Alright, this is an apology story for the fact that I had to delete and re-post all of my other stories. I hope you guys enjoy it!
Dedication: This one goes out to Kateko, for this pairing idea. Check out her story, "Cause and Effect"! It's really good!
Disclaimer: I didn't wake up in J.K.'s body this morning, or the morning before that, or the one before that...I think you can sum up what that means...
The usual dull buzz of conversation filled the Great Hall on a normal Saturday at Hogwart's School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.
…Well, as normal as a magically-influenced school can be, anyway.
However, what was strange about this particular Saturday is that there were no extra noises filling the Great Hall.
There was no sound of cutlery scraping across the golden plates Hogwarts was ever-so-famous for, of goblets being placed back onto to the table with a dull 'thump', or even of the occasional 'splash' or 'splatter' of a spill of some entrée or another.
In fact, if you were viewing the Great Hall at this time, you would realize that only about 40 students filled it. This alone, was unusual.
The four basic house tables had been pushed to the walls and the students were sitting at each their respective House Tables, despite the movement of the furnished benches.
Seamus Finnigan and Neville Longbottom were among them.
"What d'you think McGonagall wants now, mate?" asked Seamus with an exasperated sigh. He had been finishing a Charm's essay when they had been called into the Great Hall, and was now frustrated at the fact that he wasn't going to able to finish it. Flitwick was already giving him an extension, as it was.
"I dunno…," said Neville absently. He was currently observing Luna Lovegood at the Ravenclaw table across the hall. She wore her usual unique spectacles and robes that were a violent shade of purple today.
Leave it to Luna Lovegood to find a way out of her uniform…
She was currently sitting alone reading The Quibbler, you guessed it, upside down.
Seamus shook his head at the humorous situation that lie before him, and was about to tell Neville to 'shut his trap before he caught some flies with it', when Professor McGonagall briskly strode in. Her hair was tied in as tight a bun as ever, and she wore her squared spectacles evenly over the bridge of her nose.
Just like Seamus, everyone in the hall hushed at the sight of her. Even Neville managed to tear his gaze away from Luna for a few moments to listen to what the old professor had to say.
McGonagall's eyes scanned the room, and she gave a slightly amused smile.
"Why the long faces?" she asked.
Everyone gave her pointed stares. She sighed.
"I know the War is going on right now. However, we must keep our chins held high because without hope, we have nothing."
A few people nodded slightly at these wise words of wisdom. A few looked a bit taken aback at her kind state.
Seamus' mind was still busy, however, of thinking about what could have possibly been so important that his essay-writing had to be interrupted.
"Which brings me to why I called you here," continued the just recently appointed Headmistress. "We are going to do something interactive today."
…Probably something dull, thought Seamus.
A few people groaned in annoyance. This didn't look good.
Not at all.
"We are going to learn the Tango," said McGonagall.
…Uh-oh…
Some students looked quite surprised at this announcement. Most eyebrows rose.
"Now," said the Professor "is there anyone here who knows how to properly dance a simple ballroom Tango?"
By the looks of it, many did, Seamus among them. Mum had insisted he learn. Living in the Wizarding World had its disadvantages.
Although, not one hand went up as those students squirmed in their seats.
The Headmistress sighed again, and pulled out her wand from her robe's pocket.
"Revealo!" she said sharply, flicking her wand upward. About half of the Hall's content's hands flew up.
As soon as the students noticed this, they pulled their hands down quickly. Though, two of the crowd were not as lucky.
"Mr. Finnigan! Miss Greengrass! Front and center, please!"
Seamus cursed under his breath.
As he gravitated toward the center of the room, he noticed that the girl that went by 'Greengrass' was actually quite pretty.
She had shoulder length, straight brown hair with streaks of silver in them, and she had mesmerizing green-silver eyes.
…The problem? Gryffindors don't fraternize with Slytherins.
Yes, you heard correctly. She was a Slytherin.
'Greengrass' approached with a slight narrow of her eyes, and her hands folded across her chest.
