have done without it.