Excusing herself politely from the last of the party stragglers, she stepped outside, into the garden bathed in the warm glow of moonlight, her pale skin illuminated, the vivid dusting of freckles across her cheeks highlighted – "angels' kisses", her mother used to say.
She stood in silence, letting the soothing sounds of the crickets and owls was around her, wrapping the warm blankets of solitude and peace around her. Hands at her side, she waited for a minute, two minutes, three…
"Aren't you going to ask me to dance, Mr Malfoy?"
Startled, he stepped back, wondering how she had sensed his approach. Then again, it was of no real surprise, she had always known when he was near – call it her sixth sense. Something flickered briefly in his eyes, a brush of paint and colour across an otherwise blank canvas.
The whispering carried his quiet reply to her, even as it sifted through her dark copper hair, mussing up his immaculate blonde coif.
"Would you like to dance, Ms Weasley?" His voice was as impeccable as the rest of him, cold, emotionless and perfectly unreadable.
He didn't wait for an answer. He never did.
A soft rustle of leaves, a quick swish of grass, and he was behind her, turning her around with practised ease. Left hand on her waist, right hand to her left, feet spaced, back straight. Almost casually, he noted that his chin was level with her nose, as the breeze blew strands of red hair into his face. His eyes roamed, before finally settling on a spot in the few inches of distance between them.
He felt her gentle touch on his shoulder, and the light feathery pressure of her fingertips against his. She moved closer to him, inhaling the unique scent of him, all rain and fog and ice, absorbing his comforting warmth.
They had no music, the band having retired for the night, but they didn't need it – the music was all in their minds, as their feet moved to a familiar rhythm.
Front back front. Front side back. Front twirl and out. Pull in and tilt. Front back front. His mind repeated over and over like a mantra, lulling him into its vortex of languidness.
Their feet swept the surrounding leaves into a light flurry, as they moved in perfect harmony, their bodies blending together like two pieces of a puzzle. Caught up in their mesmerizing dance of silence, she hummed along, as she dipped and twirled.
And still the music played on and on, and they danced on and on, refusing to let go of each other, holding on to each other in a sort of frenzy, their bodies holding the conversation. Their feet beat a solid rhythm, the soles of their shoes crunching on the dry leaves, and snapping the occasional twig.
And when their special music ended, they didn't let go, breathing huskily, feeling the heat radiate from each other, as their rigid dance posture folded slowly into a loose embrace. Her head rested comfortably on his chest, her hands around his waist, as one of his hands nestled snugly in the small of her back, the other splayed across her upper back.
They didn't need words.
Just then, the strains of drunken laughter reached them, the uneven footsteps stumbling nearer, she tugged away from him, his arms reluctantly dropping to his sides. In the darkness, as the moon slid behind the clouds, hiding its gaze as if in bashful shame, he felt her eyes search for his, and he reached up and brushed against her hair, tracing a path down her cheekbone.
His hand lingered momentarily on her cheek and she caught his hand, pressing it to her lips. Tiptoeing, she murmured into his ear, before turning away.
"I saved the last dance for you."
And then she was gone, as he stared wistfully after her departing figure, silhouetted against the shadowing backdrop of looming trees.
"So did I… so did I."
~fin
A/N: Hope you liked it, please review.