McGonagall clapped her hands loudly, and said, "You two will demonstrate the basic steps of the Tango, and then each of you will divide into pairs."
Neither of the two students budged. McGonagall narrowed her eyes dangerously. "First position, please."
The two students grudgingly did as they were told. For neither of them wanted to face the professor's wrath.
Seamus placed his right hand upon her left hip, and hers upon his right shoulder. Their left hands met and a warm shock, that neither of them had expected, flooded their bodies. Their eyes met.
"Alright now," McGonagall said, looking pleased, "I trust you know what to do?"
Both nodded.
"Very well," the Headmistress stated, and flicked her wand yet again. The old record player in a forgotten corner turned itself on and a sweet but quick-paced melody played throughout the Hall. Every eye was on Seamus and the Greengrass girl.
Seamus began by stepping with his right foot, making a swinging half turn, then onto his right foot, and completed by turning on four counts. Then four steps back, also counting.
He did the counting in his head. The steps, however, he knew by heart. 'Greengrass' just seemed to be following his lead, and quite well, he might add.
He decided to strike up some low conversation as they continued. "So, I assume that 'Greengrass' wouldn't be yehr first name?"
Her eyes narrowed suspiciously, but she said in a no-nonsense manner, "The name's Daphne."
He could tell that she wasn't up for talking, so he shrugged it off, and continued the dance.
Daphne seemed to be getting a tad bored with Seamus leading, and what she did next surprised him.
She had started with a simple foot glide, letting it rise from the floor toward the end of the step, meanwhile toeing inward.
However, she then planted that same foot squarely to the back of her supporting foot.
At the moment of placing her retreating foot, her knee of the advancing leg relaxed, and her advanced foot became turned.
This step completely reversed the process he had been going in, and he turned her quickly to make up for the missed steps.
As he had watched her do that step, he realized that she was no rookie. The step was quite complex, and that was his reasoning for the slight stun.
The continued on in complete silence, moving with the beat of the music, and following the traditional "slow, slow, quick, quick, slow" pattern.
Daphne, as he glanced at her once again, actually seemed to be having a good time, as a small smile was slowly appearing on her lovely lips. It truly brightened up her usually hardened features.
As the last notes of the song played, Seamus ended with another simple pattern that was quite similar to a half box step, Daphne right behind him. Seamus, though, was feeling a bit spontaneous.
To add a bit of flair to the ending, he dipped Daphne and held the postion. She gasped in surprise but couldn't hold back a slight laugh.
Seamus smiled at her, but at that moment, became aware of all the eyes watching them and the applauds that they were receiving.
He smiled sheepishly, and pulled Daphne up, freeing her hands from his. She gave him a full genuine smile for the first time that day, and returned to the Slytherin table.
"Very good!" said Professor McGonagall, also applauding them. "Bravo!"
Seamus also returned to his seat, at the Gryffindor table, that is. Neville was looking at him as though he'd never seen him before.
As soon as Seamus sat down, Neville exclaimed, "That was bloody brilliant, mate!"
Seamus couldn't help but grin. He'd have to thank Mum over the Summer holidays.
McGonagall interrupted his thoughts once again. "Alright now, everyone! Split into pairs, so we can start working on the basic steps of what you have just observed!"
Neville immediately hurried off to find Luna.
There was a hustle to get a partner, and Seamus just beamed as he stood. They sometimes say that if you can dance comfortably with someone, you should never dance with anyone else.
As Seamus recalled this saying, he knew who his partner was going to be. It seemed Daphne did, also. He spotted her approaching.
After all, it does take Two to Tango…
So, what did you think?
Good?
Bad?
Okay?
Fine?
Awful?
Dreadful?
Troll?
You know what? I think I'll just let you review...
You know you want to!
Oh, no, don't you even think of going back up! You scroll back down this instant!
C'mon!
Push the little Lavender-ish button!
It's lots of fun!
Yooouuu know yoooouuu want tooooooooo!
Tata for now!
100-percent-Harry-Potter-obsessed